Guns & Ammo

Guns & Ammo
Title	Guns & Ammo
Frequency	Monthly
Category	Firearms
Firstdate	1958
Country	United States
Language	English

Guns & Ammo is an American firearms publication established in 1958 that covers rifles, pistols, shotguns, optics, ballistics, hunting, tactical gear, and competitive shooting. It provides reviews, technical articles, historical profiles, and market coverage aimed at civilian shooters, hunters, collectors, and professionals. Contributors and subjects have included notable marksmen, designers, manufacturers, and institutions from North America and abroad.

History

The magazine was founded during the post‑World War II era, a period associated with figures such as John Garand, Mikhail Kalashnikov, Eugene Stoner, Hiram Maxim, and Samuel Colt whose inventions reshaped small arms. Early coverage intersected with companies like Remington Arms, Winchester Repeating Arms Company, Smith & Wesson, Colt's Manufacturing Company, and Browning (company). Reporting has referenced conflicts and developments involving Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and Iraq War, as well as treaties and laws such as the National Firearms Act, Gun Control Act of 1968, and court decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States that influenced American firearms culture. Editors and writers have profiled designers like Paul Mauser, John Browning, Gaspare Ambrosini, and corporate histories of Dillon Precision, Savage Arms, Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer, and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal. The publication has also chronicled hunting traditions linked to regions such as Alaska, Montana, Texas, and Saskatchewan and organizations like the National Rifle Association of America, Sportsmen's Alliance, and Council to Protect Sportsmen's Access.

Publications and Media

Print issues and digital editions have featured photographers and writers who also contributed to outlets such as Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, American Rifleman, Shooting Illustrated, and Small Arms Review. The brand expanded into special issues, buyer's guides, and video content collaborating with personalities from Shooting USA, NRA News, and independent channels run by figures like Jerry Miculek, Taya Kyle, and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dave Grossman. Coverage has included competitive shooting events such as NRA National Matches, International Practical Shooting Confederation, United States Practical Shooting Association, ISSF World Shooting Championships, and hunting events associated with Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited. The magazine has reported on controversies involving companies like Remington, Smith & Wesson, Winchester, and legal disputes seen in courts like the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and state supreme courts. Editorial contributors have included journalists who previously worked at The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and niche publications tied to figures like Elmer Keith and Jack O'Connor.

Firearms Types and Technology

Articles span designs from historical pieces such as the Brown Bess, M1 Garand, Lee–Enfield, and Mauser 98 to modern platforms like the AR-15, AK-47, FN SCAR, Heckler & Koch MP5, Glock 17, and SIG Sauer P320. Technical analyses reference inventors and engineers like Eugene Stoner, Mikhail Kalashnikov, Dieudonné Saive, and Georges Luger, and manufacturers including Steyr Mannlicher, Desert Tech, Daniel Defense, Ruger, CZ (firearms), and Bergara (rifles). Optics, accessories, and suppressor technology discussions bring in firms such as Leupold, Vortex Optics, Trijicon, Aimpoint, Nightforce, SureFire, and SilencerCo. Ballistic performance and action types are compared across bolt-action rifle, semi-automatic rifle, lever-action rifle, break-action shotgun, and revolver platforms, with references to custom builders like Krieger Barrels, Neeson Arms, and tuning houses such as Hornady and Nosler.

Ammunition: Types and Ballistics

Coverage includes cartridge development histories involving rounds like the .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, 5.56×45mm NATO, 7.62×51mm NATO, 7.62×39mm, .223 Remington, .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, and specialty rounds such as the .300 Winchester Magnum and .270 Winchester. Articles cite ballistic researchers and organizations such as JBM Ballistics, Ballistics Research, and testing methods used by laboratories affiliated with National Institute of Justice and manufacturers like Federal Premium Ammunition, Winchester Ammunition, Hornady, PMC (ammunition), Black Hills Ammunition, and Sellier & Bellot. Topics include terminal ballistics studies linked to cases and reports from agencies like the FBI and historical incidents involving weapons and ammunition in events such as the Waco siege, Ruby Ridge, and high‑profile criminal trials adjudicated in courts like the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Legal and Regulatory Issues

Editorials and analysis frequently reference statutes, litigation, and policy actors including the National Firearms Act, Gun Control Act of 1968, Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, and landmark decisions such as District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago. Coverage also examines regulatory agencies and institutional actors like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Justice (United States), and state legislatures in Texas, Florida, California, and New York. The magazine has reported on industry lobbying by groups such as the National Rifle Association of America, Firearms Policy Coalition, Gun Owners of America, and legal advocacy from firms appearing before the Supreme Court of the United States and federal appellate courts. International comparisons have discussed treaties and bodies like the United Nations, European Court of Human Rights, and national laws in Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany.

Safety and Training

Instructional content references accredited training organizations and figures including NRA National Firearms Museum instructors, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, US Secret Service training doctrines, and competitive coaches from US Practical Shooting Association and USPSA. Safety protocols draw on standards promoted by entities such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration for range safety managers, range rules at facilities like Ben Avery Shooting Facility, and courses developed by instructors like Massad Ayoob, Kyle Lamb, and Bill Rogers (marksman). Shooting fundamentals and emergency medicine ties reference resources from American Red Cross, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, and tactical medical providers linked to White House Medical Unit and military medical research institutions like the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Category:Firearms magazines