Recently we were made aware of some disturbing “Editorial” comments on behalf of Recoil magazine, concerning the illegitimacy of a certain firearm ( and by extension, an entire class of firearms) for “sporting purposes”.
We feel these comments are counterproductive and are certainly NOT reflective of the opinion of Silencerco/SWR or the American shooting public.
Original Recoil Text:
“Like we mentioned before, the MP7A1 is unavailable to civilians and for good reason. We all know that’s technology no civvies should ever get to lay their hands on. This is a purpose-built weapon with no sporting applications to speak of. It is made to put down scumbags, and that’s it. Mike Cabrera of Heckler & Koch Law Enforcement Sales and veteran law enforcement officer with SWAT unit experience points out that this is a gun that you do not want in the wrong, slimy hands. It comes with semi-automatic and full-auto firing modes only. Its overall size places it between a handgun and submachine gun. Its assault rifle capabilities and small size make this a serious weapon that should not be taken lightly.”
The statements made by the editorial staff and others interviewed for the article were so poorly stated, factually inaccurate and so misrepresentative of the core values and beliefs of our company and our mission, that we have written the editor of Recoil magazine and asked him to discontinue all scheduled advertising for both Silencerco and SWR products.
We sincerely hope that the owners of Recoil will get a strong message from the shooting public and all reputable manufacturers that our people will not tolerate the mindset behind those statements. We urge you to make your opinion known to recoil and their advertisers.
Thank you for your continued support of our company, our sport and our collective right to keep and bear arms.
Well done,
As I was in a market for my first “can” I can now say I will be buying your product, it was between yours and a couple others but you have made my mind up.
Thank you for your support of the shooting sports
Fantastic. If you don’t stand up for what you believe in, you will fall like the rest of them.
Great job. I can tell you my next suppressor will come from you solely based on this.
Thank you for doing this. I live in Canada. Canada is the perfect example of what you’ll get in the USA if you allow shenanigans like this foot-in-mouth editorial to stand.
Firearms owners in Canada see the US as the last, best hope for firearms rights worldwide. The US catches a lot of flack from the global community, but know that a great deal of us respect and admire the United States of America and everything is stands for. Thanks for taking a stand here.
The ignorance of that statement is amazing to me.
In case the magazine didn’t notice, the only reason Glocks, M&Ps, and probably most of the guns that are paying for advertising space in Recoil are built is to put down bad guys.
People may find “sporting purposes” for them… but gun games aren’t why they exist. If Wired or Maxim had said what they did, I wouldn’t care. A “gun magazine” should’ve known better.
The vast majority of firearms that have been designed and built in the history of the tool have been built for defensive or offensive use. Regardless of the intended role, military, law enforcement or civilian, the overwhelming majority of firearms on shelves in gun shops and shown in the pages of that now incredibly disappointing magazine are designed for use by people against people. While the “shooting sports” label may be a banner that has hung over our industry for political and (sometimes) marketing reasons, that young magazine hasn’t exactly catered to the waterfowl or skeet crowds… in fact, it has been aimed squarely at the “fanboys” side of the market… maybe they thought making the MP7 sound uber-cool and unattainable would be okay with their “audience”. I think they miscalculated.
Personally, the MP7 is one of the few guns on the planet that I would rush out an pay H&K Retail Price for, if it were ever offered for civilian sale. I’ve had the pleasure of shooting them many times and training teams that use them. It is a great tool, but didn’t possess any magical power that made it reckless, dangerous or inappropriate for any responsible firearms owner to possess…. for whatever reason they desire.
-Rob Pincus
-I.C.E. Training Company
Rob,
Sorry, gotta disagree with you. I don’t care if it’s American Rifleman, ESPN the Magazine or Scientific American. When someone says what the folks at Recoil said, it’s our responsibility to call them on it. If you, a very vocal and public figure in the firearms training community, let’s it pass…then why should the rest of us even bother?
We’ve been too forgiving for too long. We won’t tolerate this behavior from a gun rag, but it’s okay from another format? No, that’s wrong. Wrong is wrong. If the statement from Recoil was in Wired or Maxim, it’d still be wrong.
I’m not doing the ‘oh, they don’t shoot so they don’t know anymore’. If something is wrong, I’m calling it. And it’s shameful that you aren’t out front saying this very thing.
Regards,
George Bagley
US Army, Retired.
I think you are misunderstanding Rob. That sort of statement would be bad in a non gun magazine but much worse in a gun rag because they should know better and be on the right side. Rob has sent in letters condemning Recoil for their attitude, he’s very much on our side!
And to Silencerco, good job! I hope all of Recoil’s other sponsors pull their ads as well.
Josh:
“f Wired or Maxim had said what they did, I wouldn’t care.” Kinda hard to misunderstand that.
V/R,
George
George,
I believe that Rob is speaking to the ignorance of Recoil’s statement. Not ours.
Thanks guys for your stance in regards to the recent stupidity displayed by Recoil magazine. It makes me even prouder to be an owner of two of your fine suppressors.
Great job guys! I support you in this.
Thank you Sir for doing this. I immediately expressed my displeasure at that article. I hope they feel the heat. There is no place for their kind of attitude amongst the shooting community.
Great News!
I was appalled by the comments and I am extremely happy to hear you have made a difference.
I already recommend your products to my customers due to the value and quality. Publicly standing up for our 2A rights, well that is even MORE reason to recommend your products. Good Job.
I had planned on purchasing one of your suppressors and another from a competitor for the holiday season.
My new plan now is to purchase two suppressors and all future suppressors from you.
You’ve impressed me with your engineering and technology. You have now won me over with your integrity.
Thank you for taking a stand on an important issue such as this. I sent my own letter to the editor. One thing I often notice, but something that isn’t mentioned very often: People seem to have gotten the idea that the Police, Military (and government in general) are somehow “above” the people. Quite the contrary! We need to remember that in the United States, the PEOPLE rule. We HIRE those agencies to simply HELP us to defend ourselves. Self defense is a PERSONAL responsibility. It may be convenient in modern times to fall back on these agencies, but lets remember who the boss is. The law abiding citizens have every right to own whatever tools they so desire. Its ridiculous to think that a person that is trusted with a firearm in the military (even as a teenager) but comes home and suddenly can’t be trusted with that same firearm to defend himself and his loved ones. Lets stop drawing lines between tools and continue to look at the real problem: The capacity for the human mind to conceive of evil, not inanimate objects.
Thank you.
Well done guys, I for one will push your products that little bit harder. As for RECOIL, a classic example of how not to do something, particularly as just sticking to the facts of why H&K cannot sell this particular weapon to civilians would have sufficed. No Battle Shots ad revenue for those guys now!
Thank you for your statement to Recoil magazine, and your position on the matter.
I will support companies who support my rights. Your company will be the first stop whenever I look to purchase suppressors from now on. I will also ask ny friends and family to do the same.
Well done. Thank you for standing behind your beliefs as well as the rest of us in the 2A community. We all hold specific core values and beliefs in regards to the 2nd Ammendment and I personally appreciate you holding true to it.
Thanks Again
.. if i ever see one of your products or endorsed products . i am going to buy them just because of this . i now love you
I’m glad I’m not the only manufacturer stepping up and calling them out
I guess time to buy another silencerco product, love my Sparrow, think it is time to get a Saker.
Outstanding guys, you just made a loyal customer. Glad to see some companies
Still have a “pair”.
Josh and SCO/SWR:
We applaud you for your decision to pull your ads from RECOIL. As always, SCO/SWR does everything that they can do to fight for the 2A. For those who do not know, please check out the American Silencer Association to find out more about what Silencerco/SWR has done to advance the rights of all Americans. In this day and age, it is a personal attack when the 2A gets attacked; it’s reprehensible when a gun rag opens the flood gate for liberals and anti-2A idiots to attack us with our own (seemingly) words.
-Scott
Well said, Josh and Rob. Zero tolerance for this sort of thing.
Silencerco:
Thanks for taking a stance. I will be buying a .22 suppressor soon and I will support a company who takes a stand for its customers like you did. Thanks for pulling your ads.
My wife and I have 2 Sparrows, 9 Osprey and 40 Osprey. Before we purchased from SilencerCo I corresponded through email many times asking question and obtain thread specifications. Customer service was great. We use the 9 Osprey on a Glock 17 and SIG 226 with the 40 Osprey being used on a Glock 35 and HK USP .40 Tactical. The Sparrows are used on SIG 229 .22lr conversions, Beretta 87 and Savage MKII. We are very pleased with the results. Shooting in the desert of NM we can hear the pistol action, the swish of the bullet through the air and the impact on the target with the 9mm ad .40 S&W Osprey. SilencenCO Osprey are Sparrow are awesome. All I need now is a suppressed firing pin for the MKII.
Seeing that Recoil’s publisher is owned by Ron Burkle(BFF’s with Clinton) I’m sure they probably care less.
Thank you for your strong stand against this kind of ideology. I was going to buy a Surefire can at the beginning of next year but I am now buying a Silencerco. Thank you for you dedication!
Excellent. Thank you Silencerco!
Well Done! I doubt they’ll have many advertisers at all by the time the dust has settled. I applaude you for pulling your advertising dollars away from them.
Sorry, forgot to mention, well done on removing your advertising. I hope more will follow your lead.
Well said Gentlemen, we all know too well the damage statements like this can do to the positive work that so many others have contibuted to the 2ND Admendment cause.
Recoil,
I have bought all of your issues to date from my local Wal-Mart. I had planned on subscribing. After your anti-2nd Amendment take on the MP-7 and the ridiculous retort by your editor, I will not be subscribing. I will be using social media to highlight your anti Second Amendment position. Further, I will curtail purchases from anyone who advertises in your magazine. Additionally, I am expressing this directly to your advertisers. I am a 39 year old male with a stable six figure income that is subject to a lot of discretionary spending for my pro-Second Amendment purchases. I am so disappointed in your article and even more disappointed in your clumsy response. Up until now, you had a good thing going. Way to slay the cash cow.
SilencerCo — Thank you for taking a stand, putting your money on the table (or, taking it off the table, in this case).
There is no excuse for a firearms-related publication spewing the anti-gunner pap and misrepresenting both the Second Amendment of the Constitution’s purpose and the integrity of firearms makers, sellers and users.
And there is no excuse for supporting any organization that seeks to undermine these things, no matter how slick and surreptitious the attempts might be.
Mike P.
USA
Well said and thank you.
Dear Recoil Magazine:
Two little pieces of advice:
(1) Fire Tsai. Let him go back to selling used rice-rockets.
(2) Don’t mess with the members of the Calguns.net site. Oh, you can think about taking them on, but I don’t recommend it.
Thanks guys. It is good to see integrity in action, not just in words. I commend you for taking such a big step. I also send my condolences because I’m sure you, like myself and many others, had very high hopes for a publication for the 21st century. I will definitely be a customer of yours, and please let us at http://www.higgsholsterworks.com know if there is anything we can for you guys. By the way, you rock.
THANK YOU SIR(s)!!!
you all have placed a line in the sand and people have to realize the error of their ways a not a weak RE-CERTIFICATION of a bad previous statement.
Recoil ISNT a good magazine and I thought it was a joke the first time I picked it up.. now my previous first impressions arent just enhanced, but double downed on the sheer overwhelming evidence, as an out of touch group of goofballs who just cut and paste lame statements. and when they strike out on their own it goes badly.
thanks for standing up for the constitution…not just parts you like, but that the second guarantees the first.
Seeya
Natch
Thanks guys for setting an example! Hope all of the other advertisers will do the same.
Thank you Silencerco for standing up for our Second Amendment rights, and for doing so so quickly and decisively. I hope all Recoil Magazine advertisers are as responsible as you are and do the same. With such strong, clear support for your customers’ rights, you’ll be getting my business the next time I’m in the market for a suppressor.
Thank you silencerco. I was hoping for a semi intelligent apology from recoil. Instead we got a huge clarification of ignorance. next months issue will be interesting.
Because of this, I will be buying a 22 Sparrow in the coming weeks. Thanks, Silencerco!
You are TRUE AMERICANS, and you will have my buisness from this point on, I was looking at your .45acp Osprey for my KRISS SuperV SBR, I will now purchase it. I was looking for a good suppressor for my Bushmaster ACR, YOU will get that purchase as well. Hell, i’ll even buy a .22 can from you for my Ruger 22/45, because you just just talk the talk, but you walk the walk as well. Semper Fi.
That last line was SUPPOSED to read: “You just don’t talk the talk, but you walk the walk as well” lol. Sorry for the typo.
A statement like that does not just get throw in to a magazine article. Good for you Silencerco!
That attitude is very common and has been around for many years.
Many LEOs feel that way and the NRA has felt that way for most of it’s history. Jim Scoutten has said similar things on his TV show.
It is nothing new.
It so sad that companies like GOA, NRA etc… profess to be pro-gun – but are the furthest from protecting the 2nd amendment as they come – but it is even more pathetic that a ‘tacticool’ rag-mag like RECOIL would publish such crap.
I never post anything – ever. But it is well known that HK hates doing business with the civilian population…. It is ridiculous for anyone – to even entertain the notion that guns in the hands of civvies are supposed to be for ‘sporting purposes only’ Last time I checked the 2nd amendment makes no distinction as such. We are only a free people if we are armed as well as the tyrants in power – as a free law abiding people we should be able to have any weapon – available to mil or leo – and for a rag like RECOIL to suggest otherwise – well – they are as anti american as they come.
If I didn’t live in the People’s Republic of Kalifornia – I would buy 10 Silencerco ‘cans’… just because you guys stand behind your products and the Constitution… and unless other companies follow suit – I won’t be doing business with any of the companies that advertise in RECOIL! Silencerco – YOU ROCK AND YOU ARE AWESOME. I just wish all mission-specific manufactures had the backbone you guys did – way to go —
Thank you Brian! Very kind words, we appreciate it.
You guys rock!! Excellent statement, perfect leadership in this situation, and spot on response!! My next three cans are coming from you guys!! You’re going to reap “Chick Fil-A day” business from this move!!
Wow! Can a company shoot itself in the foot any faster than Recoil mag did? It’s ironic that I just picked up their latest issue at Barnes & Noble yesterday. Trying to decide whether to read it or not – definately will not subscribe or buy any more issues,
I agree that Rob Pincus misses the point. We have gotten to used to surrendenring our freedoms in this country. When you give “Maxim” a pass, to whom do you give a pass next? When a company, any company, suggests further watering down 2A, we should collectively jump on their chest lest their be any confusion that we don’t want them messing with our 2A.
I don’t usually go out of my way like this. But I just wanted to send out my thanks for taking this stand and for retracting your advertising. They may not sincerely regret what they wrote, but they will regret loosing sponsors. If I ever move out of California I will definitely be purchasing from you guys. Thanks!
Good on ya’! It’s nice to see a company that pays more than just lipservice to uphold the Second Amendment. Any company loyal to the Constitution will find loyal customers. Keep up the great work.
Oh one more thing. Let’s not forget this little excerpt from the article from H&K Sales…
“Mike Cabrera of Heckler & Koch Law Enforcement Sales and veteran law enforcement officer with SWAT unit experience points out that this is a gun that you do not want in the wrong, slimy hands.”
Who’s slimy hands? You don’t think crooks can get a hold of these weapons? Really? H&K chooses not to make the firearm available (in semi-auto form) to the civilian market. They are as much to blame as the gun rag in their treatment and lack of trust for the law-abiding citizen. Shame on them.
Just one more “thank you” from a “civvie” who likes his Class 3 firearms and gear.
Bravo. Businesses that defend their principles earn my respect and business.
Great! Now I have to move my silencerco purchase higher up on my list, to support you for standing by our shared principles. Thanks a lot!
Can’t wait to see the look on my wifes face when I tell her I got her a silencerco for her birthday.
Makes me feel better about my Osprey 45 and SWR Octane 9 I just picked up few weeks ago. Knowing the companies that make them believe in and support our 2nd Ammendment rights!
Good job Silencerco/SWR!
Silencerco, my only regret is that I have but so little money to spend with you. You guys rock!
I purchased a 45Osprey about two years ago. I am continualy reminded of the products quality when I shoot it. I’m also reminded of their commitment to gun rights. Wether through the lobbying of the ASA or through their dillegence to not do buisness with those that don’t hold similar ideas on gun rights. I’d like to thank Josh and the crew at Silencer Co for their stance on this and many other issues.
Thanks again,
Scott
Great job guys.
Message that i posted on Recoils website will probably not show there so i will repost it here.
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Seems pretty clear to me. Firearms were not protected under the 2nd for “sporting purposes” “hunting purposes” or any other malarkey. They were to protect citizens from an oppressive government. Something any 2nd amendment supporter should know.
As someone that cherishes all my rights, and has been exercising his 2nd amendment rights for 20+ years, I have to say it is always nice to see a business stand with its customers. Recoil on the other hand showed their true colors and are now in a free fall as a result. You’ve earned a customer in me not from an ad, but for your actions. thank you!
Good for you guys.
Thank you Silencerco.
As a Police Officer, 3 gun competitor, and firearms enthusiast, I thank you Silencerco for doing your part. I LOVED your ads in Recoil mag, and support you pulling your funding from their rag. I was thinking about subscribing, but am having second thoughts now. I own a 45 Osprey, 22 Sparrow, and soon, a Saker.
Bravo Zulu. It’s nice to see that some people still get it. Sometimes those that should know better are our worst enemies.
A big huge thank you to everyone at Silencerco!