March 12, 1850: The first US $20 gold piece (dubbed the Liberty Head, Coronet, or “Double Eagle”) was issued.  Later issues had the “In God We Trust” motto (as pictured above), so the early issues are now called “No Motto” coins by collectors. — March 12, 1940: Finland signed the Moscow Peace Treaty, capitulating to Russia and ceding 11% of their pre-WWII territory, ending the “Winter War”. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This…

CVA’s muzzleloaders have come a long way from their blued-steel, brass and hardwood origins. The company has stayed at the forefront of the “modern muzzleloader” market, with designs like its Endura introduced last year. One of CVA’s longest-lasting muzzleloaders is the Optima, which the company has upgraded with “modern ergonomics and modularity” with the Optima XP and XP-SB. Optima muzzleloaders are .50 caliber and use a break-open action that is released by a lever integrated into the trigger guard. Fired via a 209 shotgun primer, Optimas use CVA’s Quick Release Breech Plug (QRBP) to allow for ease of unloading and…

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) At one auction, I found some very odd tools for some type of woodwork.  Upon research they were used by wheelwrights to make wooden wagon wheels.  I have an interest in several old trades but wheel making is not one of them.  On a trip to Holmes County, Ohio (in Amish country) I took those old wheelwright tools and traded them for some other tools (blacksmithing and chisels) that I did want at the Colonial Homestead Store, in Millersburg.  This store offers old but usable tools from many old trades.  Just walking…

On March 11, 1708, Queen Anne withheld Royal Assent from the Scottish Militia Bill. This was the last time that a British monarch vetoed legislation. — March 11, 1897: A meteor enters the Earth’s atmosphere and exploded over New Martinsville, West Virginia. The debris caused damage, but no human injuries were reported. — And on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared that the COVID-19 outbreak was a pandemic. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day…

Whether you’re a hunter, angler, or outdoor recreator, you might find it tricky to navigate all your pursuits while balancing family time. There’s no better way to remedy this dilemma than by mixing the two.Some of my earliest memories in the outdoors involve me tagging along with my dad and grandfather on rabbit hunts or deer dog drives. I did little more than play with sticks or search for arrowheads in the dry or shallow creekbeds. Other times, my dad dragged my brothers and me camping at our family property to freeze or sweat through our sleeping bags. It was…

FN America has been awarded a $9.9 million contract to supply the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy with FN M240B machine guns, continuing the supply of FN America’s longest-standing military weapons platform. The gun—built on the M240 platform that was adopted and has been in use by the U.S. military since the late 1970s—is the “go-to/can-do” medium machine gun for all branches of the U.S. military. Its reliability, extended range, exceptional service life and high volume of fire make it the principal suppressive firearm for the infantry platoon and company. “This contract continues FN’s legacy of providing the most effective and…

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On  March 10, 1831, the French Foreign Legion was established by King Louis-Philippe to support his war in Algeria. — March 10, 1891: Almon Brown Strowger, an undertaker in Topeka, Kansas, patented the Strowger Switch, a device which led to the automation of telephone circuit switching. — And on March 10, 1910, China officially ended slavery. But unofficially, China now has one of the world’s largest slave populations. These are mostly political prisoners, working in prison factories. Sadly, there is no way of reliably knowing whether or not most of the “Made In China” merchandise that you buy might originate…

There are lots of reasons you might want a new handguard on your AR-15.A longer guard can be fitted with more accessories and offers more real estate to grip the rifle. Some handguards feature alternative attachment systems (M-LOK, Picatinny, etc.), and some reduce the amount of heat transferred from the barrel. Others are designed to be as lightweight as possible, while still others are designed to be practically bulletproof. Or, you might want to change your handguard just because you want a cooler-looking long gun.Whatever your reason, it’s worth doing the job yourself. Like working on cars or home appliances,…

On Wednesday, after a day of impassioned public comment and sometimes baffling deliberations, the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission voted 6-4 to advance a citizen’s petition to prohibit the lawful sale, barter, and trade of wildlife fur. This vote is a win for animal rights groups, but it’s far from an immediate ban on fur sales. Above all, it’s a confusing mess, so let’s dig in, find out what’s going on, and figure out where we go from here.Animal rights groups knew that Colorado Governor Jared Polis appointed several Parks & Wildlife Commissioners who are sympathetic to their cause, and…