November 29, 2008
Consumer Reports for guns
Consumer Reports "Best Buy" rating is probably the most coveted marketing tool for any firm, although a tough one to use, thanks to the magazine's strict prohibition on the use of its name in manufacturer's ads.
Because Consumers Union refuses to accept advertising -- the group and the magazine are funded via annual memberships -- there is no pressure to soften harshly critical reviews of the products being tested. Consequently, the magazine will warn people away from buying goods the reviewers deem defective or of questionable value.
This stands in stark contrast to most specialty magazines that do accept advertising from the subjects of the reviews, resulting in a near absence of "Don't buy this piece of crap!" advice to readers.
Firearms enthusiasts know what I'm talking about; you have to cull through various sundry on-line discussions and gun forums to find out what's wrong with the rifle, pistol or shotgun you're interested in, 'cause Lord knows there's not a critical word to be found in the gun mags available at your local newstand.
That's what makes Gun Tests such a valuable resource to the shooting enthusiast. Taking a page out of Consumer Reports' playbook, Gun Tests doesn't accept any advertising, relying only on its readers' subscriptions to keep the doors open. The result: Unbiased reviews that rank weapons from best to worst -- and they're not afraid to warn readers away from expensive stinkers.
Gun Tests' year-end issue features their Best-Of recommendations, as well as their Worst-Of list, and this year they're warning readers to stay away from the following guns:
If you like to shoot, or are considering purchasing a gun, I highly recommend Gun Tests Magazine; a subscription gets you access to the on-line archive, with more than a decade's worth of reviews and tips.
Posted by Mike Lief at November 29, 2008 01:22 PM
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