Right there with ya' Dave McC, but... that's frequently the nature of the learning curve where male ego and a poor understanding of the realities of weapon control are the standards of the day.
Real combat and tactics is a vague thing for the majority of citizen/gun owners. Frequently, what you see on TV and movies, what you do in a video game is translated into what you think will happen in real life.
Nothing further from the truth of course, but you've got to be in it to understand it... or at least have it explained to you in terms you understand.
If everyone that owned a HD gun took a 3 day course from a pro, and shot 1K rounds a year or better in practice... we'd all be safer for it, and there'd be a lot less useless accessories on the market, fading away due to lack of interest.
Quite often it seems that the gun is bought... and then the interwebnet or "buddy" recommended farkles get added pending
the first shooting session.
If said first shooting session is long enough, the owner smart enough, then some of them farkles come off... and the crap ones fall off of their own accord.
Them what shoot little and own mostly... well, they end up with a 13lb shotgun that they can't even remember how to operate when they need to most.
Them what shoot frequently, and sometimes carry a shotgun for extended periods, find out that some of them less than practical farkles have no purpose but to add weight and/or become things that stick out and get in the way.
I think... and this is IMO of course, that them what stay in the game long enough (much like anything) learn soon enough that the further you deviate from the basic needs, the more likely you'll encounter problems.
- I need a light 'cause I live in the mountain foothills and there's no such thing as street lights 'round here... and damn, it's dark at night. Sometimes, it's just a bear or 'coon or other furry thing... no interest in plugging a critter.
- I need a sling 'cause I live on three wooded acres and tend to wonder 'round.
- I need 7-8 rounds all up, 'cause I was in a thing once about 35 years ago where I had 5-6 rounds... and it wern't enough to control the situation to my liking.
- Big ghost rings, 'cause I'm a geezer with bad eyes.
- A semi-auto, 'cause I got the tendinitis and the carpal tunnel... and pumping blows goats.
- A Benelli, 'cause I trust 'em to go bang every single stinkin' time.
To paraphrase Matt Quigley... I really don't find a use for much else.
Christ... I wrote a lot of stuff. Most is pure crap of course.
Cheers,
C