Where are the best gun reviews?

High Q · Feb 22, 2011

What sites, other than this one, offer the best, unbiased gun reviews?
Most give everything glowing reviews. I like Gun Tests, which you need to subscribe to their magazine, but it is usually fair. Any others?

NateTheShake · Feb 22, 2011

I peruse http://www.gunblast.com/ and http://www.theboxotruth.com/ as well as http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/

The dude at GunBlast does buy into a lot of gimmick crap (Glaser Safety Slugs etc) so I take his advice with a grain of salt when it comes to defensive reviews. Box of Truth does a lot of C&R reviews, but sometimes features some newer stuff and is always a good read. Hi-Powers and handguns is also a neat read and does offer some interesting insight (I liked his look at the age-old 9mm vs. .45)

For defensive "reviews" (mainly ammo) my preference has always been:

http://www.firearmstactical.com/

mike_in_md · Feb 22, 2011

Websites like this that have lots of people not affliated financially with the vendor are the best source. I also learn a lot from youtube...again the average joe blow reviews are the best.

NateTheShake · Feb 22, 2011

mike_in_md said:
Websites like this that have lots of people not affliated financially with the vendor are the best source. I also learn a lot from youtube...again the average joe blow reviews are the best.

This. Well as long as you take personal preference into account... especially when asking for an honest opinion of a particular caliber... :innocent0

FFMike · Feb 22, 2011

You Tube... Like the Joe Tactical series??? or the guy that reviews and loves the Sigma?? Hmmmmmm, I don't know about you tube.

tball · Feb 22, 2011

you tube Nutnfancy does reviews and comparisons of just about every gun. He lists pros and cons and does practical shooting tests. I liked his videos comparing the AR and AK platforms.

fivepointstar · Feb 22, 2011

I get my best reviews from Google and Maryland Shooters Forum

Splitter · Feb 22, 2011

Here or forums dedicated to the firearm in question (like FPS said with google).

A lot of people who have never owned or even shot a given weapon will voice an opinion. Silliness. Go where the owners hang out and see what they say.

You can quickly do a search and see what the common problems might be OR what the common positive aspects might be. Who would know better than owners?

Splitter

Silverlode · Feb 23, 2011

I like Gun Tests as well, although I have a problem sometimes with their methodology and inconsistency. You can't just look at a gun grade, you have to read the article before you understand the grade given.

For example, sometimes they decide to test a particular gun type as it applies to a certain method of use. Say, testing 45acp 1911 style for concealed carry. Then they grade on that criteria and not on the actual quality of the gun itself. They will knock something because it costs too much, is too heavy, etc., which is only relevant in a particular application. So they might give brandX/modelX only a B- when it is an A+ gun, just because they thought it weighed too much or was too expensive in comparison to whatever else they tested. That isn't a true reflection on the quality of brandX/modelX.

KMK1862 · Feb 23, 2011

fivepointstar said:
I get my best reviews from Google and Maryland Shooters Forum

+1. I read most of the first page or two of Google hits to find information. I found this site through something I was searching on through Google.

Cold Steel · Feb 23, 2011

Gun magazines are the last place to go for honest reviews. Gun writers tend to be bought and paid for by gun manufacturers and I'll tell you why. Manufacturers provide writers with "ringers"--guns that are specially made and inspected prior to "testing." Then, after the "tests" have been done, the writers are given the option of keeping the guns at a fraction of their retail price, which they'd be crazy not to do. They also take out ads in the magazines printing the reviews.

Also, have you ever noticed that magazines treat you as though you're blind? I mean, you see photos of the guns stretched over two pages and then the writers, who tend to form templates they just fill in, write four or five paragraphs describing what the guns look like. If the guns can't hit the broad side of a barn, the writers say, "Although this is not a target gun...." And if it jams, you won't hear about it. The writers will still buy it and sell it for a profit. Besides, the guns tend to be checked beforehand to ensure that they won't jam.

Someone once described gun magazines as being an industry with "one less whore than Babylon," and that sounds about right. Gun magazines all tend to look alike and those that don't take advertising don't tend to survive. They should take advertising--just not gun ads or ammo ads. They can advertise silver, gold, watches, holsters and such, but they need to keep their writers from having special deals with manufacturers and they should buy the guns off the rack, not get them from the manufacturers.

This is just my take. As much as I liked Sketer Skelton and other gun writers of his time, the fact is, most of them drank and smoked too much. They get paid very little, that's why they use templates when they write. You want good reviews? Log on here and The High Road and see what people who use the guns say.

.

Biggfoot44 · Feb 24, 2011

Of the mainstream Gun Press, American Handgunner is above others. Not 100% transperent about an individual gun that has a promptly corrected issue, but has blasted inherently flawed guns even when resulting in mfg pulling advertising.

But the major factor in reading reviews/ tests , is to understand the context . Sometimes focousing on a particular usage will overshadow its performance relative to similar guns, or in absolute sense. Conversley focous on comparing to similar guns, can overshadow its suitabilaty or lack for a particular purpose, particularily one it is intended for.

STSCM · Feb 24, 2011

Splitter said:
Here or forums dedicated to the firearm in question (like FPS said with google).

A lot of people who have never owned or even shot a given weapon will voice an opinion. Silliness. Go where the owners hang out and see what they say.
Splitter

Be careful of some of the forums, the 6.5 forum thinks anyone who'd consider 6.8 is a idiot and totally dismissive. They and others down anyone else.
I like more 'open' forums like Snipers Hide and places like that for rifles.

Silverlode said:
I like Gun Tests as well, although I have a problem sometimes with their methodology and inconsistency. You can't just look at a gun grade, you have to read the article before you understand the grade given.

For example, sometimes they decide to test a particular gun type as it applies to a certain method of use. Say, testing 45acp 1911 style for concealed carry. Then they grade on that criteria and not on the actual quality of the gun itself. They will knock something because it costs too much, is too heavy, etc., which is only relevant in a particular application. So they might give brandX/modelX only a B- when it is an A+ gun, just because they thought it weighed too much or was too expensive in comparison to whatever else they tested. That isn't a true reflection on the quality of brandX/modelX.

+1

mrozowjj · Feb 24, 2011

I like gunblast but I don't knot that they've ever ran across a gun they didn't like.

Nemesis · Feb 24, 2011

http://www.snipercentral.com/

i like their reviews for bolt actions and scopes

sandeman · Feb 25, 2011

Any thing Ed Shell says.Clandestine is great also.These are my go to guys on MDS.

Where are the best gun reviews?

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