Precision Shooting Magazine has long been considered THE source for serious technical articles on rifle accuracy. For me it was the first magazine to buy an article from me and I am proud to be able to say they published my works a couple of times. So, I feel like I am saying good-bye to an old friend.
My contacts with Editor, Dave Brennan have always been cordial and professional, he is a true gentleman.
Some in the industry may point to the end of PS magazine as a further indication that the public will not commercially support a technical journal. I would argue that there will always be a market for high quality technical articles that truly educate and inform the reader. Hopefully other publications will see this as an opportunity to fill that need.
There was a time when some of the gun magazines seriously backed writers with technical knowledge and ability to write such quality material. The reader may not realize how much time, effort, and ammo can be spent to produce an article. When we are talking about a research piece that is designed to test new ideas or products and enlighten the reader, the preparation for such articles is expensive. Personally, I hope an editor or two see this as a market opportunity and start producing some in depth technical features.
It’s with great fondness and respect that we say farewell to the Precision Shooting Magazine.
GunsmithTalk 
Some comments and insights as a 20+ year subscriber and author of over a dozen articles published in PS.
A loss of a fading star. Always a pleasure viewing the artful cover without all the tabloid like inserts and come-ons. Also avoidance of promoting the sportsman’s need and right to own bayoneted assault rifles with ~30 round clips. Dave’s editorials were also often well worth a read.
Had the occasion to talk with readers calling about my articles, and a common complaint was PS did not publish enough such hands on articles to help subscribers improve their equipment, techniques, and accuracy (consider its cover title “Precision Shooting, Dealing exclusively with extreme rifle accuracy”). To that I will add my displeasure of highly technical ballistic articles showcasing the author’s calculus acuity and for readers able to trudge through pages of such, or those unwilling to do so, inadequate common language summary of meaning and practical application.
The above over several years, perhaps perpetuated by Dave’s recent decision to cut off “new blood” authors (“columnists”), likely contributed to subscriber decline.
Have a book case full of all my PS mags, with articles of interest flagged. Guess this will prompt finally setting up an index to make the useful information contained more evident and accessible.
Hopefully another source will come forward to fill the void.
I would like to get ahold of Dave Brennan to tell him he doesn’t have to be worrying about finding the funds to refund me on my subscription, as I got my money’s worth. It was great.
PS and its companion pieces were a great ride. Brennan had no business command of the enterprise. If he had, I could be expecting my April issue about now. It was always here about a week after the month in which it began. Maybe his leprechaun-like nature was its secret. Anyway, I miss PS terribly and deeply resent its being let fail. Bless you, Dave. Damn you, Dave.
Today, May 18th 2014 I learn via this website that PS is gone. I have, from about 2002, Dave Brennan’s Rifle. Rich Maretzo wished for my Son & Family to enter BR. My Son was doing USA Olympic Running Target at the time. Dave said this Rifle was made for him to get him out of the Office.
I have never fired it and I don’t know that Dave ever did. It’s stamped SPENCER 6PPC/.262 NECK. ROBERT W. HART & SON. 2A —– and we put a New Leupold BR 36x D Scope on it. If PS closing is bad, think how bad I feel never getting around to shooting this Rifle. I phoned Hart but the person answering the phone was busy so I got tired being on hold and hung up ( +- 5 Yrs ago). I am a Disabled Law Enforcement person who has had illnesses hinder my activities. A Message to Rich Maretzo…I’m sure you remember my Son & I.
I am very sorry to have read the above. There are very few BR events “I know of” here in Central California and, I’m obviously not keeping up to date. Maybe someday we shall take the rifle out. I regret not getting around to many of the shooting disciplines I intended. I shall look for your Home phone in my files and try to call to say hello.
Dear Gunsmith Talk, I will join and monitor articles. This is healthy for me and motivates me to get out once again and enjoy shooting. I am glad I found this site while searching to join Load Data.com and subscribe to some magazines for motivation. Thank you.