English poet William Cowper is credited with the phrase “Variety is the spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” That is certainly the case for firearm enthusiasts, who purchase new guns for a wide range of reasons, including hunting, competition, plinking, self-defense and collecting. American Rifleman endeavors to reflect those and other pursuits every month, although, sometimes, that may not seem to be the case. In fact, one reader recently had this to say: “Maybe it’s time for the NRA to rename ‘American Rifleman’ to something like ‘Plastic 9mm Monthly’.”
While the pithy nature of that remark elicited a chuckle or two, it also prompted me to glance back over my shoulder at our efforts during the past nine issues during my time as editor in chief. What I found was reassuring; of the cover stories in those nine issues, which include this one, exactly three featured polymer-frame 9 mm Luger carry pistols. The other six, in order, featured: a straight-pull hunting rifle, an ammunition manufacturer, a left-hand rimfire rifle, a classic steel-frame handgun, a stainless-steel lever-action rifle and an 18th-century cavalryman bearing a sword, pistol and carbine. That doesn’t begin to cover all the other technical, educational, commercial and historical content included within those issues.
Were there other polymer pistols covered within the pages of those nine issues? Certainly, as well there should have been. Such pistols, and the 9 mm Luger ammunition they require, are primarily what newcomers to the existing ranks of established shooters have sought out during the past several years as they’ve watched crime rise and liberal politicians seek to strip them of their right to self-defense. But indications are that the supply lines of ammunition, which have been strained for all types of firearms for some time, are loosening and that, despite growing inflation, the broader marketplace of shooters is returning to the field and range.
That’s why we like to hear from you, our readers, and why we spend quite a bit of time discussing new trends and the guns that manufacturers are bringing to market to address them.
There could be no better example than the issue you’re now reading, which derives its “flavor” from a wide “variety” of sources. One is a preview of the upcoming 150th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston, that provides a peek at the various events and product exhibits. Then there is the cover story by renowned artist Don Troiani that highlights “Cavalry Arms Of The American Revolution.” It is a fascinating look at how individual arms helped win our nation’s freedom.
In the category of brand-new developments comes a feature by Field Editor Justin Dyal titled "Defensive Ammunition Optimized: Federal’s New 30 Super Carry." It not only heralds an entirely new chambering, it serves to highlight the continuing accomplishments of a company now celebrating 100 years of quality ammunition manufacture. Many more new products can be found in our staff-written "Editor's Choice" roundup of recently released firearms, optics and ammunition and more, titled "Big As Freedom: New Guns & Gear 2022."
As always, we hope you enjoy this issue of "The World’s Oldest And Largest Firearm Authority." We will continue to ensure that it is always anything but bland as we cover rifles, shotguns, handguns, optics, ammunition and outdoor accessories and gear that we believe interest all members of the firearm community. But as to our name, I think we’ll stick with “American Rifleman”—I know I speak for the entire staff when I say that we couldn’t be more proud of it.
—Brian C. Sheetz, Editor In Chief
