In talking with the general public or (heaven forbid!) reading an Internet forum discussion, there is often an inference the firearm manufacturers and the gun magazine people are in cahoots with each other to market products or concepts that might be self serving. Well, in all candor and in fact they are after a fashion as both are running businesses and a profit is required to stay in business. Whether or not the products marketed are good, bad or useful is always a point we can argue.

Another perception is gun writers always get stuff free from the manufacturers — in some cases they might — but again in all candor the manufacturers often have limits as to what they will provide to the writers. The point of this is a lot of you think a lot of us get stuff for free and we don’t. Also, even though this may come as a shock to you, the reader, there are writers who actually have a job and for them the idea of purchasing a $3,000 AR-15 or 1911 is quite a shock … even as much as it is for you. Just so you know, every firearm mentioned below I bought at a retail price, just like you.