PNWguy Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 I'm a lifetime member of the NRA. I do think lately they are getting soft and, unfortunately, I think The American Rifleman is a corrupt propaganda piece and used to mostly generate advertising revenue at the expense of the truth and honest firearms evaluations. They mostly test guns for manufacturers that pay them to run full-page ads in their magazines. When is the last time you've seen a full-page Glock ad in the magazine? Now when's the last time you saw an article on Glocks in the magazine? Hmmm... When's the last time you saw an article on a Ruger in the magazine? Every damn month. Or a 1911... It's so blatantly obvious that it's pathetic. Now, their online edition did indeed run a few articles on Glocks. But I don't recall ever seeing a review of the Gen 5 Glocks, or the new 19x, or the G45, or the MOS Gen 5s; all very significant events in the self-defense and law-enforcement world. And the biased accuracy testing is getting old. The most recent blatant attempt to hide a gun's poor performance is in the latest issue. AR is a long-time shill for Wilson Combat. They can print nothing negative about the company or it's products. In turn, Wilson Combat pays a lot of money for monthly ads in the magazine. On page 78 of the January 2019 issue, they tested the new Wilson Combat EDC X9. Of course it got a glowing review complete with absolute lies... "On the range, the EDC X9 proved to be every bit as accurate and reliable as any pistol we've tested - performance we have come to expect from Wilson Combat. As the accompanying table shows, this gun is a shooter with excellent sights a light, smooth trigger. More impressive than the groups from the bench, though, was how well the gun..." Yeah... All lies. Because, if you actually look at the accompanying table, and see the 1.77" group, you would be impressed. Unfortunately, that's at 15yds and not at the normal, standard 25yd distance that most of their reviews are at. A $2800 9mm pistol should be getting sub-2" groups at 25yds and 1" groups at 15yds. Nearly 2" at 15yds is what every single one of my Glocks will get. As well as my $200 Taurus. What a joke. Why did they choose to intentionally mislead their members? It's all about the money and their personal biases. I fear The American Rifleman has been corrupted for years now. And the NRA is becoming just another group of the rich and powerful elites in Washington DC that have little regard for the common American. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Stick Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Gun rags have been that way for atleast 20 years now. Not sure how you didn’t notice before now Though I will admit, I got a pretty good laugh out of gen 5 glocks, the 19x, and MOS gen 5’s being “a very serious event in self defense and law enforcement”. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnBiker Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 This isn't new. They always put a good spin on whatever they are "testing". I'm waiting for the "Rifleman" to test a potato gun and deem it the "most serious self defense weapon in the spud-gun space" (or something like that). 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silentpoet Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 (edited) If you want glock articles just get the advocate. Edited December 27, 2018 by Silentpoet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyofforty Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Every gun magazine features and tests firearms from manufacturers that buy advertising space. It's the nature of the business (and it is a business). How many times are you reading a review when you see that there's an ad from that company right on the facing page? Or, an ad from a competitor right on the facing page? Take every review with a grain of salt. I like to read about firearms I'll never buy, or historical pieces, or self-defense advice, or other things like that. Perhaps the only magazine that is different is Gun Tests. Hey, look at that. There's an article about GLOCK right in the January issue. Enjoy! 9mm Striker Gun Shoot-out: Beretta, Glock, and SIG Sauer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishoot Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I don't put much credence in any review written in AR. There are aspects of the magazine I enjoy, but the gun reviews just don't cut it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve4102 Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 They have always been carefully disguised "Infomercials" and they always will be infomercials . No different that every Hunting, Fishing show on TV. Guns and Ammo is the worst, followed by anything F&S and Outdoor Life. They are a business and their number one objective is to make money, information and product testing in secondary and simply one of the avenues they use to "make Money". I applaud the NRA for doing whatever they can to "Make Money" even if it means their magazine is just another money making infomercial. Make The NRA Great Again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silentpoet Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 I’ve never seen an article about a bad gun in a magazine. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmet Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 I stopped reading gun mags years ago...esp American Rifleman. Gun boards are excellent ways to gain insight into various models, etc...and if you can put up with what sometimes comes with forums, it’s free. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNWguy Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share Posted December 31, 2018 1 hour ago, Valmet said: I stopped reading gun mags years ago...esp American Rifleman. Gun boards are excellent ways to gain insight into various models, etc...and if you can put up with what sometimes comes with forums, it’s free. Yep. Before Glocktalk (the first firearm forum I had ever seen) I had to rely on my dad, magazines on the grocery store shelves or the local gun shop employees for info on specific firearms. Now, my dad was a professional big game hunter, owned a chain of gun shops, wrote for Field & Stream, and had a column in the Outdoors section of the local paper. He knew a lot. But, he hated Glocks, hated most pistols, actually. He was a former member of the USMC pistol team and only owns 1911s, a Ruger Mark II, and a couple single-actions. He also hated ARs, and has never owned one or shot one. His rifle in Vietnam was a Winchester Model 70. So, he hated the two types of firearms I was most eager to learn about. Logged into my computer one day and did an internet search for something on the Glock pistol and found GT. I can now find out just about anything about any firearm I want within a few clicks. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 I used to get Shotgun News. I like that better than the Rifleman. I used to like the Rifleman. I have been an NRA member for most of my adult life. I have noticed the change myself. It went from an "everyman" perspective to a look at this toy no average person can afford, you need this don't you? Not necessarily, if I can find another weapon that is just as good, for a fraction of the price of what they are showing me. Perhaps, they have become so wealthy at the top (The President makes over one million per year), and the expensive weapons on display that they have become a caviar and champagne company, and cannot understand a beer culture. When a new Riflemen comes in I may peruse the who shot who section, scan what nonsense they are peddling that day and toss it to my son, who likes looking at firearms, as most normal boys who are raised in a home with firearms, and are taught how to use them, do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Like most magazines: They are driven by their advertisers. You can't expect Beretta or Rolex to drop $50,000 for a full page add (or whatever they charge) and you tell the the world in the same issue, the same gun, is turd. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moeman Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 NRA... and I’m a member, is corrupt. Really bad leadership, a tool for certain politicians and shaking down members for money from life insurance to videos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNWguy Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 On 1/3/2019 at 9:25 AM, Historian said: Like most magazines: They are driven by their advertisers. You can't expect Beretta or Rolex to drop $50,000 for a full page add (or whatever they charge) and you tell the the world in the same issue, the same gun, is turd. And that is my problem with much of today's capitalism; there is no honor or integrity among companies. Every day there is another example of a company that puts customers lives in jeopardy simply for the sake of profit. I'm sure it's been that way forever. But it seemed like in the past, if a company got caught doing something shady, they were publicly shamed and you went somewhere else. Now, there is so much more conglomeration and monopolizing that the threat of customers going elsewhere is not that big of a concern. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vikingsoftpaw Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I only read my AR for the historical pieces they do. I may skim over anything that is newly produced. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 On 1/6/2019 at 10:46 PM, Vikingsoftpaw said: I only read my AR for the historical pieces they do. I may skim over anything that is newly produced. I was about to post the same thing. I kept several really nice issues that covered WWI nicely. It's one area they do really well in. The problem is they have only a hand full of writers they rotate through for such stories. You get a story on Vietnam it will be written by John Plaster. Not saying it's not good stuff. It is. Just saying that i've had my rejection letters. :) Thank you for the article you submitted. However, due to space and limited production times...please try again sometime..blah blah blah. If i had a buck for everything i ever wrote that was rejected i'd be rich. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norton Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 The NRA is hated by people like Nancy P and Chuckie S. For that reason alone, it gets my money every year. Biased new gun reporting or not. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 I have the NRA, the GOA, the USCCA, and the Texas Gun Owners Association. I liked GOA, because they were willing to take on Trump over the destroy your bump stock issue. I personally don't want one, but it is B.S. to tell people who to destroy theirs and turn it in. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crash Johnson Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 As gun mags go, the American Rifleman is better than most. I like that they cover 2A issues, historical events and weapons and firearm news. I also enjoy the broad spectrum of advertisers. I enjoy the magazine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPTim Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 Psssssst, PNWguy, I hear tell water is wet. Keep it under your hat, sssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railfancwb Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Gun rags have been that way for atleast 20 years now. Not sure how you didn’t notice before now Though I will admit, I got a pretty good laugh out of gen 5 glocks, the 19x, and MOS gen 5’s being “a very serious event in self defense and law enforcement”. Taurus guns got little to no editorial commentary in any magazines - and what they got was neutral to unfavorable - until they started advertising. Likewise High Point. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citra47 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 (edited) On 1/5/2019 at 1:06 AM, PNWguy said: And that is my problem with much of today's capitalism; there is no honor or integrity among companies. Every day there is another example of a company that puts customers lives in jeopardy simply for the sake of profit. I'm sure it's been that way forever. But it seemed like in the past, if a company got caught doing something shady, they were publicly shamed and you went somewhere else. Now, there is so much more conglomeration and monopolizing that the threat of customers going elsewhere is not that big of a concern. I don't believe it is so much today's capitalism as a sign of todays simple disregard for everyone, weather they be customers, another company or just anyone who may not agree. There is also the apparent feeling of those in the federal government that they are somehow on a higher level than all the rest of the country. The same problems certainly exist under Communism, Socialism and Fascism but in the cases of these "isms", the problem always begins with the government and filters on down. Capitalism should NOT work that way, and it never did until we reached the point where half the population and their representatives started believing in and directing their efforts toward hatred and total power rather than working toward a better nation. Capitalist competition should produce better products, services and government, but it seems we have reached a whole new level never envisioned by out founders. Edited March 6, 2019 by Citra47 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldDad Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 In almost every magazine the reviews are pretty positive. On the other hand, If the magazine tells Huggybear Arms that they are publishing an article on one of Huggybear's guns, Huggybear is much more likely to take out a big ad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 My problem with the American Rifleman, is it seems like sponsors pay them to review their firearms positively, and usually the MSRP is out of most average person's price range. I give then magazines to my son, so he can enjoy the "gun porn," so-to-speak. I remember, as I have been a member longer than I have been married (20 years), that they used to review firearms for the average Joe. Not so much anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 Honestly, I miss the Shotgun News. They seemed to be informative without the pushing for sales of things most people cannot afford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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