Would it be churlish of me to point out that The Truth About Guns is solidly pro-Second Amendment…although we will publish anti-2A pieces from guest authors (a.k.a., “fresh meat”)? Dan at GunUp.com is ready to sing the praises (i.e. take the money and run an ad) of a website that gets more readers in three days than ANY glossy gunzine gets in a month. Meanwhile, Magpul is giving RECOIL magazine a Bronx cheer for its “no sporting purpose” prevarication on its Heckler & Koch MP7A1 review. In other words, Magpul’s decided not to re-up on ads inside the buff book. The “Unfair Advantage” folks’ Facebook statement reads . . .

“Recently, the editor of RECOIL magazine wrote comments regarding who should and should not have access to certain firearms, as well as comments meant to clarify his initial statements. We at Magpul were severely disappointed in the apparent position of the author and by the comments themselves. We have been asked to provide a response to these comments and a statement regarding our intent to continue or discontinue advertising in RECOIL.

“At Magpul we consider ourselves proponents of a culture of personal responsibility, where individual liberties are the true roots of our passion. Firearms are tools that can be an expression of those liberties, and more importantly, the guardians of them. When we were presented with the opportunity to support a new publication, called “RECOIL”, that had a different look and feel, we were on board. We had hopes that the broad appeal and fresh look of a publication of this type could be a big help in getting more people involved and interested in firearms and firearm freedoms issues. We welcome all who enjoy or appreciate firearms for any lawful purpose, as greater numbers strengthen our cause. We also want to partner with those who share our appreciation of the true struggle we are in regarding our Second Amendment freedoms.

“Due to concerns about content and true motivation, we allowed our support for RECOIL to expire, with the current issue being our last, until we could determine if we were truly speaking the same language. The recent comments and subsequent clarification made by the editor of RECOIL are completely counter to our position here at Magpul. These statements proved that there is an apparent gap between our values and those of RECOIL. As such, we have chosen not to continue or renew any advertising support for RECOIL magazine unless and until we are convinced at some future point that this publication truly shares our values and has the best interests of Magpul and our customers in mind.

“We sincerely hope that the outpouring of Second Amendment support as a result of these comments can continue with as much strength towards educating existing and potential new shooters about the importance of firearms rights and in contacting elected officials to preserve those rights. We look forward to future efforts to reach a broader audience through individual effort, and perhaps through an appropriately focused publication, to continue growth in the number of Americans who enjoy celebrating our Second Amendment heritage.”

70 COMMENTS

  1. MagPul and everyone else pulling out is the right thing to do, all there statments were right on the money, but dang I had such high hopes for Recoil Magazine, realy was nothing else out there like it.

    • Firearms fashion–pretty pictures, silly articles.

      How to take better pictures of your gun with a cellphone camera? Really? The magazine already sucked before their true colors came through.

  2. One word….Zumbo

    The gun world has learned to cull its own ranks for many perceived sins. I had mentioned about a week or so ago, Trijicon and HS Precision. In my eyes deserving of rebuke. But there are folks who decades after the deeds, still hold Ruger and SW in contempt. The aforementioned Jim Zumbo learned the hard way how in the modern era of internet voting by concerned 2A folks, the odds can stack up against you in a matter of hours.

      • Like I said everyone has their hot buttons. Trijicon calls itself a Christian business. For a decade they had bible citations machined in their sights (eg John 8:12) . Then someone at the DOD got the brite idea that such a thing would make Muslims that we shoot at mad. So Trijicon started removing the citations and sent the military “grind off kits”. In my world your word is your bond. If you say your a Christian company then stand up for that. Otherwise your just like Wendys or McD. Just me, but that sealed it. Same to me as when Bill Ruger folded with a little political pressure on mags and such, or Colt or SW etc…just have to know who you can count on.

        • All due respect, but that’s BS. How is Trijicon infringing on your rights, the way that Ruger was trying to do? If you need to have iconography on your gun parts, engrave that stuff on yourself.

        • at what price do you stick by your beliefs when you’re providing a product/service to the DOD?

          Government is not supposed to endorse faith.

        • I don’t see the connection. Until Jesus starts subsidizing your earnings, the customers is always right – or you need a new business.

      • Trijicon was told by the military to take the inscription off. Their only option was take it off or stop supporting the military. This is a first amendment fight not 2nd like Recoil or S&W at all. As someone who’s used their products multiple times in Afghanistan I glad they kept supporting us. My ACOG still had the inscription BTW. Their stuff rocks and their not anti gun so they still get my money.

        • That seems more of a decision for American military aid than personal beliefs. I’m Christian, but I’d much rather HELP my community/country than let my personal religious views stopping from doing so. The only difference now is they don’t sell religion with their products. That’s it.

        • “Their only option was take it off or stop supporting the military. ”

          Trijicon (nor any manufacturer) does not “support” the military (or anyone else). The military is the customer of Trijicon, and they want a product of the sort that Trijicon (among others) manufactures. To get it, they pay lots of dosh, which is what Trijicon uses to manufacture more product.

          If you’re suggesting Trijicon should have clung to their religious base and suffered financially when they lost the military contract over their decision to ignore their customer base, then I’m right there with you. But probably not for the same reasons you are.

    • But there are folks who decades after the deeds, still hold Ruger and SW in contempt.

      Bill Ruger Jr. has done a lot to make amends, both by reversing several of his father’s policies, and by improving the quality of Ruger products.

    • when smith and wesson decided it was “moral” to directly copy Glock, then get sued for it (rightfully so), i stopped supporting them.

      Ive gladly pursued three people from buying HS precision products.

  3. Im going to make an effort to purchase at least one item from each and every company that takes a stand for our 2A rights and drops their ads from Recoil. Glad Magpul dropped, I was looking at some new furniture from them just the other day.

  4. People have been equating this guy to California gun owners, sense this clown is from California. The dude isn’t even aware of what goes on in this state. He’s probably never been to Calguns.net. Doesn’t have a OLL Flow Chart in his rifle bag. Probably has never heard of the CRPA, let alone donated to either them or Cal Guns. He has probably never give a serious thought to either his second of first amendment rights until now. He isn’t representative of the gun owners here. Even the left leaning gun owners know what the 2nd amendment is about…

    • I’ve read some of the posts on Calguns. Further reinforces my decision to never ever cross that part of the Colorado River–it’s like a moat that separates freedom from tyranny.

  5. Good. To be fair, I wasn’t going to buy a Recoil magazine, anyway. I’ve skimmed one at the store, and it just sort of seemed like a magazine full of mall ninjas and generalized douchebaggery.

    • “douchebaggery”

      Do I have permission to use this wonderful word? I can think of a few places that this new term will fit perfectly, thanks in advance!!

      • Google ‘douchebaggery’: About 1,280,000 results (0.14 seconds)

        Looks like you’re late to the party. 😉

    • Suddenly I’m in need of a calander!
      I too will purchase product from every Vendor that withdraws Ad Dollars from Recoil.

  6. While I agree that Recoil stuck their foot in their mouth here, I think they were just parroting HK’s philosophy. This brings up two points. First, the magazine, like many others wasn’t doing real reviews, but was rather just acting as PR for it’s advertisers. Secondly, people boycotting Recoil should consider extending their boycott to HK, as that company shares the philosophy that we lowly civilians don’t deserve to have the same equipment as our governments.

  7. almost brings a tear to my eye to see how much better we people of the gun are faring in the interwebz age. 30 years ago people would have laughed at the thought that we could bring this kind of pressure to bear on a percieved threat to 2a. been a long time coming and i’m glad to be seeing it.

  8. Well golly Beaver, I certainly didn’t see that one coming, NOT!!!!
    It is amazing, just be the internet we have spoken and sponsors have reacted. Plus you know this lowly little blog called the truth about guns is becoming a power house for change. Hey I wonder if anyone on Capital Hill reads this blog??
    To RF and Dan, when is the next quarterly report due out. I would be interested in seeing how the site has grown.

    • Hey Sanchanim, I’ve seen several comments from a “Snachnim” lately. He has the same avatar picture as you do, and he seems to have a similar writing style. Is that you from another computer (for example from your mobile phone versus your desktop computer), or something like that? Or is it a different person using a similar username to try to confuse us?

      • Yup it is me. Internet is off at home so after hours or weekends I am on my IPhone. I so hate auto correct!!!!

  9. By morning they’re gonna be down to tire ads. They’ve gotta be writing this guy’s severance package up.

      • Yeah it does make one wonder- how DOES an editor misjudge his readership, and the culture within which it resides THIS badly.
        He done f**ked up alright.

        • Well, if the rumors are to be believed, the man started out as an airsoft blogger/writer, and then decided it would be all tacticool of him and his buddies to get together and write for a magazine on real guns instead. Thus, Recoil was born.

  10. I don’t recall ever seenkng such a pro-2A backlash before. I’m aware that owners turned away from Ruger, S&W and Colt in the 90s, but maybe the Internet just makes things louder this time around.

    • The original statements about the HK being Pocket Sized, Mayhem et al were all totaly bogus but necessary because that was what was needed to justify his “Reasonable Gun Control/Sporting Use” propaganda points. The man built a shakey bridge and then jumped up and down on it. ‘Because, you know, those mouth breathers are dumb as rocks and will swallow it like honey.’ This editor was not writing for the readership, he was writing a love letter to his Bosses and the Clintons hoping for brownie points. Hence the RKBA outrage, which I fully endorse.

  11. No, it would not be churlish of you. If you’ve got the cred, then fly it.

    I remember the furor over S&W’s appeasement of the Clinton administration in 1994. The ‘net was fairly new back then, but the news flashed across the country via email and USEnet groups (eg, rec.guns) and S&W felt the burn. The furor was plenty loud back then, you just didn’t have “the web” as you have it today. There were no blogs. We didn’t have flashy-blinky lights all over the screen. Most of the ‘net was still just a big wad of text. We used hamsters on a wheel to power routers, we lived in cardboard boxes under our desks… and we were lucky to have that!

    The reason why the Democrats are so gingerly stepping around some of the people in their ‘base’ who are calling for gun control legislation again is that the older campaign hacks remember what happened in 1994. After the election of 1994, there were Democrats who got up in Schumer’s face in public and started screaming at him: “You did this to us! You! And your obsession with guns!”

    No other group in US politics has the memory of gun owners. RKBA people never forget and even more rarely forgive. This, and not the supposed power of the NRA, is why politicians fear gun owners. It will be why back-stabbers in the commercial sector fear gun owners as well.

    As Tommy Knocker said above: “Zumbo.”

    One word – and RKBA people remember what went down and why.

    • agreed. the nra, which i belong to, has 3-5 million members in a nation of 300 + million. a lot of non member gun owners, a very lot, side with the nra on the big issues and they do have long memories.
      i vote at the ballot box and the wallet. it pained me to have to boycott s&w because i’m a wheel gun fan, but i did it. the only revolvers i bought during that time were taurus. man, that hurt.

  12. At one point I got something like 6 gun magazines a month in my mail box. One by one I slowly whittled the pile down to one, the American Rifleman. Mostly because some of my favorite writers went to the happy hunting grounds, and their replacements just didn’t fill the big shoes left for them. Occassionally I’ll pick up a gun magazine off the shelf at a store if they have an interesting story, but I don’t recall seeing this Recoil magazine in the rack. Apparently there is no need for me to even bother with it after reading all the stuff here. Money is tight, so I’m carefull even dropping $3 or $4 for a magazine. And I sure don’t like the idea of my money supporting this guy who considers me and my fellow shooters unworthy of shooting “elite” weapons only meant for “special” people.

    • About this time the Publisher has decided to hand-out free advertising to Recoil’s advertisers in an attempt to stop the hemorrhaging so it is important to remind those who have not pulled-out or issued a statement condemning Recoil’s Editor that we are watching Very Carefully

      • Ive emailed several companies on “the list” whose products have made my buy list. I told them in no uncertain terms would I purchase products from a company that gives ad revenue to an anti-2A magazine such as RECOIL, and strongly urged them to consider publicly pulling their ads from the offender.

    • $3-4 ?, Man Recoil goes for $8.99. I know I bought the last 2 issues and was looking forward to the new issue, but I think I’ll just buy a box of 9 instead

  13. So has RECOIL hung itself itself with its own rope?

    Voting in an election is one thing, but voting with your business is another, and more effective.

    I am alright with RECOIL feeling the fallout, and I imagine this incident will serve as lesson to other anti-gunner gunners out there.

    I have a new appreciation for pro-2A manufacturers such as Magpul. Responsible firearm ownership and freedom are the key principles.

    And to RF, I’d like to see more on which manufacturers truly support the 2A. If HK indeed has a military / LEO only attitude, I am curious which other manufacturers feel the same way. It sounds like other commenters would want to know as well. I’m also curious what HK has said regarding these incidents, and civilian firearm ownership.

    Heck, I think posts of gun company philosophies would be entertaining and informative. POF armory definitely has some interesting stuff.

  14. So is MAGPUL and all the people who are canceling their RECOIL subscriptions also bringing heat to bear on H&K?

    Let’s face it… a magazine that isn’t even a year old yet is small potatoes. Now if people put all of this energy into boycotting H&K and making them change their minds like Ruger changed theirs…

  15. You know what I’m astonished by? RECOIL’s write up on the Kriss Vector – same class of weapon, still designed for fully automatic fire, but this gun (according to RECOIL) is “a 21st-century firearm that may change what you reach for when you need to defend your home.”

    To clarify RECOIL’s position: for “civvies” P90s and Vectors = good / MP7 = death in the street.

  16. Some useless information
    Google recently censored many firearm related queries from their shopping site.
    If you have an Android device (google device), go to the magazine section in their “Play Store” and search for the word “gun”.

    Conspiracy theory sarcasm to the ninth power follows: RECOIL = Illuminati trying to infiltrate and impose gun control from within.

  17. So if Magpul and BCM are both publicly saying they are no longer supporting RECOIL and pulling all their ads — then why are Magpul and BCM ads still running on RECOIL’s website?

      • So they are just tacitly supporting RECOIL while publicly stating they are not. Either they are in or they are out. Makes their public statements ring *very* hollow to me.

        • They already paid for the ads. Their statement is more of a “you’re not getting any more money from us”. Keep in mind the fact that Magpul is still a business. I’m pretty sure there’s no language in the ad contract which would allow Magpul to back out at will.

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