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Friday, November 14th, 2025
Good morning! Welcome to The Tradesman, a 5-minute newsletter tailored just for America’s tradesmen—presented by Grab Your Gear.
The highly limited 2026 Jeep Wrangler Commando 392 by Fox Factory commemorates the 250th anniversary of the armed forces in an awesome way. Check out photos of the beast here and read more in Truckin’ Along.
The U.S. Military awarded FN America a contract for its new ultra-precision, advanced MTL-30 grenade launcher. Check out photos of the launcher here, and read more below.
🔫 How The German MP43 Was Made
The German MP43 is one of history’s most notorious assault rifles. But why?
Well, to start, the gun revolutionized rifle ammunition. During WWI, a German small arms committee realized the vast majority of firepower was being wasted on the battlefield.
The MP43 was mass-produced from June to December of 1943
Munitions were designed to be shot 800 yards, but the majority of combat was taking place within 300 yards. The solution? A redesigned cartridge that used half the gunpowder and traveled 2,250 feet per second.
The MP43 was actually designed after the cratridge, and was produced 425,977 during the war.
Check out more photos of the legendary arm, and read more history behind the gun here.
🚚 Truckin’ Along
The Jeep Wrangler Commando is a utility vehicle built for soldiers.
The highly limited 2026 Jeep Wrangler Commando 392 by Fox Factory commemorates the 250th anniversary of the armed forces in an awesome way.
The Jeep is powered by a 392 Hemi V-8 option, has a 3.5-inch lift kit from JKS Suspension, and has a Whipple supercharger that ramps up to 705 horsepower.
Check out photos of the beast, and a full review here.
Morning Meme
👀 You’ll Wanna See This
The U.S. Military awarded FN America a contract for its new ultra-precision MTL-30 grenade launcher.
The MTL-30 is a next-generation primary soldier weapon system and family of ammunition that enables precision engagements to destroy targets with increased lethality and precision compared to legacy grenade launchers.
The contract awarded to FN America is a prototype contract, which awarded $2 million to develop the launcher. You can check out photos of the prototype here.
The Goodie Bag
These Memphis-style hickory-smoked beef and pork ribs are a must-add to your weekend rotation. (See Recipe)
Bull Run and Christmas Karma lead this weekend’s slate of movie premieres. (See All Premieres)
Thanksgiving is just thirteen days away, and if you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate the holiday, check out this Thanksgiving-themed Jeopardy game on Etsy. (See Game)
📰 In The News
The federal government shutdown finally ended on Wednesday night, with President Trump signing a bill that had partial bipartisan support.
The bill passed with unanimous Republican support and a handful of Democrats, and will fund government programs like SNAP fully through January 30th.
Notably, the bill did not include an extension of Obamacare subsidies, a major compromise for democrats. You can read more on what the bill includes here.
POLL
How often do you go to the movies? 🎬
Previous Results
Have high interest rates prevented you from purchasing a home? 🏠
Yes - 60%
No - 40%
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