As many are no doubt aware based on the cover wrap of our most recent magazine issues, big changes are afoot at NRA. American Rifleman will now publish a quarterly print magazine and a monthly digital edition. To learn how to make sure you receive every issue—print and digital—follow the instructions on the cover wrap or visit nra.org/change.
There are additional changes you will notice in the actual magazine, ones I hope you will find positive. We have changed several of the departments to better reflect member interest in subject matter and style. When I was given the task of leading and modernizing this august publication, I asked why certain things were done a certain way. The answer was often: “Because we’ve always done it like that.” This alone is simply not enough of a justification to keep doing something. While tradition is important, it cannot stand in the way of innovation and improvement.
Gone are the days of dry gun reviews that sounded like they were written by a single, faceless author. The familiar “Dope Bag” section will now be known as the “Gun Locker” section and will include author bylines. Why the change? Well, “Dope Bag” means something very different to most people born after 1950, and what it now means is not fit for a family publication. Our testing protocol, however, remains identical, so the quality of each review will only improve as authors combine our rigorous standards with a more free-flowing prose.
You will also notice the addition of several new columns. Two are related to firearm training. “Skills Check” will provide a monthly drill you can use to improve your shooting skills and challenge yourself on the range. “Training” is a new monthly feature that will deliver in-depth information to help you defend yourself and your loved ones, and much more. These articles will be written largely by Steve Tarani, Jeff Gonzales and Tatiana Whitlock, all of whom are experienced and highly respected firearm instructors.
Steve Adelmann, a former U.S. Special Operations Forces Soldier with decades of experience in the practical application of firearms and a world-renowned expert on the use of guns, will provide practical information concerning firearms in his new, aptly titled, “On Guns” column. Tamara Keel, one of the most popular and widely published gun bloggers, will bring her wit and experience working in gun shops to our new “From the Counter” column, where trends in the market—good and bad—will be explored.
Richard Mann, one of the leading experts on small-arms ammunition, will cover everything to do with what you load into your firearms—from new factory fodder to handloading and beyond—in the new “Ammo” column. George Harris, formerly the director of the SIG Sauer Academy and still one of the most sought-after firearm experts, will answer your technical questions in what remains our “Q&A” section.
I am confident that, if you keep an open mind, you will view these changes as improvements to your—and my—beloved magazine. Life is not static, and change, while often painful at first, is sometimes necessary to ensure a bright future.
One final item: this will be the last “Rifleman Report” with which I burden you. My job is to provide you with the best magazine—regardless of the format in which it is delivered—not to bore you with inside baseball or minutiae. Unless events occur requiring me to write another, we aim to open more space in the magazine for your feedback, and what better way to do so than to rid it of my hectoring?
Thank you for your loyal support of the National Rifle Association of America, and I look forward to continuing to deliver and improve upon the best firearm periodical on the planet as we defend our sacred rights together.
—Ed Friedman, Editor-in-Chief
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