The season’s upon us. Soon, Badass Santa will climb into his sleigh and soar into the night sky on his magical mission to bring trade goods to the world. Surely, Badass Santa is packing a Sleigh Gun. Oh, yes, there is such a thing — a large-bore muzzleloader cut down to the perfect size to manage in a sleigh. Here’s a collection of Swedish … [Read more...] about Firearms Of The Frontier Partisans — Sleigh Gun

The army is in great spirits, and full of rage and ferocity at the rebellious rascals, who both poisoned and chewed the musket balls, in order to make them the more fatal. — Lt. John Waller, British 2nd Marine Battalion, Bunker Hill What now? Chewed musket balls? Yes, this was a thing — though what kind if thing it actually was is still a bit of … [Read more...] about Working The Trapline — Chewed Balls, The Furiosa & The Great Highland Pipes

“It is doubtful whether any other firearm in existence has shed so much human blood as this old rifle.” — W.W.H. Davis, Bucks County Historical Society    If you ever have a yearning to follow obscure tracks into dense thickets where you might get turned around and lost for days (or weeks, or years) at a time, you could do worse than … [Read more...] about Firearms Of The Frontier Partisans — The Edward Marshall Rifle

There is a game of thrones afoot in South Africa, as the newly inaugurated Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini faces challenges to his succession. The new King hunted and killed a lion in a ceremonial rite of his ascension — but it was probably the easiest aspect of his journey. From Unherd.com: The 48-year-old King is already in trouble. He is … [Read more...] about Working The Trapline — Zulu Game Of Thrones

I hied off down a sidetrail Saturday evening — one populated by hunters and fur traders, Civil War soldiers, Mexican partisans, a Norse god, a wizard and a spirit of forest, field and stream. It was a delightful journey. It started, oddly enough, on Facebook. One of the frontier-related pages I follow — Just Frontier Trash, 1750-1790 — kicked up … [Read more...] about ‘A Pointed Old Hat’

If ever anyone deserved tribute in the engraving of a world-class rifle, it’s J.A. Hunter. I posted about the great African safari hunter here back in 2017. Hunter was a Scotsman who become one of the leading East Africa safari-men of his day, from 1908 through the 1950s. He also wrote several African hunting books that lit the fire of adventure … [Read more...] about Stuff That Works — Hunter Rigby

When I was a frontier-obsessed youth I had a book that was full of non-fiction essays on American Indian topics. I can’t remember the title, but I remember one of the essays, titled Is Geronimo Alive & Well In The South Vietnamese Central Highlands? The thesis was that Americans faced the same kind of elusive guerrillas in Vietnam that we had … [Read more...] about Firearms Of The Frontier Partisans — The Kalashnikov

  The rifle is the iconic tool and weapon of the Frontier Partisan. Through many eras, that tool evolved to be both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing. One can readily appreciate the long, elegant lines of the classic American long rifle that breached the Appalachian divide in the hands of Long Hunters, or the heavy-duty gravitas … [Read more...] about Firearms of The Frontier Partisans — The Glorious Lee-Speed Rifle

It’s just how things roll in our world of digital surveillance: You do one little post on the Espada Ancha, and suddenly it’s knives out. Long knives. Langes Messer. Suddenly every medievalist trader on the internet is trying to sell me a big ol’ hunting sword. There’s a few pirate cutlasses thrown in for good measure. Then this dude pops up, as … [Read more...] about You Don’t Messer Around With Jim