[Double Naught Spy]

Okay, I snagged the one issue of S.W.A.T. that I have in my possession, the Sept 2002 issue. Sure enough, I don't see any of the brands reviewed listed in the advertiser's index. However, several advertisers listed in the index of that issue were of brands that appeared on the covers of other issues. Advertisers in this issue that had products listed on the covers of other issues include D.P.M.S., FN, Insight made the cover of June.

DS Arms advertised in Sept and had a product review on the cover of May.

DPMS advertised in Sept and has product listed on cover of October.

So sure enough, S.W.A.T. definitely accepts advertising from companies for which they often review their products even if the brand reviewed in a given issue doesn't have that manufacturer advertising in that issue.

And Rich, thanks for noting a very salient point. According to you, S.W.A.T. slammed a shotgun and the maker pulled full page advertising. That is only going to happen so many times before it becomes a real financial concern.

S.W.A.T. may do a fine job of reviewing, but the point that S.W.A.T. accepts advertising from the product lines they review is a salient point. This goes for every magazine that accepts advertising from the makers or distributers of products being review, whether it be in cars, electronics, photography, or whatever. It comes with the territory.

I did look through the issue I had and did not notice any description on S.W.A.T.'s policy on the products they review, whether they buy them from vendors without the vendor knowing the product is going to be reviewed or if the product is simply provided to S.W.A.T. for the sole purpose of review. If the products are being provided by the manufacturer, then there is no reason to trust that the product hasn't been selected as a particularly good example by the manufacturer to submit for review. So the product provided to S.W.A.T. by the maker may not be representative of the product line.

S.W.A.T. is a neat rag that provides a lot of neat information. There is no doubt about that, but they are also a magazine like most of the others in the industry and in many industries that accept advertising from the makers of products they review, advertising which helps keep the rag viable and as Rich noted, when they have come down hard on a bad product, they lost $$ and no doubt full page advertising is pretty serious $$. As such, there is a definite conflict of interest. This is not to say that the reviewers, editors, or staff of S.W.A.T. are unethical in any manner, only that a conflict of interest exists. Companies that get bad reviews will drop advertising according to Rich. This is not a not for profit company. And there you have it.