What to do with 50 yrs of The American Rifleman?

[10-x]

Moving for the last time, had to give / sell most of my tools, reloading stuff to Son all due to nerve damage in both arms/ hands. Well, have about 50 years of The American Rifleman magazines in boxes. Missing a few years from the 70’s( lost at hunting club) and just don't know what to do with them. The ads in the back of pre 69 ones are priceless, makes one cry to see prices back in 50’s. Countless articles that are real treasures and the gun smithing info that’s hard to find today. What say you all?

[bangerjim]

Cronel Publications does reprints of old magazines. They might be a source for your liquidation

https://www.cornellpubs.com/index.php

[osteodoc08]

List it here? How’s the condition

[10-x]

Condition is pretty good, anyone know how much these magazines weigh? Shipping is out of the question. I’m not parting them out in dribs and drabs, someone needs to take them all, close to JAX Fl.

[mattw]

Really wish I was closer... I have a few, but nothing like that.

[Bazoo]

Shipping media isn't that bad. I just got 44 pounds of books for 27 shipping. So, if you were wanting to give them for shipping, it would be worth it to the right person.

[ascast]

shipping is on buyer. I have back to about 1945. Good stuff.

[GregLaROCHE]

I remember when I was a kid looking at the back pages of my father’s magazines. All the surplus rifles for sale many way under $20. They shipped right to your door by US mail. No questions asked. Those were the days.

[bangerjim]

MEDIA rate for USPS I believe still exists and it is VERY inexpensive.

[10-x]

Yea, “ book rate” is cheap but I bet theres about 200 pounds worth? maybe more?

[higgins]

Go to the USPS website and read sec. 170 of the Domestic Mail Manual titled Retail Mail - Media Mail and Library Mail. You might get away with sending magazines by media mail; no doubt it has been done. Also note that Media Mail is not barred from opening for inspection.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I feel your pain, 10-x. I had about 45 years worth of American Rifleman, Guns, Guns & Ammo, and Shooting Times. Plus a few other good ones like the 1st issue of Gun World, etc. I tried to give them away on the forum, no takers. I tried giving them to Cornell Publications, and they said they already had them. Finally they went into the dumpster. That was about 5 years ago, and now when I finish reading them they go in the waste basket. However, what I am doing now is to tear out the articles that I want to re-read in the future and those from which I learned something, three hole punch them, and keep them in a binder. So far I have 3 big fat binders, but far less of a problem to move and store.

[abunaitoo]

At one of our Gunshows, one of the older members dropped off a bunch of old issues to me.
All tied up with twine.
I should really look at them.

[richhodg66]

My Dad had decades of American Rifleman bound and saved when he was still in S.C., not sure if they made the move west with him, and I didn't see them when we moved him and mom into assisted living a few years ago. Maybe one of my brothers got them.

I do have a stack of Shooter's Bibles, Gun Digest, etc., many of which go back to the 50s. Been meaning to go through them and figure out what to keep and what to send on its way.

[3leggedturtle]

I had 2 boxes of Gun Digest and 4 boxes of of various gun mags. Luckily I found a couple of young kids that loved to read. So they got a new good home..

[Martin Luber]

Canton McKinley in Ohio has them in leather binders on the wall, a pleasure to read while l am there. Perhaps your gun club or range would take care of them? I have from 40's to 70s. Anything new is tossed within the hour....

[scattershot]

Shipping media isn't that bad. I just got 44 pounds of books for 27 shipping. So, if you were wanting to give them for shipping, it would be worth it to the right person.

I don’t believe book rate shipping applies to magazines, only hardbound books.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I was given two sets American Rifleman magazines from 1927 to the mid 90s. I lugged those puppies to the big gun show in Pomona. I also had Gun Digest dated from 1945 to 1998. I only sold two Gun Digest. the 1952 & 1997. I did sell one set of the Rifleman for $100 but that was pure luck. I saw a man looking thru some Rifleman at another man's table. I told him I would sell him a bunch for cheap. I know, dirty pool but I didn't want to deal with them anymore.I gave the other set to a friend at work. I found out one thing at that show, books don't sell well. I did have lots of old cavalry items like spurs, bridle bits and one civil war canteen. All these items sold and brought big money. Gun parts sold well also. I told the NRA years ago that they didn't have to send me the Rifleman anymore. I could read it on the computer. As it turned out my friend gives me his. I take the to the range and leave them for anyone to take. My advice, don't save old mags, no matter what the name.

[bangerjim]

They are like the old National Geo magazines. Everybody has decades of the darned things but what do you do with them. I cleaned out by dad's house and he had them from the mid 50's to present. All went to the local 2nd hand store....and I never looked back. I have them (from issue #1 to 2010 on DVD in a set, if I ever wanted to look at them.

I would not loose sleep over all those old magazines. Just dump them off at Goodwill if no one wants to pay postage.

Also had 30 years of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics. All followed the Nat Geo's to the thrift store.

And today the tax laws have changed so much you need $10k or more of donations to even start to take it off the Fed....at least in my bracket. The state of AZ allows a bit less. But the standard deductions are so high, donations are now a waste of time. Now I just haul the junk to Goodwill and let them worry about it.

[blackthorn]

If you can't sell them, consider dropping a few off each time you visit a Doctors or Dentists waiting room. At the very least you will be able to tick-off a Liberal (or Democrat in the US).

[downzero]

I would recycle them. I highly doubt they contain anything that isn't available for free on the internet to anyone who wants to look for it.

[10-x]

No one wants them, guess out in the trash. Will take a couple of months to get rid of them if they go that way, may keep the 50’s -60’s ? 2/3 rds of them have my name and addresses..

[shooterg]

10 years worth will fit in one of the boxes reams of copy paper come in - maybe sell 'em that way- $2 a year and UPS ? . I got 'em back to 1929 and prefer to upgrade to the bound yearly volumes when I find 'em. Most ain't worth reading after the 80's ! Lotta good reads in the older ones though.
See lots for sale on evilbay.

[skeettx]

Last year I gave away AR from 1948 to present IN NRA BINDERS
Mike

[reddog81]

Now I just haul the junk to Goodwill and let them worry about it.

Save the gas money and throw them in the recycle bin. The Goodwill doesn’t want trash. That’s just more work for them to deal with.

[kerplode]

Recycle bin...

[farmbif]

there are people who take some of the old full page ads that are unique to the era and frame them. but ive been there done that in moving from a place you have spent many years theres just so much you can keep.

[10-x]

Looks like a member here will meet me and pick them up. Good deal, hate to throw out so much good info and History.

[Mike in MD]

What do you do with 25 years of hard bound Cabela's sales books? Some still unopened.

[bakerjw]

Sadly, they're worth only sentimental value. It sucks but it is the way of the world. What was breaking technology 40 years ago has been surpassed many time since.
I've dumped a lot of things like that in the recycling bin myself.

[mike britton]

I cut my address out of the front page and give them away on our table at the gun shows.
Never go home with any......

[Big Boomer]

Had that same problem plus I had issues of Handloader, Guns & Ammo, Rifle, Shooting Times, etc. Had them all catalogued by date in folder boxes. Took them all to the local gun club, Northeast Kentucky Fish & Game Club, Ashland, Ky., and laid them out on tables in the clubhouse. All were gone in a couple of days. Big Boomer

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I saw a nice collection like that in an antique store in Blackriver Falls Wisconsin. Was particularly interested in the 1968 issues because of the Gun Control Act of 68.

[Geezer in NH]

At my dump they would go in the recycle.

[RC46]

On the Media Mail question, when we sold our business we had a lot of odds & ends left over to liquidate - usually ebay. Including mags, paperback reference booklets, etc. which we shipped media mail with no problem.

[kens]

If you can't sell them, consider dropping a few off each time you visit a Doctors or Dentists waiting room. At the very least you will be able to tick-off a Liberal (or Democrat in the US).

best idea I seen so far

[10-x]

Well, thanks to the china virus the guy that was going to pick them up can’t come. Guess out in the trash, packing to move and don’t have time to do anything else, sigh.....

[Bang Switch]

The folks at your local VA hospital would be glad to take them.

[Geezer in NH]

Media mail is for publications with no paid for adds period. Don't mater how old.

I just dumped 12 years of Muzzleloader Magazine as no one was willing to pay any price for the USPS.

That meant they are junk.

[10-x]

Yep, junk. All bagged up will take a few months to get rid of them in trash.

[richhodg66]

Our DAV thrift store here takes old magazines, not picky about the subject, and puts them on a rack for a nickel apiece. Seems there are folks out there looking for light reading material who want them, because I've donated quite a few, see them on the racks but not for long.

[flyingmonkey35]

You can use then to smelt lead.

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