Do You Have Gas?  (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

For many years, I suffered with chronic GAS.  Gear Acquisition Syndrome.  If you are a serious shooter, or firearms enthusiast to any extent, you might suffer from this affliction as well.

GAS is not unique to the firearms world.  In fact, I had it as bad or worse years ago when I was a very active musician, being a guitarist in many rock bands.  The music world is very technology and gadget driven, similar to the firearms world.  Therefore, chasing the latest and greatest gadgetry, to the tune of staggering amounts of money, was the norm.  I have gone through the same with firearms over the years.  Many fields of interest are like this.  If you golf, I hate to think what you have spent on that pursuit along the way.  Worse yet, if you are into cars, the money guys spend on fixing up classic muscle cars, or the like, is scary.  Toys, we can’t get enough.  Especially among men. 

The truth is, I have found myself to be relatively gas free of late, both musically and with guns.  The scenario was rather similar for both.  You see, I tried every damn thing out there, being obsessed with gear, until realizing that what I actually need is rather quite limited in scope.  The exercise in gear acquisition seemed to be an ironic years-long purge of the unnecessary.  With all the guns I have used over time, I actually spend the majority of my training and shooting with only three particular handguns.  A few handguns and a couple of rifles is really all I need for anything.  However, my GAS contributed greatly to two different industries along the way.

Its easy to say “don’t do it,” but I think it is inevitable for many individuals to go through periods of GAS.  Many are obsessed with the gear for its own sake, though I always found that I was primarily obsessed with finding something different or better for a particular thing.  I am not inclined to collect things, and everything I have I actually use or keep for backup, but a lot of things accumulate along the way.    

Therefore, its time for me to be a complete and utter hypocrite and advise you, AVOID GAS!  Find what you like, have a pair and a spare, and be done with it.  It will save you a lot of money and time, both of which are better spent actually training with your guns.  Or your golf clubs.  Or playing your guitar.  Or, well, whatever you do.