by Chris Cerino
The shooting sports are a great hobby and pastime. Reasons for gun ownership are wide and varied, encompassing a truly large spectrum. Some own guns and shooting gear because they like the craftsmanship or enjoy the collector value, while others purchase guns and gear for their living, actually trusting their life on their performance. Falling between those are hunting, competition and target shooting to name a few. Firearms and their accompanying equipment can be a wallet drainer and rarely does what you want or need fit into your budget.
In training I employ instructors who have been involved in the firearms world for many years. The instruction we provide is based on years of experience and trial and error. I often state the Thomas Edison quote that “some people call mistakes experience” and make it clear that I have a lot of experience. We finished this year out with three solid weeks of AR-15 carbine/rifle training and as usual I learned as much as the students.
Long ago I could not fathom the idea that a rifle optic could and should cost more than the rifle it’s mounted on. I also didn’t understand how much the guns, accessories and ammunition you purchase can and do affect the training, competing or battle experience. Of course today a thousand dollars for a scope is a good deal. It didn’t take long to become familiar with and learn the meaning of the phase “buy once, cry once.”
A co-worker had a gorgeous rifle built nicely and topped with a major name optic that cost him a pretty penny. When he purchased it a couple years earlier he had paid $1,200. I thought he was nuts. I had built a similar rifle. All told the build cost me about $800. When I started to shop for a scope for the rifle I found that the one my partner had was now $1,400! Adding quality rings for it was going to be almost $200 more. There was no way I was going to pay that, so I started shopping for something that “looked” the same. I found a scope and rings for about $800. What a savings, right?
When the scope arrived it looked and felt great. The rings looked sturdy and sufficient. Once mounted, we set out to the range. My new scope was bulky and heavy compared to my co-worker’s but I thought that made it better somehow. We began the zero process and I struggled but got it done. A lot can be said about a scope’s clarity and this one was not. At 100 yards we attempted a scope test to test the trueness of the turrets’ ability to move the reticle and impact around a square on a target. Not perfect but close!
The truest test of my optic was when we shot our first precision rifle match together. It was obvious that my ability to dial in ranges and hit long distance targets was hindered. Shooting the same rifles with the same ammunition we had drastically different DOPE (ranging data). Not only different but mine was not consistent with standard .308 data calculations.
Nobody likes to cry but…not being military and not a SWAT sniper I figured my scope was “good enough” for what I needed. The smile, I experienced when I thought I was getting a great scope for a great deal, was quickly wiped off my face as I struggled and wasted time trying to make a lesser unit work. Struggling along and losing face on the range, those tears welled up in my eyes.
The full-on cry came when I took a loss on that scope. I finally sold it, accepting 2/3’s of what I had paid. After selling a couple other guns I was not using at the time, I had enough money for the scope and rings I should have bought the first time. My first lesson in “buy once, cry once.”
Like Buck Owens said in that great old country song, “it’s cryin’ time again.” I cried again when I sold my collectible, but seemingly unnecessary, M1 Garand to raise that money. That $1400 scope was getting even more expensive. I cried one more time as I ordered that scope and plugged in my credit card information. If I had just bit the bullet and bought the scope I knew was right the first time, I would only have cried once. Trying to save some money ended up costing money and effort.
This same scenario plays out daily in the classes we run. Students ask questions about what brand rifle, optic, sling or magazines to buy. They cringe when they hear the prices of some of it. Forewarned to heed the “buy once, cry once” mantra, some listen and some don’t. I’d like to think we’ve seen it all but I’m sure that’s not the case. Every class we see inexpensive parts cobbled together to build rifles. Priced-to-move barrels with chambers not cut to spec are common, causing blown primers and often show-stopping malfunctions. Upper and lower receivers not created to spec cause problems when combined with out-of-spec poorly manufactured magazines. Top it off with a cheap red dot sight that doesn’t move or track repeatedly and you end up with four days of class that not only defeats your confidence but cuts into other students’ time.
Next time you are surfing the net for not only the best parts and accessories but the best prices remember the “buy once, cry once” mantra. As you are comparing parts that, for all intents and purposes, seem alike but are very disparate in cost, they are most likely not. Great examples are the popular red dot sights. They don’t all “click” the same. But if you’re just slapping it on a .22 for the kids it’s probably fine.
Understandably, many of you, like me, will need to learn the old Edison way. Remember, as you’re about to make a mistake, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet and buy once, cry once.
Remember. It’s all about the fundamentals!
Chris Cerino is a firearms instructor, competitor and TV personality who’s been training law enforcement officers and military for more than 18 years. Literally immersed in training for years, his skills are founded in real life experience. Chris is the director of training for Chris Cerino Training Group LLC, and teaches in a “do as I do” fashion. His website is: chriscerinotraininggroup.com. His email: info@cerinotraininggroup.com.
