Handloader?

[Ohioron]

I love this mag. I like the in depth articles on all the topics.
Even when I am not that interested in a certain topic I still read it as often I learn something that pertains to what I do like. I mainly enjoy the handgun articles.
The only other gun mags I read and subscribe to is American Handgunner and American Rifleman from the NRA.

 

[Calliope]

It's not what it used to be, but I still buy it at the news stand occasionally. Pearce is good, Venturino is OK, the rest is kind of thin.

 

[mikld]

I don't subscribe but buy each issue off the rack. I have nearly 30 years of reloading, and have seen some questionable reloading methods in Handloader, not dangerous, but some that reek of "old wives tales". My most often noticed "differences" are articles on bullet casting. I've been casting bullets for about 18 years and there are some items in the magazine's casting articles that I would never do. Gun magazine writers are just human, and they too, make mistakes, or do some things "wrong"...

 

[VAdoublegunner]

I subscribe.

Worth it to me as a more advanced handloader with many interests in shotgun, pistol and rifle. Individual issues with articles of interest may be better for the casual handloader than subscribing, but at some point you are probably going to wish you had one of the back issues....or two!

Ditto "Rifle".

 

[sellersm]

+1 to all that's been offered. Great magazine! One of the few that are left...

 

[Green Frog]

I dropped my subscription when it was dumbed down and now buy a news stand copy when it interests me.

+1 to the above but would change to, "... and buy a news stand copy on the rare occasions when it interests me." I've only been loading about 40 years now, but it's not often they show me anything new or sufficiently in depth to make it worth the cost of purchase. JMHO, YMMV.

Froggie

PS I do have the first 150 or so issues archived because they were pre-news stand quality deterioration.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I still am a subscriber but I agree that the quality has gone down a lot. I have the DVD's and all the issues and when you compare the articles from the 60's to today it is embarrassing for the modern writers.

[rant mode on]
Now we get a lot of "me and joe went hunting and made us some bullets" type of articles in handloader. Where are the detailed articles of Ken Waters where he discusses every load and which powders and why. Now I get all of the other stuff that probably deserves to be in "field and stream" not handloader. If I wanted field and stream I would have bought it. Why write a handloading article about how you go hunting or what holster you use, or how many rounds you kids shot. Educate me. Why pick Power pistol over HS-6? What powders did not do well with what bullets? Which bullet worked well in which pistol and why? What additional experiments just failed? How do you get your pressure data? I could go on and one about wanting technical details over stories.
[rant mode off]

Oh well, I guess it is just the nature of our society.

 

[Erich]

I subscribe and still like it a good deal. But I really enjoyed Peter's gripe!

 

[CWH44300]

I still enjoy it, Brian Pearce is about the only author I like,
Almost cancelled my subscription when that " black powder fool" hired on.

 

[sellersm]

Peter has some very good points. Good rant!


Sent from my fat fingers using Tapatalk

 

[oldbrownhat]

I have an online subscription to Rifle/Handloader/Successful Hunter and find them to be generally excellent, esp., as others have commented, Brian Pearce's articles. No ego, no BS or attitude, just good information based on practical experience.

Better still, I just found out today that, despite what it says on Wolfe's website, individual back issues are available for download for $5.95. The website only offers them in hard copy (+ postage) or on CD-ROM (!!) + postage. I couldn't believe this, since I am a digital subscriber and get my regular issues online. When I called them this morning, even the lady in Customer Service I spoke with didn't know, as she offered to send me the one I was interested in, with the comment "we don't usually do this." I should have an access code to download it later today.

I decided to e-mail the Circ. Dept. anyway to request that this be made a regular feature and just got a reply:

Kendra Newell <[email protected]>
Thursday, Aug.15, 2013 12:07 PM

We do have them in PDF format. They are $5.95 per issue. We do not have them listed on our website, but you can get any magazine sent to your email in PDF format for $5.95.
​

Bingo! I e-mailed her back to say thank you and added that the other thing they need now is a searchable database by author/subject. As it was I had to do a general Google search to see if anyone had commented on Brian Pearce writing on reloading the .45 Auto Rim. Yep- Issues 254 and 256 from 2008. The latter I have in hard copy, and #254 I should have later today.

 

[Homie]

Guys,

If they don't writeup the hunting articles they don't get all the free trips and the 50% discount on the guns they use.

I miss Ken Waters articles too. He was a treasure, and certainly helped my education

That said, I think that along with Brian Pearce, Dave Scovill's column is usually good, but I don't think Charles Petty gets the recognition he deserves, or writes at the level he's capable of (maybe he doesn't want to).

I'd also like to see a digitized, up-to- date index for subscribers.

It still worth the money (along with RIFLE) and I'm always going back to look up something in the archives.

 

[oldbrownhat]

...I'd also like to see a digitized, up-to- date index for subscribers.....

x2. This also in from Ms Newell @ Wolfe:

We don’t have many requests for anything being emailed in PDF format actually. Most of our readers like the hard copies to keep in front of them and many of them don’t have computers believe it or not. We do have a searchable database if you purchase the complete set of Handloader or Rifle DVD set, otherwise you can call in and we can look it up for you.
​

OK, whatever...

 

[Jellybean]

I agree, it's probably the best gun magazine there is. But I still haven't wasted my money on one in years.

I haven't seen anything in them for a long time that isn't covered in at least one book in my library, in fact it looks like most of the articles are coming out of those books instead of the authors first hand knowledge and experience. Given the depth and quality of content in the books as compared to the magazine, the magazine just doesn't appeal to me at all.

The last one I picked up and looked at had an article on the .41 mag. The load data included something like two bullets, a lead and a jacketed, and there were only a few loads listed that could have come out of any complimentary powder source. But the article wasn't really about the cartridge anyway, it was about the S&W they were sent to test. Since then I don't even look at them.

 

[RussellD]

i quit subscribing to gun/shooting magazines years ago. Got tired of reading articles praising the advertisers. I read a lot and enjoy a variety of online forums. Forums allow you to drill down to a very specific topic without the fluff of filler material.

Please don't get me wrong I love to read, and enjoy the old time printed articles of days gone by. However I believe the net has surpassed most current gun magazines....

 

[Frank237]

I've gotten Rifle and Handloader since the 1970's. Still far better than most of the gun rags, but not what it used to be. I also used to enjoy Precision Shooting , sadly it's gone now.

I chatted with Brian Pearce at SHOT Show this past year...Heck of a Gentleman and VERY knowledgeable on all things handguns. He's one of the best writers they have.

I also enjoy John Barsness's articles, a local MT Boy,

FN in MT

 

[44Steve]

It is still my favorite magazine for reloading. I miss the input from Ken Waters.If you have an open mind you will get past the advertisers.