There’s apparently a rule written somewhere mandating that the week between Christmas and the start of the new year must feature reflections on the year that’s ending. Far be it from us to flout a long-held publishing convention like that.
The most popular content here at TTAG has long been our brutally honest, no-holds-barred gun reviews. Yet if you look back at what caught our readers’ unblinking eyes the most this year, only one gun review made the top ten list. Instead, the most-read posts in 2018 featured a broad selection of stories about gun control, defensive gun uses, gear and one negligent discharge that was caught on video.
So without further ado, here are our ten (well, eleven since we had a tie) most-read posts of 2018 . . .
10. Decorated Vietnam Vet Sentenced to 7+ Years Because of an M14 He Bought in the Early 1980s
A decorated vet had illegally owned a fully automatic M14 for the last 3+ decades and the ATF got wind of it. You can probably guess the rest.
9. City of Boulder Can’t Even Get 100 Gun Owners to Certify Outlawed Assault Weapons
Gosh, it’s almost as Americans refuse to comply with strict gun control laws that limit their right to own some of the most popular firearms. Even in places like the People’s Republic of Boulder.
8. Gun Review: Ruger PC Carbine
Our only top 10 gun review of 2018 was Jeremy’s take on Ruger’s fun, affordably-priced pistol caliber carbine.
7. A 2-way tie between… Maryland Man Shot and Killed by Police While Serving a Gun Violence Restraining Order
When the first gun violence restraining order law was enacted in California, everyone knew that this would be the likely result as these due process-free laws have spread from state to state.
And… New York Senate Bill Would Require $1 Million Liability Insurance for Gun Owners
When it comes to the right to keep and bear arms in the Empire State, there’s no requirement too restrictive or hurdle too high as far as Governor Soprano is concerned.
6. 6.5 Creedmoor vs .308 Winchester…No Contest
Who could have predicted that an old-fashioned caliber war post would have provoked so much commentary?
5. CCW Witness to Fatal Stabbing Holds Red-Handed Attacker at Gunpoint [VIDEO]
A Seattle good guy with a gun holds a murderer who was covered in his wife’s blood until police arrived.
4. VIDEO: Holstered Pistol Discharges… Negligent or Accident?
Some Reynolds Wrap-wearing readers thought this video was faked. It wasn’t. TTAG talked directly with the people in the video and this really did happen, just as you see it.
3. ATF Suffers Rare Court Loss in Ohio Unregistered ‘Short Barrel Rifle’ Prosecution
The ATF prosecuted an Ohio man using bogus evidence that was refuted by an expert witness in court. And the ATF lost.
2. Brownells Now Selling 5.56 and 7.62×51 Ammunition by the Barrel
A lot more fun than a barrel full of monkeys.
And finally, the most-read post of 2018 was . . .
1. Goodbye AR Builds, Hello H.R. 7115: Nationwide Proposed Ban in the Works
The Democrats who are about to take back control of the US House of Representatives make no bones about their intent to push a strongly anti-gun agenda. Buckle up.
The .308 girl needs to tell her boyfriend to google the other girl’s name. – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creedmoor_Psychiatric_Center
because she’s less crazy than her. not.
Bad karma naming your cartridge after a mental hospital in Queens.
Well, I like a nice pair of 38s…
I don’t care how hot you think she is, crazy is never worth it. She might as well have syphilis.
“The most popular content here at TTAG has long been our brutally honest, no-holds-barred gun reviews. Yet if you look back at what caught our readers’ unblinking eyes the most this year, only one gun review made the top ten list.”
Do you suppose that this might be due to the reviews having the “sponsored content” label on them for the past year?
I mean, we all know the sheeple can’t really focus on much, so its probably something else… but…. just as a “thought experiment”…. just MAYBE?
🙂
Our reviews do not have sponsored content labels. That’s because we have never – EVER – taken so much as one thin dime to review a product at TTAG. So what exactly are you talking about?
DZ, as much as I bust balls here sometimes, thank you for letting me voice my opinion. Happy new year.
That’s what we’re here for.
So then is it due to the sheeple noticing your new sponsor labels and then just assuming that it applies to your reviews also?
The things that WERE your most popular items since the beginning, now become virtually last, and all in the same year that the site gets sold and changes format? And you expect people(but TTAG readers, not sheeple…) to buy that as some “coincidence”?
I mean, c’mon! I’ve read you for years. You are way too intelligent to believe that, so why would you expect your readers to?
You’re misreading the meaning of this list. The overall percentage of our traffic represented by gun reviews has actually increased slightly year over year. So readers are still coming here for reviews as much or more than ever.
The fact that only one of this year’s top ten posts (out of over 4000) is a review is an interesting anecdote, but nothing more.
It might be clear to you what is a staff review; but if you don’t look carefully for the ‘Sponsored Content’ tag, there are many advertisements that are written to look like independent reviews. Below is one example from a company that, in my opinion, has some of the worst customer service in the business. So when sponsored content starts with: “Choosing a night-vision scope can be a tall task. There are a lot of specifics to consider, and typically a lot of dollars to spend. So, when ATN’s new X-Sight 4K Pro came in the mail, we didn’t know what to expect.”; how are we to know who we are listening to. Only two little red words between thinking twice about a TTAG recommendation or an ATN advertisement for a $1000 paperweight.
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2018/08/sponsored-content/the-new-atn-x-sight-4k-pro-will-blow-you-away/
Review traffic hasn’t dropped off. It’s still the largest percentage of traffic to the website; the bread-and-butter of TTAG that’s responsible for the bulk of the steady traffic. Reviews have never been massively-viewed, just solidly and steadily viewed. Big news and political news have often been the articles that get the highest number of reads, and that traffic happens very very fast when those posts go up and then it dies off really hard. Nobody reads that breaking political news a month+ after it broke and is no longer fresh, but those initial reads make it a most popular article of the year based on total eyeballs on it. Whereas a gun review rarely sees that sort of traffic spike — they start off steady and continue to get solid, regular traffic indefinitely.
Or it’s the Trump Slump 😉
Yeah that’s what I figured. The political articles burn hot and fast, start a bunch of fights, then die. But reviews live on forever.
Seriously strange list…
1. Do you not understand that the Democrats need to pick up 13 Republican votes in the Senate to bring it to a vote?
Do you not understand that many Republicrooks cannot care less about the US Constitution and your 2A?
Rick Scott didn’t have a problem supporting anti 2A legislation in FL when he was Governor, now that he is a US Senator I am sure he cares a lot about the 2A.
You guys are so right. I now remember the Boehner-McConnell Assault Weapon ban that passed after Sandy Hook. The took away all ARs. /Sarc.
Most of these articles are reminding us how much Trump is making America great again, I wish I was not being sarcastic…
Hopefully the New Year will bring in a repeal of the Misdemeanor Domestic Violence and The Loss of Guns For Life law. Also nation wide Constitutional Carry. A true reading of the second amendment , or anya bill of Rights would be nice, if we’re going to dream, dream big
After reading this it became apparent that we all better buy a AR15 this year. Please get one in a caliber other than .223/.556 as they only are designed to crush bones and vaporize organs. Other calibers are less lethal.
Bought the ruger PCC last week. The review here was a huge part of my decision since including borrow one. Not only did the review nail this excellent gun it was honest without a hint of sponsorship anywhere.
I’m grateful TTAG reviews guns both good and bad. Some reviews are better than others but they are better than fan magazines where you see nothing negative about Guns that have a list of complaints. The NRA mags were famous for this.
Thanks. I’m pleased to be in the top 10 here twice with non-news/political articles 🙂
I generally consult two opinion sources before making a gun purchase. First I come here, then I go to Hickok45’s channel on Youtube (sometimes vice-versa). I can easily see TTAG becoming a go-to site for gun reviews. To do that, however, you’ll need to start putting up more gun reviews . . .