On February 23, 1903, the United States and Cuba signed an agreement by which Cuba released Guantanamo and Bahia Hondo to the US for naval stations. Pictured is a US Coast Guard patrol boat, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 2003. — February 23,1958: San Francisco’s last municipal arc light at the corner of Mission and 25th Street was removed. It had been installed in 1913. — Today’s feature article is by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson. — We need more entries for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we…

The average price enthusiasts paid for ammunition, rifles, optics and suppressors dropped in 2025, according to a recently released RetailBI Report. The results are a compilation of sales and inventory numbers volunteered by more than 300 retailers nationwide. “Average ammunition prices declined 4.8% YOY [year over year], reflecting increasing price pressure as retailers work through elevated inventory levels amid softer demand conditions,” the report states. Total volume sold last year dropped by more than 10 percent. The biggest declines in demand were in rifle, shotgun, rimfire and handgun fodder, respectively. Despite that fact, enthusiasts are still buying 2.6 percent more…

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(Continued from Part 2.) Battery Drain While I briefly mentioned battery drain earlier it’s worth going into a bit more detail. Drain rate describes how fast a device uses power when a device is in operation. Examples of high-drain devices include things like digital cameras, GPS devices, portable gaming consoles, high-lumen LED flashlights, radios (when transmitting) and motorized devices like power tools. Some low-drain devices include television remote controls, wall clocks, smoke detectors, and red dot sights. Rapidly draining a battery’s charge can significantly shorten its life, so choosing the right type of battery for each type of device is…

On February 21, 1568, the treacherous Treaty of Adrianople: Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II (pictured) and Ottoman Sultan Selim II signed a peace agreement between the Habsburg monarchy and the Ottoman Empire; the Ottomans received cash and the territories of Transylvania, Moldavia, and Wallachia. — And on February 21, 1808, Russia invaded Finland (then part of the Swedish Kingdom), with 24,000 troops. — 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 can be used for any…

(Continued from Part 1.) Rechargables Rechargeable batteries come in a much wider variety of chemistries than primary ones, including nickel–cadmium (NiCd), nickel–metal hydride (NiMH) and various lithium-ion (Li-ion) and Lithium Polymer (LiPo) chemistries. It’s important to understand the ‘Li-ion’ and ‘LiPo’ aren’t specific chemistries, they’re categories of chemistries that use Lithium as one of the components of the electrolyte. Li-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte, are usually cylindrical, and common chemistries include: Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2, LCO): Known for high energy density and used in portable electronics like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It has a nominal voltage of 3.60V with…

On February 20, 1472, the Orkney and Shetland Islands were ceded by Norway to Scotland as part of a dowry payment. (Pictured are some of the Shetland Islands.) — February 20, 1824: The first description of a dinosaur: ‘Megalosaurus or Great Fossil Lizard of Stonesfield’ was pesented to the Geological Society of London by William Buckland, beginning dinosaur mania — 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 can be used for any of their one,…

Calling contests or video tutorials can help you learn how to make realistic turkey sounds. But, if you want to know why and when to make those calls, you should get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Especially if that horse is a turkey.A crisp, realistic calling ability is a great tool to have in your bag, but knowing how to use those tools makes the difference. The more you put yourself around turkeys, the more opportunities you can observe them acting and reacting in various situations. In fact, they can even bust a few calling or hunting myths that…

Gun sales in January declined by 0.7 percent compared to purchases the same month in 2025, according to a National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) estimate. There is, however, good news buried under the deceptively flat demand for firearms. More than a few of the quarter million enthusiasts who applied for a National Firearm Act (NFA) stamp in January to take ownership of a suppressor exhausted their discretionary spending budget for the month, despite the stamp now costing $0. The muzzle-mounted, hearing-healthy accessory itself still costs money, after all, even without the Federal government charging to process the paperwork and perform…