Re: Atlas V8 scratches AICS
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: cox380</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">See that is the problem. What you see as damage, I see as normal wear. These are tools, not heirlooms. A carpenter doesn't bitch when his toolbelt scratches his best hammer. He just uses the hammer until it needs to be replaced.
Now I do understand where some of you guys are coming from. You spent a lot of cash on your rigs and you want them to look as new as possible for as long as possible. I am not rich. I sold a car to buy my AE MkII and Razor. I have a lot of time invested in that rifle as well. However it is still a tool and gets used as such. There is no other bipod that does what the Atlas does in the manner it does. If I had the choice of it not chewing up the skins, but still giving me the same functionality, then I would obviously prefer that. However since that isn't an option...fuck it. It's not going to wear through the chassis.
As mentioned, if it's a deal-breaker just fold the legs the other way or convert it to the QD/Rail setup. </div></div>
I some how missed this post earlier. Thanks for understanding where others might be coming from. <span style="font-weight: bold">I'm a mechanic, and I understand tools are tools and they get fucked up. But my guns are not tools for me. They are a hobby, a passion, and a investment. I like to try and keep them looking new if I can.</span> Like you I like this bipod far more than any others and I will continue to use it on future build scratching or not.
I have a lot of respect for what you do btw. Aloha</div></div>
That right there which I put in bold is how I feel about it. It is YOUR rifle and there's nothing wrong with being a little concerned about damage/scratches/gouges or whatever else that you feel is unacceptable or a little bothersome. YOU paid for it with YOUR money, not anyone else.
I'm sure I will catch flack and probably be ridiculed for this but in my opinion, your rifle isn't a "TOOL" unless you're a soldier, law enforcement, or in a role that requires you to use that rifle to protect yourself and/or those nearby. You're more than welcome to have your own opinion about the matter because as the adage goes, opinions are like assholes...everybody has one.
I have invested too much money into my setup to just bang it up carelessly and chalk it up to "those are beauty marks" or "it's a tool and meant to be used/abused". If you wanna bang your shit up and tell cool stories about how it happened, more power to you.
I'd rather keep my gear in top shape so if I'm forced to sell it (like I was this Fall, only to buy it back for more than I sold it for), it will bring a nice price. There's a HUGE difference in buying "used" and buying "pre-owned" when it comes to items such as firearms, optics, cars, etc. You wouldn't know by looking that my truck has nearly 150K on the odometer because it looks damn near as good as it did when it rolled off the assembly line in 2006. I take good care of my shit so when I need it for hard or heavy use, I know it's gonna take good care of me.
If ever a true "SHTF" scenario arises, the cosmetics of my gear won't matter, nor will the dings or scratches that I would likely put on it. Until that time comes (if it ever does), I'll take extra special care of my hard earned money/gear.