In the cover story for our June 2025 issue, “From Bunker Hill To Baghdad: 250 Years Of U.S. Infantry Longarms,” Executive Editor Evan Brune lays out the progression in technology that has occurred in the U.S. Army’s primary individual fighting arms and ammunition since its founding three days before that first pivotal battle in Massachusetts. It is a chronicle that reveals intertwining trends in the dozen representative arms’ weights, lengths, calibers and ammunition complements during our country’s quarter-millennia history. FN 15 Military Collector M4 Of course, we know that the story leads us to one of today’s…

This week, Tony explains how we come to believe unwritten rules about deer behavior and hunting strategies, and why we should sometimes break them even when we don’t want to. Connect with Tony Peterson and MeatEater Tony Peterson on Instagram and Facebook MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop MeatEater Merch Read the full article here

Silencer Central’s free tax stamp promotion is back in honor of America’s 249th anniversary. Now through July 31, 2025, simply use the promo code “STAMP” to get a free tax stamp when purchasing any qualifying suppressor. “We’re excited to celebrate 249 years of American history and freedom,” said Logan Hutchinson, Silencer Central director of marketing. “You should be free to protect your hearing and free to elevate your shooting experience without burdensome taxes. So, to celebrate America’s birthday, we’re not throwing anything in the Boston Harbor, but Silencer Central is going to cover the cost of the tax stamp for…

Watch full video on YouTube

In the early 1800s, when American and European scientific explorers first began to probe the unfamiliar West with its landscapes and animals so remarkably different from those of the East, the Great Plains and its wildlife seemed the most fascinating part of the West, an “American Serengeti.” Commencing with Lewis and Clark’s adventures and their attempts to catalog western wildlife, it took the entire 19th century for American explorers to introduce to science the staggering biological diversity Native America had bequeathed the United States. Accounts from Lewis and Clark to Stephen Long to C. Hart Merriam give us inspiring descriptions…

This week Reid and Dan host hit songwriter and artist, Larry Fleet, out in God’s Country. Larry shares the meaning behind his signature hat you see him wearing, which ties back to arguably the best burger in Nashville. The three of them bond over growing up on four wheelers without bounds and give the reason behind why they must love their kids more than their parents loved them. Larry shares his Nashville journey with the guys and how keeping his faith has helped him continue through it all. The episode ends with them harmonizing “Where I Find God,” which was…

A judge in York County Superior Court excludes key evidence potentially linking Lorenze Labonte to the murder of Ahmed Sharif, who was shot to death in November 2023. Prosecutors had hoped to present an unfired bullet found in a shoe belonging to Labonte’s ex-fiancée, asserting it matched a .45 caliber shell casing near Sharif’s body, but the judge raised significant doubts about the bullet’s origins. During the trial, conflicting witness statements and a lack of DNA evidence have complicated the prosecution’s case, casting uncertainty on Labonte’s involvement. As details emerge, including testimony from his young sister about Labonte’s behavior prior…

I think the most important preparations we make are those that overlap in “fun” and “useful” categories. For me, that overlap is best represented in marksmanship. I’ve always loved marksmanship and being a better marksman makes me better able to defend my family if the second worst day of my life happens to be today. I used a SurvivalBlog Writing Contest prize Course Certificate toward the full Gunsite 250 class. The 250 defensive pistol is their standard basic defensive pistol class. Because 250 Defensive Pistol is a 5-day course, the credit that I won writing an article for SurvivalBlog only…

The Bluegrass Army Depot is transitioning away from its long-standing role as a chemical weapons storage facility as it prepares for decommissioning by 2027. Officials are prioritizing safety and community engagement during this complex process, which involves carefully managed phases including the removal, neutralization, and subsequent demolition of weapons and operational facilities. This multi-year undertaking represents significant change for the local economy, with officials emphasizing that the focus will shift toward future development opportunities once the site is cleared. As planning moves forward, the community is invited to participate in discussions about potential new uses for the depot, making it…

On July 1, 1836, US President Andrew Jackson announced to Congress a bequest by James Smithson of 100,000 gold sovereigns to found the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. — On July 1st, 1997, the crown colony of Hong Kong officially reverted to Chinese sovereignty, ending 156 years of British rule. There have been sporadic protests by locals, ever since then. — July 1st, 1535, Sir Thomas More went on trial for treason for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. — And on July 1st, 1863 is the anniversary of the beginning of the Civil…