It has been a while since I bought any gun magazines but there was some writer who was either an MD or a PHD. He took his own photos of guns to illustrate his articles and one time I was at this range I belonged to and he was there taking photos. He borrowed them from the shop and took the photos there on the floor. It might have been Dr. Fackler, if I'm remembering the name right. Compared with the photos in this thread, they weren't much to look at. Is it American Handgunner that literally has a centerfold? I recall reading that when something new came out the photographer would find one to borrow (this is like at a trade show), take it back to his hotel room and snap away.