Hindsight from The New Gun Week January 1, 1999
Time for Your Input Again
by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive EditorWhile this is the first issue of Gun Week dated in 1999, it is being published and mailed just before Christmas 1998. With this issue we begin Gun Week's 33rd year of publication.
The past year has been a busy and tumultuous one. As it closes we have seen the beginning of an entirely new system for regulating firearms sales: the National Instant Check System (NICS) in which everyone who buys any kind of firearm from a licensed dealer-whether in an FFL's store or at a gun show-and everyone who reclaims a gun from a pawn broker must first be confirmed by the FBI to be an innocent person. We have seen an off-year election which reflected a massive disconnect between eligible voters and the political process. We have seen at least two House Speakers come and go through the revolving doors of public opinion and congressional power in a few short weeks. The Speaker of the House is constitutionally the next person in line to succeed to the presidency in an emergency after the vice president. And we have seen the impeachment of a president for only the second time in our 212-year history.
This seemed a good time for us to ask you to tell you more about yourself, your interest in firearms, and about what you like best and least about Gun Week.
The short questionnaire below is part of a survey of readership which we conduct from time to time to help us shape the editorial and advertising policies of Gun Week. As a firearms newspaper serving the entire gun community, we believe we have an obligation to encourage two-way communications with our readers.
Many write from time to time to share opinions and give suggestions and criticisms. A survey approach helps us to quantify much of the input we get and helps us to provide you with a newspaper that better fits the needs of most readers.
Nothing is as constant as change and many of us who are involved with the publishing of Gun Week every week need to be aware of changes in the needs and attitudes of our readers.
Some of the questions may seem somewhat personal, but the survey is anonymous. There is no place for you to give your name or sign the survey. We are looking for general data about our readers rather than about any one reader.
With your help, we will continue provide you with the best newspaper we can. If you feel you would like to add longer personal comments on a separate sheet, please feel free to do so. Please note the Jan. 30, 1999 deadline for return of questionnaires and the mailing address at the end of the survey. Thank you for your cooperation and help.
Survey Questionnaire
1. Check the one description that best fits your community.
__________ City over 500,000 population __________ City 100,000 to 499,999 population
__________ City 25,000 to 99,999 __________ Suburban community
__________ Rural area
2. Please indicate the highest formal education level attained.
_________ Grade School Graduate __________ High School Graduate
_________ Some College _________ Two-Year College/Technical school
_________ Four-Year College Degree _________ Post Graduate Degree
3. _________ Married _________ Single _________ Have children under 18 living at home
4. _________ Own home _________ Rent home
5. Please indicate age bracket.
_________ 18-25 Years _________ 26-35 Years _________ 36-49 Years
_________ 50-64 Years _________ Over 65
6. Please check nearest combined household income.
_________ Under $20,000 per year _________ $20,001-30,000 per year
_________ $30,001-40,000 per year _________ $40,001-$50,000 per year
_________ $50,001-$65,000 per year _________ Over $65,000 per year
7. Please indicate number of items owned in each category.
____ Rifles ____ Shotguns ____ Handguns ____ Airguns
____ Reloading Equipment ____ Optical/Electronic Sights ____ Archery Gear
____ Hunting Dog(s) ____ Pickup, Van or SUV ____ Huntable Acreage
8. Purchased item or service advertised in Gun Week during past 12 months?
_________ Yes _________ No
9. Average number of readers per issue: ____ In Home ____ Out of Home _____ Total
10. Number of years you have subscribed to Gun Week.
_________ Less than One Year _________ Between 1 and 3 Years _________ Over 3 Years
11a. Do you have an FFL? _________ Yes _________ No
11b. Do you have state dealer license, where required? _________ Yes _________ No
11c. Do you have concealed carry license for your state? _________ Yes _________ No Your State _____________
If yes, is your state licensing... _________ Shall-Issue _________ Discretionary
Favored defensive caliber _______
12 a. HUNTING
Approximate number of days per year hunting the following.
____ Small Game ____ Big Game ____ Waterfowl
____ Bowhunting ____ Black Powder Hunting
12b. Do you use: _________ factory ammo _________ reloads for most hunting.
13a. TARGET SHOOTING (Please check all the types of organized competition during the past 12 months.)
____ Trap ____ Skeet _____ Smallbore Rifle ____ Highpower Rifle ____ Rimfire Pistol
____ Centerfire Pistol ____ Action Pistol ____ Benchrest ____ Muzzleloading ____ Plinking
13b. Do you use? ____ factory ammo ____ reloads ____ both.
13c. Are you enrolled in... ____ DCM ____ other registered competition.
14a. COLLECTING
Do you regularly buy or trade guns for collecting purposes?
____ Yes ____ No
If yes, what specialty? _______________________________________________________
14b. Do you belong to an organization of collectors?
____ Yes ____ No
14c. Do you ____ Exhibit ____ attend gun and knife shows.
14d. Do you use Gun Week's Gun Show Calendar to plan exhibits or attendance at shows?
____ Yes ____ No
15. Have you purchased any firearms exclusively for home, business or personal protection?
____ Yes ____ No
16. Have you written to an elected/appointed official about firearms or hunting legislation during the past 12 months?
____ Yes ____ No
17. Have you phoned or personally met an elected official to discuss legislation during the past 12 months?
____ Yes ____ No
18. Have you written a Letter to the Editor or called in to a Radio/TV Talk Show in the past year?
____ Yes ____ No
19. Did you use any editorial material you got in Gun Week in any letters or speeches?
____ Yes ____ No
20. Do you use the Internet for ? News ? Background information ? Email
? Bulletin boards ? Chat rooms
20. Did you vote in the 1998 Congressional/state election?
____ Yes ____ No
22. Did you vote in your last state legislative and/or gubernatorial election?
____ Yes ____ No
23. If you did not vote, are you registered to vote?
____ Yes ____ No
24. Please list three things you like best about Gun Week._______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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25. Please list three things you like least about Gun Week.______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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Please mail this completed questionnaire or a copy of it to: Gun Week Survey, PO Box 488, Buffalo, NY 14209-0488. Or, you can e-mail it to: gunweeksaf@broadviewnet.net or FAX to 1-716-884-4471.
The New Gun Week is published three times a month by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) on the 1st, 10th, and 20th. Hindsight is a commentary written by SAF President and Gun Week Executive Editor Joseph P. Tartaro. This commentary may be reprinted so long as credit is given to the author and the publication. For more information or to subscribe, write Gun Week, PO Box 488, Buffalo, NY 14209, or call 716-885-6408 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, or inquire on Compuserve to John Krull, Production manager-JohnSAF@Compuserve.com or gunweeksaf@broadviewnet.netAlso, check out the New Gun Week at http://www.GunWeek.com