Favorite Gun Magazine?

And when I mean magazine, I mean, Periodical Literature.

I'm interested in getting a periodical gun magazine in the mail for my reading pleasure, but with so many different kinds out there, I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations to which ones they like best, which ones aren't, and possibly any other suggestions. Guns & Ammo Magazine has caught my eye, but haven't read any issues yet.

Just to give a little background to better suit suggestions, I'm a younger guy, under 25, I open carry everyday (obviously), I'm relatively new to the 2A scene, live in Washington, and my current possessions include a Glock 19, a Ruger 10/22, a Remington 870, a Rohm RG7, and a Winchester Model 06. I'm mainly interested in handguns, but do have some interest in long rifles.

Thanks!

shotgun news is good. so is the truth about guns

Unfortunately, many gun magazines are just advertising vehicles. Meaning the articles, not just the ads. There's a derogatory term for such rags: gunzine.

After a while reading them, you notice they never have anything bad to say about even the worst guns. Every gun reviewed is a great solution.

A real give away is the front page. When you see headlines like: "Your .380 Powerhouse", or "A Snub-nosed Powerhouse" you know the rest of the rag is going to be equally unreliable. (For new guys: there is no way in hell a .380 generates enough energy to be a powerhouse. Same for a snub-nose revolver or compact pistol--the short barrel reduces velocity.)

So, I gave up reading most gunzines. For some years I got Combat Handguns. Mainly for Mas Ayoob's articles on Self-defense and the Law.

Sometimes there will be a specialty writer like a guy who writes mainly about, for example, WWII guns. But, a few of those articles aren't worth a year's subscription.

My suggestion would be to browse several at the bookstore (Barnes & Noble, etc.) first to evaluate whether they're just an advertising vehicle.

Well I don't see it totally that way.

Gunzine more correctly IMO defines any gun specific magazine publication. I have read of such writers (John Conners of Little Lizzie fame) and at least one editor, Roy Huntington, refer to their publication as a "gunzine". The term is bandied about with some affection by others too. I enjoy reading gunzines occasionally, but I do so with my eyes wide open - as an example Maas doesn't really like OC, but I read him anyway.

Still everything is relative. A .380 "powerhouse" I read about was loaded with refinement/features that made it a marketing powerhouse within the .380 category. I wouldn't expect manufacturers to send guns to such writers for evaluation if there was a serious risk of being panned - ya gotta learn to read between the lines. Too there is the liability issue if you damage the reputation of a company or it's product. Only true panning /bad references I've ever seen were about guns from companies that was long out of business.

Some of the .380 ammunition of today meets or exceeds much of the 9mm ammo that was in use just a short time ago. By the same token 9mm, .40 cal and .45 ACP ammo has seen significant improvements. According to a couple of friends, anything less than a 10mm is not a powerhouse, yet they do not castigate me for carrying a "little" .45 either.

People make their personal choices for a variety of reasons - all legitimate for them. Vive la différence! It would be a terrible thing if we only had one gun, one caliber, and one ammo load available to us.

Conclusion: Gunzines exist because they fill a need, provide information , and are of significant entertainment value


P.S. I still read car/truck magazines except for the ones dedicated to Fords. They are not worth the pulp value of the paper :lol:

Grapeshot said:

Well I don't see it totally that way.

Gunzine more correctly IMO defines any gun specific magazine publication. I have read of such writers (John Conners of Little Lizzie fame) and at least one editor, Roy Huntington, refer to their publication as a "gunzine". The term is bandied about with some affection by others too. I enjoy reading gunzines occasionally, but I do so with my eyes wide open - as an example Maas doesn't really like OC, but I read him anyway.

Still everything is relative. A .380 "powerhouse" I read about was loaded with refinement/features that made it a marketing powerhouse within the .380 category. I wouldn't expect manufacturers to send guns to such writers for evaluation if there was a serious risk of being panned - ya gotta learn to read between the lines. Too there is the liability issue if you damage the reputation of a company or it's product. Only true panning /bad references I've ever seen were about guns from companies that was long out of business.

Some of the .380 ammunition of today meets or exceeds much of the 9mm ammo that was in use just a short time ago. By the same token 9mm, .40 cal and .45 ACP ammo has seen significant improvements. According to a couple of friends, anything less than a 10mm is not a powerhouse, yet they do not castigate me for carrying a "little" .45 either.

People make their personal choices for a variety of reasons - all legitimate for them. Vive la différence! It would be a terrible thing if we only had one gun, one caliber, and one ammo load available to us.

Conclusion: Gunzines exist because they fill a need, provide information , and are of significant entertainment value


P.S. I still read car/truck magazines except for the ones dedicated to Fords. They are not worth the pulp value of the paper :lol:

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And, no gunzine editor is going to let a writer say much of anything negative about an advertiser's products.

"Powerhouse within the .380 category"? What a bunch of specious justification.

I swear, if I read "Dynamic Duo," "Pair of Aces," or "18 Rounds of Fight-stopping 9 x19 Power!" again, I'm gonna loose my cookies. Every other gun is either deluxe or maximum--even BUGS (back-up guns) and compacts are maximum.

And, just ignore that that the guns featured are often the very expensive ones.

The last place anybody wants to find out about a gun is a gunzine. If you want information on a Smith, visit the Smith forum. If you want information on a Ruger, visit the Ruger forum. You get tons of user commentary on both the gun and factory service.

Guns and Ammo ! Not a perfect mag but light reading.

Kimpro or Wilson

Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard.