Author Topic: Best Gun Magazine (again) (Read 2166 times)

Silver Bullet · « **on:** October 08, 2009, 12:02:41 AM »

I know this has been done to death, either here or at THR or TPS, but ... we're doing it again !

I want to give a shout-out to what I consider the best gun magazine. There are a few others I like, such as SWAT and Shooting Times, but the one that I find has the most interesting stories on a month-to-month basis is the NRA's American Rifleman.

They're not perfect; they tend to overemphasize American made firearms (especially Springfield Armory), and they don't seem to find too many guns they don't like (common to most other magazines), but overall they're excellent.

Some of this month's topics:

Welcome to NRA Country -- partnership with certain country music performers
The Mayor vs The People -- Bloomberg meddling, as usual
Ruger's new SR-556
Colt U.S. M4 Carbine -- history
Truth About Gun Shows -- current politics
Lincoln's Rifles -- history
Purpose-Built Shotgun
ABCs of Handgun Marksmanship -- (hey, isn't this the American Rifleman ? )
Making the Right Turn -- basics of gunsmithing screwdrivers
FNH USA FNAR NATO Rifle
Auto-Ordnance TA5 Thompson Pistol
SIG Sauer 556 Classic Rifle
Rohrbaugh Ro Stealth 9 mm Pistol
Colt Detective Special
Loading the .416 Rem. mag.

Can your beer do this ? (For the youngsters, that's a line from a tv commercial a couple decades back)

I consider this an above average, but definitely not on a par with the best one or two issues each year.

Balog · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2009, 12:36:20 AM »

It's ok. Slightly better than the average gun porn, but not much. Swat is the best of the conventional gun mags. Gun Tests is the only one I have total respect for; no advertising, and they print reviews that aren't flattering.

Silver Bullet · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2009, 12:59:23 AM »

Quote

Slightly better than the average gun porn, but not much. Swat is the best of the conventional gun mags. Gun Tests is the only one I have total respect for

I haven't seen Gun Tests in years, but yes, it is very good.

I disagree with "slightly better"; more like, waaaayyy better.

Balog · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2009, 01:07:48 AM »

Quote from: Silver Bullet on October 08, 2009, 12:59:23 AM

I haven't seen Gun Tests in years, but yes, it is very good.

I disagree with "slightly better"; more like, waaaayyy better.

Meh, SWAT, Gun Tests, Gun List, and Shotgun News are my only real points of comparison. I skip most of the stuff in A_R as it doesn't really interest me. A lot of it is "Zomg teh NRA is awesome!!!eleventyone!1!1!!" too which gets a bit old.

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2009, 02:11:29 AM »

Quote

best gun magazine

Ribbed steel AK magazines are pretty hard to beat, in fact you can beat someone with the mag then use it and expect if to function perfectly.

Oh you meant the other kinda magazine?

mtnbkr · « **Reply #5 on:** October 08, 2009, 06:09:08 AM »

The only gun magazine I'd even consider subscribing to is Handloader.

Shooting Times is ok.

Handguns, when filled with articles by John Taffin is tolerable.

American Rifleman isn't bad, but so often, there's little in it I'm interested in because I'm not a rifleman (I own two, my deer rifle and my 22lr). I miss NRA's handgun magazine.

The rest are pretty much crap. Part of my complaint is the glut of semiauto articles. I'd like to see more revolver porn.

Chris

AJ Dual · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2009, 09:01:40 AM »

Quote from: Silver Bullet on October 08, 2009, 12:59:23 AM

I haven't seen Gun Tests in years, but yes, it is very good.

I disagree with "slightly better"; more like, waaaayyy better.

The problem with Gun Tests is the exact opposite. They've panned some very good firearms for failures under unusual or very limited circumstances. Or because they dislike certain features that many other people do actualy desire.

IMO, their "independant" methedology really isn't better than the advertiser-beholden gun writers of the other magazines. They do have a way of diplomatically getting their 'steer clear' reviews across. Such as when they mention things like sending sample firearms that fail back for service, and then praising the "great customer service", or poor accuracy/consistency, then stating "XYZ was never intended to be a target rifle" etc. or when they simply damn a product with faint praise.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 08, 2009, 09:07:20 AM »

Handloader is about it for me, although I do receive a fairly thin publication from the NRA on a regular basis...

HankB · « **Reply #8 on:** October 08, 2009, 09:17:37 AM »

American Rifleman is pretty good, but as already noted, rather thin.

I generally like Handloader and Rifle.

I get American Handgunner too, and once in a while I'll subscribe to Guns. (When I get a year for < $10)

Safari magazine is a bimonthly publication of SCI, and is generally very good.

Most of the other mags seem to not even disguise the fact that they're shills for various manufacturers.

lee n. field · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2009, 09:28:43 AM »

Handloader is the only one I'd subscribe to. The only one I actually buy, sometimes, off a rack. American Rifleman I get. I have to run it through the usual filters.

Mostly I don't even look at the others unless someone gives me a real, real special reason for looking at one. If I want gun reviews, I'll watch for firsthand reports on the gunboards (and run those through their own crap filter).

MechAg94 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2009, 10:20:54 AM »

Quote from: AJ Dual on October 08, 2009, 09:01:40 AM

The problem with Gun Tests is the exact opposite. They've panned some very good firearms for failures under unusual or very limited circumstances. Or because they dislike certain features that many other people do actualy desire.

IMO, their "independant" methedology really isn't better than the advertiser-beholden gun writers of the other magazines. They do have a way of diplomatically getting their 'steer clear' reviews across. Such as when they mention things like sending sample firearms that fail back for service, and then praising the "great customer service", or poor accuracy/consistency, then stating "XYZ was never intended to be a target rifle" etc. or when they simply damn a product with faint praise.

All true, but with that Magazine, you have to read beyond the letter grades they hand out. There is always a lot of personal taste involved in their ratings and they have in the past often compared $400 guns to $900 guns which is not always fair. IMO, they normally give you enough information in the write up to draw your own conclusions and decide if what they liked or didn't like works for you.
As opposed to reviews in American Rifleman where I have no idea what information to trust or believe as EVERY gun is GREAT!

IMO, any magazine that prints the bad as well as the good is going to have plenty to disagree with. Gun guys are an independent lot and often very opinionated.

Silver Bullet · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2009, 11:32:34 AM »

Lotsa votes for Handloader and a few more for Shooting Times.

Shooting Times put out a special magazine called Shooting Times Ultimate Guide to Long Range Rifles that was terrific. It came out last April, I believe. I think I read every single article at least once.

Maybe I'll subscribe to that one.

Balog · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2009, 11:48:49 AM »

Well, when I was subbed to Gun Tests I generally ignored their opinions and just reveled in their open methology. I also like that they were honest about what worked and what didn't, even though you had to pay attention to what they were doing. No method of testing is totally objective, but they are at least transparent. Even if some people get their panties atwist when their pet guns don't do well.

T.O.M. · « **Reply #13 on:** October 08, 2009, 04:12:23 PM »

Back when I read the gun mags, I started with "Guns and Ammo" and "Petersen's Handguns." I progressed to "Combat Handguns" and then "American Handgunner" when I saw and fell in love with the photographs of Ichiro Nagata. Then, when I actually turned 21 and bought my first guns, I used the magazine money for ammo.

lee n. field · « **Reply #14 on:** October 08, 2009, 06:48:30 PM »

Quote

the best gun magazine.

Factory or Mecgar, is what I usually hear.

seeker_two · « **Reply #15 on:** October 08, 2009, 07:14:25 PM »

I liked the Chip McCormick 10-rd 1911 mags back when I owned a 1911.....great for USPSA competitions....wish he'd do some in 12+-rds for 9mm 1911's...

w turner · « **Reply #16 on:** October 08, 2009, 08:53:13 PM »

I subscribe to both American Handgunner and Guns, also get American Rifleman with my NRA membership. I got G&A for a while, but got bored with them quickly bc of the difference in photgraphy quality and writing. The cheerleading in the BRA mags gets old quick, but it comes from the NRA, so it's to be expected.
AH and GUNS both have Clint Smith, Mas Ayoob, John Taffin, Mike Venturino, and JD Jones. Pretty impressive lineup and I get both mags for less than $25 per year. $2 a month isn't too much to pay for me. Ichiro Nagata's photography doesn't hurt either.

W

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 09, 2009, 01:10:27 AM »

The novelty of Ichiro Nagata's photography wore off quickly with me, once I realized that I, too, could stage my gun photos in front of a red cloth background.

seeker_two · « **Reply #18 on:** October 09, 2009, 06:06:08 AM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on October 09, 2009, 01:10:27 AM

The novelty of Ichiro Nagata's photography wore off quickly with me, once I realized that I, too, could stage my gun photos in front of a red cloth background.

Yeah....but can you get your red cloth all wrinkly like Nagata can?....that's why he makes the BIG bucks....

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Author Topic: Best Gun Magazine (again) (Read 2166 times)