America celebrated its 200th anniversary when I was 11 years old. It was a big deal. There were parades and television specials, and it was the most important Independence Day I can remember. The landmark event was celebrated with everything from T-shirts to automobiles, but I also remember seeing a box of Winchester .30-30 Win. Bicentennial ammunition down at Ray’s Bait Shop. I remember thinking: “That must be some really special ammo!” A half-century later we’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the greatest country on Earth, and we have some new limited-edition munitions to commemorate that achievement. Federal is one…

Montana’s Hunting District 380 is one of the most difficult units to draw a bull elk tag. The success rate in 2023 was well under one percent. According to court records, multiple people bypassed the draw system entirely, illegally killing multiple bulls as well as several deer over a two-month period that ended in multiple convictions.The case centered on Tylor Castona and Alisha Byrd of East Helena, who illegally shot three six-point bull elk with rifles during archery season in the Elkhorn Mountains. They also took three whitetail bucks, including one deer left where it fell after a landowner heard…

This Week in History: On July 7, 1850 Scottish explorer Edward John Eyre (pictured above) reached Albany, Western Australia. — July 8,1731: Theologian Jonathan Edwards preached his sermon “God Glorified in Man’s Dependence” in Boston. This was later his first published sermon. — And on  July  10, 1553 Lady Jane Grey, daughter of the Duke of Suffolk, was proclaimed Queen of England, succeeding Edward VI,. In June, the dying Edward VI had written his will, nominating Jane and her male heirs as successors to the Crown, in part because his half-sister Mary was Catholic, whereas Jane was a committed Protestant…

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This Independence Day, you’ll probably hear fireworks from every direction. If you’re fortunate, you may also hear something else — a crisp three-volley salute or the measured boom of ceremonial artillery marking the nation’s birthday. The post The Mysterious 21-Gun Salute appeared first on GUNS Magazine. Read the full article here

Armed Citizen® Today On June 15, a woman in Winfield, Tenn., reportedly trespassed onto a property, assaulted a woman there and then began forcing her way into the home. An armed citizen there shot her. Police airlifted her to the hospital, but the next day, she was released from the hospital and taken into custody. She faces charges of especially aggravating burglary, prohibited weapons, aggravated assault, vandalism and interference with emergency communications. (wate.com; Knoxville, Tenn.; 6/16/26) From the Armed Citizen® Archives – February 1987 A man breaking into a Fernandina Beach, Fla., home was met by gunfire from an elderly…

00:00:04 Speaker 1: Welcome to Backwoods University, a place where we focus on wildlife, wild places and the people who dedicate their lives to conserving both. Big shout out to aex Hunt for their support of this podcast. I’m your host, Lake Pickle, and today, well fire up the boiler, cut up some onions, garlic and sausage, because it’s time for a crawfish boil. Well not, actually, I wish it was, but it is time for all of us to learn a little bit more about the most popular crustacean that has ever graced the North American fresh waters. And…

Since the company’s relocation from California to Wyoming in 2019, Weatherby has updated its line-up with the rebirth of classic models and the introduction of brand-new firearms, like the M700-compatible Model 307. The company’s latest firearm is not only a new model, but it marks the company’s entry into the muzzleloading category. The Model 307 MZY promises to “deliver a new standard of accuracy, reliability, and consistency for black powder hunters,” according to Weatherby. The Model 307 MZY is Weatherby’s first foray into the world of muzzleloaders. The Model 307 MZY brings the features that hunters expect from a Weatherby…

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Shortly before the Declaration of Independence was signed, a small but pivotal battle took place near the port city of Wilmington, N.C. The February 27, 1776, Battle of Moores Creek Bridge was the first Revolutionary War battle to be fought in the Old North State. I don’t know if the popular warning against bringing a knife to a gunfight existed then, but even before the smoke had cleared that day, the Scottish Highlanders fighting for the British certainly could have vouched for the cliché’s veracity. In late 1775, several thousand Loyalists under Brig. Gen. (of militia) Donald MacDonald assembled at…