Magazines - the kinds we read

[Jeff Thomas]

I've always been able to learn a great deal about my current interests by finding the right magazine(s). For computers it was PC Magazine, it was Hot Rod for cars, and it was Playboy for ... well, anyway - what magazine(s) could you recommend for guns? I want to improve my knowledge of pistols / revolvers, shotguns and rifles. My uses are defense, target shooting and very occasional hunting. I am interested, for now, in the practical / tactical side of weapons, not so much in antiques, knowing every gun that's out there, and so on.

I'm a member of NRA, and currently receive American Guardian. [I just bought what looks like an interesting one, 'Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement' - looks like a brand new one.] I could handle another 2 or 3 mag's per month.

I could probably keep buying every gun magazine I see at the book store, but it seems a lot smarter to ask your opinions. These things can get a littly pricey one at a time. Thanks.

 

[Mossyrock]

Jeff,

Thought I might weigh in here in regards to your magazine question. I subscribe to most of the magazines out there, and it can honestly be said that some are better than others. Alot of it depends on what kind of info you are looking for. For more technical firearms info geared towards rifles and reloading, I would suggest "Rifle" and "Handloader" from Wolfe Publishing of Prescott, AZ. For general subject firearms info, "Guns & Ammo" or "Guns" magazine are both pretty good, although some people lean towards "Shooting Times". When Skeeter Skelton was still with us, I read "Shooting Times" more regularly, although "Shooting Times" still has several fine writers, to include Mike Venturino and Sheriff Jim Wilson. More specific info on handguns can be found in "American Handgunner", "Petersen's Hanguns" or "Combat Handguns", with "American Handgunner" being more competition oriented than the others. "American Handgunner" and "Guns" (both owned by the same company), have the best photography in the business.

The bottom line is, buy a few off of the rack and see which ones catch your attention. magazines tend to run hot and cold; sometimes NONE of them have anything worth reading... My $.02...

Mossyrock

 

[fal308]

For practical and tactical gunzines Combat handguns, American Handgunner, G&W/LE. You might also want to pick up a copy of GunGames to peruse. It's not tactical per se but it is recreation oriented. GG is a good magazine to get a non-gunner interested.

 

[ATM]

Jeff -
For rifles I can recommend 'Tactical Shooter', oriented toward the sniper/counter sniper types, as well as the combat rifle shooters. 'Precision Shooting' is by the same company, only it focuses on benchrest shooters. I have seen neither at the local stands, only at gunshows at the tables "interested" in the specific areas. I have not found a website yet for either.

------------------
Freedom is not Free

 

[Patrick]

I like Guns and occasionally G&A or Shooting Times. I will no longer waste my money on G&W/LE however. Their reviwes are incomplete and lack important data such as MSRP. In the last couple of issues their cover guns were foreign assault weapons which we cannot get our hands on in this country.

Their tactical articles are 1/2 page with no useful information for operators. I get the impression that the writers feel they have to write only good things because the manufacturers reps were nice enough to allow them to test an item. No balance.

Of course I want to know what it good about a weapon, but I want to know the flaws as well.

I guess I bought a couple issues of G&W/LE because of the sexy cover weapons, but found nothing worth reading inside.

Just my opinion.

Patrick

 

[4V50 Gary]

Rifle was my favorite and I still subscribe, but the Tactical Shooter is better and never disappointing. Occasionally I read Precision Shooter, but prefer to pick that up at the Gun Shop.

I subscribe to GW/LE b/c it's tax deductible. Also get the American Rifleman since I'm a lifer.

The Firearms Instructor is good and every now and then, there's a real eye opener of an article in it. Subscription is restricted to members though.

Also get MuzzleBlasts but find it somewhat too concerned about the NMLRA. I'd rather read more about rendezvous, trailblazing, firearms fabrication, blackpowder hunting and historical events than about the NMLRA association itself. May check out Muzzleoader later.

The absolute worse rag I get is the from the CA Rifle & Pistol Association newsletter, "The Firing Line," (not to be confused with this website). Most of it is whining and preaching to the choir. I belong because its required to buy from Uncle Bill's CMP program.

[This message has been edited by 4V50 Gary (edited 01-04-99).]

 

[hksigwalther]

I had subscribed to a good number of off-the-shelf magazines at one time or another. One magazine I currently get, however, is not found on the shelf. It's GUN TESTS. (Note: Not the Gun Test rag on the shelf.) It's a relatively thin magazine (around 25-40 pages per issue) but it truly is the best one around.

Basicaly what they do is test handguns, rifles, shotguns, scopes, reloaders, ammo, and everything else that is related to shooting. There is no advertisement so the writeups are as unbiased as possible and they buy what they are testing over the counter like the rest of us. No ringers from the manufacturer. The evaluations are very detailed and somewhat scientifically done.

The subscription rates are (Per year) $49 (US), $72 (outside the US and CAN). (The rates are actually cheaper when renewing.) This really is the best gun mag. Subscription :
GUN TESTS, PO Box 420234, Palm Coast, FL 32142
(800) 829-9084
They also have a sister publication PERFORMANCE SHOOTER done the same way geared towards competition, IPSC, Silo, UIT, etc.

Try it for a year, you won't regret it.

- Ron V.

------------------

 

[Grayfox]

Jeff-
Sounds like you and me have similar intrests. I read Guns & Ammo, Shooting times and Handguns regularly. I also check each months issue of Reloader and buy it if theres anything I find Interesting. I tend to read the monthly columns in these magazines. The feature articles are just extras that I read if I like the subject.

 

[fal308]

Forgot about Small Arms Review. It's taken up where MGN left off more or less.

 

[GLV]

Jeff, so much depends on you interest. If you want to be entertained, many of the magazines mentioned will work. The tests will usually be carbon copies, and all of the issues have already been beaten to death.
If you are trying to learn, Police, Police Marksman, Law & Order, all do more than report on the state of the gun industry. They are more Law Enforcement oriented, But tend to tell it like it is -- usually no BS evualations.
Among the ones on the magazine racks, the two most likely to give reasonable evaluations are American Handgunner, and Guns.
Again, some writers can get away with honest reviews, some can't. High quality publishers may paid a writer for a contracted piece, and not publish it due to advertising considerations.
REMEMBER -- EVERYTHING PUBLISHED IN THE COMMON GUN RAGS IS DRIVEN BY ADVERTISING.
The magazines published by the NRA are usually pretty truthful. That is the reason so many of their tests are done by ' staff ', no name attached.
Lets face it, a writer cannot review a new gun he cannot get his hands on -- so he cannot ( unless he has a very powerful name like Ayoob ) always tell it like it is. You must read between the lines, looking for phrases like " combat accuracy " ( meaning -- gun won't shoot ) in order to get the true picture. George

 

[Jeff Thomas]

Thanks to all for the good comments. My wife and I go out tonight, and sometimes we'll stop at a bookstore after a movie. For those available off the rack, I'll buy your recommendations tonight. Have a good weekend. Adios.