Magazines: Glory of Guns

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Sardonic Humor. Guns & Ammo, one of Robert Petersen's string of Los Angeles-based sports publications (Hot Rod, Car Craft), has the second largest circulation: 222,384. Its specialty is sardonic humor. "I was reading the other day," began a recent article, "about a gal in Baltimore who did in her boy friend with a nine-iron, and I'm here to tell you it's about time lethal weapons such as this should be regulated by the Federal Government. First, there should be a nationwide registration of all golf clubs. . ." Echoing this wit, Guns suggested that since there is so much rape in the U.S., the registration of male genitalia should be considered.

The latest ploy of the gun magazines is to involve the whole family. "I weaned my boys on armadillo shooting," began one article. "Teach 'Em Young, Teach 'Em Right," was the title of a Guns & Ammo piece, accompanied by an illustration of a three-year-old girl getting instructions in the use of a revolver. This family concern is reflected in advertising. "Easy as pie," says an ad in Gun World promoting hand loading. A comely matron is shown holding a plateful of cartridges as if it were a pie, while her three admiring daughters look on. "Today," continued the ad, "a lot of wives and daughters have joined their husbands at the reloading bench." For less well-adjusted families and individuals with a thing about weapons, the magazines advertise submachine guns, silencers, antitank guns, cannon, and Nazi insignia.

The gun magazine readers are un usually vocal. They write in to express their approval of the magazines' stand on gun laws, and they swamp Congress with mail. One reason they are roused to such a pitch is that the magazines assure them that the Dodd bill will result in confiscation of all arms. During the hearings on his bill, Dodd charged Guns & Ammo Publisher Thomas Siatos with "maliciously misrepresenting" the bill. Siatos replied that he was merely "editorializing." Nonetheless, the gun magazines feel aggrieved at their treatment by some of the press. The American Rifleman plans to establish a $3,000 scholarship for some young journalist who will document the press distortions on the subject of guns.