introduced in 1955
- first national monthly newsstand firearms publication
- 1955 GUNS Magazine
– published 12 times per year - 1976 American Handgunner first magazine devoted entirely to handguns
– published six times per year
GUNS Magazine
13741 Danielson Street Suite A
Poway, CA 92064
858-842-3943
gunsmagazine.com
About FMG Publications
FMG Publications is the California publisher behind two of the best-known titles in American gun media: GUNS Magazine and American Handgunner. GUNS reached newsstands in 1955 and is generally described as the first gun-focused magazine sold to the general public, at a time when most firearms coverage came through NRA membership publications. By the 1960s it was a leading shooting magazine on newsstands, and in the mid-1980s its offices moved from Skokie, Illinois to San Diego County. Over the decades its pages carried contributors such as Jeff Cooper, Bill Jordan, Massad Ayoob and John Taffin.
American Handgunner followed in 1976 as a bimonthly devoted to handguns, covering defensive carry, handgun hunting and competition. Together the two magazines shaped how several generations of gun owners learned about new firearms, shooting skills and Second Amendment issues. GUNS marked its 70th anniversary in 2025, and in the same year both titles ended print publication: the November 2025 GUNS issue and the November/December 2025 American Handgunner issue were the final print editions.
Key Facts
- 1955: GUNS Magazine launched as a monthly newsstand title
- 1976: American Handgunner launched, devoted to handguns
- Mid-1980s: Offices moved from Skokie, Illinois to San Diego, California
- 2025: GUNS marked its 70th anniversary
- 2025: Final print issues of GUNS (November) and American Handgunner (November/December)
Sources
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