Every year at SHOT Show, Canik always showcases a new product spotlight. For the last three years, I’ve ended up reviewing these guns for NRA Media. In 2023, it was the all-steel Canik Rival-S. In 2024, it was the Canik TTI Combat. This year, the company introduced the Canik Mete MC9 Prime, a large-but-slim carry pistol that lies in the same peer group as other models like the Glock 48, SIG Sauer P365 X-Macro, IWI Masada Slim Elite and Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro. In addition to being Canik’s premium carry-gun offering, the Mete MC9 Prime also holds the distinction of…

Hunting rifle cartridges come in waves. When my grandfather got out of the Army in the 1950s, military cartridges like .30-06 and 8mm Mauser dominated the woods. World War II and Korean War veterans knew firsthand about their potential, and there were plenty of cheap surplus sporter rifles on the market.Next came the magnum craze of the mid-20th century. Hunters wanted big cartridges that shot flat and hit hard. This reached its peak in the 1970s, when hunters started to remember how much less it hurt to shoot a .270 Winchester than a .338 Winchester Magnum, but continued somewhat into…

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…

MidwayUSA Foundation announced in late February that it concluded its most recent grant cycle, which resulted in a total payout of more than $7.5 million to youth shooting teams and organizations nationwide. The support ensures the next generation of athletes has the necessary resources to compete, grow and succeed in the shooting sports. The annual cash grants provide vital funding for essential expenses, including targets, ammunition and travel costs for regional and national championships. By providing consistent, sustainable support, the MidwayUSA Foundation helps teams overcome financial barriers that often hinder youth sports programs. “Our cash grant program is designed to…

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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…

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