It’s an argument that’s been knocked back and forth at more than one 3-gun event or hunting cabin: does the shooter make the gun, or does the gun make the shooter? Or, in other words, can a subpar or average shooter be made into a superstar with the assistance of a high-end gun (and high-end optics)? Can a skilled marksman coax a stellar performance out of just any gun and/or optic, regardless of quality?

While it’s true there are a number of factors to take into consideration from what kind of performance we’re looking for to the combination of firearms and optics being used, the bottom line remains the same. If you’ve been around firearms for any length of time you’ve probably seen a skilled shooter walk up to XYZ gun and squeeze off a perfect group at XYZ distance. Conversely, you’ve probably seen a less-than-great marksman cozy up to the line with a top-class setup, convinced all they need to up their game is a gun and/or optic of greater quality than their former setup.

Or maybe the guy on the trigger in question is you. Maybe it’s you, convinced that dropping a new, somehow better trigger into your rifle will solve all your problems in accuracy. Maybe it’s you, mounting yet another optic in the hopes of improving grouping. Is it you?

Whatever the case, what do you think? Can higher quality equipment make an expert out of an average marksman?