After reading the thread on cartridges that we can do without,I am reminded of certain gunwriters whose articles I no longer bother to read.Which gunwriters would you not miss if they stopped writing.My own choices would be Craig Boddington and Rick Jameison.

Steve Comus, Wayne Fears, Larry Weishuhn, Mike Venturino, Jon Sundra, and many, many others.

George

All the toe sucking, spineless shmucks who never report, on a product test, total honesty do to corperate endorsments. Tell everything you gutless wonders! We are the market! We have names, jobs, oh, and hey money to buy the crap you're peddling in a bigger advertisement!

Apologies to fellow AR members, however I do have issues!

Craig Boddington and Layne Simpson!

I really do not care for any of them, however, I also wonder what all the magazines would be like without any of them.

I just read that Gary Sitton died October 8, 2005.

That is why I read these forums. I would rather read what you guys/gals write than some industry pimp.

thats exactly why i'm down to one magazine subscription Precision shooter, the rest are all B.S. and hype!

This post represents almost no challenge! Any writer who is guilty of blatant promotion and weasel dealing should be sent to archery camp for the William Tell lessons for beginners. I am soooo sick of their efforts to sell mercandise as opposed to inform the great unwashed.

I guess for me it is editors and editorial decisions more than individual writers.

AH was the ONLY gunzine I subsribed to, yes it had all kinds of shooting sports I don't participate in, but I enjoyed reading about them nonetheless then the editor decided to change things. Not sure exactly what was said, but those columns that were always the first thing I read became drivel. The authors could produce more, because they had proved that with past writing, but drivel seemed to be what was expected of them and they met the quota.

What gunzines do I subsribe to now . . . none, nada zip, zilch. I might buy two or three individual issues a year, usually based on one story in that issue.

Some very decent writers right here on the net, but time gets to be an issue when shooting/writing is a NON paying sideline.

For me it is:
1) Jeff Cooper
2) Boddington - have you noticed that among other things that none of his articles have pictures that include anyone wearing eye or ear protection on the range?
3) Sundra
4) Layne Simpson
5) John Barsness - how does anyone get an award for telling readers that if they don't like it to go cry in their beer?

The industry certainly needs some new blood.

I agree there are a lot of “gun writers†out there that we could do without. I do not have one magazine subscription at present. I would think the internet forums are really starting to eat into their circulation statistics.

I am surprised to hear a number of anti comments toward Boddington. I have generally found him to be good reading. I think anyone making a fulltime living in the writing business is going to scrape the bottom of the barrel for new articles from time to time. And as noted previously, editors and corporate policy will have an impact on what gets written too.

Sorry to hear Sitton has passed – he was generally worth reading, as was Aagaard. Seyfried is usually worth reading, but we dont see the magazines he writes for on the shelf down here and I dont think his colleagues in the publications justify a subscription.

Fergus

I travel a lot and it's disheartening when I get to a major airport and find only one or two or sometimes none of the gun rags on the shelves. Hopefully I am wrong but as the magazines disappear it's a sign that our rights are also disappearing. Heck, there are probably more rapper trash mags on most shelves than guns' in most cities. The future looks bleak guys.

I'm sorry guys, but I like Craig Boddington. I think he writes a very entertaining article. IMHO he is approaching The beloved Jack O'connor..I do agree on some of the others though. I get Peterson's and the NRA mags..

I know this subject has been hashed out on this site many times, but I too, like to read Boddington's stuff in general. I also like Barnsness, and his wife. I don't think that any of the writer's will please everyone all the time. I just sort out the stuff I do like and disregard the rest. I also like to read Phil Shoemaker's column, and his stories. Just my 2c

DGK

I read the mags to kill time on planes. The authors all seem to write the same though and in my opinion none of them stands head and shoulders above the others.

But if I want an opinion or need quick info on hunting or shooting I log on to AR.

Feliz Ano Nuevo...Frank

I have never found Boddington interesting as a writer. Barnsness is insulting and I find his "rifle looney" term in very poor taste. I have always disliked John Sundra.

I'd rather not start 2006 making disparaging remarks about people I don't personally know. It looks like Boddington has put his time in for several years to have reached this pinnacle moment in his writing career. It must be difficult to break into the "gun writing" clique and palms have to be greased. All those trips around the world are cumulatively expensive!!! I have about 4o years of knowledge logged concerning traditional muzzleloaders and one guy I do like is Ross Seyfried. He seems to know how the old guns should work and is very knowledgeable about the old British calibers as well. I have learned quite a lot from his articles. Wish he'e write a book about it. I would be shocked to see him touting the virtues of stainless bolt action scoped frontstuffers. Where's Elmer when you need him?

I enjoy Boddington. to me he writes well, and is informative.

Most articles, I dont really notice WHO wrote it, but see WHAT they say. If I find useful info I tuck it away. If i dont like the article I dont usually finish it. It might have just been an off day for that writer, so I wouldnt want to avoid him (her) the next time because they might write a better one or at least it might be about something that interests me more.

IMHO

Back in 2000 I was traveling from Joberg to Atlanta,when I was seated near the handgun editor for Peterson's(I forget his name).We talked about hunting and guns in general,he told he did youth ministies in San Antonio.

What really cracked me up was in Atlanta while going thru customs.He had a small case with 2 or 3 handguns.When the customs agent asked for proof of ownership he asked the agent if he did not know who he was.The agent did not care nor did I.I threw my customs form 4457 out and said to the agent like this.The agent said why yes you could learn a thing from this young man and checked me on thru.

quote:

Any writer who is guilty of blatant promotion and weasel dealing should be sent to archery camp for the William Tell lessons for beginners. I am soooo sick of their efforts to sell mercandise as opposed to inform the great unwashed.

That covers Boddington and most of the other gun writers.They are constantly touting every new offering as the greatest product out there in an effort to kiss the manufacturers butts.

quote:

Originally posted by stubblejumper:

quote:

Any writer who is guilty of blatant promotion and weasel dealing should be sent to archery camp for the William Tell lessons for beginners. I am soooo sick of their efforts to sell mercandise as opposed to inform the great unwashed.

That covers Boddington and most of the other gun writers.They are constantly touting every new offering as the greatest product out there in an effort to kiss the manufacturers butts.

I personally like Boddington's writing. I also don't think we lost much when Jack O'Connor quit writing, based on his writing that is available now.

It's not good form to knock gunwriters. They are on our side being pro gun and are doing the best that they can.

It's not easy being independent when you consider who pays the bills on magazines and it's not all from the readers.

There are a couple of writers that I never liked much but I would not bring it up without a specific topic.

I let the magazine that carried the Craig Boddington article how I felt. This is the response I received ------------

It's interesting that I've received 3 or 4 comments complaining about this
"Craig Boddington" article which was written by Jon Sundra. There must be a
discussion forum out there spreading the wrong byline.
Sorry you didn't take the article in the light it was written - one man's
opinion on the cartridges HE would not load if he was going to start a new
ammunition company.
J. Lee
Editor

Thought you might be interested.

quote:

Originally posted by AI22-250:
I let the magazine that carried the Craig Boddington article how I felt. This is the response I received ------------

It's interesting that I've received 3 or 4 comments complaining about this
"Craig Boddington" article which was written by Jon Sundra. There must be a
discussion forum out there spreading the wrong byline.
Sorry you didn't take the article in the light it was written - one man's
opinion on the cartridges HE would not load if he was going to start a new
ammunition company.
J. Lee
Editor

Thought you might be interested.

Sounds like you sent your critique to RIFLE rather than RIFLESHOOTER.

Is that possible?

GV

The only magazine I subscribe to now is Gun Test. At least you get the straight dope without any sugar-coating when they review products. Other than that, I rely on Accurate Reloading Forums for my info.

I sent the critique to http://www.rifleshootermag.com/contactus/

Jerry Lee editor Rifleshooter magazine

Thanks, Mike

David M. Fortier writes for Shooting Times. He only writes about black guns and those soldier-of-fortune types who wear all black while toting those black guns. He makes me puke. And I wrote a letter to the publisher telling them that is exactly why I am not renewing my subscription.

I miss Finn Aagaard and Col. Charles Askins. They wrote about sporting rifles. And neither of them pussy-footed around!

Presently I subscribe only to Hatari, African Hunter and Varmint Hunter. African Hunter uses a lot of material from novice writers, but who have gone in the field and done something. It looks like Varmint Hunter does too. Hatari is primarily written by Harald Wolfe about his own hunts, with a few articles written by his friends.

The high volume authors write a lot of space-filling nothingness simply to fill up pages. And that applies to guys who write one or two books each and every year too.

After reading an article or a book, I like to ask, "Did I learn anything?" Hopefully the answer is YES, but often it is NO, which leaves me disappointed.

I've met John Barsness and Eileen Clarke several times and had some nice chats with them. I find her articles informative and helpful, cooking what I kill is important to me. John, well I like his stuff, we agree on most important points so I read his stuff. If I disagree with him on something I'll take it up with him next time I see him.

If someone writes well enough, even if I disagree, I find it entertaining, because that why I read this stuff, to be entertained. They're writing about a hobby, not briefs for a Supreme Court case. 200 years from now their stuff will not be in a 20th Cetury lit class!

Is there one writer out there that I absolutely can not stand and avoid, even if he is in a magazine I subscribe to? Yes, Ted Nugent. I was never a fan of heavy metal, whoa dude "culture" and I find his writing tedious at best and at worst I think he's a jackass.

O'conner
Boddington
Barsness
Weishuhn
And I can't believe nobody mentioned Clair Rees!
That's enough for now but these are the worst of the worst.

quote:

Steve Comus, Wayne Fears, Larry Weishuhn, Mike Venturino, Jon Sundra, and many, many others

YUP!

My favorite was Bob Milek! The rest are a dime a dozen and pretty much like the outdoor tv show hosts. There are a lot of guys on this forum that could do as good and probably better.

Jamison's gotta go. Too commercialized.
Venturino- excuse me- The Puke, I mean Duke- and Boddington- make that Col. Boddington- gotta go, too.
Those are the first few that come to mind.
I have long sense quit paying attention to the rest of 'em.
I also miss Bob Milek. I miss Skeeter, too.

Catmandu

Larry Weishuhn: Can't kill a damn deer (nor write a damn article about it) unless it is fenced in...He could not kill a "fair chase" deer if his life depended on it. His articles sicken me. Just once I would like to see him come to Georgia and try to hunt MY deer heard with no dang fences.
Sundra: Pompus as HELL.
Jamison: Same as Sundra. He killed me a few years ago developing a line of wildcat cartridges, held a contest to name the wildcat line, and ended up naming 'em all "xxx Jamison". What a joke.

Aagard: Heck of a hunter. Sorry as hell as a rifle shot. He should have never done "accuracy" articles, as he admitted he could not hold a gun steady. Stick with what brung him to the dance...the man was a great hunter...write about hunting, not target shooting.

Big disagreement: Layne Simpson is a heck of a nice guy...never hesitated to go out of his way to talk guns with me for as long as I wanted when I visited Jarrett Rifles many times...great guy.

quote:

Originally posted by ELKMAN2:
I'm sorry guys, but I like Craig Boddington....

Make that 2 of us!

NOt to play devil's advocate here....

I really think that the argument that most people have with gunwriters, shouldn't be aimed at the gun writers, but the editors and publishers that they write for....

They are the ones that dictate what they want the articles to be about and what they say even....
Like you read one guy hates a 30/06 and then later is writing an article on how great a cartridge it is....

I gave up on gun rags a long time ago...The only ones I really will ever read is Rifle Shooter, Handloader....and I read those at the mag rack at Walmart I must confess, without wasting the money on them.... I have also enjoyed Varmint Shooter, when I come across that mag........

I think that most of us who dislike gunwriters, have finally gotten more real world experience, that we have outgrown the need for them.... We are disappointed in what they write.. because we personally know more than we use to...

I really think most gun rags are targeting people with less hunting experience and crave to have more....the ones either with a lot of money and can afford to go dump big bucks on a hunt.. or a guy who never will be able to.. but for $4.00 can buy a magazine and let him dream about it in the comfort of his home... those kind of guys, times a couple of million a month x 4 Bucks each.. it adds up.....

I also think a lot of us who "get tired" of these gun writers are guilty of envying the life style that they get to enjoy...not the money they get paid, as it is not as much as we all think.. but of the opportunities to hunt that they get so they can write about it... I know I darn sure do....

I'd love to spend every year.....

Prairie Dog hunting in Montana, several times.
Sage Rat shooting here in Oregon....
Mule Deer hunting in Wyoming or Idaho...
Elk hunting in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado....
Moose Hunting and Whitetail hunting in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba....
Hunting in BC period!
Hunting in Alaska, period...
Caribou and Deer hunting in Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia every year.....

A trip to hunt in Norway, then Sweden and then Finland each year....... And then Hunting anything in Australia and New Zealand.....

Africa, I could care less about.....

Plus getting to test out all the new exotic equipment that is being launched each season....

Yeah, I think we all are a just a bit jealous of these guys.. that is fueling our desire to not read them......

But while you complain... no one is making ya buy the magazine they write for are they?

just my 2 pfennigs worth...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Yeah, I think we all are a just a bit jealous of these guys.. that is fueling our desire to not read them......

Yes I am jealous......I wish I could go hunting with a gun someone is trying to sell to the public instead of an old faithful rifle from my own rack. I would rather be assigned what and where to hunt instead of choosing on my own. It must really feel great to prostitute yourself by saying what a great gun this new model is when you really think it is a piece of shit but you can't say that and keep your job.

Times have changed and so have the gunzines. Now you are just paying to read infomertials. I miss the days when I eagerly awaited reading Skelton, Milek, Aagard, Col. Charles, Hagel,
Keith, Seyfried, and best of all G. Sitton. Guys that always had a great real life story to go along with their opinion. I guess I'm getting old but I damn sure ain't jealous of the newest crop of "hookers".

One thing that seems to missing regarding all the writers mentioned so far is that they aren't great writers.

What I mean is that whether you like them or not, their writing style (irrespective of the subject), sucks.

I did enjoy Aagard's writing; he'll be missed.

If I were publishing a shooting/hunting magazine today, I would unquestionably hire a good writer who never shot a rifle, over an experienced hunter who couldn't write.
You can teach most anyone to shoot.
You can't teach very many people to write well.

Garrett

guys you need to stop eating your own. Gunmags and gun writers are on our side, in australia where gun laws change at the drop of a hat we need theses people on our side, if you dont like the way they write look at the pic's instead, gun nuts, hunters, shooters and archers, we should not be putting down our own kind...encouragement gentleman is whats needed
p.s Craig Boddington i find very entertaining, and who would not swap to be in his shoes in a heartbeat!!!

quote:

Originally posted by AI22-250:
I let the magazine that carried the Craig Boddington article how I felt. This is the response I received ------------

It's interesting that I've received 3 or 4 comments complaining about this
"Craig Boddington" article which was written by Jon Sundra. There must be a
discussion forum out there spreading the wrong byline.
Sorry you didn't take the article in the light it was written - one man's
opinion on the cartridges HE would not load if he was going to start a new
ammunition company.
J. Lee
Editor

Thought you might be interested.

My ass that article wasn't written by Boddington. It says by Craig Boddington at the top and has a picture of him. Also it has his usual tone.

quote:

Originally posted by Clem:
Chuck Schumer, Dian Feinstein, Hilary Clinton, Sara Brady and Ted Kennedy are the gun writers I could do without. Never liked anything they have written about guns.

quote:

Originally posted by Clem:
Chuck Schumer, Dian Feinstein, Hilary Clinton, Sara Brady and Ted Kennedy are the gun writers I could do without. Never liked anything they have written about guns.

Ditto Clem, ditto.