Gun YouTuber’s

[BBerguson]

During my healing time from surgery last month I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube, mostly the gun channels. Some of them are more serious than others, the ones I don’t find entertaining, I don’t continue to watch them... It’s interesting to watch them shoot items that I’ll never shoot and guns I probably will never shoot. For instance, a 20mm Vulcan canon shooting at a car and they run ultra high speed cameras stopping the bullets, explosions and damage so you can see it all. One of them (Fullmag) shot a 105mm tank round from an M60 tank into the engine of a car, a high dollar car on it’s last leg and if I remember right it was a Jaguar. This guy is part of the BlackRifle Coffee Company group and also and an explosive manufacturer. Interesting...

One thing that bugs me about a lot of these guys is that many of them don’t seem to understand the difference between caliber and cartridge. Not all of them but when I hear it always makes me wonder about them. I heard it tonight from a guy I never expected it from which caused me to create this post. Jerry Miculek!

(I hope posting this link is ok). He’s shooting a 357mag through 2 windows of a car at an angle trying to hit a target on the other side. First shot broke both windows but not the target. So... he‘s going to try again and has an AR-15 in his hands and says “For the next shot we’re going to amp it up to a rifle caliber” and talks about higher velocity and such.

I know, I know, this is anal but, I hear these guys say this stuff a lot and then when Jerry said it, well, I just had to talk about it. I’m sure he knows the difference, maybe 99% of the people watching this stuff doesn’t and he‘s making the video for them.

Just had to rant a little about it I guess. My life is pretty boring lately...

 

[RicinYakima]

IMHO, 99% of everything on the internet is BS. Anyone with a smart phone is making "videos" for YouTube. I even watch some for the entertainment value, but don't think any of it is worth taking to the bank. Even print magazine with secondary writers and editors have a dozen mistakes in every issue.

 

[waco]

Some of it is real. I haven't posted a video in over a year but our stuff was 100% legit. I can promise that.
Coats Brothers Firearms - YouTube
No point in faking stuff as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Brad]

Youtube is a wonderful source of both information and entertainment.

I view most of the gun related videos as being entertainment. I watch them for fun, not to learn something. There are a few sites that are educational but they are unicorns.

The average viewer is looking to be entertained, not informed. Some channels are monetized so imagine this, they produce content to get the maximum number of views.

As for Jerry referring to a cartridge as “a rifle caliber” it doesn’t really bother me. Just because he is an amazing shooter doesn’t mean he is an expert on terminology.

I watch lots of YouTube videos. Some to be entertained, many to be informed. I know which are which and take that into account.

 

[Bret4207]

I found a few gun related video makers that seem to have their eggs in one basket. The number of people posting videos that are simply ignorant to a near criminal level is staggering. Same thing across other spectrum's like chainsaws, mechanical work, farm stuff, etc. It is what it is.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I think there's a little bit of literary license and showmanship involved.
Sometimes the mistakes are due to ignorance and sometimes the technically incorrect terms are just for the expediency of the presentation.

A lot of my reaction is based on my respect for the presenter. If I believe the person presenting the information knows what they are talking about but inadvertently uses the incorrect term during the presentation - I let it slide. To me that's just a slip in casual conversation.
However, if I think the presenter is posturing as an expert but I have little respect for them, then the mistake reinforces my low opinion of the speaker.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I would hope folks watching my videos dont take them as bullskit.
I enjoy doing them and hope Im bringing information.

CW

 

[Rick H]

I don't worry about Jerry and his choice of words. He struggles mightily cleaning up his native Cajun accent and terminology for widespread broadcast. A lot of what he says sounds a bit awkward. That is ok by me. He is knowledgeable and probably one of the all time great shooters. I feel lucky that he is willing to share what he knows with others.

 

[Bisley]

I'm glad somebody brought this up. I am shopping for an AK variant for when things settle down a bit (I believe they will) and I got to looking at AK Operators Union videos. I know it's supposed to be a tough and reliable design, and I know some domestic manufacturers are better than others. But would someone tell me why we need to: mag-dump 5k rounds through the action presumably without oil, filter sand in the action until it stops functioning, dump in a swamp for three nights, and then check the headspace without cleaning? Pardon me, but I am more impressed when Hickok 45 explains how to take the thing apart for maintenance. I was with AKOU until they put in the headspace gauge without cleaning. I thought it was testing, but to me it looks more like showoff.

I am looking at Palmetto State Armory, by the way, but Century Arms seems to have gotten its act together.

 

[fiver]

some people know guns pretty good and some even though they shoot them a lot don't.
if you handed me a 1911 and asked me to take it down and clean it I'd have to go find an instruction manual.
hand me a model 92 rifle and I'll take it down and clean it in under 10 minutes.
it's not that I know anything about guns, I just happen to know how a model 92 rifle works.

Jerry's focus is on the trigger end of things, so him calling a box of ammo a bunch of bullets is how he see's them.

 

[BBerguson]

I would hope folks watching my videos dont take them as bullskit.
I enjoy doing them and hope Im bringing information.

CW

I had no idea you have a channel CW, you just got a new subscriber!

I watch YouTube for education and entertainment. I’m not a TV guy and we haven’t had a TV signal into our house since 1996. The only thing I really miss watching is golf... I subscribe to CBS on the internet for 1 month a year to watch The Masters, that’s it!

So my YouTube watching has increased lately since I can’t do much else due my recent neck surgery. Most of the gun channels are purely entertainment with my favorite being Demolition Ranch. Some of Matts videos do make me cringe though, especially the ones where he destroys a firearm, a nice firearm anyways. I have to admit that destroying a HiPoint doesn’t bother me... Another one I like is Kentucky Ballistics. Scott is a former highway patrol cop and just seems like a really upstanding guy. He can be pretty tough on some guns too but not as much as Matt at Demo Ranch. My other purely (purely) entertainment guy is Edwin Sarkassiam. The guy just cracks me up. He does some cooking videos too with his camera man/sidekick which are usually off the back of his pickup which is something I would do. I suspect he may be “the face” or on air personality for a larger group but it’s hard to say for sure. Matt and Scott are the front men for themselves, no doubt about that. If I were looking to purchase a new gun though, these aren’t the channels I’d be researching.

For honest gun reviews I really like Chuckin’ TV. He’s just getting started but he‘s really down to earth and does very honest reviews on guns that I can buy. He likes to shoot and hunt and does videos on each. I thought he was a southern boy based on some of the old boys he was shooting with who sounded like they had southern accents. But thinking about this, I know some old boys around here that sound like those guys so I’m pretty sure I’m wrong about that. His most recent video though is in the snow and one of the commenters mentioned Western NY which would be quite close to me. Might see about taking him a gun or two to do a review on and maybe shoot a couple of woodchucks with them.

And thanks to all the responses, I’m enjoying all the conversation!

 

[BBerguson]

I'm glad somebody brought this up. I am shopping for an AK variant for when things settle down a bit (I believe they will) and I got to looking at AK Operators Union videos. I know it's supposed to be a tough and reliable design, and I know some domestic manufacturers are better than others. But would someone tell me why we need to: mag-dump 5k rounds through the action presumably without oil, filter sand in the action until it stops functioning, dump in a swamp for three nights, and then check the headspace without cleaning? Pardon me, but I am more impressed when Hickok 45 explains how to take the thing apart for maintenance. I was with AKOU until they put in the headspace gauge without cleaning. I thought it was testing, but to me it looks more like showoff.

I am looking at Palmetto State Armory, by the way, but Century Arms seems to have gotten its act together.

There is a channel I watch (not as much as the others) called “The AK Guy”, Brandon Herrera. I know nothing about AK’s but he seems to know a lot about them. A lot of sarcasm and more “dark side” entertainment for me and watch him when I’m running out of the other channels...

 

[BBerguson]

I don't worry about Jerry and his choice of words. He struggles mightily cleaning up his native Cajun accent and terminology for widespread broadcast. A lot of what he says sounds a bit awkward. That is ok by me. He is knowledgeable and probably one of the all time great shooters. I feel lucky that he is willing to share what he knows with others.

I agree Rick and I enjoy his videos. He just happened to be the one that gave me enough reason to make this post. I suspect that (other than his incredible shooting skills) he‘s a lot like many of us “country folks”.

 

[popper]

Actually IMHO, that auto shoot was informative, no matter the audio - I had it turned off. Reinforced my opinion of steel from shooting an old fridge with 12ga dove load from 5 ft., both barrels. FPS sure makes a difference.

 

[BBerguson]

I found a few gun related video makers that seem to have their eggs in one basket. The number of people posting videos that are simply ignorant to a near criminal level is staggering. Same thing across other spectrum's like chainsaws, mechanical work, farm stuff, etc. It is what it is.

I agree Bret. Was thinking about a new snow blower lately so I’ve been watching a few videos on them. Wow! Most of these guys are just full of crap and know next to nothing about snow blowers. I think in the end, I’ll save my money and just overhaul my old Ariens 24 inch snow blower...

 

[BBerguson]

Some of it is real. I haven't posted a video in over a year but our stuff was 100% legit. I can promise that.
Coats Brothers Firearms - YouTube
No point in faking stuff as far as I'm concerned.

You just got a new subscriber too Waco, Thanks!

 

[waco]

You just got a new subscriber too Waco, Thanks!

Thank you.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I had no idea you have a channel CW, you just got a new subscriber!

Thank you!!

 

[BBerguson]

Thank you!!

B&EPropheta on YouTube. Long story...

 

[JWFilips]

A lot of Idiots make videos...A shame they can not be "culled" out! The place may be a great learning source....
However, the way it is; Idiots breed idiots!
Pretty soon smart folks learn nothing and idiots learn more about their calling in life!
Guess it breeds super idiots!