What’s Old is New Again

[ECS686]

Excellent article by Bryan Eastridge. Any of us that have been around firearms training, gear or competition since the 70’s 80’s or earlier have seen this.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/73975204?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

 

[backtrail540]

I still want a Para LDA p18 if I come across one at the right price one day! Nice perspective, I enjoy his podcast.

 

[Trapper Jim]

Excellent article by Bryan Eastridge. Any of us that have been around firearms training, gear or competition since the 70’s 80’s or earlier have seen this.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/73975204?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

Yep. The Fad controls the market and the masses swallow the Fad. Nothing new here.

 

[cedartop]

What's his point? Oh yeah, yell at them clouds.

 

[Jaybird1980]

I think things do make a resurgence, but it usually is because of some improvement.

Optics are far better now, smaller, better field of view, more durable, lighter.

I mean could you imagine using that slide mounted scope for anything besides slow fire, and they are bragging about it living to 5k rounds.

Just because it's been done, doesn't mean it can't be done better.

 

[jsx1043]

Yep. The Fad controls the market and the masses swallow the Fad. Nothing new here.

I remember way back in 2003 when I went to SWAT school. The new hotness was everything that was military sexy at the time, I.E., Aimpoints on carry handles (approx 2” high, you know for gas masks) and Surefire M900 VFG lights mounted to pic rails at 6:00 on factory handguards. If you rocked this setup, you were truly Gucci and were akin to the troops storming Baghdad airport.

Fast forward to 2015 and the new hotness is free floated 15” rails, micro lights at 12:00 and Eotechs and magnifiers (approx 1.5” high) and you were a troglodyte if you didn’t have a rail and a flat top upper.

And now we’re at 2023 with sky-high mounts (approx 2+” high, you know for NODS) with GI handguards and barely a trinket on the gun.

And don’t even get me started on tactical gear and going from belt/suspenders > LBV > chest rig > micro chest rig > chest rig > belt/suspenders.

Seriously, just buy and use stuff that works for you. Sure, research and try new things, but do it because it improves your capabilities, not necessarily because it’s the cool new thing.

 

[bwframe]

What about yelling "FREEZE" and firing a warning shot?

 

[Trapper Jim]

Fad/Culture change in ads alone.

 

[Mij]

I remember way back in 2003 when I went to SWAT school.

 

[Mij]

I love’s me some war stories. Please carry on.

 

[MarmotMountain]

What about yelling "FREEZE" and firing a warning shot?

I still do that at the range. I don’t understand why my range kicks me out afterwards.

 

[Gabriel]

Excellent article by Bryan Eastridge. Any of us that have been around firearms training, gear or competition since the 70’s 80’s or earlier have seen this.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/73975204?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

To be fair with pistol mounted optics, the technology to do them right is just now available. It only takes a glance at those handguns to see why they fell out of favor fairly quickly. Bulky mounts and huge optics would get old for most things other than competition (where they still use mostly frame mounted optics as far as I can tell). Only time will tell if they fall out of favor again, but I do like mine and I plan on putting them on all my handguns.

 

[Gabriel]

I remember way back in 2003 when I went to SWAT school. The new hotness was everything that was military sexy at the time, I.E., Aimpoints on carry handles (approx 2” high, you know for gas masks) and Surefire M900 VFG lights mounted to pic rails at 6:00 on factory handguards. If you rocked this setup, you were truly Gucci and were akin to the troops storming Baghdad airport.

Fast forward to 2015 and the new hotness is free floated 15” rails, micro lights at 12:00 and Eotechs and magnifiers (approx 1.5” high) and you were a troglodyte if you didn’t have a rail and a flat top upper.

And now we’re at 2023 with sky-high mounts (approx 2+” high, you know for NODS) with GI handguards and barely a trinket on the gun.

And don’t even get me started on tactical gear and going from belt/suspenders > LBV > chest rig > micro chest rig > chest rig > belt/suspenders.

Seriously, just buy and use stuff that works for you. Sure, research and try new things, but do it because it improves your capabilities, not necessarily because it’s the cool new thing.

I didn't go through SWAT school until 2007, but we had MP5s. I really didn't care for them at all. About 2010 we went to the AR platform.

I still subscribe to the 2015 hotness version of the AR... minus the magnifier. I've come to terms with it's major drawback (Front sight mounted on the handguard) and found it isn't the huge issue I thought it would be.

I don't get the sky high mounts and that won't be a fad I explore. I always thought the main reason the military had sights mounted on the handguard was convenience of not having to retrofit four million rifles with flat top receivers. I've always been able to use a gas mask with the standard height sights.

Are we back to belt/suspenders now? I didn't get the memo yet.

The problem with most people just buying what works for them is that most people don't' know what works for them until they buy something and try it out. Even most of us that train a lot buy stuff we realize doesn't quite work and we go through a long process of figuring out what does. Luckily most of my gear is issued, so I don't really have a choice in what I use... at least at work. I'm actually setting up a new plate carrier right now that I was issued a few months ago and just haven't had time to mess with.

 

[flatlander]

I'm 21 years older than the author. So by a rough reckoning using his method, me having my 1911 .45 as my everyday carry again should come as no surprise to me. Thanks for enlightening this old guy. I just use what works the best for me and my needs.

 

[wcd]

I'm 21 years older than the author. So by a rough reckoning using his method, me having my 1911 .45 as my everyday carry again should come as no surprise to me. Thanks for enlightening this old guy. I just use what works the best for me and my needs.

Enlightening the Old Guy? Ah you are already utilizing on of the Finest models of all time.

 

[ECS686]

To be fair with pistol mounted optics, the technology to do them right is just now available. It only takes a glance at those handguns to see why they fell out of favor fairly quickly. Bulky mounts and huge optics would get old for most things other than competition (where they still use mostly frame mounted optics as far as I can tell). Only time will tell if they fall out of favor again, but I do like mine and I plan on putting them on all my handguns.

What I got from the article a lot of folks (trainers and companies) try to market and sell stuff as new that has been done before. Look at Appendix carry it’s only been around since the 1800’s or before. But the last 10 years some have announce it as their own invention. (Not trying to start a debate on appendix just an example don’t like it that’s fine)

My own observation is a lot of the gear and gear chasers chasers (and I’ll use RDS as an example) is a lot of folks throwing them in guns were sold a false sense of neediness. And they are not the ones that are going to practice to proficiency. They think the extra gear will magically make them John Wick.

And while there are some phenomenal RDS shooters will it make the difference in the majority of self defense scenarios? Not the probable but people get wrapped around the Possible these days! Factor in a lot of classes (I’ve been to a couple professional RDS classes)and they spend some of the curriculum on training how to shoot when the dot fails. (Like some rifle shooters think they have to have 45 degree irons)

Companies and training companies just want to sell everyone stuff and most of it’s been done before improved technology non withstanding!

 

[bwframe]

Massad Ayoob on Red Dot Sights for Handguns #Shorts

Massad Ayoob gives his thought on optics for carry pistols. See the full video here. https://youtu.be/apILD12giac

www.youtube.com