Trying to figure out what to do with a pile of American Rifleman magazines. Different years, mostly 60's-70's. The advertisments are so cool, they would make great single frame pieces, but kinda hate to cut them up. Maybe will take to an upcoming gunshow, what would someone pay I am wondering ?
Anyway, thoughts appreciated .

I too have a pretty large “pile” of these and other magazines from the 50’s-70’s. Enjoyed looking through them not only for the adds but also articles. Prior to moving I listed them here in the classifieds without any response. They remain with me. Might be enjoyable to someone someday. Seems for now anyway old gun magazines are not very desirable.

Ken, there may be exceptions but if you can get $5 each that's good.
You might consider bundling. ??

I am interested in July 1963 if you have it.

I have a fairly complete set of Rifleman's from the 30's, 40's, 50's. Maybe once a year I'll sit down and go through them until my eyes turn inside out. Lots of knowledge to be gained but sometimes even a died-in-the-wool gun loony becomes super-saturated with esoteric stuff. I lament that the current Rifleman is a non-starter for me, with but rarely an article about something classic - and then the article is a yawner anyway with nothing fresh that I didn't already know.

"The Times They are a Changin'." A kid of today will probably lament about what the Rifleman has become when he's an old fart. "Oh for the good old days when each issue had an article about the latest & greatest Glock/SIG/Ruger/AR and half the pages were devoted to overpaid suits' political rants."

Ken, I'm nuts enough to arrange to take them off your hands, but I'm sure I have a box full of Rifleman's from the 60's around here someplace too.

I have been fascinated with the colorful adds in these , but same here gnoahhh . I go through these once in a while , but pretty nuch know them by heart.
I think the oldest one I have is 1929 , but maybe one older , have to check now .
Southern Wi Savage , I will check on July 63 .

Ive got them from 1922 up,been reading a bunch of the older ones lately!! lots about the 250-3000 and the newly manufactured 300 savage!! They have some really nice ads in them about the 1920 also.

And when they tested something ,they told it like it is,unlike today.

Some from the 60's- 70's, very colorful !
My oldest I could find, but think I have one much older somewhere .

Then some from war time, only black and white photos

And the adds !


None from 1963 Southern WI Savage.

Thanks for checking.

Bring ‘em to Savage Fest. A door prize bundle would be great and keep them in circulation.

i wish I had the room, had 1960 - 2000 of AR and G&A. Now gone.

I actually enjoyed Guns and Gunworld more, they had more custom rifles and DIY projects.

Gun World. Tommy Bish project.

M1carbine sporter ?
Just going to probably keep these , and dig them out once in a while to reminisce.

There's guys selling those old ads on the innerwebs. I bought one ad myself for a 99DL since I had so dang many of them at one time. Who knows, maybe there's money to be made. I wonder if John/Saddlering would want them?

If they were mine and if I were going to sell them they would be going to Ebay. Even though I hate selling on Ebay...

Lots on ebay already.
Guy is asking $10.
Same guy is asking $8 on his own web site.
Long term process.

Friend gave me two boxes of old American Rifleman magazines, love to read, but there’s only so much time in the day. Passed them on to someone who did appreciate them.

Let me know when you figure it out. I have every issue from 1948 to date. Minus a few I let people borrow that never got returned. At one point I had two sets. Framed the ones I liked best, hanging on my gun room wall.

I went ahead an attempted to buy one for $7.
Shipping was $9.60 so abandoned.
Seller says thank the current administration for 3 price hikes in a year.

Media mail rate for 1 magazine would be $4.13. Ebay gouges for about a 16% fee on every penny collected but that's over the top. Lots of sellers try to get their fees back by jacking the shipping. Mail rates go up every January. Not 3 times a year.

Yea, probably meant 3 hikes in 3 years.
Seller also claims magazines may not be shipped media. ??
At any rate tough to sell inexpensive items there.

I am putting them on my table at an upcoming gun show in March, shipping so expensive anymore.
Some of them that are in not so good shape, will cut out some adds for framing , etc .
Thanks!

What qualifies as Media Mail with USPS?

Media Mail rates are limited to the items listed below: Books (at least 8 pages). Sound recordings and video recordings, such as CDs and DVDs. Play scripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music.

I always thought a magazine was a 'periodical'...

Maybe a gray area. Sounds like advertising is the hang up. Crazy rule that forces first class ship.

From USPS
"Media Mail packages may not contain advertising. Comic books do not meet this standard. Books may contain incidental announcements of other books and sound recordings may contain incidental announcements of other sound recordings."

picky aren't they? But then that's what to expect from the government.

I didn't realize that "cannot contain advertising" would mean advertising in the magazine. I always thought it meant advertising added by the seller.

That's just... stupid.

I'm sure it means just advertising material without associated content. Again, a magazine is a periodical and that is allowed.

I've held my tongue long enough--challenge: I have

Every American Rifleman since 1928
Every Gun Digest
Every Gun Report
Every Double Gun Journal
About four hundred books on firearms and hunting

Is there a bigger packrat in our group?

Ive gifted some to friends, month and year they were born.

I thought about selling mine on Ebay with media mail, until I checked the regs for media mail. Being a very rule oriented person I couldn't do it. Unless the Post Office changed the rules recently, it was against the law, or "PO" Rules to ship anything with adds for items for sale, including 100 year old magazines. The only exception was a publisher could have ads for books by the same author. Ask Randy, he might know the rules. most people just say fork the rules, nobody checks. I just did a search.

https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

Well, I should of read everything first. Others have brought it up?
Dave, you don't collect chainsaws too do you? We have a guy on the Arborist site that goes by "Bigolddave". If that were you, with his saw collection, I'd say you are the biggest Pack Rat. I only have about 70 chainsaws.

Joe, I am ashamed to say I have only one chainsaw, and it is a little electric one. My wife, however, has about three thousand cook books, down from about forty-five hundred.

Fork the rules. If it fits it ships. They don't have enough people to get the mail delivered and they certainly don't have enough to tear apart media mail to make sure it doesn't have advertising in it. Nobody at the post office cares what's in your package.

Don’t buy anymore!

I know what you mean, and it’s a pretty stupid rule especially on old stuff. Even BATF draws a line at 50 years. It’s hard to compete with all the vendors that use it. But, when I was a kid, my Dad asked me, “If you steal a piece of candy and don’t get caught, does that mean you didn’t steal it?”

FWIW I've media mailed and received bundles of Rifleman's and other rags over the years without getting busted by the Postal Inspectors and with zero remorse to boot. Some rules were made to be broken.

I'd hardly put stealing in the same category as breaking a post office mailing rule. That's a stretch...

Don’t worry, if Uncle Joe knew how much firewood I sell, he’d clear out a cell just for me.