Roma's.  I am not sure why this is surprising.   Really flavorful and not terribly expensive: $10 lunch items  

Will Trump Get Any Credit?

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-01-01T18:08:00Z

1/1/26 Guardian:

The largest protests in Iran for three years entered a fifth day on Thursday amid reports of deadly clashes between protesters and security forces, with state-affiliated media confirming at least two people had been killed.

Although state media did not identify those killed, witnesses and videos circulating on social media appear to show protesters lying motionless on the ground after security forces opened fire 

Trump is not the only factor.  Iran has mismanaged their economy and water supply while ignoring how rapidly their narrow view of Islam has separated them from a generation with Internet access.

We do not need a pro-American government there.  Even one more concerned with its own people than Israel and the Great Satan would be a big win.

Not the Headline I Was Expecting in 1980

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-01-01T17:50:00Z

12/31/25 BBC:

People in China will pay a 13% sales tax on contraceptives from 1 January, while childcare services will be exempt, as the world's second-largest economy tries to boost birth rates.


An overhaul of the tax system announced late last year removes many exemptions that were in place since 1994, when China was still enforcing its decades-long one-child rule

I Did Not Get a Picture

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-01-01T17:28:00Z

Cheap-O Depot.   In Mississippi.  A cultural moment  

Happy New Year!

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2026-01-01T16:00:00Z

May your worst day of 2026 be better than the best day of 2025. May your year be prosperous and joyful. May you and yours have health and happiness. Thank you all for stopping in to my little corner of the interwebz. All the best, Midwest Chick

Does Economic Inequality Cauae Health Problems?

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-01-01T15:03:00Z

11/25/25 Nature:

Contrary to popular narratives, random-effects models showed that individuals in more unequal areas do not report lower subjective well-being (standardized odds ratio (OR+0.05) = 0.979, 95% confidence interval = 0.951–1.008). Moreover, although inequality initially seemed to undermine mental health, the publication-bias-corrected association was null (OR+0.05 = 1.019; 0.990–1.049)17.

Quote of the Day Europeans are a people with little willingness to defend themselves. They are people who believe that peace treaties, appeasement, and disarmament produce peace. Walter E. WilliamsOctober 27, 2009Walter E. Williams: Obama should refuse the Nobel Prize … Continue reading

Meme Dump!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-01-01T14:00:00Z




Listen to Behind The Gun on TFB – https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/podcast/

Bullying myself.

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-01-01T13:42:00Z

I hate having to do a big load of laundry around this time of year. Specifically I hate having to dry it.

Throw two to four pairs of jeans, four or five long-sleeved shirts, and a couple pairs of long johns in the dryer and...

Well, there was a type of prank when I was a kid, see? Actually, let's not call it a prank, but rather what it was: bullying. Anyway, it would occur any time you were at the lake or the swimmin' hole or the pool and the victim of the bullying left their street clothes unattended. The perpetrators would grab said clothes, get them good and soaked, and tie them in a bundle of knots. This practice was known, for reasons lost to time, as "chaw raw beef-ing" the clothes.

...Anyway throw all those clothes in the dryer and they manage to chaw raw beef themselves. Go to empty it and tug at a pair of jeans and watch as it drags a ball of shirts and socks and unmentionables, around which the trouser legs have become entwined, out of the dryer and tries to deposit them on the floor.

It's a parade of frustrations.

.

It’s time for the requisite year-in-review post. Although 2025 marked my first full year of retirement, it was a low-key and, at times, frustratingly sedentary one. After a previous year marked by chronic pain and ineffective treatments, I underwent back surgery — including a spinal fusion — in February. Healing from the procedure and recovering from months of severely limited physical activity has been slow and, to some degree, remains ongoing. Only in the final months of the year was I able to be a bit more active, and even now there is some lingering pain and restricted movement.

Unsurprisingly, that reality is reflected in my shooting journal. In 2025 I managed a meager four trips to the range for practice and just two IDPA matches. On the bright side, that represents a meaningful improvement over the zero outings logged in 2024. I fired my first shots since December 2023 in August and finally made a tentative return to competition in October. With luck — and continued progress — I’m truly hoping for more shooting sports participation in 2026.

Travel plans were also shaped by recovery with most travel in 2025 limited to weekend or overnight outings. We did attend several Virginia Tech Hokies football games. Weekends in Blacksburg, joined by our son and daughter-in-law, were enjoyable, even if the final scores were seldom in our favor.

We did get away for a week centered around a horticultural-focused convention that helped feed my indoor gardening passion. The event was held in New Jersey, which isn’t typically high on my vacation destination list, but I was pleasantly surprised — and pleased — to do a bit of bottle shopping and return home with a couple of excellent store-pick bourbons. Among them was a Wegmans Private Selection of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, a bottle that may well be my favorite find of 2025.

On the upside, one doesn’t need to be especially mobile to enjoy good cigars and fine whiskey. Despite other limitations, I’ve been able to maintain a fairly regular “smoke and sip” routine, usually on the screened porch that we renovated into a three-season room over the summer. That space has quickly become one of my favorite places to slow down and enjoy an evening.

The one true vacation of 2025 was a week at the beach, taking in the surf and sand, good food, and cigars by the sea. During our stay on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, I paid a couple of visits to the OBX Cigar Lounge. Being able to pair a cigar with a beer or whiskey — while smoking indoors — was a particular pleasure. Under Virginia’s nanny-state regulations, that combination is nearly impossible, save for a handful of exceptions.

We managed to squeeze in two very different musical outings this year. May brought Metallica to Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, while December closed things out with a Tab Benoit show in Leesburg, Virginia — about as big a genre shift as one could ask for.

On the blogging and social media front, I remained fairly active. Despite the limited activity, I managed 156 posts in 2025. In addition to these blog posts, I regularly share cigar and beverage pairings on Instagram. I also added an option for readers to receive these Musings by email, providing another way for readers who follow along to stay connected.

One final note for those who care about such things: my favorite cigar of 2025 was El Pulpo by Artesano del Tobacco. It’s not often I reorder a cigar while I still have some on hand — make of that what you will.

All told, 2025 wasn’t a year of big adventures or bold accomplishments, but it was a year of recovery, small pleasures, and quiet progress. If nothing else, it helped lay the groundwork for a more active and engaged 2026 — and I’ll gladly raise a glass and light a cigar to that hope.

Happy New Year!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Chart produced with tools provided at Real Time Crime Index. Time of Bruen decision added.

 

On June 23, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued a decision in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen. Prior to the Bruen decision, Courts of Appeal in Progressive dominated Circuits, such as the Ninth and Second circuits, had refused to honor Second Amendment precedent established in the Heller and McDonald decisions. Bruen admonished the lower courts for creating a procedure to treat the Second Amendment as a second class right. Bruen created a simple test to determine if a statute was allowed by the Second Amendment.

The Bruen case clarified that "bear" in the "right to keep and bear arms" protected the right to be armed in public places with arms which can be carried by or on a person. The limitations to this right were stated to be the same limitations as they were understood by the public in 1791 when the Bill of Rights was ratified.  Anti-Second Amendment pundits predicted more violent crime and homicides.

As of the latest numbers from October of 2025, the 12 month running average of violent crime has dropped 14% since June of 2022. The drop in murders is even more pronounced at 39%. The numbers are from the tools provided by the Real Time Crime Index. The index does not track all crime. It tracks a sample using the numbers provided by 570 agencies. The relative proportions of the sample are said to track within 2% of proportions of FBI numbers in the Uniform Crime Reports.  Agreement to within 2% of overall proportions, in this sort of measurement, is quite good. If the Real Time Crime Index shows a rise or fall in crime numbers, it essentially mimics what is happening in the FBI numbers. The 570 reporting agencies cover over half of the crimes reported in the United States.

After the initial wave of anti-Second Amendment propaganda subsided, approval of the Bruen decision returned to about 2/3 of the respondents. The Second Amendment is popular in the United States of America.

The drop in violent crime and in homicides is coincident with implementation of the Bruen decision. It started before President Trump was elected to his second term. It is also coincident to the election of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, which placed some restraint on the excesses of the Biden administration. 2022 is also coincident with a retreat from some of the anti-police and pro-criminal policies pushed by what became known as "Soros" prosecutors such as Kimberly Gardner in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Cause and effect are not easy to determine. A return to the rule of law clearly works to reduce crime.  The far-left notion of police as the cause, rather then the cure for crime has not held up in real-world situations. It cannot be proven the Bruen decision was instrumental in reducing violent crime and homicides. The fact that violent crime and homicides fell after the Bruen decision make it unlikely restoration of rights protected by the Second Amendment increases violent crime. It is more likely restoration of rights protected by the Second Amendment is a contributor to lower violent crime and homicide rates.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch



Automotif DCVII...

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-01-01T12:03:00Z


Looks like the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is likely to be a future collector's item. Volkswagen Group of America insists that the retro-styled electric minivan is not being canceled, merely taking a one model year hiatus for the US market.

I dunno, though. VW seems to have made the sort of mistake that Plymouth did with the Prowler and Pontiac did with the Holden-based GTO revival. Namely, pricing it too high relative to its actual value and counting on nostalgia to outweigh a bloated price tag.

We shall see, I guess.

.

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, they received a call at around 6:40 p.m. on Monday, and the caller stated he shot the driver after he used his vehicle to ram through the gate of the caller’s property and drive towards him.

 The person who was shot was airlifted to a hospital in Tyler, and his condition is currently stable, according to authorities.

More Here


SC: Yamassee - Domestic Defense, Man Shot by Girlfriend's Son

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-01-01T11:57:00Z

Simmons had been shot in the throat, police said. He was taken to an area hospital where his non-life-threatening injuries were treated before he was released and taken to the Hampton County Detention Center, according to the release. 

Simmons was charged with first-degree domestic violence (of a high and aggravated nature), police said. 

The charge stems from an assault early Monday morning, according to the release. At about 4 a.m., officers responded to a person who wanted to meet with law enforcement regarding an incident involving his mother and her boyfriend, later identified as Simmons, police said. The person said he fired a shot to defend his mother, who was being attacked by her boyfriend, according to the release.

More Here


Thursday Meme Drop

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2026-01-01T11:30:00Z

By Dave Workman Published reports in the final days of 2025 indicated the year was on pace to produce the largest one-year drop in homicides ever recorded, which runs counter to one of the longest-running claims by the gun prohibition lobby, that “more guns would result in more deadly crime.” ABC News reported the forecast […]

The post Reports: Murders Declined in 2025 as More Guns Sold, Carried appeared first on Liberty Park Press.

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 1, 2026

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2026-01-01T07:04:16Z

On January 1st, 722, Frankish Hofmeister Charles Martel fled from Bishop Willibrord. Ten years later, Martel’s army defeated the Muslim army at Poitiers. — January 1, 1785: John Walter published the first issue of his newspaper “The Daily Universal Register,” which was renamed “The Times” of London in 1788. — And on January 1, 1928, the first US air-conditioned office building opened, in San Antonio, Texas. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can …

The post Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 1, 2026 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

SWL Receiver Considerations and Buying Advice, by Sarge B.

by SurvivalBlog Contributor in SurvivalBlog.com on 2026-01-01T07:03:34Z

The following is my list of recommended features and some features to avoid, when looking  for a general coverage receiver. This is based upon my personal experience over the years as a shortwave listener (SWL) and Amateur Radio operator. Frequency Coverage: Look for a minimum frequency coverage of 500 kHz to 30 MHz. This covers the AM broadcast band (520 – 1710 kHz) and all of the shortwave broadcast bands (2 – 30 MHz). Coverage of the FM broadcast band (88-108 MHz) is also highly desirable. Digital frequency display: Allows precise tuning to a specific frequency. Avoid any radios with …

The post SWL Receiver Considerations and Buying Advice, by Sarge B. appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2026-01-01T07:02:10Z

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 about the threat of AI-generated fakery. Iran: ‘Full-Scale War’ with U.S., EU, and Israel Reader H.L. was the first of several readers who sent us this: Iran …

The post The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2026-01-01T07:01:33Z

“Having spent 10 years studying emerging markets, I know that you have patterns repeated over and over again. A bubble is like a fire which needs oxygen to continue… when you see there is no oxygen, things change.” – Nouriel Roubini

The post The Editors’ Quote Of The Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Out with the Old, In with the New

by admin in The War on Guns on 2026-01-01T05:01:33Z

[John T. McCutcheon/PD] I’m greeting the new one on the enclosed porch next to a cranked up space heater with a quality cigar and two fingers of the good stuff. Barring anything major happening, this will be my only post today, a reprint of an AmmoLand article which itself was derived from earlier Examiner posts. … Continue reading "Out with the Old, In with the New"

The post Out with the Old, In with the New first appeared on The War on Guns.

TFB Review: Winchester Optics 10X42 Binoculars

by Bryan Scepaniak in The Firearm Blog on 2026-01-01T01:00:00Z

Over the last few years as I have developed as a shooter, and as my range trips have become more organized and scheduled I have found the need to be able to look down range and scope out targets without using a gun mounted optic. Historically for me this solution has been a spotting scope, however after making use of several sets of binoculars during a long range rifle competition last fall I have been in the market for a pair of my own. Comparing the usability of a spotting scope to binoculars it was much easier to spot shots, trace, and impacts with the latter than I had thought it would be, hence my desire for a set of my own. Knowing this, when I was given the opportunity to get my hands on and review a set from a relative newcomer in the optics game I jumped right on board. 

Customs, traditions, and liberty

by TPOL Nathan in The Price of Liberty on 2026-01-01T01:00:00Z

Recalling the Wounded Knee massacre this 235th anniversary saw Congress establish a special status for the land on which that occurred, and where the victims are buried. At the same time, it triggered afresh demands by “tribal leaders” to take … Continue reading
Every year, Krieghoff introduces a Gun Of The Year , a highly embellished version of one of their firearms. The Krieghoff 2025 Gun Of The Year is called Spirit Of The Deep. It's a K-80 over-and-under shotgun engraved with various marine creatures and scenes.
Pietta just announced the PDA 357, their take on the Colt Python. Posted it on social media 11/20 with some noir-style marketing graphics and a "not just a replica" tagline that's doing a lot of heavy lifting. Rumors about this gun started popping up as early as March 2025, so it's been in the works for a while. Now it's official.

Face Vocal Band - The Parting Glass

by Borepatch in Borepatch on 2025-12-31T23:53:00Z

Adieu, 2025.  This is a fine, traditional song for departing guests.


Here's wishing you a very happy 2026.

I Think These Bumps on the Horizon Are Oil Wells

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-31T23:01:36Z


Gasoline has been below $2.50/gallon.  Nice.

Clanker Domination

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-31T22:58:35Z

I went into a convenience store east of New Orleans.  I grabbed a Milky Way bar and put it under the camera.   I scanned it told me it wanted.  I put in a $10 bill and received my change.

We seem to be short a low skill workforce.   The question is whether we can get enough clankers operational soon enough 

We are still not at the Idiocracy sequence where the hospital clerk has a register with buttons with headache and broken limb icons.  The clanker solution is likely going to be superior. 

Excellent Point

by Joe in The View From North Central Idaho on 2025-12-31T22:51:03Z

Via The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee: If the whole situation were not such a tragic waste of money it would be funny. My only hope is that the maximum amount of restitution is made by everyone criminally involved — down to … Continue reading

We’re the Only Ones Warning Enough

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T20:14:12Z

Who was the snitch? What does the municipal ordinance say?

The post We’re the Only Ones Warning Enough first appeared on The War on Guns.

Employees Must Wash Hands Before Returning to Work

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-31T20:13:00Z

"If no employee available, wash your own hands."

New Years

by Pawpaw in PawPaw's House on 2025-12-31T19:52:00Z

 It's New Years Eve and I've been doing all manner of year-end chores.  The tax year ends at midnight.

I had a pork tenderloin in the smoker for a few hours.  It's resting now, and I'll slice it in a little bit.  It will become part of lunch tomorrow, along with blackeyed peas and cabbage. Cornbread, of course.

That reminds me, I need to change the battery in my red dot sight. I do that once a year on the New Year.

Tomorrow starts 2026.  I'm looking forward to a splendid year.  I hope all of you can say the same.

Welcome back to another TFB review. This week, I wanted to look at the Craft Holster Panther outside the waistband (OWB) holster. For the most part, inside the waistband (IWB) style holsters are typically the most commonly used holsters, but the classic outside the waistband belt-mounted holsters are some of the best choices when the weather starts to change. I’ve had the Craft Holster Panther OWB  rig for a few weeks now and have plenty to say about it. Let's take a closer look at the Craft Holsters Panther belt holster.

2025 Jussies Finalists

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T19:12:46Z

‘Hatecrimed five times in one night’ – here are the 31 campus hoaxes uncovered in 2025 [More] See, if you weren’t so racist, they wouldn’t need to do this. Hey, anybody got the skills to pull this off? [Via Michael G]

The post 2025 Jussies Finalists first appeared on The War on Guns.

Meanwhile, Across the Pond…

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T19:01:37Z

Woman ‘is seen running along street covered in blood amid crowbar rampage’: Afghan man, 20, is arrested after ‘attacking five people’ in hospital waiting room ‘when he was refused an appointment’ [More] Been a while since I called on Tommy Lee… [Via Michael G]

The post Meanwhile, Across the Pond… first appeared on The War on Guns.

On Christmas Eve, Ruger announced a new generation of the Red Label shotgun. The Red Label III  is a 20-gauge over/under shotgun, made by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company. Let's take a look at all the details.

Many are Called But Few are Chosen

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T18:55:19Z

Jews, get your guns; no one is coming to save the chosen people [More] That kind of self-reference sounds a bit… supremacist, especially since they punted on the prime directive that came with the Covenant. It’s the kind of cognitive dissonance you’d expect from people who vote Democrat and follow bagel brains. Maybe I’m reading … Continue reading "Many are Called But Few are Chosen"

The post Many are Called But Few are Chosen first appeared on The War on Guns.

Hope You Had A Decent Year...

by Glenn B in BALLSEYE'S BOOMERS on 2025-12-31T18:30:00Z

 ...and I hope 2026 is better. Have  a safe and fun New Year's Eve and a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
 
All the best,
Glenn B 

Swamp the Swamp?

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T18:15:34Z

I hope everyone does this and swamps the ATF with no profit paperwork. Hundreds of thousands of forms a week. Lol [More] In my experience, counting on most gun owners to join in activism solidarity ignores reality. I’d prefer gun owners just keep their business to themselves like I have. I never did register those … Continue reading "Swamp the Swamp?"

The post Swamp the Swamp? first appeared on The War on Guns.

Federal Starts Shipping 6mm ARC Ammo

by Daniel Y in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-31T18:00:00Z

Federal is now shipping its first 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge load . This 6mm ARC load is part of the Gold Medal line of target ammo. Keep reading for all the details.

This is CNN

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T17:47:12Z

Leftists on CNN’s NewsNight Blame Nick Shirley, Trump, and Racism Instead of Somali Fraudsters [More] That’s the unified talking point you’ll see the DSM and its camp followers parroting. That and “it’s been reported on for years” (which invites the question of why it hasn’t been stopped). Because they have incentives. But not if Democrat … Continue reading "This is CNN"

The post This is CNN first appeared on The War on Guns.

Best Covert Knives: Spyware

by Mike Searson in Recoil on 2025-12-31T17:44:31Z

Seemingly everyday items that hide their true nature. If you need a tool in a non-permissive environment, these are some of the best options.

2025 Blog stats

by Borepatch in Borepatch on 2025-12-31T17:20:00Z

This was the best year ever for traffic here: 4.5M page views.  This brings the all-time total to 19.5M.  There's quite a market for free Internet blather.

And this year's over 1000 comments from you is (I think) also a record.  Many thanks to everyone who keeps coming by and especially for commenters.

Top referrers:

  1. Knuckledraggin My Life Away (thanks, Wirecutter!)
  2.  The Feral Irishman (thanks, blog brother!) 
  3.  Raconteur Report (thanks, Aesop!)
  4.  Normal American (I hope you haven't hung up your blogging shoes)
  5.  Busted Knuckles (thanks, CederQ!)
  6. The Silicon Graybeard (thanks, buddy!) 

If anyone cares, here is a list of the top posts for traffic.  It's interesting that most are pretty old:

  1. I Am TJIC (after 14 years this still gets a ton of traffic)
  2. I Confess, I'm Not Opposed To Gun Control (this was fun to write)
  3. This Blog Belches Carbon (from all the way back in 2010) 
  4. A Layman's Guide to the Science of Global Warming (needs updating)
  5. Dad Joke CCCLVIIII (I have no idea why this got so much traffic)
  6. Dad Joke CCCLXII (Tuna is doing most of my Dad Joke blogging)
  7. Should You Be A Global Warming Skeptic? (from 2009 but superseded by the Layman's Guide post, above)
  8. Aaaaarrrrrrgh, Matey! Don't be shiverin' me timbers! (A blog meet from 2009)
  9. Google Play Store filled with malware (a post from 2025!)
  10. This.  1000x this. (another post from 2025!  Go figure ...)

So a lot of old posts still drawing traffic.  It's gratifying to read them and see how well they've held up.

So goodbye to 2025 blogging.  On to 2026! 

Galco Releases Brush Hog Holster

by Daniel Y in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-31T16:00:00Z

Galco has a new holster design for outdoorsmen who spend a lot of time in thick foliage. The Brush Hog has a protective flap over the top of the pistol to keep sticks, thorns, and such out of the gun. Keep reading for all the details.

Reduced Capacity Magazines

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T15:54:05Z

Bill Bachenberg, NRA President, Addresses Magazine Distribution … the focus is shifting with current trends and the new generation of gun owners are living in a digital world. [More] A trend that carries deficiencies of its own… and leads to a lack of independent exploration and critical thinking when limited to watching videos.

The post Reduced Capacity Magazines first appeared on The War on Guns.

Really Dark Sky

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-31T15:51:11Z

For an area with as many businesses as this has, the sky was surprisingly dark.  Of course, sky glow tends not to be an issue from somewhere with this little human presence. 

Like a Candle in the Wind

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-31T15:34:19Z

An Indiana dad who was accused of murder and assault for shooting at a mob of people attacking his son on his college campus will no longer be prosecuted. [More] They didn’t get him on a gun charge? Light a candle? WTHR: News you can wipe with.

The post Like a Candle in the Wind first appeared on The War on Guns.

The Best .22LR Ammo Nobody Talked About in 2025 (But Should Have) In the ever-evolving world of rimfire ammunition, 2025 has brought some noteworthy developments — especially in .22 Long Rifle (LR) cartridges. While most shooters think of .22LR simply as inexpensive plinking ammo, the reality is far more interesting. Some rounds this year are […]

The post The Best .22LR Ammo Nobody Talked About in 2025 (But Should Have) first appeared on Day At The Range.
Spanish riflemaker Bergara is joining the ranks of the silencer manufacturers. The new BTi30  is a 3D-printed titanium can with HUB mounting. Let’s take a look at all of the features.
Are you ready for a crisis? In this featured post from The Survival Mom, she explains how to assess your overall level of readiness in an end-of-year prepper evaluation.
Quote of the Day Of all the natural rights codified in the Constitution, none — not freedom of speech, press or religion, or the ability to vote or to demand due process — had a longer or deeper history in … Continue reading
Italy adopted the Villar Perosa in 1915, a gun that is sometimes considered the first submachine gun. Despite being fully automatic and chambered for pistol ammo (9mm Glisenti/Parabellum), it was actually not a submachine gun [...]

The post Beretta M1918: Italy’s 9mm Semiauto 9mm Carbine from WWI first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.

My Best Writing- 2025

by Greg Ellifritz in Active Response Training on 2025-12-31T11:37:24Z

Last week, I posted an article linking to my most popular posts in 2025.  In that article, I discussed how my “most popular” articles were not the same as my “best” articles.     I liked many of the most popular articles (ranked by page view), but I think many other articles that I wrote […]

Battle of the Sexes, Redux

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2025-12-31T11:30:00Z

There are those of you old enough to remember the original tennis Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973 which was actually the match that lit the ‘I am Woman’/Buffy/Xena/unrealistic-expectations-of-female-physicality era that led us to where we are today. There have always been rumors that Riggs blew the match […]

CA: Norwalk - Gun Beats Pepper Spray in Dispute

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2025-12-31T11:13:00Z

One person was hospitalized Monday night following a shooting that stemmed from an argument at a Norwalk hotel, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told NBC4 Investigates.

Deputies responded at about 9:15 p.m. to the Saddleback Hotel on Firestone Boulevard after a reports of an assault with a deadly weapon. After an argument, one person deployed pepper spray on the other individual, who then opened fire, the agency said.

The gunshot victim was hospitalized in fair condition.


More Here


An update clarified the firearm used belonged to the girlfriend of the defender. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

According to Melissa Criswell, deputy chief of the Muncie Police Department, information gathered by detectives “substantiates that Brown forced his way into the residence while armed” and was shot by a resident of the house.

Brown was taken by ambulance to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The man who allegedly shot Brown, 33-year-old Danny Martin Songer, was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of justice and unlawful carrying of a handgun.


More Here


Firearms instructors talk changes coming in 2026

by Lee Williams in The Gun Writer on 2025-12-31T11:02:31Z

The New Year looks good for gun owners.

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — December 31, 2025

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-31T07:04:49Z

On December 31, 406, “The Great Invasion” sent a vast mixed horde of barbarians that included Vandals, Alans, and Suebians across the Rhine River, at Mainz (pictured). Thus began the invasion of Gallia. — December 31st 1564: William I of Orange demands freedom of religious conscience for his subjects in dramatic speech to the Council of State. — December 31st is the birthday of Alexandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008). — December 31st, 1851 was the birthday of Frederick Selous. (He died on January 4th, 1917.) — The 20th Anniversary SurvivalBlog 2005-2025 Waterproof/EMP-Resistant Archive USB sticks are available for Pre-Ordering.  This year, we …

The post Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — December 31, 2025 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Regional and Seasonal Camouflage Clothing and Gear

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-31T07:03:17Z

As 2025 draws to a close, I’d like to revisit a topic that often comes up in SurvivalBlog: camouflage clothing and equipment. Note: To see examples and variants of the camouflage patterns that I’ll mention in this article, see the comprehensive Camopedia.org website. They are to be commended for maintaining a great reference site. I will begin with some history: Camouflage uniforms were not standard issue for all but a handful of the world’s armies until the mid-1960s.  Experimentation with modern printed camouflage fabric as we now know it began with the German Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, circa 1942-1945.  They …

The post Regional and Seasonal Camouflage Clothing and Gear appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-31T07:02:16Z

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, 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. — Where Are People Moving Most in the U.S. in 2026? o  o  o CPRC’s Lott Calls Out Wall Street Journal’s Fear Mongering Over Concealed Carry. o  o  o 31 Indoor Woodworking Projects to Do This Winter. o  o  o SurvivalBlog’s Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted this: Burundi: Farmer finds new technique for …

The post SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-31T07:01:13Z

“No ornament of a house can compare with books; they are constant company in a room, even when you are not reading them.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe. (The sister of Henry Ward Beecher, who was quoted yesterday. Both of them were very outspoken abolitionists.)

The post The Editors’ Quote Of The Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

The Soviet Silenced “Tishina" Grenade Launcher

by Lynndon Schooler in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-31T01:00:00Z

During the Cold War, there were requests for many specialized weapon systems, as modern armed conflicts are fundamentally different from the cataclysmic wars of the last century. Fortunately, full-scale military operations the size of Verdun or Kursk seem not to be the course of future battle. Instead, modern conflicts are often prolonged and low-intensity, with a heavy reliance on small specialized teams. Warfighting doctrines have largely adapted to this reality and configured their weapon designs to meet soldiers' needs in these modern environments. Discretion is often key to avoiding disturbing local elements and maintaining a low profile for one’s own survival. For that, next-generation silenced weapons are necessary.

30 December 1890, Wounded Knee, SD

by TPOL Nathan in The Price of Liberty on 2025-12-31T01:00:00Z

135 years ago today. A long-time friend and correspondent wrote this monologue which we are pleased to share with our readers today. He remains anonymous for many reasons. We at TPOL have edited somewhat, and his writings do not always … Continue reading
Photo Of The Day: A competitor from one of the fifteen international teams engages distant steel during the 2021 U.S. Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), North Carolina, back in 2021. To the best of my knowledge, the carbine is the Secret Service’s KAC SR-16 CQB MOD 2.1 , and it seems multiple targets are being engaged using the secondary red dot sight.

Small Business Spotlight: Werkz LLC

by Hrachya H in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-31T00:00:00Z

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight ! In this weekly column, we take a look at small firearm-related businesses. Today’s company is Werkz LLC, a holster manufacturer from Potlatch, Idaho.

Shocking! Islamic Welfare Fraud

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T23:40:15Z

And not in Minnesota.   11/24/25 Jerusalem Post:

Over a billion Swedish kronor, or more than $100 million, in taxpayer-backed funds intended to support preschools and schools in Sweden have been siphoned off through an Islamist-affiliated network engaged in welfare fraud, an investigation by the Swedish newspaper Expressen revealed last Wednesday.

This came after police raided an apartment in Gavle, north of Stockholm, where several individuals who were connected to radical and violent Islamist extremism were staying. 

30 degrees north latitude

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T23:26:59Z

I have not been this far south in a while.  At these latitudes the Sun goes down and gets dark fast 

Paragraphs Worth Quoting

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T23:11:00Z

 12/24/25 Business Insider:

He said robots can be fitted with different weapons, like machine guns or grenade launchers, to fire at Russian positions. It means they can attack while keeping Ukrainian soldiers safer, as Russia is likely to return fire to wherever the attack comes from, and can also drive closer to Russian positions to launch the attacks.

He said ground robot systems are best when they work like Lego, with soldiers able to put the same system together in different ways to perform different functions, rather than having many different systems to use.

So Legos really are educational toys! 

  By Dave Workman Editor-in-Chief The past 12 months have witnessed a sea change for the Second Amendment, despite the fact that Blue State liberals are scrambling to destroy gun rights in their own states, and they are seething over how the second Trump administration has scrapped many of the policies of the Joe Biden […]

The post In Review: Top 2A Stories from 2025, Part II appeared first on Liberty Park Press.

I Give Up

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T20:21:30Z

I should know better. [More]

The post I Give Up first appeared on The War on Guns.

Glen Campbell plays bagpipes on "Mull of Kintyre"

by Borepatch in Borepatch on 2025-12-30T19:07:00Z

Who knew? 

Element Optics THEOS 2-10×42 MPVO

by Eric B in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-30T19:00:00Z

The Element Optics THEOS 2–10×42 is a mid-power variable optic (MPVO) designed to support rapid target engagement across a broad range of distances. Built around an ED optical system, the scope delivers consistent image quality throughout the magnification range while maintaining a compact overall footprint.

Method to the Madness

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T18:56:09Z

Good thing none of this has anything to do with that “single issue“! [Via Michael G]

The post Method to the Madness first appeared on The War on Guns.

Adventures in Baselessness

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T18:22:29Z

They’re counting on Republicans not rioting. [Via Michael G]

The post Adventures in Baselessness first appeared on The War on Guns.

A Subject Matter Expert

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T18:17:52Z

Woke Oregon city hires MURDERER who executed teenage girl to its police review board [More] The same Democrats who demand disarming these fine folks — and you. If their actions just affected them I wouldn’t mind. [Via Michael G]

The post A Subject Matter Expert first appeared on The War on Guns.

B&T has introduced a modernized take on a historic concept with the Hush Puppy SIG P226 Silenced Pistol Kit, combining suppressed performance with contemporary optics and accessory compatibility. Unlike traditional manual-repeater suppressed pistols, the Hush Puppy system retains the semi-automatic functionality, while giving the user the option to manually lock the slide when maximum sound reduction is required.

Greene with Envy?

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T17:13:14Z

Greene recounted a tense exchange with Trump after she suggested inviting the victims to the Oval Office, during which he threatened, “My friends will get hurt.” That confrontation marked the final straw in their relationship, cementing her decision to step away from Congress after two terms. [More] IF he actually said that.  And if that … Continue reading "Greene with Envy?"

The post Greene with Envy? first appeared on The War on Guns.

Privacy. Good One.

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T16:55:02Z

Google’s fine print may cost your Fourth Amendment rights — Pennsylvania Supreme Court allows authorities to access your search history without a warrant [More] Honest… I was looking for IDAK from Lost in Space… And a place to get my nails done… Good thing I’m sure they’d never abuse this… [Via Michael G]

The post Privacy. Good One. first appeared on The War on Guns.

Drive Like A Spy: Escape and Evade with an Ex-CIA Agent

by Dave Merrill in Recoil on 2025-12-30T16:36:43Z

Skills like these aren't limited to the silver screen. Even normal people can benefit from knowing how to drive like a spy!

With Republicans Like These…

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T16:27:50Z

The sole Republican candidate running for North Carolina’s 22nd state Senate district is turning heads after donning a Niqab-style face veil in her candidate photo and voting for Democrats in past elections despite her new GOP candidacy. [More] I haven’t been able to find a campaign website or social media account to nail down her … Continue reading "With Republicans Like These…"

The post With Republicans Like These… first appeared on The War on Guns.

Triggering Shirley Haters

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T16:11:01Z

“Sr. Legal Affairs Reporter, @POLITICO,” eh, Josh? A “real reporter,” not one of those “amateurs” you “Authorized Journalists” look down your noses at! As long as you’re opening that door, y’ever hear of Bill Clinton’s Rules of Engagement? [Via WiscoDave] .

The post Triggering Shirley Haters first appeared on The War on Guns.

Century Arms has expanded its AP5 series with two “Navy” models that blend classic MP5-inspired design with modern tactical readiness. The AP5-N “Navy” and AP5P-N “Navy” offer distinct form factors aimed at shooters seeking roller-delayed blowback performance and period-correct Naval styling in a ready-to-shoot configuration.

So Much for ‘Citizen’s Arrest’

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T15:53:59Z

North Carolina Man Charged With ‘HATE CRIMES and KIDNAPPING’ After Detaining Hispanic Men Who RAMMED His Truck and Tried to Flee [More] This is the reality we live in. React accordingly. [Via bondmen]

The post So Much for ‘Citizen’s Arrest’ first appeared on The War on Guns.

Forgetting Their Place

by admin in The War on Guns on 2025-12-30T15:43:46Z

A father and son living in Alabama pleaded guilty in Laredo, Texas, to attempting to traffick over 500 weapons and a cache of ammunition over the border. Emilio Ramirez Cortes, 48, a Mexican citizen who legally resides in Albertville, Alabama, and his son, Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz, 23, also of Albertville, have now admitted to … Continue reading "Forgetting Their Place"

The post Forgetting Their Place first appeared on The War on Guns.

Ex-police chief made false claims in high-profile case, prosecutors say [More] Yeah, but look who’s accusing him. [Via bondmen]

The post We’re the Only Ones Bearing False Witness Enough? first appeared on The War on Guns.

Three Days Above 11,000 Steps

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T15:34:27Z

A Post-Christmas IDPA Match

by David in Musings Over a Barrel on 2025-12-30T14:03:00Z

I’m not getting to the range nearly as often as I’d like. Even so, deciding to shoot the Cavalier IDPA match just two days after Christmas wasn’t an easy call. With family visiting for the holidays, it would have been easy to stay home — but instead I headed out early Saturday morning to spend the day shooting with friends.

Realizing I hadn’t fired a single live round since October’s IDPA match gave me some pause. A sore back, creaky knees, and “old man eyes” don’t help either. Still, the point is really the fun of the sport and the camaraderie — not the score. That was the mantra I repeated to myself during the morning drive.

Our squad was on the large side, and the match staff clearly set out to increase the round count. Four of the five stages featured multiple strings, which naturally extended the time required to complete each course of fire.

The first stage we shot was a straightforward “stand and shoot” skills test. Eight paper targets and four steel were arranged symmetrically. One string had us engage four paper and two steel on one side, followed by a second, separately timed string on the opposite side. As a twist, starting magazines for each string were downloaded to just five rounds.



The next challenge was the dreaded two-string, one-handed shooting stage. Standing in a shooting box, we completed the first string shooting strong-hand only (SHO), engaging four targets. The second string required weak-hand-only (WHO) shooting. One of the four targets was hung upside down, which caught more than a few shooters — myself included — sending rounds a bit too high for the -0 circle.

A not-quite-traditional IDPA stage followed. Six targets were positioned around barrel stacks — two on each side and two in the center — with three tables placed across the stage. All magazines were downloaded to just four rounds, with a maximum of four magazines allowed. One magazine was placed on each table, with the final table allowing an optional fourth. The firearm started empty and holstered.



This stage was also shot in two strings and felt distinctly USPSA-inspired. Starting a few feet behind the first table, we loaded at the table, engaged the associated target array, then moved to the center table to reload and engage the center targets, repeating the process at the final table. The second string reversed the direction of travel. The unconventional format brought plenty of smiles, laughter, and good-natured ribbing — especially as shooters hurriedly reloaded magazines off the clock between strings.

The next-to-last stage was a “sit and shoot” course. The loaded firearm and all magazines were placed on a table and all shots were from a seated position. A tall table and low chair made for some awkward positioning. Again shot in two strings, the first required engaging four targets with two body shots each. The second string required one head shot on each of five targets. A couple of overlaid non-threats added an extra layer of difficulty.



My final stage of the day was a full movement course. Fourteen targets were arranged along a curving path behind a mix of low and upright walls. All targets were oriented sideways, representing a pack of attacking animals. They presented varying amounts of exposed head and body, with occasional non-threats mixed in. Unfortunately, I neglected to grab a photo of the setup.

The stage brief required each target to be neutralized with either one head shot or two body shots — shooter’s choice. I opted for the body-shot option, reasoning that more rounds but faster shooting would benefit in the end, though a fair number of shooters chose the 14-shot head-only route. I really enjoyed this stage, particularly the opportunity to shoot on the move.

Overall, I was pleased with how I shot. Though I no longer consider myself competitive, I still enjoy the activity. I had a few misses, but I’ll gladly take the small victories: no non-threat hits and no procedural errors. Best of all, I got to reconnect with some old friends, including a few I hadn’t seen or chatted with in many years.

Normally, this is where I’d say I’m already looking forward to the next match. Unfortunately, the host club announced that the monthly match is moving to a different weekend, one that conflicts with another long-standing commitment. As a result, opportunities to shoot this particular match will likely be few and far between.

Though longer-than-expected, the day was thoroughly enjoyable. Despite a late-afternoon return home, there was still time for dinner, a couple of football games on the TV, and the continuation of holiday time with family. All in all, it was a good way to spend a winter Saturday.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]
Ed Brown Products is marking a significant milestone with the release of the Kobra Carry 25th Anniversary, celebrating a quarter century of what the company describes as its most popular and longest-running custom 1911 model. First introduced in 2000, the Kobra Carry quickly distinguished itself by combining features that would later become widely adopted across the 1911 market, while remaining closely associated with Ed Brown’s own design language.
Quote of the Day when your subconscious believes something, it will manipulate your perception of reality to reinforce your belief that you’re right vik @vikhyatkPosted on X, December 26, 2025 This is known as Confirmation Bias. This is why potential … Continue reading

A BRUTAL YEAR FOR GUN MAGAZINES

by Mas in on 2025-12-30T14:00:00Z

I had known beforehand that American Rifleman, the publication of the NRA, was going to go quarterly from monthly, but it was still a bit of a shock when it happened. So was losing a couple of the NRA’s other great magazines, Shooting Illustrated and the one devoted entirely to gun owners’ civil rights issues, […]
As 2025 wraps up, Avery Skipalis looks back at the year as she covered GLOCK’s platform, its people and the exciting brand advancements coming in the New Year.

Automotif DCVI...

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2025-12-30T13:55:00Z


I was a big fan of the Jaguar XJS as a kid and I still kind of am. Sure, it's a lot less sporty than the E-type that preceded it, but I have a thing for long-legged grand tourers.

If I won the lottery, I wouldn't say anything, but there would be signs. (I'd have to win the lottery, because a thirty-plus year old twelve cylinder Jag is not the sort of car I'd want to keep running on a shoestring budget.)

This one was photographed with an Olympus E-5 and the Panasonic Leica 14-150mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens.

Big Dip

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2025-12-30T13:31:00Z

We'd had a string of unseasonably warm weather locally, culminating in a Sunday afternoon high temperature of 67°F, and then the front blew through.

It was quite the front, too. Booms of thunder, which is not typical late December weather for Indianapolis, and they even reported a tornado out in Linton, in Greene County.

After midnight the temperature had dropped below freezing and when the alarm went off here at Roseholme Cottage at 0600 on Monday morning it was down to 23°F, falling to 21°F by sunrise.

When I walked to lunch at 11 o'clock, it was only seventeen degrees out there, with a steady 20mph wind gusting to 35.

It's 14 now, with a light dusting of snow on the ground. I wish it would make up its mind.

.

The Most Beautiful Temporary Housing Ever

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T13:27:43Z

Over the last few years, our daughter has arranged vacations for all of us that were often memorably unique. This last year in Paris we stayed in a hotel in Paris which was a retrofitted fin de siecle or early 20th century building.  

The elevator was right out of a Monty Python skit. It was just big enough for my wife, myself, and one overnight bag.  (One, not two.)  

The bedroom had one meter between queen size bed and window.  Had this been that Monty Python skit, at least two of us would have rolled out the window during the night.

The bathroom was so small and odd that I became stuck in the tub.  The shower had only one door so I took a bath.  Then I discovered that I could not pull myself out.  The surface was so slippery and my upper body strength was so depleted after the double bypass surgery that I was unable pull myself up.  My daughter had the brilliant solution of me putting on my hiking boots to get enough friction to push myself out.

All memorable.   Even that Paris Monty Python skit hotel was at least well located: dominated by the Eiffel Tower, walking distance to the Seine and Notre Dame.

We are in a condo in Orange Beach, Alabama. It is 3 bedrooms on the top floor of a 15 story tower.


I wish there was an easy way in the Blogger app to change picture orientation. 

And all for $300 per night!

The beach was cold and windy (maybe 35 before windchill).  The water was in the 60s. If you got in, you were staying until summer.

Building is still underway and this pelican seemed unafraid of people. 


Image of grizzly bear  by Troy Nemitz, used with permission.   

 

In an article published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, Italian researchers mapped the genetics of European Marsican Brown bears (ursus arctos). They found evidence indicating the bears had been selected by human hunting pressure to be less aggressive. From yale.edu:

 To investigate, Italian researchers mapped the genes of Marsican bears and compared them with the genes of brown bears in Slovakia and the U.S. Their study, published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, found clear evidence that the Marsican bears had been selected for lower aggression.

The study has confirmed what naturalists, ranchers, hunters and wildlife managers  assumed to be true. Grizzly bears (ursus arctos) in the lower 48 states of the United States were known as especially aggressive since they became widely known in the Anglosphere after the Lewis and Clark expedition. Lewis and Clark first reported on ursus arctos as described to them by Indians on the Missouri river. From the Lewis and Clark Journals, Lewis, April 13, 1805:

 the Indians give a very formidable account of the strengh and ferocity of this anamal, which they never dare to attack but in parties of six eight or ten persons; and are even then frequently defeated with the loss of one or more of their party.

Lewis at first thought the "white" (ursus arctos) bears were actually wary and shy:

  tho' we continue to see many tracks of the bear we have seen but very few of them, and those are at a great distance generally runing from us; I thefore presume that they are extreemly ware and shy; the Indian account of them dose not corrispond with our experience so far.

Their experience and opinion of grizzly bears (ursus arctos) soon changed to concur with what they had heard from the Indians. From Lewis, May 11, 1805:

I must confess that I do not like the gentlemen and had reather fight two Indians than one bear; there is no other chance to conquer them by a single shot but by shooting them through the brains, and this becomes difficult in consequence of two large muscles which cover the sides of the forehead and the sharp projection of the center of the frontal bone, which is also of a pretty good thickness.  

In 100 years of settlement and intense hunting, ursos arctos in the Americas had been selected so only those who fled from humans survived. The last 50 of those years included the development and wide spread use of cartridge firearms. One of the last redoubts of the grizzly population in the lower 48 states was in the mountains of the New Mexico/Arizona border. Montague Stevens spent years actively hunting grizzly bears in the area, from 1889 to 1901. In his book, Meet Mr. Grizzly, he says, on page 251:

 He will seldom attack a man unless the latter first molests him. As a matter of fact, he would rather run away than fight.

Stephen Herrero believed selection by hunting was the reason black bears seldom attack people. The same logic applies to grizzly bears. From his paper:

It is well known among dog breeders that it is possible to selectively breed for or against aggression. It is highly likely that this selection would also be possible for bears.

The reverse is also true. If humans do not select out aggressive bears, bears which are willing to be aggressive are favored, because they have access to human related food supplies. Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are much more aggressive than grizzly bears in Alaska, where hunting of ursus arctos is commonly allowed. It only takes a few generations for bears to learn to be aggressive and to reinforce aggression as a viable selection force. In the lower 48 states the federal government has enforced a ban on hunting for roughly 10 generations of grizzly bears (at about 5 years per generation). At the beginning of this vast experiment, the State of Montana Department of Fish and Game submitted a statement pleading for regulated hunting. From the federal register,  FR-1975-07-28, p. 31735:

 By contrast, a regulated sport hunt, will create an adequate fear of man. In a seasonal sport hunt, bears are exposed to relatively large numbers of humans for a limited time, and consequently learn to avoid all areas where humans are encountered. It is this avoidance of man which will reduce numerous depredations and threats to human safety. 

In 1975, the Montana wildlife managers believed a hunting take of 25 bears a year would be sufficient to maintain an aversion to humans by grizzly bears.

The relatively small population of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states now kill more people than 20 times their population does in Alaska. From 1975 to present, 24 people have been killed by wild ursus arctos in the lower 48 states. During the same period, 20 people were killed by wild ursus arctos in Alaska.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch
 

 

 

 


MI: Detroit - Disarm? Home Invader Shot, Steals Gun

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2025-12-30T12:30:00Z

Shooting: #DetroitPolice 9th Precinct to Fairport & Collingham on reports of a shooting. 911 caller reports shooting a home invader. #DetroitFire's Engine 50 & DEMS Medic 1 also responding. No GSW victim at the location, The home invaders fled the scene after stealing the victims gun according to dispatch audio. No victim has shown up at local hospitals, so far. The person with a GSW is reportedly a B/M with a GSW to the leg. He and another B/M fled the scene in a 2012 black Jeep Cherokee according to dispatch audio. NE #Detroit
Update: A GSW victim has apparently shown up at a hospital outside the city, MCSO notified DPD according to dispatch audio.


More Here


Meme Dump!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2025-12-30T12:10:00Z




Are You Living in the Margins?

by SLG in pistol-training.com on 2025-12-30T12:00:00Z

A lot of talk in the shooting community revolves around tiny differences in performance. This is natural and in some ways helpful. In most ways and for most shooters though, it is detrimental. Our interest here is in shooting and the only way to get good at shooting is to go out and train. Training […]

So… they’re stuck at home?

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2025-12-30T11:30:00Z

India is pitching a hissy because a large number of their citizens who returned home to renew their H-1B visas are having their appointments canceled and so are stuck at home. Of course the Indian government is referring to this as ‘stranded’. How one can be stranded at home is truly beyond me, however. The […]

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 30, 2025

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-30T07:04:35Z

On December 30, 1861, Associated Banks in New York City — innovators in credit clearing circles (pictured above) — halted gold payments to government and investors, to disrupt Abraham Lincoln‘s US bank reform program. — December 30, 1865 was the birthday of Rudyard Kipling. — Today’s feature article is a product review, written by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — We need more entries for Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $978,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 122 ends on January 31st, 2026, so get busy writing and …

The post Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 30, 2025 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

FrogLube Gun Care Products, by Thomas Christianson

by Thomas Christianson in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-30T07:03:11Z

I recently tested a number of FrogLube products for effectiveness for firearms cleaning, lubrication, and corrosion resistance. I tested FrogLube Lubricant-Protectant and FrogLube Extreme Lubricant and Preservative for corrosion resistance. I tested FrogLube Super Degreaser and FrogLube Solvent for cleaning. I tested FrogLube Extreme Lubricant and Preservative for its effectiveness as a lubricant. My standard gun care products are kerosene for cleaning and Breakfree CLP for lubrication and corrosion resistance. I found the performance of FrogLube products to be roughly comparable to my standards under temperate conditions. In my limited testing, I felt that FrogLube Extreme Lubricant and Preservative was …

The post FrogLube Gun Care Products, by Thomas Christianson appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-30T07:02:40Z

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. News Video: Montana rancher begins to excavate potentially record-setting T-Rex. (Pictured above is a smaller T. Rex that was found in Alberta.) In north Idaho, two new Destination Rove videos: New roof before winter hits?, and  Bonus: Yamaha vs. Arctic Cat ATV. Fascinating video: Montana Predator Trail Camera Videos. Send Your Media Links Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos …

The post SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2025-12-30T07:01:24Z

“Pride slays thanksgiving, but a humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.” – Henry Ward Beecher

The post The Editors’ Quote Of The Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T03:47:06Z

I mentioned a couple days ago about Australia deciding that not only they need even stricter gun control laws that do not work but free speech also needed some restrictions.

12/23/25 Telegraph quoting the New South Wales premier:
I acknowledge that we don’t have the same free speech rules that they have in the United States and I make no apologies for that, we have got a responsibility to knit together our community, that comes from different races and religions.”

As the article points out, America is pretty multicultural and still has free speech.

We Left New Orleans Today

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-30T03:47:06Z

On our way along the Gulf Coast we saw a sign for the Jefferson Davis Home & Presidential Library.  I thought it odd that there was a Ppresidential library for a traitor.  Only after paying admission did I notice it was not the government that operated it but the Sons of Confederate Veterans.   If you are thinking of the scene at the (Klaus) Barbie Museum in the incredibly funny Rat Race, good.  Not that odd or funny but the gift shop had stuff that would appeal to Lost Causers.

The tour of Davis' home (after his release from prison) was well done and not offensive to history.   (One minor error: Library of Congress has never used Dewey Decimal system numbering.  This is a pretty deep in the weeds tangent to the docent's presentation. 

The house sits right on the Gulf Coast and became for several decades a Veterans home.

Let us see if we can understand this during the gap between Christmas and New Years, when every agency and many news organizations are either on vacation or have their third-string people struggling through. Look, a lot of Americans don’t … Continue reading

Best Smith & Wesson 9mm Pistols

by WesKL in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-30T01:00:00Z

Specs

Remembering

by Pawpaw in PawPaw's House on 2025-12-30T00:39:00Z

 If you were an Armor of Caverly Officer in the70s or 80s, there were three places woven into the knowledge base of those who served.  Grafenwoehr in Germany, Camp Casey in Korea, and Area 5 North at Fort Knox.

I didn't know Belle when I was a soldier.  We met after I had retired.  I was reminiscing tonight about the times I spent at Knox and she commented that the next time we were in Kentucky, we needed to take an extra day and visit the post.  Knox is no longer the home of Armor and Cavalry, it is now some sort of Finance Center.  I pulled up Google Maps and started looking for places that were instrumental during my younger years.

My basic training barracks is gone.  The place where I billeted the company I commanded is gone. The housing area where I lived has been bulldozed. The one place that the Army could not bulldoze is still there.  Area 5 North, a maneuver area thoroughly revied by everyone who spent miserable weeks on that piece of ground.  The scars are still there and can be seen from space.

That is one small portion of it.  A platoon-sized maneuver area where I spent many a miserable day learning the trade.  About four grid squares in total, Big enough for a young officer to screw up, mire his tank, learn to recover it.  a joyous place of mud and cold and diesel fumes. Did I mention mudholes? Fond memories.

This was only one small portion of the training area, which encompassed several dozen square miles.  Still it seemed that this portion is the one I recall most vividly.
Winter conditions and a steady wind set the stage for today’s Photo of the Day, featuring the Schmeisser Pro Hunter  with its 18-inch barrel, chambered in .223 Remington and finished in FDE. Topped with the brand-new Schmidt & Bender 3–18×42 META riflescope , this setup represents a modern, precision-focused hunting and crossover rifle configuration. The META optic, equipped with the new SBX reticle in the first focal plane, was put straight to work under less-than-forgiving conditions.

The Rimfire Report: Round 2 With the KR-22

by Luke C. in The Firearm Blog on 2025-12-30T00:00:00Z

About 3 months ago, I had just finished my first two-range sessions with the TriStar Arms (Kral Arms) KR-22 rifle . This 10/22 magazine-compatible Turkish plinker didn’t really impress me after my first couple of outings with it, and now, three months down the road, I’ve put another 1,000 rounds through the rifle, and I was actually able to get a little bit better performance out of it the more I shot it. Today, I’ll share my updated results with you, as we take a second look at this quite peculiar Turkish rimfire rifle that has a ton of great factory features, takes Ruger mags, and is still only about $250 .

French Quarter Road Signs

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-29T23:44:25Z

French Quarter street signs not up where you would expect but in the sidewalk 

My wife pointed out that if you sitting atop a carriage, looking down at the sidewalk makes sense.


"I Am So Trained!'

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2025-12-29T23:06:22Z

12/27/25 Los Angeles Times:

An hour after midnight Jan. 1, as a small brush fire blazed across Topanga State Park, a California State Parks employee texted the Los Angeles Fire Department’s heavy equipment supervisor to find out if they were sending in bulldozers.

“Heck no that area is full of endangered plants,” Capt. Richard Diede replied at 9:52 a.m, five hours after LAFD declared the fire contained.

“I would be a real idiot to ever put a dozer in that area,” he wrote. “I’m so trained.”


 

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