What happened to Guns of the Old West Magazine?

[Rye Miles]

Just got my Spring issue yesterday!

[Crow Choker]

Once upon a time I subscribed to GOTOW and enjoyed it "most of the time". Where I took issue with it and talked and wrote to the people in charge was the continued 5-6 pages and sometime more of articles and excessive pictures telling of the lives and woes of B cowboy action movie and TV stars. A friend of mine advised them he bought GOTOW to read about guns of the old west, not who Jack Lewis drank whiskey with. Me too! In a conversation with one of the people in charge I was advised after the passing of Jack Lewis, that the articles about TV/movie stars was going to be greatly reduced. It wasn't. Also I got tired of repeated reviews of the same type of firearms. How many reviews do you need on the reproduced Mare's Leg, Taylors Smokewagon, or Cimarrons 1873. I advised them more was needed on percussion and conversion revolvers and about other rifles other than the continued 1873 rifle articles.

 I let my subscription lapse for several issues, but 'reupped' after being convinced of a new GOTOW. The 'New' never happened so I quit subscribing and never bought any off the stands. I know of two other shooters who gave up on them for the same reason in my area. How many does that compute nation wide? Over the years, I checked some copies on the stands but never saw any change. There was the once in a while article that appeared interesting, but the magazine rack price didn't justify the purchase. I missed Mike Beliviews writings and those of Dennis Adler, but the rest of the articles of my complaint still steered me away. Now, I never see any copies of GOTOW issues on magazine stands in my area, can't say why, maybe they didn't sell well.  I know a lot of you disagree with me and a lot of you liked the old movie star stories, my thoughts have always been, let the publisher start a magazine geared to the stars of yesteryear. I bought the magazine to read about guns, not old stars and repeated gun articles issue after issue.

[Jeremiah Jones]

I'm a subscriber.  I subscribed because I like the nice mix of articles on my heroes of the 1960s, gun reviews and old guns.  If they limited themselves to reviews of "new" guns, it would come out once a year and be two pages long.  There aren't that many new cowboy guns coming out. 

[Advertising]

[Major 2]

Once upon a time I subscribed to GOTOW and enjoyed it "most of the time". Where I took issue with it and talked and wrote to the people in charge was the continued 5-6 pages and sometime more of articles and excessive pictures telling of the lives and woes of B cowboy action movie and TV stars. A friend of mine advised them he bought GOTOW to read about guns of the old west, not who Jack Lewis drank whiskey with. Me too! In a conversation with one of the people in charge I was advised after the passing of Jack Lewis, that the articles about TV/movie stars was going to be greatly reduced. It wasn't. Also I got tired of repeated reviews of the same type of firearms. How many reviews do you need on the reproduced Mare's Leg, Taylors Smokewagon, or Cimarrons 1873. I advised them more was needed on percussion and conversion revolvers and about other rifles other than the continued 1873 rifle articles.

 I let my subscription lapse for several issues, but 'reupped' after being convinced of a new GOTOW. The 'New' never happened so I quit subscribing and never bought any off the stands. I know of two other shooters who gave up on them for the same reason in my area. How many does that compute nation wide? Over the years, I checked some copies on the stands but never saw any change. There was the once in a while article that appeared interesting, but the magazine rack price didn't justify the purchase. I missed Mike Beliviews writings and those of Dennis Adler, but the rest of the articles of my complaint still steered me away. Now, I never see any copies of GOTOW issues on magazine stands in my area, can't say why, maybe they didn't sell well.  I know a lot of you disagree with me and a lot of you liked the old movie star stories, my thoughts have always been, let the publisher start a magazine geared to the stars of yesteryear. I bought the magazine to read about guns, not old stars and repeated gun articles issue after issue.

Well yes & no.... I agree in regards to Mike Belleview , not so much on Adler ( met the man pimping one of his coffee table books)
Not to say I don't own one ! I do Metallic Conversions.... But the guy was pretty much an " all that asshat " at Shot 07.

I didn't mind the old nostalgia about the Hollywood actors.
Being of that association ( Behind the camera myself) .
Some of Jack Lewis's stuff was droll some was dull , but still he was readable.

Having said the above, I got the 2019 Spring issue on Tues the 12th.... it's far from the better issues.
not sure I'll reup the next go round
 
 

[Rye Miles]

It's the only mag I subscribe to! I quit all the others and while there is some stuff I'm not interested in aren't ALL magazines like that?

[Coffinmaker]

Well ...... Of course they are.  But one must also consider with GOTOW we get such FINE portraits of Dennis Adler.  None of those other magazines can make THAT claim ... 

[PJ Hardtack]

Better question - Whatever happened to Kenny Durham's "SHOOT!" magazine?

[Major 2]

It's cost of production, VS income priced it into extinction.

also, no Dennis Adler centerfolds 

[PJ Hardtack]

Why the hate for Dennis Adler? He's got a lot invested in what he does and gets to play with guns most of us may never see.

I've got his books on Open Tops and Colts and I really enjoy them.

[Jeremiah Jones]

Why the hate for Dennis Adler? He's got a lot invested in what he does and gets to play with guns most of us may never see.

I've got his books on Open Tops and Colts and I really enjoy them.

I was wondering the same thing.  It is easy to sit behind a keyboard and criticize.  Actually putting out a good magazine 4 times a year is real work, making a profit doing it is even harder.  If it was my magazine, my picture would be on every page.

[Crow Choker]

I can't figure out the Dennis Adler negativity either. I have 3-4 of his books on 'old west' firearms-very informative. As I penned earlier, Adler is one of the high spots of GOTOW in IMO, as was Mike Beliveau. If not for all the old movie/TV star crap, I'd probably have never quit buying it. I can get a lot of Mikes info now off of his FaceBook page and Utube video's and have most of the info I'll ever need with Adlers books. Ya, Dennis Adler put on clothes and such portraying some of the old west figures and movie characters, had some half page, full page pictures (better than old TV/movie star pics)---no different than most of ya who put on your 'get-ups' for your posse shoots and get-to-gethers. If ya stop somewhere along the line on your way to a shoot wearing your finest 1800 eara threads, most people probably wonder what Halloween party your going to out of season. Ever think of that?  JMO!

[Coffinmaker]

Well .... Heck.  It's Winter.  There is diddly and squat going on.  At present, we really don't have anyone else to pick on.  When we drew names out of the hat, Dennis came up.  So we been picking on Dennis a little bit.  I'm really not trying to be truly mean or nasty to Dennis, just rub his fir the wrong way a little.  No Malice intended. 

Besides, my information would indicate he had an influence in the creation of Pietta's Capt. Schaeffer replicant, of which I am quite fond.

Now ......     Were Crow Choker or Jeremiah Jones onna cover of some magazine ..... look out buddy.  We'd be pickin onnem just like Dennis.  Let's face it, We could pick on that four flushing clown in Washington but that would be POLITICAL and unapproved by Under Writers International ...... or would it      So for this issue, Dennis was tagged "it."

Besides, that was a really nice '66 on the last cover.  Shoulda been done like the Blue Press does it.

[PJ Hardtack]

Well .... Heck.  It's Winter.  There is diddly and squat going on.  At present, we really don't have anyone else to pick on.  When we drew names out of the hat, Dennis came up.  So we been picking on Dennis a little bit.  I'm really not trying to be truly mean or nasty to Dennis, just rub his fir the wrong way a little.  No Malice intended. 


Let's face it, We could pick on that four flushing clown in Washington but that would be POLITICAL and unapproved by Under Writers International ...... or would it      So for this issue, Dennis was tagged "it."

Which particular clown would that be with so many to choose from? "Elect clowns - expect a circus".

We have a circus going on right now this side of the DMZ in regard to a "He sez - she sez" brouhaha involving our Prime Minister (Ring Master and Chief Clown) and his coterie of clowns (several of whom have resigned) over inappropriate pressure applied to the female, native Indian AG. In other words, a major cover up that could cost the ruling clowns the next election come October.

[Trailrider]

My local grocery store, a Kroger affiliate, has greatly reduced their selection of gun magazines. OTOH, most of the few they still do carry (haven't seen GOTOW lately), don't have the appeal to me they once had, as I don't hunt anymore, and have too many guns I haven't shot since I started CAS.  Probably go to Barnes & Noble later today to see what they have, although it is farther to go.

As far as Dennis Adler is concerned, I know him and find him to be a gentleman, and a terrific professional photographer, as well as extremely knowledgeable on most of the guns we like . (Anyone interested in antique cars should check out his books on that subject...which I don't happen to be)!

[Crow Choker]

Coffinmaker-Point taken on ya being bored and wantin to pick a bit on Dennis Adler. Made my point also.  

 Reference to "four flushing clown" in Wash, DC, if yer referring to resident at WH, would ya rather had the crooked, lyin, lib, H.C. or one of the other IMO nonpatriotic idiots on the Dem side who ran in 2016 or one of the socialist POC that are tossin their hat's in the 2020 ring? Hard to believe that so many are still swayed by socialistic, progressive, American destroying rhetoric and promises when ya see what that crowd is suggesting, promoting, wanting, promising, and would deliver. Not me brother-Not me brother. After eight years of BO destroying American fabric and what two months of a Dem controlled House has done, no more. Look  what those three newly elected female clowns from Minnesota, Michigan, and New York have said, advoctated, and want to get done. America doesn't need swamp rats or a socialistic government. I'll fight do prevent it and will not be quiet about it. Have a good day. CC


Note/1448 hrs: Realize maybe shouldn't have made political comments, but did. Just couldn't let it not be said, off topic, yep, please forgive, but guess deep down I'm not really so sorry as what I said as IMO and a lot of other's in US, it's the truth. PJ-I'm sorry as to what as happened to the great country of Canada as far as your political leaders in power-hope it changes. 

[PJ Hardtack]

The Speaker recognizes the Honourable member 'Crow Choker' and concurs with his astute assessment.

On this side of the DMZ we have the same socialist, anti-democratic forces at work in the present government, people that advocate civil disarmament, 'open borders', welcome back known terrorist fighters and deny veterans their just due for service.

It's the globalist agenda that is the current flavour of the month amongst hitherto western democracies on both sides of the pond.

A pox on their houses!

[Rye Miles]

I'm handsome enough to be on the cover!!

[Coffinmaker]

Why Rye, you're such a shy retiring feller.  Good on ya!!  Say Cheeze   

CC .... Yes.  I would rather.  Now let us all SKIP Politics here.  If we want the conversation to remain polite, Skip Religion, Sex and Politics.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

In Commiefornia, few grocery stores have ANY gun magazines on their shelves.  Of course our current  socialist Governor once said that "Private firearms ownership in our society is deviant behavior!" Gosh, I wonder how he REALLY feels!