The Pedersoli 1805 Baker Rifle faithfully recreates Britain’s first standard‑issue military rifle, blending historical accuracy with modern Italian craftsmanship. Why the Baker Rifle Mattered At the turn of the 19th century, European armies relied almost entirely on smoothbore muskets. Those arms emphasized rate of fire and massed volley tactics, leaving limited room for precision or selective engagement. The Baker rifle marked a shift in that thinking. Designed by London gunsmith Ezekiel Baker and adopted by the British Army in 1800, it became the first rifled firearm issued for regular military service. The rifle equipped the Experimental Corps of Riflemen, later…

Especially if your military household moved to a new state in 2025, as a military spouse, keep in mind that you’ve received new rights in recent years in terms of where to pay your state income taxes – or not pay, if the state has no income tax.In 2023, military spouses gained options for filing their state income taxes under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act that now eclipse even those of active-duty members, because “In a weird quirk of the law, service members can use SCRA protections only for their military pay,” Military.com’s financial columnist Kate Horrell wrote in last year’s Tax Week…

I got my hands on the Codex87 Horizon Edge ahead of its SHOT Show 2026 debut, and it’s clear this isn’t just a cosmetic refresh. Benchmade completely changed how the blade is built, not just how it looks (though it really looks rad). The knife is based on the Saddle Mountain Skinner, a proven platform with a blade shape that already works for breaking down game. Benchmade left that alone and focused entirely on the cutting edge. Here’s what’s new. Blade Materials and Construction Codex87 Horizon Edge; (photo/Benchmade) The Codex87 Horizon Edge uses a bi-metal blade construction with two steels…

In the wake of the Bruen decision, gun control activists and anti-gun politicians unanimously declared that allowing more Americans to exercise their right to bear arms would have deadly consequences. When Donald Trump took office and shut down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and rescinded hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to “gun violence prevention” efforts, those same folks predicted that American cities would become more dangerous places.  Instead, it looks like the United States was safer in 2025 than it has been since the FBI started keeping track of nationwide crime…

Capt. Walter Fleming walked through the gap between two small Buddhist altars on a dirt road near Da Nang. One of his men followed a few steps behind. A mine detonated, wounding the sergeant and throwing him backward. Hours later, Fleming’s executive officer triggered another booby trap. Both times, Fleming stood within the lethal blast radius. Both times, he walked away uninjured.He would survive 13 months of hellish combat in Vietnam while leading his Marines against a fierce and determined enemy. He would emerge without a scratch after facing countless close calls, the loss of his Marines, overwhelming enemy numbers,…

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has warned that the theft of Russian assets would be considered an act of war by Moscow. De Wever made the comments while explaining why his country is opposing a European Union reparations loan to Ukraine. If the frozen Russian assets currently being held in the European Union are dispersed, the government of Russia would consider that a war declaration. According to a report by RT, Western nations froze an estimated $300 billion in Russian central bank assets following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The bulk of the funds, which…

We all have errors in thinking, blind spots, and other places in our minds where we don’t really process information in the most rational manner possible. Maybe you’ve known people who can’t seem to tell that their child is a little turd because of that blind spot, or the people who can’t seem to grasp a simple fact because it runs against their beliefs. It’s easier to see in someone else rather than yourself. I’d give you an example from me, but the problem with these things is that they’re damn hard to see on…

After more than 80 years, Don Butt received the honor he deserved.  Butt, a British military veteran and one of the last remaining soldiers still alive from the D-Day invasion in 1944, was given a medal from France – the nation’s highest military honor – in recognition of his bravery, helping liberate it from Nazi Germany during World War II. Butt, who turned 100 years old in August 2025, received the medal last week. The World War II veteran said the honor “completes his life.”  Butt became emotional upon receiving his medal from the Royal Marines, a moment his family said…

Every November, I go to a climbing festival in southern Illinois. While the weather is often beautiful during the day, at night, the temps drop quickly, and I’m frequently left shivering in my lightweight puffer. This year, however, I came better prepared, with Patagonia’s Hi-Loft Nano Puff Hoody. This jacket takes the brand’s classic Nano Puff design and beefs it up with more body-mapped synthetic insulation and more durable fabric. This is the burlier big brother, built for colder conditions and true winter weather. With it, I can stay toasty on those chilly Illinois nights even when they dip into…

Hawaii taxpayers could soon be forced to pay for state-sponsored gun “buyback” efforts after the Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties included that demand in their legislative wish list for 2026.  According to Maui Now, the lobbying group representing county governments wants the state to hold two compensated confiscation events in each county every year, claiming that “existing results from Oʻahu illustrate the effectiveness of these programs and demonstrate the value of establishing a consistent, statewide approach.”In April 2025, a gun buyback event on Oʻahu collected 367 firearms and distributed $37,900 in Foodland Farms gift cards.…

It is pretty rare to see something new come out of the ammunition side of the firearms industry unless a company is chasing a wildcat cartridge that they’re hoping will really take off. One manufacturer who surprised us at Range Day was Sim-X with their unassuming line of ammo that touts ultra-high velocities while pushing low grain weights for given cartridges. Sim-X Ammunition Sim-X Ammunition offers both recreational and practice range ammo as well as self-defense rounds. The practice ammunition is dubbed RANGECORE™ with a patented synthetic core inside a precision alloy full-metal jacket. Their self-defense ammunition is named Defensecore…

After the successful removal of Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela, the United States now seek a regime change in Cuba. Originally declaring that the operation was over “narco terrorism,” it was quickly revealed that the U.S. simply wanted control of Venezuela’s natural resources. So what’s going on with Cuba? Should Cuba, Canada, Greenland And Venezuela All Be Owned By The United States? Currently, the U.S. ruling class is searching for allies within Cuba’s government in order to help facilitate regime change. The U.S. believes that Cuba’s economy is “close to collapse and that the government has never been this…