Podcasts – Page 4 – Fill Yer Hands

This week, JP at the EyesNeverClosed blog posted the first episode of his podcast, the Empty Mags Podcast. If he keeps up with it, I think it’ll be a good one to watch.

The first installment was impressive, and not just because he told about this blog in the first five minutes.

JP’s style is relaxed and conversational. He really appeals to me because his target audience is the everyday shooter, the regular guy or gal who owns a couple of guns and shoots for fun, competition, and self defense, not an operator. He maintains an even pace throughout the show, and he changes topics effectively.

The main topic of the first episode is deciding whether to build your first AR rifle, or build it. I won’t give away his advice, but he convinced me. Give a listen and see if you agree.

I love where I live in Kennesaw, Georgia. But that means I’ve never had a very easy commute, dealing with Atlanta traffic, which means I have to have something in the car to keep me interested, or I go nuts.

In the past couple of years I’ve found a number of podcasts that fit this bill nicely. I’m always sampling new podcasts, some of which I like, and some not so much. Over the next few weeks I’ll share what I’ve found, starting with the ones I listen to regularly.

Gun Talk
http://guntalk.libsyn.com/
Available on iTunes

I wanted to start this feature with the first podcast I started listening to. Tom Gresham hosts a weekly 3 hour syndicated radio show covering all facets of the shooting world. I first came across this show one Sunday afternoon on satellite radio, and when I discovered the podcast, it became a staple.

Gun Talk is a very well produced radio variety show, where the topic happens to be shooting, hunting, reloading, and self defense. Tom mixes interviews and personal commentary with listener calls and other segments.

For me, the top feature is the interviews. Tom’s interviews feature the top people in shooting and gun rights, from Rob Leatham and Doug Koenig, to Alan Gura and Congressman Darrel Issa. He also does interviews with gun and accessory manufacturers, and trainers like Tiger McKee and Ed Head, which are very informative. Tom is a great interviewer.

The call-in segments are a good mix of information and listener questions. Having been involved in shooting from a very early age (Tom is the son of legendary gun writer Grits Gresham), Tom usually has an answer, but he’s also quick to admit when he doesn’t. Fortunately, the listeners almost always have an answer, so stay tuned.

Tom handles discord well. Callers who disagree are never dismissed out of hand or derided. Rather, Tom states his view, and does so compellingly.

Tom also hosts and produces several TV shows on the Versus network – Gun Talk TV, Guns and Gear, Personal Defense TV – and he gives good information on what’s coming up on those shows.

Gun Talk is my Monday commute, and it starts my week off well.