Criticism of them notwithstanding, I am an unrepentant reader of firearms periodicals. My favortie remains Gun World. While I miss the days of Jack Lewis in charge, the current editor Jan Libourel has done a good job keeping the magazine on track with a balance of articles about pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Libourel has taken heat over the years (especially during his time with the Petersen publications) for supposedly writing puff pieces and "kissing-your-sister" articles, but, unlike many editors in the gun magazine business, Libourel is well-educated and well-read. He brings intellectual integrity to the pieces he writes as well as the ones he guides into print. I recommend Gun World to anyone who is looking for a good gun magazine.
Despite the popularity of gun forums on the Internet, the fireams publications have a future because they are a handy package of consumer information. Yes, they are driven by advertisers, but this aspect is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as readers keep their perspective on the issue, gun magazines are good infotainment.