Double Gun Journal -Sad News

[Jim McKee]

Received a notice in the mail today stating they will not continue publishing the Journal. Those who still have money in their account can choose to purchase products listed on the letter.
An Index & Reader Vol III is planned for Christmas 2023.
"After this we plan to publish more unique books on firearms."

Jim

[Ed Blake]

If that’s not a freaking bummer I don’t know what is.

[Phil Yearout]

Sad indeed...and I just renewed!

[Frank Srebro]

I spoke with the DGJ folks and thanked them for a job well done for >3 decades. Spring 2022 was the final issue.

[Arthur Shaffer]

I just finished over the course of the last month building up a complete set of the magazines. I had about 60-70 of them and had worked hard with DGJ, eBay and Amazon to complete the set. The last two are supposedly in the mail. One from eBay is due tomorrow. The last shipment from DGJ arrived a week ago and one of them was the wrong issue. They were supposed to ship the replacement but said it might be a few weeks due to shipping it a lower rate. It ticked me off, but I guess this explains it.

It surprises me, after their long run, but you wonder where information and research will be shared among collectors. Not being negative about the individual clubs and associations, but their formats are not really adequate to dissiminate detailed research and reports. I don't know of any US journals that will provide the service they did. In my mind, they jumped started the collector arena's growth and were the leading source of information on a wide scale. Hopefully something will replace them.

As an aside, they have a pretty complete supply of back issues available. All of them but the first few years are priced at $10, I believe. I presume that they will still be selling back issues.

[Bill Murphy]

I knew it was coming, but the letter from Dan and Joanna was still a surprise and a disappointment. The third edition of the reader should make the New York Times best seller list. It is supposed to be 500 pages. My set is complete and will be here until I am not.

[Garry L Gordon]

I was a charter subscriber, and will miss the publication sorely. I especially appreciated the quality of the publication (and the fact that the owner had a Gordon Setter:))

[Steve Cambria]

"The day the music died

They were singing bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin'......"


108910

[John Campbell]

As a regular contributor to DGJ, I'm simply heartbroken. I only hope the genre survives somehow, in some medium.

[Bob Jurewicz]

I received the announcement today as well. Sad times for our passion!
If there is any positive spin to this it is that I no longer have to find new bookshelf space for my DGJ Full Collection.
Bob Jurewicz

[Mills Morrison]

Sad news. I have not received the notice. I have another year or so on my subscription.

Three plus decades is a great run, as others have said.

[Ken Hill]

The publishing was great, the articles were great, the owners are great. Is there another similar magazine out there?

This is a loss to all double gun communities.

Ken

[jerry serie]

"The day the music died

They were singing bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin'......"


108910 Amen Brother!!!

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Just maybe some of the articles that were going to be in the DGJ, can now be in the Parker Pages,Hate to see it gone but as they say all good things must come to an end RIP Gary

[jerry serie]

I had a sense the end was coming but didn't know when. Thankfully, I was a charter subscriber and have them all, neatly bound in Slip Cases. What a wonderful idea and timely, it's been a great ride 1989 - 2122! All the Best to Daniel and Joanna Cote!

The DGJ will be valued for years to come!

Jerry

[jerry serie]

"The day the music died

They were singing bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin'......"


108910 Amen Brother!!! I hear the music!

[Jack Huber]

This is truly sad news. I have all the issues and value them greatly. I've even done an index of the articles that I found of special interest. I had a dream of writing an article for publication in the DGJ one day, now that can never happen.
Times have been hard for print media the past 15 years or so; I know Dan and Joanna gave it their best. I wish them good things in the future.
I would be remiss if I didn't thank those members of the PGCA for the fine articles they contributed over the past 30+ years.

[neill mcinnis]

This is so sad. By far the best publication on fine shotguns. I receive several publications on upland hunting but Double Guns journal was for the lover of fine shotguns. Mighty hard to replace.

[Pete Lester]

I think anyone who enjoys shooting composite barrel guns and Short Tens owes the DGJ a debt of gratitude for their Finding Out for Myself articles by Sherman Bell.

DGJ was a class act not likely to be outdone in the future.

[Craig Larter]

It is sad but the fact of the matter is the publishing world is going 100% digital. I never thought I would get used to reading the WSJ on a tablet but I did. Print media will most likely be dead in a decade. I would not be surprised to see a digital DGJ type product in the future. The costs of print production are just not competitive where there is a digital alternative.

[Kevin McCormack]

A year or so after Parker author Ed Muderlak's last book was published, someone asked him when the next book was due out. Ed told them there wouldn't be any more books from him since the negotiations with the publisher to even accept his last manuscript was "something akin to a judo match." After Ed died I sold off all of his remaining inventory, all new in the original shrink wrap, for pennies on the dollar. It seemed to take forever; even at bargain basement prices, people seemed to not want to read hard copy anymore. I sent all of the money to the Mayo Clinic where Ed had undergone cancer treatment. So much for the advantages of the electronic/digital age.

[Arthur Shaffer]

Just maybe some of the articles that were going to be in the DGJ, can now be in the Parker Pages,Hate to see it gone but as they say all good things must come to an end RIP Gary

I would hope that too, but I don't see it happening. With any of tghe dedicated make groups, the journals are almost exclusively concerned with their brand, and are relatively small publications. I don't believe any of them are capable of presenting 10-15 page articles of high quality photography and text. If they were, you would need to subscribe to 7 or 8 publications or groups, and would still have no coverage of odd and rare/non-mainstream makes.

Similarly, if a undeniable leader in a niche business for 30+ years cannot make a go of it, it will be doubtful if someone can step in and do it.

I am really concerned that without DGJ and access to lengthy articles by people such as Sherman Bell, Ross Seyfried and others in a venue not influenced by advertisers, the hobby will suffer. One only has to look at the changes in attitude wrought primarily by Sherman Bell and his collaboraters in areas such as Damascus barrels and successful loading of Express cartridges to see what we will miss.

[Jay Oliver]

I will miss it as will my daughter....I was hoping to publish an article in it some day.

[Phil Yearout]

It is sad but the fact of the matter is the publishing world is going 100% digital. I never thought I would get used to reading the WSJ on a tablet but I did. Print media will most likely be dead in a decade. I would not be surprised to see a digital DGJ type product in the future. The costs of print production are just not competitive where there is a digital alternative.

Agreed, and as our generations age and disappear there will be even less interest in print. As my daughter points out to me every time I bemoan the direction things are headed (TV, music, advertising, et al): "Dad, you are not the person they're aiming for."

[Andrew Sacco]

Can't stand digital journals and magazines. I have to print it out to read and absorb it.

[Mike Koneski]

From the DGJ website-


~ To All Our Faithful Readers ~
We Regret To Have To Make The Following Announcement

Since 1989 we have striven to produce a journal of the highest quality. However it is with much regret that due to inflated material and labor costs, and diminishing interest in classic guns, we are forced to discontinue The Double Gun Journal. We had sincerely hoped that we could keep going and at least finish this year out; however we can’t go on. We feel so badly that we are letting you all down, but we are not able to financially continue…For the past several years we have been operating at a loss. We now realize that at our age, the demands of a quarterly publication have come to be too much for us.

The young people of today are not nearly so interested in classic guns and subsequently many of our older collectors, with no one to leave their guns to, are forced to sell their collections to get their estates in order. Although it is indeed time for us to step aside, we truly hope that someone will see this adversity as an opportunity to take over the publishing of The Double Gun Journal.

Many of you have extended your subscriptions in advance for future issues, and we trust that you will allow us to repay our debt to you with our products; however if you renewed on or after July 5th, you have not been charged.
We can offer back issues to those who would like to complete their collections or perhaps gift them to someone very special. Also we have many other products available, all of which are listed on the order form sent by post to print subscriber already. They are also detailed in your Spring 2022 issue on the pages designated.

Going forward, we will be devoting our full time to completing our Index & Reader Volume III, which we hope to have available by Christmas 2023. After this, we plan to publish more unique books of firearms.

If you are a print subscriber, you should already have had detailed information on the credit due to you and your expiration date in your mail.



This website will continue to allow for back issues and products sales. More books, shooting products as well as indexes and readers will be made available in the near future.

Thank you for understanding and for your support over the years.

Daniel & Joanna.

[Mike Koneski]

Everyone that was considering doing an article in DGJ that involves Parker guns, remember, you can still submit them to Parker Pages. Just sayin'. :corn:

[Aaron Beck]

This is a shame. Would hate to see a similar press release from RST.

[Richard Flanders]

It's just a changing world at every level. Seems nothing will ever be same again.

[Mills Morrison]

This is a shame. Would hate to see a similar press release from RST.

I thought the same thing.

[Michael Moffa]

This just sucks! I love paper, hate reading crap on a screen as I don't retain it. Need the additional tactile brain inputs (touch, sound, smell) to deep core memory stuff. Daniel and Joanna did us a great service, I wonder if it would have been possible to step into their shoes? I was working on another article for them, I'm in the research mode and plot development stage. I guess its going to go to PP. Do they accept historical fiction based around Parkers? I'd also like to thank all of the other authors for taking the time to contribute.

[Victor Wasylyna]

This is a shame. Would hate to see a similar press release from RST.

Apples and oranges. RST services customers’ wants and needs without regard for “how it should be.” They are not modern day Luddites refusing to adapt to the digital age.

-Victor

[Dean Romig]

That’s not a very kind reflection of Daniel’s and Joanna’s dedicated work in providing the very best in the world publication on the classic guns we’re all passionate about Victor.




.

[Dean Romig]

Everyone that was considering doing an article in DGJ that involves Parker guns, remember, you can still submit them to Parker Pages. Just sayin'. :corn:

But how much space will Parker Pages allow for the kind of article and illustrations we’re accustomed to seeing in DGJ?





.

[Russell E. Cleary]

With digital content as vulnerable as it is to retroactive sanitization, expurgation, fumigation, bowdlerization, as well as inadvertent alteration, printed copy should be recognized for having a unique indispensability.

That is, as long as "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures" is not violated.

[Bob Hayes]

I just ordered another run of books a great friend wrote and also had the book digitized.
The book cost is $49 per the onetime fee for digital is $2200.How does a company/periodical compete or exist these days.
Another friend just recently published his book/passion which is thicker than the Parker Story.Full of color pictures and content dust cover etc..He is selling at $175 per book which has to be at a loss/breakeven.Neither need to make money off the books.
Knowing what I know now I don't see how any publishing occurs.
But the digital version will be interesting.Book form on your computer or laptop as well as kindel's device.

[Dan Steingraber]

As a quick observation, perhaps we should reach out to any non redundant advertisers and consider expanding our publication based on our ability to secure some of them.

[Dean Romig]

Expanding Parker Pages from its current 48 page format to something with more pages simply to include more advertisers would likely not be cost-effective.

Maybe our PGCA website could stand some “rolling” advertising???



.

[Craig Larter]

As much as we resist the digital transformation it is the future,. If collector organizations are to survive into the future we better start putting resources in video content and establishing a U-tube type channel. Todays authors of the written word will become video content creators. My son is an avid hunter and owns 4 SXS's. He turns to u-tube and other video content to gather information/knowledge about guns, duck and grouse hunting, not the written journals. I give him a book on fine guns and it goes unread. I don't think he is unusual in today's world. Young people want information on demand not wait three months for a snail mail NL. Just look at sites like Facebook, people are making fewer and fewer posts as the video content sites explode with users. Just my opinion.

[Russ Jackson]

Has anyone been in contact with Daniel or Joanna to know if they are taking orders for the Volume III Index and Reader they hope to have out in Dec. ? I would hate to miss the last piece of my Double Gun Journal collection !

[Dan Steingraber]

Expanding Parker Pages from its current 48 page format to something with more pages simply to include more advertisers would likely not be cost-effective.

Maybe our PGCA website could stand some “rolling” advertising???

.

My though was to expand the Parker Pages to include at least some of the DGJ contributors and defray the cost with additional advertisers. Of course, I have no knowledge of the financial workings of Parker Pages.
DS

[Craig Budgeon]

Class people that produced a very high quality publication that will be missed by a great many, Best of luck to the Cote's in any endeavor they choose to pursue.

[Bill Murphy]

Russ, the correspondence from Dan and Joanna includes a check box to display your interest in Volume 3 of the Index and Reader. They have promised to notify us if we check the box and return the document.

[Victor Wasylyna]

That’s not a very kind reflection of Daniel’s and Joanna’s dedicated work in providing the very best in the world publication on the classic guns we’re all passionate about Victor.

Dean:

The only reflection I made was on the Cotes' unwillingness to go digital. I wrote nothing about their dedication or quality of work, which were top shelf.

I subscribed to DGJ for many years, but last year I decided not to renew for lack of a digital option. I want the content in a format that is convenient for me, not the physical medium (as pretty as that physical medium was).

No doubt many folks around here insist on (even hoard) physical journals. But trust me, such folks are the outliers, not me. The digital age is here, it has been here for some time, and that is not going to change any time in the foreseeable future.

In an "adapt or die" world, the Cotes' chose to scuttle the ship rather than go digital. I think that is a shame.

-Victor

[Greg Baehman]

Has anyone been in contact with Daniel or Joanna to know if they are taking orders for the Volume III Index and Reader they hope to have out in Dec. ? I would hate to miss the last piece of my Double Gun Journal collection !

Russ, I’m not sure that you noticed or not, but their note says they hope to have the Vol. III Index and Reader available by Christmas 2023 — not this coming December. Although I haven’t been in direct contact with them I would have to believe the availability of the Vol. III will be well advertised.

[Russ Jackson]

Thank you Greg ,what Bill posted about 3 posts up ! I missed the info I inquired about but there is a place on the card to ✅ if you want notified about the 2023 Index and Reader ! I called and spoke with Joanna because they had my name wrong on the card but according to Joanna you will be able to use your credit toward the New Index and Reader !

[Dean Romig]

Dean:

The only reflection I made was on the Cotes' unwillingness to go digital. I wrote nothing about their dedication or quality of work, which were top shelf.

I subscribed to DGJ for many years, but last year I decided not to renew for lack of a digital option. I want the content in a format that is convenient for me, not the physical medium (as pretty as that physical medium was).

No doubt many folks around here insist on (even hoard) physical journals. But trust me, such folks are the outliers, not me. The digital age is here, it has been here for some time, and that is not going to change any time in the foreseeable future.

In an "adapt or die" world, the Cotes' chose to scuttle the ship rather than go digital. I think that is a shame.

-Victor



Victor, our opinions of what the Cotes did, or didn't do, differ greatly.

I don't believe they chose to "scuttle the ship" because they knew full well that going digital (and they would not have thrown the baby {their long-time subscribers who want the paper magazine who enjoy and collect, not hoard, the DGJ} to the wolves) would simply have added another expense to their costs of publication. They held out, even in our failing economy, in the hope that the economy would turn around or al least come part way back... and it unfortunately hasn't. I commend them for being true to their subscribers, whom I do not believe are "outliers" but are in fact their bread and butter.

This "outlier" will always prefer the printed page rather than the impersonal flat screen of an electronic device. In fact, if DGJ had gone digital I most likely would have lost interest because I would feel forsaken.

It's okay to have differing opinions. :cheers:





.

[Mills Morrison]

Vinyl is making a comeback so you never know what the future may hold.

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

I've been a long time subscriber myself and found a way to share the magazine with others that I could not have done via a digital format. Unless there was a series of articles, like those of Sherman Bells that I wanted to keep as reference material, I would take past issues to my doctors office as reading material in the waiting room. After a few months I would pick them back up again in well read condition. Whether, or not, that may have added a few new subscribers for the Cote's I do not know but I felt good doing it.

[Garry L Gordon]

I recognize that I'm an anachronism. I like old books and the times in which they were written, and I love old guns, especially Parkers, that conjure up a time long gone. I can read digital material, but I can't hold it, smell its charm, and experience its tactile appeal. Most of us here have a year or two on our track record. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has found myself "being my parents." I'm okay with my current state, if not all that's going on in my current world. I'm sorry to see the DGJ go. It's yet another link to a past that, at least in my heart, still holds great appeal.

[John Campbell]

Worry not. And take solace in the fact that your printed back issues of DGJ will still be accessible, even when the solar panels and wind turbines break down and result in a power outage...

[Arthur Shaffer]

My aversion to digital is it's extreme limitations when doing research and trying to compare information from 4 or 5 sources at one time. It is easy to lay 4 or 5 books on a worktable, insert tabs and flip instantly to cross reference facts and information from all of them.Trying to do this electronically is painfully frustrating and cannot support the speed a lor of people work. To this day I have not seen a platform that supports this work style in a seamless manner. You can do it, but it is absolutely slower.

The last 10 ywears before retirement, I spent a major amount of time reviewing new technology as to concept, validity and potential for a major oil refiner. Speed was critical in some cases and there was a lot of management presure for then recommendation. Printed sources were always faster and easier to use,

[Shawn Wayment]

I got that notice yesterday and I'm completely bummed! That's all I can say!!

[Richard Flanders]

I can only surmise that the only reason a publication of that quality would go out of business is because the market just won't support it adequately any longer. THAT is what I find discouraging about the situation. Black guns, semi auto's and 870's are taking over the world apparently. It's us buyers that are going extinct.

[tom tutwiler]

Hopefully if nothing else this might reservice in some sort digital form. Cost of paper and mailing no doubt contributed to its demise and going the digital route would no doubt reduce operating expenses.

[Dean Romig]

Hopefully if nothing else this might reservice in some sort digital form. Cost of paper and mailing no doubt contributed to its demise and going the digital route would no doubt reduce operating expenses.


It would have reduced their expenses only if they had eliminated paper copy, which was not in their vocabulary, they being completely loyal to their paper-copy base of subscriber/customers, otherwise it would have added to their expenses.

But it was a great long run of education, enjoyment, and shared knowledge.





.

[Alfred Houde]

I will agree that YouTube is where it is at right now. But man, there is some real BS on some of those channels. Many of whom are not doing sportsman any favors.

[Mills Morrison]

I admire them for hanging it up rather than dropping the quality to appeal to the masses. A few other magazines that used to be great might as well be discontinued. Once it becomes glorified advertising, you lose me.

[Michael Moffa]

Would any other subscriber paid more for a subscription? I know I would have gone double the $45 for the best mag published bar none. The best part of DGJ was 4 times a year, in the mail would appear something to read that was not woke or politicized up. Go back and pick up a copy Scientific American circa 2005 and note the distinct slant to the latest agenda. Not in the DGJ and we were blessed for it. As too the digital version, I'd subscribe but not be happy and I'd probably print it out anyway.

[Mike Koneski]

But how much space will Parker Pages allow for the kind of article and illustrations we’re accustomed to seeing in DGJ?





.

I haven't read that many articles in DGJ that would not fit into PP. Some would need to be Part I and Part II, but most articles, especially on Parker specific guns would work into a single issue.

[Mike Koneski]

I would have paid more for my subscription to keep DGJ afloat and publishing their quality magazine. I'm not a fan of digital publications. I prefer to do my reading away from a computer and usually later in the evening. I too prefer to hold hard copies of books and magazines rather than fire up the desk-top.

[Mike Koneski]

Dean, if we have enough of an influx of articles for PP we can always add extra pages to the magazine. It will add to the overall cost of the publication, but we could adapt if need be. 48 pages is not chiseled in stone.

[Richard Flanders]

Now we're getting somewhere and thinking about a "solution"..... Keep going.... We're limited only by our collective imaginations....

[Mills Morrison]

I used my credit and some extra to get the British Shotgun by David Baker DVD/CD. It arrived the other day. Pictured here

[Garry L Gordon]

I opted for one of their books, but I've not see it yet.

[Phillip Carr]

One of the best benefits for me is when I do remote hunts. Most of the time I do not have internet access. I realize I could probably down load before leaving home, but I enjoy laying around camp in the evenings and taking an afternoon break while catching up on my magazine subscriptions.
Further sitting in my blind seems to pass the time faster while waiting for a buck to show up and reading some great articles.

[Bob Brown]

Mills, is that Baker CD set a regular item on their site? I looked and couldn't find it. Or was that what they meant on their books chart at $75 for each of the three volumes? Thanks.

[Mills Morrison]

It is. Look at the ad which includes Parkers at the End of the Rainbow and Diggory Haddoke's video

[Stan Hillis]

My "fear", with digital subscriptions, is that it will be lost in the future, somehow. And, not being tech savvy I am not good at "saving" stuff for future reference. With a hardcopy magazine I can always dig back through them.

Even with the CDs, how long before they are obsolete and something new and better replaces them? I've got three gun related VHS cassettes that I haven't watched in twenty years. I need to get them transferred to CD, I guess. One is Nick Makinson's excellent video on disassembly and cleaning of the L C Smith shotgun, one is an interview with Carlos Hathcock, by Maj. John Plaster, and the other is by Plaster, on how he trained snipers.

Paper never goes out of style, IMO. I, too would have paid a price increase to keep the DGJ in business.

[Bob Brown]

It is. Look at the ad which includes Parkers at the End of the Rainbow and Diggory Haddoke's video


Thank you, Mills.

[Phil Yearout]

I used my credit toward the Parker serialization book which I received today. I really didn't need it as I'm not really a collector but I already own most of the other stuff :).

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Well I was glad to get an article in with the help of Steve Cambria, winter 2021, I have read all the articles in the last issue . I guess with DGJ gone I will read George Orwells 1984 again and follow the plight of Winston and Julia Gary

[Mills Morrison]

For all practical purposes, there is an infinite amount of books, magazines and other writings on old guns and hunting out there. I have been enjoying Michael Petrov's books which I found on here as well as some Steve Smith books, among a few others.

[Jack Kuzepski]

This might not be much and it is digital, but have you checked out Digory Haddokes web site? It is www.vintageguns.co.uk His web site has guns for sale and some of his other services but more importantly (at least to me) he has the vintage gun journal. It has articles on guns, gun makers, auctions, people, etc. He adds several new articles each month

[Jim Thynne]

Saddened by the news, Great magazine, great people!

[John Cleveland]

This may be a dead thread; however, I wanted to pass on that I just had a good experience with DJG. I wanted to find the Sherman Bell articles on testing loads in Damascus barrels. They determined which back issue had related articles, but stated that I would only be able to get them by purchasing complete back issues containing them. After looking at samples of the journal, I decided that would be an advantage, so I ordered each of the relevant full back issues.

They just arrived a little over a week ago, and I have not opened them all, but I am very happy with the ones I have, the purchase and the help from DJG.

Props to them.

[timtommas]

It's cool that they're planning on doing an Index & Reader Vol III in 2023. That'll be a nice way to look back on all the great content they've published over the years. Plus, it sounds like they're still going to be in the publishing game, just in a different capacity. Maybe they'll even start putting out some books on firearms! That'd be pretty rad.
Speaking of publishing, have you checked out any literary magazines for new writers (https://blog.reedsy.com/literary-magazines/) lately? I know it's not the same as a gun journal, but there are some seriously awesome publications out there. Like, have you heard of The Paris Review or Tin House? They're both super legit. And if you're into sci-fi and fantasy, you should check out Clarkesworld or Lightspeed. They publish some seriously mind-blowing stuff.

[Bill Murphy]

I find it difficult to believe that the shortage of subscribers enters into Daniel's and Joanna's decision to pack it up. I feel that the difficulty in attracting writers is a bigger problem. I think that many writers have a wealth of information to contribute, but don't have the skills to do it. I have contributed several wonderful articles to various publications, but have required much help from friends and other experts to get past the difficulties of creating the article and entering the photography. I have dozens of articles in my head, but can't transfer them to the publishers without a lot of assistance. And I'm a young guy. Think of some of the old guys who never used a computer at work, or at home unless under the domain of their wives.

[Phil Yearout]

Publishing a magazine is major work; I think they're just tired.

[Dean Romig]

The amount of work that goes into proof-reading, picture editing and cropping, communicating with authors, and all other duties of layout artistry, along with publication deadlines, requires quite a bit more than simply the love of ‘your’ work and the satisfaction of a quality finished product…

It all requires a certain number of subscribers to make it all worth it. The end result must be able to support the owners/editors (Daniel & Joanna) in some sort of lifestyle that they deem acceptable. And at this stage of their lives they would like to not be tied to their desks and keyboards.
I personally have no problem with their decision to close the doors of DGJ.

But like everyone else, I will surely miss the best magazine ever published on the guns we all love so much.

Hopefully the void will someday be filled.





.

[Russell E. Cleary]

It's cool that they're planning on doing an Index & Reader Vol III in 2023. That'll be a nice way to look back on all the great content they've published over the years. Plus, it sounds like they're still going to be in the publishing game, just in a different capacity. Maybe they'll even start putting out some books on firearms! That'd be pretty rad.
Speaking of publishing, have you checked out any literary magazines for new writers (https://blog.reedsy.com/literary-magazines/) lately? I know it's not the same as a gun journal, but there are some seriously awesome publications out there. Like, have you heard of The Paris Review or Tin House? They're both super legit. And if you're into sci-fi and fantasy, you should check out Clarkesworld or Lightspeed. They publish some seriously mind-blowing stuff.

I am questioning the motivation of this post.

Does this post sound like that of a vintage gun person or of someone pushing an unrelated product?

Has Artificial Intelligence (AI) found its way to the PGCA Forum?

[Kenny Graft]

Hase anyone herd when the last reader will be available? SXS Ohio

[Phillip Carr]

I am questioning the motivation of this post.

Does this post sound like that of a vintage gun person or of someone pushing an unrelated product?

Has Artificial Intelligence (AI) found its way to the PGCA Forum?

Russell you are spot on. When I see a person that joins and then the first posting is to try and get you to open a link it runs up a red flag to me also.

[Greg Baehman]

Hase anyone herd when the last reader will be available? SXS Ohio
Kenny, their note said they’d hope to have the Vol. III Index and Reader available by Christmas 2023.

[Dean Romig]

Russell you are spot on. When I see a person that joins and then the first posting is to try and get you to open a link it runs up a red flag to me also.


True, and from a Forum Associate no less.
This is not to say a Forum Associate is any less legitimate, but it does raise ‘that’ flag…





.

[Jack Kuzepski]

Bill,

I agree with you about writing and photography. When I write something, I have to write it out long hand at least twice. And while it is in long hand, I have words crossed out and replaced, phrases circled with arrows pointing out where it might fit better. After that, I can type it in a word program and do further editing with cut and paste with additional help from spell check. Then it still needs help from an editor. Somewhere in my house is a digital camera, (I rhink the wife hid it) that I had used years ago, so now I have a friend whose hobby is photography and he takes the photos and sends them to me by e-mail.

[Andrew Sacco]

The amount of work that goes into proof-reading, picture editing and cropping, communicating with authors, and all other duties of layout artistry, along with publication deadlines, requires quite a bit more than simply the love of ‘your’ work and the satisfaction of a quality finished product…

It all requires a certain number of subscribers to make it all worth it. The end result must be able to support the owners/editors (Daniel & Joanna) in some sort of lifestyle that they deem acceptable. And at this stage of their lives they would like to not be tied to their desks and keyboards.
I personally have no problem with their decision to close the doors of DGJ.

But like everyone else, I will surely miss the best magazine ever published on the guns we all love so much.

Hopefully the void will someday be filled.

.


I know Dean has done the leg work for PP in the past and now, as your advertising manager, I can tell you the amount of work to produce ONE issue of a magazine is astounding. I have told our publishing/printing company, and editors Mike and Sam, that they have convinced me that being a publisher or editor is work for which there is NOT enough pay. And this is all done by volunteers. There is not one job, editor, printer, treasurer, etc... that is easy with producing Parker Pages. I can't imagine doing what Daniel and Joanna did all those years with such high quality and attention to detail. But yes, lack of subscribers is a huge problem and costs to produce a periodical like that must have been just staggering.

[John Campbell]

I know Dean has done the leg work for PP in the past and now, as your advertising manager, I can tell you the amount of work to produce ONE issue of a magazine is astounding. I have told our publishing/printing company, and editors Mike and Sam, that they have convinced me that being a publisher or editor is work for which there is NOT enough pay. And this is all done by volunteers. There is not one job, editor, printer, treasurer, etc... that is easy with producing Parker Pages. I can't imagine doing what Daniel and Joanna did all those years with such high quality and attention to detail. But yes, lack of subscribers is a huge problem and costs to produce a periodical like that must have been just staggering.

Spot on!!

[Phil Yearout]

I once took a job as the advertising manager for a small local magazine. The publisher told me, “you don’t make money from subscriptions, you make money from advertising.” I found it to be a “chicken/egg” sort of thing: it’s hard to sell advertising when you don’t have circulation/readers data to show potential advertisers. I became more of a circulation manager trying to increase readership, and that didn’t align with the publisher’s philosophy so I moved on. The magazine was a nice idea but it folded after a few issues. The Cotes were operating in a very narrow niche market, and while I expect their advertising revenue was fairly constant, I’d guess that increasing that revenue and the circulation revenue to keep ahead of increasing costs was difficult. JMO.

[William Woods]

I can only surmise that the only reason a publication of that quality would go out of business is because the market just won't support it adequately any longer. THAT is what I find discouraging about the situation. Black guns, semi auto's and 870's are taking over the world apparently. It's us buyers that are going extinct.

Richard,

I actually had my 870's, 1100's, and black gun before I had a Parker. Maybe looking back to a different era is the romantic in me. Then again, maybe it was the fact that there were far fewer birds to hunt, and I had a greater appreciation for the hunt. Maybe it was the maturity of the hunter.

[John Campbell]

I can only surmise that the only reason a publication of that quality would go out of business is because the market just won't support it adequately any longer. THAT is what I find discouraging about the situation. Black guns, semi auto's and 870's are taking over the world apparently. It's us buyers that are going extinct.

Exactly. And our reverence for culture, tradition, craft and civilized sport is also going extinct. Hence, the sad decline of readership and close of DGJ...

[Larry Stauch]

Exactly. And our reverence for culture, tradition, craft and civilized sport is also going extinct. Hence, the sad decline of readership and close of DGJ...

Apparently, you guys didn't look at the results of this auction :)

Guyette & Deeter Auction

[Ed Blake]

Maybe the Cotes just wanted to retire and could not find a buyer to continue the magazine. Lots of work

[John Davis]

Maybe the Cotes just wanted to retire and could not find a buyer to continue the magazine. Lots of work


I suspect Ed is closest to the truth. It is the fate of every Mom and Pop business. Especially those with no generational opportunities to pass it on to.

[Dean Romig]

They have their son Josh but the job actually requires at LEAST two dedicated people to fill their shoes.





.