Gun Magazine Rant

Just got my first issue of Handgun (published by the folks at Guns and Ammo). I was pleasantly surprised at how little advertising there was. I have no interest in all of the tactical BS you find in most mags. I've only scanned the new issue but will be looking forward to reading them cover to cover and will report back. I used to get Guns and Ammo but most of their stuff just didn't apply to me or my interests but the new "super special deal" for Handgun includes a renewal of my old Guns and Ammo subscription so that should start arriving again soon. I guess everyone needs something to read while seated. (o;
 
I used to subscribe to gun test magazine but got to be too expensive. They were good at one time but then modified their guns that were of no interest to me. I subscribe to american handgunner, guns mag and of course the american rifleman from NRA. I am also a member of the inner circle from American gunsmithing institute and receive their dvd and news letter each month. The Disassembly/reassembly of different guns each month is worth the price of $29.95 and you have the resource of asking their top master gunsmiths questions relating to problems of a gun you are working on and a 30 % discount on their armorer courses. I found it to be more informative and cancelled shotgun news and other gun papers.
Nick
 
I like Shooting Illustrated (but not enough to subscribe). I really like Handloader magazine and that is the only one I sign up for.

American Rifleman came every month as a result of my NRA Life membership, but it has gone so far down hill I asked them to stop sending it and spend the money on the good fight!
 
I get America's First Freedom from the NRA (much better that American Rifleman). I occasionally buy American Handgunner but only when they don't have a 1911 on the cover, so not very often. Mostly I don't buy them because i can't find many articles about revolvers. I'm also a knife collector so I do subscribe to BLADE magazine.
 
I have recently become an occasional contributer to American Handgunner. I was assured right from the start by "His Editorship", Roy Huntington, that I would NEVER be asked to write anything to appease an advertiser, or anything else that was misleading or otherwise wasn't truthful. Though I subscribe to FMG publications, I read most of the other ones. I can understand why some of you feel that the writers are not entirely truthful. As to 1911 articles, or plastic guns, the magazine writes about subjects with the widest appeal. After all, they want to sell magazines. That's how they pay the bills. If you don't want to subscribe, you can view Handgunner and Guns magazine on line. For free.
 
Take a look at who's buying the ads.

I've let all my subscriptions run out many years ago. The manufacturer's will send me their product information for free...
 
"Guns and Ammo" signalled their demise when they actively promoted the Judge as an effective SD weapon with .410 whatever. One of the best uses for these mags is to slip them into waiting rooms at doctor and dentist offices.
 
Jst1mr said:
"Guns and Ammo" signalled their demise when they actively promoted the Judge as an effective SD weapon with .410 whatever. One of the best uses for these mags is to slip them into waiting rooms at doctor and dentist offices.
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Well as someone who has a paranoid fear of snakes, I find it to be an excellent SD weapon, mostly cause it kills the snake and prevents me from hurting myself after I find them! But I agree, Guns and Ammo is fun to read, but I find them to be a little too cozy with advertisors to be a fair and unbalanced review of new guns. I would argue that my favorite column is usually the classic guns that they go over. There's really nothing new coming out of the major gun makers plants now I don't feel. Thats just my two cents worth.
 
kscardsfan said:
Well as someone who has a paranoid fear of snakes, I find it to be an excellent SD weapon, mostly cause it kills the snake and prevents me from hurting myself after I find them! But I agree, Guns and Ammo is fun to read, but I find them to be a little too cozy with advertisors to be a fair and unbalanced review of new guns. I would argue that my favorite column is usually the classic guns that they go over. There's really nothing new coming out of the major gun makers plants now I don't feel. Thats just my two cents worth.
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According to a friend of mine the Judge was effective on a sheep-killing pitbull that decided his territory included the yard of the owner of the sheep. I do not know what load he used but the .410 did the job one shot.
 
kscardsfan said:
Well as someone who has a paranoid fear of snakes, I find it to be an excellent SD weapon, mostly cause it kills the snake and prevents me from hurting myself after I find them! But I agree, Guns and Ammo is fun to read, but I find them to be a little too cozy with advertisors to be a fair and unbalanced review of new guns. I would argue that my favorite column is usually the classic guns that they go over. There's really nothing new coming out of the major gun makers plants now I don't feel. Thats just my two cents worth.
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I wasn't thinking of snakes (don't have to around here :D)...I would probably carry a Street Sweeper or something like it if I was running in to them devils!
 
tbury said:
According to a friend of mine the Judge was effective on a sheep-killing pitbull that decided his territory included the yard of the owner of the sheep. I do not know what load he used but the .410 did the job one shot.
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A 9mm will work permanant wonders on most dogs, but pepper spray is especially hard on those little devils. I hated it bad enough as a human, but I can't imagine how bad it wrecks a dog with their sensitive nose/sense of smell. A friend of mine recommends a .44 mag, always seemed like overkill to me but it stopped the dogs and coyotes from agitating his calves pretty quick.
 
I used to subscribe to nearly all of them. Then, like many of you, I got tired of the same articles, same guns, same results, etc., and let most of them expire.

I still get American Rifleman, Guns and Ammo, Handloader, Rifle, American Handgunner and Guns.

I'm surprised at the support for Rifle and Handloader here. If you like these, you should have seen them a couple of decades ago. They were good and they were different. Now I can't tell any difference between them and the others.

I will let all expire but American Handgunner, Guns and G&A (G&A only because I get it at $12 per year if I wait till my subscription has expired). American Rifleman comes with my Life NRA Membership, so I won't mess with it.

I like military guns, but am truly sick of "Duke" and his half-baked articles about cast bullets and sub-guns. And, how he doesn't shoot for groups after his gun is zeroed with a particular load. The groups he shows are pitiful for an '03, IMO. His artlcles on WW2 guns seem to show up in every other edition, and they are, again IMO, very shallow. I do think he is very knowledgeable on BPCRs and black powder loading.

Bob
 
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I think the guy whom I least like to read is that Sheriff Jim Wilson who always stocks his mediocre articles with too many meaningless photos of himself.

But then, I grew up reading Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton, Jeff Cooper, Bill Jordan, and John Wooters.

Tough acts to follow.
 
Even as a young man I love finding vintage articles from Cooper, Skeeter Skelton, and Bill Jordan. Combine that with a few hunting articles from Jack O'Connor and some big bore talk from Elmer Kieth and you have yourself a great evening planned lol.
 
I receive American Rifleman from the NRA, I regularly purchase (should subscribe) Combat Handgunner, the rest I peruse at the bookstores, only purchase if there is a good historical article. I have found their shelf life is about 3 years, then they start to repeat. Yes, I am tired of the "tacticool" nonsense and the latest wonder gun that is simply a tricked out-and very expensive-.45ACP.
 
I don't subscribe to any magazines at this time. If I did, it would be American Handgunner, which I did subscribe to in the past. I applauded them for interviewing Ted Nugent way back before anyone knew anything about him. Readers actually wrote in to voice their disapproval of this long haired rock star in their magazine. I figured they probably didn't even read the interview.

Years ago, I received Guns and Ammo for six or seven years, then started noticing article being re-hashed, and some writers even contradicting themselves! In my opinion, G&A is the National Enquirer of the gun world.
 
Somehow I think I'm swimming upstream here, but I take a bunch of the magazines and enjoy them. I've learned a lot from them, as I didn't grow up with guns, have a gunny father, or serve in the military. I agree with most of the criticisms noted, and enjoy now knowing enough that I can spot occasional errors. Great pictures, new stuff, a little history, a few hours of relaxing entertainment. Better than t.v. imho.
 
You lot should think yourselves lucky, and looked through the British gun mags from say, 25 years ago; trust me: you would have found a train (railroad) timetable more interesting...
 
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My skepticism of the "We don't allow advertising concerns to affect our reviews," peaked when I read a review of the S&W I-BOLT. Noting the peeling, lousy finish, the writer nevertheless insisted it was a great gun because this was a "pre-production" sample and you could only assume the the production models would be awesome. As an aside, I can't help wondering why a manufacturer would send a poorly finished product to a gunwriter for a review. Maybe it was in the same package as the payment for the quarter's advertisements.
 
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