What magazines worth buying/subscribing to?

[zombie44]

Any particular gun mags or back issue cd/dvd compilations worth buying/subscribing to? Are most titles available electronically now (which I'd prefer)? I'm mostly interested on subjects about handguns or even reloading. Thanks for any info!

 

[merlinfire]

I always heard good things (and enjoyed reading my brother-in-law's) Gun Tests. They buy all their guns they test, so there's no conflict of interest or incentive to give biased reviews. And they're pretty thorough.

 

[DPris]

No, they don't.
Denis

 

[243winxb]

NRA American Riflemen, it has guns tests on new guns, ammo, much more. And NRA is the only one fighting for us to keep our firearms.

 

[emtpacker]

Personally, I like American Handgunner. Guns, too, but not as much. I don't look for a lot of technical information and I don't care to know how a certain gun shoots groups for all 75 loads tested by the author, or how such-and-such minuscule machining process can maybe increase accuracy. I've read enough of that so that it sounds like "blah, blah, blah." No offense to those here who enjoy that type of information, but it's just not my preference.

I like the FMG publications (Handgunner especially) because it has a different tone than just being a gun review magazine. That element is certainly there, but you also get the authors opinions and personality in the articles. Some of the stuff is absolutely hilarious to me and very enjoyable! Also, the pictures are the best, hands down (although they don't compare to Ichiro Nagata's pics from previous years) of any publication. Oh, and you can get all of the magazines digitally plus some extra content here http://www.americanhandgunner.com/

So that's my opinion. Hope it helps!

 

[CraigC]

A/H and Guns are good but not as good as they used to be. I get them only for John Taffin's articles, which have backslid in recent years with articles on guns he shouldn't be doing articles about. I really don't wanna see him waste his time on a polymer auto.

Rifle and Handloader are excellent and definitely worth subscribing to. At opposite ends of the spectrum I also like The Double Gun Journal and Backwoodsman.

 

[twofifty]

Handloader mag is useful

The features in "Handloader-The Ammunition and Reloading Journal" magazine (Wolfe Publishing) is full of useful and practical information.

The authors bring a depth of experience that for several goes back 30 to 40 years....yet these guys are up to date on current developments. Many articles have to do with systematic research or processes that the author does himself. There is quality photography and clear illustrations. Good layout. The various writing styles add elegance to what otherwise would be a very dry subject matter.

Definitely a consistently useful and pleasurable read!

 

[gunnutery]

SWAT, Gun Tests, Small Arms Review. Those are my favorite.

 

[Rembrandt]

NRA's American Rifleman

 

[matrem]

If you're not getting American Rifleman, I certainly hope you're getting American Hunter instead.

 

[RKRCPA]

Handgunner and Handloader are the two I get.

 

[dirtykid]

I usually buy a copy of what-ever looks good and if i can finish reading it in a 1/2-hour or less that means it's too full of advertising and will only suscribe if the price is below $2 a copy,,just my theory

 

[xtrarnds]

Combat Handguns & American Handgunner

 

[T.R.]

Vast majority of outdoor magazines feature the same old re-cycled articles year after year. Authors who pretend to test and rate rifles are extremely biased. They have to be - the magazine is funded by full page advertisements by the same rifle makers. Others like Craig Boddington have a magnum agenda. Boddington always types the word , magnum, into each and every article a minimum of four times. BORING!

But this is magazine is never boring: FUR-FISH-GAME.

TR

 

[forindooruseonly]

I get American Rifleman. I then go straight to "I've got this old gun", read that, then throw it in the trash.

All the magazines seem to suffer from lack of originality and the need to push new products to make advertisers happy.

 

[Newb223]

I wish that more of the gun mags, would be full color, rather than cruddy newspaper print. I mean how are you supposed to get a good feeling on what you could be buying if it is just B&W?

 

[skoro]

Gun mags tend to be redundant, repetitive and did I mention they say the same things?

I go to Barney Noble's and spend a few minutes sitting at a table and can get everything I'm interested in from all the gun mags; usually the "this happened to me" section and the occasional article on a new firearm. I subscribe to American Rifleman but am almost always disappointed in the content. It's usually about 5 pages of information crammed into 75 pages of editorializing (saying the same thing each month) and advertising. Still, I support the NRA.

 

[pockets]

I subscribe to a few. Whenever they offer me 12 issues for $8.00 or $9.00, I'll subscribe.
Mostly it's rehash of what's been online for months anyway. But I enjoy the feel of reading a real magazine now and then.

 

[marv]

Shotgun News.

 

[Quoheleth]

For whom is Bart Skelton writing these days? Is he back with Shooting Times?

What about Sheriff Jim Wilson? I heard he split the sheet with ST and is now writing for someone else?

I like these two guys.

Q

 

[rugerman]

Bart is still with Shooting Times, haven't seen anything from the sheriff in a while.

 

[garyhan]

American Rifleman, Rifle, Varmint Hunter, Guns, American Handgunner.

gary

 

[KAK]

Try my blog! Its free and I post almost every day!

I focus on informing gun owners to be knowledgeable of pending legislation, statistics, and factual evidence denouncing gun control. I attempt to arm gun owners with the knowledge they need to effectively debate with an anti. I post up lots of interesting stuff I find.

My other blog is a gun and gear blog. It is accessible from pro gun news.

 

[Dokkalfar]

The TSRA Sportsman is a good one (TSRA member magazine), some updates on Texas/US legislation, and a few other stories.

In addition to the ones above, you can possibly get some free catalogs from different dealer sites/manufacturers, and while those may not have many (if any) info articles, they're still fun to look at and give you good ideas on prices/opportunities.

 

[texgunner]

For whom is Bart Skelton writing these days? Is he back with Shooting Times?

What about Sheriff Jim Wilson? I heard he split the sheet with ST and is now writing for someone else?

I like these two guys.

Sheriff Jim Wilson now writes for an NRA publication called "Shooting Illustrated." He writes a monthly department called Straight Talk.