# Gun Magazines on the Decline??



## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

Even though I'm no longer in the magazine industry, I still try to take notice to trends I see with various magazines in a few industries. Over the last 3-4 months I've noticed fewer and fewer gun magazines at my local news stand. Two years ago there were at least 6 gun mags and 3-4 prepper style mags. 

Tonight I saw 2 prepper style mags, ONE pistol magazine and eight (8) fantasy football mags. I've also noticed more tattoo mags in the last year up to 4 now. 

Does anyone else still look at the magazine isle? Have you noticed the same in your area?


----------



## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

I much prefer holding a magazine or Newspaper to reading online but I know I'm in the minority. I don't see many stores these days in my area that even have magazines (except for the tabloids at the checkout counter).


----------



## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Hard to read from a computer screen soaking my sore old bones in the tub... I'll always love books.


----------



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I think it's malaise. Every gun magazine on the rack at my Barnes & Noble has a black rifle on the cover, with some teaser like, "Learn To Kill Efficiently."

Is that all there is to talk about anymore?


----------



## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

If you want dun magazine selection you just about have to go into a bookstore like Barnes and Noble.


----------



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Magazines in general are down. Being replaced by the net. Heck we have a more knowledgeable here than many of the phony magazine writers.


----------



## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Well it doesn't help when the Gun Magazines employ or publish articles from people who support restricting gun rights. Guns & Ammo had to get rid of one of their editors a few years ago because of readers demanding his head after writing one such article. I haven't picked up a Guns & Ammo or any Peterson Publishing (If I remember correctly that is their parent company) magazine since.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/guns-and-ammo-fires-editor-apologizes-for-gun-control-column


----------



## WhatTheHeck (Aug 1, 2018)

I quit reading gun magazines some time ago. 

It was all the same: A tricked out AR15 of some kind, the new wonder round of the month, and the gun reviews rarely said anything negative. All the reviews were glorified ads.

I did subscribe to Gun Tests for awhile, but even then, I felt some of their testing was amateur at best. 

When Guns and Ammo released their "Zombie Nation" edition, I quit taking them seriously.


----------



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

WhatTheHeck said:


> When Guns and Ammo released their "Zombie Nation" edition, I quit taking them seriously.


I faced the same issue with Tactical Knives. I had to read the rag every month in case a client had a question. Then they hired guys like Phil Elmore. Now I haven't seen the magazine in a year or more. Either fewer distributors carry it, or it went under.

This is one case where I advise, _"Yes, take a gun to a knife fight--these guys don't know anything."_

Edit: One proviso. If you get a knife book or see an article by Jerry VanCook, read that one. He knows what he is doing.


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I am a long time subscriber to two. Guns and American Handgunner. They are the only ones that cover the whole spectrum and not just AR’s and plastic pistols. 
At one time I took advantage of $7 for a year offer for Guns and Ammo, but I’m too old fashioned for what they covered. The only thing i ended up reading each month was the antique gun “what do I have” column.

There are two more that are interesting, both from Wolfe Publishing, Rifle, and Hand Loader.

For me, the printed word in a book or magazine is much preferred than characters on a screen.


----------



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

What I see in gun and motorcycle articles is often poor reviews on a subject the writer often does not know well. They reword what others have said and print it. I have seen Bike listed with the wrong name engine ect. Wrong Specs. Over time people notice these things and turn away.


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Guns and Ammo on the other hand always write glowing reports on how great this latest gun is even when it is a pile of crap.


----------



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Guns and Ammo on the other hand always write glowing reports on how great this latest gun is even when it is a pile of crap.


 He that pays the bills, writes the reviews. 
Only gun mags I get are from the NRA and sale catalogs from those I have spent cash with.


----------



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I have been seeing the number of stoppages per outing when some writers test a new automatic.

In fact, I think it was that "new big .380 ACP" that choked on every round of hardball they tried to cycle. Turns out the chamber was tighter than the width of the round.

I thought that was honest.


----------



## Denver (Nov 16, 2012)

I have subscribed to Shooting Times and Guns and Ammo for more years than I care to admit. When these subs run out no more. Too many crap articles about the new wonder 9 or best .380. All go bang and will hit a target. I am a Life Benefactor member of NRA so I will always get American Rifleman but it too is black plastic tests and rifles no normal person can afford. I still can't understand why my Rem 700 in 30.06 is worth 500 and I can shoot 5 shots inside a quarter, but a Kimber 30.06 does the same but has an ugly plastic stock and is $2500. Same with AR 15's. I have a S&W Sport 15 with a 4x scope I paid 475.00 . Kills prairie dogs at 100 yards if I do my part. New Saint is 1500 and doesn't do any better. If they ever discontinue the back page of AR I will be disappointed.


----------



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

We are 95% in agreement.

I think numerous improvements were made for the .380 ACP. I have a SIG P238, I shoot Hornady Critical Defense ammunition in it.

I do use Freedom Munitions hardball for practice, and that's where I think the "mouse-gun" reputation started and stuck. You get hit with a Critical Defense of a Federal Guard Dog, you are DRN worm food.


----------



## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

I didn't seem to get an answer to my question... *Has anyone seen a decline in gun mags at their local news stand/grocery store* etc.? I'm trying to get a take on if the gun magazine industry is downsizing or if its just my local source.

Thanks


----------



## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

I never noticed.I get the 2 NRA mags, mostly ads, reading them in about 15 minutes and in the recycle bin they go. There's much better content online these days


----------



## Jammer Six (Jun 2, 2017)

I've never seen a gun magazine that I'd waste the time to read.


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

BookWorm said:


> I didn't seem to get an answer to my question... *Has anyone seen a decline in gun mags at their local news stand/grocery store* etc.? I'm trying to get a take on if the gun magazine industry is downsizing or if its just my local source.
> 
> Thanks


The only magazine racks are in the Winn Dixie supermarkets in our town and the next town down the line.
They haven't had gun magazines at all in maybe 5 years.

But they do carry The Backwoodsman so all is not lost. Backwoodsman Magazine
And Countryside And Small Stock Journal. You are being redirected...

What else does a man need? We are supposed to be preppers, no?


----------



## Denver (Nov 16, 2012)

Sorry about that BookWorm. You are right, I didn't answer your question. Yes in my opinion there is a decrease in the number of gun magazines. I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday. There were 4 dedicated gun mags. There were 9 total in the same shelf but were Backwoodsman and 3 other "prepper" and "black ops" books. The other thing I have noticed is the size of magazines. American Rifleman is about 10 pages less than in 1980 and of course more ads than articles. 
Ok I cant stand this anymore. There has been no decrease in the number of gun mags. Magpul and Thermold have more in stock than ever! Of course they only fit AR-15's and AK's. LOL


----------



## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

I used to read them, but it has been a while since I did that, but I do go to Guns And Ammo forum occasionally. I forget about that forum sometimes, just like I forget about the magazine.
If the magazine flat lines, OK; but I won't even miss it, I am ambivalent about it. So my guess is, that gun mags are in decline, judging from my response anyways.


----------



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

For me it's an "age thing." Some of the stuff shown in modern magazines I read in magazines during the early 1980s.


----------



## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

I had to take granny to the dentist this afternoon and noticed that the local news/magazine store had closed it's doors for good. I thought of this thread.


----------



## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

Annie said:


> I had to take granny to the dentist this afternoon and noticed that the local news/magazine store had closed it's doors for good. I thought of this thread.


Thanks @Annie I was trying to confirm if in the last 3-4 months there has been a sudden decline of gun mags on the market overall. It's sad that businesses like this have been on the list to shut down due to changing technology. More jobs lost that aren't being replaced. :sad2:


----------



## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

BookWorm said:


> Thanks @Annie I was trying to confirm if in the last 3-4 months there has been a sudden decline of gun mags on the market overall. It's sad that businesses like this have been on the list to shut down due to changing technology. More jobs lost that aren't being replaced. :sad2:


Yes I think it's a very sad thing.

Sent from my SM-S337TL using Tapatalk


----------



## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

I look but don't buy because of the price. I did do an American Survival Guide subscription but didn't renew because of the clear plastic wrapper for all to see the contents plus the content wasn't that great. Don't really pay to much attention to gun magazines.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


----------



## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

MaterielGeneral said:


> I look but don't buy because of the price. I did do an American Survival Guide subscription but didn't renew because of the clear plastic wrapper for all to see the contents plus the content wasn't that great. Don't really pay to much attention to gun magazines.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


@MaterialGeneral You bring up a good point. I think it was 3-4 years ago I noticed an upswing in prepper mags. It seems within a year it went from 1 to 4, shortly after the surge in gun mags. And then earlier this year (late spring) I noticed a decline of prepper mags. But, again... is this nationwide or is it just my local supermarket not carrying what they once did when it comes to mags?


----------



## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

BookWorm said:


> @MaterialGeneral You bring up a good point. I think it was 3-4 years ago I noticed an upswing in prepper mags. It seems within a year it went from 1 to 4, shortly after the surge in gun mags. And then earlier this year (late spring) I noticed a decline of prepper mags. But, again... is this nationwide or is it just my local supermarket not carrying what they once did when it comes to mags?


Yeah, here in Michigan there seemed like there was a drop. Can't say for sure.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


----------



## next_chapter (Aug 27, 2018)

I have NOT bought a gun mag off a rack in decades ! (tho’ others, I have, mainly
in airports).

When joining new goups online, typically ea offers appropriate mag subscriptions.

I AM GETTING (4) weapons type mags a month alone right now in the mail. 
Joining the NRA, concealed carry insurance , and a few others keeps me behind on reading.

Good hunting !


----------



## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

BookWorm said:


> Thanks @Annie I was trying to confirm if in the last 3-4 months there has been a sudden decline of gun mags on the market overall. It's sad that businesses like this have been on the list to shut down due to changing technology. More jobs lost that aren't being replaced. :sad2:


Have you considered starting a vlog or a podcast? I bet you could do really well with that. There's so many possibilities out there these days that never could've happened 20 years ago.


----------



## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

Annie said:


> Have you considered starting a vlog or a podcast? I bet you could do really well with that. There's so many possibilities out there these days that never could've happened 20 years ago.


 @Annie did you mean blog? I don't know what a vlog is. I'm not the person who would have either a blog or podcast. I don't have facebook anymore, I tried to reduce my digital footprint 1.5 yrs ago. Also, I'm the last guy to get that "new gadget". I didn't get a smart phone until 2013. Don't have cable, satellite, Amazon Prime, didn't get a flat screen until the "curved" models were released. (don't have a curve, just waited 10 years or more to go flat). What I'm trying to say is, I'm not a digital dungeon master who breathes gigabytes and farts pixel.

Not to say I live in a barn and use an out house either, I just don't follow the crowd. I own no apple products. I don't use the work "like" a lot or start a sentence with the phrase, "Well, so I mean". If I were to start a blog or podcast, the next week those things would be upgraded to something else that would require me to buy yet more digital equipment that is hackable by a guy sitting in his moms basement who is too lazy to find real work.

Have a great holiday weekend. :vs_cool:


----------



## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

BookWorm said:


> @Annie did you mean blog? I don't know what a vlog is.


A vlog is a video blog. It's what you see on YouTube.



> I'm not the person who would have either a blog or podcast. I don't have facebook anymore, I tried to reduce my digital footprint 1.5 yrs ago. Also, I'm the last guy to get that "new gadget". I didn't get a smart phone until 2013. Don't have cable, satellite, Amazon Prime, didn't get a flat screen until the "curved" models were released. (don't have a curve, just waited 10 years or more to go flat). What I'm trying to say is, I'm not a digital dungeon master who breathes gigabytes and farts pixel.


 Okay, of course. I guess it just sounded like you missed doing your old job. That's the only reason why I brought it up.

Modern technology can be pretty wonderful in someways. I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but for one thing, it's given us alternative news media. And for people like me, it provides a source of revenue that can be made right from my own home which is a lucky break.



> Not to say I live in a barn and use an out house either, I just don't follow the crowd. I own no apple products. I don't use the work "like" a lot or start a sentence with the phrase, "Well, so I mean". If I were to start a blog or podcast, the next week those things would be upgraded to something else that would require me to buy yet more digital equipment that is hackable by a guy sitting in his moms basement who is too lazy to find real work.
> Have a great holiday weekend. :vs_cool:


You too!


----------

