AmericanHunter.org's Top 10 Stories of 2016

2016 flew by, didn't it? What a year. That said, before the ball drops and 2017 arrives, we decided to take a look at some of the top stories to be published on AmericanHunter.org over the past year. Some may call it living in the past, but we prefer to look at it as a collection of our greatest hits. To qualify, a story had to be an online exclusive that was published during 2016—simple enough. So, without further ado, we present AmericanHunter.org's most-read stories of 2016.

1. Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol
Last summer, veteran outfitter Phil Shoemaker was guiding two fishing clients in the Alaska bush when the party came face to face with an enraged grizzly. Shoemaker, armed only with a 9mm semi-auto pistol, defended his clients and himself. Here's his account.

2. The Greatest Rifle Ever Made
One rifle to rule them all? At first glance, declaring a rifle "the greatest ever" was to be a daunting task. The rifle, as we know it, has been around for hundreds of years and many examples have come as close to perfection as imagination and technology allowed. After taking a closer look, however, the choice seemed rather simple.

3. 5 Rifle Cartridges That Need to Make a Comeback
Here are a handful of cartridges that have fallen out of favor with the general hunting public, but still worthy of your time afield.

4. 2016's Top Compound Bows
Wait until you see the lineup of new bows for 2016. Whether you're going for sheer speed and hard-hitting performance or a bow that passes the smooth and quiet tool test, these 14 companies find ways to package it all.

5. 5 Great Rifles Under $500
Let's take a walk on the frugal side and see what $500 gets you these days.

6. Top 5 Lever-Action Rifles of All Time
Everyone loves a lever gun. Here are five of the finest ever made. 

7. Top 5 Centerfire Rifle Cartridges of All Time
Is this the be-all, end-all list? Here are Philip Massaro's top centerfire rifle cartridges of all time.

8. Why .30-30 Winchester Will Never Die
In this modern era of hunting rifles and cartridges, common sense would indicate that a cartridge with the performance level of the .30-30 would long ago have faded into obscurity. Why won't it go away?

9. 10 Things You Didn't Know About Winchester Ammo
To celebrate Winchester's 150th anniversary, we've assembled 10 facts about the company's long history that may surprise you.

10. 8 Great Shotguns Under $500
You can spend a little and get a lot of duck gun for the money.

There you have it, folks. Onward and upward in 2017! Happy New Year!