Author: Braxton Taylor
Robert Smalls published a newspaper, established a transportation company and served five terms in the United States Congress. Before those laudable accomplishments, though, Smalls had to secure his freedom.Born into slavery in South Carolina in 1839, Smalls escaped during the Civil War when he commandeered the Planter, a Confederate transport ship, and surrendered to the Union Navy at Charleston Harbor in May 1862. Smalls went on to do great things, but none of them would have been possible if he didn’t risk his life — and the lives of others — by getting himself and his family out of the…
The U.S. Army has nearly tripled its production of 155mm howitzer shells since the Ukraine war began, millions of which have been sent to that country’s front lines. It’s going to miss its goal of making 100,000 per month by October, but likely by just a few months.The service’s current monthly output stands at 40,000, up from 14,500 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than three years ago, according to data provided by the Army. The original plan called for making about twice as many by now.“Several of the investments that we made are just coming online now, a…
Bear Creek Arsenal is now offering complete AR-15 and standalone uppers chambered for .410-bore shotshells. These specialized ARs from Bear Creek Arsenal take the popular .410-bore shells and make it fit in a semi-automatic package. With the exception of the Gen 2 side-charging handle, the Bear Creek BC-15 .410 operates and shares the same manual-of-arms with America’s most popular semi-automatic sporting rifle, the AR-15. Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 .410 Features 20-inch parkerized barrel 15-inch M-Lok rail Bear Creek Arsenal Gen-2 side charging handle Full choke (this shotgun uses a Winchester Invector style choke) 3-inch chamber Bear Creek Arsenal forged aluminum…
The Israeli Defense Forces says it killed another top Iranian commander as Israel continues pressing its “pre-emptive” war against Iran, ostensibly to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Latest: After four days of intense air and missile attacks, Israeli leaders are now “contemplating regime change in the Islamic Republic,” Axios reported Tuesday following various interviews—including this one on Fox—that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given since Sunday. When asked on Fox if “regime change” was part of Israel’s goals, Netanyahu replied, “Could certainly be the result because the Iran regime is very weak.” He reiterated that point several more…
John Brewster “JB” Hodgdon—co-founder of Hodgdon Powder Company—passed away on June 13 at the age of 88. He was born Oct. 16, 1936, to Bruce and Amy Hodgdon, grew up in suburban Kansas City and was a lifelong resident of Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1959 with a degree in business. Hodgdon was active in his hometown, with first responders, Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) and the classic-car community holding special places in his heart. Hodgdon held many positions at the Hodgdon Powder Company. In the early days, he packaged powder at the…
On June 6, President Trump signed two executive orders designed to build back up the U.S. civilian drone industry: one orders various agencies to promote American drone exports, and the other limits government purchases of drones linked to the Chinese government. Whether these measures are too little, too late to turn around a global market that has been dominated by China for over a decade remains to be seen. But what it does miss is that China’s drone industry is not merely a story of civilian systems, but of military ones as well—and a strategic plan that yokes multiple parts…
Vibration, improper installation, pounding recoil and hard use conspire to rattle mounted gun accessories loose. It can be disastrous, so Shooting Illustrated consulted with some of the industry’s foremost experts. The polymers in today’s firearms and accessories provide long-lasting service and deliver combat-proven performance. Run a Google search to discover if thread-locking compound should be used on plastic parts, however, and the AI-generated response warns against doing so—a caution largely fueled by radio-control hobbyists. Gun owners can ignore that answer, according to Jon Canipe, director of Product Management of Firearm Accessories at Magpul. “We always recommend the use of a…
This week Reid and Dan host Grammy-winning artist, Lukas Nelson out in God’s Country. If you’re looking for an episode that covers everything from hunting to busting out into song at any time this is the one. Lukas shares what his life looks like in Maui, including axis deer hunting and recovering from the devastating fires that recently swept the island. He discusses what growing up as Willie Nelson’s son looked like and how it lead him to sobriety in his 30s. The three of them dive in on his new record, American Romance, and his Gravorite will make a…
On this week’s show, Tony explains how most of us hunt off of memories while hoping for success, instead of working toward our deer goals all summer long. Connect with Tony Peterson and MeatEater Tony Peterson on Instagram and Facebook MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop MeatEater Merch Read the full article here
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md.—The Navy envisions future submarine-hunting operations with seamless data sharing between robot and human-piloted aircraft, and a boost from artificial intelligence to make sense of a complex maritime environment. Platforms like Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton and Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon siphon a lot of data from their environment in real time.To make sense of it all and create a comprehensive intelligence and surveillance picture, the Navy uses Minotaur software to stitch several systems together—cameras, communications systems, and radars.“That Minotaur framework is the same framework that will be installed on the future P-8A increment 3 aircraft that are…