Survey TIME!

[Airgun Advisor]

Given that this group is made up of some of the most dedicated Airgunners in the and elsewhere, how many subscribe to the only in print Airgun magazine based in the ? I am talking about “Airgun Hobbyist” magazine.

Yes or No

Why or Why Not

annnnnd GO!

http://www.airgunhobbyist.com/index.php

 

[Spartan]

Print is dead. There's still a very small market share in print readership for the 55 and over crowd, but that's about it.

I recently dropped a grand on print advertising in a very similar publication just to see if I could buck the system and pull a decent amount of new business out of that demo. Nope.

Invest in the electrons.

 

[intenseaty22]

Didn’t even know about it. Also these days there’s just so much info available like here, very fast, fluid, on the spot that makes periodicals almost obsolete. Used to visit Hard Air, and even that I kinda forgot about. 

 

[hitech]

I had no idea that publication existed. I was a huge fan of Tom and Edith's Airgun letter, that was the only US printed publication I ever read.

 

[rob_g]

Never heard of this magazine before now. Am I likely to subscribe...no. At a subscription price of $39US +35% exchange, for us Canadians, it is over $50 for 4 issues. Too rich for my blood. Between all the YouTube channels pimping the latest products, some online magazines for free and a number of high quality air rifle forums such as this site your magazine really isn't good value for my dollar. Never having read your magazine I'm not saying it isn't a quality product but there's just too many other options out there for the same thing.

 

[Healthservices]

Nope, maybe look into it, but have got so used to using online for info.

 

[ghoststalker]

Never heard of it, but it’s most likely just like all other magazines, one short article of modest interest and a 100 pages of advertising . 

 

[Airgun Advisor]

Maybe I’m just an old 42 years of age. I love thumbing through magazines still. Especially before bed. 

 

[airgunmike56]

I also like magazines but the price was a little to steep for me , If they would have had more how to articles, Like cleaning, tuning, and air gun supplies I might still be taken them, But I stopped a few years back, The magazine PREDATOR XTREME has a air gun hunting article in it every month

Mike

 

[msurf]

Yes! Subscribed to Airgun Hobbyist for about 5 years or so. Like the OP, I like to thumb through before bed....usually had 8 to 10 hours of computer, so it is good to look at some print for a change. Also like to make sure I have the latest hardcopy catalog from Pyramyd Air....make for some good reading befere bed too. Or drooling! You can request one at the bottom of the page on their website under Shopping Services>Catalog. No affiliation here.

 

[primaz]

I still enjoy print and cost was never an issue. I subscribed to this publication and gave it about a year and half or so and dropped it. 

Why? for me it did not represent what I and to me most people want in an airgun publication. There was too much of the pages focused on old more antique airguns & springers, and it was behind the times on what is current. I even bought more of the UK airgun magazines because they kept more current but the downside it was not focused on the big calibers and FAC guns we can buy in the US. If you look at the discussion forums here as well as other forums and look at the activity and number of posts, the ones with the most and by a dramatic amount is PCP's and the larger calibers over .177 and .22. I subscribed for a year and half and there were only a handful out of all those issues that had any current PCP's.

Even if they change it to digital, that is not the problem. The problem is the content is not current. Look at Airgun Nation and you will see there are 37,099 springer posts and 207,557 PCP airgun posts. That is a good overview of where the interests are but Airgun Hobbyist has the opposite 75%+ antique airguns and springers and a pathetic amount of PCP's and no reviews of what is the latest guns. What is needed is an American airgun magazine like the UK publications that focuses on the new more powerful PCP's and the current trends in US airgun shooters.

 

[Motorhead]

Life in my Air Gun world is already pretty centered and grounded ... no want or need for commercial input.

 

[Greenarrow]

Nope. Didn't know about it until now. I would prefer an online copy vs. print so I can read it whenever and wherever and I don't have to store or recycle the print version. 

 

[Odoyle]

I feel magazines and internet reviews are like advertisements like a catalog for what's new to buy. I had been heavily buying all subscriptions from UK and U.S. over the past great many years and probably have them all and they don't tell you long term reliability unless you get an odd long term update. Tom Gaylord's Airgun letter seemed the most honest IMHO.

 

[primaz]

Maybe I’m just an old 42 years of age. I love thumbing through magazines still. Especially before bed.

It is not completely based on print or digital, although more people are getting used to digital. The problem is that Airgun Hobbyist does not focus on what is currently of interest. People do not want vintage airguns but rather more PCP's, airgun hunting, reviews on the latests PCP's, tuning articles, etc. That publication is so dated that if you put in on digital you will save money but the subscriptions will continue to be weak until they revamp the content. Vintage and springers are old tech that are not what the majority of people want to read about...

 

[Smitty8141]

Never heard of it. 

 

[harrymoreland]

IF I had the lolly I spent on magazines (of all types, BMX, CARS, MUSIC SYSTEMS, AIRGUNS ect) when I was a young fella, I could afford a gold plated Delta Wolf.

Those days are gone, And now I get all I need from the internet.

 

[Simplyhooked]

Yes and I've been a subscriber for a number of years because it's always great introducing people to the sport that they never knew existed. It's also great reading about some of the hunting adventures that people are taking larger than average game animals with "big bore airguns" that are unheard of. I've been an airgun enthusiast for a number of years and it's still great reading about some of these outings using some of the latest and more powerful airguns.

 

[Jonah]

I enjoy the magazine and hope it stays around. I keep all my old copies and refer to them when I get a "new" vintage airgun.

 

[shawnlyndy]

I would subscribe if the had a more reasonably priced digital version.