The demise of Airgunner (and Airgun Shooter) magazines

[Garvin]

For all the reasons given on this thread, Airgunner was in the main terrible value if you bought the paper one each month. The exception to this was if you had a digital subscription only, especially up until a few years ago when it was well under £20 a year. For this price you could get all of John Atkins' excellent collectors pages (recently 5 per issue) and what's more access to downloadable PDF versions of previous issues, dating back to May 2009. This year that is 14 years' worth of around 60 pages a year, over 800 full-colour A4 pages overall. That's actually pretty good value for a collector of vintage airguns.

[Dave2345678]

Seems like John Atkins could set up a magazine all of his own….
See, theres the deal….there was interest in those articles…albeit precious few.

Articles, or pictures of some cock holding a giant cantilevered airgun with a 4 ft scope and other attachments killed it.
Why not strap a gun to a vice on a work bench with a 40 X zoom scope and be done…I promise you will not miss..but its laughable and bores me to tears…
Not sport! …We want proper field capable rifles and a bit of entertaining writing style..
What about major stalks and a long range shot with a traditional rifle, maybe some modified gun work and novel ideas for tuning/builds...it aint hard..
Learning to shoot with a particular field capable arm…..write about that..

[Garvin]

Seems like John Atkins could set up a magazine all of his own…..

Maybe if he was younger and not retired. But there's very little money in vintage airguns, or any airguns come to that. Hence the mags catering to the only bit of the market where there's any money: new airguns, mostly cheaper ones.

[Dave2345678]

Maybe if he was younger and not retired. But there's very little money in vintage airguns, or any airguns come to that. Hence the mags catering to the only bit of the market where there's any money: new airguns, mostly cheaper ones.

Agreed.

[Troubledshooter]

He's retired and old school when it comes to the internet. So let's make it easy for him...

John is far from retired and is still seeking elusive airguns to add to his collection, and also still researching information, so anyone else thinking of contacting John regarding his guns or records will be on a fools errand, as they aren't going anywhere.

[Geezer]

It’s many months since I moved house, and this thread has reminded me that I stupidly didn’t update my AGW delivery address - and, sadly, hadn’t missed it.

I like(d) the mags, esp AGW and SAR, but I think they may have had their day. I also don’t see them on the magazine racks in my little part of rural Somerset, which may be an indicator.

[Garvin]

John is far from retired and is still seeking elusive airguns to add to his collection, and also still researching information, so anyone else thinking of contacting John regarding his guns or records will be on a fools errand, as they aren't going anywhere.

I just meant retired from his main occupation, not that he's not still working...

[Phil Russell]

My subscription copy of AG arrived today confirming the news that it is to close... but also confirming that AG and AGW are to amalgamate (is that the right word?) to form a bigger i.e. more pages (page number not mentioned) AGW magazine that will include many of the AG contributors. Let's hope that Mr Atkins is amongst them.

Cheers, Phil

[ptdunk]

My subscription copy of AG arrived today confirming the news that it is to close... but also confirming that AG and AGW are to amalgamate (is that the right word?) to form a bigger i.e. more pages (page number not mentioned) AGW magazine that will include many of the AG contributors. Let's hope that Mr Atkins is amongst them.

Cheers, Phil

Unfortunately he isn’t.

Cheers,
Matt

[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.

[TonyL]

My subscription copy of AG arrived today confirming the news that it is to close... but also confirming that AG and AGW are to amalgamate (is that the right word?) to form a bigger i.e. more pages (page number not mentioned) AGW magazine that will include many of the AG contributors. Let's hope that Mr Atkins is amongst them.

Cheers, Phil

Yes, the last issue of Airgunner is a bumper, double issue and looks to be a very good read. A worthy goodbye. I'm also looking forward to seeing the new, bigger Airgun World with some of the contributors switching over. I really hope that our last remaining airgun magazine (and the original one to boot) continues to thrive well into the future.

[SRV1]

I wonder if the new big shiny one will be double the price?

[TonyL]

I wonder if the new big shiny one will be double the price?

Pretty much guessing that it won't.

Subscribers to Airgunner will have their subscription switched over to Airgun World instead. Or they can opt out if they choose. People, like myself, who subscribed to both, get their Airgun World subscription extended.

[harvey_s]

No mention of Airgun Shooter going in the latest issues editorial section or the News items - you'd have thought they might have mentioned it.
Air Gunner did...

[ccdjg]

Having now read the very last Airgunner magazine, I cannot believe that the editor, Mat Manning, in his farewell message makes no mention of John Atkins and his unprecedented near 40 year continuous (bar two or three issues) contribution to the magazine. Others on the payroll are given a grateful mention, people who have not been associated with the magazine anywhere near as long as John.

I suppose it is a sign of the times - financial expediency over loyalty every time. Articles about collectables do not invite advertisers to the magazine, so they are regarded by the powers-that-be as of secondary importance.

At the very least John should have been presented with a gift in appreciation of his long service, and perhaps also a feature article dedicated to his life story and collecting interests (which are fascinatingly many and varied).