Has Dave Petzal joined the ranks of D. Metcalf, J. Zumbo and other Fudd gun writers

[RugersGR8]

Give the following a read and see what you think.

BTW----David Codrea definition of Fudd: "It is not used by hard-liners like myself to insult anyone who participates in shooting sports or hunting or prefers shotguns over EBRs.

It is used as a reaction to "sporting use"-ONLY gun owners who throw the rest of us under the bus in the belief that their hobby will be protected, that they won't be eaten next.

Seems to me these Fudds deserve a little name-calling. There's nothing to divide--they're not on my side. They're either stupid, detached freeloaders who enjoy the protections of activism while not lifting a finger to help, conscious sell-outs, or outright enemies."

Another Daved Codrea explanation of Fudd:

http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-fudd-by-any-other-name.html
Friday, March 27, 2015
A Fudd By Any Other Name?





Read this Field & Stream article by Dave Petzal:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-gun-nuts/shot-show-2016-part-I
January 25, 2016
SHOT Show 2016, Part I
by David E. Petzal

 

[dennishoddy]

The article is pretty much spot on. We had a thread on here a few days ago about SHOT. Just another showing of the same old AR's, but that is what is selling now, so that is what is going to the shows.

"Another trend was noticeable. The posters, displays, and photos for anything relating to big-game hunting showed people whose expressions looked like they were getting a prostate exam from the former Secretary of State. Everyone was getting rained or snowed on, wallowing in mud, crawling over boulders, and generally looking like Hugh Glass after the grizzly got through with him. I have no idea what this is supposed to convey. Maybe that hunting is the way to redemption through suffering? If so, allow me to plagiarize mildly from the Army with my own motto:

“Hunt big game. Embrace the Suck.”


Advertisers are driving this. Nothing but marketing. You can't come home from the field unless its an "extreme experience" or you life will never be the same afterward.
If you don't have their weapon in your hand when having this extreme experience, you didn't have a good day in the field and should be ostracized by your compatriots.

 

[SMS]

Hardly a Zumbo moment.

He made a pointed observation about the tacti-coolness trend that has become overwhelming....

 

[dennishoddy]

If Field and Stream (I've been a subscriber for as along as I can remember)wants to report on the different style hunting guns other than modern sporting rifles also used for hunting, they need to report on the Dallas Safari club convention. The array of beautiful bolt guns, Drillings, shotguns, and pistols is amazing to see.

 

[RugersGR8]

While I can agree that some of the ads for modern sporting rifles(EBRs) and polymer frame handguns are driven by the manufacturer’s desire to sell their wares, I also believe that their ads are aimed at selling a product WHERE THERE IS A VERY PROFITABLE DEMAND. There are a number of both men and women who are buying firearms for the purpose/intention of using that firearm for self defense. Also, esthetics has very little to do with their choice of weapons----reliability, form, function and fulfilling the self defense function is their guide to what they want. These same men and women have absolutely no intention of ever going a field to hunt game with that same weapon. One must also remember that a very large amount of weapons and their technology started being used in/by the military and then eventually was then utilized/manufactured for use in the civilian market. Dave Petzal reminds me of a guy going to a GMC Dealership and then whining/complaining that he can’t find any Ford F-250s.

 

[Dave70968]

While I can agree that some of the ads for modern sporting rifles(EBRs) and polymer frame handguns are driven by the manufacturer’s desire to sell their wares, I also believe that their ads are aimed at selling a product WHERE THERE IS A VERY PROFITABLE DEMAND. There are a number of both men and women who are buying firearms for the purpose/intention of using that firearm for self defense. Also, esthetics has very little to do with their choice of weapons----reliability, form, function and fulfilling the self defense function is their guide to what they want. These same men and women have absolutely no intention of ever going a field to hunt game with that same weapon. One must also remember that a very large amount of weapons and their technology started being used in/by the military and then eventually was then utilized/manufactured for use in the civilian market. Dave Petzal reminds me of a guy going to a GMC Dealership and then whining/complaining that he can’t find any Ford F-250s.

I wonder just how profitable the EBR sector is. Sure, the demand is there, but everybody and his cousin is making them; the margins have to be razor-thin on all but the most premium, high-end models.

 

[dennishoddy]

You may be surprised at the number of people that use the same modern sporting rifle for home defense and hunting. I'm one of them.
Can't stand to scratch the wood on one of the bolt guns, but have no problem throwing an M4 into the trunk for a backup, or using velcro to hang one from the cab of the tractor to take varmints. It looks like its been through a landslide, but it runs like a dream.
Modern sporting rifles are so versatile for hunting and Self Defense that its no wonder that bolt guns are being sold at rock bottom prices.
Don't like the caliber, pop a pin and put a new one on there. Gets no better than that.

That being said, I took two deer with a bolt gun this year. One with an AR platform rifle, and one with a pistol. (pics in the hunting forum)

Modern sporting rifles are just part of the mix these days.

 

[dennishoddy]

I wonder just how profitable the EBR sector is. Sure, the demand is there, but everybody and his cousin is making them; the margins have to be razor-thin on all but the most premium, high-end models.

They are. AR manufacturers come and go. Most components are built by a few companies, and builders have to compete with the other guys to make a profit.
Margins are thin on all guns, not just AR's.

 

[RugersGR8]

I wonder just how profitable the EBR sector is. Sure, the demand is there, but everybody and his cousin is making them; the margins have to be razor-thin on all but the most premium, high-end models.

With the market saturated at this point in time, I would imagine the profits are not as good as they were a few years back. But the Gun Salesman of the Year still has a few more months left to turn this around. He has already made statements saying that EOs along this line are already in the works and Hillary has already made much the same claims.

 

[RugersGR8]

They are. AR manufacturers come and go. Most components are built by a few companies, and builders have to compete with the other guys to make a profit.
Margins are thin on all guns, not just AR's.

I agree +1 I have also noticed an increase in the amount of literature that I am getting from places like Midway, Cheaper Than Dirt, etc. I would imagine that business/economy is slowing down and it is getting harder to make a buck.