Keeping it Simple

In a world of goo-gaa’s and gadgets to be mounted on various MSRs, it is a wonder that they can be operated at all.

In 1985, Automotive Engineer Earl Weiner stated, “Every device creates its own opportunity for human error. Exotic devices create exotic problems. Digital devices tune out small errors while creating opportunities for large errors. Whenever you solve a problem, you usually create one. You can only hope that the one you created is less critical than those you eliminated”.

From rails, optics, bi-pods, forearms, lights, stocks, multi-point slings, and so on, we can fully adorn a MSR to be so tactical that the tactical edge ends up going to the person who does not have all of these things. At what point does tactical because tactless?

As I age, I do realize the worthiness of even half-way decent optics (or sights) mounted on most of my long-guns – but it ends there. Recently, I had installed a set of night-sights for my Springfield XDs. Let’s see, the Xds also has a rail. Why not install a laser, a flashlight, or a bayonet? The Xds is my EDC, that’s why not. It needs to be as fast, reliable, and accurate as I can be with it with my aging eyes and reflexes.

My recent acquisition of the Ruger AR-556 made me think about optics even though the AR-556 comes with an adequate set of sights. I have ordered a 45-degree mount for a red/green dot sight to affix to the top rail. It is offset so that I can use either set of sights without the complexity of co-witnessing. It is not a question of have BUIS, it is a question as to what sight will serve me better under different conditions.

The house gun long-gun is a Mossberg 500 20-gauge that is outfitted with a top-mount green laser. If nothing else, the laser tells me which way the barrel is pointed. I will contend that a laser does help the situation when you can’t get to sighting down the barrel fast enough. The laser button is located just above the safety on the Mossy, which puts safety and laser operation within working distance of the thumb.

I viewed a video on the WWW recently of a popular “tactical” shooter as he ran the range with his favorite MSR. Aside with him being loaded down with vest, spare magazines, drop-pouches, sidearm + spare magazines, knee and elbow pads, and superior sunglasses from a famous manufacturer, the MSR he was operating was also as loaded. I think that he was trying to get as much sponsored stuff on the SMR as possible to test during a single range session. I was surprised not to see a sponsor list hanging from the back of his re-hydration pack like a NASCAR race car. Had he been Custer at the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and had a modern, fully gee-gawed MSR, I believe that he still would have died, although he might have taken a few more of the 1,500 to 2,500 warriors that were around the 7th Calvary at the time than he did.

Transition to Hickock45 where he takes out target using iron sights better than most can do with optics – and in less time than it takes to sight a scope. Simplicity is at its best with Hickock45.

The more that I add to a firearms, the more I have to worry about. I have to keep telling myself, “Self, keep it simple!” Now, if you will excuse me, I have to figure out how to mount a tactical scope/flashlight/laser/taser/camera unit on my ultra-light MSR.