Can You Believe Ammo Ads?
Dr. John Woods 06.13.17
I’ve always thought food advertising was misleading. I mean when is the last time you actually got a burger that looked like the ones portrayed on television. What about a pizza all loaded with cheese and pepperoni only to be delivered a piece of cardboard? That is the state of advertising, or let’s dare say, false advertising.
But what about ads for shooting, hunting gear, ammunition, and supplies? Are these any more honest in their descriptions or comparisons to other brands when one claims to be better than the other? Those are of course always final judgements left to the consumer. However, when it comes to items like ammunition, it is probably best proven by actual use in the field.
Let’s be fair. American manufacturers of hunting and general shooting ammunition are making the finest products in the world. Have you ever had an American factory ammo load not go off when you pulled the trigger? If you have, then not only was it an extremely rare incident, I would have to guess some other factors were in play. American ammo is great stuff.
American ammo is also extremely accurate. I know that too, depends on the firearm used, but all else being equal, except for the obvious cost savings or just for the hobby recreation of it, shooters today really have little or no reason to reload ammo anymore. That is because the manufacturing quality control is so high that you virtually cannot beat factory ammo for precision, accuracy or reliability. It is that good.
But, what about comparing one hunting load against another in a magazine ad? How would the consumer know the difference? It’s difficult. Both brands depicted in the ad are for two of the most well-known and popular ammunition manufacturers in the country both with impeccable reputations for quality and performance. So, how can one brand really brag that its load performs better on game targets than the other?
Consumers have to be smart in comparing specifications, ballistics, and claims about one product over another. If you have never tried either load for deer or elk hunting for example, then how would you really know if one “killed” better than the other? Or, in fact, dead being dead, how would you judge one ammo type better than another? Only by use and practice in the field. Match the ammo, and bullet with the game you hunt, then try it out to confirm or deny its performance.
