Guess I'm getting old or something but it chaps my hide with Gun Digest. Years back I subscribed to the The Shotgun News. [1950's]. It came as half a newspaper about every 2 weeks. Don't remember the cost but I could afford it. It got worse & worse until the Gun Digest came along in the '90's. I subscribed & dropped the Shotgun News. Some outfit in Maine has completely taken over the ads.Every thing they advertise is about 10% over retail.The same thing has happened as before with the News. So darn high I'm giving up. Sorry for the rant but I wonder if others here on the Forum agree. By the way,it's Veterans Day & I wish all my Vet friends a good day & many Thanks for your service. SFC R.A. Rumbaugh, NG28146467
-
Forum Update: We've upgraded the software to improve security, performance, and the overall experience.
👉 Read why we made the change | Support the Forum
Gun Digest Rant
- Thread starter Old 44 Guy
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
I'll occasionally scan the table of contents of a gun magazine at the grocery magazine rack, but haven't subscribed in years. They've become little more than advertising circulars for the companies that pay the most for ads. I'd rather get my info here.
venomballistics
Member
I can remember when a writeup on a gun included a strip down and detailed description of each and every part.
now, oh look it's a glock, and it's a 9mm.
Oh yeah, before I forget, .... it shoots too.
Here's some pictures
yeah, more and more lately, things leave me flat.
now, oh look it's a glock, and it's a 9mm.
Oh yeah, before I forget, .... it shoots too.
Here's some pictures
yeah, more and more lately, things leave me flat.
model70hunter
Member
In storage I still have a Shotgun news from the 70's or very early 80's. The next time I see it I'm gonna look it over, just to remind myself of the good old days.
I did the Shotgun news. I dropped it and went to Gun Digest and was pleased with the way they organized guns by alphabet.
But it too changed and I dropped it. I recently started it up again after many years, they have articles and very few guns for sale, mostly ads. And often a short article is followed by an ad for the person or company in the story.
I now remember why I dropped it, the internet. Online sales. Why I can type in Winchester pre 64 model 70 for sale and see more beater 30-06's than I can ever afford with one click of the enter key.
Here is how it worked in the old days, one found the ad for Old Sarge and ordered replacement trigger sear parts to replace ones some idiot filed down to make an AR 15 work like an AR 16. You filled out an order, sent in a check, waited for a while and got your items.
Some fella wants you to take his Gold Cup and put all new fancier parts in it, find the ad, fill out an order, include a check, get the parts and make ole none to bright happy with his custom GC.
Now it is search, hit enter, pick out the parts, either fax it or call it in and give your credit card #.
Dick, the internet killed our old way of life.
I did the Shotgun news. I dropped it and went to Gun Digest and was pleased with the way they organized guns by alphabet.
But it too changed and I dropped it. I recently started it up again after many years, they have articles and very few guns for sale, mostly ads. And often a short article is followed by an ad for the person or company in the story.
I now remember why I dropped it, the internet. Online sales. Why I can type in Winchester pre 64 model 70 for sale and see more beater 30-06's than I can ever afford with one click of the enter key.
Here is how it worked in the old days, one found the ad for Old Sarge and ordered replacement trigger sear parts to replace ones some idiot filed down to make an AR 15 work like an AR 16. You filled out an order, sent in a check, waited for a while and got your items.
Some fella wants you to take his Gold Cup and put all new fancier parts in it, find the ad, fill out an order, include a check, get the parts and make ole none to bright happy with his custom GC.
Now it is search, hit enter, pick out the parts, either fax it or call it in and give your credit card #.
Dick, the internet killed our old way of life.
Last edited:
Fishinfool
Member
Are we talking about the yearly publication "Gun Digest", the one that used to be edited by John Amber? I haven't read one in a while, and if so, it must have changed. They never used to run classifieds in it. It was always half gun articiles, and half listings of about all the guns available on the market, with specs. and retail prices.
The Shotgun News has gone down hill, with far less content, and mostly black rifle advertisement.
Larry
The Shotgun News has gone down hill, with far less content, and mostly black rifle advertisement.
Larry
No, we're talking about the classifieds issue that comes out about every two weeks. If you haggle with them, you can get a yearly subscription for around $15.
It was formerly Gun List, then it transitioned to Gun Digest, the Magazine. I dropped it several years ago, after subscribing for close to twenty years. The physical size was slashed and and as stated, the ads are now dominated by one dealer. Before the internet took hold, Gun List yielded a few good deals for me and was a good way to follow values and find an occasional rare gun. They have added some articles trying to re-define themselves, but I doubt it will save them.
I had saved all the old copies, but finally decided to throw them away. I didn't give it a second thought when I was hauling two or three issues at a time down into the basement and sticking them in a box, but they were basically useless as a reference tool and they were taking up too much space. Removing my name and address from each issue and hauling the boxes to the curb was a major undertaking! I think it took me about a month of trash days to finally rid myself of the last of them. Never again!
The Gun Digest Annuals are another story. I regularly use those and Shooter's Bible as reference. I'll let my heirs haul them to the curb!
Last edited:
Biggfoot44
Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2013
- Messages
- 2,060
- Reaction score
- 1,595
I iused to really like "Gun List" . All alphibetized ads , and a goodly percentage were from private individuals vs dealers. In the current "Gun Digest , the magazine" guise, it is neither fish nor fowl. Lacks the organized in depth advertisments , but at same time too thin to be a worthwhile gun 'zine. I'll some times scan on the shelf , but the feature articles are best obtained in the periodic "Treasury" issues.
SGN is mostly disapointing for other than a couple of the coloumnists. But when the subscriptions are on sale , it is all but free. Periodically I would subscribe , and then toss 2/3 within 5min. But just recently subscribed again becaise it was nearly free. I figured even if I imeadatly tossed 75% , it was still cheaper than paying single issue price on the few that actually interested me.
SGN is mostly disapointing for other than a couple of the coloumnists. But when the subscriptions are on sale , it is all but free. Periodically I would subscribe , and then toss 2/3 within 5min. But just recently subscribed again becaise it was nearly free. I figured even if I imeadatly tossed 75% , it was still cheaper than paying single issue price on the few that actually interested me.
I too subscribed to both over the years but don't anymore because of the ads and lack of other content, they served their purpose in the days before widespread internet use by both buyers and sellers. Sold several older collectible long guns thru the Want to Purchase ads.
Brian41
Member
I've dropped my subscription to Shotgun News after trying them again since the good old days. Always the same ads and a few interesting articles but the internet has replaced all that today.
We used to get it at work and had some good deals back in the day. It was about the only source for guns and gun things besides the LGS.
We used to get it at work and had some good deals back in the day. It was about the only source for guns and gun things besides the LGS.
dcxplant
Member
That and,
a lot of "reviews" are warmed over manufacture press releases and product descriptions.
Lots of lazy writing and self editing by writers emailing submissions straight to press. Are there editors anymore?
When you stop and realize that for all the "reviews" in gun rags you virtually never read a negative or even critical one, you realize they're misleading and pointless save for pictures to drool over.
There appears to be a quid-pro-quo relationship between the publishers and the manufacturers: the rags get access to all the latest and greatest in return for advertising masquerading as journalism.
Vote with your wallet, especially when a world of interesting and often valuable critical assessments of everything under the sun are available for free with a few keystrokes.
There appears to be a quid-pro-quo relationship between the publishers and the manufacturers: the rags get access to all the latest and greatest in return for advertising masquerading as journalism.
Vote with your wallet, especially when a world of interesting and often valuable critical assessments of everything under the sun are available for free with a few keystrokes.
italiansport
Member
Shotgun News used to serve a purpose when it was dominated by gun owners offering to sell or trade items in their collections. Another factor has been the drying up of the surplus gun importation market which is extremely difficult to operate in due to the current administration. Now SGN is primarily a dealers advertising medium and if SARCO and a few others ever cease to advertise there it will probably be the end of this publication.
As dealers have primarily destroyed gunshows they have also destroyed these publications we all used to subscribe to and enjoy.
I guess it's a sign of the times and there's no going back. About the only places I see a lot of individuals selling guns on anymore are places like Backpage.
Jim
As dealers have primarily destroyed gunshows they have also destroyed these publications we all used to subscribe to and enjoy.
I guess it's a sign of the times and there's no going back. About the only places I see a lot of individuals selling guns on anymore are places like Backpage.
Jim
Last edited:
zzzippper
Member
Dick, it is not a good idea to post your service number. With it anyone can get your service record and they're halfway to stealing your identity. I used to work at the Army Personnel Record Center in St. Louis. You would be amazed at how easy this would be to do.
I think that it has been at least twenty years since I have bought a gun mag or rag of any sort. I doubt that I'm missing anything.
LVSteve
Member
What frosts me about most magazines is that the pistol reviewer ALWAYS spends two paragraphs telling you why he prefers a 1911 trigger when given a gun that isn't a 1911. I don't give a rats' what he prefers, just review the gun, please.
Similarly, with rifle reviewers I pretty much scream when they go on about Remington's "three rings of steel" when reviewing a Winchester or a Savage or... well, anything else. Oh, and as for the Mauser 98 style action being the only decent bolt action ever made, I just shake my head.
Similarly, with rifle reviewers I pretty much scream when they go on about Remington's "three rings of steel" when reviewing a Winchester or a Savage or... well, anything else. Oh, and as for the Mauser 98 style action being the only decent bolt action ever made, I just shake my head.
One thing some of the mags don't get is CONTENT.
If sales lag, they change the format and "look" of the magazine, thinking that is the fix.
First off, it doesn't fix a thing. It just makes it frustrating trying to find what you think may be good info but its usually the same junk reorganized in a different place in the mag.
I think of them as flash/bang grenades with no shrapnel.
If sales lag, they change the format and "look" of the magazine, thinking that is the fix.
First off, it doesn't fix a thing. It just makes it frustrating trying to find what you think may be good info but its usually the same junk reorganized in a different place in the mag.
I think of them as flash/bang grenades with no shrapnel.
I have subscribed several times. I let it drop for a yr or two then when they offer 6 months for about $8 or some such amount I may take it again for interesting reading, or to put under painting projects.
