Gun Writers

In a world long gone, before Al Gore invented the Information Super Hiway, things are not the same. This is a different world today and I deeply regret that a verbal agreement means nothing to most people, but to me its a bond of integrity, honesty and loyalty and the current generation does not know what that means. In a world of compromise I will not.

I can remember when in 1975 I was thrilled to be able to buy a book written by GEORGE C NONTE Jr. or JEFF COOPER, etc, etc. These were books of substance that I read over and over and over many times. The old time writers are mostly all gone now. My friend JOHN TAFFIN is still one of the very few all time great gun writers that is still with us. There are other good writers today and I will get into that subject.

When you read what SKEETER SKELTON or TOM FERGUSON, etc, wrote you took it serious. When a Gunsmith or a Pistolsmith wanted to achieve notoriety and fame and promote his work there was only one way to reach the shooting public, that was the gun magazines of yester year. In order to become well known as a "SMITH", 20 or 30 years ago there was only one way, not only by doing superb work but by having an article in a gun magazine.

The name of the game was always "MONEY". Always follow the money trail. Just think about all the GUNS and "SMITHS" featured on the cover of a magazine, you can be sure they were and are steady high dollar advertisers. It would be unusual if you saw a smith featured in a major magazine or digest if he was not an advertiser in that very publication or some one received a gift. Not many editors would ever give you the right time of day unless there was a connection of some kind. I am talking about then and now. The difference is then if you had sincere talent and they were impressed it got you in the door.

Now with the internet, the world has changed drastically and you can easily promote your own work. Now anyone can start their own forum and their very own website to promote anything they want. You must keep current publications in correct perspective, we still have very good writers and good articles but its not the same. Look at all the high dollar advertisers, look at the same people that are always featured. WHY ??? The very same people on the cover, time and time again. WHY ???

Follow the money trail, remember good ole BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, well he is still here and he is in control and he is in demand, and he is still calling the shots. Mr. FRANKLIN TALKS AND BS WALKS.

John Taffin and Gila Hayes and Michael Boyle, etc, etc, are very honest and sincere and they still write wonderful articles. It was a very sad time for me when JACK LEWIS sold GUNWORLD MAGAZINE. Look how that publication has deteriorated, and of course that is strictly my opinion. I think about my friend the late Tom Ferguson all the time, he was a superb honest writer. Hal Swiggett was a very good man and is quite sick at this point in time, he was an all time great gun writer and I miss him and his caliber of people that are long gone.

The current magazines have wonderful pictures that are better than ever and they still write stories that fit their current agenda, BUT ITS ENTERTAINMENT, NOT GOSPEL. No magazine or publication can afford to say anything bad about a high dollar advertiser, Mr. FRANKLIN is still in control and watching them. Its just business and nothing personal and its common sense.

I no longer do work for gun writers, that was always my decision and not theirs, its history for me. Now of course if some one like John Taffin and Gila Hayes needed something done I would never turn them down. An Editor that is no longer with a gun publication asked me just before he left the job if I wanted to do another gun for an article, and I thanked him for his offer but I turned him down. That is a fact. I have spent a life time to get where I am and it took its toll on me. There are two very different kinds of gun writers, one that has a steady column and the other is an independent gun writer that I will explain in detail in a future commentary.

I will always be grateful to the gun writers I knew very well and that are long gone. The very new gun writers are a new breed that are not the same, there is no similarity and I do not want to go into detail because I do not want to offend anyone. I AM JUST VERY GRATEFUL THAT I LIVED IN THE BEST OF TIMES WITH THE BEST OF PEOPLE.

AUTHORS PERSONAL NOTATION: This commentary as with all my previous commentaries are my personal opinion only. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. This is truth and reality in my world and if these commentaries offend you please leave and go some where else, no one forces you to read them. I can not be bought to say what will make you feel good. My name is "NOT" Dr. FEELGOOD. "IT IS WHAT IT IS" . Many people want to hear BS, but not from me. I will gladly try and help people that contact me and that are sincere. I have no trouble looking in the mirror or meeting my maker.


Teddy Jacobson / Pistolsmith
www.actionsbyt.com
281 277 4008
tjacobson@houston.rr.com
www.actionsbyt.blogspot.com/