Reading gun magazines

[Don1961]

I know not many people read magazines anymore. I still subscribe to quite a few. As far as gun magazines go I subscribe to the NRA’s Rifleman., Shooting Times , Guns & Ammo and Guns & Ammo Handguns. I’ve been buying American Handgunner which I am gonna subscribe to. I don’t think I’ve ever bought any of the others. Are any of them any good ? Which one do you read ?

 

[sigp220.45]

The only one I buy on the newstand is Man At Arms.

 

[rockquarry]

I began reading GUNS & AMMO and GUN WORLD about 1962. About a year later, I started reading the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN. AR and G&A were certainly the two best at the time followed by GUNS then GUN WORLD. GUNS & AMMO and AR have suffered significant deterioration in quality and content in the last thirty years. GUNS has probably become a better magazine that it was in the early years, but still doesn't approach the level of RIFLE or HANDLOADER, the only two really worth reading anymore. Even those two aren't what they were a few years ago.

Paper magazines are still better than online magazines generally (there may be a limited exceptions) because they remain professionally edited. The editors may not be gun savvy people but are good at editing. The online writers are often writers who may have had limited or no success in getting their work published in a paper publication. That's not necessarily a criticism as I've seen some pretty good online stuff. Online material, however, is often shallow and short; not much work was done in putting it together. The same can be said for some of what you find in paper publications, but not to as great an extent.

 

[tndrfttom]

I still get RIFLE and HANDLOADER from Wolfe publishing. I kept the magazines for years but finally ran out of space and gave them away and switched a on-line subscription.

I've got the RIFLEMAN going back to 1950 but had to start weeding out some of them (due to storage space limitations again) and just keeping issues with some personal interest. Rereading these old issues tends to be more interesting to me than what I read in the RIFLEMAN these days.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I read everything online as printed material gets worn out from me trying to expand the pages with my thumb and forefinger.

 

[bgrafsr]

I get the Rifleman, but don't like it very well. Too much advertising for me. Wife gets the other NRA magazine. I also get Handloader.
Gave up on Shooting Times, which used to be excellent, and never liked Guns and Ammo.

 

[max]

I am an old timer and a reader. I have gotten G&A, AR and ST since 71 or so. Soon after, I subscribed to AH. One day last month, I got 3 in the mail.

 

[Ugly Hombre]

"Guns of the old west" is the only one I usually buy those days, quality of the writing in most gun magazines has dropped considerable in the last 10-15 years imo.

 

[GaryHK]

I still go to the library, reserve books etc. I'm not the type to read ebooks or whatever you call them.

Usually during my trips to the library I'll pickup and read a copy of American Handgunner and Cat Fancy in the periodicals section.

The two look quite funny sharing the same table, believe me.

Keep in mind that this was all pre COVID so not happening right now

 

[rockquarry]

I forgot SHOOTING TIMES in an earlier post. I began reading it in the '60s and continued intermittently until about twenty-five or thirty years ago. It was a good magazine with good writers for a long time, but the last time I saw one, maybe fifteen years ago, it had gone the way of several of the others. I don't know how such publications stay in business. Anyone with more than a basic background in guns, shooting, and handloading would find little worth reading.

 

[Geno44]

Part of the problem is that as we get older we have read these magazines for forty or more years and have acquired considerable knowledge. We can always learn something but the amount learned in each issue decreases because of what we already know. Do any of you get the idea that you can write a better article than the one you just read? I get that feeling sometimes.

 

[GaryHK]

Do any of you get the idea that you can write a better article than the one you just read? I get that feeling sometimes.

Maybe some of the newer stuff. Not the old school stuff written by Massad Ayoob and others. Those were very helpful as it introduced a lot of techniques that are still reinforced today.

 

[GypsmJim]

I'm an old fart and still love to read. I get the American Rifleman because its free.

I used to buy a lot of boat magazines, because that's my other hobby. But now I don't subscribe to any magazines.

It used to be that mags always catered to US. Not the rich guy who has a lot of disposable income. Just US regular guys.

I don't care to read about a boat that costs $2.25 MILLION dollars, nor a custom made handgun that would set me back 2 grand. I would rather read about a $500 S&W, or a fishing boat for $30,000.

That's why mags are no longer useful.

 

[quikdraw67]

BITD I subscribed to Gun List and Shotgun News. This was pre-internet. Still have a 27-2 6" blue LNIC from Harrison Carroll I bought off his Gun List add.

Today, I only get the AR. Not very interesting to me. I like the historical articles, and "I have this old gun" page. Also the exploded views or guns. Last month was the Ruger 10/22, very useful I thought.

The new stuff, meh. Mostly reinventing the wheel IMHO.

 

[AJ]

Try "GUNS" magazine. I find the articles are more readable than the others. Shooting Times and Guns & Ammo are basically the same magazine. Guns of the Old West has some good articles not covered by the others. Most of the magazines nowadays are full of ultra high priced guns. Most of their writers are just that, not real shooters. Or at least good shooters.

 

[smithra_66]

For anyone who hasn't found these, I've been reading through some classic editions of "GUNS" magazine from the 50s and 60s. They are great. It's amazing what you see in the ads and the types of articles they were writing back then:

GUNS Magazine GUNS Magazine Classic Editions - GUNS Magazine

 

[wetdog1911]

I haven't read any gun mags since "Gun Tests" went under. No ads, no 'donated' guns, they actually bought the guns they tested and gave them a honest evaluation.

Not like it has been for some time now. The biggest advertisers guns are all excellent, no matter the actual quality and the smaller advertisers reviews are less than glowing.

I do deep research on anything I plan on buying and forums dedicated to whatever maker are a good source of information, good and bad. YouTube can also be a good source, depending on the reviewer.

I really miss Gun Tests.

Rob

 

[Gamecock]

Part of the problem is that as we get older we have read these magazines for forty or more years and have acquired considerable knowledge. We can always learn something but the amount learned in each issue decreases because of what we already know. Do any of you get the idea that you can write a better article than the one you just read? I get that feeling sometimes.

Amen, brother. Just TODAY, I decided to let my subscription to ST expire.

~15 years ago, they had an article about some pistol. The writer mentioned accuracy 6 times. The chart showed it shooting 3" at SEVEN yards. Outrageously inaccurate. Yet the writer gushed on.

So I let my subscription of many years expire. A couple of years ago, I started back. Cost me thousands of dollars in new gun purchases (!). In the current issue is an article by _____. He says that "pressure and velocity are directly proportional." It's not that me, the reader is getting old, it's that their writer is getting old, and repeating junk from decades ago.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I like hard copies too, but modern gun magazines tend to be shills for gun makers and you never hear about the shortcomings of guns, every gun is the next best thing, I subscribed to Gun Test magazine for a while, but they were not often reviewing firearms that I was interested in. I find the NRA publications that come with my membership to be as good as any.

 

[Golddollar]

I was reading my dad's American Rifleman, Shooting Times, Gun Digest and Shooter's Bible just about as soon as I could read. Now I'm reading the American Rifleman, Handguns, American Handgunner, Concealed Carry, Gun Digest and Rampant Colt (Colt Collectors Association). I still like paper I can hold.

When I pass on my honorary nephew, the firearms law attorney, will find a truck coming to his office loaded with all these magazines. He will have a firearms research library beyond belief.

 

[Igiveup]

wetdog1911, when did Gun Tests go under? I thought I was still getting it, at least last month.

 

[JM4151]

Magazines!

I still receive Gun Test magazine, I don't think that they are out of business. I also get the American rifleman but I don't enjoy it as much as I used too. I get a half dozen other gun magazines but one that I am not going to renew is Firearms News, too many articles that don't interest me. I enjoy reading paper magazines and books.

 

[jc2721]

I subscribed to G&A for over 40 years. The last 5-6 years it's gone to "tactical" this and "self defense" that so when it came time to renew I decided not to. About the only thing I read in G&A was Garry James' stuff on old guns.

I have the Rifleman, of course, but the interesting articles are few and far between. I get Handgunner and Guns magazine--they're about the only ones that show honest to goodness blued steel and walnut anymore, but in my opinion Taffin's work has rested on his laurels the past few years (ever since he started complaining about arthritis) and Venturino's stuff is pretty much all the same. I've just about given up on reading fanboy Dabbs' articles.

I find much more interesting reading here on the forums.

 

[AJ]

I am beginning to think that taking the money saved by dropping subscriptions would be well spent in buying books on this subject that interests you. I have for years bought books on the subject. Now I think back on all the subscription money that I have spent and wish I would have put it into books, oh well!

 

[SASABERANGER]

I am a NRA Life Member Went from 5 year to Life in 1978 while on a 6 month USN deployment to Catania, Sicily . My per diem paid for the up grade. Donn't think I would do it today.
I am also a long time subscriber to Guns and Ammo.
I am also a long time member of the SWCA.
With that said I get the Rifleman, G&A and the SWCA Journal (quarterly). Way too much advertisements in the first two. I always thumb through every page when they come in, but only read the articles I am interested in.
I used to send the back issues to my buddy from Canada, but haven't heard from him since way before Christmas and suspect that old age finally caught up with him.
Right now back issues are accumulating on my computer table and will probably find their way to a future gun show and be labeled "free gratis" or given to a young attendee in bulk. I accumulate enough junque without collecting a stack of paper too.
I have been reading most of the Rifleman for the past 60 years. Really don't think it has gotten better with age, but I can only hope the move to Texas will bring positive changes to both the NRA and the publications.
Right now I truly believe that G&A is better than the Rifleman.
Just my two cents worth.
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474

 

[AJ]

I am a NRA Life Member Went from 5 year to Life in 1978 while on a 6 month USN deployment to Catania, Sicily . My per diem paid for the up grade. Donn't think I would do it today.
I am also a long time subscriber to Guns and Ammo.
I am also a long time member of the SWCA.
With that said I get the Rifleman, G&A and the SWCA Journal (quarterly). Way too much advertisements in the first two. I always thumb through every page when they come in, but only read the articles I am interested in.
I used to send the back issues to my buddy from Canada, but haven't heard from him since way before Christmas and suspect that old age finally caught up with him.
Right now back issues are accumulating on my computer table and will probably find their way to a future gun show and be labeled "free gratis" or given to a young attendee in bulk. I accumulate enough junque without collecting a stack of paper too.
I have been reading most of the Rifleman for the past 60 years. Really don't think it has gotten better with age, but I can only hope the move to Texas will bring positive changes to both the NRA and the publications.
Right now I truly believe that G&A is better than the Rifleman.
Just my two cents worth.
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474

Have been to Catania, Sicily also. Actually NAS Sigonella for deployment. Had a great pizza place just outside the front gate at NAF 1. It is where I learned to eat pizza with a knife and fork.

 

[H Richard]

Other than the SWCA journal and the American Rifleman I have discontinued all other magazines. The AR gets the address removed ant left in Doctor's offices after I have read them.

 

[NYlakesider]

Other than the SWCA journal and the American Rifleman I have discontinued all other magazines. The AR gets the address removed ant left in Doctor's offices after I have read them.

I did that quite a lot in the past. Especially the one dentist I went to had nothing but woman's type magazines. The office staff was all female.

Some sort of a rule by the powers to be, no magazines or newspapers in waiting rooms now due to the Covid19 rules. Someone brings in a newspaper and leaves it, shortly after the staff removes it.

 

[AJ]

My friends and I pass the different magazines around to each other. That way you did not have to subscribe to all the different ones.

 

[growr]

I still want to know...."Which is better"? The.... or the ....?

Randy