GunUp Magazine represents the new generation of sophisticated gun owners and is run by those who truly care about the people who read their membership and the content they provide.
As with all technology, the good always comes with the bad. With modern advances in communication technology, we are more connected to each other than ever before in human history. Information exchange can take place with fewer barriers and we are not at the mercy of publishing companies to get the word out when we want to say something important (or not-so-important.) But with this comes a downside. Now, anyone with an Internet connection and beyond 3rd grade writing capability can start their own website or start posting on an online forum as if they are an authority on any particular subject. Unfortunately, firearms topics seem to draw out some of the worst the Internet has to offer.
In late 2004, Hilton and I (along with our good friend Dave P) sought out to create a place where intelligent discourse could take place between vetted members, where members could not hide behind a screen name and say brave things from their mom’s basement. Thus, 10-8 Forums was born. The forum’s greatest strength was also its greatest weakness, as many folks didn’t wish to show their real name and/or go through the vetting process. We decided a new format was needed, and thus this site was born.
That does not mean there aren’t some other good forums out there. Unfortunately, many forum sites give status to their members based on “post count”, which has no bearing on the amount of credibility the member should actually be given. To be sure, there is some great information on most forums, but there is also a lot of misinformation. And to the uninitiated, it is nearly impossible to tell the difference.
Recently, we were criticized on another blog site (whose authors have no professional firearms background) for not disclosing a test fire protocol we worked very hard to develop. The protocol was designed to comprehensively test a 1911 pistol without burning through hundreds, if not thousands of rounds of ammunition and give some meaningful results. However, without proper instruction of how to evaluate the behavior of the pistol, ejection patterns, and other observations, the test does not mean much. In addition, we spent a great deal of effort developing and refining the test for our own use as well as our students. They paid money and spent time learning how to evaluate the results. That and we aren’t operating a charity.
All of this prompted me to share some of the resources I like to visit to stay up to date with news and gear. Here are some of my favorite sites to visit in no particular order:
GunNuts.Net – This site is run by our good friends Caleb and Shelley, who have their finger on the pulse of shooting sports. It is usually updated several times a day, and features news, commentary, and insightful pieces about competition shooting and self-defense topics. A great site not only for information, but to be entertained!
Soldier Systems Daily – Soldier Systems is a daily news site with up to the minute information on the state of the tactical industry. If you want to know about what new products are on the horizon, or what’s going on in the industry right now, this is the place to go. It is no nonsense, and the content is solid. Their Gunfighter Moment series offers solid tips from top trainers. Last but not least, they are the sole news outlet for the Hot Shots Calendar. That alone should earn SSD a spot in your bookmarks.
Lighfighter Forums – Lightfighter is a veteran forum site on the Internet, and is populated by many solid members and moderators. They moderate fairly heavily, and most of the information there is very good. There is quite a bit of self-policing. This forum has a military perspective, but has a bunch of good information for law enforcement professionals and defense minded civilians alike.
M4Carbine.Net – M4Carbine.Net is another site dedicated to the M4/AR platform, but is much more heavily moderated than other large forums on the internet. They have top level instructors contributing to the site, and has a bunch of good information not limited to our favorite black rifle, but handguns, gear and training as well.
Brian Enos Forums – Over a decade ago, I was introduced to Brian Enos’ book “Practical Shooting: Beyond Fundamentals”, which caused me to take a much more technical and systematic approach to improving my shooting skills. Though his forum is extremely competition based, it has quite a bit of good information for anyone serious about pistol training. Check it out.
Vuurwapen Blog – This blog is run by Andrew Tuohy, a former Navy Corpsman and now industry photographer and blogger. He writes thought provoking articles, does his homework, has solid methodology, and takes a practical approach to training and equipment evaluation. It’s a site worth visiting.
GunUp Magazine – Okay, technically this isn’t an online resource. Instead, it is a new print magazine that brings modern style and publishing quality to the gun industry. It is run by folks that are in touch with the modern, educated firearms enthusiast. It features first rate photography, elegant design, and top rate content. But enough talk, check out the first issue for free and subscribe on their site.
These are the ones I like. If there is a site I haven’t included that’s deserving, share it in the comments below and tell us why you like it!
This is a good list Tim… And I agree with your perspective on the anonymous writers out there. I’ve found only a few who really seem to know what they’re talking about. It’s easy to tell who’s been “trained” by what they read on the internet, and who has real experience with firearms (and even more so, experience working with good trainers).
The problem is that for those seeking information who may not already have some background, it is quite difficult to tell the difference between those who speak from experience and others who have zero background but are very emphatic.
I would add Pistol-Training.com and Pistol-Forum.com to the list. These are Todd Green’s blog and forum. Ton’s of great info.
It’s been said before, but Todd Green’ pistol-training.com, and pistol-forums.com are great sites, with no nonsense, and a great attitude.
I would also like to recommend Todd Green’s site.
Agreed. Well thought out articles and good info at pistol-training.com.
Tim from Military Arms Channel has his new blog, The Bang Switch. Thoughts?