The mission dictates the gear. Luckily I'm a civilian, so I don't have a mission and I can buy whatever I want.

I get my wife to paint cam' patterns. She's quite artistic. everything I do just ends up a pattern. she can legitimately make disorganized "patterns". Its a real skill.

You mentioned at 16:40 that the GP rifle needs to be a "jack of all trades", which is apt because that is how Recon Marines define themselves. My actual recce rifle for First Force Recon was an M4a1 with an Acog and a KAC suppressor, covered in krylon spray paint. People put way too much stock into barrel lengths and optics when in reality the best GP or recce rifle is the one that can most effectively cover every potential element with the least concessions.

Magnification in urban environments is not just useful for PID or weapon ID, but precision in general. When your trying to line up a shot on a head ducking in and out of a window, even from just 30-50 yards, a little 3x bump makes such a difference (LE experience)

Living in a 4 season area, I don't recommend painting the rifle for the seasons personally, paint it in a spring season color and get tape or wraps for the other seasons, just something you can get on and off quickly because weather always changes, it could have snowed the week before but then melted and now your rifle stands out if it's painted, that's just something I've tested out for my area specifically so this might not actually apply to everyone with 4 season areas

General Purpose rifle is a better descriptor then Recce. A brief google would show that GP rifle it’s a term that has been around for many years.

White cloth, cut a and wrapped around the rifle will work in winter as an alternative to repainting the rifle every season. Even the dark bits that show through will work to break things up, because even in winter an all white background is rare.

Brass facts did a video a little while ago about why he calls it a GP or general purpose rifle. I agree with you both completely. Recce is a specific mission set, but a do all rifle is what people confuse it with

Really like the perspective. Next year will be 10 years out of the Corps and while I realized along time ago that me getting involved in any conflict that involved me grabbing an AR is probably not one I want to be in, but having said that I like the capability aspect of a "Reece' or 'GP" because I live in the middle of a corn field but am in close proximity to a 300k city, a 16k town and a 70k suburb and all of these environments as well as farm fields present a myriad of challenges and distances which would have to be addressed if the boog happened

Great video. I rocked a Buttler Creek flip cap on my light in Iraq and it worked great. I even remembered to uncap it when I needed it, training pays.

Thank you guys for all the hard work; it’s evident in the content!

Truly appreciate your guys style of content, very cool cinematic video with awesome context.

I think an entire episode on camouflage would be awesome. Both for kit/uniforms as well as weapons.

Great content. Have multiple rifles with different barrel length for multiple situations. When I was on SWAT cleared rooms with a 16 inch rifle. I was also the paramedic on the team so a SBR or MP5 was much easier for my job assignment. Oh to have a 8 inch 300 blackout then.

The visuals on this is absolutely astonishing

Total Jewel. I like the highlighted notes about the urban environment. Personally I’d grab two guns one for “City” and one for the “mountains”!! I’d love to see a video on gear supporting the GPR and “Go-Bag”!!

This is my new favorite channel for tactical and gear based videos

Just glad i finally found a podcast with ppl who also live in Florida!! I feel like we deal with such a unique environment compared to the majority of other states. And it really doesn't get much coverage.

I’m in Georgia! My GPR is a 11.5 in pistol in 5.56x45 is my go to. But I have 2 another AR an a M4 both are Frankenstein builds that I love. I really enjoy your content, you men keep up the amazing work.

Just stumbled across you guys today. All I can say is wow you guys are great. Loved the discussion on this topic. Very much on the intellectual side of firearm loadouts. I couldn't agree with you more on general purpose rifle setups. Many things discussed in this video were on point. I've taken many of your ideas at put them to good practice. Keep this content cooking. I'll stay in the kitchen.

My do all rifle I used the Noveske 13.7" barrel with the Sig Sauer Tango-4 1-4 optic and an RMR on top of it.

Great discussion! I think it’s always best to build what suits your application. Really helps separate RECCE and general purpose rifle. Appreciate the equipment/setups breakdowns.

Born and raised here in central Florida. This video was very helpful as far as giving me a better idea of how I want to build my rifle.

Great video content behind your podcast guys. Just read across the fence today (received it for Christmas). Amazing that they were carrying 600 plus rounds in 20 round mags. I always carried a minimum of 6 mags. I run a 14.5 here in Colorado with a QDSS NT4 can. ACOG and RMR on top is where I am going. Have both but haven’t mounted them together yet. Love the content and found you from Ben with Wise Men Co. keep up the great work gents.

Keep this quality up and this will be one of the top tier gun podcasts. Amazing work brothers.

You dudes are killing it!

I really like that you guys pointed out a difference between recce and GPR. Most people dont really understand what recce even is, how it really works, and why a recce rifle looks the way it does.

Watching you guys kick around in my home turf makes me want to get my rifle built and painted even faster

Central CA here. We have the Sierra Nevada in our backyard so I often do my training up in the Sierra National Forest just outside of Yosemite. Lots of browns and greens and mixed veg. Lots of variety between 3-7k feet! Currently running a 16" 5.56 with 1-8x.

The one comment I've heard that I'd consider a sanity check on how far you can engage a target was when a military buddy of mine said he could engage targets out to 500 yards/meters with the iron sights of his M4. That reminded me that I can't just rely on the most l337 gear, and that I have to get out there and train more wit the gear I do have. Now, gear can make it easier, but you still gotta be doing YOUR job WITH that gear.

I’m glad I found your channel- I had watched Garand Thumbs video on the topic and while it was entertaining and informative it didn’t relate to my situation. East coast of central Florida is certainly different from the Cascades. I can’t wait for your equipment videos as it relates to our environment! Thanks for the work you put into your video

1 thing I've always thought about is that you really need to consider not just your environment but also the threats that you are likely to face because that's going to determine the encounters that you are likely to have. So one of the things that I consider especially living in rural Nebraska is that here in the US while AR's and other military style rifles are getting more popular they aren't nearly as common as your typical Bolt Action Hunting rifle. That means if there ever was a SHTF scenario where people are shooting at each other we're pretty likely to see further engagement distances than we are typically used to seeing. Granted it's going to depend a lot on what area you're in but my thought is that we would see a lot less run and gun and a lot more people taking 200-400 yard shots from cover using thier trusty old 30-06 or whatever happened to be in the gun cabinet. Especially when you consider that a lot of these people don't have several hundred rounds stockpiled so thier gonna be looking to conserve ammo by picking people off with 1 or 2 shots.

Thanks for all your insight, looking forward to the additional info in your series ! Love the Ground Branch extraction. Can you make a video on knowing when to replace parts? Like diagnosing failures/ barrel wear ?

Every discussion should have B-roll this good

Wow. What a podcast. So well done. Def subscribed. Love it!!!

Sorry for the probably long comment but I really enjoyed the video. I’m just going to dump all my thoughts here. Great perspective and information that got me considering my overall kit. I’m young and just able to legally get into firearms and things of the sort and I really want to start off on the right foot. I have access to information available on the internet folks didn’t have even 10 years ago let alone anything before that, so I can avoid a lot of the mistakes and pitfalls that others have made before me just by being willing to listen/read up on the subject. I like the casual tone of this video and the natural flow of y’all conversation. You didn’t really use mil terms I didn’t know or got super technical, which is greatly appreciated. My “recce” or more accurately general purpose rifle is a 13.9 ar with a lpvo and other necessary attachments like a light & sling (don’t quite have the money for night capabilities yet so not worried about that atm). Also being in Florida but more towards the south end and on the coast, we really have swamps and dense flora everywhere. I wanted something shorter to maneuver through all that chaos but also robust to take the beating that going through sub-tropical jungle entails, so things like the hand guard are a bit thicker to handle the beating the poor thing is going to take. There’s also plenty of urban area especially on the coast. But since urban isn’t really cqc here, something like a 10 inch barrel wouldn’t benefit me as much. The buildings are all spaced out and hardly anything is over a story high. Something else to not is that building interiors here aren’t cramped death funnels like they are in my hometown in nyc. Damn near everything is open concept so an ultra compact platform isn’t necessary for this reason also. Overall I think I’m in a good spot gun setup-wise but there’s always more to learn/change, and definitely after you take it outside to run it. So if anyone has any tips or pointers no matter how obvious they might be to you, I’d be happy to hear em. Thanks y’all

Great information! Hope you guys definitely more. Especially on the basics of marksmanship and SUT

This production value is awesome, bout to binge all of your videos

Happy to come across this channel. I've been looking for an outdoor range that I can shoot and move. I'm going to check out JTAC ranch (only an hour away) especially for the open gym. And this channel to challenge my current gear and what to improve upon. Thanks again for setting this channel up.

Thanks for another kick ass-cast guys! This information and perspective are beyond helpful!

In your same area. My go-to is and has been for quite a while now a BCM 14.5. Have an Aimpoint Micro on a MI QD mount at lower third height, DD fixed sights, a Surefire X300 at 12 o’clock, and a BFG Vickers sling. It’s basically a copy of Larry Vickers training carbine. I’ve reconfigured it multiple times but always come back to this setup. For a muzzle device I run a Silencerco flash hider to QD my Omega 300 can. There’s no magnification, but as it basically just stays by the bedside, don’t really need it. I have other ARs for distance, but with the basic red dot, I can get out to 300 yards on a standard silhouette pretty consistently. As for paint, it’s been painted multiple times. Right now it’s mostly black, as I’ve tried to go back to black. I’m sure it will get painted again at some point, but right now it looks like it has some sort of skin disease. 🤣

Excellent footage, great discussion.

Love seeing the Florida terrain 🙂⭐️

Really good content here. I like this episode and the one previous about one warrior one sword. Working on getting my AR squared away currently and am definitely thinking about it through the lens of a general purpose rifle. It makes no sense to me why so many people have 3-4 rifles none of which are zeroed properly, have a sling, light, etc. when they could have 1-2 that are good to go.

This Channel is badass, just discovered it and happy about it

Great info! Love it! Thanks!

I personally think with the testing the Marine Corps has done with the M27 and M38 DMR a 16" barrel is the happy landing spot. I think the 1-8 or 1-10 just opens up the possibilities and uses on a 16-20 inch gun properly set up.

Good shit, my go to is a solgw 13.7 suppressed with a dot on a unity fast mount with dual IR light and laser. It's been an ongoing project of mine for about 5 years or so trying different barrel lengths and setups and this is where I landed. For my area it's a very well rounded setup. Only thing I may add is a magnifier or something.

General purpose=16" AR with Daniel Defense rear irons, red dot with a light. Gives me good practical accuracy and velocity to 300yds, lite weight. My DMR for longer ranges is my BARRETT REC 10 with Primary Arms 5x ACSS scope. Gives me practical accurate power to 600yds with pretty descent ranging capability . Of course I have shot these rifles much further and they are capable of it but realistically this is what I use them for. Great video.

Just stumbled onto this video, and it's great! I live in New Mexico, so we have very long distances, and high winds, so short barrel length is more for concealing the weapon before deployment in my AO. I've got to figure out my systems and run optics. If you could address maybe the other end of the spectrum with being stuck engaging at distance. I know generally you evade at distance, buy if your holding a position you have to engage and I'd rather keep them at distance. You may have addressed this in another vid. Gonna check the rest of your series. Thanks for the content/info!

12.5 5.56 with an LPVO builds have been my favorite as a general purpose.

I have 14.5in for general purpose and a 18in 6.5 Grendel w/ Steiner PX4I 1x4 for longer range targets. The ammo choice makes a huge difference in terminal ballistics. That's been my experience.

It is interesting to hear from other people on RECCE stuff in another environment.

Fantastic conversation and info

Dope video best one yet on your channel !

The Hornady Black 168 grain A-Max 308 and the 75 grain Hornady Black 556 with the interlock tip are my go to ammunition types

I've had a few different platforms that I considered my "general purpose rifle" over the years, most recently I've settled on a PCS33 (Hk93 clone from Parabellum Combat Systems) that I've made work for just about any realistic scenario I can think of, it isn't perfect by any means, but it's incredibly reliable and accurate, and I've managed to add the accessories I need to work with the rest of my kit.

I hate to break it to y’all but I’ve been calling my 14.5” URGI w/ NF ATACR a “general purpose” rifle for some time now.

The engagement zones (Ranges) are what defines tactics, ammo, optics, etc. The enemy defines the ranges one engagement is forced into. CQB 0-50m, H2H, standing, running , mid range 50-300m, longer 300-500m. A carbine can of 5.56 can do most of that with a 16" barrel. What ranges do YOU expect to work in?

Just listened in on this. Good stuff. My "go-to" GP rifle is a 16" AR patterned rifle. Out here in my area of Texas, there's plenty of open space, and I want more velocity to reach out. But still at 16" vs say 18 or 20" it's still compact enough to traverse and use in some of the thicker brushy areas as well. With my can, it puts it at around 22" which is fairly long, but not unwieldy for open spaces. It has a 3x prism & dot sight on top, with light & IR designator. Where I differ from what you said about a dot sight on a prism, is I don't use the dot sight for CQB purposes. It's there for passive NV aiming. While I could use it for close quarters also, it's a little high on the platform for comfort, and instead I can just use the illuminated prism to super-impose on my target similar to a dot sight.

Hmm, never heard of you guys. Just found your channel via the algo. I like the content and appreciate how it's nothing but B roll footage instead of just having the camera on you two in a room. Good stuff, subbed.

8:28 I notice what you did with your camouflage clothing, using the multicam to blend in with the litter on the forest floor and the darker pattern (tiger stripe?) on your upper body to blend in with the understory. Wicked smart idea, you prioritize the "first-cool" function of camouflage before the "second-cool" of having a matching outfit.

Ended up going with a Block II setup with an ACOG and offset RMR as my general purpose. Was torn between that and a URGI with the main two considerations being the rail and barrel. Block II really only won out cuz I happened to find a fairly cheap milsurp upper, but the accuracy of the socom barrels and the extreme durability of the rail and barrel cannot be understated. Honestly that barrel will probably outlive me lol, the ruggedness of everything makes it very worthwhile as a general purpose/ SHTF rifle. On some level I still do wish I did a URGI due to the weight considerations, but I'm sure the more I train with what I have the less I will be as concerned about the extra few ounces. Both setups are fantastic and you can't really go wrong with either, even if the pic vs mlok arguments still continue.

It seems as shtf looms closer that many of us should be training in the psuedo sniper role and have dmr type rifles if we plan to bring the fight to our enemies and survive

good stuff! Thank you

TIIIIIIIILT! You guys giving a shoutout to one of the greats was awesome to hear! Jocko is awesome for allowing John Stryker Meyer a slot to preserve those stories! SOGCast is on the fast track to being a national treasure!

Guys love the content. I was an Infantryman for 14 years with deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. I ran a recon section for a ABCT. We did have some 110s on stock but we often didn't used them even if we had the distance to engage with them. Our job was to access and make recommendations and provide details of the environment. If the mission was SBF on soft targets we definitely would have ran the 110s as well as 240s. Not to mention we were focused on peer or near peer threat. we spent alot of time visually clearing an area. For tanks Bradleys and other armor. If it wasn't clear don't go there blow it up and go somewhere else. So yes we would choose a M4 with a 4 or 6x over a 110 with 10x. On a recce mission weight is the enemy. I don't feel like guys discuss and train passive aiming against a peer force. If you turn on your peq and everyone is using NV it is no different then a ND on your white light. I think guys should look into thermal and NV clip on. Great way to engage and not actively aim with IR. Guys keep up the good work.

As an 0311 veteran, living in Florida, I have a 16 inch AR with LPVO (1x4) and offset red dot. I've never called it a recce rifle. I've always referred to it as a GPR/bug out rifle. It's unsuppresed but I do have a Witt Machine SME on it. It is rattle can camouflage with local vegetation patterns.

Urban LEO here, my issue is a 10in, suppressed with red dot and magnifier. 90% chance use will be in a house or apartment. My GP is the same thing but instead of a magnifier I have an offset 3x prisim. Better glass, better reticle, same weight (or less) and no hands off the gun. Works great! Recce has become 700yd capable guns. I can't even SEE 200yds where I live! Great Channel guys!

These videos have me missing my LRS days. It is nice to see more stuff on Recce loadouts and what not because I feel like in the civilian world, a home defense rifle and a general purpose rifle are the two essential set ups you'd need. I think people stress too much about so many specifics when a recce rifle is literally just meant to be general purpose. All you need is a quick means of transitioning from a close range optic to your magnified view, a barrel length long enough to give you at least a range of 300 meters, a sling and a weapon light. You wanna be able to shoot from any common range, secure your rifle and see in the dark. Oh, and a suppressor so you're not giving away your position with muzzle flash and making it harder to pinpoint your sound signature.

My Fav 2 rifles 13.7” Type-A 5.56 with T2 with magnifier 16” DD 5.56 with 1-6x Razor They seem to fit best of both worlds 💪🏻

I definitely have to go with a P&W 14.5 with dot and magnifier for the Texas panhandle and into Oklahoma, which is where I am most of the time. Still able to engage well out past 500, but able to flip it to the side whenever. I’m also within an hour of a major population center, so work around vehicles and buildings isn’t as far fetched as it could be.

Great video and I personally have to change up my go too this year. I moved from an urban environment where I felt comfortable with a 16" 5.56 AR out to 5-600m to now I moved to a mountainous area where an engagement can easily be out too 800m, plus it can get pretty windy over here. Ik their is some Gucci 5.56 loads that do well to those distances but I don't have good access to those, so I'm looking in the direction of a 16" .308.

Was 18 first GPR was a 16in LE6920 upper on a Anderson lower upgraded to a Midwest quad rail got an aimpoint pro and a surefire m600 even painted the receiver tan for that mw2 look still have it still love it great for beating up at the range.

Liked the content definitely subscribing. I agree totally on looking at environment and also mission specific. I live in Eastern Oregon in the Blue Mountains, but we travel a lot to Portland and some of the other cities in the region. I like the 11.5 with a red dot for hd and being in the city. Also barrier blind ammo is important to me for those scenario’s and I like a hot load with a 75 grain Gold Dot. But for GP I like a 16” mid length gun, stainless if that’s your thing, 1-8x lpvo because in the west we have some good distances. 77 grain sierra tmk loaded hot will get it done out to 600. Of course lights on everything. Maybe suppressors someday 🤤

My set up has changed drastically moving from the SeaTac area to Fairbanks, AK. I'm actually using a rifle again for one, instead of a PCC. I have a Magnum revolver in my kit now too. What you carry is dependent on where you're at. I'm actually less concerned about 2 legged critters than I am the 4 legged ones. I was out shoveling snow and had to completely stop because of a moose.

Nice. I’m in an urban sprawl environment with hills surrounding the general area. 11.5” with a Eotech(no riser) it’s because I want it streamlined as possible. If need be I’m sure I can acquire scopes. Happy New Years.

Good vid, lots of good chatter , good ideas ;my first ST was//is civi version Xm177E2 ;it's my CQB stick all spec with tritium sights ; am doing a 20" H bar DMR & my GPR is a 16" m3 with Bushy 1 -4 tac 30 ; these will do everything I 'll ask of the 5.56

I was recon platoon while stationed in Vicenza years ago. I never heard the term recce until I did some training with the Brits. Pretty common now.

Great video! Just discovered you guys. Would love to learn more about navigation and communication 🤙

Love your guys content. As a fellow central Floridian it is very exciting to find a knowledgeable channel in similar AO to mine. I agree on a prism optic, humidity/fog is a glass killer, 2 panes is bad I couldn't imagine dealing with 4 surfaces of fog on a magnifier. One day I ran out of the house in late afternoon summer to just ruck my kit around the yard and was pretty alarmed when I saw how useless the red dot was after coming out an air conditioned house. I knew then if it was a real situation id have be in bad shape. I use a PA GLx 2x now and love it. Even fogged the reticle doesn't smear as bad and I train to easily bindon with it like you would an acog. My question for y'all is pants. What pants do you guys recommend for swamp heat and keeping moisture out while not cooking in them. Word of mouth of the UF pro HTs is good but Its hard to drop $300 on them sight unseen.

For the woods of South Carolina... My GP set up: 16" 5.56 w/ 77gr SMK ammo 1-6x lpvo w/ 45° rds MOUT set up (for the 'burbs): 12.5" 5.56 w/ 64gr SP ammo 1x prism optic

Calling in from Minnesota, we just paint warm weather patterns and use that army gray/green on the receivers, we then wrap the stock and forgrip with white cloth of our choosing ( I use old strips of wife beaters).

I would like to see a episode regarding combat shotguns in Urban and Woodland environments. Iwas stationed overseas in woodland areas and we had carried combat shotguns to supplement the rifles

something i wanted to throw out there, around 19:20 there’s mention of how engagements will typically be within 100-200 yards in an urban environment but it’s good to keep in mind that urban doesn’t necessarily mean CQB there are certainly chances for long range engagement as well and being prepared for them is something i work into my philosophy about building a GPR.

Awesome series! Would love to see an episode about lasers and other night vision considerations

I'm in southern ga so similar vibes with the varying terrain. I'm still feeling out different camos but seeing the footage with the tiger, that might be a winner for my locale.

Just found y'alls channel. Enjoying the prospective on things. Also the background videos are cash (I mostly just listen to the episodes).

My personal builds(As I have multiple); is a 10.5 or 11 inch 300 blkout with a rugged sub. 20 inch (or mk 12) 5.56 with a 1-6 lvpo. You can easily carry one shouldered and on backed. Backup side iron sights on both. Prism all the way because you aren't going to always have batteries. Anyways... my opinion. Florida as well

How tf did I only see this channel now.. dope vid gentlemen. 👌

I live in fl as well and i built out a lwrc with a lpvo as a multi purpose rifle because its just versatile. So definitely agree with what you said. Keep up the good content. If you are in central florida would love to meet you guys and hit the range with some drills.

Bad ass video once again. I would like to here More about camo and blending into your environments.

Here in western Montana I favor a 16” Aero Precision with sub moa Ballistic Advantage barrel and Razor 1-6 on top. I have a 10.5” blackout pistol for home defense and truck gun.

I have a SBR MK18 and for me and my environment that is perfect, I live in a medium sided city where my maximum engagement would be 200-300 yards. I have a red dot and a 3x flip to the side magnifier on my rifle and if that cant get the "job done" when I'm in the woods driving around I always have a 6.5 bolt gun I can fall back to.

When you know you can drop a comment before you watch the video, because it gonna be fire, go ahead and hit that like button.

my general purpose rifle flip flops between my 14.5 with a 1-10x ffp scope on it, and now my 18in with a 4-14 Rgrid reticle on it. living out in Colorado currently, I've grown to love shooting long ranges. I am currently thinking about swapping my 1-10 on the 14.5 and putting my 2.5-10x griffin mil with a offset red dot on it. and getting rid of my 224 Valkyrie bc I don't shoot that rifle as much anymore.

Sirs. THANK YOU! I like "practical" rifle. Just my feedback to the question you asked. My stats... If it's 556.. Farm. Not super populated. Surrounding areas are. 12.5. LPVO. Enough to reach out with PID to 3- 500.

Central Florida! Orlando here!

Great discussion!

Between this video and the Recce/SPR video I have a ton to say, but this is a difficult forum for that so I will just toss my GP rifle build into the mix. BCM "Recce 14" which is a 14.5" with a cold hammer forged barrel, mid length gas system, and 13" Mlok rail. Surefire 3 Prong SOCOM Muzzle device pinned and welded to keep from having to give the ATF any more money than I have already had to. Magpul 2 point sling (I forget which specific model but I'm not all that impressed with it and will be changing it out soon) Vortex Razor Gen II 1-6 LPVO in a Geissle mount Surefire Mini Scout light mounted in a BCM offset mount which puts it at about the 1 or 2 o'clock on the rail. Surefire SOCOM556 RC-2 Suppressor I have nods but I haven't added a laser yet. I don't know which way I am going to jump on that. I could make up a bunch of BS about why I chose that barrel length or whatever but it breaks down to this. I don't like AR pistols for much and I didn't want this rifle to be an NFA item. So, I went with 14.5" and added the longer muzzle device to make it non NFA. Additionally, in my 22 years in the army as an infantryman and other jobs, I did a lot of dismounted patrolling with a 14.5" M4 and was perfectly comfortable with it. I can get good hits with her out to at least 600m (Although... if you're conducting a MAC V SOG style Reece... why the hell are you shooting at something 600m away?) and possibly farther but I don't have a range nearby that I can stretch out past 600. Essentially, this is just my trusty Army M4A1 with a can and a Vortex Razor. I went with the Razor Gen II because I wanted to have the capability that comes with an LPVO and I like the forgiving eye box of the Razor. I am not a huge fan of it being a 2nd focal plane reticle but I only run it at 1 or 6 power so it's not a huge deal. Usually, I keep it at 1. Combat engagements in a thickly wooded area are not going to be super long range, certainly not 600m so I keep the LPVO dialed to where I am mostly going to use it. What do I not like about it... with all that crap on it, it gets heavy AF. Not so much that it affects my ability to carry it, but I would NOT want to clear a bunch of rooms with it or spend all day on the range doing up drills with it. (Yes, smart asses, I go to the gym) I also don't like how nasty it gets when I run it suppressed. I had a training day this summer and it took me days of scrubbing to get it as clean as I wanted it. Yes, I know I'm anal retentive about clean weapons... so sue me. I am interested in checking out a 12.5 or 13.7 inch barrel to see if shortening the barrel up will make the weight a little easier to bear since I have the same suppressor on my 11.5 and have no problems with it, weight wise) Anyway, I hope this helps contribute to the conversation.