Handloader #316 M1 Garand write up.

[Leadmelter]

The title says it all.
Leadmelter
MI

[AnthonyB]

Is there anything there we have not seen before? I cancelled both a while back.
Tony

[AbitNutz]

I cancelled both as well. They seemed to be getting more and more redundant.

[rking22]

I also canceled tbem, but because every article seemed to be selling the latest greatest plastic wonder. Nice to see they may be getting back to writing about something interesting. Thanks for the headsup, got a bookstore down the road.

[Mcliff1971]

Timing of that issue is great. A group of friends and I were having an M1 and Mauser day at the range in the morning and I was thinking "I really should reload for the M1" and I get home to find the issue of Handloader in the mailbox. Must be a sign!

[Maven]

I still subscribe to that magazine, and do mostly agree that it isn't what it once was. However, John Barsness' article on the M-1 Garand, was well researched (typical of his writing) and did indeed cover new ground.

[firebyprolong]

I still take that magazine and it was a decent article, all though not much new ground for some already loading for the M1. They still publish some interesting articles, just not as many as they once did. Brian Peirce still does some really good articles and I enjoy reading his stuff even if it's a rehash.

[lotech]

If you're truly concerned about the quality of the articles, let editors know what you think. Most editors are interested in readers' comments.

[Streetwalker]

I gave up on both Handloader and Rifle magazine as the number of articles became fewer and fewer and were/are written by the same tired old professional writers with the same tired old perspectives. Both magazines really need new writers covering more subjects of interest just as the earlier magazines once did!

[ELFEGO BACA]

With all the Gun magazines being published there is more info than time to read.
The best alternative is to shoot!

[RangerDan]

Handloader magazine hasn't been the same since Ken Knox left years ago. He had some of the most in depth articles in his Pet Load section that were ever written. Another thing he did was write Pet Loads for old timers and some old military calibers. You can still find the articles in book form and they are worth the money.

[Maven]

Ken Knox? I've subscribed to "Hand Loader" for 20+ years and don't recall that name. Did you mean Ken Waters, RD?

[9.3X62AL]

I believe the name you are writing about is Ken Waters. Google shows articles regarding his passing in early 2017.

[alamogunr]

I gave up on both Handloader and Rifle magazine as the number of articles became fewer and fewer and were/are written by the same tired old professional writers with the same tired old perspectives. Both magazines really need new writers covering more subjects of interest just as the earlier magazines once did!

I do enjoy these threads. The same tired old posters with the same tired old criticisms.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Timing wow I also canceled my subscription of handloader but someone on a other forum sold his Garand and had that issue up
for free in a helping hands sort of thing so I just got it

[koehn,jim]

Ken Waters book is available on Amazon in both Hrd and soft cover. Its a little pricey but covers a lot of calibers I shoot. I just ordered it.

[Hardcast416taylor]

My subscriptions to both magazines ran out on #314 and #315 respectively. I wasn`t going to renew as I was tired of `Black Rifle` articles in Rifle and the same old re-hashing of articles in Handloader. So I guess I`ll never know how good that M-1 article is. I`m about as fed up with my NRA Rifleman life subscription as well and may tell them to stop sending them. Ken Waters was the best researcher for load data I`ve ever read. The last printing of his `Pet Loads` book has all of his updates to his original articles so it is about twice as thick, but worth it.Robert

[alamogunr]

My subscriptions to both magazines ran out on #314 and #315 respectively. I wasn`t going to renew as I was tired of `Black Rifle` articles in Rifle and the same old re-hashing of articles in Handloader. So I guess I`ll never know how good that M-1 article is. I`m about as fed up with my NRA Rifleman life subscription as well and may tell them to stop sending them. Ken Waters was the best researcher for load data I`ve ever read. The last printing of his `Pet Loads` book has all of his updates to his original articles so it is about twice as thick, but worth it.Robert

Do as I did. Convert to digital. They save on printing and postage, you get each issue on your computer. Not the handiest, but if there is something that interests you, it is available. I don't keep them after I've examined an issue so they don't clog up my files.

[rwadley]

My subscriptions to both magazines ran out on #314 and #315 respectively. I wasn`t going to renew as I was tired of `Black Rifle` articles in Rifle and the same old re-hashing of articles in Handloader. So I guess I`ll never know how good that M-1 article is. I`m about as fed up with my NRA Rifleman life subscription as well and may tell them to stop sending them. Ken Waters was the best researcher for load data I`ve ever read. The last printing of his `Pet Loads` book has all of his updates to his original articles so it is about twice as thick, but worth it.Robert

The M1 article is available online for free.

[Buckshot]

.............The publishers of "Handloader" and "Rifle" magazine admitted years ago that they were going to "Dumb Down" (not their words) both magazines to compete with the other 'Newstand' magazines. They were not at the time sold primarily from newstands but were mainly subscription and 'Nitch' interest oriented publications.

I can see their point as back in the late 80's early 90's they did away with their 'Cast Bullet' column. Those of us amongst the 'Illuminati' of reloaders felt we were being betrayed. However they have to make a profit since they're NOT sucking on the gov't teat. Things have changed quite a bit, even from then, to now. Go to a public range and most are banging away with some kind of AR type rifle. If you have a lever action they think it's a 30-30 like there grandpa had.

It's getting to the point where I usually don't even bother checking the brass buckets under the benches anymore as all there is is 223. I don't have a problem with that cartridge as it is my cartridge of choice for varmint shooting. However in a handful of 30 cases you might find a couple FC, or Win, or RP headstamps, and all the rest are Greek to me.

I do not know what the statistics are for the proportion of shooters being hand loaders. I've had conversations with guys at the range and mentioned that if I didn't reload I couldn't afford to shoot. Almost to a person they tell me, "I don't have time to reload". Or, "I've thought of doing that, but don't have the space. Both of those replies are pure BS. They're simply excuses. They'd rather sit mesmerized in front of the idiot box, or spend time ticky tacking on their cell phone then doing something physical or creative.

It's a sign of our time. My Dad (who is 90 year old) is an old Arkansas farm boy. On his first leave after joining the Navy he came home and added a for real indoor flush toilet off the kitchen of their farmhouse. He taught himself to repair radios and TV's and had a business on the side doing that. He added room additions to our house for us 3 boys, including the plumbing, wiring, concrete work, and the roof.

Me and my 2 younger brothers were all born in the 50's, and I think we're probably the last of the males around who can actually DO something besides sit mesmerized with a phone in our lap, and spending time on "Social Media". My dad is also the guy who got me into reading. That is AKA, "Movie of the Mind".

I'd rather (and DO!) spend time in my shop MAKING and DOING stuff, rather then sitting in front of the TOOB mimicking the RCA Dog stare being entertained, and simply breathing and blinking. I'm afraid that the past couple of generations are incapable of fending for themselves in most any endeavor. Show one of'em a hammer and they'd say, "What's that for?" You tell them it's for driving a nail. They'd say, "Oh, really? I drive a Lexus." Your best option at that point is to simply say, "Never Mind".

.................Buckshot