There is much we don’t know about the recent murders by an evil doer in Las Vegas. What we do know is there is a lot of chatter about updating patrol rifles with magnified optics.
Pushing boundaries
Revisiting your equipment is never a bad thing. Reviewing your mission requirements to ensure you are equipped and prepared is an ongoing process. The one caveat to remember is there is no substitute for skill. You can upgrade to the best magnified optic available, but if you fail to train it won’t help your mission. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for exploiting the advantages many pieces of gear offer us. They can be game changers most of the time and pure fight stoppers in a few. You have to be honest with yourself, your current skill and your real mission. I’m fine if you want to push boundaries, but don’t tell me you are doing this because it is a new mission requirement.
Managing the unknown
Let’s face it, there are all but a handful of people trained to engage an elevated target at distance, with the right equipment at the right time. The immediate knee jerk reaction is to outfit the troops with magnified optics to manage possible future threats. Are these types of threats going to be more common, unfortunately there is a chance we will see more thanks to the “love” our media gives these sociopaths. The real question is does the remote possibility trigger hundreds or even thousands of dollars expended on such a low likely scenario. Regardless of how horrific the scenario it is not a hardware solution.
Force projection
Magnified optics can be a force multiplier, they can enhance your ability to accomplish your mission. When you have the luxury of stabilizing your shooting platform to minimize sight disruption your hit ratio improves. Having run dozens of mid-range marksmanship classes I have seen this first hand. The increased hit ratio equals increased lethality at distance. I’m all for increasing lethality on the battlefield, by extending the range to target I can accurately impose effective fire means I am increasing my control over my battle space. This mission requirement is not without it’s downside; training and equipment.
Easy to hard
A low powered variable optic capable of being used at both close and mid range has been elusive. Most that do it well are cost prohibitive and those more affordable typically perform on par with their cost. My whole point is to encourage individuals and departments to clearly define their mission. Then identify the best equipment you can afford to achieve mission success. Purchasing the equipment is the easy part, investing in quality instruction on it’s use and employment is where the rubber meets the road. I love seeing folks push their limits, to take their skills to the next level. You should never get comfortable or complacent, but a knee jerk reaction is hardly the best initiator.
Remember your time and resources are limited, make sure you’re allocating them in the best way to support your mission. Reviewing tactics, techniques and procedures is a constant process, it is the only constant we have in this world to be honest.
