Paradigm Shift: Firearms Collecting to Training
My initial surge into my firearms hobby was purely from a collectors perspective. I'd research guns and scour the internet for obscure and interesting collectibles. This was fairly easy as surplus firearms were still plentiful up until a couple of years ago. My goal not only focused on cool and unique finds but also on hitting the staples of the firearm world; things I saw in movies or used in video games. Guns like the M1 Garands, the Steyr AUGs, the 1911s and so forth.
Once I'd zero in on that week's current find, I would dive in and consume whatever information I missed and soak in all available knowledge on the gun. Once the firearm was transferred and in hand a range visit was due. These were simple visits that consisted of loading mags and shooting steel with the unloading of my mag at a steady cadence—benched for rifle, standing static for a handgun. Rinse and repeat. It was fun to do and was a sterile setting to notice the different features and nuances to types of guns, their recoil and gas systems but it also got very boring not even a year in. I would have range visits where I'd be bored and question why I'm committing the time and the money into this hobby.
Fortunately, I found out just what I needed to revitalize my passion, level of understanding, and active interest with firearms in training. I had seen a few Garand Thumb videos and his constant urging to train finally set in with me. Kägwerks was one of the companies he recommended and they had a Pistol & Rifle I course coming up that was super close to me. Side note: living in North Carolina is pretty convenient for firearms training courses, I would say only second to Texas. I signed up and the beginning of my new perspective of passion for firearms began.
Leading up to that course it was clear I needed to get my gear situation overhauled and by overhauled I mean start from zero. I went with T-Rex Arms to start off things with my kit. Say whatever you will about the company but their marketing and presentation are second to none. Knowing nothing, I was able to confidently get a holster set up. That is their greatest strength, that you can go on the site knowing nothing, and the product pages, photos and copy help you make an informed decision. I got the Ragnarok with the Safariland UBL mounting and holsters for a Sig P320 and a CZ P-10C (lefty). Next up was a belt, which I went directly for and bought a Blue Alpha Gear Cobra EDC belt off of Amazon. I then got some 5.11 Defender Pants to “host” my belt and holster. I was so green that this setup was the most palatable to me and logical. Only as I was out on the road heading to this course did I realize I did not have mag pouches. I stopped at a gun shop on the way out of town and snagged some High Speed Gear Taco Pouches for AR and pistol mags. At that point my kit was complete.
Now let's get into my rifle, which really stands as the cause of the paradigm shift in my hobby and relationship with guns. I had some AR-15s but none that were built out as "tools". The closest one I could have rolled with was my father's M&P 15 I inherited, but I wasn't going to make something special a "tool". I had a Tavor X95 and a CZ 805 Bren, but strutting into my first class and formal training session with those didn't seem right. Also, I wanted my training to start from a basic and vanilla standpoint. So I set out to build out an AR-15 for the purpose of the course and training thereafter. I didn't realize in doing this I shifted my interest and what fulfills me in the hobby. I got an Aero M4E1 lower and a BCM 16" upper with an MLOK rail. I had no idea I stumbled upon a gem of a lower with the Aero lower by the way. The rifle was pretty simple and stock internally. For an optic, I used a Sig Romeo 5.
Like I said it was simple, but it was so fulfilling to build out something for a purpose. In this case, it was simple: For a class to train in. Using it in the class and having prepared it for this purpose endeared me to the gun way more than any of my "collectibles". This tool in many ways is way more priceless to me than my pre-ban HK 93 for this reason.
Since that point, I haven't looked back. Yes, I still do collect, but now it's things that are practical and cool that are fun to train with and run drills. I've trained almost weekly since that Kägwerks class two years ago. I've refined my kit and used all sorts of different gear. My collection spans more depth than width now. I've started messing around with competition. I've started to specialize in my training and expand and try different things or more niche skill sets. And I still can't get enough of it. All from me sitting on a bench nailing steel with a rifle and thinking, "I'm bored."
My initial entry to North Way Arms detailed my journey at an extreme surface level, so I hope this deep dive in the shift was insightful, relatable, or encouraging! I touched on a lot that I also want to dedicate articles on the Kägwerks class, my starting gear, the Aero M4E1, and my BCM upper I ran to name a few things. Look forward to those blog posts in the future, but for now, that's all you’re getting.
Author: John Gelardi
