You just have to feel bad for some people and the burden they bear. Dr. Seuss wrote some books along those lines, and the timeless wisdom they contain is much needed in today’s society. Take for instance the curse of the tactical timmy. These poor souls started out with good intentions (I assume). They wanted to learn to defend themselves and their families – a noble idea. Somewhere along the way, they became cursed, forever doomed to tacti-splain to other shooters how the practice they are engaged in or the competitions they are shooting are just not realistic.
This disease, like many others, has spread faster with the internet. They used to only be found in small numbers hiding under the bulletin board at various ranges, perusing the guns for sale. Occasionally they would wander over to the line and offer some shooter (often female, but males as well) some backhanded complement about their shooting. They would then add that good as it was, it was simply not enough for “the real world.” “Doncha know that paper targets don’t shoot back?” “Adrenalin makes you clumsy and you’ll miss alot.” “You need to add in some movement and shouting.”
Of course, when asked for a demonstration of even the most basic shooting skills, under no pressure, and with none of the “real world obstacles” they profess to train with, they are generally unable to perform at even a moderate level of skill.
As a former tactical guy you might think I would admire their thought process or feel some kinship for the tactical timmy’s out there. Instead, I simply feel sorry for them. They have a disease, and like any other disease, they need treatment. The problem is, there is no safe, approved cure at this time.
Be that as it may, we cannot let these poor souls suffer. The only treatment I know of is to get them out to a competition, or even a performance oriented class. This way, they can experience the thrill of high level shooting, in a safe, nurturing environment. The cure is often said to be worse than the disease. Some percentage of these tactical timmy’s will not survive the assault on their egos, but that is the price we must pay to save the ones we can. Better we lose some than lose all of them. Save the tactical timmy’s!