Ted is right, the gun writers were praising the short barrels for a decade or so, but everybody wasn't buying what they were selling. Those who would think for themselves, experiment with different barrel lengths and guns, until they found what worked best for them, continued to think for themselves. There will always be those who take what they perceive as an "expert's" opinion to be their own mantra, who don't think for themselves. It's sad there are so many parrots, but it is what it is.
Oftimes, it was not the writers that instigated it, but the gun manufacturers, trying to come up with some new novelty to gain a greater market share, or even create a new mini-market. Pushing 25 and 26" barrels in advertising hype is how they did it, then ...... the gun writers just got on board and helped paddle, as they are wont to do.
SRH
