On My 18, 1804, Napoléon Bonaparte was proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate. — May 18th, 1825 was the birthday of Daniel Baird Wesson (of Smith and Wesson fame). — On May 18th, 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington erupted, causing a massive avalanche and killing 57 people. Ash from the volcanic eruption fell as far away as Minnesota. — Take note that we will be switching to weekly postings, on June 2nd. Thenceforth, you can look for SurvivalBlog “Fresh Every Tuesday.” — The last day! We have been running a two-week-long sale in all of our percussion…

In recent decades, the semi-automatic shotgun has become more and more popular as manufacturers have developed both gas- and recoil-operated mechanisms that are more reliable and versatile, allowing the guns to cycle a wide range of today’s available shotshells. For 2026, the semi-automatic shotgun market has seen even more growth, with some manufacturers expanding their current offerings and other makers entering the marketplace with novel designs. Check out eight of the latest and greatest below: Benelli | M4 EXTThe Benelli M4 semi-automatic tactical shotgun is downright legendary, but why not improve it anyway? This M4 EXT incorporates the most commonly…

So, I recently had the pleasure of attending “Plinkapalooza” at Range Ready in Robert, LA; you might recognize this as the home range of the Gun Talk crew. “Plinkapalooza” was designed to be a celebration of everything rimfire; we had handguns, carbines and rifles in everything from .17 HMR through .22 Mag., with a heavy emphasis on .22 LR. Events were tailored around showcasing the abilities of these firearms and ammunition, but the most important thing was for it to be fun. Folks, when I’m telling you it was a LOT of fun, I’m not exaggerating. I’m probably understating it.…

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(Continued from Part 4. This concludes the article.) Medical needs I don’t often have to call a vet, but establishing a relationship with a large animal vet is crucial.  If you don’t have a relationship, you will have a terrible time getting help when you need it.  It’s worth it to spend money with the Veterinarian.  I use them for my cats and dogs, as well as my cows.  We are on a first name basis now.  I needed them when my first cow went down hard with milk fever.  I know how to prevent that now.  I needed them…

On May 16th, 1903, George Adams Wyman began the first transcontinental motorcycle ride, in San Francisco. Riding a 1.25-horsespower (90 cc) “California” motorcycle designed by Roy Marks, he arrived in New York on July 6th. — May 16, 1943: No. 617 Squadron of the British RAF began the famous Dambusters Raid, (Operation “Chastise”), bombing the Möhne and Eder dams in the Ruhr Valley with bouncing bombs. — May 16, 1997: Zaire’s president, Mobutu Sese Seko, ended 32 years of dictatorial rule, giving control of the country to rebel forces. — Just two days left! We are running a two-week-long sale…

You don’t have to be a scent-control junkie to appreciate a good pair of rubber hunting boots. They’re perfect for those late-season whitetail hunts when you need to layer extra socks, run some toe warmers, and keep your scent to a minimum. But, they’re also necessary if you spend a lot of time in warm, swampy conditions. Unlike application-specific boots, you can use a good uninsulated pair all year round.However you use them, rubber boots should keep your feet dry above all. Over the past few decades I’ve had the opportunity to hunt with and test the best rubber hunting…

William English, an assistant professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, published the 2021 National Firearms Survey, which was a massive survey of 54,000 American armed citizens. He was later subpoenaed by a number of anti-gun attorneys general to turn over his research, attacked in The New York Times and by many other “mainstream” outlets and, basically, pilloried by the gun-control Left so loudly that he wrote an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal titled “Antigun Activists Ambushed Me.” In it, he said, “The survey outraged gun-control advocates, who believed it could hurt them in court. They proceeded…

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Tommy Ballard refused to let his daughter’s disappearance fade away. After Crystal Rogers vanished in 2015, Ballard became the face of the search. He organized volunteers, worked with investigators, and publicly called out the man he believed was responsible.A year later, while hunting with his grandson, Ballard was shot and killed.The attack was precise. Intentional. And, to many, not a coincidence.As investigators worked to unravel both cases, one question loomed over everything: was Tommy Ballard murdered because he got too close to the truth?Got a tip about this case or know about another you think we should cover? Send us…