What (paper or e-zine) gun magazines do you guys read?

[tark]

American Handgunner, hands down the best. BTW that's my avatar on the cover of the November/ December 2011 issue. When Roy Huntington called up Les and asked for a couple of guns to shoot, Les sent him my gun. Roy called back as soon as it arrived.

"Les, I cant shoot that" He gasped. Les assured him it was OK and Roy put 200 rounds through it. I put a mag full through it, just to say I have shot it.

 

[FL-NC]

The only ones I get are the ones that come with my NRA membership. I'll read gun magazines that I may see laying around a friend's house or something like that, but that's it. For one thing, they cost way too much now- even shotgun news. For another, I have gotten to the point where in most cases they are gun porn (or Maxim, if you prefer). Most of them have a "cover girl" that is an insanely expensive (but nice) 1911, AR, long range rifle, aftermarket custom Glock, or whatever the newest bestest thingy being pimped out by the magazine. In other words, things that are just financially out of reach for most gun people reading the too- expensive magazine. While I am somewhat interested in new things, I guess in my old age I don't care enough about them to buy them any more. Also, $.

 

[Archie]

I get American Rifleman as a member of the NRA. Used to be a decent magazine with real writers - footnotes and citations from knowledgeable shooters. Not so much anymore.
"Rifle" and "Handloader" are the two I usually buy and read. They seem to be the best of the lot, but that statement is similar to mentioning 'the leper with the most fingers'. Another 'back in the old days' story on those. I'm about to give up on them as well.

Product reviews, good or bad, just does not interest me anymore. Especially those which are thinly veiled advertisements. Nor does rehashing some made up question appeal to me.

 

[SwampWolf]

In addition to the American Rifleman, I subscribe to The Shooting Sportsman, Rifle, Handloader, Gun Tests, Guns, American Handgunner, Shooting Times, Guns & Ammo, Firearms News and Concealment. I'm way behind on my reading...

 

[SwampWolf]

Nor does rehashing some made up question appeal to me.

What have you got against informative articles like The .308 As a Squirrel Rifle or The .22 Magnum vs The .220 Swift ? Come on, man.

 

[wgp]

When I started getting interested in guns, I read them all, and learned a lot. After years of shooting, I read American Handgunner. I've re-subscribed to Shooting Times and Guns and Ammo because they are almost giving them away, but it takes me about 10 minutes to get through. How many times can you again read about the .30-06 or the 22lr or yet another plastic striker-fired baby 9mm.

 

[Archie]

What have you got against informative articles like The .308 As a Squirrel Rifle or The .22 Magnum vs The .220 Swift ? Come on, man.

Just funny that way I guess.

 

[Bazoo]

Handloader magazine here. I off again on again am an NRA member so I occasionally get one of those. Mostly it isn’t that interesting.

 

[Gus Chiggins]

Muzzle Blasts
Guns and Ammo. Just for the pictures of course ;^)

 

[Remington1911]

I've sworn off the gun press. It's all "product placement" and flack for the gun industry. Have you ever seen an unfavorable review of anything in a gun magazine?

I held, this same view, but one day I got a thing in the mail for some mag, don't remember what and it was like $5 for 12 issues.....well heck under a buck per, I can't think of anything else along those lines, and I bet I will get a buck of enjoyment out of them, even if it is just reading the "old gun" sections most magazines have.

I do a couple, many already talked about here. After I am finished with them I take them to work and toss them on the table in the lunch room for others to enjoy. I do the same with the airgun stuff I get as well.

Are the new gun "reviews" just puff well yes. Is there other things in there of value to me, yea.

 

[alsaqr]

Currently i receive American Rifleman, Guns And Ammo, Rifle Shooter and Shooting Times. Guns And Ammo and Shooting Times soon expire will not be renewed.

Gun magazines are about pushing new and often expensive firearms. In the current issue of Guns and Ammo is an article featuring a new $9,648 "mountain rifle". There's also an article about someone's new $4,000 rifle scope.

 

[jmorris]

There was a time when one could learn about the latest and greatest thing to hit the market, 3 months ago, from printed paper magazines. These days it’s already old news by the time it gets to your door.

 

[theotherwaldo]

When I joined the NRA I requested to receive The American Rifleman.
For the last 20 years they've sent me The American Hunter.
(No response when I ask for a change.)
It goes right in the trash.

No other magazines of any kind.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thanks guys. I passed on the suggestions to the marketing guy.

 

[bannockburn]

I use to subscribe to a lot of the more popular gun mags (Guns and Ammo, Shooting Times, Guns, and American Handgunner), mainly because they were cheap, especially when the kids had their magazine subscription drive every year at school. I liked them for the writers (Skeeter Skelton, Jeff Cooper, Elmer Keith, Peter Capstick, Jan Libourel, and Massad Ayoob), the latest guns being introduced, and for the color photography, where Guns and American Handgunner had the best layouts!

Nowadays if I'm looking for something gun related I just come right here to THR!

 

[WheelGunMan]

Shooting Illustrated

 

[DTL]

NRA American Rifleman, and The Armory from Springfield

 

[CapnMac]

I have no idea where my copy of AmRifleman goes--it does not go to my address, despite 6 separate attempts to change the mailing address.
Gun Tests was ok, in the early 90s. Fell off getting towards 2000 or so.
Only one I get anymore, and electronic only anymore is Small Arms Review.
And SAR might even review a new book, too. Maybe.

 

[PWC]

I have the same number pf guns I've had for 20 years. I don't "trade" in guns. I'm not interested in new guns, what I have work quite well for any purpose I need. I don't believe there is anything new to learn about my much written about cartridge calibers.

I do read, with interest, the reloading processes and methods of others on this and other gun boards, and have found much useful information, some adopted into my process.

Like most here, I think most magazines and writers are full of themselves getting paid to push a product at least not door to door. Everyone is just trying to make a living.

 

[RedlegRick]

Whatever someone leaves at the club when their pile of magazines gets too big.

 

[tark]

I stopped reading most of the gun mags because a lot of the newer gun writers were (are) either repeating old myths that were untrue, or they don't know much about the subject, but they know how to write a good article. Case in point:

" 7.62X25 Tok ammo is loaded much hotter than 7.63 Mauser ammo and should never be used in the latter gun." The truth? It IS loaded slight hotter (35K psi vs 33K psi) however, the C-96 was chambered in 9X19 which is also loaded to 35K. Remember the 9X25 Export Mauser? Of course you don't, it never caught on. 128 gr. @ 1360 FPS. It was loaded to 37.5 K PSI. It's parent case was the 7.63 Mauser, blown out straight. A C-96 in good shape should have no trouble with Tokarev ammo.

Another myth, not repeated as often these days: The Astra 400 was designed and will shoot the 9mm Largo, 9mm Steyr and the 9X19. It will shoot the Steyr round because it is slightly tapered and the same length. A Largo round usually will not chamber in the Steyr because it has no taper. A 9mm, being shorter, can enter the chamber and rest IN FRONT of the extractor. The firing pin on the 400 is two piece and the front portion is free floating. It usually just pushes the 9mm round a bit further into the chamber, but it can set it off. Guess what happens then...

"The ping of an M-1 clip can tip off the enemy that you're out of ammo." Well, the guys next to you aren't... The enemy soldier probably wont hear it anyway. Battlefields are kinda noisy places. Still see that one occasionally.

Read an article about subguns a couple years back. The writer described the guns ammo capacity as ( whatever the mag held ) +1. He was talking about sub machine guns! Not semi-auto civilian models! They all fire from an open bolt, only a few (MP5 and variants) don't. So how does that "plus one" thing work?

Somebody please tell a few ignorant writers out there that JMB did not invent the High Power. His name is attached to the gun because his name was pure gold. Put his name on a gun and it sold! He died many years before the first one was made. One writer described it as "John Browning's masterpiece." Dieudonne Saive's masterpiece is a better description.

I think the writers in the Handgunner are very very good They write out of knowledge and experience.

No, I am not currently, nor have ever been, an employee of theirs...

 

[bannockburn]

CapnMac

Only one I get anymore, and electronic only anymore is Small Arms Review.

If I had nothing better to do (rarely happens anymore) I would go to the local Barnes & Noble book store, get myself a refreshing beverage, sit down and peruse Small Arms Review. Very illuminating and very relaxing.

 

[CapnMac]

Very illuminating and very relaxi

Oh, yes, a quite satisfying read. By authors generally skilled in writing, too.
The subscription is not that expensive, and I see it as a way to keep their lights on.
While I miss the tactile feedback of an actual magazine; I can read the e-zine more place and in more ways.

Made me go look it up--nearest B&N is 15 miles away, about 30 minutes' the way the locals drive

 

[dawei]

Do you guys read? I get The American Rifleman and American Gunsmith Magazine as well as a couple of blackpowder magazines (Muzzle Loader, Muzzle Blasts). Used to get SWAT but they're gone (as is The Tactical Rifle)

I'm trying to compile a list of magazines my publisher can send a sniping book to for review.

Gun Tests, simply the best IMHO.

 

[SwampWolf]

I stopped reading most of the gun mags because a lot of the newer gun writers were (are) either repeating old myths that were untrue, or they don't know much about the subject, but they know how to write a good article.

Not a whole lot of difference between those criticisms and what you see a lot of on the internet-except writers for magazines can be held accountable for publishing misinformation as opposed to gun site "experts" who can't be found responsible for keyboard half-truths and outright lies due to their hiding behind the fog of anonymity.