Old American West: Mountain Men and Their Weapons

The Mountain Men of the Old West have lived on in legends written in books and depicted on film, and honored by reenactments in modern-day Rendezvous. Behind the legends and myths there is real history. One of the best books written about the American West and the Mountain Men is – Virgin Land: The American West As Symbol and Myth by Henry Nash Smith; Harvard College, 1950. E-Text of the books is available at the University of Virginia website, part of the American Studies created by Emily Zimmerman. 

Weapons of Choice: Savage Model A17

  Savage has worked on a rifle that will properly fire the .17 HMR cartridge in a semi-automatic rifle for a little over two years. While the .17 HMR has been around in bolt-action rifles for some time, the modernized so-called 'varmint' ammunition has been an improved cartridge versus the .22 caliber magnum for small game hunting and 100-yard target practice. It is still economical, especially for those who have been using the .223 caliber (5.56mm) for small game hunting rather than using .22 magnum for small game hunting up to the size of boars.

 

Veteran's Day - November 11th, 2015

Ronald Reagan:

We must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have. It is a weapon that we as Americans do have. Let that be understood by those who practice terrorism and prey upon their neighbors.

Thank a veteran today. It is a day for those still alive, not those veterans who have passed on - that is for Memorial Day!