One of the biggest complaints we get is that the products we cover are too expensive for the average Joe. I understand this concern, as I certainly cannot afford a $6,000 precision rifle and I've got more pressing things to worry about than saving for a $3,600 1911. That said, I do enjoy learning about such things in the hopes that one day I might be able to plunk down a mortgage payment on a firearm, and I think many readers feel the same way.
Of course, we also strive to cover more affordable products. To that end, we often include sidebars (sometimes even feature articles) on accessories that cost less than $50, and we have covered many guns retailing for less than $500. In our March issue, Associate Editor Jay Grazio reviewed the Hi-Point C-9 Home Security Pack, which includes a 9 mm handgun and a lockbox for an MSRP of $205. Interestingly, we received complaints that this firearm was not up to the quality standards some readers expect from a gun magazine.
Granted, the negative comments about the inexpensive gun came from different readers than those who complain about the expensive firearms, but you can see how these conflicting opinions amongst our readership can be confusing. We strive to cover the guns and gear that interest our audience, but when our aggregate audience has widely divergent opinions as to what we should cover, it can be difficult to pick the right stuff to put in the magazine.
Therefore, we will continue to cover both expensive and inexpensive firearms and everything in between, knowing full well no price point will please everyone. That's not to say we don't listen to our readers, but rather we must account for widely divergent tastes and budgets among them.
