Anyone watch The Shooting Gallery, Personal Defense, Guns & Ammo TV?

[Dr. Dickie]

If you're gonna cover in-home defense, why not actually demonstrate which round has the best combination of stopping power without overpenetration?

If you're gonna cover handgun models for carry, why not actually talk about failure rates and possible causes?

If you're gonna cover AR-15 carbines, why not cover the major manufacturers and what is good/bad about them?

I understand what you are saying, but you cannot really say what is the BEST combination of stopping power without overpenetration? Too many variables. You can ONLY say that for a specific situation. And once you do that, too many people (read that idiots--they do make-up a majority out there) would be ready to sue you for being the expert that told them what to do, when it did not work out for them.

As far going into major manufactures and what is good or bad. No way in the world they would do that. They are not "Consumer Reports," they depends on those manufactures to advertise. That is just the way it is.
Personally, I think they do a decent job You have to fill in the blanks, but they give you some info to think about, and like you said the skills and drills are good.

Oh, and the music, yeah lame.

 

[News Shooter]

They are better

than no gun shows at all

 

[MBane666]

Yikes!

On another forum, I got accused of being 'too gay" and "not macho enough!" Seriously, thank you for this thread...it helps me more than you know. I just signed a new contract for 2008 with the Outdoor Channel for SHOOTING GALLERY and COWBOYS, and I am planning changes in both shows.

Under my previous arrangement, I was in charge of content, but NOT the actually videoing and/or the editing...that situation has now changed. I now have complete control over the entire process. I have a series of changes planned — not the least of which is making the videography and editing more appropriate, making sure the music doesn't overpower the content, providing more point-of-view footage, and making sure that everyone involved with SG and COWBOYS understands that CONTENT IS KING!

Frankly, I saw some episodes of both SG and COWBOYS that did not meet my standards, and I simply will not have it. Thankfully, the new management of Outdoor Channel saw it my way.

If you haven't checked out my primary Internet site, DOWN RANGE TELEVISION (www.downrange.tv), please do. It is, for lack of better words, my "experimental" site. I realized that I simply could not provide the level of information that you guys want — and that I demand for myself — only on a broadcast platform. I have the largest audience ever for a shooting show, and I have to weave an often-complicated path between "too much" and "too little." Television even at the non-network levels is STUNNINGLY expensive, and every move you make is under a microscope.

My decision was to create a multimedia site that will ultimately augment the video product. Right now, the site's a beta version...we're hammering out the basic "syntax" of short-form Internet video, the inclusion of audio podcast-type products and plain old text material.

I've been funding DOWN RANGE out-of-pocket...it's a little like hemmorraging money...but a few visionary companies will be coming on-board in a month or so, and that will help. My overall vision is the broadcast product backed up by multimedia on Internet, so you can go to the site for more specific information, places to learn more about the topics of each show, background information, etc.

I'm in talks with some pretty cool people on the next step, redefining multimedia for our market. I have a vision...whether I can implement it or not remains to be seen. It certainly has given me an intimate knowledge of antacids, acid reflux disease and stress-related illnesses! Still, the list of people who explained to me in painful detail that SG and COWBOYS would fail is long and star-studded, and — THANKS TO YOU GUYS — we proved them wrong. A similar group explained to me that there was no way I could establish DOWN RANGE in the face of huge, heavily funded competitors, yet after 6 weeks of operation we are the premier firearms video site on the web.

I used to do a talk called "Five Steps for Accomplishing the Impossible," based on my book, OVER THE EDGE. I get emails every month from people who have gone on to accomplish amazing things after reading OTE or hearing one of my talks, and those are the people who inspire me to keep slamming my head against various and sundry walls.

Thank you, again, for your input. I value it. And, yes, I believe The Michael Bane Blog can be more entertaining than the shows!

Michael B

 

[anotherKevin]

I watch 'em all

Shooting Gallery is probably my favorite, but Shooting USA is usually pretty interesting. G&A rarely does it for me, American Rifleman seems to be a struggle for all the participants, somehow they all manage to look burned out. Sometimes Cowboys is dull beyond belief, other times it just looks like people dressing up and running around like some kind of armed costume party. Occasionally it works - the "Holy Terror" episode was enjoyable, as it focussed on personality, perhaps.

My only gripe is on my Dish Network DVR (the DVR of Satan himself - devourer of recorded shows, crasher of movies) most of the time the show contents are listed as "sports". No clue what's really in there.

I'd love to see some shows like "how to travel with a gun", "how to buy an SMG", that kind of oddball stuff.

 

[Justin]

I've had the pleasure of speaking with Michael about television production, the state of the shooting culture in the US, and how multimedia has the chance to get our point of view heard.

He's got a better grasp of the potential of television, and how shooting has changed in the last decade, than most other old guys with gray hair.

The cool part is that he's actually out there doing this stuff.

 

[Geronimo45]

PDTV I've watched. Aside from the music, the show seems too short. I think an hour-long show would be able to get a lot more in-depth with things... but, if y'all have noticed, television is notorious for its shallow coverage in general - ever watch the news? I've never seen a debate on the news that went into any kind of depth. the objective seems to be: "Can I evade the issue while expressing my magnificent sex appeal through my million-dollar smile to make people think I've won this debate?" It's what all the presidential debates are, too. Television's covering such a short time span that there's not a lot of time to go over things in detail. An hour show could help mitigate things. Heck, that one scene with all the guns on a table could take up an hour's show, explaining how each weapon worked, felt recoil, best uses: "This ultralite snubby .357 has a lot of recoil, natural in a gun this size and weight. It is a great CC weapon due to the size and weight." Or something along those lines.
I'd like to see a show over a bunch of different methods of carry, too. Shoulder, IWB, OWB, ankle, etc.

One of the more recent torture tests I watched had 'em dropping a S&W sixgun in a tub of some kind of strong acid or base. The hammer spring (I think) ended up being dissolved by the stuff. The outside wasn't too bad, but certain insides were made of cheaper parts. Makes you wonder.

cra2 - would Tom be more palatable if he shaved his head and whispered like the Future Weapons guy?

 

[JohnRov]

I watch them all, but Guns and Ammo is by far the worst. They try to cram a ton of stories in each episode and don't cover anything in depth, and then they give WAY too much time to the rediculous torture tests. The rest always have at least something interesting and/or educational.

 

[Smurfslayer]

you can't please everyone.

Would we all rather that the shows just go away?

Each of us does something poorly, or perhaps better said not at good as we would like. I'll admit there are segments on some of the mentioned shows that I won't necessarily watch, or will skip over, but don't dismiss them out of hand. Give the shows a fair chance, or they'll be replaced with Canadian Curling Championships or something similar.

Overall, I'd have to say SG is my top pick because MB has covered a variety of cool topic matter IMO. PD TV is right up there though. It's a different format than SG, and as previous posters noted, the Ayoob & Clint Smith sections are interesting. Shooting USA is also good for covering competitions of different types. The hosts of all 3 of these shows have come on THR at one time or another too.

Did we leave out American Rifleman? If you're into historic guns, definitely add this to the season pass list.

 

[stevekl]

I watch their wednesday night lineup and I have a complaint!

Has anyone noticed how much they talk about steel target shooting? I mean, it's pretty ridiculous, for two reasons. First, they talk about it to the almost exclusion of any other form of shooting sport. Target shooting? Clay shooting? Simple plinking? No, sorry, all we have is guys running around in blue spandex shooting at steel targets in an obstacle course.

Secondly, do you KNOW anyone who has done these steel target shoots? I don't. Which makes me angry, because I like to target shoot, I WOULD like to shoot clay pigeons, and I know people who do both. But if I want to turn on American Shooter to learn more about target shooting or clay pigeon shooting, that's too bad because all they talk about is...people running around in blue spandex shooting at steel plates in an obstacle course.

It's hillarious. It's like having a TV show about gardening and home improvement, and ONLY doing shows about growing one type of plant that nobody grows or wants to grow.

Also they talk about Smith & Wesson too damn much. Every since the M&P pistol and carbine came out they talk about them every single week. Oh and also, those torture tests are stupid. I don't want to see two jerks breaking and ruining guns.

I am full of complaints.

Edit- Also did you know that Caldwell has Orange peel targets that let you see hits on and off the target because I've only seen that commercial eight trillion damn times.

 

[wooderson]

PDTV is pretty ridiculous much of the time - the "knife tactics" show (said tactics apparently involved 'carry a gun and shoot the guy with the knife' - true enough but not terribly helpful) and the last one all about silenced and fully-automatic weapons.

Yeah, that silenced AR with subsonic ammo (turning it into a single-shot) is mighty relevant to 'personal defense'! It's fine if you want to show those things, but don't pretend they have anything to do with your stated aim - and if you drop that pretense they should be more fun.

 

[wooderson]

Also they talk about Smith & Wesson too damn much.

Whichever show that is (I get them confused- one is all S&W, one is all Midway products, one is etc.), they're pretty up front about that, though - between the ads and the 'hosted at S&W Academy' and 'here's S&W instructor <x>.'

Sometimes it's hard to treat the shows as more than really good infomercials - but hey, with TiVO I can just skip over anything I don't care about.

 

[tuckerdog1]

I think it's just GUN TV going through a maturing faze. Trying to get a feel for what the viewer wants to see. A lot of the show(s) segments are pretty lame. But I'm just glad to see ANY coverage of guns on TV. Lots of room to improve, but I watch 'em all whenever I can

I really dislike the torture tests. There many be a bazillion guns out there. But I still hate to see perfectly nice guns ( many I'd really like to own ), being ruined. I'd rather see a weekly give-a-way of a gun, rather than a gun destroyed.

Tuckerdog1

 

[2bigfeet]

Thanks for posting Michael B.

Like many of us here I hit the record button on the DVR and take in a show when time allows. I love that The Outdoor Channel puts these shows on all in one night.

I think its safe to say everyone here (and probably most of your viewing audience) is a gadget freak. The core of our obsession is tinkering with our guns, when we're not actually shooting them. I took great interest in your show about the STI factory. I don't own one of their guns (yet), but the manufacturing process was fascinating. The show was plenty informative and moved right along. That is key to your new direction you speak of... lots of info... moving right along. Some of these gun shows (Guns & Ammo) put me to sleep faster than a Xanax. At the end of the day I'm shot and tired, your going to have to hold my interest like your STI Factory show. More gadget stuff. My other personal favorite shows are the competition shows... The Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup etc. It would be great to see a show/segment on local weekly IDPA matches from around the country. Also how about getting a look at these national competitors guns. Spend some time talking to them and what went into building their race guns/holster setups. You know how we all obsess over the details... lets have them.

Overall you do have one of the better shows. Keep up the good work.

 

[MikeS.]

I've seen the ads in G&A magazine and now after reading this thread I decided to record this weeks episodes on my Tivo. God I love Tivo

 

[toivo]

What I'd like to see more of on TV gun shows (in case anybody cares):

--clay sports and shotgunning in general
--target rifle shooting: silhouette, free rifle, etc.
--biathlon (in season)
--anything to do with rimfire rifles and pistols

 

[RTFM]

For those that can;t find them there on the Outdoor Channel.
The all run on Wednesday nights call - MidwayUSA's WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON THE RANGE (handy enough.... huh?)

http://outdoorchannel.com/index2.cfm?ss=201&site=1#midwayusa

Wednesdays 7:00PM-2:00AM
Presented by MidwayUSA

6:00 PM: American Rifleman Television
6:30 PM: Personal Defense TV
7:00 PM: CBR - Championship Bull Riding
8:00 PM: MidwayUSA's Cowboys
8:30 PM: Shooting Gallery presented by Crimson Trace
9:00 PM: Shooting USA
9:30 PM: Guns & Ammo Classics
10:00 PM: American Rifleman Television
10:30 PM: Personal Defense TV
11:00 PM: CBR - Championship Bull Riding
12:00 AM: MidwayUSA's Cowboys
12:30 AM: Shooting Gallery presented by Crimson Trace
1:00 AM: Prospecting America
1:30 AM: Shooting USA

I love the programs. Sure there a little time stuffed, but all in all, it's programming I can really get in to.
I learn some, it brings me to other web sites for info. There our kind of people talking our language.


THANK YOU MIDWAYUSA!

 

[BigD90]

Thanks for watching

Hi there all. I'm new to the site and would like to say thanks to all of you for the kind words and not so kind words about Personal Defense TV. I work behind the scenes and aid in putting the show together. As a new show we take what you guys and others have to say (good and bad) and try to improve upon what we believe is an interesting and worthwhile subject. We really appreciate any feedback!! The number one complaint I hear about is the music. We will take steps for season 2 to make adjustments. Again...thanks for watching and thanks for your suggestions.

 

[anotherKevin]

Re: biathlon

I would love to see more biathlon. The last winter olympics was most exciting, I was even cheering when that French dude won!

And the womens biathlon, well there's not much I can add to that.

 

[acdodd]

I absolutly hate the torture test.
The 2 morons on it need to go.
Jim Scoutin posts on ar15.com and he will actually answer you.
I record all of them on DVR but somehow I never get the time to watch all of them.
Comcast makes you buy a package with a bunch of other crap just to get outdoortv. But I pay, it's worth the $4.99 a month.
AC

 

[hksw]

Got my satelite box to auto-tune into Outdoor Channel for shoot 'em up Wednesday every week.

The Shooting Gallery episode with the modern Russian guns was the best.

Could never understand the G&A torture test segment dropping a S&W into muratic (hydrochloric) acid. What, exactly, was expected when the gun was put into it? Who couldn't figure out that the gun would eventually dissolve. And the end of the segment, 'put in a few new parts inside and it'll be good to go.' HAHAHAHA.

 

[stevelyn]

Personal Defense TV.....

I've even gotten the gf to pay attention to it.

 

[zenner22]

Personal Defense TV is my favorite, Shooting Gallery is second. American Rifleman took a turn for the worse this season. They got some new graphics going that are supposed to look modern and cool I suppose, but they are distracting, taking away from the content of the show.

It is interesting that I too find fault with the twenty second Guns & Ammo segments on stuff I'm interested in. But this season on American Rifleman they have drawn out some subjects that really bored the heck out of me. I couldn't believe I actually hit the fast forward button a few times. I guess it proves you can't please everyone.

And I am the only one who is occasionally entertained by the torture tests. Some are silly, but most are just mindless fun. They are not supposed to be "realistic" tests, so if you don't get hung up on that it can be entertaining.

I have noticed however that some of the best gun writers and advocates do not seem comfortable in front of a camera no matter how long they are there. Their personalities don't translate well on TV.

I'd like to see Mas Ayoob and Clint Smith have their own shows. Their segments on PDTV are the most informative.

And I've gotten used to the music on PDTV! It was distracting at first, but it has grown on me...

 

[emitt1]

I believe Michaels' interview with John Ross a few shows back was one of the best programs I've seen in a while, and would enjoy a part two with Mr. Ross.

 

[MD_Willington]

I record them on DVR and watch them with my children, my son who is almost 5 and my daughter who is almost 2.

 

[trailgator]

I watch them all, when my schedule allows. I figure a person can never have too much information. Granted some of it has to be taken with a grain of salt, but I can kinda tell when someone is peeing on my leg and trying to tell me it's raining. After all, what is on tv that is better than even a mediocre gun show? Still you can't beat theses forums for current information.