Outlaw75
Member
It's not that so much, it's that we've raised a couple of generations that want everything predigested and laid out in a 1,2,3...n format. People can't handle frameworks any more, they want road maps.
Pick your "experts" Carefully!
- Thread starter IWAC
- Start date
It's not that so much, it's that we've raised a couple of generations that want everything predigested and laid out in a 1,2,3...n format. People can't handle frameworks any more, they want road maps.
Jim Watson
Member
I am sure I have missed a lot of good information because I have trouble sitting through even a quarter hour video to get what could have been printed on one page.
Luckygunner videos are accompanied by a transcript, good for them.
"Send me your appreciation of this matter on one piece of paper."
W. Churchill.
Sistema1927
Member
Me too.
I would much rather skim through a transcript for the important stuff than hear someone blab on and on for 15 minutes (or more).
To be fair YouTube has helped me fix a ton of random things.
As far as gun stuff. I just view it as entertainment. I’ve never bought a gun based on a tubers review, I’ve never changed tactics based on their opinion. I have picked up some good competition pointers though.
Course even the bad ones are often better than what’s on the boobtube.
There is really no difference in the days of old where we got our gun reviews from magazines compared to most of the reviews on youtube. Both can be equally misleading or bias. When the Colt All American 2000 hit the magazines in the 90s many writers were promoting it as some sort of second coming. Once they hit the street the truth came out. Youtube jazzes things up with personalities and fancy production but its about the same in terms of trustable information. Theres a lot that goes into being a "reviewer" by trade. Honest reviewers can be easily blacklisted by short fused manufacturers. Hands on experience and personal experience from ground level consumers trumps them all IMO. Gun Tests magazine did a pretty decent job at staying practical and real back when I followed it.
One thing to look for if you are trying to learn is a modern review on an older or discontinued design. A writer or host wont have the pressure to get "creative" with their review in order to fit a narrative on a particular pistol. Something like a new release with a marketing splash campaign from a major manufacturer can be a bit more difficult to give an honest critique.
One thing to look for if you are trying to learn is a modern review on an older or discontinued design. A writer or host wont have the pressure to get "creative" with their review in order to fit a narrative on a particular pistol. Something like a new release with a marketing splash campaign from a major manufacturer can be a bit more difficult to give an honest critique.
doubleh
Member
Really? Being in the old codger category I would never have thought of that on my own.
This post was sarcasm so don't get your feathers ruffled. It also points out not all of us are semI-senile yet. I do just fine with the tube just like I did with the yellow pages.
Old Dog
Member
Most of those folks that wrote in the old magazines -- many of whom also published actual books (remember those?) -- were in fact acknowledged (vetted, credentialed and widely recognized) as experts in their fields, hunting, marksmanship, law enforcement, gunsmithing.
Yep, pretty much.
Most of the regulars here are going to know these but Im just putting it in for those new to firearms that might stumble onto the thread. These channels offer consistently good/honest content that people can learn from. Im comfortable recommending these as they are consistent. There are others Im sure but these always come to mind quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/@ForgottenWeapons (this is the Ian or "Gun Jesus" host people mention)
https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHarrell (very practical and honest channel across a variety of firearms related topics)
https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyglocks/videos (For fans of the Glock style design)
https://www.youtube.com/@ForgottenWeapons (this is the Ian or "Gun Jesus" host people mention)
https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHarrell (very practical and honest channel across a variety of firearms related topics)
https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyglocks/videos (For fans of the Glock style design)
lysanderxiii
Member
"The more things change, the more they stay the same . . . "
The only difference between YouTube gun "experts" and the old magazine "experts" of old is: I don't have to stand in the magazine aisle of the drug store to get the information. And, some are better than others.
Ian McCollum is good at finding examples of odd and unusual stuff, but most of his historical research (other than that on French rifles) tends to be what a google search will unearth. He often passes along myths and lore as historical fact.
The only difference between YouTube gun "experts" and the old magazine "experts" of old is: I don't have to stand in the magazine aisle of the drug store to get the information. And, some are better than others.
Ian McCollum is good at finding examples of odd and unusual stuff, but most of his historical research (other than that on French rifles) tends to be what a google search will unearth. He often passes along myths and lore as historical fact.
Of course they were. I keep forgetting that everything was better back then......
Old Dog
Member
Well, thank you for not saying, "Okay, boomer."
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
Well, that is a user problem and not a platform problem.
I can remember something similar being said about books, LOL. FYI, very little YouTube content is virtual reality. I can't think of any gun content that is virtual reality, at least not by any of the major channels.
With that said, learning is learning and there are many ways to learn. I prefer to figure things out on my own, but there are times when I get in too deep and chances are, there is content that will help me navigate my issue, if not directly, then indirectly.
With that said, for a person without time to be on your computer and phone and wanting to live in reality, what are you doing on a social media forum? You probably didn't get here any other way than a computer or a phone, but maybe with your TV acting as your surrogate computer display.
Heir Kommt Die Sonne
Member
I think this thread can be summed as: some people don't like most of the major youtube channels because their content is so stylistic and flashy, in a way that disengages the focus to learn. Also most of their info is biased in the form of reviews and sponsered products.
Mostly entertainment rather than straight documentation.
Mostly entertainment rather than straight documentation.
Absolutely a huge chunk of what's marketed as "science" is.
And the "follow the science" mantra is one of the latest pied piper scams that works like a charm for an alarming percentage of the population these days who have near zero ability to judge the veracity of "scientific" claims. For your own good, remember:
Having worked for decades in the fields of science and marketing, I can tell you with zero uncertainty, it's FAR cheaper to buy a scientist. Just as with most any other human being, it only takes a paycheck and they magically start finding a way to say what you want them to say. Just keep that in mind next time you're being advised to trust someone who is selling you a bill of goods, and "follow the science" where there's hundreds of billions of dollars at stake.
I hate having things explained to me. I can read the news in 10 minutes and learn more than I can in an hour long broadcast.
I don't know. All the old guys I've shot with were IPSC shooters, and they were safer than the other old guys at the range.
Just because you're old doesn't mean you're smart.
Correct. By "oldtimer" I mean older experienced shooters that have been around firearms for a long time and are responsible. The Veteran firearms enthusiast. All sorts of older reckless firearms handlers out there. When the firearm's industry exploded like it did a whole lot of people (instructors included) jumped the shark and went straight to tactical and CCW training because it sells. Fundamentals are important especially when it comes to firearms. The first thing any decent firearms instructor should do with their class or student is have them watch a video of Accidents and damage resulting from poor firearms fundamentals. A lot of them dont have a very well thought out plan in terms of the best way to approach instruction. They tend to gloss over things.
When I introduced my kids to firearms and shooting the first thing I made them watch was all the youtube videos I could find of negligent discharges and accidents at the range. You can tell people about safety all day long but real incidents with visuals make a much bigger impression. Similar to the days of old in Sex Ed Class (STDs) or Drivers training. The style is also used in workplace safety training videos so its not anything radical or new. Trainers/Instructors just tend to be a bit lazy sometimes. Theres a whole lot more to shooting than just knowing CCW laws, presentation and shooting.
Ha! Every time I look in the mirror I say that.Well, thank you for not saying, "Okay, boomer."
Ignition Override
Member
Viewers sometimes underestimate the motivation to Profit from personal Youtube channels.
Also---regarding profit, notice...who always Reminds website viewers about the b.s. "Parts Compliance" (922R) on imported guns?
$eller$ of aftermarket Acce$$ory Component$. The ATF doesn't really care, and as for importer/builders (if at all) if the count is off, they sometimes are Fined--never locked up.
Also---regarding profit, notice...who always Reminds website viewers about the b.s. "Parts Compliance" (922R) on imported guns?
$eller$ of aftermarket Acce$$ory Component$. The ATF doesn't really care, and as for importer/builders (if at all) if the count is off, they sometimes are Fined--never locked up.
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At our old range I had an RO sweep me and two of my sons in the parking lot. 20 years retired from the military, extensive collection of guns, certified as a range officer, probably never seen a youtube video in his life. (These were the ROs who were watching our ROs when we were shooting IPSC.) Pulled a gun out of his truck to show me. Pulls out the pistol with his finger on the trigger and sweeps all three of us. It wasn't a might have been a different angle or something. The kids ducked. Guy says "it's okay, it's not loaded."
He knew the rules when there was a yellow and a red line, and God forbid you flip a piece of brass over the berm, or throw trash in a brass bucket. But soon as he stepped off a static firing line, the rules (the fundamentals) went out the window. Sometimes "veteran firearms enthusiast" means he's been doing it wrong a long time. And sometimes the guys "running and gunning with a shot timer" are the safe ones.
As for the training and firearms industry changing- the NRA had to find new shooters somewhere. CCW laws and self defense made sense. As people moved into the suburbs, there were fewer places to hunt or shoot. Governments were restricting guns because of an increase in crime. So yeah, there are going to be self defense or CCW enthusiasts.
I think showing gore in training probably isn't a bad idea in and of itself. I think it works where you're trying to curb some enthusiasm while teaching someone who really, really wants to do something, like drive or have sex. Probably won't work in a class where you're bringing a soccer mom and her kids into a class on gun safety. The decision is going to be that guns are just too dangerous, which is what she thought before she came in. Won't work on a lot of people who are on fence.
As far as Youtube goes, I think everybody on the internet knows 90% of it is BS. When the adults were emphasizing critical thinking in middle and high school in the 80s, it's almost as if somebody knew that we wouldn't all be getting all of our information from 3 channels heavily regulated by the government for the rest of our lives.
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