Got a flyer for a year's subscription to G&A for $7.50 (12 issues). Seems like a deal at todays rag-azine prices, but does G&A actually contain any useful information or is it all advertising and Soldier of Fortune wannabes? Picture of the cover on a sample issue in the flyer had a black rifle with more crap hanging off it than a '59 Caddy pimpmobile...

I get that and Shooting Times.
Shooting times has some good reloading info most of the time, but they are what they are...gun rags.

Pfoxy,

I know what you mean. I stopped getting G & A & ST several years ago. At first, it was due to the constant pitching of the advertisers latest offerings. Then, after the Zumbo fiasco, they turned to their emphasis to black rifles. I enjoy shooting all manner of firearms, but no gunwriter is ever going to convince me that an AR lookalike is a legitimate elk rifle.

I buy Rifle & Handloader, both by Wolfe Publishing. You get a good mix of new & old, writers who really do know their stuff, & lots of practical useful info. I buy an occasional Sports Afield for their exotic hunt stories & custom rifle coverage, & the ST reloading issue.

G&A sure lost a lot when Col. Jeff Cooper passed. The back page was what I always read first. Seems they always have a few good articles to read though. I get 8 or 9 gun mags, and Rifle and Handloader, and Rifleshooter get read first when they start stacking up. "Guns" has a lot of heft for the money, and, some really enjoyable writers. Bugle (RMEF) always has some great reading, and photography. I have yet to turn a page on the Safari Press as I just recently joined.

Look on ebay guys, you can get Magazine subscriptions cheap. I just ended three years of Guns & Ammo that cost me $10.50. Which about what it is worth to someone like me that is not into black rifles or automatic handguns, or unproven info like how to break in a rifle barrel etc.

Shooting Times and G&A aren't what they used to be--I consider them almost worthless and after taking ST for 35 years I let my subscription go.

Handloader, Rifle, and Guns Magazines are my mainstays now. Blackpowder Cartridge News too.

I have been a subscriber for a few years until recently. I enjoyed some of the articles, inlcuding G/A reloads, which covers one cartridge every month, and includes loading data. The reason I cancelled my subscription was the fact that most every main article in this magazine has the topic of two things: 45 auto pistols and AR-style rifles. Sure, an article every once in a while would have been great, but come on, every one? How about more articles on revolvers, bolt-action hunting rifles, and sporting cartridges, not 45 auto or 223 self-d ammo! My only two remaining subscriptions are F&S, and OL, mostly because of the good writing. I plan on adding reloading and a few other.

My 2 cents,

vanbuzen9

I took G&A for years and then dropped it about 2 years ago for many of the reasons you guys have mentioned. Then I got a free subscription a few months ago, and find that the magazine has changed. I know I enjoy reading it more now, they do have some interesting columns and they also report on what new products are coming out. I'll probably renew.

I subscribe to G&A along with about 7 other gun publications. On the whole I enjoy all of them most of the time. I just found that it is cheaper to pay $10 a year for a subscription than it is to buy 2 or 3 issues at the store. About every six month I take all my back issues to a local nursing home.

Face the fact--your paying for the ink, paper and postage to have all that advertisement delivered to your door. Advertisements pay the wages and profits of the publisher. Count the percentage of ads to content. For certain postal classifications it can only be so high. You may notice that some magazines are sent standard mail now not second class/publication rate.

I enjoy the Shootersforum.com readings. It's better than any ole gun magazine and the subscription is free! Really though I can't see buying any of the magazines that are out there. There's just not enough bang for the buck.

I still get and look forward to the Wolfe publications, G&A and the rest just seem to be adds for black guns and Springfield Glock clones.

I stopped all my magazine subscriptions except these two:

- FUR-FISH-GAME

- Pennsylvania Game News

Trouble with current magazines is that they shamelessly re-cycle the same articles and portions of articles over and over. I can't take the endless magnum articles anymore. Black plastic stocks do not appeal to me either.

TR

G & A. I really don't like it but I'm half-way through a two years for $12 subscription, which is definitely my last. If you're looking for male enhancement products G & A is where you can start your search. The current issue is mostly semi auto rifles which are not my cup of tea.

I have noticed that the club I belong to has mone & more black rifle shooters so we conventional rifle shooters are becoming the minority. Such is the future of our hobby/obsession. So far the PA hunting laws prohibit the use of semi-auto rifles but I suspect the tide is turning and semis will soon be legal hunting arms.

I receive the "American Rifleman" and "Fur Fish & Game" so these are read every month.

Sorta off the subject, but yes - we've noticed quite an increase of black rifles at the gunrange. Can't fault some of them on accuracy. Folks have spent a lot of money on building some extremely accurate platforms.

The ones we laugh at are the things that look like a mad scientist cobbled together with all sorts of do-dads strapped on them. The aftermarket sales must be going strong! :D

I have been a subscriber for a few years until recently. I enjoyed some of the articles, inlcuding G/A reloads, which covers one cartridge every month, and includes loading data. The reason I cancelled my subscription was the fact that most every main article in this magazine has the topic of two things: 45 auto pistols and AR-style rifles. Sure, an article every once in a while would have been great, but come on, every one? How about more articles on revolvers, bolt-action hunting rifles, and sporting cartridges, not 45 auto or 223 self-d ammo! My only two remaining subscriptions are F&S, and OL, mostly because of the good writing. I plan on adding reloading and a few other.

My 2 cents,

vanbuzen9

I've gotta disagree with you about OL and F&S having good writing. 25 years ago they were great. Now they're all equipment marketing disguised as tech articles or outfitter promotions disguised as hunting stories. Sad. And F&S has become too political and leans too far left towards environmentalism for me. I prefer real conservationism based on science. Sports Afield is OK and Peterson's Hunting or American Hunter are probably my favorites but certainly not any mags out there I can't live without.

I got Shooting Times for 15 years because they had the best reloading editor in the business - Rick Jamison.
When they canned him after he sued USRAC for copying his "short,fat beltless magnum" design,they replaced him with a nice guy that knows little about reloading.
As a result,I dropped my subscription to ST.
What was the deal with Zumbo.
The Sporting magazine industry has changed since the 50's and 60's. Too many professional writers on staff and mostly "how-to" articles.Today,they are just an advertising arm of the manufacturers.How many negative comments do you see when they test a firearm?
How many times have you read about Glock Kabooms in any magazine ?

I'm Canadian and subscribe to none! Wolfe publications, HANDLOADER and RIFLE are the best, but I only buy them off the rack if I see something that interests me. Phil Shoemaker up in Alaska is the best current writer, in my view. He's an outfitter and Master Guide, and believable. I've had correspondence with him. Other than that I too have given up on any of the others, including Peterson's HUNTING.:cool: