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When I wrote the piece describing why some women choose to “paint” their AR-15s, I knew I’d get responses telling me I’m not tactical and that I’ll likely die in a firefight carrying around that bright gun. These responses hardly offended or surprised me because as I said in the piece I wrote, I’m not tactical. And I never will be. Guns are a hobby for me. But rest assured, the Muddy Girl camo AR-15 isn’t my only rifle. Hell, it’s not even my only .223 rifle.

Is being “tactical” necessary? For me…nope. I couldn’t care less. My primary reason for owning a gun is (surprising twist here…) I love guns. Yes, self defense is important and I have a concealed carry permit and I carry every time I leave my house. I hope I never have to use it in a defensive manner, but I intend to be prepared.

But I’m certainty not foolish enough to think that I could go into a battle and prevail (with or with out a pink gun) because I have no experience doing such things. My time is spent shooting pieces of paper taped to plywood. My time is spent disassembling, cleaning and reassembling guns.

My goal is not to be a militia hero or a war veteran. My goal is to know every firearm I own and all of the accessories I choose to purchase. My goal is to have enough firepower to defend myself or children should it ever come to that. My goal is to enjoy shooting and have fun with my firearms. If that means I have to be “tactical” and “cool” and “militia-like,” I lose interest. I’m not a warrior. I’m hardly a fighter. I’m a hide-and-hope-they-don’t-find-me type of gun owner.

We all own guns for various reasons and to assume that everyone owns guns so they can fight a war on our soil seems more than a little stereotypical. Something those who would roll back our 2A rights probably think. Not all People of the Gun own them primarily to defend themselves, either. I didn’t buy my first gun for that reason. Yes, that’s a great byproduct of purchasing a firearm; but I bought my first to enjoy a sport that my father and brother and I enjoyed together. For me, it’s a hobby first and self defense second. Coming in a very distant third is any potential that I’d need one in a firefight.

Kudos though to those of you with the strength and testicular fortitude to learn to function in a military or militia. That’s just not me. I’m not “tactical” or “tacticool” and I’m OK with that.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

126 COMMENTS

  1. All my girlfriend’s guns look like a paint store threw up on them. That’s what she likes. No biggie.

    Some of the people I see commenting must live in a fantasy prepper cave eating nothing but baked beans and wishing to Chris Costa that a beautiful, gun toting, tacticool chick will magically pop out of nowhere to hoarde sterno cans, plan the garden they never actually build, and pretend to operate in operations with them.

      • Nothing. I just wish they’d stop saying ridiculous things to piss off brand new female shooters – I have seen them do so in message boards.

        Example:

        Female shooter: Hi! I just started shooting and I really like this .22 pistol I inherited. Could someone give me advice on cleaning supplies and maybe an optic for it?

        Tactical Ninja Prepper I-Almost-Was-A-Marine-But-I-Got-Sick, 350 lb Operator Carl: 22 IS TOO SMALL U NEED A LARGE CALIBER PISTOL TO PUT DOWN A MAN CUZ U NEVER KNOW WHEN ITWILL HAPPEN

        Female shooter: I’m not planning on using my pistol defensively, I just like to shoot targets.

        Tactical Ninja Prepper I-Almost-Was-A-Marine-But-I-Got-Sick, 350 lb Operator Carl: OMG U SHEEPLE WUT ARE YOU GONNA WANT A WOMAN TO PROTECT U WHEN SOME SICKO COMES IN YOUR HOUSE OT RAPE UR DOG???!?!???

        Female shooter: I am a woman and I am just looking for advice here….

        Tactical Ninja Prepper I-Almost-Was-A-Marine-But-I-Got-Sick, 350 lb Operator Carl: TITS OR GTFO

        Mall ninjas – keeping it classy since Gecko45

        • The reason I’ve held off on buying an AR for so long is because of the “tacticool” crowd. They’re like the hipsters of guns, trying to explain why they pissed away an extras $1500 with a justified reasoning that in reality means nil if they get neck shotted within an hour of dday.

        • That Operator Carl bit had me in stitches. Please do more of those when the time is right.

        • “…Operator Carl…”

          Bwahahahahahaha… that was hilarious. I need to steal that from you.

        • @ TheBear . . . well said.

          And the Operator Carl thing, funny as it was, is sadly WAY too close to the truth of these keyboard ninjas who try to tell everyone what they should be doing, carrying, shooting, reading, etc.

          A larger and larger percentage of new gun owners are women, and it doesn’t do anyone any good for Operator Carl types to demonstrate their ignorance by running their mouths.

        • I’m not a prepper, but. . . if that dog rape thing, if that’s a real thing, than poop to that, if it ain’t tactical.

        • >”Tactical Ninja Prepper I-Almost-Was-A-Marine-But-I-Got-Sick, 350 lb Operator Carl: TITS OR GTFO”

          OMG You sir win the Internet for today. 🙂

          So many guys belittle females on the Internet, especially when they (females) try to enter a zone that is usually male dominated. Most of the time I think I’d like to smack the guys upside the head. The rest of the time I’m sure I’d like to.

          Sara don’t let the idiots get you down, you are doing the right thing and if the need to defend yourself should ever arise, I’m sure you will do a better job than about 80% of the tacticool crowd would do.

        • U ALL LAUGH BUT WE WILL SEE WHO IS LAUGHING WHEN THE SAME PEOPLE WHO DID 911 (GOVT AGENCIES0 SET OFF THE EMPS AND COME FOR UR HOUSES AND TAKE U ALL AWAY IN BLACK HELICAPTERS. THEN WE WILL SEE WHO HAS THE LAST LAUGH WHEN UR LITTLE FAKE OPERATOR FEMALES WITH PINK GUNS PROTECT U WITH THEIR PURSES WHILE I AM IN MY FARREDAY CAGE WITH MRES STACK TO THE CEILING HAHAHAHA

        • “Operator Carl” is brilliant. I’d trademark it immediately. this should be a re-occurring bit.

        • Unfortunately, it looks like Operator Carl is here to stay. It looks like he posted in the CMR 30 thread too.

    • love all the comments. I have a pink gun, a purple gun, black guns , a green mt laminate gun, but no muddy girl gun…but they are so pretty. I love to shoot. I am an excellent shot. Why do i own guns,…because i can…..am i a prepper…not really….could i kill someone…..yes, with one shot…..would i kill someone……i would have to clean the poop out of my pants first. …lol.

  4. I completely agree with you. Leave the sheepdog mentality to those that beleive they can save the day. I carry everyday for my family. That means i intend to get home to them. I will not run towards gunfire, unless it’s between me and my family.

    • “I will not run towards gunfire, unless it’s between me and my family.”

      Well said. However, I hope that day never comes.

  5. I’m not “tactical” or “tacticool” and I’m OK with that.

    Good for you! Besides, I have it on good authority that a pink AR is just as accurate as a black AR and will kill a BG just as dead as a black AR. Maybe even deader.

    • When the BG gets to Hell, they’ll all laugh at him for getting killed by a pink gun. They’ll make him spend eternity on the Group W bench.

  6. Want to be tactical?

    Hit the gym. The worst enemy to life and liberty is heart disease , not being shot in some massive gun battle by a group of armed ninjas.

    By the looks of the caption photo, the author has fitness well covered.

    • This. So much this! I’ve come across so many people that are all about “TACTICOOL!” and will belittle people for not, while they could couldn’t physically do a pushup do their belly extending far beyond their arms.

      • This…1000 times this. How many people are knocking someones decision to carry a revolver, carry Israeli, or tell you a dual stack or .40 vs 9mm will have a .001 percent better chance of saving your life…These guys arguments are always that they don’t take chances and will do anything to give themselves that slight edge…while they look like they are going to have their feet cut off due to diabetes next week. To be honest…if you had to completely stop going to the range for the rest of your life in order to lose 50 pounds….the percentages of long term survival would be overwhelmingly in your favor…you should probably do it….of course you should be able to do both…especially if you save your time arguing with people on the internet and use it for the gym instead.

    • Bingo… it doesn’t matter how tacticool your gear is if you have a heart attack getting to your gun.

  7. All my nieces loved your post. As far as taticool – screw them. I have never seen a story where a taticool item saved the day.

    Those who commented should spend that effort fighting the anti-gun crowd versus some fantasy in their minds.

  8. Being a veteran, I’m actually quite annoyed by tactical shit. That’s exactly what it is, shit.

    • +1 It’s usually just more weight. Having more weight when you have to carry it and fight is not a good thing.

      • +1 but I have to admit that I’m on a 12 step tacticool deprogram (if you will)… That “Be Prepared” motto really sunk in it seems…

        But at the end of the day >>> Pounds = Pain …

    • anything can be tactical. Tactics is simply how you’ll use what you’ve got to achieve the goal. My shoes are tactical since one of my tactics is to run to avoid a fight as on option. ‘Tactical’ is probably the most over-used marketing tag ever created.

      • I agree. I’ve never understood why people want to hang 10 pounds of stuff on their firearms.

        Keep it simple works for me. what I look for most in s gun is reliability

  10. Sara, you go ahead and choose any color you want. I am an old fashioned shooter. I’ve been shooting since long before tacticool was cool. I’d rather be strategic than tactical any day. Avoid the situations where I’m going to need that AR-15 with all the latest bells and whistles. So carry on and go have some fun at the range and don’t worry about what other people think.

    Ray

    • +1 on strategic being better than tactical. Jackson and Lee were tactical geniuses. Sherman and Grant were strategic geniuses. Who won?

      • Actually, the Civil War was won on logistics more than anything, but that’s neither here nor there.

        • As in the fact that during Sherman’s campaign into Georgia, his soldiers could shoot 200,000 rounds of ammo in a day and be resupplied by the next morning, while the Southern defenders had to hunt around for scrap lead to cast into bullets.

          Strategy and tactics are important, but without logistics, it can be impossible to act on either of those levels.

        • A
          “Amateurs talk strategy and tactics; professionals talk logistics”–or so I’ve heard. Actually, I’m thinking Grant could expend a couple thousand men and have them replaced; Lee could not. I don’t think Grant was so much a “genius” as he was willing to use his advantage in numbers even at the high cost it involved. Just my opinion.

  11. I like my rifle and deem it “tacticool” with a Surefire M600U and an Aimpoint T-1. I’d get a suppressor if Hawaii would allow me to.. there isn’t anything wrong if you choose to go a different route as I didn’t buy an AR-15 to defend myself at all but because I like guns and the “tacticool” aspect is aesthetically appealing not to mention practical.

    In my perspective, gun ownership is synonymous as the freedoms we have as Americans 🙂

  12. @TheBear
    “Some of the people I see commenting must live in a fantasy prepper cave eating nothing but baked beans and wishing to Chris Costa that a beautiful, gun toting, tacticool chick will magically pop out of nowhere to hoarde sterno cans, plan the garden they never actually build, and pretend to operate in operations with them.”

    LOL. I know a couple guys who resemble that remark.

  13. The only thing I would recommend is don’t have a pink or other colorful CC firearm. I have read of at least one incident of a pink pistol being mistaken for a toy. It didn’t end well for either party.

  14. If you are shooting at paper with any regularity, you are doing more than 95% of the internet operators that troll around. My work gun is burnt bronze and when I shoot local competitions, some of my shirts have big azz orange logos on them.. Why? Cuz I like them. Run pink, purple, zombie green or any other color you want on YOUR gear! If you like it, just do it!

    • I poked the hornet nest on ArfCom one day. The operators questioned my experience with firearms and I admitted to being new but that I had nearly 3,000 rounds fired to that they said:
      “You are talking to guys that carry an AR15 for a living so when you get over 100,000 rounds of experience then you can talk to us”.
      I don’t think the learning curve bends in that direction but what do I know. I don’t carry a gun for a living.

      • Most condescending jackwagons like that are full of it. No matter the field, whether firearms or other, there are always people who’ve been doing it for 30+ years, but they’ve basically just been doing for 30+ years everything they learned within the first year, and nothing more.

        They take their basic one year of familiarity and magically amplify it into a lifetime of “expertise” just because they’ve been doing it so long. They’re not necessarily any better now than they were then, nor do they necessarily know much more now than back then. Perhaps the discipline itself isn’t all that difficult and one can master 95% of it within a year.

        Now, there are also lifetime learners who know their stuff and really do add to their excellence continually. Pull up a seat and listen to such people whenever you get the chance.

        • To put that more concisely, they don’t have thirty years of experience. They have one year of experience, thirty times.

  15. You get a 98% (or more) score in my book for having and enjoying a gun, and color makes no difference.

    Whether it’s objectively a good or stupid gun depends on intended use. Your intended use has nothing to do with tactics (even potentially) so “tacticool” can’t possibly be relevant. I’m mostly on the self-defense side and even there, tacticool (as opposed to “merely” having a gun that works and packs as much punch as I can carry and/or deal with) isn’t all that relevant. Target shooting and competitions are a different world.

  16. Most of my guns are black, in the hope that my wife won’t notice new additions. Gotta run “camo” when “operating”. 😀

    • Smart! I make sure if I’m picking a new handgun – do it on a Thursday which is husband’s golf day. If weather cancels it , can just wait a day or two. My husband is more a long gun guy. Other than 20g Mossberg shotgun, everything else I own is revolver or pistol.

      As far as tactical cool, I do have a “Pachmayr Tactical Grip Glove-Slip On’s for Semi Auto,” from amazon.com, on most of my pistols and a couple of revolvers. It’s not for “cool” factor, it’s because I have soft lady hands and grips with a texture are uncomfortable to fire off 100 to 150 rounds at practice. With the grip sleeve on I can shoot same number of rounds very comfortably.
      As far as tactic cool, different colors, blinged out weapons, who cares? It’s a free country, go for what you like!!!

  17. Good article and good for you. I’m getting tired of hearing the word “tactical” on sites like this anyway. I strongly believe that people who use that word in earnest are mostly BS’ers anyway. I can’t imagine a real operator even hanging out on sites like this unless they are selling something.

    The gun community needs to accept that people are here for all kinds of reasons and we are stronger by hanging together than by pulling apart.

    • Sorry…that’s the picture that won TTAG photo contest awhile back. Read my mosin piece. I’m smiling in that one. 😉

      • Hey, I was being serious! I’m sure I detected a Mona Lisa smile there… 😉

  21. Sara,

    Everyone’s just mad that you have a ring on your left hand, so they have to find problems with you and (implicitly) the person you’re attached to, so they can say that you’re doing it wrong, you need to break up with your significant other and start dating them.

    Which is a basement troll way of complimenting you.

    Do whatever you’re going to do, and if it broadens the gun-using base and makes us more diverse, you’re doing way more pro-2nd amendment work than anyone commenting, by virtue of looking and preaching what you do: the non-dominant narrative.

    • This was so White Knightly I am blinded.

      You should have called her, “M’lady”.

      • ….I think he might be on to something there though… can’t say that Sara wouldn’t fit into my ‘ideal girl’ category myself.

        • I think it goes without saying.

          There is a just a difference between writing, “Wow, you are a cool chick! I enjoyed reading your article!”

          and

          “M’lady, when I read your article, stars shine in my eyes and my beard quivers with delight. I do so wisheth that you had no husband, for I would vye for thine hand over the internet and be your virtual beloved. Please do not sully thy name and remain my pedestal-bound beauty for all time.

          Sincerely,

          The Knight”

  22. ‘Tactical’ is the douchiest part of gun culture for sure. Whatever that word meant, I’m over it.

  23. As garish as I’ll be accused of being, there is nothing more appealing in a female partner than the idea that she won’t just stand there and do nothing, tell the reporters “it was so terrible, there was nothing I could do” while popping out her smartphone to chat-up 15 other potentials she’s been holding onto the whole time she knew me, just waiting for me to die to collect yet another check…

    I wish there were more respectable women like this. Can’t help it, she has a sexy brain because she uses it. The rest is rather nice, too. All the good ones are taken; both of them… If cloning were legal, would that make competition and force the trash to step up? Probably not…

  24. I’m so untacticool, none of my ARs have slings. One has a bipod though, does that count?

  25. Come to think of it, at this time a lot of the trees around here (e.g. crabapples and flowering dogwoods) are blooming in bright pink flowers, so in some areas, your rifle may actually blend in better than any of theirs…

  26. I’m starting to wonder exactly who you’re trying to convince here, Sara, because most of us don’t require it and the jackasses won’t listen anyway.

    The good news, though, is that it doesn’t matter. If you’re happy with your stylistic choices, then that should be the last word on the subject. I know the mall ninjas try to hide behind the veneer of practicality, but when it comes to guns, black is just as readily visible as pink.

    It’s all a matter of aesthetics, and there’s no “right” way to do those, so if someone tries to tell you that you’re wrong for liking what you like, tell them to screw off; you don’t want or need the approval of people like that anyway. I’ve been ignoring them for years and I have never been happier.

  27. When people start going on and on about “tactical this” and “tactical that”, I just tune them out until they wander off and “operate” somewhere else.

    If I *don’t* tune them out I’ll eventually say something like, “They’re just cargo pants, you idiot”. Life’s too short to deal with someone in over-priced, ugly pants being indignant.

  28. I will agree the word tactical gets over used, half my gear has the word on it. FNH TACTICAL 45 off the top of my head, I think I have a range bag, some shooting glasses, a watch oh and a flashlight as well. Sadly I want a kimber 1911 and the model I am looking at is the tactical hd. I don’t choose any of it for the word tactical but for the features it has… or sometimes like the flashlight because it was on sale.

    At the same time I won’t avoid buying something because I worry what others may think of me because then I counter everything I have taught my kids.

    Zombies, tactical, pink, or any other colors…who cars if it gets people shooting. My oldest daughter loves shooting fast, accurate, and doing speed reloads on her pink rifle. The fact that she is shooting makes me prouder than over, I’d hate to see her loose interest because a lot of online hate. My other daughter is the opposite, bolt action and just likes plinking with dad. I’d hate to see her loose interest because of the opposite.

    Can’t we all just get along, After all not every product on the market needs to be bought by everyone.

  29. Timely post… my dad and I taught my girlfriend to shoot yesterday. Just getting her past the first few shots of .22lr out of my dad’s revolver due to her nerves took a bit of patience. The “OH MY GOD I JUST SHOT A GUN!!!!” shock took a little bit to wear off, but after that she had a blast (pun intended). After the revolver, my P226 with .22lr conversion, then my dad’s Henry lever action .22lr… notice a trend?

    It was only at the very end that I had her shoot my AR15– a Daniel Defense DDM4V3. Again, the shock of “OH MY GOD I JUST SHOT AN ASSAULT RIFLE!!!!”. But she had fun. That’s all that mattered. She’s cool with my guns. My DDM4V3 has an EOTech 512 (about to be replaced with a scope) and Magpul UBR stock. With a full mag, it was pushing 10lbs, a bit much for her 5’2, 112lbs. soaking wet frame, and she eventually grew tired from it and her nerves. I’m building a lightweight AR15 SBR, which should help in the future… and because we didn’t give a rat’s rear end about being tacticool and just making sure she enjoyed herself, there WILL be future trips to the range.

    And because of her, I’m totally getting a second set of furniture in Muddy Girl Camo for that SBR build…

    • I’m so excited for her! I’m 5’6 115lbs. So I know all about it. I’m happy she has you and you can guide her. Our aide needs more women. No matter the reason or what color we make our guns. There is also a purple camo. Talk to your local hydro dipper. Mine is an awesome guy named Mike. They will help pick out virtually any pattern.

      • I taught my daughter to shoot, and bought her a 9 mm pistol when she graduated from college that she keeps by her bed. She’ll shoot anything, and loves it. Last time she was home, it was two 9s, a .45 a .22 rifle, an AR and a 12 gauge shotgun. Being a “girly girl,” she wants a pink gun because they are “prettiful.” Hey, whatever floats your boat. But that pink pistol may have to wait–she is aiming to get a .45 for her next gun, and I don’t know of any pink ones, and some of the really stunning ones are WAAAY out of her price range (and mine).

  30. Good post, Sara.

    The beauty of any hobby is that you can pursue it any way you want to in order to enjoy it. Don’t let anyone try to tell you how you should enjoy it. Just enjoy it.

  31. You shoot for you and what makes you happy. It doesn’t matter what color your gun is, what brand, what caliber… it’s all about the feeling. In fact, I think gun enthusiasts and car enthusiasts aren’t all that different. Some people spend their afternoons and weekends hooning around in their tuned-up Civic or WRX, others spend them punching holes in paper or clanging steel with a tuned-up AR or Glock. In a way, it’s art – but the art is in the making, not the medium.

    When the Civics and WRXs all get together to show off, they’re covered in decals and spoilers that personalize them for the driver. Frankly, I think the cars only look decent to the drivers anyway – and they don’t care. It’s their style and they don’t apologize. Guns are no different. They’re sporting rifles, aren’t they? Sports are all about personal branding. The gun is yours and it suits you, from the way it feels to the way it looks. Unless you’re invading enemy territory, basic black, OD green, or FDE brown is only as good as it looks to the shooter. Personally, I would never color my guns in FDE or OD unless they were issued to me that way. I’m more of the FNH blue-anodize kind of person, but that’s me.

    Right now, my car is black and so are my guns. They’re plain because they have a job to do and they get filthy anyway. If I start competing, I would absolutely paint my car AND my guns electric blue… because I can. If someone wants me to have a tactical gun, they can buy it for me. Until then, a speeding bullet flies just as fast and accurately out of pink gun as it does from a black one.

  32. What is the difference between “normal”, “tactical”, and “tacticool”?

    If I was in the military am I tacticool or tactical?
    What if my AR has wood stocks…or is black…or hydro dipped in kryptek? Is this the difference.
    If I weigh over 250 pounds am I “tacticool” vs under 250 pounds then I’m “tactical”?
    Is my chest rig to carry mags not tacticool if it is black?

    Give me a break…

  33. I have no delusions of being the sheepdog. I don’t walk around the streets “on patrol”, nor do I wear tactical equipment (save for a sturdy 5.11 belt) in everyday life. I’m aware of what’s going on around me, and I’d intervene if I saw a life-threatening situation happen to someone near me, but I’ll leave the policing to the police.

    My firearms are for self-defense and recreational use. My interest in guns drives most of my purchasing, not necessarily utility. If I purchased a Moisin-Nagant, I fully well know it would be useless in an SD situation, unless that situation involved crossing the Volga or something. I practice SD situations at home with the most practical equipment for the job, not the most tac’d out.

    Do I own tactical gear? Sure. I’ve taken and filmed several courses in cooperation with a local firearms training company. One of the requirements to train is to have some basic mag carriers, holsters, boots, and so forth.

    Are my rifles “tacticool”? Maybe. But I haven’t succumbed to hanging a piece of kit off the rail just because I can. The rifles are black because they came from the factory that way. If my S/O wants a pink or Muddy Girl AR, she can damn well have one. If all someone has access to is a .22LR pistol, I won’t knock it.

  34. You’re not truly tacticool until you rock Ameriflage.

    In all seriousness, guns are a pretty damn personal business, so whatever you want to do to personalize them go for it. It’s really not for anyone to judge, except, well, this is the Internet….

    I’ve got black guns, shiny guns, spiffed-up cerakote jobs, wood furniture, steel and plastic. All have unique purposes, but they’re all fun to shoot. Everyone should have at least one “fun gun” that gets you out & keeps you in practice. So go kick some ass with that pretty pink (er, “muddy girl?”) rifle and forget the people who try to tell you you’re doing it wrong.

  35. If a Hello Kitty paint job gets my granddaughter interested I’m all for it. I’ll even be seen at the range with her. Akshully though, at this point, I think she’d prefer My Little Pony camo. Y’all do know each pony has a unique color scheme and cutey mark, right? Think of the marketing possibilities, man!

  36. If you own guns for self defense, you owe it to yourself to read what Massad Ayoob has to say about gun choice: Tacticool “operator” style is a real downside when you try to ‘splain yourself. The police and prosecutor will naturally ask whether you were looking for a fight or whether it was true self defense (that’s their job). Obviously you should own your choice of firearms. But, you should also be mindful how it may look to a jury if it comes to that. Style may matter for first impressions. Of course, a few grand for a defense attorney and time in jail later you may find the charges dropped.

    Pink does not change the ballistics.

    • A friend of mine wanted to engrave a balance scale graphic (for “justice”) on his AR, and I could not convince him what a bad idea that was. It wasn’t just that he poo-poohed the idea that juries will get to looking at that sort of thing (some people think Mas is full of it on this issue and that juries will disregard such arguments); he literally could not see how it could be construed as a sign of “wanna be a vigilante.”

      • That’s why I won’t inscribe “Veritas” and “Equitas” on the twin barrels of my HD shotgun… 😉

  37. The dealer I do my transfers through had a purple handgun come in the other day, and he mistakenly called me because he assumed I’d bought it for my wife. I laughed and told him that if you ever gave my wife a purple handgun, she’d probably throw it at him. She prefers basic black in guns and clothes, although she does have some pretty colorful tats. But she’d also be the first person to agree that anyone can have their gun look anyway they want.

    Ever seen the custom M4 Zoltan Bathory from Five Finger Death Punch had made for him. He likes Ferraris, so his rifle is in Ferrari colors. Oh, did I mention besides forming one of the hottest bands going, he is a world class Gracie Jiu Jitsu champion and very vocal supporter of the 2nd Amendment? People like what they like . . . isn’t that what freedom of expression is all about. Enjoy the vid.

    http://therockstation99x.com/shreveports-556-tactical-builds-custom-rifles-for-5fdp-s-zoltan-bathory-video/

  38. Your money-your gun…Carry whatever you want and whatever color you want.

    • True, but mine’s just as good. Smart, beautiful, shoots . . AND 30 years younger than me. 😉

  40. This! Thetruthaboutguns!

    It can be fun to fantasize about being an operator operating operationally like in a Clancy novel, but at the end of the day, this x eleventy billion!

    I’m in it for the satisfaction of developing and honing new skills; and the hunting; and the zen of a few hours at a bench.

    • operator ?………………….what is an operator ?…..is that another name for mercenary ? or killer for hire or would be killer for hire ?

  41. Its “coral” not pink, and it looks like it’s exactly the right camo for hunting douchebag whales.

  43. I worked the shows in the ’80s, and there were two things I absolutely hated about it: The noise, and the OFWGs!

    After a show I would walk in my quiet house and stand there amazed that there was no noise. The constant clamor was more fatiguing than closing a deal.

    And the OFWGs. They knew every damn thing about every firearm ever made, and told me over and over how their Garand or M70 was vastly superior to anything I had on the table (HK M series pistols and 9X series rifles, Sig Sauer P226, CZ-75s, Colt ARs and DEagles). Any discussion of caliber would set them off in fits of derision at the one you preferred! One of the jackasses once grabbed me from behind to demonstrate a knife technique to his buddy! I told him that if he ever touched me again I would kill him on the spot.

    If somebody doesn’t like what you’re doing tell ’em to go suck eggs!

    Charlie

    • “I worked the shows in the ’80s, and there were two things I absolutely hated about it: The noise, and the OFWGs!”

      Shooter foam earplugs knocks the sound down to comfortable levels. It does wonders making the concert sound clearer.

      Can’t help you on the concert OFWGs…

  44. It’s all you, Sara, and the rest of the busybodies can just, well, they can just something.

    Do your thing and don’t look back. You’re a great American.

  45. At one point I wanted an AR but I despise the whole ‘tacticool’ thing so much I got a Mini-14 (complete with wood stock) instead. It does everything an AR does with none of the douchiness. I also prefer revolvers over semi-auto pistols. They’re more powerful and more accurate. If you’re coming after me you’d better send 7 very determined men.

    Who wants to look like an operator wannabe anyway?

  46. 1st……Don’t worry about pleasing all your readers…ain’t gonna happen.
    2nd….You don’t have to justify yourself.
    3rd….Don’t write an article that can be interpreted as whining….the internet is already filled with that.

  47. Good blog post Sara. I do not currently even have an AR or semi-automatic rifle. In my area, a shotgun is a better choice for what I am trying to do. However, there is no doubt that an Ithaca 37 or Remington 870 is a formidable weapon within its range.

  48. The very best thing about AR’s is their customization. If you know your situation then no one knows what you want on your gun better than you. I know I’m not going Jason Bourne anytime soon so i’ll Amazon the crap out of my AR. Guns are fun to shoot…that’s why most people get into it. People taking it too seriously are a drag. F them.

  49. Good article. Most folks who are trying to look tacticool aren’t tactical anyway. And military camo is kinda useless for DGUs in the civilian world. The best camo you can have in daily life is to dress normally for the climate, and NOT dress like a mall ninja (e.g. no wearing “shoot me first” vests with pauedo-military cargo-pants and/or long sleeve fishing-type shirts where they look out of place), and to carry a gun that no one can detect.

  50. There’s a reason I keep my AR uncluttered with crap I honestly don’t need…weight, I don’t want the damn thing to weigh a ton. The only thing I ever use it for is putting holes in paper and touching off some Tannerite from time to time anyway.

    Plus it doesn’t even have a rail, aside from the top of the receiver…and even that one is empty aside from the rear iron. Actually looks real good like that, too. Light, lean and clean.

    Now, that’s not to say I don’t like the look of a M4 that’s been fully kitted out. Wouldn’t want to lug it around though…

  51. I am not tactical, I am formerly tactical. And I will not disgrace my brothers and sisters still in the military (and the few LEOs that actually are legit) by posing as “tacticool”.

    I have fun with my AR-15. I do NOT have back up sights. I murder pumpkins (and other squash) around Veteran’s Day (and clay pigeons!) and try to poke many small holes in close proximity in paper targets.

    I’m still a good shot, but in no way, shape, or form, could I compare to 10 years ago me. Anyone who thinks they are still that good (without training with other bad a$$ folks on a regular basis) is fooling themselves.

  52. Well said Sara. I have no love for the AR platform because I don’t like plastic guns, not that I don’t have few plastic pistols but I draw the line on long guns. My untaticool semi is a Remington 750. It will blow up on me in the firefight I will never have and it will probably get me eaten by Zombies but if I ever have to face a riotous mob I can slap a 20 round magazine on it and put fist size exit wounds on the front row of the looters to discourage the others.

  53. A pink gun kills/shoots just as well as a black one. Be happy with what you like & do your thing.

  55. I don’t buy into the tacticool Jazz. I spent 6 years as an infantryman and have spent the past few years as civilian police. The main lesson I carry with me today is to keep it simple and use what is reliable.

    My primary home defense pistol and winter carry is a glock 17. Not because of its operationaltacticoolness, but because I use a glock 22 at work and after putting 3000 rounds through it in two weeks with no malfunctions, I was sold on it and my 17 has been just as solid.

    On the other hand, my EDC is an LCR .357, and I keep a stock, no frills 870 with buckshot under my bed.Revolvers simply aren’t tacticool, and neither is a full sized 870. But they both work. And with the exception of a quality, but not over the top tactically expensive optic my SR-556 goes unadorned.

    Do what’s best for you. And while people who buy into the tactical fad can be annoying, if it ultimately brings a lot more people into the 2A fold I can’t really complain about it

  56. Sara, keep doing what you like, and ignore the BS. I spent a great deal of time in the military dressing up every day like Gumby. Every day I wore all the “tacticool” stuff that these weekend warriors buy on the Internet with their lunch money. In reality, it is not about the equipment a person takes to battle, it is about the person they take to battle. If it comes to war, I bet these tacticool jerks would reject your pink AR-15 outright. Someone like you or me would paint it with some spray paint found in any garage, wrap the barrel with a burlap sack, and 5 minutes later, we would have an AR that is better camouflaged than mister tacticool’s gun he bought with a second mortgage. I could write a novel on the stupidity of the “you must do tacticool or die” argument, so I will stop here. Anyhow, please continue to personalize your guns however you see fit. Oh BTW, my wife wants to cerakote her AR-15 in red, white, and blue…and I think it is as cool as heck.

  57. I have many guns, only one with a light. The shotgun that will end whomever decides to break into my house after dark.

    • I would argue to remove it. Do you practice low-level light shooting? I am sure you are proficient with a shotgun but how about target ID at night with a flashligh beam? My agency qualification contains a low-level shotgun flashlight portion and I can tell you, I have difficultly with it, as do a lot of others – Even with the repeated practice.

      You wake up to a bump in the night; arguably your night vision is going to already be optimal. It takes 20 mins to get your vision adjusted and you probably have a good head start on the guy who just bumped into something after entering your house from the lit street.

      Better yet, just turn on every stinkin’ light in the house as you go, especially if you have kids or a dog that may be the culprit. Positive identification is way more important and lights coming on will aid not only in that, but scare off an intruder too, especially followed by a loud warning and the racking of a shotgun. Your goal is should be to not be involved in a shooting.

  58. Far too much dependancy on attachments these days. Pure “Art of the Rifle” Jeff cooper style shooting is becoming a thing of the past. Everyone has an optic and everyone’s optic choioce is better than everyone else’s. Because, reasons!!

    What I like about her and her rifle is that it’s only a rifle, not a “weapons platform”. My AR-15 is a Bushmaster with a fixed – that’s right, you read that correctly – fixed handle. I bought it that way, intentionally. No rails, no enlarged paddles or magazine releases either. If that’s your rifle then grand, as in several grand spent on something you like, so be it. Tacticool is not her thier thing, and I respect that because it’s not mine either.

  60. That girl is smokin’ hot! I don’t care if she’s tacticool or not. I don’t care about her pink rifle, just her pink you know what.

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