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Print Gun Magazines are Dead (or are they?) (Ad-free) (Patreon)

Published:
2025-12-28 12:00:12
Imported:
2026-06
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Print Gun Magazines are Dead (or are they?) (Ad-free)

The best firearms reference books: https://www.headstamppublishing.com Print gun magazines used to be the standard way to stay tuned to the new scholarship in the world of collectible firearms. Then we got the internet. Today, researchers paid to write articles for print magazines have been effectively supplanted by collectors posting equally detailed and well-researched pieces on free public forums. While this is obviously sub-optimal for the people who relied on printing magazines and selling writing services, it has made information more available and (most importantly) far more discoverable for the general public. http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons http://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeapons Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com

Comments

Guido Schriewer

the way I started to, well study would be an overstatement, but to learn about firearms. with like 12years the first from 14 into my 20s I was a keen reader of "schweizer waffen magazin" (later "internationales waffen magazin"). 10 magazins/year. sadly since yeeears not as a standalone thing in germany. that was 1986 into the mid 90s. years before any internet. deutsches waffen journal sucks. so I went with the swiss.

Guido Schriewer

I think back in the day we read kind of quality work by more or less professionals with a background. in English I do like to read, or watch, massad ayoob or clint smith i.e. historical research is one side, much simpeler reviews is another. the later has developed into often less neutral less quality. not everybody who owns a smartphone or camera and can post something is an expert. just saying. some do really good work. others look for the most views and new subscribers.

Dale Farmer

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Yes. lol.

AnotherPatreonUser

I enjoy all your videos Ian but I particularly enjoyed this one. 😉 This problemis not unique to firearms publishing, and arguably there are subject matter domains where this situation is even more noticeable, as general interest in the subject matter fades. If you were an English speaking hobby machinist/model engineer, up until the early 2000s the best resources were magazines like Model Engineer, Model Engineer's Workshop, Home Shop Machinist, Machinist's Workshop, and a bit further back, Popular Mechanics. Now of course, as Ian says, the most accessible information (and if you can't find information, it doesn't exist 😉) is found on the internet. The problem is that the correctness of the information does vary quite a bit. There is a website, lathes.co.uk, that contains an astonishingly large and detailed archive of information about all but the most obscure manufacturers and models of lathes, milling machines, jig borers, surface grinders, tool and cutter grinders, and most other machines you'd find in a workshop (not much on CNC but this site is mainly about manual machines from the 20th century), from all over the world. It's free to access and as far as I know, always will be. Tony Griffiths, the owner of the site, has done stirling work in keeping this information available (a very agreeable chap to chat with on the telephone, too). But still and all, there's the occasional mistake or ommision of useful information here and there. You can look on YouTube and you will find scads and scads of videos about machining techniques and restoration of vintage machine tools. Some (Joe Pie, OxTools, Mr Crispin, The Lazy Machinist, This Old Tony) are treasure troves of fantastic content, but sadly a fair proportion are full of regurgitated BS. Then there are the forums, which are an invaluable resource, but then again, some members will happily repeat 'recieved wisdom', as if it's ordained from on high. Some of this 'received wisdom' is worth keeping, but some of it is just dogma that's only considered authoritative due to its repetition. I suppose in the researching of the history of firearms, finding out why your parting blade terrifyingly breaks on you far too often, and indeed any other subject with any depth, they key is to have a critical mindset, try to gain an understanding of the underlying principles, and be suspicious of anyone asserting something without decent backup. 😉

Robert N Ayres

I lament the passing of the print magazines. Just this fall we lost "Guns Magazine" and going forward NRA's "Rifleman" is going Digitan with quarterly hardcopy( I wonder how long the hardcopy sill last). For quite a few years now, have been physically clipping articles of special interest (how to reload an obscure cartridge for example), putting it in a sleve protector and organizing into a binder. For "Handloader Magazine" I bought the DVD Handloader set. AS far as finding more/better information on the internet - MAYBE !! - I recently acquired my first Thompson Contender - It is an early (not east opening) in 22 LR. Great gun. I want to buy more barrels BUT I can't find a significant information source . What barrels go with forends? Will an octogan barrel fit my fore end that works for a round bull barrel 22? Long list of questions. I can't find a book anywhere and nothing comprehensive online.

ERB2

In my opinion, the greatest advantage of gun reviews being presented on YouTube by (hopefully) independent creators is that, unlike articles in the traditional magazines, reviewers on YouTube will actually say “THIS IS A BAD PISTOL! DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY! They will do comparison tests between similar firearms! They might even declare a WINNER! While car and especially motorcycle magazines have long history of doing in depth comparisons tests, gun magazines seem afraid to do them, lest they anger the manufacturers and advertisers. (That’s right… I said ”lest”). YouTube has been a breath of fresh air for understanding the real qualities of a new firearm. But I still get excited when a new magazine shows up in my mailbox. The written word has its own special charm, especially in the hands of a great writer.

WayneWiiki

My initial thoughts? I kept a great many magazines for a great many years. Guns, G&A, SOF, SAR... I read them over and over again. I love YouTube vids. But I tend to only watch them once. Its an interesting paradox.

WayneWiiki

Imagine if you will...a place...with a searchable database that allowed you in for free...to look at and even take home (for a short period of time)... books about ANYTHING. Oh wait, here's a library. My favorite place when I was young. Young nerds are really missing out on the experience.

WayneWiiki

I think Ian actually understands musicians...he just doesn't realize it. There is so much synchronicity.

ForgottenWeapons
>>198333064

When I was growing up, my father's office was in our local big library. I am well acquainted with such things as card catalogs...but I've yet to find a library that subscribed to these sorts of gun magazines.