With YouTube changing its policies regarding channels that produce pro-Second Amendment and pro-gun content, and as many of these channels worry about their future on the platform, Bearing Arms has compiled a list of the Top 5 Must-Watch YouTube Channels for Second Amendment supporters and gun lovers. A video from each channel is linked below for your viewing pleasure.
5. sootch00
Sootch00 got its start back in September 2008. Over the years, Sootch, the host, has gained hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and his videos have amassed millions and millions of views.
The channel aims to promote “rugged individualism, independent thinking, and self-reliance,” and Sootch doesn’t shy away from saying, “I’m a Christian Conservative and make no apologies for Standing for good and Against oppression.”
“Be Strong, Be of Good Courage. God Bless America, Long Live the Republic!” he adds.
When it comes to content on Sootch’s channel, there’s a little something for everyone. More than a channel dedicated to shooting firearms, Sootch conducts reviews of guns and has playlists for specific types. Whether it be handguns, AR-15s, other rifles, or shotguns, chances are Sootch has reviewed it. He has also dedicated part of his channel to doing optic reviews. Thrown into the mix are “How To” videos and videos where he gives his opinions on gun issues and news regarding gun policy.
If you like knives and multi-tools, Sootch has content on those too. Need a good flashlight? He has you covered. Also linked to his channel are survival and prepping videos which he created on his SensiblePreppers channel. In these videos, Sootch teaches survival hacks, whether it be building a tin can stove or giving “the top ten uses for petroleum jelly.”
Sootch’s channel is one of the most popular gun channels on YouTube and deservedly so. Though some of the videos can be lengthy, and he admits that five-minute videos are ideal for maintaining viewership, he uploads these videos to “teach, and to inspire a love for, not only firearms but also for the Second Amendment.”
You can watch more of Sootch00’s videos here. And those interested in Sootch00’s response to YouTube’s policy changes can find it here.
4. Colion Noir
Here at Bearing Arms, we’ve written various stories on Colion Noir, from his interview with rapper Killer Mike to him lashing out at those who claim the National Rifle Association is racist and exposing the hypocrisy of the Black Lives Matter movement. Not only is he a commentator and member of the NRA, but he’s a lawyer, gun enthusiast, gun rights activist, a self-described “concealed carry firearms aficionado,” and host of the shows “NOIR” and “CN Live.” His YouTube channel is a must watch.
With hundreds of thousands of subscribers and millions of views since the channel’s creation in January 2011, there are a few reasons why Noir’s voice resonates with conservatives and gun owners.
While Colion Noir does reviews of various firearms like most gun channels out there, he has created a brand of his own. Videos on Noir’s channel can have a humorous side, or he can look right into the camera and deliver an impassioned monologue where he speaks out against gun control and the rhetoric pushed by anti-gun activists. Instead of just shooting firearms and talking about them in every video, Noir will address the difficulties that gun-rights advocates face as well as pick apart weak arguments from progressives. Furthermore, rather than offer critiques of his political opponents without answers, Noir proposes solutions to problems like school shootings and gun free zones. He, like his fellow NRA spokespeople, has also gone after the mainstream media for its coverage of mass shootings. The March for Our Lives? He has you covered there too.
What’s unique about Noir is, while he entertains viewers, he also educates and offers people a different perspective that they may not otherwise hear. Though some channels stay away from the political side of firearms, Noir isn’t afraid to speak his mind, making him a must-watch for any gun owner and Second Amendment supporter.
Check out more of Noir’s content here.
3. Forgotten Weapons
If you go to the Forgotten Weapons channel, it’s guaranteed you’ll find a video on a firearm that you either completely forgot about or didn’t even know existed. Instead of focusing on modern guns, the creator, Ian McCollum, focuses on weapons that are lesser known.
The description of the channel reads:
At Forgotten Weapons, I think the most interesting guns out there are the most obscure ones. I try to search out experimental and prototype weapons and show you how they work, in addition to more conventional guns that you may not have heard of before. You’re much more likely to find a video on the Cei Rigotti or Webley-Fosbery here than an AR or Glock. So, do you want to learn about something new today? Then stick around!
Forgotten Weapons certainly delivers when it comes to teaching something new. The channel educates viewers on guns from all over the world, and, at times, McCollum will travel to different countries to find, shoot, and talk about different weapons. Just to name a few, Forgotten Weapons has done videos on firearms from countries like Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, and Japan. Occasionally, Forgotten Weapons will do videos on knives and grenade launchers, too.
While viewers won’t see every gun in action, McCollum will fire some at the range, like the German Walther WA2000 and the Walther Toggle-Locked Shotgun.
With hundreds of thousands of subscribers and more than 200 million views, the channel does its best to keep the content coming, as the host tries to upload one new video every day. After checking out this channel, you’re sure to know more than you did before you visited.
Learn more about Forgotten Weapons here. While McCollum will continue to upload content to YouTube, see where else he will be posting videos in light of Youtube’s changes here.
2. Hickok45
Hickok45, aka Greg Kinman, has a significant following. His subscriber count is in the millions, and his channel has almost a billion views. What has made his channel so successful since its creation in 2011? Well, Kinman knows a lot about firearms, teaches viewers something they may not have known before in each video, and he likes to have fun shooting. Not to mention, he gets to shoot some amazing firearms.
Without getting into Hickok45’s background, his channel’s description tells you all you need to know:
WELCOME to HICKOK45! You’re at a drama-free, “family-friendly” shooting channel! Please see the short FAQ Videos before asking questions. My son and I do shooting videos of all sorts: Occasionally, a silly shooting video might pop up; sorry if you’re “sense-of-humor challenged.” Life is short. 🙂 Thanks for watching!
Like most of the gun YouTube channels, Hickok45 has different categories of videos. But his “Special Targets” section, with the warning, “Unusual targets are shot in these videos. If you’re lacking a sense of humor, don’t go here!” will certainly catch your eye. You may enjoy his video “Pumpkin Carving With a Glock 21.”
But more importantly, Hickock45 dedicates a section of his homepage to videos about gun safety, including how to ensure firearms are out of the reach of children, as well as knowing how to shoot steel targets safely. At Bearing Arms we’ve reported before on stories of negligence or where gun owners ignore basic gun safety rules, and, as a result, someone is killed or seriously injured. To see a channel taking the time to inform others about how to handle a firearm properly is a plus.
Hickok45’s sense of humor, knowledge, and ability to have fun while exercising his Second Amendment right makes him a must-watch.
Other videos from Hickok45’s channel can be found here. And Hickok45’s response to YouTube’s new policies can be viewed here.
1. Demolition Ranch
Coming in at number one on our list is Demolition Ranch, a channel that hasn’t garnered quite as many overall views as Hickok45’s channel, but it is well on its way to a billion views. It has over a million more subscribers than Hickok45 and is by far the most entertaining channel here. The channel’s description tells you all you need to know:
Watch the rest of Carriker’s videos here. To see how YouTube’s policies have affected Carriker’s channel, watch here (skip to the 10:22 mark).
Only time will tell if these channels survive YouTube’s policy changes. If not, most have a plan to take their content, and their millions of viewers, elsewhere.
Did your favorite channel make the list?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member