Magnum Magazine: Rant

**Glockster** · 12-08-2008, 09:48

I used to buy Magnum Mag religiously, now I don't bother. Theres just too much air rifle, black powder and hardly any real guns.
In short the content sucks. Yes I know they have to keep the advertisers happy, but puhlease who wants to know about an FN Mod 1910 or a H&R Topbreak in .32.
I am still awaiting an in depth article on the Truvelo Sniper rifles, but alas none was forthcoming but a flood of hunting rifles which I have no interest in.
Also, could someone please donate some holsters for them to model their test guns, that El Paso leather is soooo last season.
Anybody else feel the same or not???

Rant over, exiting quietly. confused0083

**Corné** · 12-08-2008, 10:09

This particular mag has become in my view a Hunting/Air Rifle/BP magazine. The reviews from Paul Scarlata and the articles by Martin Hood and likewise articles is just about all that appeal to me personally. I would not knock the mag in total but is does not really appeal to the genuine tactical minded person. So yes I buy it from time to time and more often I am disappointed than pleased because it did not appeal to me but I think from other points of view it is gr8... I do not think that you could have one mag that will satisfy all of us. Look at the mags from the US, they are more specialised and the market is much bigger (and unfortunately just so dam expensive for us). There are mags that I would not touch and other I would read from cover to cover.

**Musgrave** · 12-08-2008, 10:57

I suppose the content could suck for some people. For me, on the other hand, it does not. I own an air rifle, a black powder rifle, a hunting rifle, a shotgun and a 9mmP pistol. I've hunted 4 times this year (excluding wingshooting), take part in IDPA and reload my own ammo.

Old "real guns" are part of our shooting heritage, and the reason they publish stories like those are to remind people who own guns like these that the guns are still usefull and must/should not be handed in for destruction.

Furthermore, I think that the average SA shooter is a rifleman. As in hunting rifle. Look at gun sales and the contribution hunting makes to the GDP.

**SSP** · 12-08-2008, 11:11

I agree. Magnum's market is, principaly, the hunter. I think it does a reasonable job in this regard. However useless articles about guns and calibres we will never see in this country are just that, useless.

In my view Kieth "Chrony Killer" Dyer does a less than stellar job in reviewing what we do have here.

I buy it for the adverts and to have something to complain about.

**abhm** · 12-08-2008, 11:20

you know what we need in SA is a SWAT, Small Arms Review or Weapons for Law Enforcement type Magazine, anybody care to do any market research on this

**SSP** · 12-08-2008, 11:28

Originally Posted by abhm

you know what we need in SA is a SWAT, Small Arms Review or Weapons for Law Enforcement type Magazine, anybody care to do any market research on this

SWAT is excellent. They provide no BS reviews and don't pander to advertisers. Their articles are also varied and they don't target LE/Mil specifically.
Small Arms Review is aimed at collectors and NFA firearm owners in the US. Its a bit of an anorak mag. I know because I get it.

**abhm** · 12-08-2008, 12:56

agreed time is right for an SA orientated SWAT type magazine methinks!

**andy_760901** · 12-08-2008, 15:04

just my 2 cents...

I only buy the Magnum for the calssifieds, and those are pathetic at best, what happened to the two to four page for sale and wanted ad's???

Is it that there is just so little content that they can not fill the pages or is it an effort for them to only allow 1 and a half pages at best to have more advertising space, and the killer too is that there is no more gun shops advertising handguns and rifles and such for sale. I used to love going through the dealers for sale items and the classifies, and really enjoyed the "new" handgun on the block in every issue, all that has gone to hell. And frankly i do not know if i will be supporting Magnum for much longer.

I wonder if people are not advertising in the Magnum cause the classifieds are so weak, if not then perhpas thats a viceous circle, people dont bother advertising cause its slim pickings and cause its slim pickings people dont make the effort.

i remember back in the day, if you used the magnum classifieds, you had a good chance of finding/ selling what you were after, lately when i post wanted ad's, i dont even get 1 phone call, not 1 cfd89

Any one that knws the coverage that magnum should get, must know that thats really bad, supporting the question, Is Magnums readers not bothering any more???

**Musgrave** · 12-08-2008, 15:36

All your issues can be ascribed to the FCA. Shops have closed down, private sales are a mess with licensiing, people would rather sell/give guns away to shops or to be destroyed.

**Corné** · 12-08-2008, 16:02

Yes, I remember the day's when you opened Man Magnum and it was full off adverts. Even opening the newspaper would yield a few firearms for sale. The current act and the functioning of the CFR has made a massive negative impact on this industry to such an extend that I am actually slightly surprised that Man Magnum survived. As I said, the current format does not cater for all our different interests and in some areas it needs a major injection to get with the current environment especially tactical/defensive/sport shooting.

The proposal from abhm sounds good regarding our own SWAT type magazine but is the market ready for this and would the market be able to support it and make it financially viable. There are those words again 'financially viable'.

I have seen in the past an attempt to get another mag up and running. I cant remember the name of it and as far as I can remember it was aimed at sport shooting. It would feature all about sport shooting including results from shoots. As far as I know this died a quick and silent death.

Also we criticize Man Magnum, but very few will get up and actually submit something to them for publication. I am talking under correction but I believe that if reviews like the DASHPROD review was submitted to Man Magnum, they would consider it. Even if somebody buys a S&W M&P and give a real thorough review of it and submit it to Man Magnum, I think they might consider it. Yes it might challenge certain individuals and their style of reporting and evaluating a handgun, but it could lead the way to something new.

Currently it does seem as the firearm market might be stabilising after going into a uncontrolled plunge after the implementation of the new act and the CFR's burococy of handling the act. It was not just the Gun Shops that suffered, all related activities suffered including Man Magnum.

No I have nothing against Air Rifles, BP guns or hunting but I also lost interest in Man Magnum as you can only read so many stories of Peter Hamilton Flack's exotic hunting trips but I do get a good chuckle from 'Life at Riley's'.....