gunbloggers.com 67 items from 75 feeds
Amazon has a tremendous number of FREE ebooks on their website. You can find thousands of free kindle books on Amazon’s site every day. These books can be downloaded to a Kindle reader or a free App on your phone or personal computer. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download a free […]Back in May, I got into a little fender-bender. Got a ticket. I called the Sheriff's office to see whart I owed them.
"Oh, no, PawPaw" says the lady on the phone. "You have a mandatory court date."
I admit I was a bit baffled. No one injured, just a little bent sheet metal which the insurance covered, and I had to be in court. So, this morning I showed up in court. I waited about an hour for my name to be called, then went to the bar and told the judge what happened. She asked if insurance had covered it, and I said Yep. she gave me a small fine, which I happily paid. Court costs are exorbitant, but I still got out of there for under $250.
The lady collecting the fines seemed a bit surprised that I wanted to pay it all at once.
I was a cop for 37 years. The first 20, I spent a lot of time in the court room. Today was the first time in maybe 15 years I had been inside a court room. After the Oyer we said a pledge of Allegiance and Her Honor got down to business. The bailiff was a bit Foghorn Leghorn, but that is part of the job. All in all, it was not totally unpleasant.
Jacob e3mails to point out an interesting article discussing the various AP rounds that the Department of War uses. If you're interested in this sort of thing, you'll find this interesting.
The one thing that the article doesn't discuss is the type of "Armor Piercing" ammunition that normal citizens can get. There's a brief discussion of this on this Reddit thread. (Yeah, yeah, I know - Reddit. But the info seems reasonable)
He also has an interesting post up comparing .300 Blackout with 5.56 NATO.
Cheers!
Image generated with Grok 4.1
In January, 2012, Glenn Villeneuve was attacked by a pack of 20 wolves. It was a very unusual event.
Villeneuvea detailed the event, including pictures of the extremely large pack. He gave an extensive interview to Joe Rogan. Villeneuve has been one of the stars of the reality show, Life Below Zero. The attack event is discussed starting at 13:30 on the video. Villeneuve explains he never expected such an attack to happen. It was far outside many years of experience dealing with wolves. He does not know why the wolves came after him that day. They had never been aggressive toward him before. The reason for the attack may have something to do with the extremely large wolf pack.
The discussion of the wolf event starts at 13:30 on the video. Glenn Villeneuve sees a pack of 20 wolves on a kill on the lake ice, 500 yards from his cabin. This is an extremely large pack of wolves for the area. It is very unusual. His cabin is far above the arctic circle. In January, it is twilight in the middle of the day.
At first, Villeneuve grabs a camera and walks to about 350 yards from the pack of wolves to take pictures. It is not clear if he is armed on this first foray. His batteries go bad and he starts to go back to cabin to get fresh batteries. Villeneuve looks back and the wolves are running at him. He is 30 yards from the cabin. He sprints to the cabin and gets inside. He looks out the window. The 20 wolves are milling around 50 yards from the cabin. In a short time, the wolves go back to the kill on the lake. Villeneuve goes back out to take more pictures. This time he has his rifle with him, but no spare ammunition.
Villeneuve goes out about 150 yards from the cabin. The wolves are about 350 yards away. Some of the wolves start moving toward him, but slowly, hesitantly. He slowly retreats. The wolves move a little closer. When he is about 100 yards from the cabin, they start galloping toward him. Again he sprints to the cabin. He drops the camera tripod. He has only 4-5 rounds in his rifle, and is unsure whether he could stop the attack. Again the wolves are milling around 50 yards from the cabin when he is inside. Again the wolves go back to the kill on the ice.
Villeneuve thinks about the situation. He needs to teach the wolves he is not prey. He needs to teach them he is a dangerous predator to be avoided. He decides to see if he can lure the wolves closer to the cabin before he starts shooting. He makes sure he is ready. He checks his rifle, a .30-06, and grabs extra ammunition. He goes outside the cabin. To lure the wolves closer, he starts running back and forth from the cabin to the lake shore, about 50 yards. The wolves come running at him again. This time he sits down at the lake shore and takes aim.
He starts shooting when the wolves are 264 yards away, killing one wolf. He shoots two more as they keep coming. They are no longer all galloping toward him, but continue coming in spurts, some milling about. As the third wolf is hit, the wolf pack has had enough. The "prey" is far too dangerous; they run off. The tracks show some wolves came as close as 50 yards from Villeneuve before they all retreated. The shooting probably took less than a minute. It took that long because Villeneuve had to reload with individual cartridges while the wolves were coming at him. His rifle only has a four round magazine. He does not say how many shots he fired, presumably somewhere between six and nine. One wolf's back had been broken, but it was still alive. Villeneuve ran back to the cabin to obtain his .22 rimfire to finish off the wolf which was wounded, becuase it is important to minimize destruction of the fur. Wolf fur is valuable to construct parka hoods. He discovers the animal they had killed on the lake ice was a 1 1/2 year old bull moose.
Glenn Villeneuve is very careful to explain this is an extremely rare event. The circumstances remind me of the case of Crist Kolby, who was almost certainly killed by wolves in 1939, at his trap line on the Thorn River, on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. When Kolby did not return as expected, an investigation was mounted. The evidence recovered indicated Kolby was on his trapline when he found the mainspring on his new Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver was broken. On the way back to his cabin, he was pursued and attacked by wolves. His remains were found near the shoreline of a lake, just short of trees he might have been able to climb. These sort of attacks are very rare, but consider what might have happened to Glen Villeneuve if he was miles from his cabin, and did not have a working firearm. No one knows why the wolves came after Villeneuve or Kolby. Perhaps it was because he retreated. Maybe the size of the pack is important. Perhaps this was what happened with Kolby. A single man, without firearms, can be brought down by a pack of wolves. A small team of men, even two or three, armed with spears and clubs, presents a far more difficult problem for a pack of wolves.
Wolves have learned over many millennia to respect and fear humans. Historically, as recounted in "The Gray Wolf Revealed" by Kaj Granlund & Will Graves, p.127, most wolf attacks on humans are on children, then on women, then on lone men. The vast majority (88%) of human victims of wolves were people under the age of 20. Above the age of 20, 86% of the victims were women.
A person with a working firearm, if they have rudimentary skill, will nearly always win in a fight against wolves.
©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
A Sunday evening shooting at a Tuscaloosa gas station could be a case of self-defense, authorities said.
Tuscaloosa police responded at 6:41 p.m. to the shooting at Circle K at 6718 Highway 69 South,
Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said one person was found with critical injuries and taken to DCH Regional Medical Center.
After a secret trip across the English Channel, the Bayeux Tapestry is back on English soil for the first time since it was made 900 years ago. It has been loaned to the British Museum by France after a major conservation project to stabilize the fragile textile
...
The wool thread embroidery-on-linen tapestry created as a visual record of the William of Normandy’s invasion of England in 1066, was woven in the Canterbury area around 1077. It was commissioned by Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, William the Conqueror’s brother, so when it was complete, the tapestry moved to Normandy and has stayed there ever since.
...
It will be exhibited at the British Museum from September 10, 2026, until July 2027. Pre-sales of tickets are already through the roof, with 100,000 sold since tickets for the first four months of the exhibition went on sale July 1.
In exchange for the loan of one of the greatest historic artifacts in French and English history, museums in Normandy will be loaned of the British Museum’s most famous objects, including pieces from the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon ship burial and the Lewis Chessmen.
The tapestry is so famous that people make memes using it.
If you're planning a trip to London in the next year, this should be on your list to see. Or you can go see it in Bayeux in Normandy and see the D-Day beaches.
The post That Fine Line Between Smuggling and Legal Trade: Anecdotes from Val Forgett first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.
On July 8, 2026,Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave presents to the other leaders of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member nations. The gifts were given at the meeting in Turkey. The present appears to be a rare Gümüsay .357 revolver, which was made by the Turkish company MKE about 30 years ago. Giving presents to NATO leaders is not unusual.
Giving firearms to leaders of other countries was not unusual before WWI. Over a hundred years of demonization of civilian ownership of firearms has made it unusual. The revolver came in a presentation box which seems to have a lower compartment. What might be in the lower compartment has not been revealed.
While most of these revolvers will never be fired, the present has been reported to include live ammunition. Reuters reported the revolver presented to Prime Minister Kier Starmer included 500 rounds of ammunition and a cleaning kit. This is a wonderful joke and poke in the eye to England, which has outlawed the possession of handguns by its citizens.
Reaction to the gift varied considerably by country. Reuters reported some leaders are waiting to have the revolver deactivated before sending it to their home, others are having it processed by their customs services. All appear to be careful to follow the legal procedures their governments have in place. It appears all the revolvers are identical except for the engraving. They were likely made in one run of presentation revolvers for such purposes. As such, they may be one of the rarest of production revolvers in existence.
Armyrecognition.com reports the Gümüsay is not a clone of the Colt Python .357 revolver, but has a simplified lockwork. Overall production of the Gümüsay revolvers in all barrel lengths is unknown and estimated at between 500 and 10,000. The revolvers are reported as being produced with 2.5, 4, and 6 inch barrels. Also unknown is whether the presentation revolvers were a batch which was held in inventory, recovered and refurbished from some other stock in government or private hands, or newly manufactured using previous drawings, tooling or components created for this one run.
As shown, the revolver has a bright finish. It seems unlikely to be made in stainless steel. This correspondent has not found any information to indicate if it has a nickle plated or chrome plated finish.
The Turkish firearms industry has established itself as a major exporter of rifles, shotguns, and handguns in the international market. The United States has the largest market for civilian owned firearms in the world. It seems likely a large portion of Turkish made firearms for civilian use end up in the United States. Reviews of various Turkish made pistols have revealed them to be serviceable firearms. Much depends on individual models and manufacturers.
Turkey is exporting .357 magnum revolvers made by Sarsilmaz at present. The Sarsilmaz revolvers look very similar to Smith & Wesson revolvers. The internal parts of the mechanism may be different. Colt is making a new version of the Python in the United States. A bright finished Colt Python with a six inch barrel has a suggested retail price of $1,699.00.
Analysis: The gift of presentation revolvers by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a master stroke of marketing. The exposure of Turkish firearms to the world has been on a viral scale which is difficult to achieve without expenditure of enormous amounts of money. There may be another unintended consequence. Other world leaders could follow Erdogan's example. It might again become a mark of prestige for a firearm to be presented to world leaders as a gift.
©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
The shooting happened around 1:30 p.m. in the area of Bixby Road and Orange Avenue.
Long Beach police say two suspects approached the off-duty officer and tried to rob him. One of the suspects was reportedly pointing what appeared to be a firearm, while the other robbed the off-duty officer.
That's when police say the off-duty officer fired shots at the suspects.
The men fled, and it's unknown if either of them was shot. The officer was not hurt.
 |
| "I was there, Gandalf..." (photo by Oleg Volk) |
NEW from Zeiss is the V3 line of SFP hunting scopes! We’ve been sitting on this information for over 6 months now so we’re pretty excited to be able to finally talk about it. From major changes in the Zeiss business model to production changes to a new focus for the company, there is a lot to unpack. Plus, a... moreBarnett v. Raoul Nos. 24-3060, 24-3061, 24-3062 & 24-3063.(6th Cir. 2026). Curiously:
Contrary to the dissenting opinion's efforts (often without citation) to conclusively link Bowie knives to criminality, however, Bowie knives were both widespread and used for lawful purposes. One expert in the history of arms in America, for example, explained that in the nineteenth century, "European visitors who ventured beyond the Appalachians found [the Bowie knife] such an integral part of the American way of life that they felt compelled to comment on it at length in accounts of their adventures.... In many communities, no man, whether hunter, gambler, tradesman or political leader felt himself fully clothed without one." Peterson, supra, at 25. Similarly, the historian who (literally) wrote the book on Bowie knives noted they were "widely carried by Americans of all stripes"; "served everyone equally, upstanding citizens and villains" alike; were "wide[ly] popular[], in the North and South" during the Civil War; and were "common[]"—"a weapon carried by men of all walks of life." Norm Flayderman, The Bowie Knife: Unsheathing an American Legend 20, 125, 130 (2004). Other scholars agree. See David B. Kopel, Clayton E. Cramer & Joseph Edward Olson, Knives and the Second Amendment, 47 U. Mich. J.L. Reform 167, 184 (2013) ("During the nineteenth century, Bowie knives were commonly present in many areas of the United States. Contemporary sources leave no question that Bowie knives, Arkansas Toothpicks, and similar knives were a common part of American life until well after the Civil War....").
The test that Heller imposed recognized that arms in common use are protected. Their dangerousness did not matter; their commonness did matter.
I belong to several firearms instructor groups on Facebook. In one such group, a member recently asked the following question: “Are shorts acceptable for an instructor? Range or classroom? Would you consider them “professional attire” for someone in an instructor role?” I have a rather unique lens through which to view such questions. […]Did you know that 10 + 10 is the same as 11 + 11?
10 + 10 is twenty; 11 + 11 is twenty, too.
(From The Queen Of The World)
Life as we know it is impossible without water. It's a daily necessity. Twenty years ago I was both baffled and amused by the idea of buying bottled water for drinking. Water came from the tap. Today, I keep a stock of bottled water for guests, but the majority of the water I drink still comes from the tap. I know that locally, we are blessed with very good tap water,
My grandad used to buy a gallon of distilled water occasionally to put into an old lead/aside battery. Today while making a grocery list, Belle told me that she needed some distilled water, so I put it on the list. I found her distilled water, then got distracted and started reading labels. The grocer stocks every kind of specialty water that anyone might desire. I was particularly amused at one premium liter bottle that was priced over $5.00 and declared itself "100% Recycled". I laughed aloud.
All water, each drop from the ocean, the rivers, or the aquifer that supplies your home, is recycled water. Every bit of it. Every drop. It's all recycled dinosaur piss. Someone is paying a premium to buy "100% Recycled" water when the cheap, bottom shelf store brand is also 100% Recycled".
So, there is an old saying about "whatever floats your boat". But that too is 100% Recycled.
The National Instant background Check System (NICS) shows significantly higher numbers for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) adjusted NICS checks for June of 2026. The total NICS checks show only a small decrease. From NSSF:
The June 2026 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,123,006 is an increase of 11.7 percent compared to the June 2025 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,004,986. For comparison, the unadjusted June 2026 FBI NICS figure of 1,886,539 reflects a 1.2 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 1,909,294 in June 2025.
The adjusted NICS checks are designed to approximate actual firearm sales by removing the large numbers of NICS checks which are used for firearms permits and firearm permit rechecks. In some months of previous years, the number of checks done for permits and permit rechecks exceeded the number done for sales. Those excesses, primarily done in Illinois, have been reduced. The adjusted NICS checks appear to be a good approximation of firearm sales done through the NICS system. Some people are able to purchase firearms without NICS checks. There are about 28 states which have at least one type of permit where the permit is a valid substitute for a NICS check. More than one firearm may be purchased with one NICS background check.
This year, the NSSF has started listing checks done for the National Firearms Act. There is a time lag between when a check is done and an NFA firearm is built or transferred. The number of checks for NFA purposes do not directly correspond to new firearms or suppressors. Silencers/suppressors are defined as "firearms" in the NFA.
The June number for National Firearms Act (NFA) checks was 166,677, an increase of 177.1 percent from June of 2025. The number for June of 2025 was 60,147. Another way to state the same statistic, the NFA checks for June of 2026 were 2.77 times as many as for June of 2025. Much of the increase has to do with the removal of the $200 excise tax on silencers suppressors and on short barreled shotguns (sbs) and short barrled rifles (sbr). The ATF has announced a proposed rule which will eliminate the need for fingerprints and photographs as part of the application process for "tax stamps" to obtain NFA items. There are several lawsuits challenging the validity of the NFA for items on which zero tax is required.
The uptick in firearms sales in June, at over 11% from last year, is significant. May and June continue the annual pattern of having sales lower than most of the other months. The only month in 2026 which shows lower firearm sales than the same month in 2025, (as shown by the adjusted NICS numbers) is January of 2026.
Analysis: The continued unsettled situation in and around the Persian gulf may be contributing to greater firearm sales. The stalemated war in Ukraine continues. Fuel prices have started to come down, leaving consumers with more disposable income. Firearm sales in July tend to be higher than firearm sales in June. Ammunition prices appear to be stable or slightly increasing. The mid-term elections are approaching, but political threats from the Left should be off-set by the Second Amendment victories at the Supreme Court. NFA sales will continue to break records. July firearm sales are predicted to be higher than June sales and higher than July sales were in 2025.
©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Among the six — including Novotny — injured, a 19-year-old male was shot in the back and transported to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he underwent emergency surgery. None of the other wounded people suffered life-threatening injuries, according to authorities.
In the court document, the 19-year-old told police that he was in a grass field near the intersection when Novotny approached and started patting him down before shooting him in the back. Police believe Novotny was trying to rob the 19-year-old.
After he was wounded, the 19-year-old pulled out a gun and fired several rounds at Novotny. He later told police that he believed one of the rounds he fired hit Novotny.
The probable cause affidavit said officers saw Novotny run toward a car wash, where officers stopped him and ordered him to drop the handgun he was carrying.
SLMPD said officers were in the area of Union Boulevard and Terry Avenue when they saw a gunfight around 9:30 p.m. Four suspects were detained, and a 44-year-old man was found shot on the ground.
According to police, the preliminary investigation shows the 44-year-old man, along with a 42-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, were attempting to break into a home when they were confronted by a 35-year-old man.
The man called the police and attempted to hold the suspects until officers arrived, but the 44-year-old man ran off and fired shots towards the 35-year-old man. The 35-year-old man fired shots back at the 44-year-old man, striking him.
Pictured above is the homestead of a SurvivalBlog reader in northern Indiana. This anonymous reader has been developing his homestead since 1984. The pictured well pump is a reliable Bison Pump that is popular with preppers and homesteaders.. This Week in History On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission was launched, carrying the first men to land on Earth’s moon. — July 14th is the birthday of Colonel Einar A. Malmstrom. He was born in 1907 and died August 21, 1954 near Great Falls, Montana, in the crash of a T-33 jet. He was a decorated Air Force pilot, …
The post Preparedness Notes — July 14, 2026 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
We all have should have a place where we can repair, build, or maintain our equipment and appliances. This is a workshop space for our projects, from the simplest like building a simple tool, to the most complex like rebuilding the engine of a classic car. The space needed can range from a small corner of your garage to a complete workshop facility for a fabrication or repair hobby or even a small business. After forty-five years around engines and tools, I have come to the conclusion that every man needs his own workspace where he can develop his hobbies …
The post Precision Workshop Practices, by Grandpappy appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
The following recipe for Basic Mexican Rice is from SurvivalBlog reader Joanna E. She mentioned: “It is important to have several ways to prepare stored rice, to prevent Food Fatigue.” Ingredients 2 cups white rice 3 T. olive oil 3 c. water or chicken broth 2 T. tomato paste (or more to suit your taste) 2 cloves of garlic, pressed (or less, to suit your taste) 1/2 t. salt (or more, to suit your taste) Optional Ingredients (For a more elaborate and nutritionally-complete rice dish): 1/2 – 1 tsp. cumin (Add during simmering.) One cup of fully-rehdrated or canned beans, …
The post Recipe of the Week: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
Today’s graphic is a map that shows the population density of Africa and Madagascar. Take note of the dark areas (mostly deserts) and the trace of the Nile river valley and delta. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) The thumbnail image below is click-expandable. — If any SurvivalBlog readers have personally taken or otherwise hold the copyright to a particularly nice landscape photo or other photo of particular interest to preppers that is in a wide horizontal format (to match our blog template) then please send it in as an e-mail attachment, and I will consider posting it as …
The post SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers. Economics & Investing Links of Interest Ukraine unveils new 2,000 hryvnia bill as war drives demand for cash. Andrew Follettt posted this at X, on government spending: Defense is 8% of US government spending. Education 15%! Welfare is 47%! At Zero Hedge: When Will The Cattle Cycle Turn? BofA Has Answers For Beef Lovers. Brandon Smith: Why Have Central Bankers Gone Radio Silent On The Digital Currency Agenda? Zack’s: Best Defense Stocks for July 2026. Trading Key: …
The post Economics & Investing Media of the Week appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, more hacking vulnerabilities. What Happens if China Hacks the US Water Supply? SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson suggested this article, at Wired: What Happens if China Hacks the US …
The post The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, news links, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — I noticed that Hoffman Tactical has their newly-famous AR Trigger Kickers back in stock. They have had some very positive review videos and consistent 5-star e-mailed customer reviews. This replacement for your standard disconnector gives you functionality similar to a name-brand $450 forced reset trigger, but for just $43. I …
The post SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
This weekly column features media from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. REDOUBT NEWS LINKS Video: Massive North Idaho 4th of July Backyard Firework Show Grand Finale. Cheyenne Won’t Take Data Center Wastewater After Meta Contractor Contaminated System. Post Falls becomes first Idaho city to join ICE immigration enforcement program. Wyoming: As Rural Hospitals Close Across America, Riverton’s Building A New $57 Million One. Video: Bison at Yellowstone National Park Sends Man Flying Through the Air With Headbutt. Black Bear …
The post SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds …
The post Editors’ Prepping Progress appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Every California Soccer Mom, Pointing To Gavin Newsom, When He Asks Who Caused High Gas Prices, in California. News Link: Why are gas prices so high in California? Newsom said it’s the oil companies, so we asked experts. Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.
The post JWR’s Meme of The Week: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.
“It’s government’s role to inform us of risks and let us use personal responsibility to evaluate that risk ourselves.” – Lauren Boebert
The post The Editors’ Quote Of The Week: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.