Sidearms & Scatterguns Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

[ShortRangeSniper]

While I have a couple of Gun Mag subscriptions, I really have to say that Gun Magazine reviews are pretty lousy. I am guessing here, but IMHO, Gun Mags are so dependant on gun manufacturer advertising dollars, that they have lost their editorial non-partisanship. Bad reviews are almost unheard of, and mostly you see 'damned with faint praise' reviews of bad guns. But I have to admit I still have subscriptions to a couple of gun magazines for flight take-off and landing reading, and bathroom reading. And the gun mags frequently get their hands on new guns before any one else.

If I want honest reviews on a gun I turn to a couple of online references. Here are mine, are there any others you would recommend?

The Firing Line
Nutnfancy
Gunblast
The Truth About Guns

I also look at this site, AR15, Glocktalk, HKPro, FN Forum, etc, but those are mostly the casual shooters while the former are more dedicated and informed reviews. But sometimes the latter sites can have very in-depth and professional reviews from experienced shooters.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

I don't think I have read a negative review on Gunblast either. True objectivity is hard to come by. In the gun rags, the manufacturers pay the reviewers salaries. On the net, people usually write a review on something they have already invested in both emotionally and financially. And when you write a bad review, you can expect to get flamed.

 

[bornhunter04]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

Part of the problem, is you can list things you like and dislike about a gun. Many of which are subjective at best, as in cosmetics. What one shooter likes another may hate. How the gun feels/handles is subjective too. The only true way is to run it through it's paces with many thousands of rounds with minimal to no maintenance and see what gives up first. But who can afford that much ammo in a short amount of time? What i mean here, gun is introduced, sent for review, review should be completed before gun hits the market, so now you have time constraints mixed into all that. I don't know if there is a good way to get a solid, objectionable, consistent review on firearms.

But lets be honest with the manufacturing today, do they really make a bad firearm? Defined as one that refuses to do what it was designed for (to go bang). Now, obviously some, do it much better and much more consistently than others. So then comes the price point. Both serve the same function and both work consistently but Y model costs x times more then model Z, is it really worth it? That's one question/answer you'd be hard pressed to find in a gun mag review which relies on advertisement dollars for payroll.

 

[Sgt. 0811]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

And you won't read a harsh review, Gun magazines rely on ad money and getting guns for reviews. Just like American car or motorcycle magazines, the reality is you have to read those articals to get the facts but weed out the "opinion" part. Funny thing is, if a magazine grew some balls they could probably still have the majority of support from the manufacturers because companies wouldn't want to be the ones who denied the review. Take the tv show Top Gear for example (UK top gear not the poser top gear). They give the honest review and now, car companies use them almost as a challenge.

The internet is full of bad reviews as well, why? Becuase people paid for the gun, they are already a bit bias. Best thing you can do is write your own review when you do buy something and try to not be bias.

 

[TF160 Guy]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

Concur in the dollars drive the opinions and results. Premise is true for most professions except the ones that don't pay much and start with a raised right hand followed by an oath.

"Gun Tests" out of Big Sandy, TX is one of my favorites along with sites such as this.

A good indicator for me is the for sale section. Good stuff doesn't come up for sale often and when it does it sells quickly

 

[Downzero]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

All of the debates about the different handguns are just to create marketing and sales. You want to know what the best handgun is? Probably the one you shot 20,000 rounds through last year. That's the one you know how to drive the best. No amount of features, cosmetics, or interest will replace that sort of comfort level.

Handgun skills are so perishable! Make your goal to shoot as much as you can and forget about what some magazine says. Spend every minute you were going to waste on a magazine and dry fire with that time.

 

[kansas]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

If you are looking for a product, not just a gun, there is soooo much information out here on the web that if you look hard you'll find plenty to read about other people's experiences with that product. I agree that any gun mag is going to look mostly at the good points of any of these guns because of advertisement dollars so...have to read the forums and see what others are saying.

 

[longguntoter]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

I know what you mean about the magazine reviews. I mainly read them just to learn about the gun, and watch video to see how the gun really works.

 

[TheLlam]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

Forums like this one are filled with three types of users:
1) People that don't know a damn thing.
2) Experts.
3) People that don't know a damn thing but make try to make themselves look like experts.

Figure out who's saying what and give that the appropriate weight.

 

[TheLlam]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

Forums like this one are filled with three types of users:
1) People that don't know a damn thing.
2) Experts.
3) People that don't know a damn thing but try to make themselves look like experts.

Figure out who's saying what and give that the appropriate weight.

 

[Veer_G]

Re: Gun Reviews, Online versus Gun Mags

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheLlam</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Forums like this one are filled with three types of users:
1) People that don't know a damn thing.
2) Experts.
3) People that don't know a damn thing but try to make themselves look like experts.

Figure out who's saying what and give that the appropriate weight. </div></div>

You can say that again ...