I did not realize that blogs were the new scapegoat for every rumor in the gun industry, but apparently that is our new role. Today’s Outdoor Wire reports that blogs were a source of crazy rumors about Daniel Defense on Friday and throughout the weekend. I turned to Sebastian and asked if he had even heard of Daniel Defense, muchless remembered reading anything about them this weekend because I certainly did not. He did not.
The first thing I need to handle is rumor control. I know the blogosphere was rolling Friday and through the weekend with the story of the demise – or impending demise- of Daniel Defense. The company that’s been known for very nicely done AR-15 accessory rails and other parts had jumped into the hot complete-AR rifle market with both feet, adding a barrel-machine and other capital investments to allow them to market their own, branded Daniel Defense rifles. …
As a company official told Rich, the rumors of their demise is “complete BS.”
I checked Uncle’s site – nothing. I checked the go-to blog for industry news, The Firearm Blog – nothing. So if Uncle didn’t hear about it as one of the largest linky-love gun blogs, and if Steve who focuses specifically on the industry-related news didn’t hear about it, who in the blogosphere was spreading this rumor? It’s research time.
A Google blog search shows exactly one result for any news about Daniel Defense’s bad fortunes. I found one forum hit. One. And it was not a blog, it was a forum. That forum hit also did not say that Daniel Defense was going out of business, merely reporting that they furloughed employees, which is exactly the story that Jim confirmed in today’s Outdoor Wire. When I searched the general web for any other potential blog hits Google may have missed, I don’t see any such rumors in many pages of search results.
This is the second time in a month that Jim has used the blogosphere as a scapegoat for the rumor mill when I could find no evidence to back up the claims. If any readers find evidence that the blogosphere was responsible for spreading rumors about the demise of Daniel Defense this weekend, please share it, and I will make the correction. In the meantime, I find the claims dubious. One forum hit that merely discusses the fact that Daniel Defense really did furlough their workers does not justify the wording in TOW’s story to lay the blame on blogs.
UDPATE: Uncle just found weekend hit number two – again, a forum. And once again, as I read through it, it’s all about the confirmed information from the CEO of Daniel Defense who did an interview with the local paper. Still looking for that big bad blog rumor…
I am not a little irritated at the blogosphere being blamed for rumors. We are an easy target, it is kind of like saying “the internet did it”, except us gun bloggers are relatively small group and we sure as hell know what each other are writing.
I think my problem is that I know Jim understands the difference between an industry rumor and an internet rumor. He also understands the difference between forums, blogs, and emails. Unfortunately, a huge percentage (if not an outright majority) of people he writes for in TOW don’t understand these differences. So when he blames the blogosphere for things no one in the blogosphere said, it really does nothing but hurt us.
Jim commands respect from the industry, so to see accusations like this consistently running in TOW, it’s disturbing. You’ve mentioned trouble you’ve had getting industry folks just to include you on releases. This would be one reason why they would hesitate.
I would say that the rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated – I was just shooting one of their new DDXV rifles yesterday, and it’s just a T&E gun.
Where are you reading these rumors, Caleb? That’s the point of this post. Did you find the rumors floating around on a blog that Google and Yahoo haven’t indexed?
I’m plenty familiar with Daniel Defense; we stocked their product ‘way back in ’05. I used one of their Burnsed Loops on my main AR.
On the other hand, who the hell is this “Jim” guy?
I’m a little puzzled on this myself. I heard the Daniels “rumor” from a company who’s looking to hire some of the Daniels’ employees. I called Jim Shepherd and passed along what I heard, but I DID NOT blog about it. I did mention to Jim that the Daniels Defense situation was consistent with what I had heard on the road last week at some of the other black rifle manufacturers. I’ve been blogging and podcasting since the NRA Show (where I “called”: the top of the market) on the implications of the black rifle bubble “popping,” mostly in terms of cancelled backorders, which every expects.
My recommendation for individuals remains the same as it was 18 months ago…if you don’t have an AR and mags, but one now!
Michael B
I saw the one at ArfCom that you linked to, but that’s it.
Michael,
Be sure to let us know if you ever find out how this came to be blamed on bloggers. I can’t even find anything in the forum posts that says they were going out of business. A few complaints about their prices, armchair quarterbacks making assumptions about cashflow, and well wishes to overcome a bump in the road were there, but nothing that could translate as a rumor they were going under. Not to mention, forums aren’t blogs.
Saw it on Sig Forum last night, but none of my RSS feeds showed anything.
Technorati indexs blog more frequently and completely than Bing, Google, or Yahoo!. They have nothing.
I’ve heard of Daniel Defense and I’m a nobody. No complaints about prices out here in California – but Jim who?
There was a post on my forum that quoted that same Savannah Morning News article about the furlough.
No one that posted said anything about them closing for good. In fact one of the laid off employees said it is a great place to work and hopes he gets hired back soon. He said he was not holding his breath on that and will look for other work but loves the DD products and any future AR builds will probably have DD products as part of the build.
Bitter-Heart-Of-My-Heart;
Strangely enough, there are several things afoot in Gun Universe that I can’t speak about. Suffice to say that in the broadcast world several networks are all locked in STEEL CAGE DEATH BATTLE for viewers, and that is bleeding over onto the Internet. My shows are all Nielsen-rated, and heaven knows I’m readily identified and visible on the Internet. Jim Shepherd is my friend for lot of years, but we are direct competitors…
mb
Makes sense. :)
The Sportsman Channel, Outdoor Life, and (maybe) VS. Network? I’m trying to think who else would be in that market.
I do believe you mean Outdoor Channel, the channel Michael calls home, as opposed to Outdoor Life, the publication. :)
It does appear that Jim has mad an apology about this. The Firearm Blog link above has it.
I am aware, that’s why I’m posting about it right now. TOW published while I was still asleep this morning. I didn’t want to post the statement last night since it hadn’t gone out.
Yeah, that’s what I meant. Gee, thanks for the correction.