When Louis Awerbuck called the Benelli M1014 a dog, Benelli threatened to pull their ads from SWAT unless there was a retraction. According to all reports, Rich told them to go ahead, and told them where to serve the complaint when they threatened to sue. Kind ofgoes against the idea they are all shills, no?
Is "Combat Handguns" or other Gun M(r)ags Serious?
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When Louis Awerbuck called the Benelli M1014 a dog, Benelli threatened to pull their ads from SWAT unless there was a retraction. According to all reports, Rich told them to go ahead, and told them where to serve the complaint when they threatened to sue. Kind ofgoes against the idea they are all shills, no?
I work for a magazine (not gun related) and there is definitely a fear of offending advertisers.
That said, if you know it and they publish real test results then you can take everything with a grain of salt. If you want objective you can read Consumer's Reports, unfortunately they don't review guns. They certainly give you SOME good info and they've got nice pics but I never understood this thing of boycotting a magazine because they're not what you'd like them to be.
If you're looking to buy a gun and a magazine article is all you're going by then you're gonna be in for some surprises.
We should be happy that there are plenty of magazines that cater to our sport
That said, if you know it and they publish real test results then you can take everything with a grain of salt. If you want objective you can read Consumer's Reports, unfortunately they don't review guns. They certainly give you SOME good info and they've got nice pics but I never understood this thing of boycotting a magazine because they're not what you'd like them to be.
If you're looking to buy a gun and a magazine article is all you're going by then you're gonna be in for some surprises.
We should be happy that there are plenty of magazines that cater to our sport
Byron Quick
Moderator In Memoriam
Rich is the reason Handgun Control, Inc. changed its name to The Brady Campaign. HCI threatened to sue someone running a website parody of HCI. Something about their tactics in the matter got crosswise with Rich. He told HCI's attorneys that he hoped HCI had been saving its pennies. The attorneys checked out the man's Dun&Bradstreet rating and went back to HCI with the news that it would be a long and costly fight.
HCI then had a choice of enduring the parody or engaging in a very expensive lawsuit with someone who could pay for a long and costly lawsuit. HCI decided that discretion was the better part of valor.
Tell you what, the man ain't very big but I wouldn't call him a shill to his face.
HCI then had a choice of enduring the parody or engaging in a very expensive lawsuit with someone who could pay for a long and costly lawsuit. HCI decided that discretion was the better part of valor.
Tell you what, the man ain't very big but I wouldn't call him a shill to his face.
Byron, I watched Rich eat a lit cigarette once because a waitress told him there was no smoking allowed. 
I wouldn't mess with him either.
And I'm already lined up to do the Keltec 9mm for Denny. Supposedly they are going to start shipping sometime this decade.
I wouldn't mess with him either.And I'm already lined up to do the Keltec 9mm for Denny. Supposedly they are going to start shipping sometime this decade.
The man is tough though. Mike_in_OC
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I like Shotgun News. Seems like you can get some good articles without them trying to sell you on something.
DoubleTapDrew
Member
Can normal folks like us write reviews and send them into the magazines or do you need to be on some sort of approved contributing editor list? I wouldn't mind doing a formal review when I get a new piece. Don't care about the money.
Byron Quick
Moderator In Memoriam
Contact the editor of the magazine inquiring about submissions. Length requirements both minimum and maximum. Photographs. Formats...most have gone to CD's but will probably want it in a particular word processing program. Deadlines. Sometimes they'll want your article for a particular issue. Many, if not most, require submissions to be in several months in advance. My deadline was in December. The article was in the April issue.
I'd contact several magazines and get their requirement as to the above, write the article about the next firearms I acquired, and then see if any of them wants it.
Will they take it from regular people? I reckon they will. I'm certainly no Elmer Keith or anything close. No Hemingway, either.
Not a problem. When you get the check, endorse it, and mail it to me. I'll protect you from contamination by that filthy lucre. Glad to be of service.
I'd contact several magazines and get their requirement as to the above, write the article about the next firearms I acquired, and then see if any of them wants it.
Will they take it from regular people? I reckon they will. I'm certainly no Elmer Keith or anything close. No Hemingway, either.
Not a problem. When you get the check, endorse it, and mail it to me. I'll protect you from contamination by that filthy lucre. Glad to be of service.
Clipper
Member
I don't subscribe to any gun rags...
...Because they're all the same. How many 30-06 Vs. .308 'shootouts' do we need? I buy 'em occasionally as catalogs, to read the ads to see what's new, or to read (with large grain of salt at the ready) a review about a gun I may be interested in, which isn't often, because I don't buy Kimber Raptors for carry, and high and ultra-high dollar guns make up the preponderance of the guns featured... I mean after all, how useful is it to the average working stiff to do a CCW review on a $1500.00 1911 and a $300.00 custom made holster? I think I might have seen a review of my Taurus MilPro PT-145 somewhere, but it's too inexpensive and reliable to merit much effort, I guess...
...Because they're all the same. How many 30-06 Vs. .308 'shootouts' do we need? I buy 'em occasionally as catalogs, to read the ads to see what's new, or to read (with large grain of salt at the ready) a review about a gun I may be interested in, which isn't often, because I don't buy Kimber Raptors for carry, and high and ultra-high dollar guns make up the preponderance of the guns featured... I mean after all, how useful is it to the average working stiff to do a CCW review on a $1500.00 1911 and a $300.00 custom made holster? I think I might have seen a review of my Taurus MilPro PT-145 somewhere, but it's too inexpensive and reliable to merit much effort, I guess...
HankB
Member
And read it with some discretion . . . sometimes they're more interested in telling you what you should like rather than what you will like.
Sometimes, certain gun rags are so obviously editing their articles to keep their advertisers happy it's funny. About 12 or 15 years ago one of the rags (Guns & Ammo? Shooting Times? I forget which) ran a BIG article about the relative rust preventive properties of powder solvents, gun oil, and gun grease.
They tested numerous examples of each, described their test protocol, sample preparation, test conditions, etc., and emphasized how scientific and thorough their test was.
They wanted to be sure to provide YOU, the reader, with the best info available.
The results? Generally, when it came to preventing rust, greases worked better than oils, and oils worked better than solvents, but you'd have to make your own choice.
Absolutely NO details were given on the relative performance of the various brands tested . . . most if not all of which were advertisers.
Duh.
jason10mm
Member
I like SWAT. They do more than review guns, they review training courses, police departments, and gear. Their columns cover a broad range of topics (even the slightly insane but enjoyable Claire Wolfe).
I don't think anyone expects "Surefire Presents" to be unbiased. They used to have a disclaimer on the front page (something about advocate journalism), but nowadays I just look at the pretty pictures. Gun porn at its finest
I don't think anyone expects "Surefire Presents" to be unbiased. They used to have a disclaimer on the front page (something about advocate journalism), but nowadays I just look at the pretty pictures. Gun porn at its finest
unspellable
Member
Review problems
One problem with reviews is the writer doesn't have the gun that long. You gotta live with 'em for a while. Then you find out the doohicky falls off and the frammistannit breaks. The safety rips your thumb open and the trigger checkering chews up your finger.
I'll name no names, but I bought a double barrel shotgun. All was fine for two years and then right at pheasant season it jammed up on me. Took it to the local gun mechanic and he found a metal chip left over from machining that had finally found its way into the gears. So it wasn't really serious but it took two years to show up.
My big gripe is that 50% of the articles are about 1911s and their clones. Nothing against the 1911, but they don't amount to 50% of all the guns out there and after nearly 100 years there's not that much left to be said about them.
Some of the articles seem sort of pointless. As if their main purpose is to hold the covers apart. Ones along the lines of, "The 45 Colt is Obsolete!" Got news for you guys! The 45 Colt isn't going away before the next election.
And then all the know nothing articles that killed the 357 SuperMag/357 Maximum. Written by guys who didn't understand what they were for in the first place.
One problem with reviews is the writer doesn't have the gun that long. You gotta live with 'em for a while. Then you find out the doohicky falls off and the frammistannit breaks. The safety rips your thumb open and the trigger checkering chews up your finger.
I'll name no names, but I bought a double barrel shotgun. All was fine for two years and then right at pheasant season it jammed up on me. Took it to the local gun mechanic and he found a metal chip left over from machining that had finally found its way into the gears. So it wasn't really serious but it took two years to show up.
My big gripe is that 50% of the articles are about 1911s and their clones. Nothing against the 1911, but they don't amount to 50% of all the guns out there and after nearly 100 years there's not that much left to be said about them.
Some of the articles seem sort of pointless. As if their main purpose is to hold the covers apart. Ones along the lines of, "The 45 Colt is Obsolete!" Got news for you guys! The 45 Colt isn't going away before the next election.
And then all the know nothing articles that killed the 357 SuperMag/357 Maximum. Written by guys who didn't understand what they were for in the first place.
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