This is the second "hobby" of mine I am running into this issue. Since it goes with ANY product or service you can find a discussion forum for, I'll make a generic example.

I look at a forums A, B, and C to compare products X, Y, and Z. On any forum you can find, you will see examples such as this:

90% of the people on forum A LOVE product X, the other 10% HATE it and say it is worthless. The 10% who hate it cite numerous examples of failure (and can sometimes back it up, not always heresay)

90% of the people on forum B LOVE product Y, the other 10% HATE it and say it is worthless. The 10% who hate it cite numerous examples of failure (and can sometimes back it up, not always heresay)

90% of the people on forum C LOVE product Z, the other 10% HATE it and say it is worthless. The 10% who hate it cite numerous examples of failure (and can sometimes back it up, not always heresay)


This is of course a generalization, and a simplification, but I think it gets my point across. The internet has opened up a world of communication unheard of 20 years ago. It is a wonderful thing in many ways. It is also driving me NUTS considering when I am researching products X, Y, and Z this time, I am essentially staking my life on the one I chose working when I need it. How do you make a choice? It's not only what feels good, and conceals well, it needs to WORK in this situation (did you guess I'm researching new carry possibilities?). I see numerous failure reports from across the board, $200 Kel-tecs to $2000 1911s. I honestly believe that most are trying to assist, and give honest feedback based on experience and a few are simply stirring the pot.

So, what do you do? I think the same sampling could be derived asking opinions anywhere, but it's difficult when some just BLAST a maker after their experience (say, 300 trouble free rounds and then a total failure...not a great thing in a carry piece to think about). I am just totally unsure of what to do other than take my chances and try one.

an old saying (modified just a bit), "opinions are like "armpits", everybody has a couple and most of them stink."
In this day of "I want to know NOW", it can be a blessing or a curse. Where else can you obtain opinions from people on various subjects, goods, etc. so quickly ?? I use the internet for numerous researches. One has to bear in mind as to where the info comes from. A forum could be awesome because it is an almost immediate means of communication with people that may or may not have predjudices. Same with chat rooms.

Personally, I don't berate or praise any product except what I have had personal experience with. I like my cheap EAA Witness pretty well. I like my H&K USP better. I have a Taurus and a DE, too. The NIB Taurus has been returned to the factory because it had a loose barrel and was very inconsistent. MY DE is finicky on ammo and likes a bath after every shoot. I like to tease the Glock owners, but do I have anything against Glock?? Not really. I could go on and on, but, for brevity's sake, I won't.

BTW, one needs to research the cause of why something "broke". e.g., did the end user run cor-bon ammo through a gun that wasn't designed for it?? Just my 2¢.

Forums and chat rooms are horrid for research. To much opinion, and before you flame me I call myself guilty, and not enough fact. If you are looking at x, y, and z, there is probably a side by side comparison somewhere on the net. Not always scientific, but at least consistent. If you can't find what you are looking for, try a gun shop, rent the piece you are looking at purchasing. And then, talk to someone you trust. Not me, I don't know sh*t.

I know what you are saying. When is the last time a professional gunwriter said the X is unreliable, the z is cheaply made and fits poorly or do Ayoob, Sheriff Jim Wilson, Charles Petty just like every gun they shoot?

Big Rob makes the point about ammo. Every person I've seen have trouble with their Glock has "improved" it in some way. My G 17 was having issues, diagnosis, Jeff Kempf put an extended slide release on it for me. Unfortunately, he put on the wrong one, its the only time the G17 has failed me. So it depends on the details, the SV that jambs, discussion discloses yeah they spent $2,800 on the gun, neglected to clean it as they only had like 800 rounds thru the gun.

Bottom line who are you talking to and what have they done tothe stock gun, their ammo, maintenance habits, etc.

I agree, But that leaves me with a few thoughts. Do they mean much, no...they're just thoughts

1-Many of the Kel-tec issues could very well be cause with "limpwristing" or no fluff n buff...

2-I think a big part of this is a lot of "I have it, it must be best". And "isn't you life worth more than $200???" This argument fits more with motorcycle riding gear than with handguns to me.

3-Although ugly, the high point is likely a far better gun than everyone says.

I'll throw in a few more thoughts. Let's keep the internet tradition of throwing your own opinion out there like it was gospel alive!

1- Kel-Tec. I've shot my friend's. She has a problem with it, I don't. Same gun, same ammo. We both agree she's limp-wristing and I'm not. So yeah, that could cover a lot of peoples' problems with it. It's a small, light beastie that you have to keep your hand behind to keep from getting FTF's.

2 - Have you ever heard of a .38 snubbie that didn't go bang when you dropped the hammer on a live round? Hard to beat 'em for reliability.

3- Use the internet for weeding out the worst of the lot. When you get your choice down to X, Y, or Z, odds are good that any of them will be a good choice. Then go buy the one you really want out of the three. Tear it down, clean and inspect it, put it back together and go shoot it a lot. Get to know it. Try different loads. Put at least 500 rounds through it, to give it a chance to break in, and to give it a chance to break. *Then* you decide if you want to trust your life to it, or if you want to go buy your 2nd choice instead, and start over.

I think that the key is to "consider the source" when reading opinions. If the source is the editor of a respected magazine, chances are his opinion are more valuable than the disgruntled user with an axe to grind. Most are probably somewhere in between. But that's just MY opinion!

TomK
Mpls, MN

I hate it when I'm looking to buy something (computer/technical related), when I'm looking to buy it, I only find lots of good opinions. Then I get it and go "why does it do that?" or "it doesn't work quite right", that's when I find the warnings about those 'problems'.

It's not until you figure out what your looking for (problems), that you find the opinions that matter.

That make sense?

When I read reviews at, say, Amazon.com, I always read the negative reviews first. What is it that people don't like about it? Is there a pattern to their dislike? Are the problems they encounter something that is likely to matter to me?

Only afterwards do I read the positive reviews.

As to internet research on firearms, I tend to only see the roses before purchasing. I am not sure that is a character flaw or not, but I suspect there is something psychologically involved in seeing what you want to see and either not seeing, or ignoring the rest.

For example, I decided I would like to get a Kel-Tec P3AT. I was intrigued about the weight, size, concealability etc. I thought I read a lot of reviews and opinions, but apparently did so with blinders on.

After I got it and tried it (and it was/is a POS), only then did I see all the negatives about it. It is now at the factory for warranty work. It may end up being a good choice, but had I "seen" the overwhelming negatives, I would not have been so stupid.

I suspect it is that I saw what I wanted to see

OD has it right. Start with the negatives first....that will be my new plan!

Keep in mind that most gun magazine writers and editors depend on advertising income from the firearms industry, and thus a personal stake in finding something positive to say about each and every gun they review.

Advice you get on the internet is often worth EXACTLY what you pay for it: nothing.

I will say this though, if one reads enough, and puts the BS filter on, one often can make a well-informed decision. I personally try to only listen to people with first-hand experience, as most of the baseless bashing tends to be of the "my friend has a Glock and it went off because he looked at it cross-eyed!!!!!" type.

I'm glad I didn't listen to the naysayers in regards to the Kel-tec P3AT. I waited until they were out a while and got one. It is light, thin, easy to carry, and has gone 350 rounds without a hiccup.

Goalie, that's advice, in general. The internet is just another medium of seeking said advice. There's some good info out there and some very knowledgeable people. A BS Filter is a requirement, though.

Goalie, what are you using for ammo? That's better reliability than I'm getting with mine.

Try Hydra-Shock or Gold Dot. Works good for me.