Solution in search of a problem

[308Mike]

Remember, many of the OLD handgunner rules were created when REVOLVERS were the biggest part of the market AND on local police agencies.

Things HAVE changed since then.

[Catbird]

This:

halo-screenshot.jpg

[Erik]

2. This could actually be useful for high capacity match guns, particularly for staged with a required round count reload.

I was actually thinking the same thing, but after some thought I don't think so. In competition, you plan your reloads to happen between specific target arrays, so you know the exact round count at each reload. If you mess up and fire a few rounds extra somewhere, you either account for it by doing an extra reload sooner, or you're so lost that you end of trying to fire an empty gun. If that happens, you're so off track that I doubt you'd notice the digital round counter. I've seen lots of people trying to fire an empty gun for a while until they realized they needed to do a mag change.
My competition gun is set up not to lock back, so my reload counter is "boomstick not go bang". The round counting is done before I start the stage, and reloads happen on set places in the stage, not after specific counts. I don't know anyone that does it different. Maybe some single stack and revolver shooters do though.

I can't see much practical use for it, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a market for it with people influenced by videogames, or who simply want a "cool looking tech thingy" on their guns.

[Erik]

Yeah, I figured there might be competitions like that. It's somewhat like Virginia count in IPSC, a fixed number of rounds before a reload. The only difference being that Virginia count doesn't allow make up shots. Still, the few times I've done Virginia count I've done it the same way. So if there's a mandatory reload after 12 rounds, I'd memorize where in the stage that is, and do the reload there. I guess if I was allowed to do make up shots, and still have the mandatory reload requirement, a counter might be considered useful if I fired a lot of make ups. But I think it would prove to be a distraction more than a help. The shooter would be too busy checking the counter to hit the target.

[Jericho941]

This:

halo-screenshot.jpg

And Prey, Titanfall, the Aliens series, Fear, the latest Dooms and Quakes, et al.

[g-man]

It requires modifiying your magazines, and they don't have any part info for the pieces needed to modify additional magazines. Yeah, chalk this one up in the 'WTF?' and 'meh' categories simultaneously.

[toad]

But,But, they told me to immediately take cover if my firearms stops going bang and then check for why then clear or reload??

[Aesop]

Unfortunately, in the real world, the round counter is never in your workspace, if it was it'd block the reticle/sight which isn't magically floating in midair like in FPS games, and at night, the bright glowing round count shining back towards your head and torso would be little less intelligent than a revolving "Shoot me" strobe beacon.

Something on the outside of a weapon that lets anyone hip to it know how many rounds are ready inside isn't always a good idea either, since by definition if you need it you won't be the only person around.

Which is precisely the reason why idiots whose only weapons experience is an FPS will want them even MOAR!

[Jericho941]

Heh.

The weird piece of paper looked dangerous. There was something disturbingly familiar about the letter before me. The handwriting was all pretty curves.

"You are in a computer game, Max."

The truth was a burning green crack through my brain. Weapon statistics hanging in the air, glimpsed out of the corner of my eye. Endless repetition of the act of shooting, time slowing down to show off my moves. The paranoid feel of someone controlling my every step.

I was in a computer game.

Funny as hell, it was the most horrible thing I could think of.

[HTRN]

The ammo counter is one small part of a "gun HUD" I would some day like to see built into a pair of glasses. The HUD would basically include all the stuff you would find in a FPS hud including a crosshair, ammo counter, map, and compass. Weaponized augmented reality, coming soon to your local merchant of death.

In other words, "smart guns" as invisioned by SciFi, not by gun control advocates..