Stlhead Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 This topic has come up over beers at matches lately and I thought it was time we brought it out into he open. Our sport is supposedly rooted in what is practical, and tactical. Does tactical mean that anything that makes sense on the battlefield should be allowed? Are beta mags practical, are they tactical? People seem to like big mags, high magnification scopes, and all manner of doodads, should they be allowed or not? We talk about rules fairly often, but what principles drive those rules? I would like to see a dialogue started on this subject. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Thoughts.... Just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 This topic has come up over beers at matches lately and I thought it was time we brought it out into he open. Our sport is supposedly rooted in what is practical, and tactical. Does tactical mean that anything that makes sense on the battlefield should be allowed? Are beta mags practical, are they tactical? People seem to like big mags, high magnification scopes, and all manner of doodads, should they be allowed or not? We talk about rules fairly often, but what principles drive those rules? I would like to see a dialogue started on this subject. Thoughts? I think that Tactical should be renamed because there are a lot of things not allowed in Tactical that are used in the real world. Such as off set optics on rifles, optics on shotguns, etc. Open should be a test bed division where we test concepts. But Tactical should allow what is used in the real world and there are a lot of things that are used in real life that put you in open class. Just and observation. I am perfectly fine leaving things the way they are but Tactical is not really tactical. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooting for M Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Tactical is the most overused word in the firearms world. For that reason alone I think it should be renamed . Honestly, what else would/should we rename it, Patrol? Limited sounds good to me, oh wait USPSA already did that. Who cares what it's called really, I kind of like it, being LE it helps to explain it to the guys I need to ask time off from Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Tactical is the most overused word in the firearms world. For that reason alone I think it should be renamed . Honestly, what else would/should we rename it, Patrol? Limited sounds good to me, oh wait USPSA already did that. Who cares what it's called really, I kind of like it, being LE it helps to explain it to the guys I need to ask time off from I know you can buy all kinds of stuff that is labled tactical that is not. Tactical pens, letter openers etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 At a match early this year a young man pointed to a piece of my gear and asked " Is That Tactical"? before I thought my mouth responded with . "I don't know what Tactical Means" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmorris Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Tactical is now just a marketing term like "super" or "new and improved". Plastic is still plastic even if you call it a "space aged polymer". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 If you don't label something "tactical" it won't sell to all the couch commando's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Schmitt Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Tactical, in 3 gun, I think is less in reference to the gear and more of the metal methods used to solve the problems. Even though many stages are strictly designed to be accomplished in one way. Although Benny is right, I mean, CMMG sells Tactical Bacon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) If you think "tactical" is a funny word to use, try looking up the word "practical" there is lots and lots of stuff that is practical to some and deemed unusable by way of the rules!! Trapr Edited August 19, 2012 by bigbrowndog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landshark45 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I bought tactical condoms once... Guy said it was what all the undercover operatives used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike P Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Can something be "tactical" and not be suitable for use in the "real world" or "real world" approved and yet untactical? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Springer Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Can something be "tactical" and not be suitable for use in the "real world" or "real world" approved and yet untactical? Tactical Nuke? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjw Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) i shoot 3 gun with a lot of military guys in the spec ops area. ft Bragg/Ft Benning. they use their work gear. many, thats all they have. i will be at Rock Castle with my work gear. i will have to take a micro h-1 off my Schmidt and Bender to be legal. no body armor. will be clean. wont have the 10 ar mags either. smoke would be fun, buuut ????. probably will leave the radio,nods and "can" & peq-15,locked in the truck. my ar /pistol with be what I use where ever i am in the world. we only use shotties for breaching but mine will be a 1100 chip McCormick tuned for me 20 or so years ago. with a new bbl. (damn porting rules). the gear is not close. the shooters are not even on the same planet. u run into a "hot area" that fast i will shoot u my self. (if u get out alive). i use this gear cause open is silly for me, A GAME. the tac ops is as close as i can get to every day work. allows me to test new stuff and get in a little practice when i am home. tks to LINDA CHICO, i will be able to shoot it again this year. just got home. still asleep. i enjoy the tactical challenge. if u want to MAKE IT BETTER, make 3-4 stages surprise. dont need to walk thru and figure mag changes. still its pretty damn cool as is. just like to shoot 3 gun. must be a junkie. not meant to piss anyone off, but this is the why and how i come to these. many of the guys i have known for years are great shooters and i can spend time and watch them shoot.see new toys. get ideas. eat a lot. sleep a lot. L.O.L. jjw Edited August 20, 2012 by jjw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 anybody remember "tactical non-tactical pants"????? trapr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I hope I never really have to do anything "tactical", but if I do, I hope I have some 3gunners to do it with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benelli Chick Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 What about Craig's old "tactical Kilt"? Tactical or Practical, or just plain breezy???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Schmitt Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 anybody remember "tactical non-tactical pants"????? trapr they have some on clearance at LAPOLICEGEAR.COM I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latewatch Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I agree that both "tactical" and "practical" are over used and abused. In my mind if you formulate a plan and assemble gear to accomplish a mission (in this instance,shooting a stage)you are thinking tactically and if your plan and gear work out well then it was practical. Just my .02 YMMV.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan 45 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I agree that both "tactical" and "practical" are over used and abused. In my mind if you formulate a plan and assemble gear to accomplish a mission (in this instance,shooting a stage)you are thinking tactically and if your plan and gear work out well then it was practical. Just my .02 YMMV.. Nice! Very well put! I much prefer Craptical to Tactical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 It ment very little before, but now that we are shooting at "pizza boxes", and flying clays instead of using buckshot/breaching rounds it means even less than before. Perhapse we should re-name all of them to "none, some, a lot", with of course "he-man none and he-man some" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Anderson Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 It ment very little before, but now that we are shooting at "pizza boxes", and flying clays instead of using buckshot/breaching rounds it means even less than before. Perhapse we should re-name all of them to "none, some, a lot", with of course "he-man none and he-man some" Now wait just a minute Miller. Are you trying to intimate that in the middle of a lethal confrontation, tactically slaying all that come before you, that you don't stop to drop a quail for dinner? Sissy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattYvip Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 If you don't label something "tactical" it won't sell to all the couch commando's. My humble two cents is this, Practical shooting I believe now days refers to gun handling and actual shooting skills obtained through practice and used in competition... Tactical is something different. For instance the difference between our game and "the real world" is simply tactics. You shoot and manipulate the weapon the same way on the competition range as you do on patrol; however, on patrol you use cover, concealment, tactical reloads and whatever other tactic you can to gain a position of advantage over a threat. I like the term "Limited" myself but Tac-Optics or whatever else it's being called is fine. Like someone else stated before (the remark about tactical pens and what not) just because it's called tactical doesn't mean it is. If I put Diaper wipes in a camo wrapper does that make them tactical (though that may be a lucrative idea)? Plus like Mr. Hill said Tactical brings in the Couch Commandos... and I'll let ya'll decided if thats a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgtsvi Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Paint it black and it becomes "tactical"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooting for M Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Paint it black and it becomes "tactical"! Haven't you heard, Black sucks, it now has to be FDE or Multi-Cam. I also agree with Matt, Gun handling is what is learned through USPSA or IDPA, not tactics. Either sport teaches you to shoot faster while maintaining accuracy and keep the gun running. Tactics also change too much per situation to have a set of rules that dictate whether you used good tactics or not, your ability can do the same thing in some situations. As to the OP, I think maybe we are getting off on too much of a tangent. Changing the names of what divisions we use is going to be a double edged sword. Keep tactical maybe we will bring out more people who like that word. Change it to Limited, maybe we can bring in more mainstream people. Maybe we should go to the turtle targets in USPSA too. I don't know if really matters as far as a numbers standpoint. If you try to appease anyone you will make someone else angry in the end your market share will most likely remain unchanged. Maybe it's worth a try, maybe not. It's just a word, but words mean different things to different people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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