[dankwell]

I haven't seen any reviews of gun magazine publications on the Forum. Let's see what we can learn. I'm primarily interested in magazines that are oriented toward pistols rather than rifles and shotguns. I have no interest in shotguns, but don't mind an occasional rifle article, review, etc. Are there any gun magazines that focus exclusively on pistols? If so, I'd like to gather the names of the publishers. While we're at it, are there any publications strictly devoted to rifles and/or shotguns? If so, please list a few of those as well. I think some of us are missing some worthwhile information resources.

Reading and absorbing information online is all well and good, but there's something special about holding and reading good magazines, primarily, we can pick them up and set them down anytime we choose. Dare I also say magazines are ideally suited for bathroom reading!

Thank you all!

 

[YVK]

Dare I also say magazines are ideally suited for bathroom reading!

NRA and USPSA life memberships come with subscriptions to their publications. NRA has several options to choose from, USPSA has one magazine. I'm uncertain whether either rises to the level of a good bathroom reading.

 

[dankwell]

NRA and USPSA life memberships come with subscriptions to their publications. NRA has several options to choose from, USPSA has one magazine. I'm uncertain whether either rises to the level of a good bathroom reading.

I receive the Shooting Illustrated magazine from the NRA, but it only has a good article or two every now and then.

 

[maxwayne]

I have subscribed to American Handgunner for many years and can recommend it.

 

[frogfurr]

American Rifleman, Hanguns, Guns and Ammo.

 

[Dixie Ranger]

Ditto on American Handgunner. You can always ask Google too.

 

[4barrel]

I was in business for my self 46 years and get about 3 free gun magazines per month and a lot of other fish and hunt and wine.

 

[dankwell]

Ditto on American Handgunner. You can always ask Google too.

I bypassed Google to get results from professionals!

 

[INV136]

My favorite magazine was Soldier of Fortune magazine. I had a subscription for many years until they went out of business. They had articles not only on military actions around the globe, but, also good articles on new guns (handguns, rifles, and shotguns as well as military small arms), mercenaries, and intelligence stories.

Like an incident in The Philippines where a man had a fire in his house and police and firemen responded. They found bomb making materials if I recall correctly as well as non-specific plans about hijacking airlines in the US. They passed this info. along to US authorities, who did nothing. About a decade or later we had the 9-11 attacks, which this intelligence data was referring to. The intelligence also was about an unknown group called Al Qaeda at the time. Guns, global military activities, as well as articles on mercenaries going back to the 60's in Africa. I really miss that magazine. I'd love to see a new version because they printed a lot of info. that is intelligence related and gave a lot more specific detail than any Biden administration military or State Dept. does, which is practically zero or is false info/ Disinformation like Biden likes to say.

SOF had an intelligence article on the Al Qaeda group back when Anwar Sadat was assassinated by them and Ayman Al-Zawahiri was the top leader or number 2 before Osama Bin Laden took over. Al-Zawahiri seemed to be a very violent militant and was charged by the Egyptian govt with Sadat's assassination. But, somehow he and his group were released, instead of being executed like they should have been. I don't remember how they got off the hook for that one.

 

[dankwell]

I have subscribed to American Handgunner for many years and can recommend it.

Ditto on American Handgunner. You can always ask Google too.

My favorite magazine was Soldier of Fortune magazine. I had a subscription for many years until they went out of business. They had articles not only on military actions around the globe, but, also good articles on new guns (handguns, rifles, and shotguns as well as military small arms), mercenaries, and intelligence stories.

Like an incident in The Philippines where a man had a fire in his house and police and firemen responded. They found bomb making materials if I recall correctly as well as non-specific plans about hijacking airlines in the US. They passed this info. along to US authorities, who did nothing. About a decade or later we had the 9-11 attacks, which this intelligence data was referring to. The intelligence also was about an unknown group called Al Qaeda at the time. Guns, global military activities, as well as articles on mercenaries going back to the 60's in Africa. I really miss that magazine. I'd love to see a new version because they printed a lot of info. that is intelligence related and gave a lot more specific detail than any Biden administration military or State Dept. does, which is practically zero or is false info/ Disinformation like Biden likes to say.

SOF had an intelligence article on the Al Qaeda group back when Anwar Sadat was assassinated by them and Ayman Al-Zawahiri was the top leader or number 2 before Osama Bin Laden took over. Al-Zawahiri seemed to be a very violent militant and was charged by the Egyptian govt with Sadat's assassination. But, somehow he and his group were released, instead of being executed like they should have been. I don't remember how they got off the hook for that one.

I recall that mag and read a few. I didn't know it was out of publication. The feds deliberately keep big, important information from us "for our own good". They don't want folks to panic.

 

[rexm]

I gave up years ago on gun rags, specifically American Handgunner, Combat Handguns and Guns and Ammo. There were some good articles but if they did a gun test on someone that advertised with them you can bet it was a great gun. Gun Test was a cool one but haven't seen that in years since most stores seriously chopped their selection over political crap. I live in podunk and haven't seen Shotgun News for close to 20 years in Wallyworld, they carry only 2 now compared to about 6 yeeears ago. Shooting Times and something else laim that doesn't interest me after flipping through it.

 

[Michael W Cuber]

The days of the old time magazine racks are nearing an end, as are the old time gun scribes we all grew up reading. More online publications today, and many of them cannot be sold, or advertised to minors—gun magazines were the only thing I was interested in reading as a young fellow. Always had a gun mag in a folder at school, but now gun mags are treated like illicit material. No more mentors allowed, like Elmer Keith, Charles Askins, Jeff Cooper, Bill Jordan, and Skeeter Skelton!

 

[fnfalman]

I missed SWAT and Firepower.

 

[dankwell]

I gave up years ago on gun rags, specifically American Handgunner, Combat Handguns and Guns and Ammo. There were some good articles but if they did a gun test on someone that advertised with them you can bet it was a great gun. Gun Test was a cool one but haven't seen that in years since most stores seriously chopped their selection over political crap. I live in podunk and haven't seen Shotgun News for close to 20 years in Wallyworld, they carry only 2 now compared to about 6 yeeears ago. Shooting Times and something else laim that doesn't interest me after flipping through it.

And the internet, with an unending stream of information is likely killing magazine sales of every type.

 

[dankwell]

I missed SWAT and Firepower.

View attachment 737003
View attachment 737001
View attachment 737002
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Those are genuine vintage magazines.

 

[Nork1911A1]

My favorite magazine was Soldier of Fortune magazine. I had a subscription for many years until they went out of business. They had articles not only on military actions around the globe, but, also good articles on new guns (handguns, rifles, and shotguns as well as military small arms), mercenaries, and intelligence stories.

Like an incident in The Philippines where a man had a fire in his house and police and firemen responded. They found bomb making materials if I recall correctly as well as non-specific plans about hijacking airlines in the US. They passed this info. along to US authorities, who did nothing. About a decade or later we had the 9-11 attacks, which this intelligence data was referring to. The intelligence also was about an unknown group called Al Qaeda at the time. Guns, global military activities, as well as articles on mercenaries going back to the 60's in Africa. I really miss that magazine. I'd love to see a new version because they printed a lot of info. that is intelligence related and gave a lot more specific detail than any Biden administration military or State Dept. does, which is practically zero or is false info/ Disinformation like Biden likes to say.

SOF had an intelligence article on the Al Qaeda group back when Anwar Sadat was assassinated by them and Ayman Al-Zawahiri was the top leader or number 2 before Osama Bin Laden took over. Al-Zawahiri seemed to be a very violent militant and was charged by the Egyptian govt with Sadat's assassination. But, somehow he and his group were released, instead of being executed like they should have been. I don't remember how they got off the hook for that one.

I was a BIG FAN of SOF when I was in Germany. Me & a few friends were gonna hire out as mercs when we were discharged.

It never happened though. The stuff you think of & run your mouth about when you're young, strong, confidant & a total jackass.


I had subscriptions to Guns & Ammo, Handguns & American Handgunner back in the nineties. Kept those for about 5 years. I learned a lot from reading those magazines. Wish I still had those magazines today.

 

[dankwell]

I was a BIG FAN of SOF when I was in Germany. Me & a few friends were gonna hire out as mercs when we were discharged.

It never happened though. The stuff you think of & run your mouth about when you're young, strong, confidant & a total jackass.


I had subscriptions to Guns & Ammo, Handguns & American Handgunner back in the nineties. Kept those for about 5 years. I learned a lot from reading those magazines. Wish I still had those magazines today.

We were all young and stupid at one time!

Thank you for your input. I'll see if American Handgunner is still published.

 

[rexm]

Yup welcome to the new world. Michael those were the articles I remember buying the rags for. I liked reading Mas's articles in Handgunner for legal stuff but sometimes he just got strange. I remember as a yoot looking through my grandfather's Shooter Bibles and bought some myself before I got the NRA mags at the start. If our grandparents showed back up now they'd be bitching and puking over the state of affairs the country they fought for is in.

I'm 60 and my mother is 81, my dad went before 70 but my health is more her genes.....I don't know if I want to see this country 20yrs from now let alone 10, but our kids and grandkids have to. It's disturbing history has tought mankind something but the greedy and 'lunatics' prevent real advancement.

 

[dankwell]

Yup welcome to the new world. Michael those were the articles I remember buying the rags for. I liked reading Mas's articles in Handgunner for legal stuff but sometimes he just got strange. I remember as a yoot looking through my grandfather's Shooter Bibles and bought some myself before I got the NRA mags at the start. If our grandparents showed back up now they'd be bitching and puking over the state of affairs the country they fought for is in.

I'm 60 and my mother is 81, my dad went before 70 but my health is more her genes.....I don't know if I want to see this country 20yrs from now let alone 10, but our kids and grandkids have to. It's disturbing history has tought mankind something but the greedy and 'lunatics' prevent real advancement.

I have three books written by Mas. He knows guns, shooting, self defense, the legal world, and writes well too.

 

[Nork1911A1]

It was after I bought my first 1911 (Norinco) that I became interested in reading the rags at the time (early 90's).
There was a writer for Handguns Magazine that really captured my interested (Jan...can't remember his last name. He was Scandinavian & a fan of the Norinco 1911).

I liked his articles a lot. I also liked the articles on different ammo tests. I remember the tests & articles on the Black Talon cartridge. I thought the advertising for that round was wildly exaggerated & from reading the results of the tests, I was right. They weren't any better that others on the market at that time, despite the fact that "when they expand, they're like small saws that will cut your body apart. Some even dubbed them "cop killers" (what a joke that was).

Turns out the 200gr Gold Dot "Flying Ashtray" out performed all the others.

Damn, I miss those old articles