[Melvin]

Just wondering,can anyone here remember the last time they read a review in one of the more popular gun magazines of a new gun or cartridge,by one of our more well known gunwriters that was bad?
Seems like a long time since I have. How many take these tests with a large grain of salt?
Just wondering Melvin

[coldshot03/04]

It has been a looong time.;)

[Poodleshooter]

It's all about the keywords and phrases.
"Sufficient accuracy for deer and large game"= "Can't hit the broadside of a barn"

[Dave R]

Agreed. Its all about the catch phrases. They have to be nice. They have to honest. Sometimes that leads them to some interesting phrasing.

American Rifleman on the Saiga .308 (an AK-style rifle). IIRC, the description of the triiger pull went something like this....

"The trigger has an unusual 2-stage action. A long first stage is followed by a stiff 2nd stage with no detectable release point."

Translation: Probably among the worst triggers you can find. Pull is too long. It is really stiff. There is no way of knowing it is about to go boom.

[VaughnT]

Just read something on the .45glock where the author came to the conclusion that there simply wasn't any need for the round.

A 230g round wasn't possible because there wouldn't be enough room for the powder behind the bullet.

The 180g and 200g rounds had the same felt recoil and muzzle velocity as the .40 S&W round.

Bottom line: what's the point?

It was rather refreshing.

[Cawdor]

When the Beretta 9000 was introduced, I read a review by Ayoob that was less than enthusiastic.

There is an old saying that is applicable to most reviews, "damning with faint praise." On the other hand, if the gun is reliable and it is reasonably accurate, it should receive a satisfactory review.

If you want to see reviews that are tougher than those in the mainstream gun press, try Gun Tests (http://www.gun-tests.com/).

[Old Fuff]

In his mis-spent yesteryears the Old Fuff was an occasional writer who's byline cropped up in a few gun rags. Unless you were one of a handfull of super-big names one was expected to be kind to any product that had a manufacturer or importer who might be an advertiser or a potential one. It is after all, advertising money that pays most of the bills.

On the other hand most writers are not totally dishonest, but they have too eat too. So the trick is to find creative language that the editor won't cut out or rewrite. His or her job of course is to protect the magazine's interests from too-honest writers.

So yes, you do have to read between the lines sometimes and stay awake. You can also compare the written report(s) with posts from real users that will be found on various message boards all over the Internet.

[Melvin]

Gentlemen:
Thanks for the intelligent replies. I was beginning to wonder if I was becoming hyper-critical. I've often felt some of these new items whether firearms or calibers were answers to questions no one had asked.
Thanks again Melvin

[Gordy Wesen]

After a while you learn to read between the lines.

[YodaVader]

"Just wondering,can anyone here remember the last time they read a review in one of the more popular gun magazines of a new gun or cartridge,by one of our more well known gunwriters that was bad?"

Cannot recall - The main reason I quit subscribing to gun publications. Too many sugar coated gun reviews! When Dick Metcalf of Shooting Times praised the crisp 6.75lb trigger of the Ruger 77/44 I knew I had read enough! I doubt Dick would tolerate a 6.75lb trigger on any of his personal rifles.

At least in the car mags when they perform a test and the car performs marginally they say so. Even if that brand of car is found in the ads which grace the pages of the magazine.

Those that defend the gun mags say that the publication will lose advertising dollars if they print anything derogatory about a certain make of firearm. Well , I say where else are the gun companies going to advertise? Time? Newsweek? Sports Illustrated? Men's Health?

[10-Ring]

I can't remember the last time I picked up a gun mag!

[Glamdring]

Only ones I buy are Rifle and Handloader.

[carp killer]

The only magazines I read are the ones that I get from the neighbor. If I want to know about a new gun I would ask the people here. I'm pretty sure I would get an honest opinion.:evil:

[blades67]

After a while you learn to read between the lines.

I got tired of reading between the lines and simply stopped reading gun rags. If I wanted to read fiction I'd buy a copy of the New York Post.:barf: