07/04/2026
This weekend marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
When I was a boy, my dad gave me two R***r Bicentennial firearms—a Number 1 and a Super Blackhawk. Both still carry the factory stamp from 1976: “Made in the 200th Year of American Liberty.”
They’ve been with me through a lot of great times since he bought them 50 years ago. More than just guns from a specific moment, they represent the hunting tradition my father passed down: respect for the animals, the land, and the self-reliance that comes with chasing game in big, wild places.
As we look ahead, the real question for western hunters isn’t what we carry from the past—it’s what kind of stewards we’ll be for the next 250 years. The backcountry we hunt, the public lands that make it possible, and the ethics we pass to the next generation.
To everyone out there still putting in the miles this season—keep carrying it forward.
And, I know we’ve been a little quiet here of late. Stay tuned, there’s lots of stuff happening behind the scenes and news to come shortly!
-Jon Lucas, Founder at KGS