Facts and Data Matters 🎯📸📽️🎬💻

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It has been amusing seeing the Cattleman Air Rifle reviews (using this just as an example of a larger problem in reviews and hunting videos within our community) and the discussion surrounding both blatantly fabricated results and biased reviews. I do enjoy when I read a post stating an amazing claim with no data to back it up. Another problem is a video that has been heavily edited and, while I am willing to believe there are very rare instances where the reviewer/filmer is keeping his shooting results honest, there is much more of a chance that the video has been edited in one way or another, purposely or by unconscious processes, to portray the shooter and/or the platform as mind blowing.



So, I say we call for Data, hard Data, when we see this, and ask some other questions too if we want real world result knowledge.

When a review has a video of the target, and then it cuts to the supposed shooter location, but doesn't show from POV from the scope...can't trust it. Turns out some YouTubers and their GoPro setups do a good job at showing their projectile and its flight.

When a person claims they are achieving transonic or supersonic (laughable) speeds with an airgun and getting single hole results. Chrony proof during the shot and on video, unedited, or it didn't happen. Fact of the matter is it never happens. 

When a YouTuber is shooting at 300 yards to kill a bird at a 45 degree, do they show the misses? How about the maimed animals? What caliber and what FPE are they achieving on impact? Is it an ethical airgun hunt or is it to get some clicks and views? Depends on the context, but a lot of us know what does and what does not fall in that grey zone.

When a YouTuber has a certain gun that is so cool and does all this stuff like that Cattleman review or other channels, are they getting sponsored? Are those guns paid for by said company? Are they getting income from said company? Is the large bold stickers a form of product placement or are they that into stickers? It isn't a bad thing to be sponsored or to be paid by a company, I am a capitalist and actually think it is a good thing, but the thing that is spotty is pushing a product and not disclosing why you are pushing it.

When a claim is made that a pellet gun like an hw95 can consistently punch 1/2" at 100 yards, let along a lesser gun, we should be suspicious that someone is talking big fish results and that they either had a lucky day with a couple wind changes, have an extremely nice barrel and platform and still likely got lucky, or deserve every accolade in the competitive field.



IDK what you guys think, but when I see what some competitive shooters do here for their long distance competitions, or how much money and how much time and dedication it takes to achieve good results...from tuning to hell and back, from casting or selecting from thousands of pellets, getting custom barrels, and so on, it puts a lot of perspective on YouTube channels or high claims made here. Sometimes YouTubers are posting reviews without realizing how much smoke is coming out of their claims, and how that juxtaposes what actual consistent and data driven results are.



But that is just me. And I am just a layman on extreme shots and perfect accuracy. 

Regards, Lt
 
I agree with you. There has always been a lot of BS in the shooting world. I have heard a lot of guys shooting deer at extreme distances and I always ask how they held on the deer. The response is almost always "dead on, this thing shoots flat". Yea right, I want to say, but usually hold my piece. An HW 95 ain't going to shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yds consistently, ever, period.
 
I agree with you. There has always been a lot of BS in the shooting world. I have heard a lot of guys shooting deer at extreme distances and I always ask how they held on the deer. The response is almost always "dead on, this thing shoots flat". Yea right, I want to say, but usually hold my piece. An HW 95 ain't going to shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yds consistently, ever, period.

Agreed. I love the HW95...totally biased for it as I have one in .22. Is it accurate? Yes. Is it a 5k PCP rig? Big NOPE there.
 
I would believe in seeing that flying saucer more than I would believe that guys one hole group at 100 yards.


The guy puts 4 in one hole at 100 and then puts 4 in one hole at 50.....................but doesn't remember which is which.

Here is a still from his shooting the gun video

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Here is a still in his "explanation" video where he is pointing to the 100yd group. Looks to me like it is the other group.

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But that must be the group as he wrote it all on the target (like he says he does with all of his guns) He even put the date of 2/20 on the target. Funny though as he had posted a video on 2/19 telling everyone that he had shot these awesome groups. Basically on the 19th he posted that he shot these amazing groups and backs it up with a target from the 20th. Nothing odd there.

https://youtu.be/Nhh6rHDvqDg?t=47
 
The simple solution is to not watch videos. Unless of course you are fascinated by fiction. It’s not just shooting videos, I’ve watched a tuning video or two that I turned off 1 minute in because the dude was dumb. I also agree that the wounding rate with the long bomb video makers has to be mind blowing. 20 birds flying off like helicopters or animals dragging themselves to a hole is no big deal when that one money shot captured on camera makes you every buffoons hero.
 
The simple solution is to not watch videos. Unless of course you are fascinated by fiction. It’s not just shooting videos, I’ve watched a tuning video or two that I turned off 1 minute in because the dude was dumb. I also agree that the wounding rate with the long bomb video makers has to be mind blowing. 20 birds flying off like helicopters or animals dragging themselves to a hole is no big deal when that one money shot captured on camera makes you every buffoons hero.


I just think watch them as entertainment or with the knowledge that they are masked infomercials. If you think a platform is nice, find some time to check it out in person. It wouldn't do the rifle perfect justice (trying a rifle for a bit and owning it for years is obviously different)...but shooting a rifle yourself over buying blind is a better strategy than none.

Seeing animals hurt is the worst. I always think about that on YouTube extreme shot channels, some of them obscure, most of them famous, and imagine how many birds make it or break it on chance.




 
I don't watch any of them. Maybe it should be there, maybe it shouldn't but there's that little corner in my head that will always wonder how much extra work went into that particular rifle for the "stellar review" or the thumbs up and hey, great new rifle or whatever else might get said to hype it. What kind of perks or pay are the reviewers getting to give one, because at least in my mind, companies want great reviews and they're not going to keep someone who's taking even small shots here or there on their latest, greatest, newest market entry.

I want reviews and real details, the forums are the best place to get them and from real owners who spent their own money and won't pull any punches. They come here and spell out any hitches, glitches, no matter how small when they get their new and in a lot of cases, quite expensive new guns. 
 
I believe there are 3 levels of HOLLYWOOD YOUTUBE- Examples- 

1- REGULAR - HOLLYWOOD- (PAID IN AND OUT SPONSORED QUICK REVIEWS JUST TO SHOW A MOVIE AND SUGAR COAT IT)

https://youtu.be/JvAUdwr7Wxg

https://fsharetv.co/movie/the-wizard-of-oz-episode-1-tt0032138

2- MODERATE - HOLLYWOOD DISNEY- (ADD WHIP CREAM TO #1)

https://youtu.be/MSa77NGpoms

https://fsharetv.co/movie/aladdin-episode-1-tt6139732

https://fsharetv.co/movie/aladdin-episode-1-tt0103639

https://youtu.be/zBpsGKYehcg

https://youtu.be/ekM0VflXyok

https://fsharetv.co/movie/alita:-battle-angel-episode-1-tt0437086

3- EXTREME - HOLLYWOOD DISNEY-MARVEL- (PUT THE CHERRY ON TOP OF #1 AND #2 LIKELY THIS CASE FOR THE GUN IN QUESTION)

https://youtu.be/ON-tT44vwDk

https://fsharetv.co/movie/captain-marvel-episode-1-tt4154664
 
I bet you on even the highest end, heck especially the highest end priced, guns are custom selected by the manufacturer to send to these famous YouTube hunting channels (the top ten hunting/pesting channels). Some barrels are made better, some tolerances better...how much you want to bet they don't send a gun randomly to a famous sponsored partner but rather send the best of the best of what they have. The game is rigged and not demonstrable for regular shooters and mean averages of QC
 
Do you think this guy cares how good or bad this rifle is as much as he gets paid in YouTube dollars for views? 

https://youtu.be/0Y1agu6M7Xg





I'm not saying he's representing anything false in his video. But that dude doesn't care about that rifle. He's never using it. You'll probably never see him with that rifle again unless he can find a way to include it in a future video. He knows the subject is views - Cha-ching $
 
Apparently this guy can REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLy shoot.

He put 11 shots into a 1/4" with a Sig MPX on CO2 at 30
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yards................with a Red Dot! Not sure t it was "Off the cuff or not" he didn't say.



https://youtu.be/-Lp-_hTNrHY?t=499


What the hell, my gun must be defective. This is @ 15 yds. He would smoke my a$$.
 
Do you think this guy cares how good or bad this rifle is as much as he gets paid in YouTube dollars for views? 



https://youtu.be/0Y1agu6M7Xg







I'm not saying he's representing anything false in his video. But that dude doesn't care about that rifle. He's never using it. You'll probably never see him with that rifle again unless he can find a way to include it in a future video. He knows the subject is views - Cha-ching $

Oh, he'll shoot it, got to for the video and he probably did some to get a feel for the rifle before he made it. After that video?? That rifle probably got packed up and sent right back to Air Venturi. It also gave him the chance to promote that Element scope parked on top which he's heavily involved in along with the slugs he was using since I think he's also involved with those too, yes??