Blog reader H.L. suggested this essay by Dr. Thomas Sowell: Do Gun Control Laws Control Guns?
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NASA Warns Earth May Be Entering a Period of “Global Cooling” (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)
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When the police can’t cope, the people will: In Mexico, self-defense squads battle violence
"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others." – Thomas Jefferson
This is anniversary of the heroic death of USAF Capt. Lance Sijan. Though he was severely injured, he evaded capture for an amazing 46 days after ejecting from his F-4 Phantom over North Vietnam. He was eventually captured and tortured. He died on January 22, 1968 in Hanoi. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
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Today we present another two entries for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.
Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 44 ends on January 31st, 2013, and the queue is full, but you can e-mail us your entry for Round 45. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
In today’s world most people will never pack an animal to move their goods from point A to point B. However it wasn’t that long ago that animal power was the primary land transport system. In a grid down scenario it may return if only briefly. I offer this article only as an introduction, or primer with a few “how to’s” and a few “how not to’s”. If only one piece of knowledge stays with you, it could be very beneficial.
Many of the things I will cover are the basic principles of packing. Some of the knowledge may seem like small details and subtleties but these can be crucial to an uneventful trip. These are learned through experience, trial and error and thoughtful observation. Some of the skills and nuances are becoming things of the past as we as a society become too civilized. Most of the readers of this blog should understand how fragile our system has become. When the supply chain breaks down because of lack of fuel, goods and supplies if available won’t be distributed. Since most people do not have a one year supply of food on hand, options have to be considered. If there is an apple orchard only twenty miles away how will the apples be utilized? Want to trade for some? How are you going to bring them back? In your Bug Out Bag? Wagons may be put into service if available and someone has the knowledge to drive them. Packing a horse or mule, to my way of thinking, will be a better option for most people.
Pack animals can cover just about any terrain and make their way through obstacles that inhibit anything wide or not smooth enough for wheeled vehicles. They have been used though out history to connect, conquer and advance civilizations. The desire to move bigger quantities further distances led to an occupation that few think about today, “The Packer”. It may prove valuable to at least be aware of the subject.
Saddles: The foundation of your packing equipment will depend on several key items. This includes what kind of animal you are packing, the type of cargo being transported and the availability of saddles or makeshift items to construct a saddle. This may boil down to something as simple as two bags draped over the animals back (which never works out very well). The saddles could be custom made with all the bells and whistles.
The Sawbuck: Used on horses, mules, burros and a variant on llamas and goats. Frames are generally made out of wood, oak for the crosses and something softer like pine or poplar for the bars. The bars are what rest on the animals back and are carved and shaped accordingly. Side loads are hung from the crosses with leather straps attached to the bags or panniers. In my opinion this is the best all-around saddle. It lends itself to almost any equipment and hitch.
The Decker: Very popular in the Rockies and used on horses and mules. Instead of wood crosses steel rods shaped in an upside down U in both the front and back are bolted to the bars. There are variations in shapes that help with different equipment and load scenarios. Hooks are often used on panniers to attach quickly to the saddle. A padded canvas “half breed” is incorporated with this saddle to cushion the animal from the load. It is basically a saddle pad that stays attached to the saddle. Thin pine boards in the bottom of the half breed help distribute weight across the rib cage. The basket and barrel hitches are used commonly with this saddle.
Riding saddles can be used in a variety of ways. Saddle panniers made to fit over riding saddles are quick and easy. Box and diamond hitches can be used without a problem here. A lash rope tied to the saddle horn and looped around the cantle can be tied into a basket hitch. Harder to find now, old military saddles like the McClellan can be reworked into serviceable rigs.
Saddle pads protect the animals back. Whatever you end up using should be kept clean. Caked up sweat, hair and mud will start to rub a sore in their backs. Keep the pads about three inches in front of the saddle so that it doesn’t slip back and allow the saddle bars to dig into the lower withers. Make sure that the pad is square and even before placing the saddle on. Then take your hand and push the pad up into the gullet of the saddle. This takes pressure off of the withers and will allow some air to circulate down the back bone.
Cinches should be kept clean. Wide cinches are best since they have more surface area. Narrow or old cinches that have cords broken only serve to cut the animal in half. If you want to see what getting kicked by a mule feels like, snug up a narrow dirty cinch on a cinch sore.
There are a variety of soft packs that are used on dogs and goats. Most of these hug the animal so care should be taken if hard and irregular items are placed in the packs.
Like your Bug Out Bag the saddle and rigging straps must fit the animal to work correctly and be comfortable. A breeching (or britchen) strap too low on the hind legs will inhibit movement and chaffs the skin. Same with the breast collar, by placing it too high it can cut off the wind pipe. Saddle the animal and only snug the cinches at first. Let the pads compress and warm up especially when it’s cold. Tighten the cinches right before packing the animal. Done right, the horse or mule won’t become “cinchy”. One mule I used to pack could blow her belly up tighter than a steel drum. I would slowly take up the slack, maybe five times over ten minutes. Sometimes after loading her, the cinches would be loose and hanging down and we hadn’t gone anywhere yet. That was the way that mule preferred it. As long as the load was balanced she would go all day without a problem. Often at the end of the day all of my mules would come into the camp with their cinches swinging. They were working hard, sweating buckets and losing weight. It’s best if they stay snug but shows how balanced loads are key.
Hitches: Diamond, box, basket and barrel hitches are what are mostly used. There are many others and many variations. I have decided not to try to describe these. Some form of visual instruction is vital in my opinion. Pictures, videos or personal instruction will get you started on the right path. I will offer some tips learned from personal experience and observation of other professional packers. Often when watching someone else I learned what not to do!
-Lash ropes should be around 45 feet long and lead ropes 10 to 12 feet. Don’t short yourself. 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch diameter is good to work with. Cotton poly blends are nice, they don’t stretch as much as straight cotton. If cotton gets wet and freezes you are all done, you’ll need a saw to get any knots out. Manila is better in the cold and wet.
-Tie it right the first time. A living breathing animal is a huge variable in the equation. If the hitch is not right there will be a problem. It may be small and fixed quickly, or it could be quite a wreck.
-Don’t let excess rope dangle. Stumps, brush, logs, rocks and feet all have a way of “grabbin a-holt” of a loose rope.
-Any metal, such as cinch hooks, should not be in contact with the animal.
-Some people feed the lash rope through the spreader strap connecting the cinches. I don’t. If you have a wreck this can compound your problems. It’s harder to take the hitch off when your mule is standing knee deep in a creek with his load under his belly. During a wreck this strap is often broken any way.
-Always face the cinch hooks backwards so they don’t catch brush and branches.
-Always use the most effective and simplest hitch for that particular load. Don’t weave a spider web.
Loads: Amazing things have been moved with animals, grindstones, suspension bridge cables, timbers, wood cook stoves, eggs, guitars, gold and silver ore, generators and grandmas rocking chair. There are two main considerations here, the animals comfort and a balanced load. Without either one your load will be lost or the animal hurt. Now packing is one of those jobs where there are many ways to accomplish the end result. Endless arguments are made on the best way to pack a particular load. Do we split it in half? Box or basket hitch? Wouldn’t the diamond be better? In any event we can use some generalities in using the right tool for the right job.
-Canvas panniers: These are great for general purpose packing. Remember to place flat or soft items on the side going next to animal.
-Boxes or hard panniers: Use for canned goods, loose or heavy items. Provides protection to items like; eggs, pie, whisky bottles and Coleman lanterns.
-Slings: These are made of a sheet of canvas, maybe five feet long by two feet wide. At the top is attached a thin board with leather ears that the load hangs off of the saddle by. Two leather straps on the outside support the weight and wrap the canvas around the load. Great for duffle bags, hay bales, ice chests, cook boxes and the like. Quicker than having to manty some items up.
Manty: Basically a big canvas sheet wrapped or folded around smaller objects and tied up with half hitches to make a big duffle. It is used a lot with the decker pack saddle and the basket hitch.
-Top pack: This is gear placed over the animals back and onto each of the side loads. It’s usually lighter and softer than the rest of your load, like a bed roll. This can be shifted off center to help with balance.
-Pack covers are thrown over the tops of loads to help secure items and protect them from the elements. 6×8 or so is about right. Tuck the edges under the load and lash rope. This prevents tears, hang-ups and keeps the load secure.
-Load weights; Yes, I know that some of you He Men out there can carry a one hundred pound bug out bag, but for how many days in a row? See, this is why I like a pack mule; I’m not carrying the weight. Or if I do carry a pack, it’s a light one, allowing me freedom of movement. So, for day in day out traveling shoot for about 20% of body weight. As an example I would pack up to two hundred pounds on a standard to large size horse or mule. THIS INCLUDES THE WEIGHT OF THE SADDLE, ROPES AND PANNIERS ETC. We usually went for no more than one hundred and fifty pounds of cargo. Once the animals are in shape they can go like this a long time with an occasional day off.
To be efficient all voids are filled in making up the load. NO WASTED SPACE! A coffee pot for example would be filled with small items or maybe your coffee beans. Packing is an art and it is a 3-D puzzle. Now I have put together some unusual combinations, but a word of caution here, use common sense. Fuels such as gasoline should be completely sealed and checked. If it should leak out it will burn the animal’s skin and leave blisters. And don’t place it with your food items.
All sharp items such as axes, saws, shovels etc. should each be in a scabbard, sheath or wrapped securely. The front and back edges of loads should not come into contact with shoulders or hips. Tender raw spots will stop any travel plans. Baler twine or Para cord are used to tie up wrapped duffels or make quick repairs to saddles and rigging. Duct tape is one of the marvels of the world. Use it for taping over axes and shovels, repair holes in tarps, smooth over rough surfaces that might come into contact with the animal, keep buckles and hooks in place. Tape ice chest handles down to stop them from “knocking out a tune” while going down the trail. An ice chest on each side makes a great load but the handles banging and clacking gets old quickly and maybe you don’t want to attract attention with undo noise.
Balance is the key to packing a load so start with the saddle in the middle of the mules back. As an animal moves down the trail the load will rock back and forth. This is natural. If the load is balanced it will stay where it is supposed to, on the animal. Many people use scales to weigh out the cargo. This helps get close. When I worked as a packer we often would have contests to see who could come closest “by feel”. Picking up fifty to seventy five pound side loads, we could often get to within a pound or two. However, this alone will not mean that your load will balance. Is the majority of the weight high or low, inside or outside of the pack? Leverage plays a part here. After hanging your loads on the saddle, the packer rocks the load by pushing down on one side. Does it move equally side to side? Think of a teeter totter. Even if each side weighs the same they may not balance on the animal due to the weight distribution in the side loads. To correct this several things can be done. First check the ears or straps of the load hanging on the saddle. Are the loads hanging equidistant down each side? One may need to hang lower. Adjust up or down so the load rocks evenly. Items can be moved from one side to the other and the top pack can be moved off center to achieve balance. These should be small adjustments only. If the loads are really out of whack they need to be repacked. After starting your trip many loads will settle and items may shift. It is critical to pay attention and watch the loads as they rock back and forth as the animal moves. After you have started no one wants to repack. Adjustments can be made on the trail by using a “pack rock”. Take a fairly flat rock weighing a few pounds and shove it under the lash ropes on the outside of the pack. This adds weight and leverage to the lighter side.
Here are a few more considerations.
-Give your animals time to negotiate obstacles; they can handle the load better if not forced into going too fast.
-If your animals are tied in a string know that they have a pecking order. Some critters are best not tied to each other.
-Never tie your lead rope hard and fast to your saddle horn. If something doesn’t break you are likely to get pulled over. Take a dally if you need, and let go when necessary.
-Don’t use oversize saddle bags. I have seen this time and again. Thirty or forty pounds of dead weight over the horses’ kidneys is not doing him any favors. At this point pack the saddle correctly and walk yourself. An out of shape horse carrying too much weight first thing in the spring heading into the mountains will die. I’ve seen it.
-The length of the lead rope should allow the animal to lower its head to the ground or get a drink but without any slack in it. Too much slack and one of the animals will step over it. A rope up between a horses’ hind legs is uncomfortable and they will let you know it. A front foot over the lead rope pulls that leg into the air and his head down when the leading animal takes off. It’s Hard to walk that way. And it always seems to cause rope burns.
-You may want to have a troublesome load on your lead mule where you can watch it easier.
-Learn how to tie a quick release knot and a bowline.
-There are many ways to tie animals together into a string and many arguments can be made for and against each. Never tie into the load of the leading mule. This would cause the load to be pulled off the animal. The majority of the time I tied the lead rope into a weak link on the saddle of the leading mule. Usually this was baler twine or Para cord. It can be tied into the back buck or ring of the saddle. Some make a “reach” from the top rigging rings to the back middle of the saddle. Then tie in a loop of baler twine or small diameter rope for the weak leak link. This kept the mule string together but allowed them to break apart and prevent catastrophe. Although there are situations calling for it, many horses and mules have been injured or even killed because they were tied hard and fast and one of the animals miss-stepped surged forward or pulled back at the wrong time. Steep switch backs and drop offs call for more attention when pulling a long string. One animal not staying in line and going around the wrong side of a tree always makes things exciting. Many packers use a bowline to tie the pack animals together. A better knot is a modified sheep shank. A loop of the lead rope is passed through the weak link and held with the remaining tail. Two half hitches are thrown over this with the rope leading back to the animal. This method stays tight and will always untie.
-Keep your animals hydrated. They need the water just like you do.
Horses, mules, llamas, dogs, goats and other four footed critters can be a huge help in logistical support. My experience deals with horses and mules but a lot of the principle methods hold true across the board. After an initial grid down disaster and a lack of fossil fuels, people may be forced to go back to real horse power. There are several good books on packing. I think one of the best is Horses, Hitches & Rocky Trails by Joe Back. A used copy should run you around ten bucks. His illustrations alone are worth the price.
Packing in the Rockies and Sierra Nevada wilderness areas has given me many fond memories. To ride a good horse, while leading a smart looking string of mules is satisfying. Do it around a high country lake after the snow has melted in the spring and feel connected to the universe.
Once again, we have people using a tragedy to push personal agendas; they have little respect for the victims of those tragedies or their respective families and friends. These kinds of people maneuver to develop hysteria to use like a blanket masking their real intent and many of them have been sitting on the edge of their seats with prepared slogans and programs awaiting such tragic opportunities (i.e., “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” – Rahm Emanuel, Chicago’s current Mayor and President Obama’s former Chief of Staff and mouthpiece). Meanwhile, as citizens and as proper planners, we must work with what is available or what we have and ensure we are in a high level of preparedness as well as constantly improving our posture within our means.
This is not an article against the idea of a 5.56mm carbine or rifle. These are personal choice issues and that is a discussion for another time as we will be talking about a larger bore weapon here.
While we would all like to just go out and buy our weapons of choice, with all the current hoopla in Washington and other quarters now over high-capacity magazine weapons, maybe we can examine and improve an older design to accomplish similar needs at a cost savings. Since you may have one or more fancy 20-30 round magazine shooting, semi-automatic military type rifles, you may also have a need for additional long guns in .308/7.62 caliber. Bolt guns have their place and if that is what you have or can afford now, it will perform (the Mauser and Mosin Nagant are tough rifles, the Springfield ’03 is a jewel, and even some used modern bolt guns are amazingly accurate).
You can go one step better and either use an existing older semi-automatic weapon you may have or obtain one that you can either work on (skills provided) or obtain and have converted into a like-new weapon. I am talking about updating the venerable M1 Garand, and, before I hear howls of pain about making modifications to a collectible surplus service rifle, none of these modifications cannot be ‘undone.’ You can pick up a well used rack grade or ‘Bubba’ M1 and make it into a relatively new rifle. By the way, I have never heard of the M1 Garand being referred to as one of that mythical semi-auto ‘assault weapons.’ And the M1 just feels good in you hands; much better than a HK or AK (in all honesty, with the smooth bump in front of the Trigger Guard, it feels better than a M14 with a 20-round magazine).
As a Marine, I was issued M1s three times for duty. I carried, shot, drilled, and cleaned them a lot. While it had a smaller cartridge capacity than the M14 and later, the M16 (both then with 20-round magazines); I really doubt anyone that fired them would say that the M1 is not effective. For comparison, I continue to own and shoot stock and modified M1s, and I have owned and fired M1As, ARs and I have carried and fired other common semi-autos. I know the M1 can still function in a serious social situation and I would not feel under-armed. For those who have been shot at, not having to balance over a high magazine mono-pod, the M1 even has some advantages.
Making modifications to the M1 are not new. During WWII, the US government made up some examples of a shortened Garand and called it the “T-26.” The Italians used former Winchester M1 machinery to make a shorter, magazine equipped BM59 version of a M1. Later, others called a shortened M1, the ‘Tanker.’ Anyway, this is a shortened barrel piece and that makes it easier to handle (The Springfield Armory [not the US Armory] later carried this idea to their M1A and call them the ‘Scout’ and ‘SOCOM’ models).
While I am sure I am not the only one to do so, the following suggestions are based upon my personal experience in building such a weapon and the study conducted before I started the project.
While the M1 is a great weapon, there are some changes that I suggest can improve it for most situations. In its original form, it has a 24” barrel with the gas system hanging at the end.
A pistol grip stock on the M1 improves the handling; it is easier to control the weapon during reloading, with recoil management, and in general handling. The M1 has always been a favorite shooter for many of us and these changes certainly do not harm the handling characteristics. To me, these modifications make it easier to acquire and stay on target.
You can add a forward 1913 rail to the barrel if you so desire and you then may add a low powered scope or red dot sight just like any other modern weapon. There is enough meat on the M1 stock that you can add QD Millett or Uncle Mike’s types sling swivels for your 1¼” web sling or ‘stylin’ sling if you do not like the positions of the GI swivels.
If you do not want to use a 1913 rail or the M1 wood Upper Hand Guard, you can cut and fit a fiberglass M14 Upper Hand Guard there (the one without the slots). It is lighter and you can spray paint it. You really do not need a Front Hand Guard for the shorter M1. (While on the topic of what is needed, study the issue of a 7.62 bullet block inside the Trigger Housing. I have a block inside one .308 rifle M1 but not in the other. I do not think we need the block if you identify caliber on the Rear Sight Cover.)
You will need a lot of M1 en bloc clips but I find a .308 M1 is not as fussy about clips as some .30 caliber M1s. And with some 20 round mags selling for over $40, three M1 clips together holding 24 rounds MAY cost you $3. I would start to stop collecting the clips at 200. They won’t get cheaper.
The M1 clips are easy to carry. The US Rifle Belt, M1910-1918 (and later versions) used in WWI & II, Korea, and Vietnam (or reproductions) works just fine. “Olongapo Outfitters” makes a ‘Grab-and-Go’ M1 clip carrier and clip pouches. I like their M1 chest rig. You can also use modern pouches to carry the clips.
M1 cloth bandoleers are still available and a great way to keep your ammo ready in loaded en bloc clips (remember, no mag springs to worry about); the 7.62 ammo in the clips work fine in the .30 caliber (.30-06) pockets. Just put your loaded clips in bandoleers and put them in .30 caliber ammo cans – ready to go.
Personally, I feel a shorter ‘new’ Garand PDR is easier to conceal and extra ammo can be carried in a discrete carrier that I tend to favor for now.
If you know someone who is good with a sewing machine, you can take the WWII M1 Carbine/Garand double mag pouch and exchange the short straps on the back by sewing some strapping material and Velcro to allow you to put a new adjustable pouch for two M1 clips on the stock. Sticking another clip in the sling will allow you to carry 24 rounds on the piece. Not bad and it has a great ‘cool’ factor (now called a “CDI” or ‘Chicks Dig It’ thing).
Fulton Armory, Warbirds and DGR make/rebuild these rifles and I am sure others do as well. Springfield Armory (the commercial company – not the old US Armory) used to make new ones and you may be able to find one. You can also find makers that will convert them to M14 mags but then we are getting back to the ‘bad magazine’ issue. Just pay attention to the weapon’s pedigree to ensure you do not get a two-piece welded together receiver made up decades ago. A known and respected dealer/smith is always you best bet for these pieces. Whether you buy one new or have one made up, as with any quality weapon, check reputation, pay attention and ask questions.
I have a beautifully stocked M1/.308 rebuild in Tennessee (by DGR) and a BM59 Nigerian stocked piece like the one described in this article I had rebuilt in Arkansas. Both probably shoot better than I do and I have had a scope and red dot mounted on the latter. I am using a red dot right now. They both are as reliable as any weapon I have ever shot and I do not feel under gunned with either. Since I live on the left coast, I choose this weapon system because this state does not like ‘BAD magazines’ (you say it like, “BAD DOG!”)
When California passed its original “Assault Weapon” ban, the M1 Garand was NOT on that list. Neither was the SKS as they both used a clip to insert rounds into the weapon. We can build upon this capability and use it to our advantage. (By the way, having only 8-rounds and inserting them into the rifle was NOT John Garand’s idea; the US Army made him do it that way — he wanted to use detachable magazines).
For ammo, try to stick with 168 gr. and under. The 7.62mm is probably better but the two I have are chambered for .308/7.62. I use 150 gr. FMJ ball rounds as a rule.
This new M1 PDR is just that: a Personal Defense Rifle with the capability to perform most of the duties of a newer military 7.62 long gun (I doubt I will be making a bayonet charge but mine retains that ‘nasty’ stud as well). The original design is a classic, it is well known as ultra reliable, rugged, and for its accuracy since they are equipped with excellent iron sights that may be the best military service rifle sights ever designed. Once you use them, you can normally hit a target at almost any reasonable range. The US military M1 receivers are tougher than Woodpecker lips. You are not using a lesser piece if you start with a military rack grade M1, US military parts and build it up. If you can buy a Rack or Field grade M1 from the Civilian Marksmanship Program, you can keep your initial cost down and still have all the required parts. Until you can upgrade it, it is still a great buy and rifle. (The CMP, I’m informed, will soon be selling some Greek M1 belts. The prices should be good.)
Price wise, I frequently note that people buy a favorite 20-round shooting long gun and then spend a lot of extra cash tuning it with extra work, magazines and parts to make it a custom piece. I suggest folks pick their piece and then do a price comparison with a Garand modified to what I am suggesting here. Plus, we do not have the magazine issue that the hysterical negative gun/magazine types go on about; we are just converting an old weapon into a personal defense rifle.
If you were to choose this as a project, get a well used M1, the other parts you want to put on it, as you look around for a good Garand mechanic or shop specializing in the M1 ‘Tanker.’ Check different shops for work and prices and the time required to complete the work before you send it off.
I challenge anyone to take a M1 and do a shoot off against another prime carry large bore piece. If you practice, you will find 8-round clips compare well in shooting…say 48 rounds of ammo. Once you shoot such a string and gain some confidence, I think the number of rounds in the rifle will become less important than your ability to quickly reload it. Besides, it is another opportunity for practice.
By the way, if I were still a working county cop, I think such a maneuverable M1 PDR with a mounted red dot would be a great patrol unit or ‘go-to’ rifle.
“In my opinion, the M1 rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” – General George S. Patton, Jr., 1945. Mr. Garand designed a truly great rifle. Maybe these suggestions are just an evolution like the M14 and its smaller version, the Mini-14. While the M1s son is still in service with our military, a M1 PDR would serve anyone well and better than many alternatives.
One of the neat things about this nation is that we can still make these kinds of decisions; we get to make those choices. In this spirit, I will leave you with a great quote I feel is appropriate at this time: “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” – Thomas Jefferson.
Semper Fi and Semper Gumby!
In Wyoming: Supercomputer Opening Caps Years of Effort
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Buck Knives has completed their relocation to Post Falls, Idaho. They now offer tours of their factory.
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Idaho’s minimum wage now even lower than neighboring states
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Reader R.B.S. forwarded a link to an Idaho job that you probably won’t see elsewhere. Oh, but this might explain it: Sage grouse protection plan would set aside 1.7 million acres in West.
Blog reader Paul C. sent: Mickelson plans ‘drastic changes’ in response to tax hikes. (Effectively a 63% tax rate, for high income earners, in California.)
Pacific Group to Convert 1/3 of Hedge-Fund Assets to Gold
Obama’s New ‘Pay as You Earn’ Plan a Windfall for MBAs.
Items from The Economatrix:
Joe Ordinary Voortrekker sent some news from South Africa, where sadly a private citizen owning more than 200 rounds of loaded ammunition of any one caliber is illegal: Ammunition, food and medical supplies found in Sasolburg house
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And, lest we comfortably feel “Oh, but it can never happen here”, consider: When Citizen Vigilantes Busted Food Hoarders
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Steve H. pointed me to one of SouthernPrepper1’s videos, wherein he embraces MURS band radios and DakotaAlerts, for retreat security.
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Slate: Earth May Have Been Hit by a Gamma Ray Burst 1,200 Years Ago
“How complacent we become when we sit secure, hedged round by laws and protections a government may provide! How soon we forget that but for these governments and laws, there would be naught but savagery, brutality and starvation! For our age-old enemies await us always, just beyond our thin walls. Hunger, thirst and cold lie waiting there, and forever among us are those would loot, rape and maim, rather than behave as civilized men. If we sit secure this hour, this day, it is because the thin walls of the law stand between us and evil.” – Louis L’Amour, Fair Blows the Wind, p. 5-6)
Ever since Primatene Mist was taken off the market a year ago, SurvivalBlog readers have asked about a replacement for this potentially life-saving over-the-counter drug. Now there is one, in the form of Asthmanefrin.
If you don’t have asthma, should you care? Definitely so.
Although the drug is officially only indicated for asthma, in the event of societal collapse, it may be the only effective and available treatment for:
If you don’t have any of these problems, you surely know someone who does. Or maybe you have a young child who may one day suffer from croup. Or perhaps you occasionally contract acute bronchitis. Or possibly you’ll be around a campfire where you accidentally inhale poison ivy smoke. Any of these conditions may require an (adrenergic) bronchodilator, and the only available such medicine over-the-counter is Asthmanefrin. Anyone who has struggled with asthma in the middle of the night can tell you why a rescue inhaler is worth its weight in gold.
When the FDA banned the manufacture of Primatene Mist as of December 31, 2011 (due to the CFC propellant and concerns about the ozone layer) asthmatics were left with no OTC alternative to prescription rescue inhalers. Although Armstrong Pharmaceuticals does hope to release a new version of Primatene Mist using an approved hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant, no date has yet been set.
The new product, Asthmanefrin, contains 11.25 mg of racepinephrine per 0.5 ml vial, in a solution equivalent to 1% epinephrine. Epinephrine is the same medication contained in the Epi-Pen, the well-known injection for bee sting and other allergic reactions. Although inhaled epinephrine is most active in the airways, some of it enters the bloodstream, which delivers it to the rest of the body, hence its ability to raise blood pressure, accelerate the heart rate, and relieve the vascular-related swelling common to hives and allergic reactions.
These potential benefits are also sometimes considered side-effects, which may be dangerous to patients with heart disease, hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, tremor, and other nervous conditions. Doctors don’t like over-the-counter epinephrine products due to 1) the potential harm they may cause in susceptible individuals, and 2) the potential delay they may cause in seeking needed professional care. However, in a young, otherwise healthy population epinephrine is generally safe.
The product insert includes dosing recommendations for adults and children down to the age of 4 years old. For adults, one 0.5 ml vial of solution is placed in the EZ Breathe Atomizer, with a recommendation of not more than 12 inhalations in 24 hours. By comparison, Primatene Mist inhaler delivers 0.22 mg of epinephrine per inhalation, also with a limit of 12 inhalations per day.
The Starter Kit contains 10 vials plus one Atomizer and costs approximately $50, with the 30-vial Refill Kit priced at about $25, a small price to save a life.
About the Author: Cynthia J. Koelker, MD is SurvivalBlog’s Medical Editor. Some in-depth additional information on using over-the-counter medications like prescription drugs is available free on her web site at ArmageddonMedicine.net.
Living in the country, is really great, but there are a few problems that one can expect. One is loss of electrical power – especially in the winter months, where I live – in Western Oregon. We have a lot of rain, and it causes trees to fall across power lines, knocking out power, and we lose our power at times, for days. I have a back-up generator, and I use it to keep my refrigerator and freezer cold, so I don’t lose any foods. I don’t have a need to watch tv all the time, or surf the ‘net, so I don’t use my back-up generator power for that. However, I do like to keep my cell phone charged, as does my wife, and daughter who lives next door. I hate to waste a lot of precious gas running the generator to charge-up some cell phones, so this can be a problem.
I was recently sent a review sample Power Pot. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure what the Power Pot was, until I read the instructions. I though it might have been a strange-looking camp cup for cooking soup or heating water. Well, it does heat water, but not the way you think. The Power Pot can be filled with water, and placed over a small fire – and you don’t need a large fire – once the water heats up you can connect your cell phone to the power cord from the Power Pot, and charge you cell phone. What? Yes, you simply boil water, and you can charge your cell phone, rechargeable batteries, GPS systems, lights and more. You can charge a wide variety of of USB devices with up to 5W of power. This is all possible though Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG) technology.
Let’s back up a little bit, why would anyone want to haul around a little pot in their backpack or BOB, out in the wilderness? Well, there’s good reason to haul the Power Pot. Suppose you are traveling and get stuck on a back road in the winter, and you can’t get out? You cell phone battery goes dead, and you can’t reach anyone. I’ve heard this story numerous times on the tv news – someone gets lost or stranded, and try calling for help, and their cell phone battery dies just when they need it the most. Not a good thing! You can even pack the Power Pot in your glove box or the trunk of your car, and you won’t know it’s there, until you need it the most. You can carry fuel, or something like a small camp stove, and once you gather fuel, you can get a fire going, and add water to the Power Pot, and once it starts boiling, plug you cell phone into the heat resistant power cord – and in no time, you’ll have your mobile devices charged and ready to go.
One of the main things you need to be aware of is that, you can NOT run the Power Pot without water in the cup, if you do, you’ll ruin the TEG junctions, rendering it irreparably “dead.”. You must keep an eye on the water level, don’t let the Power Pot run dry, ever! How can it actually work as advertised? Well, I’ll tell you what, I took an old cell phone, with a completely dead battery, and inside of about an hour and a half, the batter was fully charged. Yes! I did have to add more and more water to the Power Pot, but it wasn’t that big of a deal to do. And, it doesn’t take long for the Power Pot to start generating power – once it heats up, we’re talking 10-60 seconds, and you can power-up you cell phone or other mobile device. No, you’re not going to charge it in 10-60 seconds, but you can “start” the charging process that fast.
I questioned the durability of the power cable, coming from the Power Pot to the cell phone I was charging – how would the heat affect the power cord? Well, the cord cable has a heat-resistant silicone fiberglass protective layer that can withstand temps as high as 600-dgrees. Still, if I wanted to make sure my Power Pot keeps working, I’m going to try and keep the power cord away from direct flames from a camp fire. Can you cook with the Power Pot – probably, but it’s not a good idea, you might damage it and it would be of no use to you when you need to charge a mobile device. The maximum power generated by the Power Pot is 5W – and as low as 1W with low heat – and this is more than enough to power many mobile devices.
The only drawback I can see with the Power Pot is – water! If you happen to break down, or get lost in the wilderness, and there isn’t any water source, you can’t use the Power Pot. However, if you are prepared, you will have water in your BOB or in your vehicle. Failing that, you will have to find a source of water.
The Power Pot works very well. It comes with a lifetime guarantee, and if you follow the instructions, it will give you a lifetime of trouble-free power. Now the price. The Power Pot is almost $150 – yes, that’s a bit spendy. However, how much would you pay, if your car broke down, on a back road, in the middle of winter, and you needed to charge you cell phone, so you could call for help? Yes, that’s what I thought: you’d pay just about anything to be able to charge your cell phone or GPS. I believe the Power Pot is a very worthwhile investment for any Prepper. I don’t want to run my back-up generator, for hours, just to charge my cell phone, and was all that fuel. I can go in my carport, and start a small fire, and put the Power Pot on, with water, and charge my cell phone that way, and save my gas for my generator for more important tasks. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Editor’s Disclaimer (per FTC File No. P034520): I accept cash-paid advertising. To the best of my knowledge, as of the date of this posting, none of my advertisers that sell the products mentioned in this article have solicited me or paid me to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price gear in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. I am not a stock holder in any company. SurvivalBlog does, however, benefit from sales through the SurvivalBlog Amazon Store. If you click on one of our Amazon links and then “click through” to order ANY product from Amazon.com (not just the ones listed in our catalog), then we will earn a modest sales commission.
Brother Rawles,
I read your blog every night and appreciate what you stand for, and the way you live your life. My question is on the Garmin Rino 655t GPS. My family is large, but we all live somewhat close to one another just outside of Cleveland Ohio. Although this isn’t optimal, the majority of us work as either firemen or policemen, so relocation would be difficult. We are trying to find the perfect radio communication system that our family could use during a SHTF scenario to communicate during a bug out to the compound. I have tried the MURS radios, as well as Midlands GMRS radios and have found them insufficient. During testing in our area, they only were able to transmit around a mile and a half. That being said, we have been looking for alternatives and I ran across these units. Although expensive, they have peer to peer GPS capabilities, allowing us to at least see where each other are. Even if we are too far to transmit, we would be able to find each other during the carnage. My question is whether or not the GPS capabilities on these Garmin units would still work during a grid down scenario? The units have a lot of other bells and whistles that would be of value including preloaded road maps and topographical maps, but if the GPS was incapacitated during a SHTF event, there are much more affordable alternatives one can purchase to get maps and weather alerts.
Keep doing what your doing. Your work has put me on the path of clarity, and my eyes are now “open”. – Andrew G.
JWR Replies: I’ve been told that GPS accuracy would be unaffected for at least a year, even if there is a total societal collapse in North America–that is, of course IF that societal collapse were not caused by a Carrington Event Scale solar storm! (That would wipe out most satellites.) But if there is a truly global collapse and there are no corrections from the ground control stations on any continent (very unlikely), then the accuracy of the GPS system would start to gradually degrade, within hours.
Chris P.’s Ranch Stew
This is a family recipe I wanted to share. This stuff is great, especially in the colder months. Enjoy!
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 med./large green bell pepper, diced
1 sm./med. white onion, diced
1 can corn, drained
1 can (plain) diced tomatoes
1 can (plain) Ranch Style beans
1 can Rotel
1 can water (for additional soupiness)
Chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste
Combine ingredients in large pot, simmer with pot covered, stirring and tasting occasionally, until peppers and onions cook down and flavors have mixed well.
Chef’s Notes:
Serve with saltine crackers and sliced sharp cheddar cheese, or with cornbread.
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G.G. flagged this item: First Term: Americans Collecting Disability Increased 1,385,418—Now 1 for Each 13 Full-Time Workers
US Mint Out Of Silver Coins – Suspends Sales (A hat tip to Rory for spotting that article.)
Bill O’Reilly: Obama’s Economic Collapse. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)
Items from The Economatrix:
Expect Stunning $233 Silver As It Begins To Soar
A reader in Oklahoma asked about Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) anti-depressant drugs. Here is the short answer: Big Pharma has replaced Big Tobacco as D.C.’s unassailable legislative pressure group. SSRI drugs are a $50 billion per year industry. So don’t expect any highly-publicized congressional hearings that detail the links between mood altering drugs and school massacres, even though the evidence is plain as day. OBTW, Forbes recently posted an excellent article on this subject, but it must have hit too close to the mark, because the editors spiked it, just a few days later. (The huge advertising budgets of Big Pharma can be turned off and on at their discretion, so they obviously wield a lot of power.)
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Tam at View From The Porch mentioned this: British Army Goes Glock.
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Stealth Hoodie foils FLIRs. (Thanks to Scott B. for the link.)
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Resistance is building, folks: Texas, Missouri Join Other States Looking To Block Gun Bans. And another approach: South Carolina bill would exempt state militia from federal gun rules. Also, at the County level: First in the Nation: Beaufort County, NC Adopts Federal Gun Laws Nullification Resolution