" Gun Gods or Guileless Gurus? "

While Netscape or my provider was down, I read the Jan 99 issue of Shooting Industry. Kimber had a one page spread and I quote " the new Ultra Carry in .45ACP and .40S&W features a 3 inch slide and bull barrel ".
Sure wish I could see that gun!

Rob, I know three of four writers well enough to call them friends, and perhaps am aquainted with a dozen or so more. I have been accused of name dropping, so I will mention no one by name; however not all tell the truth.

One of the reasons the Rifleman ( NRA ) uses staff reports is so companies cannot retaliate against bad reports. It is not often any product test, done by an NRA staff,
comes close to being as positive, complementary, etc as the same product in any other gun magazine. Wonder why? GLV
 
the "no negative reports" theory is often used against gun rags. In the promotions business we have a saying:

"All Publicity is good."

Even a bad report on a firearm would publicize it. And 50% of the readers would probably say "Hey, I don't trust these gun rags anyway" and then go buy the buy the poor product and learn the hard way. This is one of the best reasons for a mag to simply ignore a bad product rather than report on its faults.

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-Essayons
 
I doubt I can add very much to the earlier posted advice, but my own thought is that writing monthly on basically the same subject has got to be a challenge. BUT... as the paid creator of material for the magazines' readers to spend their hard-earned bucks on, the writer MUST meet the challenge. He (or she, duh) MUST use imagination and creativity to flesh-out and explore their subjects from all angles. One thing that I absolutely hate is with PC video game magazines. They review a game, tell you of "infuriating" flaws, but then find a way to recommend you buy the darn thing! Of course, their mag is crammed full of full-page ads from the very same companies selling the games being reviewed. Frequently, you see the same deal with firearm mags and writers. I've even seen articles advising you to buy the "great" gun, and to "expect" to have a gunsmith fix any number of "quirks" to make the gun RELIABLE! I can see a manufacturer supplying guns, ammo, etc for tests and reviews, but they'd only do it with ME (were I a writer), with the clear understanding that I'd be brutally honest. That is their part of the challenge, and the CUSTOMER (the reader) deserves no less. So many magazines seem stale these days, full of the latest ads and grouping/load charts. Likely some pix of some expansion-cavities in gelatin. Oh yes, the usual holster-roundup, too. Lots of photos of guns with a extra mag, some loose ammo and a designer CQC knife. Yep, it's easy to complain. But then I'm the sort who will put my "money where my pie-hole is". As a cartoonist, I've been published in GUNS Magazine, and I still receive Press Credentials from them. I have some articles and art itself in the works, so I'm trying to meet the same challenge that I mentioned earlier that writers MUST rise to. And I see so much really excellent stuff on these boards. A lot of YOU could be "gurus" if you tried. You already have the most important attributes: you KNOW your guns, and you LOVE the subject. Come on - give it a try! Whew! Very sleepy and very off to the ol' beddy-bye. - Russ Dillard (Herr Glockner)
 
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