Question about Handloader Magazine.

[Kelly Green]

Do any of you folks subscribe to Handloader magazine and if so what are your opinions? Does it provide good unbiased advice and how-to articles on reloading and casting or does it mainly promote products like so many other magazines?

I’m asking because I received an offer in the mail to subscribe and was wondering if, at $20 for six issues, it would be worthwhile. I don’t reload a lot of calibers, no shot shell or rifle, mainly .45ACP, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum and .38 Special.

Thanks in advance,
Kel

 

[JBnTx]

I think a subscription to any magazine is a waste of money.

All that information, and more, can be found on the internet for free.

The only time I buy a magazine is if they have a particular article that I must have.

Subscriptions in general are not a good idea, because they already have your money
and can then put any garbage they want into their magazine.

If everyone bought them by single issue at the store, then they'd have to put interesting articles
so people would buy their magazine.

In other words, they'd have to compete with other magazines.
Buying a subscription means they no longer must compete with other publishers.

..

 

[cooperduper]

I am a subscriber to Handloader and Rifle, both from Wolfe Publishing. They are some of the best magazines out there. For the calibers you are interested in, there are always good articles in Handloader. The quality of information is very high. I, personally, use subscriptions because they end up costing a fraction of buying over-the-counter and the magazines arrive at my door well before they hit newsstands or stores.

As far as finding your information from the web, I'd be careful who's information you "subscribe" to.

 

[Rule3]

I can not say for Handloader as I never recieved it. I have looked at a few issues in the store. I canceled all my other Gun mags (except American Rifleman) as they were nothing but ads and every gun was the greatest ever. I have all the major manuals so I do not know what a magazine is gonna tell me?? Is there new earth shattering load data??

 

[Frank237]

I've got 95% of both RIFLE and HANDLOADER since they started in the early 70's. I often go through back issues for information or data.

I like HANDLOADER especially as I'm far more pistol oriented now than years back when I still hunted and used my rifles far more than I do today.

I still subscribe to both and find that despite 45 years of being in the handloading and gun game I'm still finding the articles informative and the information timely.

SUBSCRIBE!

FN in MT

 

[rockquarry]

HANDLOADER and RIFLE have been around since the 'sixties. Articles seem shorter and fewer, but these magazines remain the best in the business.

 

[Titegroups]

I used to receive it, one of the few gun mags worth paying for IMO. Brian Pearce knows his stuff.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

A big thumbs up for Handloader! I subsribe mainly for Brian Pearce's articals. He is a very good source for loading for modren handguns with safe loads you will not find in most all reloading manuals that have to stick with loads for the older weak sister guns.

 

[kennyb]

i have subscribed to handloader magazine for several years now...it's a quality publication for reloaders...they have articles on guns etc as well...i too have found a number of things here that i didn't know...and i have all the major reloading guides/books

 

[mikld]

I don't subscribe, but I buy most issues of Handloader as they appear on the shelf at my local market. I have seen no obvious discrepancies from safe loading data/practices, and the advertising doesn't seem to be too much.Lots of interesting articles, even some bullet casting info. I like it.

 

[Sebago Son]

"Handloader" is comprehensive, trustworthy, well illustrated and on-point. "Rifle" is the only other magazine in it's class. All the others that I used to enjoy so much in my youth, have turned into pulp advertizing.

As an aside, I enjoy "Fur-Fish-Game" aka: "The Harding's Magazine for the Practical Outdoorsman" so much that I give subscriptions away every Christmas....

 

[Homie]

Kel,
"The Handloader Magazine"(original title)has been an outstanding source of information since 1966. It's had some lean years, but I think Dave Scovill has done a great job in the past several years. A lot of great articles.
I have a complete bound set of it and RIFLE, but if I had to pick one it would be Handloader.

Check out their online subs as well.

Scientia potentia est.

Good shooting.

 

[k53]

I pick it up when i see it at the store. . I'm a newbe, so to me the adds are nice also shows me what's out there. I also like the way they give a little history on the cartege,and the guns that used it to a new guy its a good way to learn.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Handloader & Rifle are probably the best gun magazines out there.

 

[Dragon88]

Handloader is a good magazine, one of the better gun rags out there these days. The writers in this magazine know their stuff, and do some very interesting articles. They do mention and promote products, but I have seen every single brand of reloading gear mentioned in the magazine. They are not bias, they promote what works. Often times they write about using decades old molds or boutique reloading gear vendors for special projects.

I don't subscribe, but I would highly recommend picking up an issue or two at the store to see if you like it.

 

[mtgianni]

Handloader is the best reloading magazine out there. It has dumbed down to the level that Gun's and Ammo was in the 70's so if you remember when it was great it isn't anymore. It is still the best but all levels of gun rags have dropped.

 

[Goldstar225]

I had a subscription but it lapsed. I need to get another. In the meantime I grab them off the shelf. Despite the fact that I only load for about 6 calibers, I get a lot of please in reading about calibers that I'll never have. So far I have enjoyed the technical perspectives of internal ballistics. It's another case of the more I learn the more I realize I don't know.

 

[358156hp]

Handloader & Rifle have their ups and downs. Lately Handloader seems to be on an upswing, and Rifle on a down turn, at least for me. I subscribed for years, but no longer do. I buy them on the news stand, so I can preview them if desired. They have improved greatly in the last few years, five years ago I wouldn't even look at them on the news stand at all. Now I'm willing to be somewhat open minded.

 

[Tin]

Handloader is well worth the $ 20 bucks they want...Rifle is excellent also, although I only get Handloader now.....Both mags would come on alternate months and would make good reading on those cold winter evenings..Twenty dollars isn't much when compared to a couple six-packs or a carton of smokes..You never know,,you just might get a pistol caliber rifle in the future...........TIN..

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have had subscriptions to Handloader, Shooting Times and Rifle magazines for a long time. There are times I have gotten copies of those magazines for under a Dollar compared to $5 or $6 on the newsstand. I think they are worthwhile purchases.

Last year I got a full year of Guns & Ammo for only $5. That's 12 issues for less than the price on one copy of the magazine when bought at the store!