All Outdoor

The AR-7 has to be one of the most resilient .22LR caliber platforms, and it was originally designed by famed AR-15 designer Eugene Stoner. As Armalite was being formed by Lockhead and Fairchild, their first actual developed and released firearm was the AR-5/MA-1. This was a bolt action, 4-shot, .22 Hornet survival rifle for the US military, and it was the immediate bolt action precursor the AR-7. It was an odd looking design where the barrel and action could be fully and compactly stored in the high tech stock which would float, a handy feature if you were a pilot downed in water. The AR-5 and AR-7 are of the same design, with the exception of the semi-auto action and .22LR caliber changes.

When it was originally released, the massive plastic stock and aluminum receiver on the AR-5 was one of the most significant uses of plastics and aluminum on any gun; it was a groundbreaking innovation like none other. As Armalite submitted the design to the military, they realized through the development of the AR-5 that polymers, plastics, and light weight were the future of firearms. That spark of innovation started by a goofy looking little rifle lead to the first AR10 prototypes a year later in 1955-1956, and then later the AR-15 series of rifles using new space age polymers and light weight alloys. Yes, the AR-5 and AR-7 s

The quality of production gear, knives and flashlights, has never been higher.  But there is something so nice about a truly unique piece.  Even if the gap between custom and production is narrowing, often the reason to buy a custom is to get something made just the way you want.  There is also a bit of exclusively that is hard to ignore.  Lots of folks have a Spyderco Dragonfly, but with a custom its likely a one-off made just for you.  But customs are expensive and really most of the time you don’t get to actually do anything other than say what you want.  That urge to tinker is strong, and so a few months ago I decided to take a production knife and make it my own.

Its important to start out at the shallow end of the knife modifying and customizing pool.  Your not going to do be doing a Ron Lake interframe inlay right out of the gate (or ever, quite frankly; that is a skill set vanishingly few people possess).  Choose something you can handle, like, well a knife to rehandle. 

I had a Kershaw Skyline Fixed Blade that I could tackle.  It is an excellent fixed blade with two flaws–a thin handle and an awful sheath.  The plan was to remove the filthy orange handle scales (that’s the mildest damage a

I came across this post on Reddit that gathered free PDF files of popular survival literature. So before you think about buying, check out the list below for free! Any others we should add to this list?

• SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman
• US Air Force Survival Training Manual by The Department of the Air Force TAKES A LONG TIME TO LOAD BUT IT LOADS
• How to Stay Alive in the Woods by Bradford Angier
• Where There Is No Doctor by David Werner
• Traps and Snares – Tangle, Dangle, Strangle or Mangle

We all love to shoot those wonderful 5.56 and .223 caliber AR-15s, but I can almost hear two quarters being shot out the ejection port with each round fired. AR shooting is fun, but can get expensive if you are just screwing around plinking, doing short range training, or want a versatile preparedness or hunting accessory for your AR-15. The cheap-to-shoot .22LR calibered alternatives have become a compromise for shooters to choose one of several options when they want to save a little money.

There are dedicated .22LR AR-15s, drop-in conversion kits, restocked 10/22s, and dedicated .22LR AR uppers. The ATI – Chiappa M4-22 upper is the later and is a complete .22LR upper you can just bolt up to your existing milspec AR-15 lower. Dedicated uppers are very similar to drop-in bolt/conversion kits operationally and use the same Black Dog (brand) compatible .22LR magazines, but dedicated uppers feature a dedicated .22LR barrel.

The primary advantages of dedicated uppers are

There are .22 AR-15s and then there is the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22. It has been the number one selling .22LR format AR-15 on the market since its introduction for good reason: it works, it’s pretty accurate, and it operates exactly in every aspect like your standard AR-15. And, of course ,it can pay for itself in only a couple thousand rounds.

The abuse my S&W M&P 15-22 has endured has been impressive. That includes being continuously banged about while hanging from a single point sling with the flash hider often getting jammed into the range’s gravel as I transition from rifle to pistol. Cleaning has been a vigorous spray down with WD-40 and pulling a Bore Snake through it. The point being, the rifle has been treated poorly and it still works perfectly. The most significant advantage of the S&W M&P 15-22 is that it is the only .22LR AR which functions perfectly as a training analog for reloads and mag changes.

Telegraph Media Group aired a news story about a shipwrecked man who washed up to a remote Pacific atoll after spending 16 months adrift. He floated up to 8,000 miles from Mexico and survived by eating turtles, birds, fish and drinking turtle blood.

It sounds like a rushed news report because the guy is still stranded on the island. The government only has one plane that can land at Ebon and it is currently down for maintenance. Officials are considering sending a boat to pick up the castaway. A boat to pick up a cast away?

I look forward to hearing more about this man’s story and history when they finally get him to the main land.

Since much of North America has been under multiple feet of white, fluffy Global Warming lately, many of my friends have gone stir-crazy. One of the solutions to cabin fever lies in creative uses of coherent light. Just like cats can be kept entertained with lasers, so can shooters.

While indoor ranges are fine for some things, reactive shooting isn’t one of them. Designed by ICE Training (Hi, Rob!) and produced by Laserlyte in 380ACP, 9×19, 40S&W and 45ACP, the laser cartridges are designed to emit a brief burst of red light when the firing pin makes contact with the rubberized switch. The brass-bodied catridge itself sports a rebated case head, so striker-fired pistols can be re-cocked without it coming out of the chamber. Three included button batteries last over a thousand activations, and Laserlyte also sells a light-sensitive target.

The laser cartridge can be oriented consistently and zeroed to fine-tune the l

I just bought a new handgun that I had no intention of buying. At least, I had no intention of buying it until I held it and thoroughly inspected it, and then succumbed to an impulse purchase.

It all started with a 10 percent discount coupon for the local Bass Pro Shops Members Only night.

I went with the goal of once again looking at the Browning version of their mini-1911 model in .22 long rifle. I admit it is a neat little gun, but “little” is the operative word. My big mitts just swallowed it up to the point that handling it was not giving me a comfortable feeling. So, I searched the glass gun display cabinet in more detail. Then my eyes caught the Colt.

Normally, I completely vet a firearm model before I invest in it. I look up Internet product reviews, scan You-Tube videos on the gun, and shop around for the best prices. I do a Gun Broker search, too, to see market prices, and other details. I will investigate the manufacturer’s web site to get specs and details on features. I usually find the gun at a shop to handle it several different times before making a final decision to buy it. Sometimes I change my mind, like I did on the Browning. I did none of this on the Colt 1911-22. It made me nervous.

However, I am here to report that the post-purchase investigation was all good. Every review t

Some consider back-up sights a must-have and some do not. I like them for one simple reason — once those sights are zero’ed, red dots can be moved easily from rifle to rifle and easily rezero’ed just by using the backup sights. When mounting scopes the sights can usually be folded out of the way to mount the scope, but in many cases the rear sights need to removed. This clearance issue is one of the major challenges Midwest Industries worked to overcome with their very low-profile flip-up profile sight package.

Securely mounting the MI low-profile flip-up front and rear sights is a simple affair and requires only the included allen wrench. I have handled a few folding back up sights which are a little loose, but the Midwest Industries sights are tight and solid, and are smooth operating due to the ball bearing detents.

SOG Knives has partnered with AllOutdoor.com to give you the opportunity to win a SOG Backcountry Axe!

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Giveaway ends on February 28, 2014. One winner will be announced the week of March 3rd. If you do not have a Facebook account, just enter your email and comment below to be entered to win!

One man’s loss is another man’s gain… at least in this story.

From Ohio Birds and Biodiversity:

A man that has a trail camera on his land recently had its lens pointed at a White-tailed Deer carcass that was most likely lost by a hunter. Little did he know that he was about to witness something pretty darn amazing!

A Golden Eagle, its namesake nape aglow, eyes the venison steak. This photo and the others were taken on the morning of December 22nd – last Sunday. Golden Eagles are quite rare at any time in Ohio. Ohio maybe gets a half-dozen reports annually in migration, mid-March thru April and October/November being prime times. Overwintering birds are few and far between, but might be showing an ever so slight uptick.

From Ohio Birds and Biodiversity

TIHK has a patent pending handcuff key that essentially clips on to your clothing and can be used to escape unlawful detainment with standard Peerless-style handcuffs. The product is specifically intended for law enforcement, military, and security professionals that may be restrained with their own cuffs.

From Tihk.co

From Tihk.co

Its minimal and low-profile design is advertised as a great addition to your EDC. But what about the criminals you say? The notice section on TIHK’s website says,

TIHK is to only be used to coun

After searching for quite some time to expand U.S. manufacturing outside of Maryland, Beretta USA has chosen Gallatin, Tennessee for its reputation as a gun friendly state.

Tennessean.com reports on the transition.

Franco Gussalli Beretta, Executive Vice President and a Director of Beretta USA mentions:

We’re convinced we could find no better place than Tennessee to establish our new manufacturing enterprise.

Beretta expects to add 300 employees in Gallatin by the third or fourth year of operations. They will still keep and operate the manufacturing plant in Maryland, but employees may choose to move to Gallatin instead.

Italian gun-maker Beretta USA plans to make Gallatin its manufacturing base in the United States, announcing plans Wednesday to invest $45 million in a firearms plant that will initially employ 300 workers.

Tennessee’s reputation as a gun-friendly state was key to the Sumner County city landing its biggest economic development win since clothing retailer Gap Inc. opened a distribution center two decades ago.

Beretta, meanwhile, is negotiating with Gallatin officials to buy 100 acres at the Gal

So you want to learn sniping for its utility in a survival situation. Very good. A competent rifleman is quite a force, especially since we the people generally lack heavier arms than rifles these days. Third-world tribesmen have heavier weapons but not free Americans, no Sir! So sniping it is. That worked well for the Boers…until the British went into a full-contact fight.

WW2 vintage Mosin sniper rifle isn’t particularly accurate, but was adequate because Soviet snipers tended to shoot from closer range than their competitors.

The first question is: “What kind of sniping?” Police sniping doesn’t seem very relevant: it’s usually done at ranges under 60 yards for the purpose of instantly stopping hostage takers. Legitimate police sniping, that is. There’s also the Lon Horiuchi variety that follows slightly looser rules of engagement. Hunters are snipers of a kind as well: the term itself comes from wingshooting pa

Long before urban survivalism, humans had to develop ways to survive the day in harsh landscapes before technological advances made life a bit more manageable. One such strategy was concocting hardy foods using the resources available from the local ecosystem. Pemmican, a recipe attributed to the Cree people who hail from Canada, is one result of these recipes. A hardy mixture of protein and fat, pemmican is a dense edible high in energy. It resembles a sort of dried meatball, and it’s a great survival food source because it’s easy to make and preserve for long periods of time.

HQ, who runs homesteading and survival blog HQCreations, recently shared her experiences with pemmican.

Photo courtesy of HQCreations.

Pemmican is “the original energy bar: a concentration of fats and proteins supposedly invented by the natives of North America,” she says. “Arctic and Antarctic explorers lived on this stuff! Under the right conditions, pemmican can keep for a longtime. If it goes rancid, heh, y

Long before urban survivalism, humans had to develop ways to survive the day in harsh landscapes before technological advances made life a bit more manageable. One such strategy was concocting hardy foods using the resources available from the local ecosystem. Pemmican, a recipe attributed to the Cree people who hail from Canada, is one result of these recipes. A hardy mixture of protein and fat, pemmican is a dense edible high in energy. It resembles a sort of dried meatball, and it’s a great survival food source because it’s easy to make and preserve for long periods of time.

HQ, who runs homesteading and survival blog HQCreations, recently shared her experiences with pemmican.

Photo courtesy of HQCreations.

Pemmican is “the original energy bar: a concentration of fats and proteins supposedly invented by the natives of North America,” she says. “Arct

So you want to learn sniping for its utility in a survival situation. Very good. A competent rifleman is quite a force, especially since we the people generally lack heavier arms than rifles these days. Third-world tribesmen have heavier weapons but not free Americans, no Sir! So sniping it is. That worked well for the Boers…until the British went into a full-contact fight.

WW2 vintage Mosin sniper rifle isn’t particularly accurate, but was adequate because Soviet snipers tended to shoot from closer range than their competitors.

The first question is: “What kind of sniping?” Police sniping doesn’t seem very relevant: it’s usually done at ranges under 60 yards for the purpose of instantly stopping hostage takers. Legitimate police sniping, that is. There’s also the Lon Horiuchi v

Forty years ago when I started deer hunting, the standard for hunting boots were either army surplus leather boots, lace up work boots, or rubber farm boots, none of which were considered insulated. If they were advertised as “insulated” then all that meant was a layer of thin foam was put between the outside leather and the inner sock liner. They were not warm, and they soaked up water like a sponge.

If that were not bad enough, most hunters wore cotton socks. You might as well keep bare feet as to expect cotton socks to keep feet warm. As you walked, usually your feet sweated and there was no where for that moisture to go but into the socks. Cotton absorbed that moisture until finally your feet felt like they were encased in a block of ice, which was not too far from the truth if the outside temperatures were that cold.

I forget when the first truly modern, hunter designed boots came on the market. Brand names like Browning, L.L.Bean, Kenetrek and others broke the ice. Later Muck and LaCrosse introduced high quality insulated rubber pull on boots. Slowly but surely decent boots did arrive and hunters were quick to adapt to them.

Scientifically engineered insulation materials began to show up, too. Today we know them by the trade names like Thinsulate ® in various gram thickness layers or in

Kiku Matsuda is a custom knife maker of international renown. He not only makes excellent and unique knives, but they are widely appreciated for their ability to withstand hard use. Despite their unusual aesthetics they are not art knives or show knives–these are pieces designed to do real work.

Up until three years ago SOG Knives were designed almost exclusively by the company president Spencer Fraiser. Fraiser either borrowed liberally from classic designs, as he did with the beloved SOG Vietnam-era bowie designs, or the knives were entirely his work. It is an impressive output, both in terms of number of and quality. But I would imagine all of that design work was exhausting and so perhaps for the first time, SOG opened up to outside designers and Kiku Matsuda was one of the first they choose. The first knife of this collaboration was a very different fixed blade–essentially Fraiser and Kiku worked together on the design and then Kiku made it for SOG in very, very small numbers, releasing a handful of blades over about a year. After that they scaled up and made a very nice production fixed blade of similar design with a striking hammered pattern on the blade. Then, last year, they released a pair of Kiku designed folders&#82

In this video you will learn how to make your very own Spring Snare Trap. Watch the step by step process below and report back on how it goes.