Presented by GYG
Monday, December 15, 2025
Good morning! Welcome to The Tradesman, a 5-minute newsletter tailored just for America’s tradesmen—presented by Grab Your Gear.
What were the best pickup trucks of 2025? Scroll down to our Trucking Around section to find out!
Also, be sure to answer our poll below! The questions change every edition, so be on the lookout!
🔫 Bullet Proof
This Gun Helped Set a World Record
The world record for the most expensive AK-47 pattern rifle ever sold at an auction was recently set by the Rock Island Auction Company. Sold for $246,750, the milled receiver Chinese Type 56 fully transferable machine gun, brought back from the Vietnam War, blew past the $130,000 it was expected to sell for.
The gun in question
It is believed this gun was used by the North Vietnamese Army. It wasn’t uncommon for US Army men to bring back weapons like these as trophies. The guns brought back weren’t often registered with the government, as it was illegal to bring foreign weapons into the country, but this particular gun was. Lt. Col. Frank Wolcott registered it with the Treasury Department in November 1968, when the government was providing amnesty for all foreign weapons. Read more about the auction and the gun’s history here!
🚚 Truckin’ Along
What Were the Best Pickup Trucks of 2025?
Now that 2025 is coming to a close and Auto companies are already rolling out their models for 2026, it’s time we take a look back on what models worked and what didn’t. This website took the liberty of ranking the best 2025 pickups based on their size and fuel type, selecting ten trucks for each category. Here are the winners:
At number one for the best compact pickup truck is the 2025 Ford Maverick. The 2025 Ford Ranger Raptor takes the title as the best mid-sized pickup truck, and the 2025 Ram 1500 takes the title of the best full-sized pickup truck. For our fuel type categories, the 2025 Rivian R1T wins best electric pickup truck, the 2025 Ford Maverick takes the best hybrid, and the 2025 Ram HD takes the number one spot for the best diesel pickup truck. To see how other models placed, find the full lists here!
Morning Meme
The Goodie Bag
Encourage, Don’t Critique: When speaking with your partner, replace “You never” with “I’d love if.” Shifting tone invites collaboration, not defense.
Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore has been charged with three crimes after being arrested on Friday. Read here to find out his charges.
This website made a list of the top 65 Christmas movies ever. Some of the movies listed are Christmas Vacation, Elf, Home Alone, and A Christmas Story. See the full list here.
📰 In The News
With our country’s 250th birthday happening this year, the US Mint created plans to have 5 special designs for the quarter to honor the milestone. However, the Trump Administration has stepped in and ordered a change in what was to be depicted. The original designs proposed were to depict images of the slaves being freed and women’s suffrage, as well as key historical civil rights figures. Recently, the official (and now controversial) designs put out by the Trump Administration were announced, and they are of: the Pilgrims and the Mayflower, George Washington and the Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson and the Liberty Bell, James Madison and Independence Hall, and Abraham Lincoln and a quote from the Gettysburg Address.
Some are angry about the change, saying it’s proof that the current administration doesn’t care about the historical moments the original concepts were aiming to celebrate, while others praise the move for ensuring that the most important landmarks of our nation’s history are being celebrated. Read more here.
POLL
Do you like Christmas Movies? 🎄
Previous Results
Do you own a Ram Truck? 🛻
Yes - 40%
No - 60%
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