NRA magazines?

[hoz53]

Hi Everyone-- I was thinking about switching the NRA mag i get from American Rifleman to Shooting Illustrated Im wondering if anybody gets that now and how you Like it. Thanks Hoz

 

[jackson1]

hoz53, tried Shooting Illustrated and switched back to American Rifleman. Both magazines got a quick look over and then get circular filed. Long ago I learned and enjoyed the NRA's magazines. Maybe I changed or they changed, but I no longer get much out of them. For me, I found I can glean a little from American Rifleman.

 

[JMayo]

Pistols are the main subject most the time.
Teaching handgun stuff for beginners.
Sometimes AR & shotgun.
NEVER BENCHREST ...

 

[Dub]

I switched awhile back. Shooting illustrated lacks any meaningful content and I usually just chuck into the recycle bin without opening it...

 

[hogpatrol]

After being on this rock awhile, I see both as any other magazine, same stuff, different day. I understand they make money on the advertising but if I had my druthers, I'd tell them to save the money and put it in to fighting the anti-s.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I look mine over THEN they hit the trash. American Rifleman?? Not by a long shot anymore. I DON'T do Glocks.

 

[butchlambert]

Wife gets one and I get the other and soon to the trash.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I find nothing useful nor interesting in either one. Most articles are written as advertisement ads. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait for the next issue, now I wouldn't even know if they failed to send next months issue. The staff articles and nothing more than begging for more money and how without more donations they will fail in their mission.

 

[Forum Boss]

About NRA Magazine Content vs. AccurateShooter Forum and Content

Warning -- this is a shameless pitch for member upgrades...

In addition to running a Forum that now boasts 49,950 members, I release Three Stories a Day* in the Daily Bulletin -- that's 90 stories a month. That's more than three NRA magazines combined (though, in fairness the NRA's magazine stories are typically much longer). I also spend 30-60 minutes a day background checking new member signups. That is all done with a staff of ONE full-time person, plus F-Class John who does the Deals of the Week article two weeks a month.

I work on the site every day of the month. Every day.

Each of the NRA magazines has multiple editors plus staff writers and freelance writers. The way I see it, Forum Boss is doing the work of at least 4 people, maybe 6-8.

In six months I will be 65.

We need more staff to keep doing what we're doing. That means MORE member upgrade revenue -- at least a doubling. Right now there are 1688 active upgraded members (either Silver or Gold). That is 3.37% of the total 49,500-person membership.

We need to increase that total -- get it to at least 5000 upgraded members, or 10% of the Forum membership.

Consider this -- a $25 Silver Membership works out to $2.08/mo or 48 cents a week (52 wks/yr).

There are some guys who have sold a dozen or more products here over the years, and still won't pay two bucks a month to keep the ship afloat...

Here is my request -- If you access this Forum more than 3-4 days a month, or read the Bulletin regularly, or sell your gear here, please consider upgrading your Membership.

We have a major Forum overhaul in the works. This is a big deal, requiring lots of programmer manhour$. It looks like the cost will be substantial. User support is more important than ever.

-------------------

*Yes some of the article are updates on older stories. However, we often find that the re-release gets more readers and click interactions than the first time. An example was a recent update to our Powder Burn Rate Chart:

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2020/04/comparative-burn-rate-chart-lists-163-powders/

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Wife and I both have NRA memberships. We get different magazines. But after reading the Forum Bosses Post I paid up here as well. I get way more info here than I ever get from NRA..

 

[farmerjohn]

About NRA Magazine Content vs. AccurateShooter Forum and Content

Warning -- this is a shameless pitch for member upgrades...

In addition to running a Forum that now boasts 49,950 members, I release Three Stories a Day* in the Daily Bulletin -- that's 90 stories a month. That's more than three NRA magazines combined (though, in fairness the NRA's magazine stories are typically much longer). I also spend 30-60 minutes a day background checking new member signups. That is all done with a staff of ONE full-time person, plus F-Class John who does the Deals of the Week article two weeks a month.

I work on the site every day of the month. Every day.

Each of the NRA magazines has multiple editors plus staff writers and freelance writers. The way I see it, Forum Boss is doing the work of at least 4 people, maybe 6-8.

In six months I will be 65.

We need more staff to keep doing what we're doing. That means MORE member upgrade revenue -- at least a doubling. Right now there are 1688 active upgraded members (either Silver or Gold). That is 3.37% of the total 49,500-person membership.

We need to increase that total -- get it to at least 5000 upgraded members, or 10% of the Forum membership.

Consider this -- a $25 Silver Membership works out to $2.08/mo or 48 cents a week (52 wks/yr).

There are some guys who have sold a dozen or more products here over the years, and still won't pay two bucks a month to keep the ship afloat...

Here is my request -- If you access this Forum more than 3-4 days a month, or read the Bulletin regularly, or sell your gear here, please consider upgrading your Membership.

We have a major Forum overhaul in the works. This is a big deal, requiring lots of programmer manhour$. It looks like the cost will be substantial. User support is more important than ever.

-------------------

*Yes some of the article are updates on older stories. However, we often find that the re-release gets more readers and click interactions than the first time. An example was a recent update to our Powder Burn Rate Chart:

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2020/04/comparative-burn-rate-chart-lists-163-powders/

Hey Boss, not trying to hijack Boz's thread, BUT, there is an old saying that you "MINE WHERE THE GOLD IS"! You got nearly 1700 good paying members, that's your vein. Make it mandatory to be a silver member to sell, offer a life membership to members that have been gold for at least a year and/or who have history. Cull out the tire kickers and concentrate on the paying members. My two cents and MHO... John

 

[farmerjohn]

Wife gets one and I get the other and soon to the trash.

Me too... John

 

[dcali]

I just opted out of the magazines. I feel guilty just throwing them away. Maybe the printing costs saved will help buy Wayne another mansion.

I'm starting to wonder if the NRA is relevant anymore, either as a service to shooters or as a political organization.

And yeah, this forum crushes any and all magazines when it comes to good content for accurate rifles.

 

[VaniB]

I am a Life Member and the mere sight of Wayne LaPierre's face in Pop-up ads on these websites and in their magazine agitates me the same way as does Hillary Clinton. But we don't have much choice but to stand with them. As for the Am.Rifle Magazine, I'd could enjoy it much more if they converted it exclusively to gun tests and product reviews. If I want to read the history of Samuel Colt or the Gatling Gun, I could find it on the Internet.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

About NRA Magazine Content vs. AccurateShooter Forum and Content

Warning -- this is a shameless pitch for member upgrades...

In addition to running a Forum that now boasts 49,950 members, I release Three Stories a Day* in the Daily Bulletin -- that's 90 stories a month. That's more than three NRA magazines combined (though, in fairness the NRA's magazine stories are typically much longer). I also spend 30-60 minutes a day background checking new member signups. That is all done with a staff of ONE full-time person, plus F-Class John who does the Deals of the Week article two weeks a month.

I work on the site every day of the month. Every day.

Each of the NRA magazines has multiple editors plus staff writers and freelance writers. The way I see it, Forum Boss is doing the work of at least 4 people, maybe 6-8.

In six months I will be 65.

We need more staff to keep doing what we're doing. That means MORE member upgrade revenue -- at least a doubling. Right now there are 1688 active upgraded members (either Silver or Gold). That is 3.37% of the total 49,500-person membership.

We need to increase that total -- get it to at least 5000 upgraded members, or 10% of the Forum membership.

Consider this -- a $25 Silver Membership works out to $2.08/mo or 48 cents a week (52 wks/yr).

There are some guys who have sold a dozen or more products here over the years, and still won't pay two bucks a month to keep the ship afloat...

Here is my request -- If you access this Forum more than 3-4 days a month, or read the Bulletin regularly, or sell your gear here, please consider upgrading your Membership.

We have a major Forum overhaul in the works. This is a big deal, requiring lots of programmer manhour$. It looks like the cost will be substantial. User support is more important than ever.

-------------------

*Yes some of the article are updates on older stories. However, we often find that the re-release gets more readers and click interactions than the first time. An example was a recent update to our Powder Burn Rate Chart:

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2020/04/comparative-burn-rate-chart-lists-163-powders/

Boss
You won't lose any paying members by making it mandatory to have Silver if you want to sell. I see some here who sell several items a month and more who are not members. They won't run away for the price of a Silver membership.

Is not fair for the rest of us who do pay up to have to compete with those who sell and aren't members. Some bring in thousands of dollars every year without membership. Those who do not buy and sell here are another story. I can't understand how anyone who benefits from this forum won't pony up and spend a few bucks for the reams of information they get on this site. Many of us pay up and then donate more to the site. It's easy. Contribute monthly via PayPal automatically.

I for one do not want to lose this site, when and if it becomes too much for you to manage alone. Why not put out a request for some volunteers to at least vet new members and some other duties. I don't know if that is feasible with your software, but I have done that on other forums many years ago.

I just surveyed the rifle for sale section and found that out of 19 ads on the first page, only four were paying members That means the 78% of those ads are from non paying members. They should be ashamed.
Nick

 

[hoz53]

About NRA Magazine Content vs. AccurateShooter Forum and Content

Warning -- this is a shameless pitch for member upgrades...

In addition to running a Forum that now boasts 49,950 members, I release Three Stories a Day* in the Daily Bulletin -- that's 90 stories a month. That's more than three NRA magazines combined (though, in fairness the NRA's magazine stories are typically much longer). I also spend 30-60 minutes a day background checking new member signups. That is all done with a staff of ONE full-time person, plus F-Class John who does the Deals of the Week article two weeks a month.

I work on the site every day of the month. Every day.

Each of the NRA magazines has multiple editors plus staff writers and freelance writers. The way I see it, Forum Boss is doing the work of at least 4 people, maybe 6-8.

In six months I will be 65.

We need more staff to keep doing what we're doing. That means MORE member upgrade revenue -- at least a doubling. Right now there are 1688 active upgraded members (either Silver or Gold). That is 3.37% of the total 49,500-person membership.

We need to increase that total -- get it to at least 5000 upgraded members, or 10% of the Forum membership.

Consider this -- a $25 Silver Membership works out to $2.08/mo or 48 cents a week (52 wks/yr).

There are some guys who have sold a dozen or more products here over the years, and still won't pay two bucks a month to keep the ship afloat...

Here is my request -- If you access this Forum more than 3-4 days a month, or read the Bulletin regularly, or sell your gear here, please consider upgrading your Membership.

We have a major Forum overhaul in the works. This is a big deal, requiring lots of programmer manhour$. It looks like the cost will be substantial. User support is more important than ever.

-------------------

*Yes some of the article are updates on older stories. However, we often find that the re-release gets more readers and click interactions than the first time. An example was a recent update to our Powder Burn Rate Chart:

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2020/04/comparative-burn-rate-chart-lists-163-powders/

Wow Boss-- Made it to Medicare. Congradulations, I think 65 really is a kind of milestone. Ive got a year and a half to go. With a little luck mabie I will make it to. I know it all takes alot of work and smarts for you to keep this going. To me Accurate Shooter is hands down the best place for getting the shooting info I want. Way better than any magazine, even some of the better ones that are no longer around. By any measure my Gold membership is cheap compared to the value I receive here. Now we've had the money discussion before. You could if you wanted charge some kind of subscription fee. You choose not to and that is your business, but its there for you if you want it. Thank You for all youve done and do making Accurate Shooter a reality for us.

 

[hoz53]

hoz53, tried Shooting Illustrated and switched back to American Rifleman. Both magazines got a quick look over and then get circular filed. Long ago I learned and enjoyed the NRA's magazines. Maybe I changed or they changed, but I no longer get much out of them. For me, I found I can glean a little from American Rifleman.

Thanks Jackson. I dont get much out of the american rifleman anymore either, i dont think its just you.

 

[hoz53]

Pistols are the main subject most the time.
Teaching handgun stuff for beginners.
Sometimes AR & shotgun.
NEVER BENCHREST ...

Thanks Mayo- Sounds like the same old stuff so I probably wont switch.

 

[hoz53]

I switched awhile back. Shooting illustrated lacks any meaningful content and I usually just chuck into the recycle bin without opening it...

Well Thanks for letting me know whats going on with it. I may just opt out of the magazines. Sad what they have become isnt it.

 

[hoz53]

After being on this rock awhile, I see both as any other magazine, same stuff, different day. I understand they make money on the advertising but if I had my druthers, I'd tell them to save the money and put it in to fighting the anti-s.

Hi Hog- Yeah I feel the same. Scanning through any of the mainstream shooting magazines is usually just old stuff. Its not just that we know everything now either. the information is not the same as it used to be. I think a person can opt out of the nra mags- i may do that. Thanks