Question for older guys, American Rifleman magazine

[CaptainMal]

Just found my old NRA Life Membership card. It does not say when I bought that but guessing in the late 1960's. They quit giving out those cards years ago and the last one I got has little information on it.

Seems to me they only had the American Rifleman back when I joined. It was a good magazine, especially if you liked details on old handguns. I have never had much interest in old handguns so when the American Hunter came out, I switched.

On occasion I look at copies of American Rifleman maybe left at the rifle range. One handguns and a few rifle articles are what I seem to remember. Hunter has all the NRA legislative coins' and the leadership opinion articles. Add to that the many hunting and rifle articles to make it a good read for me.

 

[paperpuncher]

Not what it used to be for sure. 10 out of the 12 months it takes me 10 minutes to go through. Occasionally there is an article that will catch my eye. Don’t know whether it’s the magazine’s fault or mine maybe I’ve grown to particular. I cut my name and mailing address off the front cover and usually post it on the back of a crapper I use on my way to work for some other hapless schmug to hopefully enjoy it. Yup, it’s filed.View attachment 1504467

Well it ain’t quite the quality of the sears catalog but it will work in a pinch

 

[nilebartram]

the magazine is not what it use to be

 

[6fatrat]

It used to be about competitive shooting, match results upcoming matches and excellent articles.
Not any more.
Steve Bair

 

[Uncle Bruce]

WLP has gutted the NRA for his corrupt benefit. Only reason I belong is membership is required to participate in most rifle matches. Most gun articles are about the latest micro innovation of AR-15’s and 9 mm‘s.
NRA support and recognition of competitive shooting is a joke.
I receive monthly reminders to renew my annual membership; a waste of NRA resources and my time to try to get extra money.

My thoughts also. They would have the money if they were not sending me a reminder every other month. Also the first half of every publication is the same, all the board members have an editorial instead of information on the magazine topic they are all political. If it was not a requirement for the local gun range it would be a total waste of money.

 

[Retired shooter]

My thoughts also. They would have the money if they were not sending me a reminder every other month. Also the first half of every publication is the same, all the board members have an editorial instead of information on the magazine topic they are all political. If it was not a requirement for the local gun range it would be a total waste of money.

Ditto.
With Uncle Bruce

 

[danny]

I think many of the current NRA Rifleman articles are pretty well written, with good graphics, but the bottom line is that real gun journalists can't make a living the way they could in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. And so the content is not as informative, or interesting -- because really talented outdoor topic writers just cannot make a living at it anymore.

I wonder if a small part of the puzzle is that many of the really talented outdoor writers, are, for example, right HERE, and they are not being paid for it at all.

Danny

 

[TTE]

I liked the "Armed Citizen" section, but it was basically one page.

I told them to mail my magazine to someone who is inquiring about membership. Just send them a years worth whether they join or not.
Following year pick a new person and repeat

 

[nettle]

The American Rifleman is not what it used to be because of all of the articles on politics that weren't needed years ago. That wasn't the NRA's choice. I consider their gun reviews among the best. Guns and Ammo a close second. American Rifleman does (5) test groups. Guns and Ammo only (3).

And if you consider it is trendy to bash any gun rights org go right ahead. I am sure Biden and his own will give you a big hug. Not to mention CNN and MSN. At least we will know who's side you are on.

 

[Luisyamaha]

I guess I'm old (enough), but my memory of the American Rifleman seems to be different than most here.
I remember it as not as good as it is now. Maybe I am not remembering far back enough? I've been a life member for more than 20 years, and, within that time frame I've only seen it improve.
Sure, the "NEXT" election is (will be) the "most important EVER in our lifetime" but that is to be expected from what is an editorializing magazine. Skip what you don't like and read the rest, or just cancel it.

The gun reviews are mostly formulaic (fill-in the blanks) and check all the boxes, but, still one gets a nugget every once in a while.

I still enjoy it.

Luisyamaha

 

[FNSafari]

I read AR every month cover to cover. It isn’t into r and d like the old man was but it’s still got some very interesting articles imo.

 

[sw282]

The last great gun magazine was VARMINT HUNTERS ASSOCATION.

 

[FNSafari]

If you don’t know and understand the anti gun political storm occurring in the US you are a doomed to suffer it’s consequences.

 

[TaperPin]

If any magazine had reviews not based on ad revenue, pay for play, quid pro quo, back scratching, or following the gun-review-for-dummies formula, it would instantly shoot to the top of my list of favorite magazines of all time.

Libraries are all different, but growing up in Wyoming the high school library, community library, community colleges and universities all had AR and maybe AH magazines on the rack and cataloged by year in back issues. It seemed some of those were not subscriptions to the library, but had the name and address redacted. I spent many otherwise boring afternoons as a kid in the winter going through a few years of articles.

 

[CharlieNC]

WLP has gutted the NRA for his corrupt benefit. Only reason I belong is membership is required to participate in most rifle matches. Most gun articles are about the latest micro innovation of AR-15’s and 9 mm‘s.
NRA support and recognition of competitive shooting is a joke.
I receive monthly reminders to renew my annual membership; a waste of NRA resources and my time to try to get extra money.

Wow, you read my mind!

 

[D Coots]

Jim Carmichael wrote for Outdoor Life for a very long time and ACTUALLY shot SR benchrest and has HOF points. I've been to his house and it shows that he's been to Africa 40 times...He's the real deal, and a nice guy.

 

[nettle]

When the gun rights battles are over I look forward to hearing from those claiming that they contributed to the win by bashing the NRA. Basically if you won't help the cause the least you could do is not hinder.

 

[gle3105]

I’ll admit I might be an “older guy”. Subjective maybe. But no AR is not much of a read like it use to be. I go back to my earlier days reading about Gary Anderson. Seeing ads on the back pages from Potomac Arms , Century and such. Look forward to seeing John Karns exploded views and write ups. It was a firearm ,shooting enthusiast publication then.
Now a small content glossy cover with mainly lobbyist info.
Much like WLP. IMO.

 

[David Milisock]

Ok, you guys old enough to have been reading American Rifleman circa mid 70s and earlier, do you consider the magazine at all worthwhile? It used to be that I considered it one of the best, and one of, if not the most important reasons to join the NRA (back in the politically more calm days). I guess these days I may read parts of one or two articles per year and am seriously considering asking them to stop sending it (if that option exists) (I am a Life Member). Most months I just look at the cover to see what might be in it, then stow it with the others. Maybe I am wrong, maybe not. Oh, and please do not use this posting to bounce off onto a "whip the NRA" thread. That is a whole different topic and I am not interested in that here.

Danny

It's mostly useless now.

 

[Fred Bohl]

As a life member of the NRA since 1965 and annual member since 1959, I've watched it's steady decline. Due to my lack of further contributions, the weight of the American Rifleman finally exceeded the mail begging for more money about 20 years ago. The quality of AR has gradually declined but since I paid $100 for my life membership in 1965 which has include 58 years or 696 issues so far, the price per issue has been modest for me at least.