I picked up my first gun mags the other day (I'm an internet hound, I've just done without for so long), Guns&Ammo and American Handgunner. What I read was 99% fluff, though I picked up a few things I didn't know, which was always nice.

So, what I'm after is a gun mag or some publication that delves deeper into the science of what makes a great weapon. I *love* to read gunsmithing forums, I like unusual firearms, new ideas, improvements, all of that. It disappoints me that for all the reading I do about 1911's and their clones (especially in AH) I still don't know the basic working of it like I know my CZ and the other HP derivatives.

Any ideas?

Precision Shooting / The Accurate Rifle. They have a web site with about one article a month from the magazine.

www.precisionshooting.com
www.theaccuraterifle.com

Rifle / Handloader / Successful Hunter come in a distance second, but still better than the mainstream rags.

I enoy reading other opinions, hoping to find a little objectivity .. this one is interesting...

http://www.gun-tests.com

Try "Rifle", "Handloader" and "Successful Hunter" published by Wolfe Publishing. http://www.riflemagazine.com/home/index.cfm

They are three great Magazines that so far haven't sold out to advertizers.

Just recently completed my collection of Rifle and Handloader magazines. I started my subscriptions to these magazines in the eighty's so basically started around issues #100 of both.

They may not have sold out to the advertisers yet but they are close. After looking at issues from #1 of both publications I find the current magazines lacking and wanting. Originally these magazines were very technical and written by gentlemen of practical experience and knowledge of what they were writing about. Too some extent that continues to this day but it's not as evident.

This is probably due somewhat to liability issues that arise in todays litigation conscious society. Rifle issues used to cover such things as: gun patents, classic guns, muzzleloaders, wildcat rifles, etc. If it was made and used to take game with or shoot competation with it was covered.

Handloader magazine has gone down the same path as Rifle. You can notice shifts in editoral content over the years some of which corresponds with the changing times but I believe it has more to do with profit motive and too **** with the subscribers wants. It seems while the founder of both magazines was alive they were on course but since have lost there way in the fog of publication warfare.