Louis Awerbuck

[steveno]

Luis Awerbuck's article in the latest issue of SWAT magazine should be required reading before anybody should be allowed to buy a gun. period and end of story

[Rich Lucibella]

"I am the Bullet"
It's been in discussion for more than a week on several sites.

Surprising how few TFL'rs read SWAT. You can lead a horse to water....
;)
Rich

[Marty Hayes]

Rich:

I am saddened by your observation. It would seem that people who will spend countless hours reading the The Firing Line, won't support the owners of The Firing Line by subscribing to SWAT Mag.

For less than a cup of coffee a week, one can subscribe to one of the best gun rags being published.

Anyway, keep up the good work.

[Tamara]

Heh.

Or, "You can lead a horticulture..." ;)

[Rich Lucibella]

Marty-
Not so much an indictment of TFL'rs as a simple indication of reading habits. We have far more subscribers at AR15.com and TacForums.com. Such is life.
Rich

[ghostdoc]

Which leads me to a question. What brings in more revenue, subscriptions or news stand purchases? I usually pick mine up at the local cigar store. Thanks. Ed C

PS Thanks for a great mag. Nice to get a little more "How To" Articles than "Buy This One- You Can't Live Without It" Articles. :D

[Rich Lucibella]

GD-
The revenue difference between a sub and a newsstand purchase is negligible. Newsstand costs you more, but distrubutors and wholesalers eat up that margin on our end. Subs are actually preferred...we get about the same, but we get it up front with no missed issues. You pay about 40% less and get the issue weeks in advance of newsstand.
Rich

[sjstill]

I look for my monthly SWAT like a dog looks for a bone :) Start getting cranky if I think its 'late'. I need to learn how to portion it out to make it last longer!

I almost always read Louis's column first :D

[Dennis]

The first article I read by Louis Awerbuck was in the March, 2002 issue of (naturally) S.W.A.T. Magazine. I’ve read every article he’s written for S.W.A.T. since then, that’s for sure. ;)

In every article, I’ve learned something new or at least been reminded of something I should have known—all presented in a straightforward manner with a good dose of Louis’ trademark wry humor.

He’s one of the “been there, done that” guys. More importantly for the rest of us, he has a unique ability to convey knowledge and skills to others. If you think his articles are good, try taking a class from him. I promise you’ll learn something new and improve on something you already know.

And stay ready for a chuckle. After all, he signed off that March, 2002 article with:

”To the Vintner goes the Spoils”
--- Alexander the Grape

:D

[Phil306]

Louis is another top of my hand full of trainers. The amount of information in that man's head is INCREDIBLE. He teaches his courses right from his head and spits information out, in minute details, which is incredible. He can also diagnose a problem just by looking at you. Incredible...

Thin The Herd

[Barry in IN]

Mr. Lucibella-
I don't know that the observation of there being so few S.W.A.T. readers here is accurate.
Just because there is relatively little activity here, doesn't mean we aren't buyers/subscribers/readers.

Speaking for myself only, I haven't felt the need to look in this section since I have no complaints with the magazine, nor suggestions. If I did, I'd be here more.

I do leave PRAISE occaisionally in the S.W.A.T. section of another forum, since it seems that several of S.W.A.T.'s contributors post there, in addition to yourself. Might as well do it where I know they are. Maybe they are here also, but I don't know.

I only subscribed a few months ago, but have been buying them on the newsstand for a while. I'm a big Louis Awerbuck fan, although fate has seemed to work against me when it comes to getting to take a class of his.

I do admit to ignorance. I used to see the magazine, and think "SWAT? I'm not a SWAT team member, so it must not have anything for me." I remember the magazine from the mid-80's, with articles on infantry tactics, armored vehicles, and such, and thought it was the same.
Once I opened one up, the light came on.

I have to wonder if other TFLers think the same.

[KSFreeman]

Just the market at work. TFL draws different crowd.

Fewer wannabe mall ninjas here than AR15. I just want to train not sort gear. My eyes glazed over when the gear queers start in on the tacticality of shades of coyote brown. :D

[Geoff Timm]

Is S.W.A.T. one of those fiendish outfits who contract out the fullfillment department to a subcontractor?

That is, like the infamous Isaac Asimov's SF Magazine, if you subscribe will they send you 13 issues of whatever old stuff they have on the shelves, in no apparent order, and then short your subscription the same number of new magazines?

Will I get harrassed for a subscription extension on a regular basis, even if I paid two years upfront, like Consumer's Union for goodness sake?

Geoff
Whose bad experiences with magazine subscriptions has soured him on the industry. :barf:

[kobun]

Geoff, if you think that about SWAT you are so far off, your not even on the same planet.
Mention ONE other magazine where you have direct contact to the owner, publisher, writers, editors etc...

If you like the magazine, I suggest you subscribe.

Rick, as I'm on several discussion forums, do I really have to get multiple subscriptions? ;)
I'm already trying to persuade other people her in Norway to get subscriptions. :)

[Rich Lucibella]

kobun-
Thanks for the kind words and support.

Geoff-
Good questions that deserve honest answers.

Yes, we contract out to a Subscriptions House. I could bring this in house and have full time ops to answer calls, hire book keepers, buy a database program, hire DB managers and the like.....but it makes as much sense as buying a steel mill because you're in the automobile business. Your sub price would exceed $50/year

The down side:
Yup, the Sub House will send you up to four re-subscribe reminders starting when you still have 5 issues left.
I hate it, too.

The up side:
- We publish an easy way to tell when your subscription is up:
http://swatmag.com/misc/label.htm

- We will NEVER sell or "rent" your name.....NEVER.

- Email us a complaint, comment or suggestion...about a lost issue, a back issue request, or anything else. If the response doesn't come from me 3/4 times, your next year is on the house. (I actually receive ALL of these happily. I delegate very few, usually when I'm travelling.)

- Send a letter or email to the Editor: I GUARANTEE you a personal response from Denny.

- Re-Up reminders: Today, I outlined development of a program to remind subscribers by email that your subscription is terminating. This will be far less intrusive than Snail Mail and far easier to respond to, either with a "No, don't contact me again." or a link-click to re-up.

Ultimately, though, the real issues are:
1) Do we sell our list?
Answer: Under No Circumstances

2) Is the magazine worth the subscription price?
Answer: That one's up to you.

Rich Lucibella
Proud Publisher
SWAT Magazine

[Tamara]

Y'know, I've gotten so much value out of Pat Rogers' "How To" articles alone that I've figured out a relatively inexpensive way to stuff the Coyote Brown stockings on my Xmas list. :o

[gordo b.]

Allthough I have all the post Larry Flint Issues, and most of the originals including 1,2 &3, I too am afraid to subscribe. But with Rich giving his word of honor not to Rent my name out I am getting closer. Can't miss a rambling word that falls from Yoda's mouth. ;)

[gordo b.]

I thought Chuck Taylor was a hoot, ever since having him be my training rangemaster at GunSite. A Lewis Awerbuck he isn't! A Scotty Reitz he isn't, not haveing trained under Pat Rogers (yet) I can't say for sure but I'll bet he is of equal stature. Ditto Clint Smith, and I'm sure many others. Chuck Taylor like Jim Cirrullo(spelling?) do have an important niche is the game and don't deserve to be dissed! Denny Hanson seems real enough , Like Capt Ken Cambell, a neat guy to train under! :)

[Don Gwinn]

Forget SWAT the company for a moment . . . . you can trust Rich Lucibella with your life.

Of course, as a comp subscriber I'm legally required to say that publicly three times per month. This kind of post works fine, but the PTA meeting got awkward. . . . :p