What 401k program do you or your peers have that allows you to buy funds outside of the few, selected by the 401k manager?
I certainly can't buy individual shares in my 401k program. And very, very few programs I'm aware of ever offered that as an option.
they typically offer a brokerage option. fidelity and vanguard both offered this when I had them. if that wasn't on the table I'd roll it into something that gave me flexibility.