The demise of Airgunner (and Airgun Shooter) magazines

[wickerman]

i stopped buying the mags to much advertising not enough to read about our sport,and the price of them now is mad

totally agree.....I started buying airgun world in 1977 missed the first two issues but the bought for many year but the price gradually went up and became filled with more adds

[Dave2345678]

totally agree.....I started buying airgun world in 1977 missed the first two issues but the bought for many year but the price gradually went up and became filled with more adds

In trying to be as fair as possible, there is no more advertising now than there was at the outset, looking through the first few AGW @1977 through 1978 and comparing to the last time i bought the mag (2020) fact…
However, even the adverts back then were exciting. As example, the photo of the rat with the red dot mounted HW35 taking aim for the Singlepoint advert…mind blowing at the time…going straight out and buying the sight…
What do we get now….Another space gun lookalike, stuck on the end of a tube stock, or another mindless PCP mounted onto a ugly block of wood with a 3 ft hamster keel below it.
Did we do this to shotguns or Full bore stuff….No, we improved the aesthetic and quality of the wood grain….der…is that not a better idea…
The lack of rules limiting the style and the shape of the gun, drove the aesthetic to the point that the gun wins the competition but completing impractical to take into the field, and killing the gracefull looks/ pride of ownership..

The cost…
Well, running the numbers based on cost back then, versus now, and average pay calculated, its not more expensive…
Its doomed because its mind blowing boring because they had to follow PC rules with guns that looked like blocks of wood with hamsters and cantilevers…
Maybe some one should start a line in traditional sporting arms, a new set of rules…and saying cobblers to the PC woke brigade..
If you dont like it you dont have to buy the mag….dunno…anyone got a better idea..

[Phil G]

Hi

For me the saddest loss was 'Shooting Sports' magazine which encompassed Rifles, Guns and Airguns edited by Peter Moore. Also many years before 'Target Sports'.
Obviously not enough copies being sold will result in publication being withdrawn.

Ian

Fully agree. Pete Moore one of, if not the, best firearms journalists. Would happily talk and write about any shooting discipline without being condescending or sarcastic.