You won't be the first to make that mistake. You are amongst folk who have done the same thing lol
I thought the pink cover jobber was a bit silly - for something that came with its own drip tip.
They don't come with their own drip tips Bryan. They are separate items. Necessary but separate. The bridged 306 is actually quite vulnerable to careless handling. The 'bridge' being a small bit of wire mesh push fitted. Drop one on a hard floor and hey presto, a bridgeless 306. The cover is quite a good idea in my opinion. Confusing to the new user but useful . Extravagantly long maybe ....I thought the pink cover jobber was a bit silly - for something that came with its own drip tip.
The 306s I bought came with their own drip tips. I wonder how much more it would cost manufacturers to include a drip tip instead of the cover. Fractions of a pence - it would be more environmentally friendly.