Guns & Ammo
Guns & Ammo is a magazine dedicated to firearms, hunting, competitive shooting, reloading, and other shooting-related activities in the United States.
Editor | Eric R. Poole (2013–present) |
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Categories | Firearms, Outdoors, Sports |
Frequency | Monthly |
Publisher | Mike Schoby |
First issue | 1958 |
Company | Outdoor Sportsman Group |
Country | United States |
Based in | Peoria, Illinois |
Website | www |
ISSN | 0017-5684 |
OCLC | 59807780 |
The magazine offers reviews on firearms, ammunition, optics and shooting gear. Also included are historical articles, gun collecting, self-defense features, celebrity interviews and alerts on gun politics. In addition to departments, each issue contains a few featured articles and personality profiles of people in the firearms industry as well as technical evaluations new products. It has a readership of 5.8 million per month and is published on a monthly basis.[1]
History
Guns & Ammo was founded by Robert E. Petersen in 1958 and has featured famed gunwriters such as P.O. Ackley, Craig Boddington, Jeff Cooper, Garry James, Bill Jordan, Elmer Keith, Bob Milek, Patrick Sweeney, Col. Townsend Whelen and John Wooters.[2] Former National Rifle Association president Charlton Heston authored a gun rights column for the magazine titled "From the Capitol" until 2007.[1]
Currently, Guns & Ammo magazine carries columns written by Eric R. Poole (Editorial), Garry James (Gun Room), Craig Boddington (Gun Notes), Patrick Sweeney (Handgunning), Chris Mudgett (Gun Tech), Tom Beckstrand (Rifles & Glass) and retired SGM Kyle Lamb (Lock, Stock & Barrel). [3]
In November 2013, Dick Metcalf was fired from Guns & Ammo after a column he wrote on what he thought were appropriate limits to Second Amendment rights became controversial and advertisers threatened to withdraw and subscribers threatened to cancel. Metcalf's column had been approved for publication by his editors. Senior editor Garry James defended the editorial independence of the magazine, and said readers were the magazine's main concern but “advertisers obviously always have power, and you always feel some pressure.” Editor Jim Bequette issued an apology to the publication's enraged readership, writing "Let me be clear: Our commitment to the Second Amendment is unwavering." "Editors of gun magazines are unapologetic in acknowledging that their content caters to the gun enthusiasts who believe their rights are under constant threat, and to the firearms companies that account for much of their revenue," wrote The New York Times after the firing.[4][5]
References
- Gregg Lee Carter (2002). "Gun Magazines". Guns in American Society: A - L. 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-57607-268-4.
- Dennis Hevesi (27 March 2007). "Robert Petersen, Publisher of Auto Buff Magazines, Dies at 80". New York Times.
- "Guns & Ammo magazine". KMV Outdoor Group. April 2015.
- Somaiya, Ravi (January 4, 2014). "Banished for Questioning the Gospel of Guns". The New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- Frazier, James (November 7, 2013). "Gun writer fired for a piece questioning Second Amendment reach". The Washington Times. Retrieved October 31, 2018.