When Jerry Mattiaccio, a 62-year-old Army veteran and beekeeper, arrived at his Stafford County, Virginia farm earlier this month, he didn’t expect to find death waiting at the gate. Thick steel chains and a heavy-duty padlock had been illegally wrapped around the property entrance. But what lay beyond the gate was far worse: a silent …
Long-distance hiking is more than just a test of physical strength – it’s a full-on mental marathon. The wilderness throws a lot at you: endless miles, unpredictable weather, tough terrain, aching feet, and the occasional swarm of mosquitoes. While your body will eventually get used to the rigors of the trail, your mind might need …
The American frontier is often remembered through the lens of rifles, revolvers, and pioneers – but this overlooks the exceptional arsenal developed and wielded by Native American tribes. Long before Colt’s revolvers and Winchester repeaters came to dominate the West, Indigenous warriors carried weapons crafted not just for war, but for survival, spirituality, and ceremony. …
The phrase “any gun is better than no gun” is often tossed around in firearms circles like it’s gospel. On the surface, the idea makes sense: a gun, even a tiny or less effective one, still gives you a fighting chance in a self-defense scenario. But when you take a closer look at the logic …
When it comes to preparing for the worst – whether it’s societal collapse, natural disaster, or a long-term grid-down scenario – your rifle caliber can make a serious difference. Among preppers, one debate stands tall above the rest: .308 Winchester (7.62×51 NATO) versus 5.56 NATO (.223 Remington). Both are proven performers, but their strengths diverge …
The Ruger Mark series has been a staple in the rimfire pistol world for over 70 years, starting with the original Standard model back in 1949. Since then, it’s seen several updates – Mark I, Mark II, Mark III – and now, the Mark IV. While all previous versions were solid in their own right, …
Choosing the right hunting cartridge isn’t just about picking your favorite caliber – it’s about making ethical decisions in the field that respect both the animal and the sport. While the internet is full of passionate debates over what’s “best,” the truth is that different cartridges serve different purposes. And when it comes to practical …
When it comes to small game hunting, most folks talk about the .22 Long Rifle or maybe even the zippy 17 HMR. But tucked quietly between those two rimfires sits a cartridge that punches well above its weight – the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, better known as the .22 Magnum. It doesn’t get the same …
In the high country of Utah, a single hunting trip in 1942 altered the course of firearms history. Roy Weatherby, then an insurance salesman with a sharp mind and a keen eye for ballistics, wounded a buck and never recovered it. The idea that the animal may have suffered slowly haunted him. That one experience …
The image of settlers rolling across the open prairie in covered wagons has long been romanticized in books, movies, and old-timey computer games. But for the people who actually endured the journey, there was nothing glamorous about it. Covered wagon travel in the Old West was a slow, exhausting, and dangerous ordeal where every mile …
When it comes to selecting a handgun you can trust with your life, two qualities stand above the rest: accuracy and reliability. Whether it’s for self-defense, duty, competition, or just everyday carry, a pistol that performs flawlessly every time the trigger is pulled is non-negotiable. Some guns might look good or feel great in hand, …
The cartridge world has seen plenty of updates over the last two decades, most of them refinements or modernizations of older favorites. From the .300 PRC to the 6.8 Western, we’ve watched manufacturers tighten chamber tolerances, sharpen shoulder angles, and stretch the performance envelope bit by bit. But now, a new contender has arrived, and …
In a world where wild places are constantly under threat, few names carry the weight of John Muir. He wasn’t a politician or a general. He was a writer, a naturalist, a wanderer – and perhaps the most influential defender of nature in American history. His story is not just one of breathtaking landscapes and …
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) made headlines on April 7, 2025, when it announced that it had submitted a set of aggressive pro-Second Amendment reforms to the Trump administration. Among the most eye-catching proposals: the creation of a Second Amendment Czar, a high-level official tasked with defending gun rights across the federal government. In a …
In early April 2025, the United States entered one of the most aggressive protectionist phases in its modern economic history. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on nearly all foreign imports – some as high as 50% – are now poised to hit the firearms industry hard. Gun owners, dealers, and shooting sports enthusiasts across the …