HANDLOADER MAGAZINE

[razmuz]

Handloader used to be my favorite magazine.  Currently it appears to becoming just an advertisement tool for products.  I'm sure the 20 people in America that own them enjoy the reloading data for some off-the-wall calibers.  I notice they don't show a email address in their magazine, makes the job easier.  In our hunting camp this season there were 30-30's, 308's, 270's and a 30-06.  There is a lot of new powders and bullets out there,  we need updates on the tried and true calibers that most of us use.  The last update I could find on the 270 was done in the 10-97 issue.  What do you guy's think?

[.45 COLT]

I don't mind the off-the-wall calibers too much. What used to amuse me, now irritates me, is the way their feature writers contradict each other and themselves from issue to issue, and the way opinion becomes fact.

You're right about needing some new information of general interest from time to time. When my current subscription runs out, I'll have to think hard before renewing, but probably will. Habit, I guess.

[Dand]

Makes me wonder if they are having an internal debate while the presses are running.  Handloader and Rifle are still my 2 most favorite shooting mags but some of the articles seem like retreads from when the writers were at other magazines.  Sure miss the Bob Hagel and Ken Waters days - and Finn Aagard.

Some years ago I jumped all over them when they began making their articles into shopping lists - the response was they were having trouble keeping ad sponsors and had to become more like the rest of the gun rags.  It was ok for a while but when one article is about how bad boat tail bullets are and the next is all about how good some new boat tails are it leaves me wondering who is minding the shop.

[MnMike]

I let my subscription expire after two years. It is a good magazine for begining handloaders (I was one) but it tends to repeat itself a bit. The product reviews/ads do also get to me.