Am I Zumboing Myself? Have to Say That I Kind've Agree With Bob on This One

Bob Owens reveals some of his thoughts over the new offering from TrackingPoint:

Summed up: you look through the scope to identify your target, and press a button located on the front of the trigger guard to mark it. Once marked, an interrupter mechanism kicks in as you squeeze the trigger. It only allows the shot to fire once the crosshairs intersect a second time with the spot you marked.

The rifle itself is built using parts from a “who’s who” in the world of manufacturing precision long-range rifle parts, including a Surgeon action, Krieger barrel, and an Accuracy International AX chassis. The ammunition — .338 Lapua in one version, .300 Winchester Magnum for the two smaller rifles — is custom-loaded for the gun.

The part of the system that makes the headlines isn’t the rifle itself, but how the rifle interfaces with software and a sensor package straight out of Predator to come as close as possible to creating a “can’t miss” scenario at long range for even the least-experienced shooters.

Amazing. And I find myself hating it.

Although I definitely see the possible military applications for this, I have to ask, what is this really for? And, before you go getting all hissy on me like the commenters to Bob's post, no, I am not advocating banning it from the civilian market. I simply want to ask that we consider its real utility in how we apply it.

Do you think that it'll allow you to retake that 600 to 700-yard shot that you passed on a trophy bull elk last year? Carefully consider the implications of taking that long a shot. Period. Can you adequately see the animal and what is beyond it for safety's safe? Is the velocity and energy of your bullet still sufficient to make a humane kill?

I guess where my worry comes in is that some of the more financially well-off of the yahoos in our midst, who don't spend enough time at the range as is (and, why yes, I may be a tad hypocritical here - refer to the In The Field portion), may jump on this as the newest fad for reaching out and touching someone of the game animal variety. Think back to the ultra-magnum craze that swept the industry and our ranks  for a couple decades. Personally, all we had were a lot of numbskulls using rifles that cost more than my first truck, throwing out $3-5 per trigger pull, and still missing because they couldn't handle the recoil and muzzle blast and/or literally couldn't affford the proper range time.

Just thinking.