So, after seeing the specs on Hornady’s .338 ARC (that were so impressive it won our Golden Bullseye Award for Ammunition Product of the Year, mind you), I set out to build a lower receiver for a new .338 ARC-chambered AR-15. I’ve built a number of AR-15-style rifles in the past, from a super lightweight rifle to a long-range build to an extremely dependable defensive carbine. On a side note, much like one’s shooting skills, AR-15-building skills are perishable, and if you don’t practice regularly, you have to go back to the basics. And of course, by that I mean…

“That’s not a knife. This is a knife!” (Paul Hogan as Mick Dundee, in Crocodile Dundee, 1986). When I took the Cold Steel Recon 1 XL out of its box for the first time and deployed the blade, the attempted mugging scene from Crocodile Dundee immediately came to mind. The Recon 1 XL is bigger than the average everyday carry (EDC) knife: a lot bigger. It has a 5.5-inch blade that is 0.15 inches thick and 1.63 inches wide. It is 12.25 inches long when the blade is deployed. And it weighs 8 ounces. The knife is 6.75 inches long,…

The .380 ACP cartridge has historically been somewhat of a footnote in the U.S.; it’s too large to fit in tiny guns like the Colt Vest Pocket or Baby Browning, but for a long time was considered underpowered (as was the 9 mm for many years, until its adoption by the U.S. military in the 1980s). As ammunition design matured, and concealed carry blossomed across the country thanks to the efforts of the NRA, these cartridges became more significant, and the .380 ACP found its place in small firearms designed for this purpose. For example, we have the KelTec P3AT,…

Watch full video on YouTube

00:00:10 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is Cow’s Week in Review with Ryan cow Calaian. Here’s cal iguanas fell from the sky in Florida last week, but it wasn’t a sign of the apocalypse or a plague. Instead, it just got a little chilly green. Iguanas aren’t native to South Florida, and it’s legal to kill them throughout the year, but controlling the population of large invasive lizards is a problem, which is why wildlife managers were happy to see a cold front moving in earlier this month. As with most cold blooded…

00:00:08 Speaker 1: This is the me Eater podcast coming at you shirtless, severely, bug bitten, and in my case, underware. Listening toast, you can’t predict anything brought to you by first Light. When I’m hunting, I need gear that won’t quit. First Light builds, no compromise, gear that keeps me in the field longer, no shortcuts, just gear that works. Check it out at first light dot com. That’s f I R S T L I T E dot com. Join today by Caleb Hubbard, the veterinarian entomologist of the Hubbard Entomology Lab at New Mexico State University. We’re…

Measuring 5.6 inches long with a 1.4-inch bezel, the Inforce 650 LR-M is built for hard use within a 6061-T6 aluminum body that is then Type III hardcoat anodized for added durability and abrasion resistance. Intended for use aboard either a tactical rifle or shotgun, the light comes with a 45-degree, M-Lok-compatible, Scout-footprint mount, but it can also be used with several other mounts that Inforce offers. The LR-M generates 1,400 lumens and its internal reflectors are positioned for long-range target identification, providing a powerful 90,000-candela hotspot that can reach as far as 600 yards (just dial up your red…

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) recently announced the acceptance of two new rifle cartridges for SAAMI standardization. Since its founding in 1926—at the request of the federal government—the organization has created the industry standards that ensure safety, reliability and interchangeability of firearms, ammunition and components. 8.6 Blackout The 8.6 Blackout—with the SAAMI abbreviated name 8.6 BLK—was introduced by Q, LLC. It was standardized with a 200-grain bullet traveling at a velocity of 2,200 fps and a maximum average pressure of 62,000 psi. The cartridge is based on the 6.5 Creedmoor, with the case shortened and neck widened…

Watch full video on YouTube

(Continued from Part 4.) Practical Hunting Gear The basic gear I carry, regardless of season, is listed below. Clothing that fits and is proper for the environment you’re in. This includes a hat. Always have a change of socks. Firearm and spare ammunition. Every single rifle and shotgun I own has an elastic buttstock ammo carrier as well as a sling with ammunition loops sewn in. (Butler Creek makes a great sling with ammo loops.) I like these because accessing spare rounds is more convenient and it doesn’t require me to carry so much ammo in my pack. Knife. I…