1 Oct 12

Comments from Instructors with regard to rifle utility:

“Your student was saddled with a misconception of the degree of repeatability of point-of-impact that is reasonably needed for the kinds of situations we are training for. Your student has subsequently learned that our accuracy needs are well represented by ‘minute-of-felon,’ and that, in the field, we can’t hold our mil-spec rifles nearly as well as they can shoot anyway.

The cynical gun-press has done us the immense disservice of insisting that group-size is the sole and end-all method for judging a gun’s suitability for any purpose imaginable. Nothing could be further from the truth! For serious applications, most guns are just fine as they leave the factory. Many delude themselves into believing a rifle that won’t shoot sub-MOA is unsatisfactory. What crap! There are many additional variables, aside from mechanical accuracy, that determine a hit or miss, living or dying.

For most rifles intended for serious purposes, there are precious few modifications that are really needed. Replacing substandard parts, adding a militarized optic, sling, and a co-axial light are some. All mine shoot about the same, regardless of optic, trigger, barrel, et al. That is: two MOA.

Our serious ammunition should not be ‘match,’ nor ‘target.’ We need ammunition sized to minimums, crimped primers, and a bullet that won’t shove back into the case, nor have a tip break off. We need chambers that have a long leade and maximum headspace.

Accident-prone “ultra-light” triggers are the province of fools!

All these things that make our guns suitable and reliable, also make them less than target (bench-rest) accurate. Still, most are mechanically able to maintain two MOA. In the context of history, this is as good as its ever been for a fighting weapon, and is more than good enough for any practical use, to far beyond the range where a 5.56 is useable anyway.

Simple, usable, reliable, repairable, short, light, slim, slick, and fast – that’s what we need and that’s ALL we need when fighting for our lives!”

Comment: When students ask me about defensive guns in general, my first question is always,

“What is it for? Do you want it to impress your friends, or impress your enemies? You can’t have it both ways!”

Who think they can are kidding themselves, dangerously!

“Simple, usable, reliable, repairable, short, light, slim, slick, and fast” At DTI, that’s the Golden Rule!

/John