Since I started working in the gun business, there are a lot of things that I have noticed as recurring themes. Some of them good, and others not so good. But hey, I'll be damned if my motto isn't "Learning what not to do is part of the learning process". All too often I find that people are attempting to "Chase the Unicorn". What is that? Click "Read More" to find out.
The Unicorn
The "Unicorn" can be a lot of different things.
For most, it is the "Perfect" gun. It could be that one pistol that you can use for three gun competitions, home defense, concealed carry, and your own little "End of days" fantasy scenario (you know, the one where you fight your way through endless hordes of Muslim Zombies to rescue Katy Perry, and the only way to defeat them involves having a threesome with her and Kiera Knightley). As awesome as it would be to be able to have one pistol that could do it all, if you try to do that, you will end up compromising at some point. The Glock 19 and Steyr M9 come close to this, but they are going to be difficult to conceal in the summer without looking like "That Guy". Sure, there are those who claim to be able to do it in a tshirt and a speedo, but for most, this is not the case.
Some people seem to be on a quest to find the gun that shoots the best for them. I cannot tell you how often people bring in a gun to sell that has less than 100 rounds. I always ask these people why they are selling this pistol, and most of the time it is one of two answers:
For the second response, I have been guilty of this as well. The newest, and latest and greatest, is not always a good thing. Just look at the abysmal launch of the Remington R51. The hype for that is like going on a date with the girl of your dreams, only to find out after dinner than she has a twig and berries under her skirt. Just because you buy the newest, and latest and greatest, does not mean it will make you a better shooter.
For most, it is the "Perfect" gun. It could be that one pistol that you can use for three gun competitions, home defense, concealed carry, and your own little "End of days" fantasy scenario (you know, the one where you fight your way through endless hordes of Muslim Zombies to rescue Katy Perry, and the only way to defeat them involves having a threesome with her and Kiera Knightley). As awesome as it would be to be able to have one pistol that could do it all, if you try to do that, you will end up compromising at some point. The Glock 19 and Steyr M9 come close to this, but they are going to be difficult to conceal in the summer without looking like "That Guy". Sure, there are those who claim to be able to do it in a tshirt and a speedo, but for most, this is not the case.
Some people seem to be on a quest to find the gun that shoots the best for them. I cannot tell you how often people bring in a gun to sell that has less than 100 rounds. I always ask these people why they are selling this pistol, and most of the time it is one of two answers:
- "It doesn't shoot good"
- "The Whiz Bang Tactical Operator 9001 Elite just came out and it is 7.84% better"
For the second response, I have been guilty of this as well. The newest, and latest and greatest, is not always a good thing. Just look at the abysmal launch of the Remington R51. The hype for that is like going on a date with the girl of your dreams, only to find out after dinner than she has a twig and berries under her skirt. Just because you buy the newest, and latest and greatest, does not mean it will make you a better shooter.
So, what does this mean?
For the most part, all of these things could be remedied with "Reps and mileage" as Arnold would say. Ever so often I hear people complain about the grip angle on Glocks, stock triggers, ergonomics, or even some typical production features that are normal. I think that if more people actually took the time to truly practice with one gun, and really train with it, they would be satisfied with the results.
Shit, I have been carrying a completely bone stock Glock 19 for the better part of a year, and it is getting to the point where I am amazed at what that gun can do. (I am even ashamed to say it still has the stock plastic sites on it.....). I firmly hold the belief that a bone stock Glock and AR15 will do 90% of what 95% of people need done. But hey, variety is the spice of life, and I am just a bit on the jaded side.
EZ
Shit, I have been carrying a completely bone stock Glock 19 for the better part of a year, and it is getting to the point where I am amazed at what that gun can do. (I am even ashamed to say it still has the stock plastic sites on it.....). I firmly hold the belief that a bone stock Glock and AR15 will do 90% of what 95% of people need done. But hey, variety is the spice of life, and I am just a bit on the jaded side.
EZ
