Mall Ninjas at your local gun club

[streaker69]

One of them frequents a range at which I shoot, and he drives up in a ex-LE Crown Victoria with a push bar on the front. It's a big production with him getting out, putting on his tac vest, unloading his AR from the trunk, uncasing his AR, waiting until everyone is shooting to call for a break to post his target, a leisurely stroll to the 25 yd backstop and back to the bench line, then he smacks home a 30 rd mag, shoulders the AR, wiggles around a bit while sighting, then BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBA MBAM
rapid fire until the weapon is empty.

Then he calls for a cease-fire to get his target, scrupulously polices his empties ("Sniper loads I unload myself," he says), cases the AR, lays it in the CV's trunk, slams the trunk lid, sheds the tac vest, gets in the car, and does a pseudo-burn out on the gravel as he drives off to his next fantasy.

I once picked up one of his "sniper load" empties, and it was Prvi Partizan factory brass with a primer crimp.

His job? Two of them. He works part-time at a Fuel On (trashy convenience store) and part-time at Wal-Mart.

Noah

So he loads his 30 round magazines with 18 rounds? What a douche canoe.

[Bill67]

After reading Noah's description of the range Celeb I am picturing a guy that works at my local Walmart and LMFAO.

[GreenBlood10]

I'm picturing a guy that works at our local Home Depot. Tactical pants tucked into his combat boots, OD green shirt and a tan hat complete wit subdued USA flag. Best cashier there.

[tacticalreload]

Why don't you just start a thread telling everyone their kids are ugly?

At some point in time, you were just as uninformed, unskilled and "unwashed" as anyone else.

As was I.

"Man must seek his own salvation".

I don't think that "mall ninja" = "uniformed and unskilled". Uninformed and unskilled = novice, IMO. I think, as described by the OP, "mall ninja" has less to do with skill level or ignorance and more to do with a certain mindset... a mindset of being more overtly and in-your-face tacticool, regardless of skill. Actually, I think people "in the know" will still look upon a highly skilled mall ninja with just as much distain.

Of course, none of that should be taken to mean that I was never (or am not even now) a mall ninja myself. Maybe I wear BDUs to church.

[Noah_Zark]

So he loads his 30 round magazines with 18 rounds? What a douche canoe.

I just knew someone here would count the BAMs.

Noah

[topsykretts]

So he loads his 30 round magazines with 18 rounds? What a douche canoe.

I load mine with 28. Makes it a little easier to seat on a closed bolt.

[Rblakely]

Why don't you just start a thread telling everyone their kids are ugly?

At some point in time, you were just as uninformed, unskilled and "unwashed" as anyone else.

As was I.

"Man must seek his own salvation".

There was a recent thread that had lots of opinions about "playing army". I have seen the mall ninja at the range. Bloused tactical pants, molle vest with everything you can pick up at the surplus store hooked to it. Drop leg holster (you know - the one sold for air soft) and camo everything. Yes, to each his own works but doesn't stop them from looking ridiculous. You have every right to wear all that stuff to target shoot at the range and I have every right to laugh at your silly wanna-be ass. I just got done watching a Hickock45 video on Youtube (THAT GUY IS AWESOME BTW). Somehow he managed to put multiple rounds on target, from distance, while on the move, with hand guns and rifles while, wait for it, wearing jeans, T-shirt and baseball cap. He also did several tactical reloads. How in the world can he carry spare mags without 40lbs of tacticool vest on???

So moral of the story - feel free to look like a walking 1/2 off sale at the army/navy surplus store when you come to the local range. Just don't expect anyone with any knowledge to be be impressed or listen to how you once made a 1000 yard head shot while being propelled from a torpedo tube in super-extra-special-you've never heard of the unit-seal training.

[Jason In Erie]

Ninja: Oh, I was a SEAL trainee

Meaning that he rang the bell within a hour!

[TonyF]

There was a recent thread that had lots of opinions about "playing army".

IIRC, that thread had more to do with jocking up for training classes.

I have seen the mall ninja at the range. Bloused tactical pants, molle vest with everything you can pick up at the surplus store hooked to it. Drop leg holster (you know - the one sold for air soft) and camo everything. Yes, to each his own works but doesn't stop them from looking ridiculous. You have every right to wear all that stuff to target shoot at the range and I have every right to laugh at your silly wanna-be ass. I just got done watching a Hickock45 video on Youtube (THAT GUY IS AWESOME BTW). Somehow he managed to put multiple rounds on target, from distance, while on the move, with hand guns and rifles while, wait for it, wearing jeans, T-shirt and baseball cap. He also did several tactical reloads. How in the world can he carry spare mags without 40lbs of tacticool vest on???

So moral of the story - feel free to look like a walking 1/2 off sale at the army/navy surplus store when you come to the local range. Just don't expect anyone with any knowledge to be be impressed or listen to how you once made a 1000 yard head shot while being propelled from a torpedo tube in super-extra-special-you've never heard of the unit-seal training.

There but for the Grace of God go I.

In any event, knowledge dispels illusions. Here's hoping all those "that guys" find salvation.

[tacticalreload]

There but for the Grace of God go I.

Fair enough, except I think it has less to do with the Grace of God and more to do with simple "good judgement". No matter what skill level I have had over the years, I only kitted up at the very few times when it was necessary to accomplish whatever goal was in front of me and only to the extent that it was needed.

The ironic thing is that a lot of this tacticool stuff from so called "tactical brands" (that shall remain nameless right now) has proven to be quite subpar when I've put it to even moderate use in the real world. I just had a pair of gloves designed to be cut / puncture resistant (made for frisking & bag searches) last a very short lifespan. Same for a pair of tactical boots that separated from the soles well before their time. On the flip side, I've had some el cheapo no-name-brand nylon gear that seems to be holding up great despite not being particularly well cared for.