Too much truth? Why dont gun companies market to shooters anymore?

[Outlander Systems]

It’s generally an age-related thing. Younger gun guys typically use Social Media.

M4C and LinkedIn is the only social media I use. It sounds like y’all might be dissatisfied with Instagram. Have you considered discontinuing using it?

Ammo, dude. Bring ammo.

[1168]

It’s generally an age-related thing. Younger gun guys typically use Social Media.

I’m 35, so I’m somewhere in the age range. I’m just not into it. If I want to see pictures of guns, I’ll come here. I do read TFB somewhat often (silencer saturday), and I see advertisements there, but I don’t really take note of what for. And there’s advertising here.

Full disclosure: I do own lots of rifles and pistols. But I can afford to both buy, and shoot. I spend way more on ammo than guns.

[Arik]

I’m 35, so I’m somewhere in the age range. I’m just not into it. If I want to see pictures of guns, I’ll come here. .

I don't think there's many of us like that. Never got into social media, never understood it or cared to.

For the most part I know enough about firearms to know what's what but if I don't I come here and a few other sites. When reading an article I always scroll over the advertisements so I wouldn't know if they're advertising DD, BCM or Starbucks coffee

[MegademiC]

What’s up with gun companies marketing directly to the “I’m a Firefighter but almost joined the Army” Soc-Med and IG crowd these days?

Like several folks posted in the last thread - Marketing tactics like “Safe queens need not apply” and DD dropping shit out of Helos has gone the way of “Buy this upper cuz it looks mint in this photo of a guy with GPNVG-18s” (which by the way, are 50 large and unavailable for sale to civilians anyway)

Sup with that? Especially when 100% of the Soc-Med IG Hourly-wage-loser crowd can’t even afford NVGs (well, they could, but they’d rather buy and tinker with 15 mediocre piece of shit rifles instead of buying the good stuff)

People dont like to shoot because they realize they suck, so they buy expensive rifles and it makes them feel capable. Companies just profit off if it because its a larger market segment than shooters... as far as I can tell.

Ive been getting into uspsa the last couple years, and even there, it seems only a “few” of us actually train.

[1911-A1]

I'm getting really sick of the effects that Instagram culture has on gear choices of people taking classes. So often I see guys show up festooned with every gadget possible, high end Glocks with spoilers and go-fast holes only to see them fumble **** their weapons, miss their targets, commit safety violations and generally slow the class to a crawl. They're there solely in hopes that someone will ask how much they spent and fawn over their Gucci gear between drills. You're not at a cosplay convention, you're sending live rounds downrange. Don't come in costume, come to shoot.

[Outlander Systems]

I think, and this is purely speculation, the further away we get from peak GWOT, the faster we revert to the mean.

I'm getting really sick of the effects that Instagram culture has on gear choices of people taking classes. So often I see guys show up festooned with every gadget possible, high end Glocks with spoilers and go-fast holes only to see them fumble **** their weapons, miss their targets, commit safety violations and generally slow the class to a crawl. They're there solely in hopes that someone will ask how much they spent and fawn over their Gucci gear between drills. You're not at a cosplay convention, you're sending live rounds downrange. Don't come in costume, come to shoot.

[Arik]

People dont like to shoot because they realize they suck, so they buy expensive rifles and it makes them feel capable. Companies just profit off if it because its a larger market segment than shooters... as far as I can tell.

Ive been getting into uspsa the last couple years, and even there, it seems only a “few” of us actually train.

People don't like shooting because it damages guns. Scratches and wear

[1168]

Confession: Since my last post in this thread, I logged onto Facebook for the first time in a few years. I found pics of moderately dirty gun parts posted by Forward Controls Design. They were mine, used with permission. I logged in because Duffy politely asked me if I could answer a question about the pics. I’ve had really good comms with Duffy, and can highly recommend every item of theirs that I have tried, and the prices are pretty good, so I was more than happy to help out. No one tried to sell me any guns in the 10 minutes I was on Facebook. Most of my few “friends” on there are shooters that I have worked with. They know my phone number. I probably won’t login again until I have a similar reason.

Funny thing is, I’ve got a buddy that does some management thing for Colt. I think .mil sales manager. He was my 1SG at one point. I’m connected to him on LinkedIn, and real-world friends. He’s never once tried to sell me anything, and being connected to him on social media has not triggered any sales attempts. Maybe Colt knows I have enough guns? I don’t know how instagram works, connection wise. The vast majority of my LinkedIn is populated by proper shooters and a handful of medics. I think maybe y’all should thin your herd of “friends”, if it works that way, so that the content feed is comprised by people that wear out barrels.

TL;DR: So, I’m a hypocrite on the subject of social media. -15 internet creds.

Edit: Tinder and Bumble are also social media, so I guess I use as much social media as anyone else.

[SteyrAUG]

I'm getting really sick of the effects that Instagram culture has on gear choices of people taking classes. So often I see guys show up festooned with every gadget possible, high end Glocks with spoilers and go-fast holes only to see them fumble **** their weapons, miss their targets, commit safety violations and generally slow the class to a crawl. They're there solely in hopes that someone will ask how much they spent and fawn over their Gucci gear between drills. You're not at a cosplay convention, you're sending live rounds downrange. Don't come in costume, come to shoot.

While I get what you are saying, at least they are AT a class where they might get some guidance and improve. Lots of people just buy what they think is "high speed operator" gear and assume that will give them the edge they need.

I've been shooting with people who spend more time "gearing up" than they do actually shooting. My favorite is the guy with the tac vest loaded with mags and gadgets who is shooting on a static firing line.

[Firefly]

I am in full agreement with Euro.

And it boils down to this

People who buy guns to buy guns to be cool:



Real shooters who DGAF and just shoot: