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Two Letters Re: Cost Comparison: Factory Loads and Reloaded Ammunition
James,
Grandpappy isn't comparing apples to oranges correctly. His reloaded ammo pricing is for premium self defense bullets, which cost $150 or so per thousand. Most people are going to reload cast lead, which would cost $50 or 60 per thousand for a .40 S&W for example. If you price new premium self defense ammo, like Doubletap, it is going for around $700 a case. If you purchased new brass (why?) Hornady or Speer premium SD bullets, you would still be able to build your own (which we supposedly should not due to legal concerns) SD ammo for half the cost. And practice? Much, much cheaper with lead bullets.
Recent online ammo vendors (who have in stock) are trying to charge almost $500 for a case of .45 ACP 230 grain hardball (look at Natchez). You can load 230 grain lead roundnose (LRN) and duplicate the factory load for maybe $130 or so with good hard cast bullets included. Compared to today's ridiculous ammo prices, you can make up the cost of your reloading setup in a case or two of ammo. Anyone who wants to shoot more than 500 rounds a year should be reloading. Thanks! - M.S.
Jim:
Grandpappy had a great article on reloading, but what about time? Time is money. Reloading is very time consuming. Between [the time required for] collecting the fired brass, sorting the brass, cleaning [or tumbling] the brass, de-priming the brass, adjusting brass specs to factory (sizing, case length, primer pocket, etc…), this alone is a huge labor and use of time.
This, and my worsening eyesight that keeps me from enjoying precision hand loads, is why I gave up on reloading and sold all my equipment and supplies. BTW, I made a bundle of cash selling my new and used brass and primers. Wow! I quadrupled my money.
No one seems to factor in time. I don’t know about you, but have a long list of to-do projects and brass prep is not one of them.
I’m sure glad I bought hard and heavy in ammo back in the old days. I’m set for my life and probably the life of my kid too. - Robert
JWR Replies: I agree that reloading is time-consuming, but it is a valuable skill. For anyone that makes a six-figure salary, it is probably not worthwhile as a hobby at the present time. But for the rest of us, that don't make that much money, and a have a bit of time on our hands, it is well worth doing. It is particularly worthwhile for students and retirees. I love listening to music, and find that since it is a relatively quiet activity, reloading is a soothing, almost cathartic experience. But, of course, "your mileage may vary." Regardless, it is a valuable skill. I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers at least take the time to learn how to do it, and lay in the appropriate tools and supplies. Reloading capability might prove invaluable in a long-term collapse.
OBTW, don't overlook taking the same humidity precautions for powder and primers that you do for loaded ammunition. On that note, I should mention that I prefer using used Tupperware boxes for storing primer and percussion caps. They are airtight, yet they pose less of an explosion risk than metal ammo cans, in the unlikely event of a house fire. (I look for Tupperware containers whenever I go to garage sales, thrift stores, and farm auctions. Powder cans seal quite well by themselves. Again, for the sake of fire safety, they should be stored in a "blow open" plywood cabinet. Again, resist the temptation to store it in something confining like a 20mm ammo can.
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Cost Comparison: Factory Loads and Reloaded Ammunition, by Grandpappy
There are some significant cost differences between reloading shotgun shells and reloading pistol and rifle ammunition.
The following cost summaries illustrate these differences (all cost data collected in June 2009):
Pistol Ammunition Summary:
$0.270 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
$0.206 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
$0.064 = Cost Savings of Reloading one Used 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
Rifle Ammunition Summary:
$0.800 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
$0.480 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
$0.320 = Cost Savings of Reloading one Used 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
Shotgun Shell Summary:
$0.240 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
$0.410 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
-$0.170 = Additional Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
Shotgun Slug Summary:
$0.631 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
$0.738 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
-$0.107 = Additional Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
A more detailed cost analysis that supports the above numbers appears at the bottom of this article.
The above data is based on average costs as of June 2009. I did not select the lowest possible cost nor the highest possible cost for each item. Instead I used the average cost.
If a person wanted to prove a specific point then he or she could easily select a set of extreme cost data that would support his or her point of view. For example, a person could compare the cheapest reloading materials to the most expensive factory-loaded ammunition and show a large savings. Or a person could compare the most expensive reloading materials to the cheapest factory-loaded ammunition and show a loss.
Since I am not trying to encourage or discourage reloading I used the average cost numbers for each material to provide a more balanced perspective.
The above data suggests that the average person could save a little money by reloading pistol and rifle ammunition.
On the other hand, the average person would save money by purchasing new factory-loaded shotgun shells instead of reloading empty shotgun shells.
The above conclusion is the same one I reached in 1974 when I first investigated the costs of reloading ammunition. In 1974 I could save money reloading both pistol and rifle ammunition but I would have paid a premium if I had tried to reload shotgun shells.
The above analysis does not take into consideration the cost of the reloading equipment. If a person were to invest $290 in reloading equipment plus $40 in one set of reloading dies in a specific caliber, then that person would need to reload the following number of empty cartridges to recover the cost of the total investment of $330:
5,156 Pistol Cartridges = $330 divided by $0.064 savings per pistol cartridge, or
1,031 Rifle Cartridges = $330 divided by $0.320 savings per rifle cartridge.
This clearly illustrates that a person would need to reload a lot of ammunition in order to break even on his or her investment of $330 in reloading equipment that includes one set of reloading dies. Therefore, the average person would probably be better advised to invest in new factory-loaded ammunition if he or she can still find it available for sale.
However, if factory-loaded ammunition becomes increasingly difficult to find, or if its price continues to increase, then a person might want to consider the reloading option as a viable alternative.
Some additional information about the reloading process is at the following page on my web site. This following web page also discusses the art of bullet casting and how to reduce your lead bullet cost to approximately $0.05 per bullet using clip-on lead wheel weights and ordinary solder that contains tin:
How to Get More Ammunition During Hard Times.
A general discussion on how to improve your marksmanship ability when shooting at paper targets is at the following page on my web site: How to Hit the Target Bull's-Eye.
The following detailed cost information is provided to support the cost data at the beginning of this article. This cost data is based on the average costs for each material as of June 2009:
Pistol Cartridge (40 S&W 165 Grain FMJ):
$0.030 = Primer Cost ($29.99 per box of 1,000 divided by 1,000).
$0.016 = Average Powder Cost ($15.79 per pound divided by 959 cartridges per pound).
$0.160 = Average Bullet Cost ($15.99 per box of 100 divided by 100).
$0.206 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 40 S&W Pistol Cartridge.
$0.270 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 40 S&W Cartridge ($13.49 per box divided by 50 rounds per box).
Rifle Cartridge (308 Caliber 165 Grain):
$0.030 = Primer Cost ($29.99 per box of 1,000 divided by 1,000).
$0.120 = Average Powder Cost ($21.99 per pound divided by 184 cartridges per pound).
$0.330 = Average Bullet Cost ($16.49 per box of 50 divided by 50) .
$0.480 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 308 Rifle Cartridge.
$0.800 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 308 Cartridge ($15.99 per box divided by 20 rounds per box).
Shotgun Shell (12 Gauge 2.75-Inch #7.5 Shot):
$0.039 = Primer Cost ($38.99 per box of 1,000 primers divided by 1,000).
$0.049 = Average Powder Cost ($18.49 per pound divided by 378 Shells per pound).
$0.290 = Average Shot Shell Cost ($50.99 per 11-pound bag divided by 176 Shells per bag).
$0.032 = Average Wad Cost ($7.89 per bag of 250 Wads divided by 250).
$0.410 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell.
$0.240 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell ($23.97 per case of 100 shells divided by 100 shells per case).
Shotgun Slug (12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Slug):
$0.039 = Primer Cost ($38.99 per box of 1,000 primers divided by 1,000).
$0.107 = Average Powder Cost ($18.79 per pound divided by 175 Shells per pound).
$0.560 = Average One-Ounce Slug Cost ($13.99 per 25 Slugs divided by 25).
$0.032 = Average Wad Cost ($7.89 per bag of 250 Wads divided by 250).
$0.738 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge Shotgun Slug.
$0.631 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge Shotgun Slug ($9.47 per box of 15 slugs divided by 15 slugs per box).
The cost of the empty metallic brass shell case and the empty plastic shotgun shell is not included in the above figures because those items are being reused and therefore they may be considered a “sunk cost.” A sunk cost is an expense that was incurred in the past and it is not relevant for future purchase decisions. In other words, after you have paid for the factory-loaded ammunition, and you have fired that ammunition, then you have the choice to either: (1) discard your empty shell cases, or (2) re-use those cases. If you decide to re-use your fired shell cases then you do not incur any new additional expense.
Sales tax and/or shipping expenses were not included in the preceding data. These costs would be unique to your geographical location and they would equally impact all the above costs by the same ratio.
The above costs for new factory-loaded ammunition are based on the cost of that ammunition at a Wal-Mart in the southeastern United States as of June 2009.
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Welcome to the Savage World of the Year 2009
"Welcome to the savage world of the year 2009". That
was the tag line of the 1992 sci-fi film Freejack
, starring Emilio Estevez.
Do you remember it? The movie that featured Cadillac Gage V100 wheeled APCs painted in bright colors? My old
friend All-Grace-No-Slack-Really-Reformed Kris just reminded me about this movie.
Kris
noted: "It
was a bit corny but it had some good scenes and characters such as Amanda Plummer
as
the gun-toting
nun." This film provides an insight on what futurists then thought
2009
would be like, as well as a retrospective on life in 1992.
Let's look back at 1992: It is amazing how much the
world has changed since 1992. To me, it doesn't seem that long ago. In 1992
I was 32
years, old, and our first child was an infant. In 1992, .308 ball cost $180
per thousand rounds, a Colt M1911 cost around $350, and cases of MREs could
be bought at gun shows for around $30 each. Back in those days, I was running
a mail order business from home, selling magazines. I was buying M1 Carbine
15
round magazines
in cases of 100, for $90 per case, and re-selling them by the onesees
and twosees for $3 per magazine. (One of my "get rich slow" ventures.) In 1992, you could still buy a plane ticket for
cash, and stroll right up to the departure gate without a ticket in hand. Yes,
there was a metal detector, but you could board a commercial flight with a
pocketknife with a single-edge blade less than 2-1/2" long. (Remember when knife catalogs had "Airline approved" models?) In 1992, gasoline
was $1.05 per gallon ($1.09 for premium), and a good loaf of bread still cost
49
cents. In 1992 you
could take a car trip into Mexico or Canada, with a smile and the wave of your
state driver's license.
In 1992, I owned a small ranch near Orofino, Idaho.
House prices there ranged
from $39,000 to $155,000. (In 1989, we had paid $29,000 for an
unfinished
house on 40 acres.) Silver started that year at $4.20 per ounce, but drifted
down to under $3.70 in December. (It was still in the midst of a two-decade
long bear market.) A semi-auto AK-47 cost $179, an AR-15 was around $500,
and an M1A was $800.
Fast forward to 2009: The local gun shops are chronically
short of ammunition, and what little they do receive from their wholesalers sells out immediately, at an average of $1 per round. Today .308
ball costs
$900 per thousand rounds, a Colt M1911 costs around $1,200. A case of MREs
can cost
upwards of $90, and a loaf of bread is anywhere from 99 cents for the dreadful
"air bread" to $4.69 for the good stuff. Gas is back up to more than
$2.50 per gallon. A semi-auto AK-47 costs around $700, a low-end AR-15 is around $1,200,
and
a standard grade
M1A is $1,600 if you can find one. Today, people line up like sheep
and remove their shoes before boarding an airplane, and opening a checking
account requires umpteen pieces of identification. Now, thanks to "Homeland
Security" regulations, they will
turn you
down if
you don't have a physical street address. (BTW, that gets a bit sticky here
in The Unnamed Western State, where lots of my neighbors live so far back
in the
boonies
that
they don't have a street address. The bankers get all befuddled if you start
quoting the Township, Range, and Section numbers of your quarter-section.
In 2009, house
prices are still plummeting from their 2006 highs, but still quite "spendy." A
house around Orofino with a good spring now costs around $400,000. Who knows? In the current bear market, the price of houses may not bottom until they are close to their
1992 levels. Oh, and wait a minute! Firearms manufactuers are now working around the clock, and prices are expected to soon come back down. In 1992, a Steyr AUG cost $800, but then
they peaked in 2008 at around $4,000. But now new production AUGs
(made by Steyr in the US) have hit the market for under $1,800. You gotta love a free market economy. Maybe the more that things change, the
more they remain the same.
The "Freejack" script was loosely based on Robert Sheckley's novel "Immortality, Inc." The screenwriters had a few things right, but plenty of things wrong. For example, the "destroyed ozone layer" hasn't wrecked our health. And I don't feel at risk of my brain being hijacked. But, then again, I don't own a television.
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Letter Re: Keep Ammo in Original Boxes?
Mr. Editor,
I've purchased ammo for self protection and for future barter. Is it best
to keep the ammo in the original boxes (e.g. the nice green UMC boxes with
the
plastic
insert that holds the rounds in place) and put those boxes into ammo cans?
Or should I just dump all the ammo into an ammo can loose? I could fit many more
rounds in each can by dumping them in loose, but I'm concerned about impacting
the future barter value of the ammo. And also, if I end up selling
some of
the ammo before TSHTF,
I would imagine keeping the rounds in the box would make the seller happier.
Any thoughts?
Thanks for what you do. - Alex
JWR Replies: Unless space is at an absolute premium (such
as for someone on a live-aboard boat) I recommend that you leave ammo in the
original factory
boxes, as it will be worth far
more in
barter, or in an eventual cash sale. Just as importantly, you will also be
able to keep "like
lots" together.
(Usually lot numbers are printed on the inside of the box
flaps.) There are sometimes subtle differences between lots, and the point
of impact can vary
a bit. This particularly
important for long range rifle shooting. Also, although they are rare, ammunition
recalls are not unheard of. Without lot numbers you'll have no way of
correlating
ammo
lots to
recall notices. And, needless
to say, store those
in mil-spec
ammo
cans
with
soft
seals.
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Letter Re: Gun Show Report--A Window of Opportunity?
Jim,
On Sunday, I attended what is billed as the largest gun show in North Carolina
and thought you and your readers might appreciate an update.
What I saw lead me to believe that supplies of black rifles and magazines are
catching back up to demand but that ammunition and reloading components remain
in short supply -- especially primers.
When I attended the November show, I had to wait in line 30 minutes or so just
to get in. I heard the March show had a two hour wait. Today, there was no
wait at all. It was crowded inside, but not jammed like the first post-election
show. Still, a healthy amount of business was being conducted, far more than
two years ago when I last attended as a dealer.
My first stop was to pick up the smokeless powder that I use to load .223.
It was sold out at my normal dealer. They had a big sign that said "No
Primers." I
found another dealer and bought two pounds. The price was reasonable. He had
only magnum pistol primers in stock. He told me the price as $48 per thousand,
but he expected it to settle back down in three months. I did not see any other
primers in the entire show. Several folks were selling bags of 100 pieces of
brass, but no one was selling 1,000 piece bags of it
or other large lots, and prices were up. So brass and primers remain in short
supply. Possibly it is all going to commercial ammunition production.
I was surprised to see that there were lots of new black rifles available --
more than I had expected. There were plenty of AR-15s well as AR uppers and
lowers. Despite wider availability, prices remain high. The cheapest plain
vanilla AR-15 that I saw was $1,080, with most guns starting at $1,200 and
anything with an adjustable buttstock and rails instead of the older forearm
starting
at around $1,600. In fact, I would say $1,600 was the average price for a Bushmaster
or a S&W M&P. Of course, there were still $3,000 guns for sale, but
no one was showing much interest.
Stripped lowers from the lesser-known manufacturers were going for about $139
and full lowers with an adjustable buttstock from Rock River Arms were $359.
I was looking for a spare bolt and bolt carrier, but never found one. I also
saw that part kits for lowers were in short supply. So if you are planning
on piecing together a gun, it might make more sense just to buy one complete.
You could wait weeks for parts and possibly spend even more when all is said
and done.
AK-47s were widely available, as were the Ruger Mini-14 and Mini-30. AKs were
running in the $600 and up range while SKSes were closing in on $400. A CETME
rifle with a Century Arms receiver that cost $300 five years ago was not going
for a shockingly high $1,295. I only saw one Springfield Armory M1A. It had
a stainless steel barrel and was $1,695. FALs were scarce and at least as pricey.
Based on this show, magazines seem to be back to reasonable availability. Used
AR-15 magazines were $9. New .223 alloy magazines from C-Products or DPMS were
starting at $15 at most sellers. MagPul polymer magazines were $25 to $29,
depending on the model. They were some available, but limited quantities.
Pistol dealers were doing a very robust trade. I saw many more people buying
pistols than I did long guns. There were dealers with 20 tables just lined
up with Glocks, Springfield Armory pistols, SIGs, Smith and Wessons, Kahrs,
Kel-Tecs and just about anything else you could see. Every pistol dealer had
people sitting in chairs filing out paperwork.
Rifle ammunition was in decent supply. I saw at least three dealers that had
stacks of 1,000 round cases of new, commercial .223/5.56 from Federal XM193
and/or PMC for $459 and up. Many others had Wolf, Bear or other Russian or
Eastern European ammo. There were also folks selling "remanufactured" ammo
-- 500 in a .30 caliber ammo can for $275. Since this was the second day of
the show and near the end, I was surprised at this availability -- all the
anecdotal evidence I had heard lead me to believe cases of .223 would be sold
out. .308 ammo was harder to come by, with very little domestic production
available. There was a moderate supply of Russian calibers and one guy had
a pallet of 8mm [Mauser] that didn't seem to be selling.
Pistol ammunition was much more scarce than rifle ammo, especially in common
calibers. I saw only one dealer with .380 (for $35 a box) and only a few with
9mm. Dealers
had signs saying "No 9mm" or "No .45 ACP." Self defense
ammo with a good hollow point, such as Gold Dot or Ranger SXT were going
for $45 or $50 for a box of 50 rounds. There was more .357 and .40 [S&W]
and good supplies
of less common calibers like .44 Special. I only saw one dealer with bricks
of 1,000 .22 LRs, but plenty were selling the small 50 or 100 round boxes.
If this one show is any example, I would say that the industry is doing a good
job or meeting the increased demand for firearms, albeit at the expense of
the secondary market. Demand remains high, but is down from the surge in the
months immediately following the election, and supply is now catching
up. The
threat of additional legislation, assault weapon bans and magazine bans remains
and is likely to grow rather than recede. As a result, this may be a good window
of opportunity to buy a new firearm. While it is possible prices will drop
if we reach an over supply situation, I personally think that is unlikely in
the next two or three years unless the Republicans win an awful lot of seats
in the next congressional election.
The strong sales of pistols and lack of availability in pistol caliber ammunition
leads me to believe that many people are worried about rising crime and are
arming themselves. This is consistent with the up tick in people taking concealed
carry courses. One has to wonder if the same lines that produced pistol ammo
have been converted over to rifle calibers and if we are destined to see shortages
in one or the other for some time to come.
Finally, the recent sales explosion in firearms and the sudden lack of availability
in the market should be a lesson to anyone sitting on the survival fence. Do
not put off your preparations any longer. A sudden change can suck all the
supplies out of the pipeline and result in months of backorders for long term
storage food, water filters, medical supplies, etc. The just-in-time supply
situation is a precarious one and any small shock can upset the balance, resulting
in shortages and price increases. - Captain
Dave
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Letter Re: Rethinking Uncommon Rifle Chamberings
Mr. Rawles-
I read "Patriots:
A Novel Survival in the Coming Collapse"
a
couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it. Thank you.
I wanted to mention: I try to follow conventional wisdom about caliber choices
for SHTF weapons.
Interestingly, in the current ammo shortage, it’s still
somewhat easy to get ammo for oddball calibers. For example, if one needs 7.5x55
Swiss, 7.65x54R Russian or 7.5x54 French, many online dealers have it in stock,
while 9mm, 45 ACP,
12 gauge buckshot, 308, 223, 7.62x39 etc., are very hard to come by. For people
who don’t have the budget to stockpile a lot of
ammo, this may justify keeping at least one [rifle chambered in a] non-standard
caliber in the arsenal. The
bolt action Russian, Swiss and French rifles are relatively inexpensive, sturdy,
and hard hitting. The fact that the ammo is in good supply during a nationwide
ammo shortage is a bonus.
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Letter Re: Canadian Gun Shows--Behind The Power Curve
James,
Just sending this letter as a quick update to the situation with ammunition
and "black
guns" or defensive weapons in Canada. Contrary to what many people think,
Canada does allow citizens to get licensed and own firearms of most types.
Basically anything except full auto weapons unless you previously owned one
years ago and were grandfathered after that particular portion of Nazi legislation
was implemented.
This last weekend I was fortunate to attend Canada's largest gun show in western
Canada located in Cow Town, Calgary, Alberta. This gun show is nothing compared
to the big shows across many of the US States (about 500 tables) however, none
the less, it is an opportunity to meet with all the big vendors from across
the country and pick up ammo and supplies with cash for OPSEC reasons,
while you still can.
Its interesting to note that like the USA, supplies are rapidly drying up as
far as defensive firearms, loaded ammo and reloading components but not yet
reaching the levels of devastation as seen in the USA., yet.
What we are seeing is this, because of the lag time with bureaucratic red tape
processing of ammunition
and firearms coming into Canada
from the USA, there are a number of good-sized stockpiles of ammo and firearms
that are still trickling through Canada Customs and into the local guns shops
six months after the orders were placed which was about the time the supply
runs began in the USA. I fear however that this will very soon no longer be
the case due to the supply issues south of the border. For those in the know,
we recognize that our window of opportunity to purchase such items is rapidly
coming to a close. Massive supply runs have not yet begun, however supplies
are drying up rapidly as preppers and those ahead of the ball are consuming
the majority of the common calibers and associated reloading components.
Also very interesting: The vast majority of gun shop
owners and vendors up here are completely asleep at the wheel where the supply
issues are concerned. Many of them actually think that the delivery trucks
will always be there to bring stock for their shelves. I've actually heard
comments
from such people as this "The government will not allow this to happen
as it will hurt the firearms industry". What have they been smoking?
When I was at the show in Calgary this last weekend, it was rather humorous
to approach many of the vendors who had the only significant quantities of
the major calibers of ammo at this show (.45 ACP, .40 S&W , 9mm , .223,
etc) and simply walk up to them, ask them how much for case lots of ammunition
and then actually haggle with them and eventually purchase it at a much lower
price than they were originally asking. If these folks knew that their supply
was near complete extinction they wouldn't even be selling it or would at least
jack the price in accordance with the principles of supply and demand. But
it was great for me, though. No complaints.
It was a good show where Canada was concerned, mainly because we mopped up
what the golden horde was willing to trade for soon to be useless paper dollars
(big laughs over that) and we were able to get the supplies that we know will
soon be gone. We have reason to believe that the last of those cross-border
ammunition imports might be done and over with and we will shortly see panic
hit the regular gun crowd in Canada who will be left to fight over the odd
box of shotgun slugs and pistol rounds at best.
Thanks for all you do. I hope this information is of interest to fellow Canadian
SurvivalBlog readers.
-
Luke
Duke
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Letter Re: Knob Creek Report on Ammunition, Magazines, and Parts
Jim,
I just got back from attending the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot near Fort Knox,
Kentucky. I have never seen the ammo situation as bad there as it was on April
3rd to April 5th. I took four other people that have never been there and told
them that they would
be able to satisfy their needs at this show over any other. Boy, was I wrong!
Supply on certain items was either non existent or had decreased dramatically.
Several nationwide ammo dealers didn’t even show up and I have seen them
there for 10 consecutive years.
9mm +P+ Israeli SMG ball or tracer – last November.was $100 now $150 per thousand
(Pat's Reloading told me that they had gone through four Semi-trailer loads
of the stuff and this was nearing the end of it.) I loved this stuff because
I
couldn’t
even touch the components for $100, especially tracer.
.223 Israeli ball was $375 per thousand at Pats reloading
.223 Israeli tracer was oddly less expensive than
ball at $149 per 500. I looked through mine and about 10% appears to be Lake
City (early to mid-1990s). Purchased
at Pat's Reloading
.223 Federal 2008 production XM193 was $450 per 500. Don’t even think
about what that equates to, "per case".
9mm was in somewhat short supply. I heard one supplier tell a customer that
he brought two pallet loads with him, but the dealers bought it all before
the show even opened.
7.62x39 Last November Golden Tiger was $180 a case. I didn’t see one
single case of the stuff and Wolf was $300 a case.
7.62x54R was holding steady at $160 for two sealed tins (about 880 rds)
30-06 Greek sealed tins of 240 rds was up from $59 to $100.
.308 South African $90 per battle pack of 200 rds.
While there was some pistol ammo, it was not stacked up by the pallet load
as usual and self defense loads were either in short supply or exorbitant in
price. I did somehow manage to stumble into some Blazer nickel plated case
165 grain solid point 40 S&W ammo for $15 per 50 and some .223 IMG (Guatemalan)
that was boxed but tarnished for $375 per 1,200 round case. Time to dig out
the reloader and supplies.
On the Magazine front, nearly all [of the once inexpensive and plentifull magazines]
now have jacked up [prices].
DSA still had nice metric FAL mags for $7 and 30 round [.308 L4] Bren gun mags
that fit FALs (inch and metric) for $30. I would have bought some but I am
still
mad at them at playing "the DSA waiting game" for some [FAL] receivers. I have
waited on two of those receivers now for going on a year, continually being
promised that they
"have
them in stock", and being sent my money back twice. This is my
forth go around with them 1997, 2001, 2003 with only one [order] being successful.
[Minor rant snipped.]
AK magazines: still some around for $12
G3 aluminum mags $5
[HK] G3 steel and CETME were all $15 except for one guy who still had them
for $5
Cope's Distributing was completely out of the used (law enforcement trade-in)
Glock and SIG magazines that they formerly had for $10 each. They did have
some KCI Korean Glock
magazines
for
$12
that looked respectable and see to have a good reputation so far.
SVD and Romak 3 mags had dropped from $100 to $60 (for a 4-pack) in November.
Now back up to $85.
AR parts kits were in short supply. Model 1 sales sent a reduced table and
barely had anything. a FFL dealer behind me at the Doublestar/J&T Distributing
table told me he had bought 55 full kits from Model 1 Sales and he would be
sold out in 2-3 weeks so he was buying more from J&T. The owner of J&T
told me that she ran out of stuff before the show even opened to the public
and had to send a van back to load up with more stuff. J&T’s cheapest
kit was $555 without a chrome bore. They sold out of kits by noon and were
going to have to send another van back for more.
On the AR-15 lower receiver front, a FFL dealer friend of mine there told me
that the log jam for receivers appeared to have eased as he was able to buy
them
for
$88 wholesale once again and take delivery in a reasonable amount of time.
On the whole, the current situation seems to favor those moving into the AK-74
realm. AK-74 kits were $495, receiver flats were $12, transferable receivers
were $60 and the ammo was $300 per 1,300 rds (in sealed tins). There never
seems to be much competition for that ammo. I am thinking about getting a 5.45mm
AK.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Recommendation for the Book "One Second After" »
Letter Re: Lessons Learned by the Victim of a Home Burglary
Jim,
I’m writing you today after our rural home/retreat was broken into while
we were at work. I thought it would never happen to me, Oh, was
I so very wrong. First things first, thank you for convincing me to purchase
a safe and after reading the suggestion many times in you blog I eventually
bolted it down. This is the only thing that saved me from losing the
safe and all of its contents. The Sheriff told me of another burglary
where the didn’t have his very large ("they can’t
move it--its too heavy") safe bolted down and they took the whole thing.
After much thinking, online research and discussions with the local locksmith/safe
dealer with 40 years of experience, I have some suggestions that may be of use
to my fellow SurvivalBlog readers:
ANCHOR YOUR SAFE!!! I cannot stress this enough. I had a fairly
low end safe and they were not able to get into it (they almost did) nor were
they able get it out of the house. The Sheriff's deputy estimated they worked
on it for two to three hours to no avail. These thieves tore a wall out to try to gain more access to it.
I have decided that a safe is my final line of defense from a burglar.
First thing, put gates at the entrance to your retreat and lock them as I now
have. Put all tools out of sight as the thieves used my hammers, pry bars to
work on the safe. Reinforce the door jambs in your home. I have added 3-inch
screws to the door hinges and a steel plate behind the striker plates with
3 inch screws. If your budget permits add an alarm with an outside strobe light.
This may or may not help depending on where your home is located. We are on
a paved county road with our retired neighbor who has a line of sight to our
home a quarter mile away. If it would happen again our neighbor would be there
in short order. As for dogs, I don’t know, I have three and they did
not stop them. From what I have gathered unless you have a trained security
dog they don’t help
much, they just kick them out the door and go about their business. Don’t leave
keys/combinations in your home while away. They opened every cabinet door,
drawer, trunk, dresser, night stand, picture frames and closet in the house
and emptied them. There was only one cabinet door they didn’t open which
was the one with my truck keys in it which was in the driveway.
Don’t put anything in or under the beds, ours were all flipped upside
down. Don’t leave any firearms out and loaded while away, you don’t
want to come home and be confronted by your own weapon in the hands of a criminal.
Do what you can now before a burglary to make your home less inviting
to a thief. If they want in they will get in
given enough time. I feel bad saying this but if your neighbors’ home is less secure than yours they will go visit your neighbor. My worry now
is they have been in my home, will they be back since they know I may have
something worth getting.
After a lengthy discussion with the locksmith/safe technician. The strongest
way to secure to concrete is the Powers/Rawl brand wedge bolt +. Don’t
use the lead "bullets" or drive in anchors. He told me a story of removing
16 safes for a chain of stores that were bolted down with these style anchors.
If you can get a pry bar started under one corner you can pull them right out. The wedge bolts cut threads in the concrete with no inserts.
He stated you will pull the floor out of the safe before the anchors pull out.
If you’re anchoring to a wood floor and you have an unfinished basement
you should use a steel plate. Use 1/8” or 3/16” [thick] flat steel
plate large enough to catch at least three floor joists. Screw the plate to
the bottom
of the floor joist. Use an extra-long drill bit to drill down from the safe
thru the steel plate. Get hardened bolts long enough to be installed from the
bottom, cut a piece of pipe slightly larger than the bolt but shorter than
the floor joist is tall and slide it over the bolt as you are installing it.
This will make it very difficult to cut the bolts as the pipe will spin freely
on the bolt. Be sure to "double nut" them inside the safe. The last step is to weld the bolt heads to the steel
plate.
Thanks for all the good information on your blog. I hope maybe someone reading
your blog my find some of this info useful and maybe prevent someone from entering
their home. I didn’t sleep well for a week, the
wife and I are still a little on edge and everyone who drives by is suspect!
This makes you feel very insecure knowing someone has been in your home and
went thru all your things. I wish I would have made our place more secure before
and maybe this would never have happened! The Sheriff told me this is getting
much more frequent and I agree it will get worse. God Bless, - Jason in Missouri.
JWR Replies: Thanks for that letter, Jason! Hopefully it
will motivate folks to up their level of home security and vigilance. I agree
that the home gun safe should be the last line of defense. One intermediate
line
of
defense
is concealment.
Burglars cannot attack a safe if they don't know it exists. See
the SurvivalBlog archives
for a variety
of articles and letters that discuss hidden rooms, such as this
one, or this
one, both from
2007.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Walk!, by Snolden »
Letter Re: Ammunition Shortages in U.S. Might Become Chronic
Hi Jim,
A man with the Customer Service department at Midway explained that backorders
are expected to continue and there appears to be no reduction in demand.
Browsing
their
web site,
I
see 'expected' delivery dates pushing further into the future, and up to
six weeks delay for the less expensive and common caliber hunting bullet,
mostly .30
caliber
bullets. Many premium bullets are also on 'back order' since my last visit.
And now, even less common caliber bullets are backordered as well as other
reloading components and reloading tools. The shortage at Cabela's also
continues. The Civilian Marksman Program (CMP),
advises that delivery could take 100 days for their still inexpensive M2
ball (.30-06) for the M1 Garand [and
many other] rifles.
I believe that you've mentioned the possibility that "Ballistic
Wampum" could
be more useful than silver for the purposes of barter. The ammunition and component
shortage is making a me believer. If events unfold as they might, the shortage
could become increasingly severe and chronic. It may actually now be easier
to obtain silver than bullets or certain and popular loaded ammunition. Over
the last two years, I've done better with ammunition than silver, and have
decided to trade in silver if necessary, for bullets. In memory of the Lone
Ranger,
silver would be a poor substitute for lead as the sectional density of a sliver
bullet would be significantly less and therefore less effective. As I am no
Lone Ranger, I would need all the advantages possible, and rather have the
good stuff.
More folks are waking up everyday, and I suspect most of them will feel the need
to protect and feed themselves. Many of those folks will be without the means
to do as they discover that they cannot afford buy a good supply or any supply,
and if able, may find that shipment could be months into the future. The Fed's
recent action makes continued and escalating hyper inflation a given. If delivery
in months away, prices might change, or delivery might become impossible at some
point. I'd error on the side of caution. - E.L.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All »
Letter: Full Capacity Magazine Price Inflation and Scarcity
James,
I too purchased a PTR-91 [HK91 clone] rifle and ordered
50 magazines from PTR 91 Inc. The shipping was reasonable and when I received
them, there were [actually some free "bonus", for a total of] 55
magazines. They ranged from good to like new condition and had dates all the
way from 1963 thru early 1990s. For $107 delivered, I got 55 magazines and
a very big smile on my face. - M.E.K .
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All »
Letter: Full Capacity Magazine Price Inflation and Scarcity
Greetings -
Just wanted to say "thank you" for suggesting the PTR-91 as a battle
rifle option. I will freely admit to getting caught up in the AR-15 hysteria
but I have come to my senses and saved money thanks to SurvivalBlog.
German surplus G3 alloy military surplus magazines in good to excellent condition
are easily available in quantity for $3-to-$4 each. Contrast that with AR-15
mags at $15+
each,
and that's a 5:1 ratio. Or, for the same $90 folks are paying for a single AR-10
mag, they can get more than 25 surplus G3 mags, shipped! In addition, while
AR-15s are nearly impossible to find at $1,000 or less, I am finding PTR-91s
on the
shelf for $1,100 just waiting to be bought. Yes, 7.62mm NATO is more expensive
than 5.56 NATO, and the G3 mags are only 20-rounders, but all in all I can't
think of a better, low total ownership cost battle rifle than the PTR-91. -
JT in Michigan
« Letter Re: A Technique for Crossing Barbed-Wire Fences |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: Wealth Destruction--Real Wealth or Just On-Paper Wealth?
Sir:
I followed the link in Thursday's blog to this I followed this news story: 45
percent of world's wealth destroyed: Blackstone CEO. It stated: "Between
40 and 45 percent of the world's wealth has been destroyed in little less than
a year and a half." I don't see how Schwarzman can be right about that.
The factories are still there. the farms are still there. The houses are still
there. And there are still warehouses full of everything from Machinery and
bar stock to Sponge Bob Squarepants toys.So what has been destroyed are just "on
paper" profits, not any real wealth. Please correct me
if I'm wrong, but what is to stop us from just revaluating things, and getting
along with life? Thanks, - F.T.G
JWR Replies: You are mostly right, but partly wrong. You
are correct that there has been very little real tangible wealth that has
been
destroyed, other than inventory that might be discarded for lack of a market,
some half-finished commercial and residential building projects that will
eventually get bulldozed, and some perishables that have been delayed in transit
and that went to waste. You are also correct that most of what still exists
tangibly has genuine value. But consider that an under-utilized factory
produces fewer goods than a fully-utilized factory. (OBTW, on that note,
we can thank President Obama for at least keeping America's gun, ammunition,
and
magazine
factories working
at
a fever pitch.)
So let's step back and look at the big picture...
What has been destroyed:
1.) Asset Values:
This goes without saying. Reader FTG is correct that facilities and capital equipment
are physically intact, but their values have been greatly reduced. I expect to
see this process continue for several more years.
2.) Wages and Buying Power:
By cutting out overtime, reducing shifts, idling
assembly lines, canceling re-stocking orders, reducing pensions, scaling-back
benefits, and laying off employees, there
has been a great contraction in wage-earning income and hence buying power--even
to the point where people are having trouble making their mortgage payments.
This
leads
to a chain
collision
of missed house payments, foreclosures, and evictions. Worse yet, it means
even more houses will be dumped onto a market that is already flooded with "excess
inventory."
3.) Credit, and the Perception of Credit-Worthiness:
As I've described before,
the economy is presently in a phase characterized by revaluation--as the
various market sectors probe for new market prices.(Economists
call this "Price Discovery.") Simultaneously, lenders are are positively
petrified to lend to their heretofore "credit worthy"
clients.
There
has been so much debt re-packaging that has gone on, that it is now very
difficult to reliably assess any accurate values of assets and to evaluate
loan risk
4.) Consumer Confidence
Much of the consumerism that built up in the US for the past 30 years was a Spendthrift
mentality, created by the bygone oceans of "Easy Credit". Both that
credit and the resultant spending are now gone. And I do mean gone.
In previous recessions, there had been brief declines in consumerism,
but I can foresee that this one one will be different. This will be more like
the 1930s,
where the
nation developed an entire generation of penny-pinchers. Don't get me wrong--I
consider
this a good thing! Saving is admirable. Overspending
is foolish. But from the standpoint of economic recovery, this could delay recovery
by several year, since a large portion of the economy had built up around the
concept of women with 25 pairs of shoes, and
men
with three sets of golf clubs
5.) For Many, the Hope of Retirement at Age 65:
Millions of American that were nearing retirement
have lost any hope of retiring. Aside for the holdings of a few crazy "gold
bugs" (like SurvivalBlog readers),
their IRAs and 401(k)s have been devastated. There are also some company pension
plans that have gone "poof" or that will surely be scaled back considerably.
I don't want to gloat, but those of you that took my advice three years ago
and sold their dollar-denominated investments and invested in tangibles have
come
through
the credit market collapse
virtually unscathed. Some of you even came out ahead. Meanwhile, those that
left their money in stock-heavy 401(k) accounts have been devastated. Losses
of
30% to 50% have been the norm. Ouch!
6.) Carefree Mobility:
Before the housing bubble burst, people could easily change
jobs, sell their houses (at a profit!) and move from coast to coast without
much inconvenience.
But to do so now constitutes major trial and tribulation. Up to 40% of people
with mortgaged homes now have negative equity--meaning that the remaining principal
of their mortgage now exceeds the market value of their house. (This is commonly
called being "upside down" in a mortgage.) So now, even for someone
that can make their mortgage payments, changing jobs to a new locale beyond
commute distance means losing their house and starting over. And if they go
with the "jingle mail" method, it means starting over with a ruined
credit rating.
7.) The Last Shreds of Job Security:
Following the trend set by Silicon Valley, when the "Dot.Com" bubble burst
in 2000, many industries are now getting positively ruthless about cost-cutting.
There is now a constant barrage of news of layoffs,
reduced benefits,
and cutting our perks. Don't expect "normality" to resume to the corporate
workplace in our generation. Any vestiges of "job
security" have become a thing of the past.
What Will Likely Continue to Be Destroyed:
1.) Further erosion of asset values.
The price of real estate (both residential
and commercial) will likely continue to decline until either A.) The economy
starts to recover, or B.) Inflation kicks in. If it is the latter, (which is
what I suspect, sooner or later), property prices will start to rise only
because general price inflation has grown. But this will be a false
recovery in real estate.
Real property values will continue to decline, while the currency
unit itself is
being destroyed. Yes, your house may be worth a several million dollars, but
what will a million dollars buy you in such times? The same may happen with
stocks.
In
the presence of inflation, news of a "stock
market rally" will
be nothing but fiction if the currency. Amidst the "Happy Days are here
again" hoopla,
real values will still be in the
dumpster.
2.) More job losses and further-reduced wage-earning hours
3.) More failed pension programs
4.) The dollar itself as a currency unit. This recent news article was a subtle
warning: The
Swiss central bank has already
fired the first shot in the global currency war. I expect large devaluations--both
formal and informal--by many nations in the near future. The bottom line is that
the US
Dollar
is
doomed.
What will Remain and Gain:
Tangibles, Tangibles, Tangibles! I've been harping on that theme in SurvivalBlog
for three years. Again, those of you that took my advice are mostly sitting
pretty. Silver and gold have doubled, as have ammunition and many full capacity
magazines. Productive farm and ranch land has held most of its value, while
at the same
time suburban
real
estate has plummeted. If you have not yet transitioned out of dollar-denominated
investments, then do so immediately. (The current stock rally is nothing
but a sucker
rally in
the larger context of secular bear stock market So this is a good opportunity
to bail
out.)
The present-day wave of deflation will likely be followed by a period of sharp
inflation. At
some point, all those trillions of "magically created out of thin
air" dollars
that will needed for the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB)
will inevitably catch up with the Dollar. My closing warning: Be
ready for some serious consumer price inflation, most likely starting in
2010.
« Three Letters Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
How Many Magazines is Enough?, by Cowboy
It's nice to know how many guns you have to
share amongst those mags, or better yet how many magazines do you have to share
amongst multiple like model rifles or pistols for that matter. That's how I
count them to see if I feel like I have enough or not. Plus, I like to count
in the possibility of adding another gun or two into that particular category
at a later date since buying extra mags is always cheaper than adding a new
gun. If nothing else, extra mags are a great investment for later sale or barter
especially if the current snake oil salesman in charge signs a new assault
weapons ban into law.
As an example, I got caught with just a couple of AK and AR mags when the Assault
weapons Ban (AWB) took effect in 1994. This was before the "preparedness
mindset" for
me
which
came later in 1996 when I found JWR's novel draft "The Gray Nineties" [--an
early draft edition of "Patriots" ].
I was not nearly so gun market savvy as I am today. I was the typical gun owner/collector
with one each of several guns without any thought to caliber consolidation or
commonality of magazines for logistics purposes. In the same vein I may have
had a couple 20 round boxes of 223 or 762x39 ammo laying around with really no
thought of having anymore than what I needed to go to the range one time for
about an
hour's worth of shooting. In hindsight it was absolutely shameful--like 99% of
the sleeping gun owning public.
Then the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was signed into law and there was a run
on certain guns, ammunition, and magazines--much like we are seeing now--that
swept the country overnight. Back then, I was way behind the
curve on that
and
I got
caught off guard. At the time $6 for a nice but used USGI M16 magazine was common
and a new mag might set you back $10. Overnight if you could even find some for
sale you had to pay double or triple that. Same with Glock magazines as another
example. They went from +/- $15 for a new one to $40-$45. [JWR Adds: In
1999,
I saw
gun
show dealers asking and getting $75 each for 13 round Glock 21 magazines,
and
$150 each for 33 round Glock 17/18/19 magazines!] This
market
environment
went
on
for
the
10
year
life
span
of
the
AWB
until
it
"sunsetted"
in 2004.
Prices
went down and availability went back to normal until just before the 2008 election.
Since 2004 I have been eagerly buying all the magazines I needed, or thought
I
might
ever
need in a lifetime. I learned my lesson. In anticipation of the election
I was counting on the ignorance and gullibility of the general populace so I
made a last bulk purchase of magazines. Good thing too! Just this past summer
(2008), I bought a little over $1,000 worth of various magazines, and in particular
Glock 17 magazines from my favorite place. At that time they were $16.99 all
day long. The election came and now they are $24.99 from the same place, and
even so they are still the cheapest I can find among my many regular sources.
More recently, SIG magazines for have gone up at most places for instance. Pre-election
they usually went for right at $30. One of my regular places has gone up a little
bit to $33, but I've seen that most other places have jacked them
up to $40. It was and is the old "short supply and high demand" syndrome,
due
in part to all the panic buying that could have been avoided if done a little
bit
at
a time
like I've done over the past five years.
As bad as the prices got then, what's going on now is far worse in terms of availability.
Having lived and financially suffered through the '94 AWB, I still can say I've
never seen anything like this before. This is easily twice as bad as
the '94 AWB, and no legislation is even close to being signed into law yet. I
lived and
paid
dearly through the '94 AWB and I feel like I can speak on the topic of what's
happening in the gun market right now with some authority. In other words if
you find a deal where they haven't gouged the prices, then I recommend buying
extra beyond your immediate needs. Knowing what you know about your arsenal of
freedom,
I'd say stop buying guns and concentrate on ammunition and a few more magazines
as a priority. You can't drive a Corvette if you can't afford the gas, so to
speak. The mistake they made in 1994 was not going after the ammunition and they
realize
that now. If the majority of gun owning America is still anything like I was
back in 1994, any possible self defense in a civil unrest situation would be
short lived without adequate ammunition supplies already in place. And who's
got time to reload the one or two magazines they got with the rifle in the middle
of a fire fight? When it comes to magazines, more is better. I suspect this mood
has improved among gun owners in general and that the lesson of the '94 AWB still
smells fresh to some. As evidenced by my coworkers who come to me for 'gun advise",
I still believe the majority are gun rich, but magazine and ammunition poor so
to speak.
Now that I've gone on entirely too long you should have noticed the theme: Buy
more magazines where you need them and even if you don't as long as the prices
aren't gouge level. Buy more ammunition for your major battle rifle caliber at
every opportunity because it certainly isn't getting any cheaper and availability
is scarce. Look at Ammoman.com and AIMSurplus.com.
They are just plain out of all the common caliber ammunition. That is very telling,
but it also concerns
me the most. In case you feel overwhelmed at the very expense of it all, I give
the example of a co-worker who recently got on the same page via my Christmas
gift of JWR's novel "Patriots" ..
On pay day this coworker without fail goes to the local Horse Tack & Gun Shop
and buys two or three twenty round boxes of commercial
.223. Whatever he can afford that pay day. Although he was quite behind the 8
Ball in the beginning, he has over 500 rounds now and he just picked up three
extra M16 magazines. His little bit at a time strategy is working nicely, and
I have seen his overall mood improve as his supply grows along with his confidence.
He has also has been using the "copy can" method at the grocery store
and his progression in that department has really improved his state as well.
As a general recommendation I advise the following with the caveat that you add
the same minimum amount of used generic (cheaper) magazines for range use. I
know it's extra money but you can't go wrong by then adding a second batch of
new factory magazines as you can locate and afford them until you've doubled
that original minimum. I can assure you they will make a nice investment later
down the road. Keep those brand new magazines back in the "break glass in
case of emergency" box. That will be your long term storage box that you
don't touch until TSHTF.
Buy .50 caliber ammo cans for a
safe place to store magazines, with a bag of desiccant thrown in for good measure.
I've
actually
vacuum
packed
mine
for long term rust free storage. Keep the used but reliable generic mags about
for immediate availability and for range use. [Some snipped, for brevity.]
As a absolute minimum I recommend the following. Hopefully you are in or can
get into a position to consolidate caliber and like model firearms if for nothing
other than a logistics standpoint. Having to find, purchase, and store several
different calibers, and multiple types of magazines can make an already expensive
proposition downright discouraging.
(10) Ten brand new magazines per main battle rifle (This under most circumstances
should equate to basic load + spares)
(7) Seven brand new magazines per pistol (This also under most circumstances
should equate to basic load + spares)
and,
(1) Main Battle Rifle per adult or responsible teenager
(1) Main Sidearm per adult or responsible teenager
And of course, in my opinion one of the most often neglected items: professional
training, and appropriate web gear to carry those magazines and your sidearm.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle, by OddShot »
Letter Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter?
Hello Jim,
Been learning a lot from Survival Blog, thanks for the great work. I'm just
wondering if sterling silver and 14 karat [gold] jewelry (plain [rings or
chains], or gemstones would make good bartering items? Have been thinking
of selling them and using
the money for preparedness, etc but wondered about this.
Thanks very much for all the useful information. - Mrs. H.
JWR Replies: Although at first blush keeping jewelry on hand
might seem practical, in actuality its drawbacks outweigh its benefits. Perhaps
metals, but gemstones are a definite no. Gemstones--either diamonds or colored
stones--will not be trusted by 99% of your potential
bartering partners. Gold or silver chains might be
trusted by some trading partners, but only if they were clearly marked for
their purity, and if you
were to carry a compact
pennyweight scale, to establish the weight of the chain (or a chiseled-off
length of chain).
Parenthetically, I should mention that as first popularized by the "Flying
Tigers" (AVG) in China, early in World War II, some
military aviators, Special Forces soldiers, and mercenaries have habitually
worn heavy gold bracelets. They have worn these with the
intention of
being
able to
trade links
from
these
chains
for assistance
from villagers, if they should become stranded in Third World countries. This
is a sort of a "Get Me Home" insurance policy. These chains are often flaunted
at VFW halls
and have been touted by a few armchair survival writers, but I have my doubts
about
them working
well in post-TEOTWAWKI First
World countries. Ironically, your average First World urbanite or suburbanite
is actually far more ignorant about precious metals and testing their
purity
than the
average "ignorant" Third World peasant. (Many peasants know how to use a touchstone
and even and more sophisticated merchants would know how to do an acid test,
while the average American would be clueless about any of that!)
In my estimation the "precious metals chains" approach to barter will have
very limited utility in most anticipated post-collapse situations, The biggest
problem
will
be convincing
your bartering
partner that the gold or silver that you are offer is genuine, confirming
its purity to the nearest half-karat value, and establishing its weight and
hence its value. It is far far easier
to have
a
pocketful of widely recognizable pre-1965 mint date circulated "junk" 90%
silver US dimes, quarters
and half dollars. And of course there is always "Ballistic
Wampum." Someday soon, common caliber ammunition may become the
coin
of
the
realm.
My advice to anyone that has set aside any "extra" (non-heirloom)
jewelry, earmarked for barter: Sell it, and use the funds
generated
to buy pre-1965 90% silver US dimes, quarters and half dollars,.
« Letter Re: Some Observations at a Recent Gun Show |Main| Two Letters Re: Storing Food Without Refrigeration »
Letter Re: Supply and Demand at American Gun Stores
James,
We finally caught up on magazine sales in late February, filling our
last outstanding back orders, and I actually have a limited number of C Products
AR-15 magazines in stock and some Magpul PMags (which I really like). The
manufacturers tend to send out a half of an order and then a few weeks later,
the balance of it. They are clearly allocating inventory across their customer
base and I would estimate that they are running two to three months behind.
The delivery situation is getting worse, and my guess is that new orders
placed today would likely arrive in June or July.
Almost anything related to AR-15s/M4s is backordered. Spring
sets, repair kits, accessories, bolts and bolt carriers, etc. Even magazine
repair kits have dried up. I probably
have close to $4,000 worth of merchandise on back order from Brownell's for
our web-based store. Prices are rising as well. Wholesale cost on Glock magazines
have jumped to what used to be our retail sales price. We've seen a 60%
jump in the
wholesale price since the election.
The ability of these producers to ramp up production is limited. Many are running
extra shifts or hours on existing machines, but none of them want to add new
equipment because the capital expense will take so long to recoup. If the law
changes and their products are suddenly banned, their income will drop off
a cliff and the new debt burden could just force them into bankruptcy that
much sooner. So the pipeline is constrained due to the uncertain future. This
is another lesson in why it is better to prepare sooner than later.
My advice for anyone who wants to buy ammunition by the case lot and black
rifles is to try GunBroker.com.
I do not sell there, but I have been doing some personal buying there. Sellers
have items in stock, but prices are not
low as the auction format tends to float prices up when demand is high. Still,
you can buy ammo by the case, complete guns, complete lower [receiver]s and
stripped lowers as well as magazines and accessories.
I wish you continued success, safety and security, - Dave of (Captain
Dave's)
JWR Replies: That matches what I have been seeing. As recently
as September, an AR-15 "Lower Parts Kit" (the hammer, trigger, sear, pistol
grip, trigger guard and assorted
pins, springs
and detents needed to complete building a stripped AR-15
receiver) was selling for as little as $49. Today, they are very scarce, and
selling on Gunbroker.com for as much as $125 each! There are so many folks
frantically parting-up ARs that there is a genuine shortage of not just the
receivers themselves,
but also the little "fiddly bits" piece parts!
« Letter Re: Best Shotgun Pellet Size for Home Defense? |Main| Letter Re: Supply and Demand at American Gun Stores »
Letter Re: Some Observations at a Recent Gun Show
JWR,
I attended a gun show in a Southern state this weekend and wanted to share
my observations. I got there very early and was among the first ten in line.
By the time we were allowed to enter, the line was out the door of the building and around the corner. I'd estimate
around three hundred people in line. I left the show a mere hour later and
the room probably had in excess of eight-hundred people and the line was still quite long.
Ammo, of course, went fast. I was able to acquire all the ammo I desired, in
all my favorite calibers, with no problem, from my regular favorite vendor.
His prices were the same as four weeks earlier, which both surprised and pleased
me. Other ammo vendors were doing brisk business, as well, but some of their
prices were dramatically higher. By Sunday afternoon, my vendor had extinguished
their bulk ammo supply in .223.
My attendance was centered on finding a good deal on an AR-15 full upper, at
a decent price (a relative term, of course). Most AR-15 full uppers were going
for between $700-$1100, depending on manufacturer and features. The vendor from whom I'd planned on buying was,
surprisingly, not there. The very last table I came to, however, had five AR-15
carbine A3 uppers, made by Model 1 Sales, the vendor from whom I'd hoped to buy. Mine came out to $611
with bolt carrier assembly and charging handle, which was easily the best deal
at the show, since I'd seen the same basic configurations for $100-$500 more. Most astonishing was the deal I found on
Sunday when a vendor was laying out a used DPMS AR-15A2 in excellent condition
for a scant $799. She wouldn't hold it for me and by the time I returned with the necessary funding five minutes
later, it had been sold. Most fully assembled ARs, used or otherwise, were
going for $1,100-$2,500.
Magazines are definitely going up in price, dramatically. The [formerly
inexpensive fairly plentiful US government] contract O'Kay Industries AR-15 mags are
now $12-20 in used condition, and new ones are $15-25. P-MAGs at the show were
$28-35 and obviously becoming
scarce.
Springfield XD9 factory mags were going for $28-40, way up from the $21 each
that I had paid
just two months ago.
One last note. I picked up an ARMS rear sight #40 for $110 and even managed
to run across a brand new Vortex flash hider for $60 (I've been searching for
one for several months now). Average prices there, I guess, maybe a little high.
I've also noticed more and more private sales by people buying and selling
person to person, increasing one's odds of finding a good deal. Just the sort
of activity that makes Charles Schumer's hoplophobic blood curdle. I spent $1,500 at this show and got probably half
of what I could have bought a year ago for the same money. I suspect this time
next year will find me saying the same thing again. Ordnance...at inordinate prices.
May God bless your continued endeavors, - Shrike
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Cloudcroft, New Mexico as a Retreat Locale »
Four Letters Re: 3-in-1 Home Workshop Machines
JWR,
I agree with you on the machine tool issue. You end up with a lot of tooling
and accessories by buying a shop. Things like rotary tables, angle plates
and clamping stuff make this approach a bargain. A few grand goes a long
way if you dig into [the replacement costs]. Like you say, [in the depth
of the recession] there will be a lot of stuff out there.
I have a good set of machinist tools but no machines and have been thinking
the same thing.
I have millwrighted machines for people from closed machine shops. I used a
Ryder rental with a lift gate and rolled the machines on bars (a Johnson Bar
is very helpful.) The Egyptian method works! I had to remove the table from
the Bridgeport to get it through a doorway. The lathe was easier (longer base,
lower center of gravity). Buy capable machines and beware of buying equipment
with three phase motors.
Thanks again, Jim. Best Regards, - Mike from Michigan
Jim
An incredible place to get used industrial tools and equipment is H.G.R.
Industrial Surplus, in Cleveland, Ohio. They have 12 acres of equipment
under roof. The quantity and quality and very low cost is remarkable. Just
check their web site for a complete list of what they have. It changes daily.
I've
found that it is very well worth a drive through states to go there. -
Jim Fry, Curator, Museum
of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio
James,
I bought one
of these milling machines sold by Lathemaster.
This is one of those Rong-Fu 45 clones, what they call a bed mill; the table
stays at the same height and the head goes up and down. It's a good machine
for the money, but not in the same league as big knee mill. Of course, it doesn't
cost $5,000, either.
Like any other low-cost bed mill, it isn't rigid enough to take really heavy
cuts. If you try, it flexes, and the cut goes sideways a little. But if you
work your way up to the intended line taking shallow cuts, it's fine. I've
made quite a few things with mine, mostly out of aluminum and titanium.
I'm very happy with it. That said, when I get the space, I'll get a true CNC machine,
probably the Tormach
PCNC.
In anticipation of this upgrade, I got Tormach tooling for my Lathemaster mill,
which turns out to be a pretty nice thing anyway.
Thanks, - PNG
Jim:
Three follow-up observations:
First, Do not mill in a drill chuck. as one
letter said to do. It will cause the drill chuck to fall off of the taper
it is attached
to, and can also break the jaws.
Second, [If taking the 3-1n-1 approach,] Grizzly.com is at the top of everyone's
list.
Third, Take a technological step back 100 years, and everyone should try and
find a shaper! See
this Wikipedia page. After all, a mill is only good until the cutters
run out! - Tantalum Tom
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Two Letters Re: Advice on Night Vision Gear »
Three Letters Re: The Feeding Frenzy Continues--Gun Store Shelves are Depleted
JWR:
I saw the article on how Cabela’s shares surged based on gun sales.
Let me tell you, we are in the midst of a feeding frenzy here in Colorado.
First, its not just guns, its all of the accessories as well. I had to return
some items from Christmas to Sportsman’s Warehouse and found that the
whole gun department was basically empty. They only had some black powder firearms
and a couple of shotguns. Nothing else. I had run into this before Christmas
when I bought my two oldest boys new elk rifles – and got the last .308
bolt action and the last .30-06 bolt action to be had. But I figured after Christmas things would be better. Well, they
are not. So unless you shoot something
odd like a .22-250 forget getting ammunition right now let alone a gun. And
the cleaning kits were sold out as well. And holsters, ammo belts – you
name it and if it was shooting related it was gone.
Now in my wanderings in the store I also found that communications
gear is also disappearing off the shelves. I had a brief conversation with the kid
that was working there and it turns out that this is another trend they are
seeing. Basically all of the walkie-talkie units that can take ear buds or
microphones are gone. The only things left are some cheap FRS units. The same
thing was at work with the flashlights – all of the better units (like
the Surefire models) were gone. I begin to wonder what is at work here – am
I being paranoid or is this the next run on “near tactical” equipment?
Now I shoot as much as I can when I am in country so I go through a lot of
reloading supplies and bulk ammunition. I have been told by some of the national
dealers that I buy from (in bulk lots of 10 cases per caliber per order) that
they are almost all sold out as well. One sales person related to me that they
had run through over 10,000 cases of .223 that week alone and could not keep
any in stock. Common calibers are gone – 9mm, .45 ACP, .38/.357, .223,
.308, 7.62x39 – and less common ones such as the .40 are hard to get.
So unless you happen to be shooting something that is very uncommon, keep your
eyes open. I did however with a week of scrounging manage to come up with
one box of 7.62 match grade ammo – the 175 grain M118 loading. Fortunately
my long range precision gun likes this ammo so I bought it.
This is one trend that if you were not way out in front and loading up on ammunition,
guns, and accessories, you would not be able to catch up now. - Hugh D.
Hi Jim,
FYI, just got done shopping at Midway [for ammunition handloading components]
and all of the .308 150 grain soft nosed bullets priced at $25.00/100 and
under are
gone.
All
gone!
This
includes
all round
nose and flat point for 30-30. Only some of the
premium stuff is available. The next best
deal is a Lapua 150 grain at $42.00/100. Guess I'll have to top off with
the only decent spitzer, a 125 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter at $22/100 if I can't
find 150 grainers
elsewhere. I suppose these can be reliable through a[n M1]
Garand and are
certainly adequate for deer. I've also shopped all over for loaded 9mm Luger
JHP and
it's all gone as well. Yes I shoulda got the XD-.45 instead,
yet common ammunition that can be shared with the rest of the family and
in case the gun fails
the ammo would not be wasted. I have plenty, but more would be nice. The
same can be said for the cheap 7.62x39 and M2 ball (.30-06). All gone, everywhere.
There does appear to be some 7.62 NATO out
there.
Cabela's seems to have a fair selection of all .308 spire point bullets
and 9mm/.45ACP
JHP,
and a very limited amount (500 rounds) of the cheap 7.62x39, and limited
quantities
of .223 and .308.
The run on ammunition continues and is amazing. A report from the latest
gun show in our area described [buyers with] dollies stacked with cases
that emptied the place within
three hours. What is the most shocking is that reloading components are also
disappearing. - E.L.
Jim:
News of the [U.S.]Attorney General asking for renewal of the Assault Weapons
ban (on behalf of Obama) went out across the Internet last night [Wednesday,
Feb.
25th.] Here was the result I saw: There was a line of about eight guys
in front of my local gun shop this morning, waiting for the doors to open.
This was at 9 a.m. on a Thursday morning, mind you. I was one of them.
Most of the guys looked to be in their 30s and 40s--so we were taking time
away from work to be there. (In my case, it was a "dental emergency".
Obama has
me grinding my teeth at night!) We got in the door, and I immediately saw there
wasn't much left on the shelves--mostly just pump [shot]guns
and
bolt-action
[rifle]s.
There
were
just
two centerfire semi[automatic]s in the rack: some POS no-name
AK that
looked like it was built from a beater parts kit, and one of those woosie S&W AR[-15] clones
with no flash hider on but with the Mossy-Breakup camouflage
paint job. Those both sold in the first few minutes. The owner said that he
doesn't
expect
[to
receive] any more black
guns for three or four months!
One thing you definitely
had nailed: They did not have a single high-cap magazine
left in the store,
except the
one
that
came
in the
mag well of the AK I mentioned.
I cleaned out the last of their .45
and .308 ammo--just a few boxes. There was not a round of 9mm, .223, of
7.62 [x39mm] Russian to be found. Those was some slim pickin's! I wonder:
What will they have
left by
Saturday night? - Ray H. in Virginia
« Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals |Main| Note from JWR: »
Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression - Part 2: Developing a Home-Based Business
Yesterday, in Part1, I discussed the "safe" and counter-cyclical occupations
for the unfolding economic depression. Today, I'd like to talk about one specific
approach:
self-employment
with a home-based business.
I posted most the following back in late 2005, but there are some important
points that are worth repeating:
The majority of SurvivalBlog readers that I talk with tell
me that they live in cities or suburbs, but they would like to live full
time at a retreat in a rural area. Their complaint is almost always the same: "...but
I'm not self-employed. I can't afford to live in the country because I can't
find work there, and the nature of my work doesn't allow telecommuting." They
feel stuck.
Over the years I've seen lots of people "pull the plug" and
move to the boonies with the hope that they'll find local work once
they get there. That usually doesn't work. Folks soon find that the most
rural jobs typically pay little more than minimum wage and they are often
informally
reserved for folks that were born and raised in the area. (Newcomers from
the big city certainly don't have hiring priority!)
My suggestion is to start a second income stream, with a
home-based business. Once you have that business started, then
start another one. There are numerous advantages to this
approach, namely:
You can get out of debt
You can generally build the businesses up gradually, so
that you don't need to quit your current occupation immediately
By working at home you will have the time to home school your children and
they will learn about how to operate a business.
You can live at your retreat full time. This will contribute to your self-sufficiency,
since you will be there to tend to your garden, fruit/nut trees, and livestock.
If one of your home-based businesses fails, then you can fall back on the
other.
Ideally, for someone that is preparedness-minded, a home-based business should
be something that is virtually recession proof, or possibly even depression
proof. Ask yourself: What are you good at? What knowledge or skills
do you have that you can utilize. Next, consider which businesses will flourish
during bad times. Some good examples might include:
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctioning of preparedness-related products.
Locksmithing
Gunsmithing
Medical Transcription
Accounting
Repair/refurbishment businesses
Freelance writing
Blogging (with paid advertising) If you have knowledge about a niche industry
and there is currently no authoritative blog on the subject, then start your
own!
Mail order/Internet sales of entertainment items. (When times get bad, people
still set aside a sizable percentage of their income for "escape" from
their troubles. For example, video rental shops have done remarkably well
during recessions.)
Burglar Alarm Installation
Other home-based businesses that seem to do well only in
good economic times include:
Recruiting/Temporary Placement
Fine arts, crafts, and jewelry. Creating and marketing your own designs--not "assembly" for
some scammer. (See below.)
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctions of luxury items, collectibles, or
other "discretionary spending" items
Personalized stationary and greeting cards (Freelance artwork)
Calligraphy
Web Design
Beware the scammers! The fine folks at www.scambusters.org have
compiled a "Top 10" list of common work-at-home and home based business scams
to beware of:
10. Craft Assembly
This scam encourages you to assemble toys, dolls, or other craft projects
at home with the promise of high per-piece rates. All you have to do is
pay
a fee up-front for the starter kit... which includes instructions and parts.
Sounds good? Well, once you finish assembling your first batch of crafts,
you'll be told by the company that they "don't meet our specifications."
In fact, even if you were a robot and did it perfectly, it would be impossible
for you to meet their specifications. The scammer company is making money selling
the starter kits -- not selling the assembled product. So, you're left with
a set of assembled crafts... and no one to sell them to.
9. Medical Billing
In this scam, you pay $300-$900 for everything (supposedly) you need to start
your own medical billing service at home. You're promised state-of-the-art
medical billing software, as well as a list of potential clients in your
area.
What you're not told is that most medical clinics process their own bills,
or outsource the processing to firms, not individuals. Your software may
not meet their specifications, and often the lists of "potential clients" are
outdated or just plain wrong.
As usual, trying to get a refund from the medical billing company is like trying
to get blood from a stone.
8. Email Processing
This is a twist on the classic "envelope stuffing scam" (see #1 below).
For a low price ($50?) you can become a "highly-paid" email processor
working "from the comfort of your own home."
Now... what do you suppose an email processor does? If you have visions of
forwarding or editing emails, forget it. What you get for your money are instructions
on spamming the same ad you responded to in newsgroups and Web forums!
Think about it -- they offer to pay you $25 per e-mail processed -- would any
legitimate company pay that?
7. "A List of Companies Looking for Homeworkers!"
In this one, you pay a small fee for a list of companies looking for homeworkers
just like you.
The only problem is that the list is usually a generic list of companies, companies
that don't take homeworkers, or companies that may have accepted homeworkers
long, long ago. Don't expect to get your money back with this one.
6. "Just Call This 1-900 Number For More Information..."
No need to spend too much time (or money) on this one. 1-900 numbers cost money
to call, and that's how the scammers make their profit. Save your money --
don't call a 1-900 number for more information about a supposed work-at-home
job.
5. Typing At Home
If you use the Internet a lot, then odds are that you're probably a good
typist. How better to capitalize on it than making money by typing at home?
Here's
how it works: After sending the fee to the scammer for "more information," you
receive a disk and printed information that tells you to place home typist
ads and sell copies of the disk to the suckers who reply to you. Like #8,
this scam tries to turn you into a scammer!
4. "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!"
Well, this one's at least half-true. To be completely true, it should read: "Turn
your computer into a money-making machine... for spammers!"
This is much the same spam as #5, above. Once you pay your money, you'll
be sent instructions on how to place ads and pull in suckers to "turn
their computers into money-making machines."
3. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
If you've heard of network marketing (like Amway), then you know that there
are legitimate MLM businesses based on agents selling products or services.
One big problem with MLMs, though, is when the pyramid and the ladder-climbing
become more important than selling the actual product or service. If the
MLM business opportunity is all about finding new recruits rather than selling
products or services, beware: The Federal Trade Commission may consider it
to be a pyramid scheme... and not only can you lose all your money, but you
can be charged with fraud, too!
We saw an interesting MLM scam recently: one MLM company advertised the
product they were selling as FREE. The fine print, however, states that
it is "free
in the sense that you could be earning commissions and bonuses in excess of
the cost of your monthly purchase of" the product. Does that sound like
free to you?
2. Chain Letters/Emails ("Make Money Fast")
If you've been on the Internet for any length of time, you've probably received
or at least seen these chain emails. They promise that all you have to
do is send the email along plus some money by mail to the top names on
the list,
then add your name to the bottom... and one day you'll be a millionaire.
Actually, the only thing you might be one day is prosecuted for fraud.
This is a classic pyramid scheme, and most times the names in the chain
emails
are manipulated to make sure only the people at the top of the list (the
true scammers) make any money. This scam should be called "Lose Money
Fast" -- and it's illegal.
1. Envelope Stuffing
This is the classic work-at-home scam. It's been around since the U.S. Depression
of the 1920s and 1930s, and it's moved onto the Internet like a cockroach
you just can't eliminate. There are several variations, but here's a sample:
Much like #5 and #4 above, you are promised to be paid $1-2 for every envelope
you stuff. All you have to do is send money and you're guaranteed "up
to 1,000 envelopes a week that you can stuff... with postage and address
already affixed!" When you send your money, you get a short manual
with flyer templates you're supposed to put up around town, advertising
yet another
harebrained work-from-home scheme. And the pre-addressed, pre-paid envelopes?
Well, when people see those flyers, all they have to do is send you $2.00
in a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope. Then you stuff that envelope with
another flyer and send it to them. Ingenious perhaps... but certainly illegal
and unethical.
From all that I've heard, most franchises and multi-level marketing schemes
are not profitable unless you pick a great product or service, and you
already have a strong background in sales. Beware of any franchise where you
wouldn't have a protected territory. My general advice is this: You will probably
be better off starting your own business,
making, retailing, or consulting about something where you can leverage
your existing knowledge and/or experience.
---
In closing, I'd like to reemphasize that home security and locksmithing are
likely to provide steady and profitable employment for the next few years,
since hard
economic times are likely to trigger a substantial crime wave. After
all, someone has
to keep watch on the tens of thousands of foreclosed, vacant houses. (If not
watched, then crack cocaine addicts, Chicago syndicate politicians, or other
undesirables might move in!)
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Navigating by the Stars »
A Know-Nothing Gun Buyer Illustrates a Fatally-Flawed Approach to Preparedness
Introductory Note from JWR: The following was posted at the
Mike's Madhouse forum, one of the Baen's
Bar Forums. (This is the forum moderated by SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large, Michael
Z. Williamson.) It
illustrates
how
incredibly
naive
some
newbie
gun
owners
can
be. It also underscores a couple of my oft-repeated mantras: Survival
is
not
about
gadgets.
It is about skills. And, tools without training are
almost
useless.
Owning a gun doesn't make someone a "shooter" any more than owning
a surfboard makes someone a surfer. Reading this letter made
me laugh hysterically, but it also made me sad to think that for each "rescued'
newbie
that
is successfully mentored by a skilled shooter,
there are probably one or two others that remain blissfully ignorant. Even worse,
some of these latter-day gun owners might think that merely buying several
thousand
dollars worth of guns and paraphernalia has somehow made them "prepared." Here
is the post:
"This last week I had a conversation with a associate at work. First let me
tell you about him, he's a little liberal and by that I am saying someone who
is left of Obama. He starts up the conversation with "you know about guns right, could you teach me how to shoot my guns," at
this point I am speechless, I mean this person is about the most liberal person
I know. First I have to pick up my jaw and my hamster fell out of his wheel
is laying on its back doing the kick'en chicken. Flabbergasted that I am I
ask what type he owns and he tells me that they are "those M16 machine
guns and a 45 cal automatic."
Having known him for about six years and he is a friend (we agreed to not talk
about politics and religion years ago) I asked, "What does your wife think
about the guns?" He answered: "Oh she knows we bought two of
each" (Jaw on floor, Hamster now in critical condition), you have to know
his wife more to the left than him, and the last time she visited [my home]
I had to swear that all the guns were locked up so the children were safe.
The first
thing I ask, do you have a gun safe, answer: "No and don't worry
we haven't bought bullets yet." I tell him sure, I will walk through weapon
safety and will teach him to shoot. By the way where did you buy the weapons?
His answer:
The local local "sporting
warehouse" . I told him to bring the weapons Friday and I will go over
range and weapon safety, and we'll go to the range on Saturday (today).
On Friday
afternoon he brings the weapons and accessories over. Now I won't say the salesman
saw them coming but, he sold him: two Pelican rifle cases with locks,two
Blackhawk drag bags, two Pelican pistol cases. The "M16 machine guns" turned
out to be a pair of S&W M&P
PSX [semi-auto only M4 clone
rifles] each with a Trijicon ACOG and with
a green laser and forward
pistol grip with flashlight and with bipod and only one magazine
[for each emphasis Mike's] about the only missing accessory is the
latté maker (a whole 'nother story)
Now I have seen decked out M4s before but this was ridiculous. With all [items]
mounted weight about 15 lbs unloaded. The .45 turned out to be a Kimber
SIS with 2 magazines and a shoulder holster and a belt holster with a gun belt,
magazine holder. Now he isn't hurting for money but this is taking him to the
cleaners. So first thing I start taking off cr*p, laser goes, pistol grip with
flashlight goes, I start to take off the Trijicon but did you know that the
M&P does not come with
iron sights?
I had to ask [facetiously] why they didn't get a laser for the Kimber. His
answer "It's
on order."
Next, I put all the excess stuff in the handy Pelican box and walk
through weapon safety. If you notice there were no eye or ear protection,
cleaning kits [included] with all this gear [that he was sold].
First thing, I show them how to disassemble and clean the M4 and Kimber.
I decided that we would start with the pistol and that I would bring a 22
for them to start with. The range went well we started with the targets at
5m then to 7m, 10m and so forth.it went flawlessly. No great groups but at
least they were hitting the targets. We shot about 500 rounds of . 22 and ended
with 200 rounds of .45.
They had fun and [I helped to create] another [enthusiastic] gun owner. I
got them to start using a my favorite gun shop for their future purchases.
(She liked my SIG P226
and wants one now).
We stopped at the warehouse [store] and returned some of the
excess equipment, about $1,500 worth. I told them to practice the basics,
and then if they wanted to they could get other accessories. I will be taking them to a different range tomorrow for the M4. Wish me luck. Now, if
I could only revive my hamster!"
« Letter Re: Recommendation for Mara Helland |Main| Note from JWR: »
The MOAB Expands Again--Another $1 Trillion Slated for Hedge Funds
The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) keeps growing. SurvivalBlog reader PhotoTom
sent us this: U.S.
Tries a Trillion-Dollar Key for Locked Lending. Here is a snippet: "The
Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve plan to spend as much as $1
trillion to provide low-cost loans and guarantees to hedge funds
and private equity firms that buy securities backed by consumer and business
loans."
I've
been warning
about the likelihood of hedge fund collapses for years. This first trillion
dollars in bailout money for the hedge funds is little more than a kind gesture
between
banking buddies. But it won't magically restore liquidity to a global credit
market
that measures
in the
hundreds of
trillions. International liquidity is still frozen, asset values are still
plunging, the level of opacity and obfuscation are nearly total, and the level
of mutual
trust betwixt bankers is miniscule. The current "Price Discovery" system
is a joke. Most of the once-touted collateralized debt obligation (CDO) derivatives,
for example, are so onion-layered that there is no effective
method to judge their safety. And we cannot depend on "neutral third parties"
to judge value, risk, and credit-worthiness. The so-called watchdogs at Standard & Poors,
Fitch, and Moody's, we have learned, were
complicit in the subprime Housing Bubble swindle. They were on the take.
Who wants to buy packaged debt instruments when they may contain toxic debt?
Who
is
going
to
lend in
that
environment?
I can foresee that the
write-downs
may eventually be as deep as 80% for many derivative
instruments such as CDOs and credit default swaps (CDSs).
I stand by my prediction of massive
hedge fund failures and redemption suspensions. The next wave will likely
come in early April, when hedge fund earnings (or more likely the
lack thereof) are announced at the end of Q1.
An aside: Two of my consulting clients are hedge fund managers. Both of them
are looking
for extremely
safe, remote, and self-sufficient rural retreats. Who can blame them?
More than most other observers and certainly more that the still clueless talking
heads
on CNBC, hedge fund managers can see the enormity
of the economic crisis, its full implications and the most likely final outcome.
And that outcome will be a lot more like The
Road Warrior than
it will be It's
a Wonderful Life.
Dollars and Real Money
Do you recall my mention that the US Dollar's recent
gains against the Euro are more of a function of banking weakness in Europe
than
it is of
any
real
strength in the Dollar itself? This article with accompanying graph prove
my point: Financial
Crises And Public Finances: Where Is The Greatest Risk? (My thanks to
veteran economist John Mauldin, who pointed me to the BCA Research web site.)
According
to Mauldin, Europe is just one small step from a total systemic banking collapse.
I concur. If one European nation's banking system fails, the rest may follow,
like a house if cards. The
American banking system may be precarious, but the situation is even
more tenuous in Europe. My advice? Get out of paper currencies
(both the Dollar and the Euro) and buy practical tangibles.
Things like Silver, gold, stainless steel (handguns) and lead (the JHP variety).
Forget fine art, vintage wines, and collectibles. Those are all headed into
a downward spiral. But if by chance you do fancy any of those, just wait
until we reach the depth of the Depression, and you'll be able to pick them
up for
20 cents on the dollar. Presently, you should be getting out of
your dollar-denominated investments, and stuffing your home gun vault vault
full
of battle rifles, large bore autopistols, and full capacity magazines. A
few bags of pre-'65 junk silver make nice ballast for the bottom of the vault.
The current (and most likely short-lived) strength in the Dollar represents
perhaps your last chance to pay down your debts and shelter your assets in
tangibles.
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Letter Re: Gun Show Report--The Full Capacity Magazine Feeding Frenzy Continues
Mr. Rawles:
I took your
advice you posted last year and have been investing in some high cap
magazines. I've bought about $2,000 worth since the [November 2008 presidential]
election,
and I haven't had any second thoughts. Thank you sir, your advice is making
me a tidy profit. The 75-round
Romanian [RPK]
drums that I bought for $135 each the day after the election are now going
for $250
each.
And the
31-round
Glock 9
milly magazines
that I paid $33.50 each for are now going for $65 each. Oh, I found +2 [magazine
floorplate extension]s for those, so now they are all 33 rounders. I figure
those mags will
be over $100 each in a couple of months.
My real coup de largesse was this past weekend, when I went to a
local gun show here in Texas. (There is a gun show just about every weekend,
somewhere
in Texas. Some just take a day of driving to get to!) The place was a mad house. It
took 30+ minutes to stand in line just to pay to get in the door. People were
buying mil surplus ammo and magazines like crazy.
Basically the ammo and mags were all sold out by noon on Saturday. And most
of the "black guns" were sold
out
buy
the
time they closed the doors Saturday night. Prices on magazines have basically
doubled since the election.
Anyway, just after the show opened,
I was scanning the tables, looking for high cap magazines--what else--when
I spied
a Mini-14 GB
stainless, with an original Ruger-made 30-round magazine tucked up next to
it. I was about to ask [the seller] if he'd sell the magazine separately, when I glanced
at
the
gun's
price
tag:
$400! I just about died of an infarction on the spot. That is a great price
on a fairly scarce model. (The "GB" is the LEO-sales
model, with factory-installed flash-hider.) The seller--a nice old gentleman
and
a Korean War vet--said that
he had put
less
than 500 rounds through it. The rifle's looks matched the story, so I whipped
out
four Franklins and a copy of my driver's license to show I was
"Free, white and 21". Anyway, we got all set (private party sale--my only way
to business) to get the gun out the door, and the old timer says, "Oh
wait, don't forget the [factory shipping] box, and the magazines, they come
with
it." He
reaches under the table and lifts up a shoe box full of original Ruger 20s
and 30s,
some of
them
still
in
the white boxes! I nearly had a second heart attack. There were
11 [magazines in the box, of which] six were 30 rounders. That's like $900
worth of magazines,
these days! Later at the show I also scored four 20 round Beretta M92 "Robocop"
mags, two [Steyr] AUG 42-rounders
for $30 each, five AR-10 mags
(for just $40 each--I've seen them advertised on Buddy's board for $80 apiece!),
a
half-dozen
"Okay
[Industries]" M16 mags,
and big box of nearly new [Austrian] STG[-58] FN/FAL magazines--which
for some weird reason are still around $15! I bought
23 of those. I talked the guy down to $12 per, since I cleaned
him out.
Speaking of FAL .308 mags, my next purchase (already agreed, by phone) will
be a DSA [FN/]FAL clone. I have to drive 115 miles each way to pick it up.
I found it private party, [listed] on GunsAmerica.com.
I'm now tapped out, but my dad
is
lending
me the cash. I explained the situation, and he says that it is wise to buy
it. [He said:] "We'll have a good chuckle about the price, in a year or two!"
Here is my strategy on mags: Buy what you can, while you can--while
prices are still halfway reasonable. I don't own a Beretta
92, an AR-10, or an AUG, but I figure I can always trade [for what I need] later.
And I practically had to buy that FAL, since I found all those magazines.
(What a great excuse to buy a gun.) My only regret is that I didn't have
the cash to buy more magazines
at the show.
At
the rate
prices
are zooming,
Beta [C-MAG]s will pretty soon be back to $750 apiece, just like during the
[1994 to 2004 Federal "Assault weapons" and 11+ round magazine]
ban. .
Thanks again for your advice, sir. Your were right about silver. You were
right about magazines. And for that matter you were right about derivatives,
too. The world seems more and more like the first chapter
of "Patriots"
every day. (What, were you psychic?) I'm taking [your novel] to heart. I got
all my "beans", and "bullets" in hand, now I just have to work on the "Band-aids".
Thank
You,
Sir!
- Matt
E. in Texas
(Soon to be a 10 Cent Challenger and an Appleseed qualified rifleman.)
JWR Replies: I'm glad to hear that you stocked up. You won't
regret it. Those extra magazines will make fine barter items, both before and
after a "Crunch." OBTW, I'm not the only that is one advocating investing in
magazines. The following is
from
a
recent
e-newsletter from firearms training guru Gabe
Suarez:, advocating preparedness: "...Then get as many magazines
as you can justify. Glock magazines are going for about $35 now. A year ago
they
were
under $20, and dealer price two years ago was about $12! At the height of the
assault on freedom known as the Crime Bill, they were selling for $125. Forget
Ameritrade, buy magazines."
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Letter Re: Gun Ownership in Chile
Hello JWR,
I hope everything is going well for you and your family! Every day that passes
makes me realize how blessed I am to be out of the states and living at a great
retreat location in Chile.
I was reading your site yesterday and saw your article asking for information
about foreign gun laws. I recently purchased a new shotgun in Chile and will
share that experience with you. First, I don't think most Chileans follow the
gun laws here. The law is that you must register every weapon you own, and registration
is limited to three per person, but no limit per family. That means I could register
three in my name, three in my wife's name, etc. Laws state you must keep your
weapon in your home and if you transport in somewhere else, you must ask for
permission and get a form to do so. If you are stopped by the police and have
a weapon without the transport form, they have the right to seize it. (I have
been stopped many times for a registration check, and they have never searched
the vehicle or asked about weapons, so this is a very remote possibility in normal
times, IMHO).
From those restrictions, you can see why I feel most Chileans don't follow the
law. I wanted to ship down my grandfather's old Mossberg, but since it didn't
have a serial number, and the associated government paper hassle, I just bought
a new one here. When buying from a dealer, you have to follow the rules, and
being a foreign national residing here, I went along (for my first). I wanted
a basic Mossberg pump action 12 gauge, and the dealer informed me I had to pass
a hunting exam before I could buy the gun. He gave me some example tests, true-false
questions, and I went to register for the test. Not being a native spanish speaker,
I was a little worried about the exam. It cost about $24 US to get a study book
and pay for the test. The exam covered all the separate hunting laws for the
country, broken down by state. I had to know the dove daily limits for a region
1,500 miles from my house! Unbelievable. I managed to luck through the test and
pass with a 70%, even though none of the test questions given to me by the dealer
were on the test- wouldn't you know it!
Once I had my hunting license I returned to the gun dealer/ sport shop. I paid
for the gun, and then they took me to the local Chilean army office to register
it. On the way, the dealer casually mentioned I had to take a test there to ensure
I knew the proper care and maintenance of the shotgun I was buying! I had no
idea what those names were, so I had about 10 minutes to learn what a sight,
breach, stock, etc were called in spanish, and I lucked my way through another
multiple choice test on basic maintenance, and how many shells I was able to
buy
at a time, etc. What a pain! Now you see why I think most chileans skip this
law. Everyone was quite nice and helpful, it was just the process that stank.
The next step was needing the police to check my residence on the application
to ensure that I lived there. Well, I live 150km from this town, and I could
not take possession of my gun until my residence was checked. For this reason
I used a friend's residence in the town. I was checked out and returned the next
morning for my shotgun. What an ordeal. Total cost, not including the shotgun
itself, was about $60 US. Fortunately, now I have my legally registered shotgun,
even though it is registered at a residence far far away, so it would take some
searching to find me if the officials were so inclined. Obviously my next weapons
purchase will be from an locals to skip the whole bureaucratic nightmare. Since
I live way off the beaten path and know the local police, I am not worried, but
the national system here is set up for potential confiscation if necessary- remnants
of the 1970's and the civil war/Pinochet days.
Hope you find this informative. Chile is a great country for old German rifles
and such like. I look forward to getting a Winchester .44-40, .357, and other
weapons off of the grid. I've actually had my folks bring down boxes of rifle
shells and deer slugs in their airline luggage- no problem with customs. In other
news, I now have my pigs, chickens, and the sheep are on the way! Fresh eggs
and ham through any crisis! Best wishes. - Bruce
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Four Letters Re: Preparedness Through Tapping in to the Craig's List Culture
Sir;
By way of profession, I am a CPA (M.S. in Taxation), economic survivalist
by persuasion. One thing you may want to caution readers about is the Internal
Revenue Services' position on bartering income. Always, always, always talk
to a competent tax advisor regarding your particular situation. Under the current
administration, self-sufficiency activities such as bartering with others for
services or goods may be considered a reportable and taxable activity on the
part of both parties.
Just a "heads up" to all, we all want to stay within the letter of
the law. Thanks for the listen - C.
Sir,
Craigslist can be frustrating, for example, you see a super deal, you
call early, have the cash and can buy now, but the seller says, "well,
some guy called at 6 a.m. and is coming to buy it this Sunday. Sorry." Out
of politeness, you didn't want to call at 6 am, but because you didn't, you
lost the ability to buy the item because the seller is a "first call-first
serve" seller, and not a "first cash-first serve" seller.
On the other hand, it is irritating when you set an appointment, spend $20
on diesel to drive to the seller's home, and arrive to find someone else loading
the item in his truck. Maybe sellers ought to put a Terms-of-Service in their
ads! (I personally am a First-Cash seller, but cancel later appointments immediately
upon sale). - Willow, in Texas
Jim:
[Because of their posting rules], one must be very circumspect in listing
or putting a "Want to Buy" (WTB) ad on Craigslist.com if
it concerns guns, ammunition, or reloading.
They will delete your posting in a "New York Minute". - D.O.
JWR Replies: I've seen the same thing happen, many times. Do
not mention firearms in the title line of any Craigslist post, even
if you live in an ultra-conservative state like Wyoming. Some hoplophobic do-gooder
will indeed zap your post almost immediately. I've heard that it is best
to "bury " mention of your willingness to swap "sporting goods" in
posts on other topics. For those that specifically want to trade a firearm
or ammunition, I recommend advertising on a regional gun board, such as the
Northwest Firearms Board. , or in one of the many local newspapers or
advertising giveaway papers (such as the "Nickel" and "Penny
Saver" type papers) that offer free or low-cost classified ads.
Mr. Rawles:
Even though Craigslist does
not allows firearms and ammunition advertisements, it is still beneficial sure
to check the Sporting Goods section. In my my local
Craigslist there are "47 speed bicycles, AK brand", and similar items regularly
for sale. - J.M.
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Letter Re: Advice on AR-10 Rifles (Updated)
Mr. Rawles:
I'm thinking about buying a Bushmaster AR-10 type rifle that comes with with
one
clip.
What
features
should
I
look
for,
especially
these days? Are the magazines an issue? Thanks, - C. in Oregon
JWR Replies: Let me start with a pet peeve. The
terms clip and magazine are not synonymous. A clip holds
cartridges only at one end, whereas a magazine complete surrounds a cartridge.
In the
context of modern detachable magazine battle rifles, a clip is what
is used to fill a magazine. Please do not call a magazine a clip,
especially around children. They are impressionable, and I 'd hate to see
another generation growing up to use faulty nomenclature.
In today's frantic market the over-riding concern
for AR-10 buyers is interchangeability of magazines. Some
brands of AR-10s will accept inexpensive metric FN-FAL magazines, while others
will accept
only
purpose-built AR-10 magazines. Let me explain:
Only a few brands of AR-10s take the plentiful FN-FAL
magazines. The brands that can accept FAL magazines
are American Spirit, Bushmaster, and
Rock River Arms (RRA) . (BTW the
new RRA LAR-8 will take metric FAL mags and "inch pattern" L1A1 magazines,
with the large forward locking lug.) FAL magazines are still fairly inexpensive--as
little as $14 each. I recommend that you buy 25+ of them.
Someday, you'll be
glad
that
you
did.
The Armalite, Knight Armament (KAC), and DPMS brand AR-10s take only purpose-made
AR-10 magazines. As reader "Mr. Smith" pointed out, the KAC and DPMS can use
magazines interchangeably but the Armalite lower uses a magazine that is not
compatible with the other two. M14 magazines
can be converted, but only to fit the Armalite AR-10.
Mr. Smith also mentioned that CMMG
is about to produce AR-10 lowers that will take very inexpensive German Army
surplus G3 magazines! These are compatible with DPMS
upper
receivers. For anyone that plans to build a new AR-10, this is the lower
to use! It is noteworthy that
CMMG also makes a lower that is compatible with DPMS-type AR-10 magazines.
MagPul Industries announced 7.62x51 polymer magazines for the KAC and DPMS
AR-10s at the 2009 SHOT Show. Based on the
track
record
of their
polymer 5.56
magazines, these should be great. They key question is: Will they make it into
production before a new Federal; ban is enacted?
The going rate for 20 round Armalite, KAC, and DPMS steel AR-10 magazines
is $65 to $75 each, and climbing. That means buying 20 spare magazines
will nearly double the acquisition cost of a rifle. Yikes! If you know
anyone that owns those brands of AR-10, tell them to buy plenty of spare
mags, soon.
After the upcoming ban, they
will be $200+ each. I'm not kidding.
The bottom line: In today's market, unless you are absurdly wealthy, you should
buy only AR-10s that can accept standard metric FN-FAL magazines, or HK G3 magazines!
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| How to Build an Inexpensive Forced Air Wood Burning Heater, by Marc S. »
Letter Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm
If the next few years go the way some are expecting, and the country moves
in the direction of an authoritarian socialist state, the gray man will do
some things his friends may not expect nor initially agree with:
The gray man will put a pro-government bumper sticker on his vehicle, in contrast
with the beliefs in his heart.
The gray man will smile when the police come to his door to collect his firearms.
He’ll happily hand over his registered weapons at the door and thank
the officers for their work, while his cache of unregistered weapons is safely
hidden away.
He’ll be first in line to receive his sub-dermal ID chip, and will smile
as it is implanted. He’ll then return home and remove it himself, treat
and stitch the wound himself, wear long-sleeve shirts until the wound heals,
and rub the scar with oil until it disappears. He’ll carry the chip under
his sleeve or inside his watch so as to blend in with society, until such time
as he wishes not to be seen or tracked.
He’ll gladly take his government issued credit card, and will use it
for regular purchases like groceries and gasoline. However, on the weekends
he’ll leave it on his coffee table next to his ID chip, and he’ll
take his silver coins and ammunition to the illegal farmer’s market for
barter and open discussion.
He’ll go to the library and check out the books on the government’s
suggested reading list and use them as examples to quietly teach his children
what not to believe.
If one day he and his family should disappear, the authorities will check their
databases. They’ll see that his car has not passed through any turnpike
billing checkpoints. They’ll see that his credit card has not been used
anywhere unusual. They’ll see via their satellite RFID map that all members
of his family are still located in their home, and they are currently viewing
government programs on their internet-television.
Days will pass, and they’ll go to his home and see that his vehicle is
gone. They’ll enter and find a small pile of ID chips sitting next to
a government credit card and a RFID turnpike billing pass. Next to this
will be a note, thanking the officers for their good work. - E.
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Preparing for Another Battle Rifle Ban, by Michael Z. Williamson
As many people will remember from the last "Assault Weapons" Ban (AWB) [in
the US, which was effective from September, 1994 to September, 2004] there
was a time window before the law took effect. Once it took effect, however,
pre-ban purchased receivers could not legally be built into "assault weapons" unless
they were in AW "format" before the ban took effect. So what does
one do to get around this? It's a rather silly technicality, but so are a lot
of other legal issues. In this case, your stockpiled receivers need to be in
AW "format" before
any ban takes place. If you can't afford to buy full kits for every receiver, you have to find other ways to meet the letter of the law.
Remember that while you are innocent until proven guilty, government agencies
often play by different rules, and of course, legal fees are expensive if you have to prove your innocence.
In the case of AR-15s or other firearms with sectional receivers, this means
you need one complete upper with all the allowable evil features--bayonet
lug, threaded muzzle or flash suppressor. Install a proper trigger kit into each receiver, and then attach the upper to it. Document
this with photographs. You want one photo that clearly shows the serial
number and one that clearly shows the attached "Evil features" on
that receiver. (This also applies if you have already
built a weapon from a stripped receiver and need to document that it was done
before the cutoff date.)
It is acceptable to use digital photos for this purpose, but do not edit them
in any way--experts can tell, and any edits call into question the credibility
of the entire photo. Ideally, have the photos or the actual shoot witnessed
by a lawyer or notary, although friends you can trust to step up and testify
on your behalf will suffice. You need to "place" the photos, which
means to add matter that documents the time and location of the shot. Set the
camera clock for a proper timestamp and date on the photos. Consider adding
a [dated] newspaper banner under the weapon and/or using a notable background
such as your house or vehicle (if you can shoot outside) to add additional placement.
To increase the continuity between the close-up and the overall photos should
they ever come to court, place items in the setting that are obvious placers--a few long matchsticks resting on the weapon,
or a trail of string over it, that would be hard to replace exactly for a different
photo. Do not move or disturb the object(s) between the two shots. Print hard
copies and archive CDs on your premises and at least one place off premise--a
trusted friend or relative, with a lawyer or in a secure box under a different
name that cannot be seized--since dishonest law enforcement have been known to do that to prevent
any evidence for the defense.
Once you've created and documented your AWs, you can defer buying other upper
receivers/features until your budget permits. You did create that
receiver into [a complete] AW format [rifle] before the ban. Therefore, by
the letter of the law, it [demonstrably] is always an AW. (This assumes that
future bans are similar in construct to prior bans at state and federal level).
If your local culture is gun friendly, be seen at ranges and gun shows with
your
legal AWs often. If any legal question arises, you want lots of local
citizens, range officials and law enforcement who will testify that of course Joe Preparedness has AWs. He's had them for years, all
legal, long before that ban took effect.
The photos are also useful if you decide to sell an AW at some point in the
future--you can clearly document that it was in fact [built as] an AW before
the cutoff date. They can also serve for insurance purposes. - Michael
Z. Williamson [with additional input from his wife Gail
Sanders, She is an honor grad of the Defense Information School, and a
combat, forensics, and public affairs photographer.]
JWR Adds: I'm not a fatalist when it comes to re-enactment
of an AWB. By all means contact your representatives numerous times,
by multiple methods (mail, phone,
and e-mail) and express most vociferously, your estimation
of the Constitutionality of a new ban, especially in light of the recent D.C.
v. Heller Supreme
Court decision. With that said, I must also state that I am a realist:
We all saw what happened last year when the congresscritters were deluged with
phone
calls, running by
some
estimates at a ratio of 25-to-1 opposed to the TARP Bank
Bailout Bill, yet the majority of our so-called representatives still voted
for it. This demonstrates
that the congress is now no longer responsive to the electorate. So I can only
conclude that given political expediency and the nature of quid pro quo dealings
inside the DC Beltway, there will be more "Change" made than the American people
want. There is a very high likelihood that some flavor of "Assault Weapon"
and full capacity magazine ban
will
be enacted
during
the first three month "honeymoon" period that will be enjoyed by the BHO Administration
and
the Democrat-dominated
congress. There may also be a separate importation ban, via an executive order,
perhaps in first two weeks that BHO is in office.(One BHO camp insider told
me that he'd heard talk of "more than a dozen January Surprise executive
orders".)
My advice: Take the
appropriate countermeasures: Stock up, especially
on magazines, and "cover
your tail in
paper" using the
method
that
Mike Williamson
suggests. Someday soon, you may be very glad that you did.
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Letter Re: Advice on Grungy Military Surplus Magazines
I took your advice and ordered some FN-FAL magazines
from What-A-Country,
and they were promptly delivered. However, I was surprised to find that the
military surplus magazines were quite dirty with what appeared to be black
sand, and slightly oily. Is that common for used magazines? As a first time
battle rifle owner making my first military surplus purchase. I don't know
if this is common practice or not. If it is,
what is the best way to properly clean the magazines so they can be used? Any
advice or a link to a web site with additional information would be appreciated.
- SteelerFan
JWR Replies: That isn't very unusual. When buying military surplus,
I'd much rather get oily or greasy mags, because that indicates that an effort
was made to protect from rust in all
those years
of storage.What-A-Country imports
most of their magazines from Israel. And the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
has almost always done a good job with storing weapons and accessories. (For
example, I've seen Lee-Enfield rifles that had been in storage in an Israeli
warehouse for 50 years that
still looked arsenal-new, once the grease was removed.)
I once bought a large batch of Thompson SMG magazines
that were practically pumped full of grease. Yeech! It took a lot of time to
degrease those.
OBTW, if the magazines that you bought are grungy inside, it doesn't take
long to disassemble them. If there is a lot of grease, you'll need to use a solvent
(such as Birchwood
Casey Gun Scrubber), otherwise just wiping them down with
paper towels will usually suffice. But again, be sure
to examine their interiors. (Needless to say, the usual safety provisos on avoiding
skin contact and inhaling vapors of Tri-Chlor-based
solvents apply!) One you've cleaned the magazines inside and out, wipe them
down with a light coat
of oil, or perhaps a heavy coat if you live in a region with high humidity. and
for long-term storage in a damp climate, RIG is
ideal. (But then, of course someday you'll be back to square one--removing
grease, before use.)
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Letter Re: Safety Note on Modifying Military FMJ Bullets
The article linked at "Box O' Truth Tests Elmer Keith-style
DumDum Bullets" contains a very dangerous statement: "5. Cutting
the end off a rifle Ball [full metal jacket (FMJ)] cartridge projectile will definitely make the bullet expand or
break up..." DO NOT DO THIS! By cutting off the tip off
of a full metal jacket (ball) round you have in effect created a pinched copper
tube, open on both ends, filled with a plug of lead. Upon firing, it is possible
to blow out the lead plug, leaving the tube (jacket) lodged in the barrel.
When the next round is fired, the bullet will encounter this obstruction in
the barrel, causing damage to the firearm and possible personal injury. Commercial
soft point bullets have a solid base to preclude this from happening. Regards,
- John in Colorado
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| The "Prepper-Lawyer" by The Fourth Whirlwind »
Letter Re: Soft Nose Loads for Battle Rifles
Jim,
I've only been reading your blog for a short time, but I find it both interesting
and informative.
Having been a hunter for the last 56 of my 64 years, I do wonder why anyone
who plans on getting out of Dodge and heading for the woods would want a battle
rifle with ball ammo when we won't be bound by anything like the Hague Convention
as to the ammo we use. Seems to me, that soft points would be a better choice
and if the SHTF.
My M1A will
be traveling with me and will be loaded with
hunting ammo.
My personal choice, if I could only carry one firearm, would be a 12 gauge
shotgun with rifle sights. With slugs, it's good to over 100 yards for big
game and men, with 00 or 000 [buckshot shells] it's great for self defense
and you don't have to be all that good a shot, and #6 shot works well for smaller
game.
I
came
very close to using mine this year on elk because my grandkids scammed my .308
and 30-06 for their elk hunt and I don't have anything else that's legal for
hunting.
Forting up in our home [in the city] also seems like sure death if those who
mean us harm are intent on doing so and have a pint of gasoline and a match,
so
hitting
the road for a less urban environment sounds like the best thing to plan for.
At any rate, I like your site and it has been added to my favorites. - Don
J.
JWR Replies: I was an M1A owner for more than 25 years,
before recently switching to L1A1 (inch
pattern FAL)
rifles. I switched only because the cost of spare magazines and spare parts
for M1As was becoming prohibitive. (An
original USGI M14 parts
set (everything except a receiver) now costs in excess of $1,200, and I
just recently saw one advertised for $1,500!)
You are correct that in most defensive shooting situations, there will be no
need to penetrate armor, and the mushrooming effect of soft nose ammo will
be preferable. However, I recommend the use of soft nose ammo for .308 battle
rifles only for handloaders. Let me explain my rationale: Military 7.62 NATO
brass
is not identical
to civilian
.308
Winchester
brass.
It has
a thicker case head, and is hence more robust. Military ammunition is also
loaded with less sensitive
"hard
"
primers,
that differ
from
civilian primers.
Also, some civilian .308 loads exceed the military pressure specifications
for 7.62
NATO.
The following is a quote from the M1A manual PDF available at the
Springfield Armory
web site:
"The M1A is designed and built to specifications to shoot standard
factory
military 7.62 NATO ammunition. The specifications for standard
military ammunition include harder primers to withstand the slight indentation
from the firing pin when the bolt chambers a cartridge. This slight indentation
is normal. The use of civilian ammunition with more sensitive primers or
hand loads with commercial primers and/or improperly seated primers increase
the risk of primer detonation when the bolt slams
forward. This unexpected "slam
fire" can occur even if the trigger is not being pulled and if the safety
is on. Use of military specification ammunition will help avoid this."
The most cost effective approach to providing soft nose ammo for 7.62mm NATO
battle rifle is to use a
collet-type reloading press bullet puller, and pull
the FMJ projectiles from standard 150 grain 7.62 NATO ball ammo. Then re-seat 150
grain
spire
point
("spitzer") civilian soft nose
.308 bullets, such my old favorite, the Sierra
150 grain spitzer boat-tail. Repeat,
repeat
x 1000. This is time consuming, but it will give you appropriate soft nose
loads with safe pressure an safe primers for your M1A, and it will save you
about 30% on the cost of commercially-loaded ammo. Technically, this is still "handloading",
so it will void
your warranty, but you'll have safe and cost-effective loads that will mushroom
on impact.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Two Letters Re: The Big Chill Causes Diesel Gelling Problems in the Lower 48 »
Two Letters Re: What Are the Best Magazines for Investment?
Jim
Here's my feeling on what pistol mags to obtain. Obviously, if you have a high
capacity handgun, it behooves you to have at least ten mags for it. I actually
have 30 Glock Model 19 mags since I already have one and contemplate picking
up another that a friend wishes to sell.
I'm also trying to pick up Glock 17 mags, even though they stick out the bottom
of my G19. I really want a Glock 34 long slide 9mm, and figure that the only
way I may be able to get mags for it down the road is to have them on hand.
They fit my [Model] 19, and stick out a little, but that's okay. [JWR
Adds: There
are
magazine "filler" sleeves made for the compact Glock pistols,
making them more
comfortable to hold when using full-size magazines--such as G17 mags in a G19,
G22 mags in a G23, and G21 mags in a G30.]
I want to warn you folks of one thing about Glock magazines. I am under the
impression that the company will be making the new Glock 21s, Glock 19s and
some others
in the "SF" [Short Frame] variation, which has a thinner frame, and
is more ergonomic. The problem is, while he new SF mags will fit the older
Glocks, the
old [pre-SF] Glock
mags won't work in the newer SF models. Apparently the mag body is cut for
the mag release in a different place. Thus, I'd recommend getting the older
version of the model you want, or just get the new SF mags. Right now, as I
said, I
think
only the Model 21 and 19 Glocks are made in the SF variation.
If you have an odd pistol, pay close attention to magazine availability. My
favorite carry gun is my Walther P-99 in 9mm. Mags were in the $50 range,
which made
them hard to afford. Every now and then, a company like CDNN gets trade-in
mags, which are priced affordably. CDNN were selling the trade in SW-99 mags
(which are the same gun essentially as the P99 for $28. I was able to pick
up two, but the company ran out the day after the election, and hasn't gotten
anymore. Since I like this handgun, I may have to bite the bullet and lay out
twice as much as what I give for Glock 19 mags to get a supply for this pistol.
I think the lesson is, if you have a Browning 9mm, or a Ruger P95, or a high
cap handgun
you
don't see every day, it would make sense to buy the mags while you can.
- Lawrence
K.
JWR Replies: I have been told that the SF mag catch notch
(on the front of
the magazine) can actually be cut by hand, with an X-Acto knife, to retrofit
older Glock magazines. BTW, I'm confident that some enterprising individual
is sure to soon produce cutting jigs,
to make this job easier .
Mr. Editor;
How can you tell people they should 'invest'
in magazines? That doesn't make sense. They are a commodity, that can be cranked
out
in huge numbers. - E.G.B., near Atlanta
JWR Replies: Magazines were until recently a commodity
but their status as a commodity
is is now dubious. As I described in this
article, Federal "bans" and "freezes" often spread
economic chaos. When governments interfere with free markets, prices can get
crazy. Just look at what happened to price of small containers of Freon, a
few years ago.
Based upon our knowledge of what happened during the last magazine
ban (circa 1994 to 2004, and thankfully terminated by a sunset clause), and
seeing a new presidential administration with hoplophobic tendencies
waiting in the wings, it is safe to assume that a new ban is fairly likely.
It is
therefore wise and prudent to stock up, in anticipation. My advice
is to buy all the full capacity magazines
that you and your children will ever need, plus a few more, as an investment.
In as little as six months, you may be very glad that you did! If a new ban
is enacted, it is very likely that the prices of most magazines will double,
and that some may triple or even quadruple.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Four Letters Re: Long Haul Voice and Data Communications in a Post-Collapse Environment »
Letter Re: What Are the Best Magazines for Investment?
Dear JWR:
I took your wise advice
posted in the blog back in October and stocked up on magazines
for all my guns. I 've even
bought some mags [for other guns] that I just plan to buy, such as M14 magazines for my eventual super match M1A buy. But what I'm thinking is,
I should
also
do
is
by even more magazines just "on spec", knowing that
with Obama coming
in[to office,
that]
a
ban of
some sort is more likely that not. What types/model high capacity magazines
would
be
best
to
invest
in,
for
the most possible gain?
I love your blog. I read it almost every day. I recently "did the honest thing"
and became a Ten
Cent Challenge subscriber. (I'm the one that sent you a roll of silver
Mercury dimes.) Thx, -
Pat H.
JWR Replies: First, I must mention: I refuse to
use the term "high capacity" magazine. As our friend Boston
T. Party correctly
pointed out,
"High capacity" is a political term, designed to foster dislike and distrust
by the Generally Dumb Public (GDP).
The correct term should be "full
capacity". What is being foisted upon us by
the Barbara
Boxers
and
the Chuck
Schumers of the world are 10 round reduced capacity magazines.
A limitation to anything less that full capacity is a diminution of our full
and proper right to keep and bear arms. Further, from a practical standpoint,
speaking as
someone
that lives in grizzly
bear country, don't ask me to carry just a 10 round magazine
in my XD .45, when I could have 15 or more cartridges. It conceivably might
take more than 10 rounds of .45 ACP to stop a charging grizzly. And I have
serious doubts that
Mr. Ursus
A. Horibilis will
stop and wait patiently if I yell "Time out, while I reload!"
For investment, I recommend that you
concentrate on magazines for popular European
high capacity
pistols,
such
as
Beretta, Glock, SIG,
and HK.
The greatest
gains
will
be seen in magazine prices for models that have just recently been introduced
and for which there is now just a scant
supply in the country. Magazines for the new Springfield Armory XDM ("M"
as in Mega capacity--this
latest model holds 19 rounds!) would be another good choice. Although
Springfield Armory is an American
company, their XD series
pistols and magazines are imported from Croatia. If there is an import ban
enacted early in Obama's first term, I expect all XD
magazines to at least triple in price, and XDM magazines to perhaps
quintuple in price. I'm not kidding.
The SIG
P250 is another perfect example. Here is a gun that was only recently introduced.
Its magazines do not interchange with pistols from other makers. The majority
of new P250 owners presently have just one or two spare 9mm magazines, and
no spare .40 or .357 SIG magazines. (The pistol is modular,
allowing it to be quickly converted to other calibers.) If and when an importation
ban is enacted, these owners will be screaming
for
magazines.
I wouldn't be surprised to see the price of spares to jump to $125, or more.
If you think that P250
magazines are currently scarce and expensive, at $43 each, just wait a
year. If a ban is indeed enacted, these magazines could be a tremendous investment.
But even if there is no ban, even as a commodity these magazines will be a
good hedge on future inflation. (Under those circumstances, don't expect them
to gain value, but as a practical tangible they will at least hold their
value, even in the blistering heat of mass currency inflation.)
Another good example is the 31-round "Glockamole" magazine made
for the Glock Model 17, 18, 19, and 26. These magazines jumped from $30 each
to a whopping $150
each
during the 1994-to-2004 Federal magazine ban. Three months ago--when I bought
my pile for investment--they were $27 each. They've just recently jumped to
around
$50 each. I expect them to at least double again in price, if a
new ban is enacted. In fact, even standard magazines for Glock are likely to
at least double in price, and probably go even higher.As evidence, I can cite
that when the last ban was enacted,
the price of 17 round Glock Model 17 magazines jumped from $18 to $75 each.
Again, IMHO, at present your investing emphasis should be on imported full
capacity magazines, since an import ban could be put in place with nothing
more than an an executive order.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Survival Dentistry, by The Army Dentist »
Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Mosin Nagant Rifles
Jim,
At the risk of pestering you, I was curious about your opinion of Mosin
Nagant rifles. I have seen them advertised on J&G Sales for anywhere from
$69
to $199, with folding bayonets. The advertised condition is "very good".
What do you think? It appears that there is pretty widespread availability of
7.62x54r ammo
for this weapon as well. Thanks, - MAJ Kevin X., USAR
Kevin:
Here is brief response. (I get 60+ e-mails per day, so forgive my brevity):
I do like the Finn M39 Mosin rifles --some of which are available on pre-1899
antique actions--but the little carbines (all legally modern, requiring
paperwork) kick like a mule. The 7.62x54r cartridge is a bit more powerful
than .30-06.
See: this
article on early Mosin Nagant rifles and my
Pre-1899 Antique Guns FAQ.
Pat Burns is a good Mosin dealer that usually has some Finnish M39s built on
antique (1898 or earlier) receivers available.
(Scroll down to the second half of the yellow table of M39 listings for the
pre-1899 antiques.)
Please note that most of the 7.62x54r ammo on the market is corrosively
primed. Search for the Russian Silver Bear 7.62x54r ammo, which is non-corrosive.
J&G
Sales in Prescott, Arizona often stocks it.
« Letter Re: Dress for Survival Success |Main| Note from JWR: »
A 1911 Dinosaur Turns Over a New Leaf -- Switching to XD Polymer Frame Pistols
I have been shooting M1911 steel-framed Colt .45 ACPs for more than 35 years,
and up until now, I've always considered myself a M1911 die-hard. But through
those years, I've seen the price of Colt pistols and spare parts radically
escalate. My first M1911-series
pistol
was
a slightly-used
Colt Commander
that
I bought in 1981 at a San Jose, California gun show, for $160. (In those days,
you could pay cash for a pistol from a fellow private party, and walk out the
door
with it, sans any paperwork. Sadly, things have changed in California--and
that
was one of the main reasons that I migrated to a free state at my first opportunity.)
I have bought and traded
my way
through
a dozen more 1911s, since the early 1980s. In the early
1990s,
when
stainless
steel Colts became available, I sold off my blued-steel Colt pistols and
bought a pair of stainless steel Gold Cup .45s, for around $350 each. I remember
that The Memsahib was aghast when
she
heard that
the
price
jumped
to $505,
just a few years later. More recently the retail price of the same pistols
has galloped up to $1,116! In
my estimation that is an absurd price, when you can buy a polymer-frame Springfield
Armory
XD
.45 for around
$500, or
a polymer-frame Glock 21-SF .45 for around $550. (And even less, if bought used.)
The 1911 design is nearing its 100th birthday (sniff!), and although it is
still a great design, I can see the wisdom of moving on to a more
modern design with two-column magazine. And even though I have a lot of
training hours and muscle memory invested in
the M1911
platform,
I
consider
it now well
worth
the time
and trouble
to
transition
to polymer. I can literally buy twice as many pistols
if I sell off my Colts. I will also end up with pistols with considerably larger
magazine capacity. (13+1 , versus 8+1 for the single-stack Colts.) The other
advantage is durability. In so-called "torture tests", the reliability
of both the XD
(20,000 rounds in one test) and the Glock
(still shooting after insane levels of abuse) have been well documented.
Selling off my accumulation of spare parts
(nearly a tackle box full),
extra magazines
(about
40), and various holsters and mag pouches will be time consuming, but again,
I think that I'll come
out
ahead.
Now that spare parts are becoming available for Springfield Armory
XD .45s, I think that will
be my logical choice. Speaking of XD pistols, I highly recommend that SurvivalBlog
readers take advantage of the
"Get a Gun" package deal at Front Sight, that
was recently extended
for a few more weeks. This training plus XD pistol plus field
gear plus references package is a tremendous bargain. Effectively,
you'll end up with a free pistol.
I've
had overwhelmingly positive feedback from the SurvivalBlog readers that have
taken
advantage of
this offer. I realize that he offer sounds almost too good to be true. But
it isn't a fantasy or some shyster come-on deal. It is a genuine offer,
and hundreds of
people
have
already
completed
the
training
and
gone home
very well trained as the proud owners of very reliable XD autopistols. (BTW,
I'd like to hear from more of you. E-mail me your impressions of the training.) Don't
miss out. OBTW,
the winter
months are the ideal time to take a course at Front Sight. In the desert climate
of southern Nevada, January and February can be in the 70s. You do not want
to go there in July! The Memsahib and I both took the Four Day Defensive Handgun
course,
and loved
it. It is truly outstanding training!
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Flash Hiders for Bolt Action Rifles
Mr. Rawles,
In your novel ["Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse"], you mentioned having bolt
action rifles fitted with flash-hiders., to kinda "tacticalize" a
civilian rifle. What type of flash hider do you recommend, these days?
My gunsmith (locally) says that he can thread the muzzles on my two bolt
guns to 1/2 x28 threads. But all of the flash hiders with that thread that
I've seen advertised are for 5.56/.22 bullets. Solutions? Thanks Much,
- Marty in Rhode Island
JWR Replies: Previously, I used drilled out Vortex flash-hiders,
to provide .308 bullet clearance. But I now recommend the Hurricane flash-hider, made by a home-based gunsmith
that does business under the trade name "Moses." He
advertises them at the FALFiles Marketplace. You might ask for them to
be made ito the Rawles Special specifications, to wit:
2.5 inches long
Twist prongs (similar to the Vortex)
.30 caliber bullet clearance
Two rear grooves
1/2 x 28 RH threads (Same muzzle thread specification as M16/AR-15)
Very dark gray Parkerizing.
Disclaimer; I have no remunerative interest in these flash hiders. I'm just
a very satisfied customer.
As I've mentioned previously, I recommend leaving a muzzle brake on your rifle
in normal times. This does not attract unwarranted attention when out hunting,
or when visiting your local rifle range. If and when the Schumer Hits the Fan,
you can quickly switch to the flash hiders. (Be sure to do some target tests
with both the flash hider and muzzle brake, to make sure that the different
barrel harmonics don't change the bullet's point of impact.)
The muzzle brakes that I prefer are made by Holland's
of Oregon. (You may recall that they were previously a SurvivalBlog advertiser.)
Darryl Holland has set up four bolt actions and a Valmet Hunter for our family
with his muzzle brakes, and I've been very pleased with his work.
OBTW, we also use olive drab Holland's of
Oregon brand zippered-nylon buttstock pouches on our bolt actions. These
also work well for holding small (4 or 5 cartridge) detachable magazines.
These stock pouches have very comfortable neoprene cheekpieces. I noticed
that they are not currently cataloged at the Holland's web site, but I believe
that they should still be available. (Call to inquire.) This is an exceptionally
well-made item.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Gardening and Seed Saving, by Carolyn W. »
Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Storing Guns and Magazines
Mr. Rawles,
I have taken your good advice and purchase a few rifles and a
number of full capacity magazines as an investment,. Now how do I store them
for the long term? Should I spray them with something first? Please continue
to help. - James B. (a "Ten
Cent Challenge" participant)
JWR Replies: The precautions that you need to take depend
a lot on where you live. If you live in a high humidity climate, then you need
to be particularly vigilant with your guns, magazines, and other tools. In
essence: the higher the humidity, the greater the degree of protection required,
and the greater the frequency of inspection for rust.
I generally recommend wearing lightweight cotton gloves when you do your gun
maintenance. This is particularly important if you have sweaty hands. My college
roommate was notorious for inducing rust on guns because of this, and he has
always had to take special precautions.
A light coat of gun oil such as Rem
Oil will suffice in dry climate. Although
exotic lubricants such as Break
Free CLP are great for lubricating, in my experience,
they leave so little residue that they are actually inferior to traditional
gun oils for preventing rust. In damp climates, I recommend Birchwood Casey
Barricade (formerly sold under the product name "Sheath".) Rem Oil
and Barricade are both available from a number of Internet vendors including Brownell's.
And even Amazon.com
now sells Barricade.
For long term storage all metal parts (inside and out) especially the bore,
chamber, and breech face should get a coating of grease. There is always the
tried-and-true USGI "Grease,
Rifle". (This product name was humorously spoken "Grease Comma Rifle" by
American soldiers for many years, before the advent of the M16). While it will
suffice,
I prefer Rust Inhibitive Grease (RIG),
which is available from a number of Internet vendors including Brownell's.
Even though you will know how the gun was treated before storage, someone else
in your family might not. I therefore strongly recommend attaching
a special warning note: "Warning: grease coating--bore, chamber
and bolt face! Remove grease before firing!!!"
Small quantities of magazines stored inside a humidity-controlled gun vault
(with a Golden
Rod or similar de-humidifier) or stored in sealed ammo cans
with a large packet of silica
gel desiccant probably won't need more than light
coat of oil and annual inspection. Any larger quantities of magazines that
are stored outside of your vault in non-airtight containers should probably
be rubbed down with RIG. In most cases this requires disassembling magazines,
to get at their innards. OBTW, even if a magazine is made of polymer and has
a plastic follower and floorplate, don't forget that its spring needs
rust protection!
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Some Technologies for Retreat Security »
Letter Re: Determining the Best Pistol Ammo to Store for Barter
Mr. Rawles;
The Old Yooper's statistics on range brass may be somewhat skewed
in favor of automatic pistol cartridges because revolvers do not [involuntarily]
eject
spent
rounds.
Few cops are 'gun guys' but anyone who reloads saves their brass. This is easier
to do
if
you
don't have to chase them, so a higher percentage of auto pistol cartridges
are left behind. This having been said, I don't think anyone will go far
wrong stockpiling 9mm, . 40 S&W, and .45 ACP--both live rounds and spent brass.
The pocket pistol cartridges are less attractive to reloaders, but I would
not
overlook
.38 Special and .357 Magnum.
JWR Adds: And some revolver calibers that are favorites of
handloaders, such as .41 Magnum, probably won't be found at all, unless
someone accidentally drops a piece! Nor can I imagine anyone that owns a .454 Casull or one
of the new .500 S&W revolvers just walking away from their brass.
« Letter Re: Finding Abandoned Properties, Post-TEOTWAWKI? |Main| Mini Dairy Goats for a Sustainable Future, by Donna G. »
Letter Re: Determining the Best Pistol Ammo to Store for Barter
With an economic depression looming just in front of the world and post-Peak
Oil price shocks on it’s heals (according to Mat Simmons
peak oil is history, it happened in May 2005, check his web site out) it
would
be good to have something for barter better then that green toilet paper
we haul around for the same purpose. I think firearms ammunition would be
an ideal selection. It is relatively compact, portable and usable. But what
calibers to stock pile. Up until the commodity boom hit I was buying fired
brass cases by the pound from a shooting range down in Kentucky, and having
them shipped up to me in Michigan. Unfortunately about 2007 scrap brass started
paying better and the range then starting selling it to the Chinese, thank
you free trade.
The brass was swept up off the floor of there outdoor range and put into boxes
and shipped up to me. There was no sorting of anything, it’s called range
brass and I got what was fired that day, both pistol and rifle. I performed
a statistical analysis on the type and quantity of the different brass I received
for the last three shipments in the summer of 2006, the last time I got any
brass. It’s nice to know what you’re getting for your money and
it’s a lot of fun to do the study, although, when I’ve told people
about things like this they look at me like I was from Mars. You need to understand
that this type of study is a snapshot in time of what was being shot over three
different times in the summer. I have performed these studies for both years
I received brass from them.
It would be a waste of resources to have something that there is little or
no market for. Therefore, if you’re going to store ammunition for trade
what is the most common?
The top 10 brass types were, in descending order, as follow,,
9mm Parabellum (Luger) 38.9%
40 S&W 22.3%
45 ACP (45 Auto) 18.8%
38 Special 4.6%
380 Auto 4.5%
223 Rem. (5.56x45mm) 3.8%
357 SIG 1.8% - This one may be an anomaly, it was <.1% i n the last study.
32 Auto 1.5%
357 Mag. 1.4%
44 Mag. 0.4%
The remainder of the brass total 2% for all types combined. In the study before
this one, 40 S&W and 45 ACP were flipped in order, this tells me, that
the 40 S&W is gaining in popularity over the 45 ACP, at least with
law enforcement.
A total of 36 different cartridge types were in my 2006 summer shipments. As
you can see most of the brass was for pistols. Do not be confused about the
results, people go to the range too site in there rifles and stop, more or
less. Also this range was very popular with law enforcement.
Conclusions:
This study should be considered valid only for the most common pistol cartridges
shot. Rifle cartridges are totally another matter. However for barter purposes
the top three or four are a good bet. This may seem intuitive but as an engineer
I deal in factual information, not conjecture. Well, unless of course, conjecture
is all I have to go on that is. If anyone has information on this subject,
I would like to see it. Thank you, - The Old Yooper
« Letter Re: Michigan's Upper Peninsula as a Retreat Locale |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Should We Currently Emphasize Storage Food or Gun Purchases?
Hello Jim,
I've finished reading your fine novel "Patriots" several
weeks ago, and have passed it on to another like-minded individual. I've also
been scouring your
web site
daily for the last several months, and gleaning extremely valuable information
not only from you, but the many fine individuals who add excellent links
to current events. I have forwarded your link to others, and have it saved
as "required reading" daily.
A brief background on our family; I had been one of the Y2K aficionados,
and had lived on the Big Island for many years. If it were still just my wife
and
myself, we would probably still be there. But having children changes everything.
I became involved in politics there as a fund raising chairman for a twice successful
Republican, who was seated in the State house on Oahu, hoping that we could make
a difference. But after 10 years there, (and the birth of our first daughter),
I determined it was time to relocate back to the mainland. China had also recently
bracketed Taiwan, and expressed they could now hit Los Angeles with their now-successful
missile launches. (Thanks to Loral Corporation and Bill Clinton). If the balloon
ever
goes up, I fear that Hawaii will be in deep kim chi.
I had done extensive research from Kona on the best place to settle on the mainland.
We had traveled to the mainland numerous times, and visited all of the locations
I deemed appropriate. We looked at Prescott, Arizona in the southern extreme,
Grand Junction and Estes Park in Colorado, Mazama, Twisp, and Sequim, Washington
(in
the
rain
shadow of the Olympic Peninsula), Driggs, Idaho, Whitefish and Missoula, Montana,
along
with several
others. I had multiple criteria as determining factors, such as growing season/weather,
local political mentality, and economic vitality. After visiting everyone of
these places, I had decided southern Oregon was an area that could conceivably
weather both a nuclear exchange and long term social upheaval. I did not believe
it was practical to "bug out" to a retreat locale, but would be "bugging
home" from a business trip in any "event". We learned in the restaurant
business that there are three things important for a successful endeavor, and
those are "location, location, location". I have second -guessed my
decision many times, but have sent a tap root down with the kids in school. So
I would advise your readers to seriously consider their location, and to relocate
to a desirable community, as I feel time is short.
With that segue Jim, I have a question for you, and would seek your council.
I have a dreaded sense of foreboding with the recent election results, as I'm
sure many of your readers do. After Y2K,
my preparations for long term unrest had lapsed, and I feel into a state of complacency.
I have slowly accumulated
a fair number of firearms to protect my family over the years, and have acquired
a couple of thousand rounds for each main battle rifle. The additional magazines
have arrived in the mail, (thanks for that great link to CDNN by
the way), and I feel I'm somewhat prepared in this regard. If only I could convince
my wife
to shoot.
At any rate, my question is this: I don't know if I should head to
the local gun show today, or to the local store for
sustenance for the family. I feel that if we are to buy ammo/firearms, it must
be now,
as Barack Obama could make us all felons with the stroke of a pen. All he has
to
do
is
to
sign a treaty with the U.N., or file an Executive Order. So what should we
do, buy guns/ammo, or additional food?
BTW, I continue to pray for the swift and complete recovery of The Memsahib.
God Bless. -
Steve
in SW Oregon
JWR Replies: First, do not neglect buying storage food for
your family. But in my opinion the outcome of the recent presidential and congressional
election
dictates
putting
a
higher
priority
on guns and accessories for the next few
months. We
are living in exceptional times, and that calls for temporarily re-sequencing
our
priorities.
If your State law law allows it, then buy your guns from private parties--not Federal
Firearms License (FFL)
holding dealers. Private party sales of modern (1899 and later) guns across
state lines (in "interstate commerce" ) are banned under Federal
law, but intrastate
sales are still legal in most states. (Be sure to consult your state
and local laws!)
Buying a gun through a licensed dealer leaves a prominent
and permanent paper trail. Here are some relatively low profile alternatives:
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State,
at gun shows in your State.
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State,
advertising in newspaper ads.
Estate sales, garage sales, and farm auctions operated by private party
(non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State.
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State advertising
at GunBroker.com 
(Use
the "Smart Search" feature, and select "USA only - State where
item is located")
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State advertising
at GunsAmerica.com (Use
the "Advanced Search" feature, and "LIMIT TO STATE". You can also select
a check box to exclude guns that were listed by FFL holders.)
Pre-1899-manufactured "antique" guns chambered for modern cartridges, either
in-state or out of state. (No FFL is required for Federally-exempt antiques.
See my Antique
Guns FAQ for details. Again, your State and local laws may vary, so do
your homework.)
One of president-almost-elect Obama's publicly
stated goals
is to "close
the gun show loophole." Clearly he wants to end private paperwork-free
firearms purchases. This leaves us just a brief window of of opportunity to
stock up what may need to be a decades-long supply. Be sure to buy
plenty of full capacity magazines, since it is very likely that there
will be an import ban
(via executive order) soon after BHO comes
to office, and a domestic production ban (via an act of Congress), soon after
that. These bans
will freeze the numbers
of "grandfathered" magazines in private hands and will likely triple the
market price of all magazines of 11+ round capacity.) Buy plenty of
extras for
barter--even for models that you don't own, but that will likely be in high
demand.
There
may come a day when owners won't be willing part with
magazines
for
anything but
astronomical prices, but they'll probably still be willing to barter on
a rational; "value for like value" basis.
Put an emphasis on gun and full
capacity magazine purchases for
the next three months, followed by some extensive ammunition purchases soon
after the presidential inauguration.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Hunt Packs Available at Cabela's »
Five Letters Re: Full Capacity Magazine Price Increases are Already Here
Jim,
I wanted to contribute this the following to your ongoing discussion on high
capacity magazines.
Selling high capacity magazines is normally a small part of our business, but
that changed last week. Between October 31 and today, we have sold more than
I normally sell in a year.
I had stocked up anticipating increased demand, but was nowhere near prepared
for the huge surge in sales that we experienced. A normal order was 3 to 6
magazines, now it is 12 or more and we have had several customers buy in quantities
of
100+.
As a result, we are completely sold out of AR-15 magazines.
I have had 400 on order since before the election, hopefully to arrive some
time later this month, but many
are already allocated to back orders. I could use 1,000 more magazines, but
I have no idea how long it will take the manufacturer to produce them, where
I will be on their waiting list, or how much their price will have increased.
I sold out of Glock Model 23 magazines and am very low on Glock 19 magazines.
I was able to re-order, but my supplier was out of a couple of varieties and
the price has
increased
$2 each on the rest, so we had to raise prices. My profit margin was only
$5 on Glock magazines, and one of my other suppliers is now quoting wholesale
prices that are equivalent to what my retail price was.
This feeding frenzy should be an example to everyone who has delayed some
of their preparations. Don't wait until the panic starts -- buy your long
term
storage food now. Get a water filter and grain mill while you still
can. Buy your silver during the current dip. Survival supplies are tight,
but things will
get worse
before they will get better. I have been in the survival business since before Y2K. (BTW,
I have a 1997 edition of [your draft edition novel] TEOTWAWKI in its three
ring binder on my bookshelf) and this is the busiest we have been since
early
1999. - Dave (of Captain
Dave's)
Mr. Rawles
I found this online - it is at an AR15.com forum where folks are presently discussing
who is raising their magazine prices and who isn't: Stay safe. - David B.
JWR,
Brownell's has still
not raised any of their prices, as of this week. I have an account with them
and bought a bunch of mags (AR and AK). Most of these
are going to be traded off to my brother and some other contacts. Brownell's
AR mags are still $12.50. These are good quality and I have never had a problem
with them. FYI, - Sarge
Sir,
I've seen similar goings on here in Memphis. General threat of mob violence
on the night of the 4th and after if The One lost the election, so I went
to pick
up some
extra buckshot and I figured a couple extra boxes of .45 while I was at it.
First went to Sportsman's Warehouse, but they were out of just about everything
in the major pistol calibers except the exotic and high-dollar loads. The
mountain of 9mm ball they'd laid in planning to put on sale this weekend was
reduced
to less than a mole hill.
They were also pretty much out of buckshot, too. Bear in mind that this is
an outdoor sporting goods "big box" and not a gun store per se. I
left there empty-handed and headed over to Guns & Ammo, my usual stop for
same. I knew something was really up when a guy coming out as I went in had
two black Glock cases and a blue SIG box in his arms and his son was carrying
a double-arm-full of handgun ammo boxes. Once I got inside the store, it looked
like Christmas Eve in there; people lined up three deep at the counter, which
is about 50 feet long. All six employees were going like mad trying to keep
up with the sales. I got the last half-dozen boxes of Hornady TAP buckshot
and a few boxes of Winchester Ranger .40 and high-tailed it. Looks like everybody's
a bit worried, and with good reason. "May you live in interesting times," indeed.
- Booth
Jim:
A recent post said that Cabela's in Texas was out of ammo. I live in central
Indiana and my local Gander Mountain store is (by now) out of .223 and other
popular Battle Rifle calibers so I thought I would buy on-line like I usually
do. What a shock. Able Ammo, MidwayUSA and Cheaper Than Dirt are out of just
about everything in Battle Rifle calibers. I've never seen anything like
this ever. Most
are not even
accepting back orders. I stopped by a local but out of the way gun store
and had trouble finding a place to park. The employee's said you could not
move around in the store on Saturday and the owner said he was thinking of
going out of business after the first of the year. Interesting.
Friday, before work, my wife and I stopped by our local police department to
request Concealed Carry permits. We got there Friday morning, 10 minutes before
they opened.
I was
first in line and the lady asked me why everybody wants gun permits? Apparently
it
was a busy week for her. By the time I was fingerprinted and left the lobby
was full of people, mostly couples, all seeking similar permits. These were
all professional people. I live in a bedroom community where we have the highest
per household income in the state. Something interesting is happening on in
our country and intelligent hard working professional people feel the need
to be able to protect themselves.
At a local outdoor shooting range, which was very busy despite 38 degree temps
and wind, I talked to as many people as I could. They are mostly male in their
late 30's to 50's. I ask them how long they have owned their weapon and the
usual answer was "Since Tuesday!" There are a great many new shooters out there
and they are not hunters. While they were not seeking training, at least they
know if their weapon will fire if needed. I rarely see the same people again.
Apparently, if the gun works, it works and that is the end of it. - Russ in
Indiana
« Letter Re: HF/VHF/UHF Amateur Radio for Preppers |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Retreat Locale and Firearms Selection Questions from a Newbie Easterner
Jim,
I am a new reader of SurvivalBlog but I am already hooked. I realize that I
am woefully unprepared to defend and care for my family if and when TSHTF.
I live in New Jersey and commute to New York City every day, and work in finance.
After 9/11, when I lost several dear friends, I took some steps to prepare
for a
short
(several
days to a week) disruption or an attack. I purchased a generator, several hundred
MREs, bottled water, and iodine pills. I even applied for a firearm purchase
permit but never bought a weapon.
Working in the capital markets, I have see firsthand over the last
few month show how close we have come to a complete breakdown in the monetary
and payments
system.
As a person who is generally a free market advocate and non-interventionist
it troubles me deeply that the government has had to step in to try and salvage
the banking system. However, I can say that in the days before some of these
programs were announced, we were probably much closer than people think to
a severe systemic financial collapse. I saw firsthand the panic and fear that
prevailed on Wall Street in those few days, and it was real.
Hopefully we will be able to pull out of this current crisis. But in the spirit
of preparing for the worst, I realize that I have much to do in order to get
ready for TEOTWAWKI. So I do have a few questions that I hope you can answer.
While I am sure some of these have been answered for previous newbies, I would
greatly appreciate your opinion and advice.
What is your suggestion for a retreat location for someone living in New Jersey?
I have read your "Recommended
Retreat Areas" section and it looks
like most of us east of the Mississippi are in some trouble. However, I am
tied
to my
current
location in terms of my employment and extended family. I am relatively blessed
in terms of financial resources, so it is potentially feasible for me to purchase
an out of state second home to use as a retreat. I do worry about access in
a SHTF scenario.
Highways potentially clogged, gas in short supply, etc. Is a 2-to-3 day drive
by car or longer escape location feasible? There are relatively rural
areas within 2-5 hours by car that we could choose, but none approach the remoteness
most on this site seem to favor.
This also seems to be a common question but what about firearms? New Jersey
is quite restrictive. The permit I got after 9/11 expired so I recently reapplied
and
should get my new permit in a couple months. I am not a complete neophyte but
pretty close. I have hunted a few times with friends and have done some target
practice at the pistol range. I know I need training. I also fear that the
new administration may impose even more restrictive legislation limiting access
to firearms so I want to move relatively quickly in assembling what I need.
Here is what I am thinking:
handgun: there is no concealed carry in New Jersey so for home defense I am thinking
something on the larger side, maybe a S&W Night Guard in .357 Magnum? Or does
an
autoloader with a higher capacity (maximum 15 round magazines in New Jersey)
make
sense?
Maybe
the
SIG
P220 in .45 ACP?
.22 rifle Suggestions? Id like something I can also teach my son on (he is 7)
in a few years. What do you think of the US Survival .22LR? How big should I
go?
I don't think I'm going to need
something for very big game but who knows. Is a .308 sufficient or should I look
for something
heavier
like a .338 Lapua or a .30-06? Should I also have a tactical rifle? Remember
that New Jersey has a pretty broad definition of "assault rifles" that
are
banned.
Shotguns: Likely would like to have at least one "riotgun" type and
at least one for hunting. Suggestions?
Ammunition: How much is enough?I have seen that Cabela's sells reloaded/remanufactured
rounds in bulk. Are these a good deal or are factory rounds superior to the point
that the bulk reloads should not be considered?
Training: I am planning on taking several of the NRA courses that are available
in my area for each of the weapons types I purchase. I have read the glowing
reports on Front Sight and will try that as well if I can get the time. Any other
suggestions?
I know I have a lot to learn in many areas such as food gathering/storage and
basic survival. I have learned a lot from you already. I appreciate all you do
on this blog, Jim. You provide a great service.
God Bless. - S. in New Jersey
JWR Replies: You are in a difficult locale, but I quite regularly
get similar questions from
consulting clients in Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York City.
I recommend that if you can afford it, that you buy a rural retreat,
and stock it very well. If you prefer a warmer climate, then
I recommend eastern Tennessee. If you don't mind cold and snow, then consider
the Upper Peninsula
of Michigan. Pre-position 90% of of your tools and logistics at your retreat.
If you are worried about burglary, then rent a commercial storage space that
is
near
your
retreat.
As I've mentioned in blog many times, I recommend that you keep always enough
gas in cans on hand for one trip "Outta Dodge"--to get you
to your retreat. (This
ties in with the need to pre-position nearly everything at your retreat.)
In answer to your question on handguns: In New Jersey, your best bet is probably
either a Springfield Armory XD in .45 ACP
or perhaps a Glock Model 21 ( also .45 ACP.) BTW, you should take advantage
of Front Sight's Gun & Gear & Training
offer--that
includes essentially free XD pistol. BTW, low
cost firearms training is also available from the RWVA in the east and the
WRSA in the west.
In answer to your other questions:
>.22 rifle Suggestions? I'd like something I can also teach my son on (he
is 7) in a few years. What do you think of the US Survival .22LR?
The US Survival .22 LR--like all of it predecessors including the original
Armalite AR-7--has a tendency to jam. It also has a fairly rudimentary peep
sight that
in my opinion has an overly-large rear aperture. I recommend that you instead
buy a Rogue
Rifle Company Chipmunk .22
single shot rifle for your son.
Depending on his maturity, you can probably start training him with it under
very close supervision at
age
7. (The Chipmunk
is a tiny rifle. It is made to the minimum dimensions allowable under
Federal
law.)
For the rest of the family, buy a stainless
steel All-Weather Ruger 10/22. Once
your son is about 10 years old,
you can
buy a
spare stock
for
the
Ruger
and saw off about two inches from the butt to provide a shorter length of
pull, for
transitional
training. Slightly used "takeoff" standard birch wood stocks are readily
available
for
under $15 each,
since
Ruger
.22
rifles
are
often used as gun rebuild platforms, typically using fancy laminate target
stocks.
> How big should I go?...
The .308 Winchester will suffice for everything two-legged or four-legged in
North America with the exception of grizzly bears and moose.
>
Should I also have a tactical rifle?...
Keep an inexpensive .308 bolt action in New Jersey and .308 battle rifle (as
well all your magazines over 15 round capacity) in a wall cache at your retreat
in a
free
state. As previously noted in SurvivalBlog I
generally recommend the FAL, L1A1, HK91, AR-10 or M1A. And, FWIW, up until
a week ago, I would have also recommended waiting for the about-to-be-released
Kel-Tec
RFB .308 or the Rock
River Arms (RRA) LAR-8 .308 Caliber, in Mid-Length. However, in today's
market, beggars can't be choosers. Buy whatever .308 battle rifle you can find,
but be sure to line up at least eight spare magazines first.
(You don't want to be stick with a rifle with one magazine!)
>
Shotguns: Likely would like to have at least one "riotgun" type and
at least one for hunting. Suggestions?
Buy a Remington
870 Express 12 gauge Combo set. (These come with both a
bird barrel and riotgun barrel. It takes less than two minutes to switch
barrels. BTW, Mossberg
also produces a quite similar "Combo" set, that is very reasonably
priced. The only drawback is that the Mossberg 500 Combo's bright blued
steel is more prone to rust than the phosphate finish on the Remington
Express
models.
> Ammunition: How much is enough?
"Enough" is a subjective term, depending on the depth and duration
of the situation that you anticipate, how much bartering you plan to do, and
how much
trouble you expect to encounter.
(In an urban or suburban area, you might have to fire hundreds of
warning shots to repel looters. But here at the ranch, we are in the process
of filling at least five deer and elk tags this season, but we'll likely fire
less than 10
cartridges.) If anything, err on the side of larger quantities.
Any ammo that excess to your needs will be worth its weight in gold for barter
and
charity.
>...I have seen that Cabela's sells reloaded/remanufactured
rounds in bulk. Are these a good deal or are factory rounds superior
to the point that the bulk reloads should not be considered?
Bulk reloads are fine for target shooting but only can be depended on for
self defense shooting situations if they come from a reputable maker,
such as Black Hills
Ammunition.
« Letter Re: Deflation Possibly Followed by Mass Inflation? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: A Suggested Checklist for Preparedness Newbies
Here's a beginner's list I made for my [elderly] father today:
Food
{Brown pearl] rice does not store well. Neither does cooking oil so that needs to be fresh.
No, Crisco doesn't count.
Coconut oil would be your best bet.
Wheat berries - 400 pounds - bulk order at your local health food store
Beans - 400 pounds - bulk order at your local health food store
Mylar bags
Spices
Salt
Country Living grain mill
propane tanks, small stove and hoses to connect
freeze dried fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat if you can find them.
Water
500 gallons
of water [storage capacity. Rainwater catchment is a common practice
in Hawaii]
Water filter
Cooking
Cast Iron Cookware
Firearms
FN PS 90
10 PS 90 magazines
5.7 handgun
10 FN 5.7 handgun magazines
5.7 ammo
Training: Front Sight four day defensive
handgun course. (Note: eBay sometimes has
course certificates for $100!)
Body armor: Nick at BulletProofME.com
Medical
Personal medications
Augmentin antibiotic
Up to date dental work
Painkillers
Bandages
Iodine
Anti-fungal spray
Finances
$10,000 cash in small bills
100 one-ounce silver coins (GoldDealer.com or Tulving.com)
Transport
Gasoline in 5 gallon cans or better yet, this.
Gas stabilizer
Mountain bikes
Air pump
Miscellany
Flashlights
Rechargeable Batteries
Battery
charger
Hand held walkie talkies
Topographical map of your area
Spare eyeglasses
Shortwave radio
Home generated power
12 volt battery system
Good backpack
Good knife
Good compass
Good shoes
Bar soap
Toothbrushes
Dental floss
Toilet paper
Fishing kit
Salt licks
Connibear traps
Regards, - SF in Hawaii
JWR Adds: The following is based on the assumption that SF's
father also lives in Hawaii: Because of the 10 round magazine limit for handguns,
I recommend that Hawaiians purchase only large
bore
handguns for self defense--such
as .45
ACP.
Both the
Springfield
Armory XD .45 Compact or the Glock Model 30 would both be good choices. The "high
capacity" advantage of smaller caliber
handguns
is not available to civilians in Hawaii, so you might as well get a more potent
man stopper, given the arbitrary 10 round limitation.
« Letter Re: Some Changes in American Wholesale Food Distribution |Main| Note from JWR: »
Full Capacity Magazine Price Increases are Already Here
Regarding my recommendation to stock up on full capacity magazines, reader
David B. noted this in an e-mail yesterday morning: "[The discount mail
order dealer] Cheaper
Than Dirt [is] already gouging us based on our fear of Obama being elected.
Overnight, their price for Mag-Pul [brand AR-15/M16] magazines went from $15.97
each to $29.97 each. Wow. They just lost my business forever." David's
note intrigued, me, so I just spent some time at the Cheaper
Than Dirt (CTD) web site and compared their new prices with their latest
hard copy
catalog (dated November, 2008). Here is a brief sampling:
Glock Model 20, 21, 22, 31, and 32 full capacity factory magazines were
all $19.97. Now some are $29.97 and others $39.97 Ouch!
Glock 33 rd. 9mm magazines were $44.97. Now $49.97 (Note: I bought a pile
of these for $26 each, about a year ago, and I'm glad that I did!)
Ruger factory 20 rd. Mini-14 magazines were $59.97. Now $69.97
Beta CMAG 100 rd. double snail drum for Mini-14 were $299.97. Now $399.97
LR .308 19 Round Blued Steel mags made by DPMS (for their flavor of AR-10
rifles) were $39.97. Now $49.97 (But out of stock)
M14 and M1A .308 20 Round Parkerized "Military Style" [commercial copy]
were $11.97. Now $29.97 (But out of stock)
AR-15 .223 30 Round, Bushmaster factory mags were $29.97. Now $49.97
FN P90/PS90 5.7x28mm
50 rd. magazines dropped from $69.97 to $59.81 (At least
a some good news!)
All in all, I have doubts that the aforementioned price increases were all
triggered by CTD's suppliers. But I wouldn't go so far as to call the increases "gouging". Pricing
is a function of supply and demand. In a free market, prices eventually
reach equilibrium. And I'm sure that the current demand is skyrocketing.
I certainly know that my personal demand is! For example, I just
placed a "top
off the inventory" order
with one of my favorite suppliers, CDNN
Sports. I was pleased to see that as of yesterday, none of their
prices had increased. I did notice however, that they are now sold
out of many
magazines, including quite a few SIG, HK, and Springfield Armory XD pistol
magazines. My advice: Stock
up
now, while magazines are still available at fairly reasonable prices. I
anticipate that there will be some significant shortages for the next few months.
But after BHO's
inauguration in early 2009 all bets are off. If, (as
I've predicted), an executive
order banning importation
of so-called "assault weapons" and "high capacity" magazines
is enacted, there could be some huge price increases!
« Four Letters Re: Currency Inflation Expectations for the US |Main| Note from JWR: »
The Savvy Barterer--References, Skills, and Tools for TEOTWAWKI Barter
One of my long-standing Precepts is
that every prepared individual should be ready for both barter and dispensing
charity. Today, I'll be briefly discussing barter. Being ready to barter
is not just a
matter of having a pile
of "stuff" to barter. While barter and charity logistics are
important,
what
is
even more
important
is what is between
your
ears.
A Bazaar Experience
Bartering takes practice. Dickering is an acquired skill. Short of buying
yourself a plane ticket to Marrakech, I suggest that you start attending gun
shows,
garage sales, and
flea markets. Learn how to haggle.
One of my long standing Rawlesian Precepts is having the skills and material
acquired to conduct barter in a post-collapse society. Much has been written
about what
goods to keep on hand for bartering. But precious little
has been discussed in survivalist literature on the skills required to barter
effectively, and how to protect yourself from fraud.
I recommend that you practice bartering on a very small scale at first, to
sharpen your eye for value and your ability to dicker in a manner that will
result
in a
fair
trade.
(Mutually agreeable and mutually beneficial.) The
occasional transaction where you end up slighted is hardly cause for concern.
But unless you develop the proper bartering skills, you'll end up on the weaker
side of bargains
again and again, and thus fritter away your tangible working capital. The attributes
that will put you in a superior bartering position include specific knowledge
about what is being traded, knowledge about who's sitting on the the other
side of the table, and good old-fashioned "horse trading sense".
Knowledge and References
The more you know about the goods being exchanged the better you'll be able
to dicker. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be able to honestly, yet persuasively
talk up the virtues of your own goods, while politely talking down the defects
of your trading partner's goods. Hence, the the greater your technical knowledge
of the goods, the better. Take the time to study and develop an 'appraiser's
eye' for the condition of used merchandise, the relative value of goods from
one
maker
versus another, and knowledge of the overall market . With that knowledge you
can articulate the scarcity of any particular item in your barter stock. (After
all, as with
any other
free
market transaction, the key factor in determining value is the supply-demand
ratio.) If you are trading for a collectible item then knowing how scarce
they are can put you
at a tremendous advantage in negotiation. It is important to gather
as many references as possible about the items that you plan to barter.
Francis Bacon said it best: "Knowledge is power." You need to authoritatively
know which maker, model, variation, grade,
year of production, etc. to look for. Product expertise helps makes you a
savvy buyer or
seller.
There are dozens
of references on specific types of tool, guns, and collectibles that are valuable
to keep on hand. For example, two of the most important ones that I 've found
for
firearms
are: "The
Blue Book of Gun Values" and "Flayderman's
Guide to Antique Firearms and Their Values."
Similarly, knowing exactly
how to properly gauge the condition of a used item is quite important. For
example, with
firearms, the percentage of original bluing remaining, cracks or wear to a
gun's stock, bore condition, chamber condition, bolt face erosion, action tightness,
headspace, and so forth all make a huge difference in the value of a used gun.
Detailed knowledge is also crucial when determining the value of a rare coin.
(For most
of us, that knowledge is too specialized. It can take many years to develop
coin
grading skills, so a novice can get in over his head very easily. The difference
between an MS-66 coin and an MS-68 coin is very subtle, yet that difference
can mean thousands of
dollars difference in a coin's price. I therefore recommend that novices
only trade professionally graded coins that have been graded
and sealed (or "slabbed") by either PCGS or NGC.
A coin dealer Blue
Sheet is a crucial reference for measuring the
current
value of coins with particular mint marks and dates, in any given grade on
the Sheldon Scale. Even having an out-of-date Blue Sheet is better than nothing,
since it will
show relative values of coins, which change fairly
gradually. Again, this is not for a novice, or part-time
dabbler. (FWIW, even though I have been buying rare coins for more than
20 years, I still consider myself effectively a "novice" level since I don't
ge frequent coin grading practice. Hence, I only buy slabs. ("A man has got
to know his limitations.")
Tools
To be ready to barter with bullion gold cons or scrap
gold it is important to have a
touchstone, an acid test kit, test needles, a very accurate scale, and a set of Fisch
coin authenticity dimensional gauges.
When bartering for canned goods it's
important to have a Julian
Calendar (since some packers use Julian dates) and a hard copy of this
chart showing how to decipher date of pack codes from various canners and packers.
For liquid fuel it's
important to know if the fuel has been contaminated or adulterated. (Coincidentally,
one of our newest advertisers, UR-2B-Prepared.com sells
water test strips.
For batteries, it's important to have
a voltmeter. (For the greatest versatility,
buy a Volt-Ohm meter with test probes on leads, rather than a typical tray-type
home battery
tester. )
For examining the the fine details of just about anything--such
reading hallmarks--a jeweler's loupe (magnifying glass) is
a must.
For evaluating firearms,
as a minimum buy a 6 foot tape measure and a fiber optic bore inspection
light.
Dickering Tactics
Above and beyond getting technical knowledge is the hard to quantify "people
skill" of
dickering. Dickering skills can take years to develop. Part of this is learning
how to "read" the face and body language of the gent on the other
side of the table. How anxious is he to unload something that he has, or to
acquire something that you have? How quick they are to make or accept an offer
is a key indicator. And if there is a savvy trader sizing you up,
you have to learn to keep a "poker face", not revealing how excited
you are to see a particular item being offered.
Take your time in carefully
examining
any
item offered to you. This accomplishes two things. Firstly, it gives you the
opportunity to spot any flaws, defects or signs of wear on the item being offered.
Secondly, the more time that you spend examining the item will lead the seller
to subconsciously start to doubt the value of what he is offering. If you're
in a flea market or gun show situation once you have an item in your hands
you are essentially free to examine it without fear of someone else buying
it.
Take your time!
If you make an offer for an item, and it is rejected or the
counter offer made is ridiculously low than the very best thing you can do
is put the
item
back
down on the table. This psychologically distances you from the item, and again,
makes the seller begin to doubt it's value. In the dickering process one of
the most valuable phrases that you can use is "Is that the best
you can do?" If the seller won't budge, and you are close to
an acceptable price, the next best thing to do is to offer to sweeten the
deal with additional goods
offered on your side of the bargain. If you still can't reach an agreement
it probably wouldn't hurt to subtly talk down the value of what's being offered
to you, and talk up the value of what you are offering. "This is a mighty
fine widget it's too bad about this crack and this wear...
If it weren't
for that, I think your asking price would be fair."
The next most valuable
thing you can learn to say is to say nothing. After making
an offer and receiving a counter
offer, silently start counting to twenty. There is something about a long
pause that causes all but the most stalwart dickerer to want to fill that
silence And nine times out of ten, they will fill that silence with another
offer, usually one that is more agreeable.
As a last resort, if you are still
at an impasse in
reaching an mutually-agreeable trade, your tool of last resort is to thank
the seller and start to walk away from the table. This will be your final gauge
of just
how anxious the seller is to move his merchandise. If you hear "Wait,
wait, wait, come back here...", then you know that the seller still has
room to negotiate on price or quantities. Keep in mind however, that this is
a dangerous
tactic. Once you walk away from a table without he seller voicing
objection, but return later, you have subconsciously boxed yourself into the
previously-offered
price.
If
you come back later for the same item, the seller will know that you are
anxious to purchase it, and did not find a better deal for a comparable item
elsewhere, so they'll probably hold to the same price.
When selling, keep in mind that
you can negotiate downwards, but not upwards. Always make your initial asking
price
somewhat higher than what you really want out of it. Some people will not agree
to even
a good deal, unless they can extract at least one price concession from you.
So, set a fairly high price, and then negotiate downward.
If your counterpart brings an item to offer to you, but that item is of
no interest to you, always thank him for his time: 'Thanks, but
I'm not
interested in that right now. Do you have any X available?", describing
what you are looking for in trade. Remember, a sales venue is an opportunity
to gather information about other items a seller may have available, but may
not physically have with them. It may not hurt to make arrangements to see
them at the next
event, reminding them to bring those items so you can make a deal next time.
Image
When going to attend a flea market, gun show, or horse trading session,
it is important to "dress down". If you wear a fancy Rolex watch,
or fancy designer clothes, consciously or unconsciously your counterpart will
size
you up as being made of money. So dress very casually, including your shoes.
Leave your jewelry, pens, and nice watch at home. Wear your cheap plastic-cased
digital watch for these excursions.
You also need to learn to be observant about your counterpart. Is he a collector,
that happens to sell on the side, or is he a journeyman salesman, who makes
a livelihood at the business. Is he retiring and selling off inventory? Is
he someone selling merchandise on behalf of a friend or relative? The bottom
line is: just how anxious is your counterpart in making a deal?
Timing and Rapport
When approaching a vendors booth or table for the first time it is important
to first wait until the vendor has finished dealing with any previous customers.
Don't interrupt a man when he's making a deal! Smile and make eye contact,
and if appropriate for the venue, introduce yourself and shake hands. If you
are
a fellow vendor, it's important to wear your badge, or otherwise make it known
that you also have a table or booth. This lets the seller know that he is talking
to a wholesale rather than retail customer. This can make a tremendous
difference when negotiating price. Even if the vendor appears to have a pile
of worthless
junk on his table (with perhaps a few nice items of interest) make a point
of expressing your admiration for his merchandise. Say something like "You've
got a real nice inventory here" or "I can see that you have good
taste in widgets". This is an important step in developing rapport
with you counterpart. While it doesn't hurt to point out a defect on an individual
item
while negotiating for it, do not "run down" the
quality or condition of everything that you see. Doing so could skunk the entire
deal-making
process. OBTW, don't be shy about pointing out defects in your own merchandise.
"Oh, in case didn't noticed, there is one dent here..." That lets your customer
know that you are reputable.
Another key aspect of understanding buying and selling psychology is the "stage
of the game". At the beginning of a show or sale most journeymen sellers arrive
inventory rich, and cash poor. Near the end of the show, they will likely have
more cash (or precious metals) on hand and then will be in a better position
to make offers. Although some of the best items may have already been sold,
one
of the
best
times to make a purchase or trade is near the end of a show, when some sellers
have had a "slow show" At flea markets and gun show wait until just
before the vendor's "tear down" and pack-up time begins. Depending on
their situation they might feel desperate to make a good sale or a couple
of
good
swaps so that
they can feel that they've made the show worthwhile. So, if you saw an item
earlier in the show, and could not negotiate an agreeable price, wait for
the end of the sales event. This, BTW, is particularly valuable tactic if the
item in question is particularly bulky
or
heavy. It is
the unspoken goal of every seller to "go home light".
If you encounter a seller that has the sort of merchandise that you
think would be of future interest, then it's important to get that seller's
particulars so that you can contact him later. Take copious notes. The same
applies when you encounter a seller that has a particularly valuable area of
expertise
or a rare stock of items--especially spare parts. These are people well worth "networking" with.
Never Trade Hard for Soft
When negotiating a trade, keep in mind the absolutely fundamental rule: "never
trade hard for soft". This means, if what you are offering in
a trade is a compact, valuable, durable, tangible item, that is in short supply,
or highly valued,
the don't make
the mistake of trading it away for items that are less durable or desirable.
Otherwise, at the end of the day, your counterpart will be going home with
the better goods than you.
The only exception to this rule would be if your counterpart is willing to
trade a much greater quantity of his items and that you know that
you have a ready market for them. A corollary to this rule is, that it
is better to trade
your bulky for his compact. (Or as one aging gun
show vendor I met in put it, "Don't never trade away handguns for rifles or
shotguns."
That is simple yet sage advice.) This is particularly important in venues where
space is at a premium, and you are paying for the use of that space.
In closing, barter takes time to learn. Invest that time. Also invest in
the proper references. Lastly, invest in a stock of top quality barter goods
that you predict will be sought-after in a post collapse world. With the right
goods and the requisite knowledge, you and your family will never starve.
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Letter Re: Some Observations on Registered Class 3 Guns and Suppressors
Mr. Rawles:
To suppress or not to suppress: there is no question. (A hat tip to The Bard.)
Many in the preparedness community are apprehensive about the acquisition of ["Class
3"] National Firearms Act (NFA)
items. [These include machineguns, short-barreled rifles (SBRs),
short-barreled
shotguns (SBSs),
and
sound
suppressors.
There
is
a background check, fingerprinting, paperwork required, and a $200 tax per
transfer.]
There
are
reams
of
writings
about "remaining
under
the
radar".
I do not share those misgivings. Neither do tens of thousands of other legitimate
gun owners. A caveat: under no circumstances should anyone build/construct/
any NFA style weapon or device. The penalties, legal and hazard to shooters
are
not
worth the effort. If you want the right to inventory said items and you live
in a state which prohibits the same, then move. Follow the legal steps
required
to
obtain them.
Sleep better. Enjoy!
First a few facts.
There are the following weapons, devices, the predominant number in civilian
hands. The information is derived from Small Arms Review magazine,
May 2008. Some of the numbers are civilian police, manufacturers and private
security agencies.
Again, the overwhelming number is in civilian hands. A grand display of this
fact is the Knob Creek shoot and the hundreds (thousands?) of auto weapons
matches all over the nation.
National statistics. (from the BATFE)
158,671 suppressors. 36,536 short barreled rifles. 97,903 short barreled
shotguns. 49,052 AOW (Any
other weapons). 400,739 automatic
weapons. Remarkable. Again, most of these are in private collections.
There has been only one prosecution of a licensed
owned or a Class 3 for misuse since the 1934 act that established the NFA regimen.
A police officer used a
department
registered
sub-gun
to kill
his wife.
There exists no other case law according to a close friend who defends many
gun related cases. There are no statistics on destructive devices (DDs)
.
My home state. 2,427 suppressors. 485 short barreled rifles. 1,038 short barreled
shotguns. 691 AOWs, and 5,489 automatic weapons.
My first acquisition of NFA interest was in the late 1970s. It has continued
ever since.
Another fact. Any small arm up to the .50 BMG can
be suppressed, including shotguns. Except revolvers. I refer to Small Arms
Review again. In my opinion the best
monthly reference on small arms within most budgets.
There are number of auto weapons in my inventory. My passion is suppression.
This post will concern suppressors otherwise known as "cans".
My first acquisition was an Ingram gun in .45 ACP.
Cost? $150 [, in the late 1970s.]. They are now listing near $3,500. (Investment
is a great excuse for acquisition) A MAC-10
without a can is a contradiction. I acquired a RPB can with plastic wipes.
Replaced the wipes (they add noise and add inaccuracy) with a convex muzzle
wipe. There
are
10,000 rounds through that combo, without a malfunction. Ken
Hacakthorn, in the 1980s said that this combo is "good for a gunfight
in a phone booth". I find
it good
to 25 yards or less. Hmmmmm....Would you prefer a slab side [M1911]
with 8-to-10 rounds or the MAC combo with 30 rounds?
Next came the SSG in .308. I sent off to Ciener for a can. Mine was the first
suppressed [Steyr] SSG 69
in the nation. Reduces report to a dull thud when heard downrange.
Adds
accuracy
as almost all muzzle cans do. If you acquire such, match projectile to twist.
Use full power loads, ball or whatever. Most subsonic ammo uses 200 grain projectiles.
In the usual 1/10 twist .30 caliber weapons this could result in a baffle strike
(internal) and ruin the can or the weapon. Same goes for light projectiles.
Match projo with twist. Enjoy.
Then a Ciener can for the .223 788 Remington. Death to varmints. In the ensuing
years there has been added; a Ciener Ruger MKI with integral suppression. Also
a Johns Guns 10/22,
again integral.
A note on integral suppression. All integrally
suppressed cans are meant to be shot with high velocity ammunition. These manufacturers
port (drill holes) in the barrel close to the chamber. Usually the barrels
are shortened in handguns. It is critical to use the right ammunition. Do not use
the Mexican Aguila .22 60 grain ammo. Remember, match twist with projectiles!
Baffle strikes [very bad things] are most common in .22 rimfires. The suppression
quality
is
astonishing
in .22s. Some makers build their products to be easy to self maintain/clean.
Ciener did not. Johns guns and others do. Inquire before purchase.
For quiet elimination of pests I have a Ruger 77/22 with a can from Gary's
Guns Inc. of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Cheap and effective. There is also a Marlin
.17HMR
with a Gemtech can. I spoke with Dr. Phil Dater about this one. He enjoyed
prairie dogging so much with his .17 he had to invent a can for idid.
Other cans are Gemtech on an M16. There are significant reports of serious
hearing damage to troops in Iraq due to shooting inside buildings or vehicles.
Cans prevent
this. The downside, cans superheat in full auto fire and are best employed
in semi-auto. Cans also blowback lots of fouling due to their gas entrapment.
Malfunctions
increase with the use of cans on auto weapons. Its a tradeoff most preppers
could accept. I do.
The M92 Beretta, the Walther.22, the Marlin Camp Carbines in .45 ACP and 9mm,
and other do nicely with cans.
Ciener made a nice can for one of the bolt guns.from Old State Arms Company
(They make .50
caliber rifles)
There is also a Gemtech can which I can transfer between either of my two
Bushmaster .308s.
There are a total of 17 cans in my inventory. I have also fired cans on the
HK MP5
(integral), The MK2 STEN (integral) Both ran well. (I am a certified instructor
with HK).
Needless to say further acquisitions are planned.
Preferences. Many states, mine own included, have no law or administrative
code on using cans for hunting. Be sure to check your state laws and fish &
game regulations!
I prefer muzzle cans with the Gemtech Bi-lock mounting systems. Threaded muzzle
cans should come with a thread protector when the can is dismounted. My MK1
Ruger from Ciener had to be disassembled after 5,000 rounds or so. I had to
take it
to a gunsmith to dismount due to sealants which Superglued the assembly shut.The
lesson here: If you require repairs/maintenance that you cannot do yourself,
Make sure that your repair point is in possession of the proper Federal License.
Ordinary gunsmithies cannot take in such work. you hand over a
NFA weapon or device for
repair, and you are not present [in the shop from beginning to end] for said
work, then that is an illegal transfer. Illegal. 'Nuff said?
There is a plethora of can makers in the market. I have cans from Ciener (no
longer manufacturing cans) Gemtech is among the best. RPG is defunct. AWC makes
good stuff, as does Special Ops Shop and others.
Cans are cheap. Most running
$200-to-$900 depending on integral (you pay for the gun too)...Bi-locks and
muzzle boosters add to costs.
Wet versus dry cans. I have hundreds of rounds through "wet" cans.
Some require filling with water. Others require grease packing. Water (wet)
cans
require refilling
to maintain efficacy. A pain in the gunfight. I have one grease pack can. Effective
on the Marlin Camp Carbine. Leaves a smoke signature after rapid fire, which
is not good. Without a booster, it causes malfunctions on the Glock 21.
Lesson, stick to dry cans.
Cost to register [each item in the U.S.]? $200. - Mr. X
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: The Icelanders' Tangibles Shopping Spree »
Letter Re: Everyday Carry Pocketknife Recommendation?
Jim
Like you, I'm constantly trying to find out what the best knives are. There
are so many, at so many different prices, that it is easy to get sidetracked.
With the articles my friend Phil Elmore and I write at The
Martialist,
we have gone through hundreds of knives over the years. Some great, some are
not so spectacular.
Let me tell you about the ones I have grown fond of. Not all of them are cheap,
but many are.
1. CRKT Grant Hawk D.O.G.
[deadbolt over grabstep] Lock. Its an open body, easily sharpened folder with
a strong
lock that is almost
impossible to defeat. CRKT no
longer makes them, but the D.O.G. lock is available on eBay all the time. Easy
to clean if you use
it to dress a game animal as well.
2. Spyderco Para Military. A shortened, easier to handle version of the large
Military, I know of several soldiers, hunters and first responders who carry
these in their go bags.
3. CRKT M-21 Carbon fiber special forces. I chose it because I think the tanto
blade, which is used in the M-16 series, is really only useful for cutting
someone out of a wreck, a crashed plane, or fighting with a goblin who is wearing
body armor.
4.Spyderco waved Endura. If you can get it in VG-10 steel, the Endura is a
top flight choice. The wave feature was designed by Ernie Emerson and first
came out in their Emerson Commander. The wave makes it a simple matter to open
the knife one handed.
5.If one looks hard enough, it's easy to find a used Spyderco Chinook II folder
on eBay. Designed by James Keating, that knife is robust enough to field dress
an Elk, help cut up wood for campfires and yes, even use in self defense against
an attacker if you get caught away from your handgun or shotgun.
What about fixed blades?
I like my Fallkniven F-1
fixed blade. Its designed right, with respect to the designs of Loveless, and
is useful as a pilot's knife. I know of at least one
army pilot in Iraq who has one strapped to his web gear every day as he goes
out in his Blackhawk helicopter. Mine has been used to field dress three deer,
a friend borrowed it to cut up a black bear with, and I've carried it during
every camping trip for
three years.
At this point, mine is in the go bag in the back seat of my Ford Explorer,
along with camping gear, several loaded glock mags and numerous shotgun shells.
The great thing is, any of these knives can be found for less than a hundred
dollar bill. - Lawrence K.
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Letter Re: Buying Just One Gun?
Mr. Rawles:
I'm a survivalist newbie. I'm thinking about purchasing a gun. I don't know
anything about guns, but I have had a negative opinion about them for a long
time. But [now] I'm thinking I might need to get one. What would you recommend
for a total novice who would prefer to not have to own more than one?
JWR Replies: Owning one gun is like owning one carpenter's
tool, and expecting it to handle all of your construction and repair needs.
What single tool would you choose? A hammer, a pair of pliers, a saw, or a
screwdriver? That may be oversimplifying, but I'm sure that you get my point.
I suppose that some could get by with two guns,
namely: one shotgun (for both big game and bird hunting and self defense) and
a .22 rimfire rifle (for small game hunting). But you'd still lack having a
compact gun for concealment, and you'd also lack a long range rifle to defend
yourself or hunt at long distance. (Shotguns don't "reach" beyond
about 80 yards, even with slug shells.)
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Range Report: Advantage Arms .22 Conversion Kit for the Glock, by Everyday Prepper
To start off let me say I'm in no way affiliated Advantage Arms or Glock. I
don't get paid to advertise or test their products and I definitely don't
get paid to write reviews.
I took the Glock out today with the Advantage
Arms conversion kit installed.
I wasn't exactly skeptical of the kit after reading about it online but I was
expecting to have some sort of break in period. I opened the kit up and out
fell an orange piece of paper that instructed me to put some oil on the parts
in the picture. I grabbed the oil they shipped with the kit, put the drops
on the slide where they wanted me to and rubbed the oil with my finger to spread
it around some.
I took a piece of standard 8.5"x11" sheet of printer paper and hung
it up. Next I paced off 10 meters and turned to fire. The magazine seated perfectly
just
like my original Glock magazines. I chambered the first round took aim and
pulled the trigger. Bang! Nice, I thought. There was almost
no recoil and the gun hit pretty close to where I was aiming. I went ahead
and fired a few more
at a slow and controlled speed then I just let the last six or so speed their
way to the target as fast as I could reasonably regain my sight picture. At
the end of those 10, I went up to the piece of paper and measured the spread
of hits and they all fell within a three inch circle, save one. (Though I think
that one was me getting a little trigger happy.)
I finished the day by placing 10 to 20 targets out and running training drills
to help with quicker target acquisition and movement. I fired in the neighborhood
of 120 rounds (give or take five rounds) and never had a jam or malfunction
of any kind.
It wasn't an intense break-in but I was impressed at the quality, feel and
accuracy of the kit.
If Advantage Arms wouldn't have stamped their name on the slide you wouldn't
even know it was a company other than Glock that created the kit. With the
market for these kits (I waited eight weeks while they caught up on back orders)
I'm surprised Glock hasn't jumped on this boat and started creating their own.
I'm not a professional instructor but I think the advantages to this kit are
obvious. While I'm not shooting my standard caliber with its standard recoil
I'm getting much more training time in and it's much cheaper. I can practice
every drill and training exercise I know for five times as long thanks to the
cost savings. If you are worried about the recoil and muscle memory issues
you can always finish your shooting day with your original caliber by removing
the kit (as simple as field stripping the Glock) and putting your original
hardware back in place.- Everyday
Prepper
JWR Adds: Advantage Arms also makes .22 LR conversion kits
for Model 1911 pistols, with an equally good reputation. Both of these conversion
kits are available via mail order to US customers with no FFL paperwork,
since they do not include a pistol frame.
-
Everyday
Prepper.
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Letter Re: Firearms Battery Recommendations
Mr. Rawles,
Thanks for all of the informative posts at SurvivalBlog. Based on your recommendations,
I've put together the following list of firearms (all I currently own is a
38 year old .22 rifle):
- Springfield XD .45 ACP ($568) -- for concealed carry, self defense
- Mossberg
Model 500 Special Purpose Mariner 12 gauge Shotgun 9 Shot ($423) -- for
home defense, hunting
-
Remington Model 700 Varmint Tactical Rifle .308 Winchester, 22 in
with Muzzle Brake, Bolt Action ($643) -- for hunting, possible tactical/precision
use in
TEOTWAWKI scenarios
- Rock
River Arms LAR-8 .308 Caliber Standard A2/A4 Rifle ($1,170) -- for
tactical use in TEOTWAWKI scenarios
I wanted to only have to stock one rifle ammo so I tried to choose a hunting/precision
rifle and an AR rifle that could use the same cartridges.
What is your assessment of the selections I made? I would really appreciate
any suggestions before I make the purchases.
I never served in the military and have no experience with hunting rifles
or ARs,
so after I make the purchases I plan to get some training from a good local
instructor. However, I wanted to get trained on my own firearms
so I
can become familiar with them.
So, I need advice about the following related items so that I make wise
purchases that all work well together since this is an area in which I have
no experience:
1. Sight recommendations for both rifles (I live on 10+ heavily-wooded acres
in the Virginia Blue Ridge mountains)
2. Recommendations for LAR-8 magazines (exactly what to buy, recommended
web sites)
3. Ammo sources/recommendations. I was considering .308 Win (7.62x51mm)
145 grain Prvi Partizan .
I wanted to lay in a large stock of ammo that I could use in either of the
two rifles and didn't know if this was a good selection or not. I don't
want to buy good guns and bad ammo. I need recommendations and sources that
a
newbie can follow without getting ripped off.
4. Ammo recommendations for the handgun and shotgun. There are so many choices,
it's hard to decide. (manufacturer, cartridge and shell recommendations)
5. I would also appreciate a concise list of minimum spare parts / accessories
I should consider for the firearms I purchase and supplier recommendations.
Thanks again for all of your help.- ALG
JWR Replies: That would make an excellent, quite versatile
battery.
IMO, the Remington 700 is a bit over-priced, compared to the Savage Model 10
series, which is functionally identical (every bit as accurate), and costs
about $250 less.
Since you live in a heavily-wooded area, you probably won't need a long-range
rifle, but it might come in handy. Consider it your lowest priority purchase.
In answer to your questions:
1.Since you are in heavily-wooded country,
leave the LAR-8 set up with iron sights. A scope on a battle rifle only makes
sense in open country. However, you might want to get a low-power starlight
scope for night security. I recommend the Trijicon 3-9x40mm Trophy Point
scope for your bolt action. With a tritium-lit
reticle, it will give you better night shooting capability than a traditional
scope. Trijicon scopes
are available from CGW one
of our loyal advertisers.)
2. Buy
either standard military surplus 20 round metric FN-FAL magazines,
or inch pattern L1A1 magazines. The Israeli metric magazines were made on Belgian
(FN) tooling and are some of the best metric magazines. You can get these
from several vendors including WhatACountry.com.
Inch magazines are more scarce, but they are a bit more sturdy than the metric
magazines. If you can find them for under $16 each, then buy inch (L1A1) magazines.
Otherwise buy metric. (Which can be had for as little as $8 each, in quantity.)
You can often find inch magazines on The
FAL Files Marketplace Forum, or on Buddy's
Board.
3. The Prvi ammo has had mixed reviews, possibly because of un-even quality
control, so I don't recommend it. A good factory load that can be used in both
your rifles
is the ubiquitous white box Winchester "USA" 150 grain full metal
jacket 7.62mm NATO. (Although it won't have quite the peak accuracy
of 168 grain match grade, in your bolt action. But that isn't a big issue unless
you are shooting more
than 400 yards.)
For all of your ammo purchases, shop around for the best prices. It is best
to buy each caliber all at once, so that the ammo will come from the same manufacturer's
lot. (for consistent accuracy.) For recommendations on discount ammo vendors,
see
this SurvivalBlog post. Once you've identified the best prices by mail order,do
some comparison pricing at a major gun show. Bring cash so that you don't leave
a paper trail.
4. For the XD-45: Federal HydraShok .45 ACP, 230 grain
For the riotgun: Winchester or Remington #4 Buckshot 12 gauge, and a much smaller
supply of 12 gauge Brenneke Rifled Slugs
5. A spare firing pin, extractor, and ejector for each gun
is a good starting point. OBTW, if your Mossberg comes with a plastic safety
switch, then upgrade
it to a sturdier aftermarket steel switch.
For a source for spare parts for Springfield Armory XD pistols, see
this SurvivalBlog post.
Buy the LAR-8 parts directly from Rock River Arms.
For the LAR-8 rifle, in addition to the aforementioned spare firing pin, extractor,
and ejector, you should also buy:
1- firing pin retaining pin
1- extractor retaining pin
1- ejector retaining pin
1- buffer retaining pin
1 pr.- handguards (the most fragile part of the rifle, in my experience)
To get your XD .45 pistol free with some top-notch training, highly I recommend
that you take advantage of Front
Sight's "Get a Gun" training and gear package offer. It is worth
flying across the country to take Front Sight's Four Day Defensive Handgun
course. The
Memsahib and I have both taken it, and it outstanding.
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Letter Re: Controlling Your Inner Gun Nut--Balanced Preparations are a Must
Hello Jim,
Like many readers I have always been somewhat of a gun nut. Back when I was
young and single I spent a lot of money on guns and ammo including items I
didn't really need that have since accumulated over time. I was single and
had money to spend. Fast forward to the present with wife and kids and money
is tight. There is not much left for prepping. So I decided
to take stock of what I really need for my core battery of weapons/ammo and
sell the rest and use the proceeds for prepping. Here are some lessons learned:
It's important to have balance in your preparations between weapons and everything
else. An M1A battle
rifle is no more important than a Troy-Bilt tiller or a good pair of Danner
boots. Ammunition has appreciated greatly in value and
been an excellent investment (although [that was] not my original intent).
My stocks of 7.62x54r, 7.62x39 and .303 British have at least doubled or tripled
in value.
A friend recently stated that Portuguese 7.62 NATO [ammunition in sealed battle
packs] would have been a much better investment than gold. It would be nice
to hold onto this ammunition longer and allow it to appreciate some more but
there are other critical supplies that take precedence. You are correct when
you state "tangibles, tangibles, tangibles" as a store of value.
Hope this provokes some thought. - Jeff in Ohio
JWR Replies: Your observations are spot on. Prioritizing and logistical balance are crucial.
I can personally
attest that Portuguese 7.62 NATO battle packs were indeed a great investment.
Because of the Memsahib's recent large hospitalization expenses, I've been
forced to liquidate many of my tangibles. For example, I recently sold two
cases of "Port". (Each wooden case has 1,000 rounds, packed in 200
round battle packs. Each case weighs about 65 pounds.) These cases cost me
$180 each
in 2001. I just sold them for $475 each, and I've seen them recently sell for
as much as $500 each. It is notable that there are very few bonds, stocks,
or other investments that have appreciated so well
in
four
years.
My
only regret
is that I couldn't afford to buy 30 or 40 cases at $180 each! As some of the characters
in my novel often lament: "Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20."
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Survival Medicine and Ditch Medicine, by Josh in Montana »
Letter Re: Some Storage SNAFUs
Jim:
Why do the incredibly robust "cheap" imported AKs have chrome lined bores ,
yet some of the expensive and finicky American-made ARs not chrome
lined? Well, if you live in a humid climate, it makes a difference. I
made
the classic
error of storing my guns in gun cases. In fact, that's the worst way to store
them as the humidity accumulates inside. One of them had nearly rusted
solid in three years.
Thanks to the ministrations of another firearm enthusiast, all my guns are
being de-rusted, dipped in preservative oil and mylar bagged along with oxygen
absorbents, rust inhibitor tabs and desiccants.
I don't want to talk about what happened to the barrel of my M21 so just don't
ask. If you live in a humid climate, then consider the PS90. Mostly plastic,
hi capacity, very ergonomic.
I also learned about the weight limitations of gamma seals. I just noticed
that when I put ammo in five gallon buckets with Gamma seal ls on them, if
I go over three buckets high, the bottom seal breaks and falls into the bucket.
Now I limit it to two high and only lightweight buckets on top. - SF in Hawaii
JWR Replies: Thanks for being so frank. Perhaps other readers
learn from your mistakes and avoid some costly problems.
A humid climate
dictates
extreme vigilance for gun storage. Here is my general guidance:
1.) Clean thoroughly, lubricate heavily, an a inspect frequently.
2.) If storing guns in a vault or a wall cache, invest in a Golden Rod dehumidifier.
But don't expect it to be a miracle panacea. Mark your calendar with reminders
for
monthly inspections!
3.) Never, ever use a muzzle cap for more than an hour or two. They are for use
in the field, not for storage!
4.) R.I.G., silica
gel, and and VCI
paper are your friends.
5.) If you use grease or a heavy coating of oil in a gun bore and/or its chamber,
then be sure to tag the gun with a prominent reminder to yourself
to remove the
grease
it
before
firing.
(Not doing so can be a safety hazard!)
5.) Do NOT use oxygen absorbing packets for gun storage!
These are designed specifically to kill insect larvae in stored food. These
packets
use
a chemical reaction of moisture, salt, and ferric oxide (rust!) to consume
the oxygen in a confined space. These packets can be bad news for stored
guns.
Instead, I recommend that you use silica gel to prevent rust. Silica gel packets
also
have
the
advantage
that
they
can
be re-used many times if you dry them out in an oven or a dehydrator overnight.
(Since they employ a chemical reduction process, oxygen
absorbing
packets
can only be used once.)
« Letter Re: A Reminder to Readers About Botulism |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Rampant Inflation in Steel Products
Hey Jim,
I used to make my living as a construction electrician and had several big
steel Greenlee
brand tool boxes with my tools. There is usually one in the back of my
truck all the time.
Price of gun safes has continued to rise, so I took one of my boxes and cut
out a plywood rack for my guns, then filled in around the rack with polyurethane
foam. After it was set and cured, I painted the urethane foam flat black.
The fit and finish on my Greenlee tool box/gun safe is good enough to protect
my weapons, keep them locked and secure. It also has the advantage of handles
and skids so it can be loaded into a pickup or bug out trailer to get to the
remote retreat in a hurry. If necessary, I can load it with a forklift, or
a chain hoist, or muscle it on with three other men.
Anyway, I thought you might be interested in my improvised gun safe.
The steel tool boxes can still be bought from Lowe's [hardware store] for $199.
Regards, - Lawrence, editor of SurvivingTheDayAfter@yahoogroups.com
JWR Replies: Thanks for that cost-saving suggestion. Just
keep in mind that "portability" works both ways. It is essential that you secure
your vault, box, or chest to a floor or a very sturdy wall, to prevent
burglars from hauling off "The Whole Shebang." Be sure to use heavy duty lag bolts!
« Letter Re: Advice on a Mini Photovoltaic Battery Charging System |Main| Note from JWR: »
Ten Tips to Save Money on Ammunition, by Mr. Yankee
As prices increase, many shooters are looking for ways to take the bite out
of their shooting budget. Here are ten tips to help:
Take the bite out of your shooting budget:
If you are like most, you did not buy nearly enough ammo over the past few
years. Most of us told ourselves that our budgets just couldn’t be stretched
any farther. So our ammunition reserves either dwindled or stayed static despite
knowing that prices were rising. Boy are we sorry now! Anyone who was not paying
attention had a severe dose of sticker shock when hunting season arrived, and
it is just getting worse. This is not an “I told you so” piece
despite my advice to stock up on ammo in articles from late 2006 and early
2007. This is a warning about what is coming next and what you can do about
it. It is too late to buy cheap ammo. You will never see brass cased, Boxer-primed
308 of good quality for under $200 per thousand again. You will never again
see even steel cased 7.62x39 to feed your $99 SKS for $99 per thousand.
You will never again see 9mm Luger (Parabellum) for $12 per 100. Not only
has the price of factory loaded ammunition soared, the price of reloading components
have
begun to climb as well. What can you do? Here are 10 steps you can take to
offset some of the financial bite in your shooting budget.
#1) Shop wisely - use the Internet and toll free phone numbers to research
current prices and comparison shop. Information is power; use it to your advantage.
Some sites raise prices more slowly than others. Some include shipping in their
prices. Be sure that you are matching apples to apples when comparing prices
and factor every penny including shipping and sales taxes when you are making
mail order purchases.
#2) Watch for retail bargains at local stores. If your local gun shop or back
country general store has an odd box of cartridges or shotgun shells with a
five year old price sticker on it. Buy it. The price of ammo has literally
doubled in the last five years. Even those last few dusty corners will be cleaned
out soon. If you can take advantage of a ‘first in last out’ inventory
system, do it before someone else does. Every once in awhile the larger stores
like Dick’s and Wal-Mart will run ammunition sales with discounts on
case quantities that still seem reasonable. If you see a good sale, stock up!
[JWR Adds: Also look for ammo that might still be available
pre-inflated prices at on table of private sellers at gun shows. When you do
find a bargain, be sure to ask "Do you have any more of this elsewhere?" Look
for ammo at garage sales, and estate sales. It might even be worthwhile to
place a "want to buy" ad if there are free or low-cost classified
ads in your area.]
#3) Roll your own. Reloading has long been a means of saving a few dollars
as well as improving the quality of loads tweaked for your rifle. Despite the
recent increase in the cost of reloading components, you will still pay less
for ammo you load yourself than for off the shelf factory loaded ammunition.
The price of reloading components and equipment have begun to climb as the
cost for materials and interest in reloading have increased. The prices will
climb higher. So now is the time to buy. If you shoot on a regular basis, your
savings from reloaded ammo quickly offset the investment in reloading equipment.
This is especially true if you pick up a used press. Classified ads and estate
sales are the places for buying reloading equipment. A good quality press like
the RCBS Rockchucker can frequently be found for less than 50% of the retail
price for a new press and will have several decades of hard use left in it.
I recommend that you start watching for used reloading gear.
#4) Buy used. Not only can firearms and reloading tools be found at bargain
prices, many an old hunter was an avid reloader who left behind a bench full
of components when he met the Lord. I’ll happily pay for partial boxes
of projectiles, primers, or powder (in the original containers) and make use
of those components building my own loads. If you happen to run across full
or even partial boxes of factory loaded ammunition at gun shows, garage sales,
or auctions you may be able to get it at a fraction of the retail cost as well.
But use caution. Never, ever shoot reloaded ammunition of
unknown quality. You are literally gambling your life if you shoot someone
else’s reloads.
There are very few people who I trust my life to. I am just not willing to
pull a trigger on a cartridge that might be unsafely loaded.
#5) Stock up! It is too late to get the bargains that were available a few
years ago. But it is not too late to stock up before further price increases,
taxes, tariffs, and out right import bans. Despite the current market price:
buy primers, projectiles, and powder while it is still legal and anonymous
to do so. A day is coming when you will need a permit to buy powder. I think
it will be within our lifetime. Buy 22 rim-fire cartridges. You can’t
reload them, so stock up on them for you and for the next generation. It is
prudent to stock up on anything that you use regularly, even without waiting
for a sale discount. With inflation at over 10%, “investing” in
assets like food and ammo has a better return than the stock market. Plan ahead.
Don’t buy just for this weekend or this season. That is the thinking
that got you wishing that you had more ammo on hand. Prices are going to continue
to climb. Buying in bulk now will generate savings over the long term.
#6) Make your shots count. "Spray and pray" is neither tactically nor economically
sound. Make your plinking sessions count. Aim every shot carefully. When testing
new reloading recipes, test small batches for signs of pressure and accuracy.
Try
three or five round test batches instead of ten or twenty round batches. The
same is true for sighting in a new scope or a new rifle. Check the target every
second shot instead of after each full magazine.
#7) Retool. If your chief reason to plink is for backyard entertainment, consider
swapping out of centerfire ammunition to 22 rimfire or even a low cost pellet
rifle. Another option is the kits that convert your rifle or pistol to fire
22 cartridges. Shooting a more economical cartridge may pay for the cost of
a [.22 LR] conversion kit or a new 22 rifle in as little as a single weekend’s
shooting. By way of example, if you shoot 500 cartridges of 22 long rifle (at
three cents each) over the course of a weekend instead of 500 cartridges of
308 (at 53 cents each). You save a whopping $250! Just let that sink in for
a moment.
Plinking with a 22 instead of a 308 saves two hundred fifty dollars every 500
trigger pulls. Wow! That adds up fast and the savings won’t stop with
the first $250. It will continue for every similar shooting session you have
in the future.
#8) Make use of your skills. Let your investment in shooting sports generate
savings in other budgets. Put meat on the table. Moose, elk, mule deer, white
tail, pronghorn, turkey, geese, hares, rabbits, pheasant, duck, partridge,
squirrel – all are tasty and every bite on your plate saves money out
of your grocery budget – especially if you learn to dress and butcher
the game yourself. Besides the financial savings, you’ll have a sense
of pride like little else when you know that the freezer is full and you have
all the jerky you can eat because your hunts have been successful.
#9) Waste not. With scrap metal selling at or near the all time high, don’t
waste the byproducts of your range time. Even if you do not reload your cartridge
cases or shell hulls, someone else might be willing to pay for the chance to
reload them or as salvage. Keep this in mind when you shoot Berdan primed brass.
I have been unable to locate a current US retailer of Berdan primers, but that
may change in the future. Even steel and aluminum cartridge cases have value
as scrap and of course the lead itself can be reclaimed to smelt and mold into
new musket balls, bullets, and shot, as well as being sold as scrap metal.
It may seem like more work than it is worth, but remember that the prices are
climbing and the sand bank behind your favorite target may already hold several
hundred pounds of lead.
#10) Fight back. Be vigilant. Be proactive. Vote against new tariffs, taxes,
and bans. Vote against candidates who restrict your freedoms, raise license
fees, and create access permits or talk about doing so in the future. Encourage
and educate not only your friends, co-workers, and neighbors, but also the
next generation so that they will do the same. We may not be able to stop the
global forces aligned against our shooting sports but if we work together,
we might just slow them down long enough to preserve the sport and keep it
affordable for one more generation. - Mr. Yankee
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Do It Yourself Coffee Roasting »
Letter Re: Ammunition Reloading for Survival
Jim,
I saw the article that mentioned Reloading for autoloading rifles, and some comments
that seemed to not completely answer questions people may have.
It is important to note that reloading any caliber is a delicate undertaking
for any gun you are about to trust your life with. The use of case gauges is
an important one, but for the part-time reloader they are an expensive investment
(~$30-50 each!). A much easier method is to test the cartridge in the firearm, to accomplish this, if you are working on either a progressive or single stage press, reload a few rounds as dummies. This means
no powder, no primer, just case and bullet, and test them in the gun for fit
and feed. Do not test fit live ammunition unless you are in a place where a
discharge is allowed. (For most of us [that live inside city limits] this means
a firing range). Numerous negligent discharges have resulted from people not
following proper safety precautions, and even if you do this is never a guarantee that
a mechanical problem won't develop causing an accidental discharge.
If you have issues with reloading bottle-neck rifle cartridges, a likely fix
is to use small base dies, these will size the brass down to a smaller size,
and will size more of the case than a standard full-length sizer. However,
the added working of the brass will result in earlier failure of the brass.
When it comes to [reloading] dies, I recommend against buying those made by
Lee Precision, I have had far too many cases that were mangled, scratched,
or had other defects resulting from the poor quality of Lee [brand] dies. One
thing to be especially careful of when using Lee dies is the decapping pin
will sometimes
stick in the flash-hole, if you are working on automated loading equipment this will likely detonate the [fresh] primer when you go to seat
it. (Most other manufacturers have switched to a headed [de-capping] pin, making
this
an extremely rare problem.). RCBS, Redding, and Lyman all make very good and
sturdy
dies from hardened tool steel, Dillon offers tungsten-carbide sizing dies for
bottle neck rifle cartridges, if you have money to spend, the Dillon dies
will likely outlast your grandchildren, provided they have an adequate supply
of decapping pins (RCBS, Lyman, and a few others offer free replacement parts,
Dillon believes these to be a consumable item, and charges for them).
Regarding the differences between Military and Commercial cartridge specifications
You are absolutely correct, 5.56 and .223 have the same external case dimensions,
but for the most part the similarities stop there. 5.56 has a SAAMI maximum
working-pressure of 55,000 PSI, where as the .223 [Remington] maxes out at
50,000. If a 5.56 round is fired in a .223 firearm, then pressures are likely
to
be
extreme, another key difference is the 5.56 chamber and throat dimensions
are different, the engraving force will be reduced, and there is the potential
for some gas leakage to the rear, a cumulative effect of this will be lower
over-all pressures.
However, with .308 [Winchester] and 7.62mm NATO [the specification difference]
is slightly the other way, but for different reasons. The .308 and 7.62mm NATO
rounds are functionally
identical, while there was some disagreement about the chamber pressures generated by
some commercial ammo (SAAMI maximum some say is 62,000 PSI) and some military
ammo (maximum pressure at 50,000), there seems to be a larger issue with the
military chamber being longer, and thus being harder on the brass. If you are
reloading,
you
can account for these differences with your selection of load and powder. That is one of the true advantages of reloading your own ammunition.
In all likelihood, anyone using a good quality military semi-auto in 7.62mm
NATO isn't going to notice any difficulty using commercial .308 ammo. But keep
it in mind if you ever do encounter problems.
I hope all is well Jim, glad to see you are getting some more public exposure.
It seems that the population at large is waking up, I had a co-worker hand
me your book "Patriots" the
other day. I giggled a bit to myself and told him I already had the book. Even
my mom started asking me questions about the SurvivalBlog site, after hearing
about it on the news. Lets hope all the people who are waking up to the unpleasantness
we are all facing are able to head it off and clean up this mess before a lot
of people have to get hurt. Sincerely, - Drew
JWR Adds: Part of the problem in discussions regarding commercial
versus military cartridge specifications is that some of the specs are written
in terms of pounds per square inch (PSI), while others are written using Copper
Units of Pressure (C.U.P.) They are not the same scales!
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Food Shortages at COSTCO and Sam's Club Stores »
Letter Re: Ammunition Reloading for Survival
James,
You might want to mention that reloading for semi-auto rifles requires
an extra measure of care. After sizing, cases should be checked with a Wilson
or Dillon case gauge to make sure they are
are sized correctly. Maximum overall case and cartridge lengths have to be
adhered to
[Clint McKee,] the owner of Fulton Armory is very "down" on reloading
for semi-auto battle rifles, and I believe most of the [bolt out of fully-locked
position]
Kabooms with AR-15 type rifles have occurred with reloaded ammo. While one
should be
very
careful
when
reloading ammunition of any type, one must be very, very careful when
reloading ammo for semi-auto rifles.
Thx, - "Walter Mitty"
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Ammunition Reloading for Survival, by NC Bluedog
Ammunition storage is one of the survival planning trinity: ("Beans,
Bullets and Band-Aids"). But what happens when you run out? You can’t
plant a garden for 7.62mm NATO or
cut up old sheets to make .45 ACP.
In this case you need to at least consider the practice (some would say art)
of ammunition
reloading. Speaking from a perspective of more than 10 years experience, I
can honestly say that reloading is no more difficult than repairing a leaking
faucet and baking a loaf of bread. It is very similar to making up a recipe
with a few mechanical interventions. It is also relatively safe, so long as
you don’t try to smoke while measuring powder or try to seat a primer
with a hammer. I will limit this discussion to center fire metallic handgun
and rifle cartridges, but similar considerations would apply to shotshell
reloading.
First, let me present an introduction on ammunition components. There are four
basic ingredients to loaded ammunition: Primer, powder, brass case,
and projectile.
We will handle each in order. We need to be precise in our use of language
(Thank you Jeff Cooper!) A cartridge or round is one unit of loaded ammunition.
A bullet is the projectile of a cartridge (in the same sense that a clip is
different from a magazine). Let me stress at this point that if you already
have all the components, it is far better to put it together now rather
than later. Reloading takes time, something that may be in extremely short
supply in a TEOTWAWKI situation.
If your ammunition inventory is adequate, you should consider keeping some
components for barter or future use, but the
majority of your powder should be in loaded ammunition!
Primers and powder are the two things which cannot be reused and require an
industrial capacity to produce. Making primers out of matchstick heads or smokeless
powder out of nitric acid and cotton should be regarded a fantasy for individuals
wanting to survive. While black powder can be made relatively safely, it will
not function well in modern firearms. There is a reason the old-time black
powder cartridges were as big as cigars, smokeless powder is far more efficient
and safer to handle as well. In other words, if you are considering reloading
sometime in the future, you should store some primers and powder now while
they are available. (A political aside: In addition to banning guns and ammunition,
there have been legislative attempts to ban reloading components.)
Primers come in two sizes each for both pistol and rifle for a total of four
sizes: Small pistol, large pistol, small rifle and large rifle (Pistol in this
sense includes revolver cartridges). The small version of each type is designed
for smaller cartridges and vice versa. While small pistol and small rifle are
essentially the same size (likewise for large pistol and large rifle), they
are designed to ignite vastly different powder charges. Mixing them up can
lead to disaster. An example of a small pistol primer cartridge would be the
9mm NATO (also known as 9x19, 9mm Parabellum and 9mm Luger). The .45 ACP uses
a large pistol primer. The 5.56mm NATO (aka .223
Remington and 5.56x45) uses the small rifle primer, and the 7.62mm NATO (aka
.308 Winchester and 7.62x51)
uses the large rifle primer. Due to the difference in size between small and
large, confusion would be difficult and impossible to use incorrectly, but
do not confuse pistol and rifle primers of the same size.
Besides the four basic sizes, there is a myriad of subtypes, including standard,
magnum, match and military grade. Magnum primers are a niche market and not
used in common caliber ammunition (Note .357 Remington Magnum does not use
a magnum primer), so you can safely ignore them. Match grade primers are supposedly
made with tighter specifications and better quality control. Military primers
typically have a “harder” cup and require a strong firing pin impact
to ignite, but are less likely to be punctured by a misshaped or pointed firing
pin or suffer a slam fire in semi-autos with floating firing pins. The differences
in my experience are minimal to nonexistent and you can safely ignore them
and go with standard primers. Typical military style weapons (in good working
condition) such as AR-15s FN/FALs and M1As work fine with
standard primers. Likewise, the difference between the manufactures such as
Federal, Winchester, Remington and CCI are also minimal.
Reloading powder (also called canister grade propellant) is available in a
confusing array of types from multiple manufacturers. The most distinguishing
characteristic is know as burning rate, with a huge spectrum between the slow
and fast burning (arbitrary unit designation). The burning rate is controlled
by several manufacturing techniques. First is composition. Powders can be either
single or double base, with the double base including a proportion of nitroglycerin
in addition to the nitrocellulose. The size and shape (spherical or rod shaped)
of the powder granules also dramatically alters the burning rate as does various
coatings applied in manufacture. The burning rate is tailored to the pressure
limits of individual cartridges as well as the projectile weight and barrel
length. The general rule is faster powders are used in handguns and slower
powders in rifle ammunition. Smokeless powder is listed by weight (typically
in grains, one pound is 7000 grains) for a given charge, but is usually measured
volumetrically to obtain the desired weight. This is one reason I prefer spherical
(also called ball) propellants. The spheres measure much more uniformly when
metered by volume.
Just as we simplified the primer issue down to four basic types, the more than
100 different powders available can be vastly simplified for personal reloading.
For example, I typically store only four different powders and could go with
two in a pinch, one moderately fast for handguns and one moderately slow for
rifles. Now, let me discuss safety. While smokeless powder is very stable,
it is flammable. Unless contained in a closed space (such as a cartridge) it
will only burn, albeit vigorously. It will not explode if dropped or otherwise
mistreated. Primers on the other hand are designed to explode if crushed. Treat
them as you would treat loaded ammunition. Both components prefer a stable
room temperature without excessive humidity and will survive almost indefinitely
in such an environment. One thousand primers takes up about as much space as
two decks of cards and an eight pound jug of powder is about the size of a
gallon of milk.
Our next component is the brass cartridge case, hereafter simple called brass
or case. Apart from factory new brass, most reloading is done with used cases.
These can come from collecting your own to scavenging the local shooting range.
I prefer to reuse my own brass since I know its’ history, but “when
times get tough….” When scavenging brass, one needs to be extremely
careful. Modern factory ammunition is made with several different metals besides
brass. Steel and aluminum are the most common and are definitely not reloadable
in a safe way. They need to be crushed and disposed of. In addition, some foreign
ammunition is Berdan primed (discussion beyond the scope of this article) and
also is not easily or safely reloaded. The problem is that externally, it is
near impossible to tell the difference. For safety’s sake, discard everything
which doesn’t have a recognizable domestic US factory stamp on the case
head (Winchester, Federal, Remington, etc.). Another problem arises with surplus
military brass. These frequently have crimped primer pockets, and while reloadable,
require special care which will be discussed later. All collected brass should
be cleaned and sorted by caliber. Be careful here since some shooting range
ammunition (not necessarily “common caliber”) can be very similar.
For example, a 9x21 is only slightly longer than the much more common 9mm NATO,
but would be catastrophic if it functions at all in a common 9mm. Another common “competition
cartridge” (not “common caliber”) is the.38 Super, which
is also very similar to the 9mm NATO. Again, the safest bet is to discard (or
otherwise sequester) any brass without a legible case stamp indicating caliber.
When scavenging brass, it is also important to discard those with cracks in
the case mouth. This is typically due to the “work hardening” of
the brass during repeated resizing operations. Cases with small dents induced
during ejection in a semi-auto can usually be reused in my experience for routine
plinking ammunition, but shouldn’t be used for loads pushing the pressure
limit. In fact, I wouldn’t use scavenged brass for any “top end” load
since internal volume can vary significantly.
The business end of loaded ammunition, the projectile (aka bullet), also comes
in a withering array of sizes and weights. For simplicities’ sake, there
are two main types, either lead or jacketed. Both types can come in several
styles such as full metal jacket (FMJ), hollow-point, spitzer, round nose,
truncated cone, semi-wadcutter, etc. The only safety caveat here is that “pointed” bullets,
such as spitzers, must not be used in tubular magazine rifles (such as lever
action .30-30’s) since the cartridges are “nose to tail” and
recoil could fire the stacked cartridges. In this case the bullet point is
acting like a firing pin to the cartridge in front of it.
Factory bullets are sold in a specific bore size, commonly measured in thousandths
of an inch, and weight, commonly measured in grains. This is where a lot of
confusion is introduced because of the “naming nomenclature” of
our ammunition. For example, .38 caliber is actually 0.357” and is one
reason why .38 Special can be safely fired in a .357 Magnum. To add to the
confusion, our naming nomenclature is used for a marketing perspective, rather
than precise use of language. For example, both .38 Super and .357 SIG use
9mm bullets (0.355”) instead of the logical .38 caliber (0.357”)
bullets their names would indicate. Here is a table of common caliber ammunition
bullet sizes and range of bullet weights:
| Cartridge |
Nominal Diameter (inches) |
Nominal Weight Range (grains) |
5.56mm NATO
.223 Remington |
.224 |
40-70 (55-62 most common) |
7.62mm NATO
.308 Winchester
.30-06
|
.308 |
110-180 (150-165 most common) |
9mm NATO
.38 Super
.357 SIG |
.355 |
115-147 (124 most common) |
| .357 Magnum |
.357 |
110-180 (158 most common) |
.40 S&W
10mm |
.400 |
135-200 (175 most common) |
| .45 ACP |
.451 |
160-300 (230 most common) |
While it is possible, making jacketed bullets from scratch is difficult. Cast
bullets, on the other hand, are relatively easy to make with appropriate tools
and supplies. Safety note: Molten lead burns skin like almost nothing else,
and lead fumes are dangerous, so adequate ventilation is absolutely critical.
Tools needed include a melting pot with spout or ladle, bullet mold and water
bath/bucket. Lead can be obtained from wheel weights (make sure they are lead,
other metals are used) or by “mining” the berm at the shooting
range. This “dirty” lead will need to be washed, melted, all non-lead
metal (steel weight clips, bullet jacket material, etc.) removed and flux added
to remove dirt. I prefer to obtain cleaned and fluxed lead from other sources
(eBay, etc.) but it is more expensive and as always.
The keys to making good cast bullets are a properly heated and smoked mold.
Nonetheless, the first few casts will likely be misshapen, and need to be thrown
back into the melting pot. I prefer the micro banded or “tumble lube” bullet
molds by Lee Precision since they typically don’t require resizing and
are easily lubed with their Liquid Alox bullet lube.
There are several caveats with regard to using cast bullets. First is that
lead bullets leave a residue in the barrel (commonly called leading), particularly
when fired at higher velocities (greater than 1200-feet per second) and become
significantly worse the higher you go. Second, barrels designed to “swage” the
bullet (most typically Glock with their hexagonal rifling) will cause excessive
pressure when fired with lead bullets. A simple solution is a drop in replacement
barrel with conventional rifling like the Lone Wolf brand.
The velocity limitation imposed with using cast bullets can effectively preclude
their use in semi-auto rifles since effective operation is severely limited
at the lower velocities. Thus, if you are planning to reload rifle ammunition,
I would suggest a supply of jacketed bullets of appropriate size and weight
for your particular firearm.
So, now you have your supply of primers and powder, bullets (either cast or
store bought jacketed) and a fresh supply of brass from the recent firefight
with the Mutant Zombie Hordes, where do you star?. Reloading consists of eight
steps: Cleaning the brass case, decapping the spent primer, resizing the brass
case, re-priming the brass case, belling the case mouth to accept the bullet,
charging the case with powder, seating the new bullet and reshaping or crimping
the case mouth. Several of these steps can be accomplished at the same time,
such as decapping/resizing the brass case, case mouth belling/powder charging
and bullet seating/crimping but I will discuss each separately.
Cleaning is usually done with a vibratory cleaner with a mild abrasive such
as ground corn cob. I prefer the Dillon products, but others are equally useful.
Depending on the state of your brass, all that may be needed is a quick wipe
with a paper towel. It is critical to handle each case to examine for damage
and discard suspect ones.
Decapping the brass case consists of running a punch down the case mouth to
push out the old primer. This is where care must be exercised in cases with
crimped-in primers. After decapping crimped-in primers, the primer pocket must
be reformed to accept a new primer. This can be accomplished by reaming the
pocket with a primer pocket reaming tool or re-swaging the pocket.
Resizing the brass case is mechanically complex, but is easily accomplished
with an appropriate resizing die and reloading press. It is necessary at this
point to bring up the concept of headspace. Headspace is simply the distance
from the bolt face of the firearm to the point where further advancement of
the cartridge into the chamber is stopped. Rimmed cartridges headspace on the
rim, since that is what prevents the cartridge from going further into the
chamber. Rimless cartridges either headspace on a belt (in “belted” magnum
cartridges, serves same function as a rim but leads to easier feeding), on
the shoulder of bottleneck cartridges or the case mouth in straight-walled
ammunition. This is an important concept since if the cartridge is too long
for the chamber; the bolt will not close correctly. If it is too short, the
firing pin may not strike the primer, or worse, it may push the cartridge further
into the chamber before ignition, where pressure locks the case in position
and pushes back on an unsupported case head. Brass is weak compared to steel
and the pressure pushing the case head back to the bolt face may stretch the
brass to where it separates from the body of the cartridge. This is known as
case head separation, and puts extremely hot gas under tremendous pressure
venting right next to your face. Beside the risk of injury or damage to the
firearm, you now have the task of removing a now headless cartridge out of
the chamber before the firearm can be reused.
Resizing the brass case consists of squeezing down the now slightly expanded
fired case back to nominal size. Because of the stresses imparted, lubrication
is usually necessary (except in straight-walled ammunition using carbide dies)
and is easily accomplished with a simple spray of case lube prior to resizing.
This reforming of the brass makes the metal hard and brittle and limits the
number of times it can be done without cracking (most commonly seen as cracks
in the case mouth which undergoes the most change in size). The only dimension
which is not squeezed back to nominal size is the overall length (OAL) and
each subsequent resizing operation tends to lengthen the case neck. After resizing
a couple of times, the neck may need to be trimmed in order to get the OAL
back into specification. I usually discard such brass, since it is removing
brass which has come from somewhere else in the case, thus weakening it to
some extent. This is not so much a concern for low pressure cartridges such
as .45 ACP but can be significant in higher pressure cartridges. In a TEOTWAWKI
situation, re-annealing the brass (heating up and quenching) and case trimming
may be necessary to get the most life out of a given case.
Re-priming is simply the act of inserting a new appropriate size primer into
the brass case. This can be done either on the press, or with a handheld re-priming
tool. If I am using a single stage press (where each step is done on a batch
of brass before moving on to the next step), I prefer to use the handheld tool.
If I am using the progressive press, I leave it up to the press in its sequence
of events.
Case mouth belling is the process of slightly enlarging the case mouth to provide
ease of bullet insertion. This step is typically not necessary with boat-tailed
jacketed bullets, but is critical with cast lead bullets to prevent shaving
of the soft lead.
Powder charging is another critical step, similar to resizing. First, you need
a recipe. Good sources for a recipe are the powder manufacturers’ and
bullet manufacturers’ loading data books. The powder charge must be matched
to the cartridge, the weapon and the particular bullet. Load data will typically
list a starting load and a maximum load. You need to stay within these limits.
Variations within these limits looking for optimum accuracy is know as “working
up a load”, and is the source of a lot of enjoyment in these times prior
to TEOTWAWKI. Powder dispensing is usually done by adjusting the volume of
powder to give a specific weight charge. The ultimate in precision is accomplished
by hand weighing each charge, but volume dispensers are much more convenient
for routine reloading. Periodic checking of the weight of a “thrown” charge
is warranted to make sure your settings haven’t changed.
Bullet seating is simply the process of seating the bullet on the case mouth
and pushing it down into the neck (or the body in straight-walled ammunition)
so the cartridge OAL is within specification. Once the die is adjusted for
the correct depth, subsequent members of the batch will have the same length.
Following bullet seating, reforming the case mouth or crimping the bullet to
prevent movement under recoil may be necessary. There are two types of crimps.
Taper crimping simply smoothes out any belling and snug’s up the case
mouth like a turtle neck sweater. This is used in straight-walled ammunition
like pistol cartridges where you need the “step off” from brass
to bullet in order to headspace correctly. Roll crimping actually cinches up
the case mouth, much like a clothes belt, to provide purchase and prevent movement.
Bottleneck cartridges and rimmed revolver cartridges are usually roll crimped.
So what kind of supplies do I need to “roll my own” now or when
times get bad? Basic equipment would consist of:
Reloading manual.
Single stage press (Lee makes a nice, inexpensive one).
Die set for your caliber (available from several manufactures).
Powder/bullet weight scale.
Dial caliper/micrometer.
Hand priming tool.
Powder funnel
For the consumable supplies, I consider the amount needed for 1,000 rounds
of loaded ammunition. I choose this not only because it is a nice round (and
comforting) number, but because our weights are measured in grains and there
are 7000 grains in a pound. If you know the charge (or lead bullet) weight,
you simply divide the number by 7 to tell you how many pounds are needed to
make 1,000 rounds of ammunition. For example, if the charge weight of powder
is 35 grains, 35 divided by 7 equals 5, so I will need 5 pounds of powder to
make 1,000 rounds with that powder. If my bullet mold makes 230 grain bullets,
230 divided by 7 is slightly less than 33, so I will need 33 pounds of lead
to make 1,000 bullets.
For my logistics, I limit myself to “common caliber” ammunition.
For handguns, this means 9mm NATO and .45 ACP. For rifles, this means 5.56mm
NATO and 7.62mm NATO. For handgun reloading, I mostly use two moderately fast
powders both of which work fine for 9mm NATO and .45 ACP. These are Hodgdon
HP38 and Accurate #5 powders. These have similar burning rates, but the HP38
uses a significantly lighter charge which makes it more economical.
For rifle reloading, I choose two moderately slow powders both of which work
fine for 5.56mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO. These are Hodgdon H335 and Accurate 2230.
Likewise, the burning rates are close and charge weights nearly identical.
Since cast lead bullets are not appropriate for these rounds, you will obviously
need 1,000 jacketed bullets for either.
Supplies Needed for 1,000 Rounds by Caliber:
| Component |
.45 ACP |
9mm NATO |
7.62mm NATO |
5.56mm NATO |
| Casting Lead or Jacketed Bullets |
230 grains = 33 Pounds of Lead |
124 grains = 18 Pounds of Lead |
Need 1,000 FMJ Bullets |
Need 1,000 FMJ Bullets |
| Primers |
1,000 Large Pistol |
1,000 Small Pistol |
1,000 Large Rifle |
1,000 Small Rifle |
| Hodgdon Powder |
5.3 grains = 0.76 Pounds of HP38 |
4.4 grains = 0.63 Pounds of HP38 |
44 grains = 6.3 Pounds of H335 |
25 grains = 3.6 Pounds of H335 |
| Accurate Powder |
8.5 grains = 1.22 Pounds of AA #5 |
6.2 grains = 0.89 Pounds of AA #5 |
44 grains = 6.3 Pounds of AA 2230 |
25 grains = 3.6 Pounds of AA 2230 |
Like baking bread, reloading can be enjoyable and a real valuable skill in
bad times. The costs associated need not be excessive. - NC Bluedog
JWR Adds: While 5..56mm NATO and .223 Remington have quite similar case
dimensions and loading specifications, they are not completely interchangeable.
For example, it is not considered
safe to shoot commercial soft nose .223 loads in a semi--auto rifle chambered
for 5.56mm NATO. The same warning applies to 7.62mm NATO and.308 Winchester.
Use caution and use the appropriate safety equipment when
storing powder and primers, when reloading ammunition, and when
melting lead/bullet casting. Study
the standard safety warnings before you begin!
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A Warning on Buying Full Capacity Magazines in "Kit Form"
Thankfully, the Federal ban on 11+ round firearms magazines "sunsetted" in
September of 2004. But sadly some bans are still in effect at the state
and local level.
Most
notably, these laws are still on the books:
No pistol or SMG magazines with a capacity over 10 rounds in Hawaii. (High capacity
magazines that only fit rifles are allowed. (For example, since there
are AR-15 pistols, AR-15 magazines are banned.)
No magazines with a capacity over 10 rounds in California, District of Columbia,
Massachusetts, and New York. (See State Penal Code 265.23 for details. To
the best of my knowledge, 11+ round magazines that
were made before 9/94 can be legally purchased by residents of New
York.)
No magazines with a capacity over 12 rounds in Chicago, Illinois
No magazines with a capacity over 15 rounds in New Jersey; South Bend, Indiana,
or Aurora; Illinois
No magazines with a capacity over 20 rounds in Maryland, Wichita, Kansas, or
the City & County
of Denver Colorado
In recent months, I've noticed several ads on the Internet for full capacity
(11+ round) magazines
with
the
statement
"Available
in Kit
Form
for
residents of
New York and California." One of these advertisements was for Polymer
AR-15 PMAGs, which didn't go into production for the civilian
market until late 2004! Obviously, customers risk getting
into trouble if they buy complete parts sets for magazines that
were not made before September of
1994.
Private possession of "high capacity" magazines made after September
of 1994 is a felony in New York. Similarly, in California, possession of "high
capacity" magazines
that were not owned by an individual on or before December 31, 1999
is a felony. (And, since the now-defunct Federal ban of 1994 to
2004 was in effect at the time that this law was enacted, that would also
effectively mean that Californians would own only pre-9/1994 magazines.) So
what these sellers are
offering
buyers in those states is
the
chance
to get a felony conviction which would mean losing their right to vote
and their right to own a gun for the rest of their lives. I strongly recommend
that
readers that live in states or cities with restrictions resist the temptation
to skirt the law by buying magazine parts "kits". A felony conviction
is always a life-changing event.
In such cases, the burden of proof is on the prosecuting attorney, and there
is of course a presumption of innocence. Unless there is a post-1994 sales "paper
trail",
or unless they have post-9/1994 date markings, any magazines of the
types made before 9/94
will surely be presumed to be pre-ban. But it would
be very easy for a prosecution team
to prove that PMAGs didn't start to be available on the civilian market until
late 2004.
OBTW, I should mention that similar laws are in effect in other countries.
For example:
In Canada: No semi-automatic rifle magazines (except rimfire) with a capacity over 5 rounds, and no pistol
magazines with a capacity over 10 rounds. (There are
exemptions for members of competitive shooting teams.)
In New Zealand: No centerfire magazines with a capacity over 7 rounds, and no
rimfire
magazines
with a capacity over 15 rounds.
(There
are
exemptions for some licensed "certificate" holders.)
Disclaimer: The aforementioned laws are not all-inclusive
lists. Nothing in this post or any of my other posts represent legal advice.
Research your state and local laws, and consult a qualified attorney that
lives in your jurisdiction.
One closing thought for SurvivalBlog readers that live where these idiotic
laws exist: Vote with your feet!
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Letter Re: The Potential Combat Effectiveness of Shotguns
Jim,
There is a
fairly heated discussion going on at the FALFiles Forums about how useful
a shotgun is in a Schumer Hits The Fan (SHTF) situation. I was curious, what
exactly is your take on the issue?
Personally, I do not feel a shotgun can effectively replace a rifle, however,
it still proves an effective tool when the extreme-close situation arises.
I suppose one can distill this argument down to only "defensive purpose" shotguns
such as those built for tactical situations (3" chambers and open/cylinder
choke),
those you aptly refer to as "riotguns". While the effectiveness of
a shotgun for hunting small game is readily apparent, where exactly would a defensive
shotgun come into play using either various types of buckshot or slugs?
In what circumstances would a shotgun be a superior choice to a battle or assault
rifle? Examples?
I, as well as many, value your opinion on the matter. Best Regards, -- Kyrottimus
JWR Replies: While semi-auto battle rifles are more practical
for most defensive shooting (most notably because of their capability at both short
and long range), riot shotguns can definitely be effective at short range.
In the dense North Woods, there is seldom any shooting beyond 50 yards, so
they are adequate there. (Riotguns can be effective to 40 yards with buckshot
and 90+ yards with slugs.) I also generally recommend riotguns for urbanites
that live in cities or states with harsh restrictions on semi-auto rifles.
In a city (again, range limited, by terrain) a repeating riotgun is generally
more useful than a bolt action rifle, so if those are your only options,
then go for a shotgun. But with all that said, assuming that you don't live
in a liberal fantasyland like New Jersey, if you only have the money to buy
one rifle (and the requisite training)., or one shotgun (and
the requisite training), then buy a semi-auto battle rifle!
With the addition of a spare "bird" barrel, shotguns can also be
useful for foraging, since they are the only effective means of wingshooting.
(And the only legal method, in many countries.)
Also, police have found that shotguns firing slugs can be more effective and
safer than a rifle, in the specialized task of removing a door from its hinges.
Speaking of which, building "entry" is incredibly dangerous, and
frankly I can't foresee the need of the average prepper to ever do so. But
you never know. There was that one chapter of "Patriots"...
A couple of provisos:
Despite popular misconceptions popularized by Hollywood, shotguns must be
aimed, much like a rifle. The bead sights that are installed on most shotgun
barrels are insufficient. I recommend either buying a replacement barrel with
rifle sights, or having these sights retrofitted.
Be sure to do some pattern
tests at various distances with your shotgun, using full-power buckshot
loads. (I generally prefer #4 buckshot--not to be confused with the much
smaller and and much more common #4 birdshot, which is a standard load for
duck hunting.) Even if you have a shotgun with a wide open "Cylinder
bore" (no choke), you may be surprised how tightly it shoots, especially
inside of 10 yards. Again, you can't just vaguely point, you have
to aim. If you plan to shoot slugs, again do some tests and zero
your gun's iron sights.
OBTW, I highly recommend the Four
Day Tactical Shotgun course taught by Front Sight.
This course builds skills, builds confidence, and dispels a lot of
myths.
« Two Letters Re: Homemade Alcohol Stoves |Main| The Hedges Get Trimmed »
Front Sight's New "Get a Gun" Training and Gear Offer
Front Sight has been a SurvivalBlog advertiser for nearly as long as I have
been writing the blog. The Memsahib and I have both attended four-day courses
at Front Sight, and we can attest that the training there is absolutely top
notch. We were both very impressed with the world class quality of the instruction
and the quiet professionalism of the instructors. The Front Sight experience
is hard to put into words. You really need to experience it for yourself.
To
be prepared for the potentially dark days ahead, I highly
recommend that
at
least
one
member
of
your family attend Front Sight, and then come home and cross-train the rest
of the family. Owning a gun doesn't make you "shooter" any more than owning
a surf
board makes your a "surfer". Training is crucial. When
the Schumer hits the fan,
you
need to be confident and competent with firearms. That only comes
with proper training and regular practice. The bottom line: Get the best training
available. And that is exactly what you will receive at Front Sight.
You might have noticed that there are now two ads for Front Sight
in our scrolling
ads.
The
new ad
is for
their
very
generous "Get
a Gun" training
and gear package offer. This is their biggest promotion ever, and it includes
so
much
free
gear that you would be crazy to to not take advantage of it. This offer
includes all of the following:
Four
Day Defensive Handgun Course ($2,000 Value),
30 State (One Day) CCW course
($500
Value),
Seven
Dry Practice
Manuals
($280
Value),
Limited
Edition
Stainless Steel Folding Knife with Front Sight Logo ($300 Value),
Front Sight Armorer's Bench Mat ($40 Value),
Front Sight "Any Gun Will
Do-- If You Will Do!" Shirt ($30 Value),
Front Sight logo hat ($20 Value),
Front Sight Instructor Belt, Holster, Mag Pouch, Flashlight Pouch and Flashlight
($230 Value),
and, your choice of a brand new in-the-box, Springfield
Armory XD Pistol in 9mm, or .40 S&W or .45 ACP (a $600 value.) Needless to
say, I suggest getting the
.45 ACP variant.
I highly recommend Front Sight's training. Again, it is truly world class. Their
new "Get
a Gun" offer is an amazing 4-to-1 "exchange in abundance." If
up 'til now you've been hesitating about taking a course at Front Sight, then
by all means quit hesitating, and take
advantage of this offer. It is a genuine bargain!
OBTW, if you have any questions about this offer, feel free to e-mail me.
If I can't answer one of your questions, then I will get a answer from Front
Sight.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Two Letters Re: Homemade Alcohol Stoves »
Letter Re: Reloading for 7.5 Swiss
Dear Jim,
Regarding East Tennessee Hillbilly's otherwise excellent summary of reloading:
In the back of the Arsenal of Democracy I keep a case of each caliber I shoot.
The 7.5 Swiss cartridge has a wider case, thicker base and thicker rim than
.308. I don't believe
it's possible to fabricate 7.5 Swiss cartridges from .308. - Michael
Z. Williamson
JWR Replies: I have read that .284
Winchester brass can be re-formed to 7.5 Swiss without much difficultly.
The same thread mentions that Graf & Sons sells
virgin Boxer-primed 7.5 Swiss brass that they had made up with their own
head stamp.
« Letter Re: Sword Ban Begins on April 6th in the United Kingdom |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: Learn How to "Roll Your Own" Ammo
James;
One skill that will be in great demand by almost everyone in a post-TEOTWAWKI environment
will be a skilled and resourceful ammunition reloader. Equipment
is relatively
inexpensive and downright cheap if you know where to look. Pawn
shops almost never buy reloading equipment because it is slow and, or difficult
to move. I have made arrangements with a few pawn shop owners and when a batch
of reloading stuff comes available from estates they just give them my number.
No matter how much gear there is, a pawn shop will only offer, if they even
make an offer about a hundred bucks. I usually try to offer the widows a fair
price but in the end you are still buying for pennies on the dollar. Often
reloading gear will be given to you if you show an interest and a little respect.
It is an opportunity to acquire odd caliber dies, bullets, brass and often
large stores of powder. The old reloading books are great references for older
powders
that will still be usable if stored properly. Always store your powder in a cool,
dry and dark place. I am using some 30 year old powder that was stored this way
and it works just fine. One can never have too much powder, [too many primers,]
or
too many reloading
manuals.
Any gun shop that sells reloading equipment has free loading data provided my
the powder and bullet manufactures and these small books can be acquired by writing,
calling or going to the powder and bullet companies web sites. These are invaluable
resources as they try to show case how versatile their products can be and the
large reloading manuals will leave out some less than ideal powder, bullet, caliber
combinations that we may be forced to try some day simply because of space limitations
and the large manuals are somewhat expensive although necessary. Remember that
we are trying to make safe reliable ammo that will suffice for the purpose at
hand and we are not trying to come up with the perfect powder, bullet combo that
will better factory ballistics.
JWR is right when he suggests that you stock only common caliber ammo in large
quantities for yourself. However, there are still going to be quite
a few .32 Winchester Special, 38-55 and especially 30-30 Winchesters around that
will
need
ammunition
and
all
three of those caliber cases can be made from fired .30-30 cases. A host of
calibers can have their brass cases formed from the very common .30-06 such as
.270 Winchester and .25-06 just by sizing the necks down. The.308 Winchester
(7.62x51mm) is
the
parent case for .243 Win,..260 Rem, and 7mm-08. Simple neck resizing is all that
is necessary and all it takes is a little knowledge and the correct dies.
Much more elaborate cartridge conversions can be done by annealing the cartridge
brass (necks only--never the bases) simply by standing the cases in
an inch of water, heating them until red with a torch and then knocking them
over to cool
in the water. This softens the brass and makes splitting case necks less likely.
Brass work hardens as it is reloaded and this process is a useful skill to prolong
case life even for common calibers. Calibers like the 7.5x55mm Schmidt Rubin
in the well made Swiss [K31] rifles that have flooded the market the past few
years are easy to fabricate from the very common .308 Win cases if you know where
to
look for specs and the place to look is "The Handloaders Manual of Cartridge
Conversions"
by Donnelly & Towsley from Stoeger Publishing. It is a great resource and
it covers more than 1,000 cartridges in detail with accurate drawings, capacities
and dimensions. With this book a set of good calipers, micrometer and reloading
data there are very few calibers that one can not reloaded.
Anytime someone asks you if you want a small lot of odd caliber of brass take
it and clean, sort and store it. It doesn't matter if you don't have a gun in
that caliber, someone, somewhere will or it might be used to create cases for
another caliber There are only four sizes of boxer primers so stock up on those.
Large rifle, small rifle, large pistol and small pistol and don't worry about
magnum primers just use one of the hotter standard primers such as Winchester
's Stainless. The only caveat here is gas auto loading rifles should only use
CCI #34 or #41 hard military primers to prevent slam fires.
There are some powders that are very versatile and can be used for many calibers,
for example Unique handgun powder can be used for just about every pistol caliber.
It might not be the perfect choice for certain cartridges but it would certainly
serve the purpose.
Reloading skills can be bartered for other things because a firearm without ammunition
doesn't even make a good club. As charity you might be the only person that can
give a family a means of self defense by reloading ammo for them that is impossible
to obtain any other way.
Since you can't reload .22 rimfire ammo, buy a couple of the 550 round boxes
every time that you are at Wal-Mart, or mail order 5,000 round. cases. This is
something
that
almost everyone can afford. While you are making connections at the pawn shops
pick up some used .22 rifles, I often can buy Glenfield and Marlin autos for
less than 50 bucks apiece if I shop in the spring and avoid the 1st and 15th
of the month and go on the first of the week. Pawn shop owners are more likely
to cut you a deal at these times because of cash flow. What a great trade item
or gift to some deserving but unprepared family
Bullet casting equipment is often included with reloading equipment and this
simple skill is another arrow in your quiver. The
Cast Bullet Association has
a free forum that has a wealth of knowledge and any question
that you have will be answered by the top experts in this field in an informative
and entertaining way. Cast bullets were used for all hunting and war purposes
for centuries before jacketed bullets came along in the late 1800s. You will
notice that some of the cast bullet rifle shooters are getting 10 shot groups
around an inch at 200 yards! I assure you that my efforts have never been that
amazing but then I'm not a top competitor.
Making bullets and reloading ammo could make your talents very sought after over
a fairly large geographic area so be prudent about your security measures.
Word of your skills might bring about many barter opportunities that otherwise
might be impossible. As charity, you might save an entire family's lives for
very little investment of resources and we all want to help the good guys out
if we
can. Folks will want to insure your safety if you have built up
a
relationship
with them and provide a necessary service.
I have an extensive list of reloading equipment but have invested less than the
cost
of
a FAL or M1A.
I've been at this for almost 40 years now and have taught Boy Scouts, housewives,
service veterans, preachers or anyone that asked the necessary
skills to produce quality ammunition. Several times I have been given firearms
simply because ammo was unavailable and I haven't failed to produce good safe
ammo for any gun yet. Get your beans, bullets and band-aids in order first, and
then get started looking for the tools and acquire the skills to become the community
Ammo Cobbler. - East Tennessee Hillbilly
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Letter Re: Which .22 Ammo to Store--High Velocity or Subsonic?
Jim,
You mentioned the following in
your List of Lists:
"WTSHTF,
ammo will be worth nearly its weight in silver. Store all of your ammo in military
surplus ammo cans (with seals that are still soft)
and it will store for decades. Stick to common calibers, get plenty of .22 LR
(most
high velocity hollow points)."
High velocity .22 rimfire can be heard from a long way off. Would human predators
stalk you
and close in for the kill? Think stealth after the SHTF.
Here are some figures:
High velocity 22 40 grain @ 1,250 fps (hypersonic) = 136 foot pounds of energy
CCI 22 CB Long 29 grain @ 720 fps= 33 foot pounds of energy
Aguila SSS 60 grain @ 950 = 120 foot pounds of energy
Remington subsonic 38 grain @ 1,000 = 95 foot pounds of energy
Please take the time to read Tossing "Rocks" -
Shooting Subsonic .22s,
-- a comparison of four subsonic 22 rounds.
JWR Replies: There is some value in buying subsonic ammo,
for stealthy pest and small game shooting. If that is your goal, then buy the
Aguila SSS Subsonic. These are like CB caps on steroids. They are very quiet.
A quantity of 500 to 1,000 rounds
should suffice. Subsonic "target" ammo is made in small quantities,
so it can literally be
twice to six times as expensive as the mass-produced high
velocity .22 rimfire varieties. The
Aguila SSS, currently sells for $4.49 for a box of 50,
even
from
a discount mail order
dealer
like
Midway! (Expect even higher prices in retail gun shops.)
For barter purposes, (your largest stockpile), buy high velocity,
factory
name brand (Winchester or Remington) hollow points. In actuality,
standard 40 grain round nose has almost identical terminal effects as a hollow
point.
(The hollow nose looks great for marketing purposes, but at typical rimfire velocities,
it
doesn't case significantly increased expansion.) But since the majority of your
barter customers will not be ballistics experts, they will assume that hollow
points
are somehow "better" and hence they will likely be willing to allow
more in trade
for
them.
If you are going to store both subsonic and hypersonic rimfire ammo for your
own use, then do some extensive testing with each of your .22 pistols and rifles.
Accuracy can vary substantially, so match your rifles to their most accurate
cartridges. The point of impact ("bullet drop") will also
vary considerably when switching ammo, necessitating re-zeroing. If
you have numerous
.22s
rifles,
then you might consider making one of them with a scope your "dedicated" platform
for shooting subsonic ammo. Zero it in carefully for use with one particular
type of ammunition, and mark the rifle accordingly . (For example, an adhesive
sticker on the scope marked "Zeroed for PMC Moderator Subsonic.")
Consider this: If you are in a situation
where
bad
guys head toward the sound of gunfire, then you had better
have something a lot more powerful than a .22 rimfire rifle in
your hands when they arrive.
In
an absolute worst case scenario, where you don't want to attract any attention,
pest or small game shooting with a high-power .22 or .25 caliber air
rifle is both quieter and less expensive than
shooting with subsonic .22 rimfire ammunition. For survival shooting, I prefer
manually pimped models, rather than CO2-powered. If money is no object, then
get something like a Beeman R1 .22 Double Gold or
perhaps
even
a Weihrauch
HW 100S.
These are available from Pyramid
Air (one of our affiliate advertisers), and several other Internet vendors.
Compared to the cost of shooting expensive subsonic ammunition like Aguila
SSS, even an expensive air rifle will pay
for itself after
shooting
just a few thousand
rounds. If you are on a budget, then Get a Gamo Big Cat, or Gamo
Carbine Sport. Both of those use .22 pellets. For
a medium budget, a Walther Falcon Hunter (either .22 or .25 caliber, around
$270) is a good choice.
The other advantage of air rifles is that you can legally conduct target practice
inside city limits, in most jurisdictions. While no substitute for
high power rifle shooting, indoor practice with an air rifle can help maintain
your
shooting skills in winter months.
« "Official" Statistics on Population, Employment, Income Levels, Money Supply, and Inflation? |Main| Credit Collapse: The Depression Countdown Begins »
Letter Re: Battle Rifle Recommendations for a Californian
Mr. Rawles,
I am a resident of the People's Republic of Kalifornia (PRK).
I'm looking to buy a main battle rifle (MBR).
My rifle collection currently consists of a few .22 rimfires and a [Federally
exempt antique Model] 1893 Mauser, which I purchased on your recommendation
from The Pre-1899
Specialist.
It seems as though most of the [firearms design] features one would look
for are restricted (if not outright banned) here [in California]. My question
for you is, what would you suggest for a California resident's MBR?. Thanks,
- C3
in
CA.
JWR Replies: California does have some almost unbearable
"assault weapons" restrictions. OBTW, I'm fond of saying that the
only "assault"
going on is against our Constitutional rights.
Unless you plan to move out of
the state soon, I'd recommend that you buy one or two FN49
rifles. This was
a very robust post-WWII semi-auto rifle design. Most FN49s have fixed 10 round
magazines that are filled from the top, via stripper clips. The ideal choice
would
be the detachable magazine Argentine Navy variant chambered in 7.62mm NATO.
These are presently around $1,200 each. But if you are on a budget, FN49s
were also
made in
several other calibers including .30-06, 7.65mm Argentine Mauser, 7x57mm
Mauser, and 8x57mm Mauser. The latter were made for an Egyptian contract are
the least expensive variants. These can
sometimes
be found for around $750. An 8mm Mauser, would of course also give
you cartridge
commonality
with
your Turkish
contract pre-1899
antique Mauser. Regardless of what you buy, be sure to inspect
the bore and chamber condition carefully before purchasing a military
surplus rifle. Many of the Mauser cartridges and most
of the older lots of .30-06 were made with corrosive
priming, which causes bore pitting.
OBTW, up until a couple of years ago, I would have first recommended getting
an M1
Garand rifle. Unfortunately, they have recently become quite collectible
and
prices
have jumped up to the $1,000 to $1,500 price range. Spare parts have also become
quite
expensive. My advice to Californians: If you can find an M1
Garand with a nice bore for under $900, jump on it!
« Letter Re: Propane Heat and PV Power Solutions for RVs and Trailers |Main| Note from JWR: »
The Four Gs Update: Have You Got God?, Groceries?, Guns?, Gold?
In the next few paragraphs I'll be tackling four issues that for many years,
I've labelled "The Four Gs." One of my contemporaries, Richard "Doc" Sweeny,
even made the concept into and acronym: GGGG,
for "God,
Gold, Guns, and Groceries."
God.
I consider faith in God the cornerstone of my family's preparedness. Faith in God's sovereign control of the future gives my family hope and peace in these troubled times. If there is no hope, then why prepare? Our hope is in Christ Jesus.
Groceries.
There are continuing reports of shortages around
the country of wheat flour, corn meal, rice, and cooking oil at some of the "big
box:" stores
such as COSTCO and
Sam's Club. This phenomenon is not uniform. Some readers tell me that
it is "business at usual" at their local stores, while others report "one
bag per customer" rationing signs have been posted, and a few report empty
shelves. With galloping wholesale prices and shortages at the wholesale level,
I expect these spot
shortages to continue.
I've had a half dozen anxious e-mails from readers in the past week, complaining
that their storage food orders have been delayed, that they can't get a
firm answer on delivery dates from the vendors, or that the vendors won't even
return their calls or e-mails. In nearly all of these instances, the
companies in question are not SurvivalBlog advertisers. I've
heard from several vendors that the big packing and canning outfits like Mountain
House and Alpen Aire are essentially sold out of stock on hand, and
that their order backlogs are at least 30 days, and growing. The problem is
that in "normal" times, these companies serve a "niche" clientele.
They just aren't scaled to handle the order volume when more than 1% or 2%
of the population places orders. I witnessed a similar situation back in 1999,
just before the Y2K rollover.
Some good news that I can mention is that several of our advertisers such as Ready
Made Resources actually still have some storage food on hand.
It is actually on the shelf ("in captivity") and ready to ship. For
any of their items that are back ordered, just be patient. You may
have to wait four to six weeks. The other good news I can offer is
that our advertisers all have good reputations. (If they didn't, then they
would not be allowed to advertise on SurvivalBlog.) The most reputable food
storage vendors will not bill your credit card until the day that your
order is actually shipped. Beware of small "fly by night" vendors
that don't keep any inventory on hand and that will bill your credit card weeks
ahead of when they know they can ship. If you buy from a vendor that is not a
SurvivalBlog advertiser, my advice is simple: pick your order up in person
only from
stock on hand, and pay cash on the spot. If you are taking delivery
personally, then there is no need to leave a paper trail. Buying with a credit
card is advised, in instances where immediate delivery is not promised.
In that case, your credit card's "charge back" buyer protection policy
could protect you if you are
defrauded. Keep in mind, however, that a charge back complaint often must be
made within 30 days of the time of purchase.
Guns.
The next presidential election is huge question mark:
Will the Democrats take the White House? And if they do, will another so-called "assault
weapons"
and "high capacity" magazine ban be legislated in the US? (Something
similar to the
1994-to-2004 Federal ban.) At present, these possibilities are
difficult to predict. But even if the "worst
case" (namely,
another ban with no sunset
clause) doesn't come to pass, I still consider battle rifles, full capacity
magazines, and ammunition to be good investments and excellent barter items.
If nothing else,
like other nonperishable tangibles, they are good hedges on the falling dollar.
Stock up, but do so quietly. If it is legal to do so in your jurisdiction,
make all your gun purchases from private parties with no paper trail. Keep
your eye on the local newspaper classified ads, as well as ads from sellers
in your own state on GunBroker.com (on-line
auctions) or GunsAmerica.com (fixed
price sales--usually more expensive) Search only for
sellers from your own state. That way, you won't run afoul of the Federal law
that prohibits
the transfer of
a modern
(post-1898)
gun
across state lines,
except
through a FFL dealer. It might also be worth your time
to drive long distances to some of the larger gun
shows in your own state. Once there,
you should of course buy guns only from private parties.
The upcoming Heller
v. US supreme court decision should be interesting. I suspect
that instead of striking down all Federal gun laws--which they rightfully
should--the supreme court justices will pen a decision that is tightly worded
and hence will only apply to just that one gun ban in the District of Columbia.
OBTW, for any of you that think that my advocacy of gun ownership and training
is somehow un-Christian, all that I can do is direct you to Christ's
words in Luke 22:36.
Gold.
I'm addressing gold last, for a reason. You've undoubtedly
seen the recent headlines like this one: Gold
at $1,000 on Weak Dollar, High Oil. Keep in mind that $1,000 is a psychological
barrier. This might trigger some profit taking that could push the spot price
of gold down as far as $920 per ounce. Take advantage of such dips. However,
don't get caught up in precious metals buying fever. Your key responsibility
is to provide
for your family, not to be a speculator. Don't even
think about investing any of your money in precious metals until after you
have all of your crucial "beans, bullets, and Band-Aids" preparations
well in hand. If you don't have an honest one year
food supply, then stop wasting your time hitting reload at the
Kitco web site! (You probably won't get the web page to load with any regularity
anyway. The recent spike in gold and silver prices have generated so much web
traffic that it has nearly crashed Kitco's server. You might have better luck
at
the Swiss
America web
site.)
Remember: You can't eat gold! There may come a day when you
need to barter for day-to-day essentials. In such times, barter goods
like common caliber ammunition or one-gallon cans of kerosene will be more
sought-after than gold. Recognize precious metals for what they are: storehouses
of wealth and hedges on the dollar. Think of them as a "time machine".
They can be trusted to preserve your wealth from one side of an economic collapse
to the other.But do not expect them to keep your family fed
in the midst of a socioeconomic collapse.
An afterthought: Perhaps I should add a fifth "G"", for Ground.
I have long been a proponent of buying productive farm land. The nationwide
market for real estate
is clearly in
a tailspin, and probably won't bottom for several more years. But I firmly
believe that the price declines will not be nearly as significant for good
farm ground.
Just be sure to be a wise buyer. Study local markets thoroughly (including soil
surveys), and don't feel rushed into making a purchase. In today's
market, time is on your side. I now recommend keeping a close eye on foreclosures,
using services like Foreclosures.com or RealtyTrac.com.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Characteristics of a General Purpose Survival Flashlight by W. in Washington »
Letter Re: The AR-10 as a Primary Rifle for a Retreat?
Dear Jim:
I have read time and again about .308 rifles on SurvivalBlog, and how you often
steer people towards the HK and FN brands. What do you think about the Armalite
AR-10
I have two, and like them very much, and have extensive spare parts and magazines.
BTW, you won't hurt my feelings if you do not like them, I just wonder why
you [don't often] mention them.
Sincerely, Mark in Albuquerque, New Mexico
JWR Replies:
I have a personal preference for L1A1s, FALs,
and HK91s,
but I hardly rule out functionally equivalent rifles such as M1As
and AR-10s. I only de-emphasize the latter because of the relatively high cost
of extra magazines and spare
parts. I particularly recommend AR-10s for readers that are prior US or Canadian
military service--those that already
have
a
lot of muscle
memory
invested
in the AR
platform--namely
the US M16 series
and the Canadian C7 series.
(The sights and controls will seem familiar and "right" to
them.) I also appreciate the light weight of AR-10s. (They weigh more than
a pound less than most other .308 semi-auto battle rifles.) The only major
drawback
is that the AR-10 has the
same dirty
gas
tube
action
as
an AR-15.
Just be sure to clean your rifles frequently and scrupulously.
OBTW, I strongly prefer the
varieties of AR-10s that can use standard FN-FAL magazines. Specifically,
I recommend the Bushmaster
AR-10 (now out of production) and the RRA
(Rock River Arms) LAR-8 . Standard metric FAL magazines can be found for
as little as $7 each, versus up to $60 each for some of the
proprietary AR-10 magazines. That may not be much of an issue to casual shooters,
but it is is a big issue for well-prepared folks that want to salt
away 25 or more spare magazines for a "lifetime supply." At $40 each,
a supply of 25 spare magazines would cost nearly as much as the rifle itself!
If properly cared for, rifles using noncorrosive ammunition may last for three
generations
of
regular
use. But magazines are the most fragile part, and cannot be expected to put
up with
the vigors
of
regular
field use. They are after all, very vulnerable when one drops to a prone
position. Another factor to consider is the prospect of another Federal magazine
ban. Based on the experience of the ill-conceived 1994-to-2004 ban, I anticipate
that a new ban will probably bump the
prices
of
FAL
magazines to $20+ each, and AR-10 magazines to $120 each, or more. If the anticipated new
law is permanent (with no sunset clause) then magazine prices might reach absurd heights.
« Letter Re: Are Simultaneous Inflation and Deflation Possible? |Main| Note from JWR: »
Arm Thyself, by William Buppert
President Bush has embarked on the final phase of Pax Americana and is ushering
in an advanced imperial stage that will endanger every living American. The
coming election will assure us that every American will have his Second Amendment
rights infringed or predated upon in some fashion no matter which party succeeds
(is there a difference except the spelling?). Perennial readers of this site
are better versed than most in the predatory nature of the state and its ability
to target and vilify those it wishes to eliminate eventually whether through
political neutralization such as Trent Lott or lethal means such as Waco or
Ruby Ridge. I'd like to focus this essay on the practical application of what
Boston T. Party refers to as "liberty's teeth" or small arms. There
are plenty of organizations like Jews
for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO) and Gun Owners of America
(GOA) which will provide you with all the intellectual
ammunition you need to know why you should be armed; I want to tell you how.
I want to offer a bare-bones primer on how to get started in amassing your
personal armory (contrary to what the government says, an arsenal is where
weapons are manufactured) and using the weapons you obtain. I have a military
background that spans two decades, shoot competitively and currently instruct
tactical firearms so I have left the armchair a few times.
There are plenty of sites from which you can obtain this information but I
wanted to provide a fairly painless gateway to get started if you are beginning
from ground zero. The black helicopter crowds are chockfull of hunker-down
survivalist information which for the most part suffers from their barely hidden
desire for the apocalypse to occur coupled with their propensity to be armchair
enthusiasts unfettered by real world application of firepower. On the other
end of the spectrum, you have the nation's largest gun prohibition organization,
the National Rifle Association, selling plenty of safety-oriented gun practices
(while winking lustfully at the Beltway media and other hoplophobes) and ignoring
any martial aspects of weapons or gun handling the Founders wrote the Second
Amendment for in the first place.
1. Establish a mindset much like the Flinters in F.
Paul Wilson's novels. Fully
embrace the initiated
non-aggression principle. This is not a call for armed
revolt or insurrection. This is summed up as leave me alone or else. Whether
you own weapons now or not, you should be fully decided that when, not if,
the government comes around to seize them you will relinquish them one round
at a time. Or you have had the foresight to properly cache spares and you can
hand over that Lee Harvey Oswald Carcano to the nice young men in black ninja
suits who are from the government and just want to help you. If you have any
doubt about that, stop reading this and take any weapons you now own and donate
them to a paleo-conservative or libertarian who cares. You may continue reading
if liberty means more than lip service. The right to self-defense should be
beyond question to this audience.
2. If you bought one book on the subject, buy Boston T. Party's book, "Boston's
Gun Bible" (revised April 2002). Hey, we're on LRC,
you always want a book on the subject. As a matter of fact, this logical and
sound compendium of gun
stuff is worth a whole shelf of gun tomes. Read it two or three times and always
have a highlighter in hand. He's done all the work for you. You just have to
read and heed. It has had a perennial place on my nightstand since I bought
it. While those new to the gun community will be amazed at the pedantic disagreements
that enliven every corner of the gun culture from ballistics to weapons choice,
enquiring minds will really be energized by the level of intellectual ferment
once you get the gun habit. If one only read the New York Times or the Los
Angeles Times, you'd think all gun owners were backward hillbillies who only
Jim Goad could
love. Like so many American subcultures, there is a niche for every need or
desire. For instance, I disagree with his number-one choice for a battle rifle
(M1A versus FN-FAL) but that is the nature of the enterprise.
3. Write this on your whiteboard one hundred times: I will never, ever buy
a weapon from a Federal Firearms Dealer (FFL).
I will only make private party purchases through gun shows, the classifieds
or through friends and neighbors.
The Feral (no misspelling) government has developed a devilishly clever system
using the BATF as
their stalking horse to enable a de facto and de
jure gun
registration system established at the central government level every time
a weapon is purchased at a brick and mortar gun shop. Check your risk tolerance
and local and state laws to determine the regulations regarding private sales
but the litmus test is easy. If you see guns for sale in your local newspaper
classifieds, it is under the government radar (for now). Recent events such
as the spate of college campus shootings and the attempts by local and state
governments to regulate and suppress every manner of arms employment and provisioning
should convince you that time is short. The same applies to ammunition; buy
it at a gun show for cash as there is no requirement for a permit (yet) in
most states. I hope you are fortunate enough to live in a state unlike Illinois
or some of the Borg states in the northeastern part of these united States.
When buying these weapons through private sales, always be prepared to walk
away if it smells funny. Never buy any weapon that even appears to be fully
automatic or is hinted to be. The Class
3 licensing system in the US regulates
these firearms in a very draconian fashion under the auspices of the 1934 National
Firearms Act. The government has a history of entrapment and provocation. Ask
Randy Weaver if a half-inch on a ruler is hazardous to your health or that
of your family.
4. I could write a book on what to buy but that is beyond the scope of this
essay. Armed conflict is a discipline of distance. Different firearms have
envelopes of lethality as distance is increased which is also a factor in accuracy.
To paraphrase Boston, a pistol is what you fight your way to your rifle with.
Spare no expense since your life depends on these tools. At minimum you need
a rifle and pistol for every member of your family. The Glock pistol
is the hands-down winner for accuracy and reliability. As to rifles, if you
are poorer
than dirt, scrape up $100 and buy a Lee-Enfield .303 rifle. These bolt actions
are highly serviceable for social work. If you have more money, invest the
hundreds and thousands it will take to get a proper battle rifle such as an
FN-FAL, M1A or HK91 and
all the equipment and ammunition to accompany each rifle for its care and feeding.
Be sure to have a minimum of 25 magazines per
rifle and ten per pistol. From this point, once you have started to empty your
wallet, more equipment will start to appeal to you such as load-bearing gear,
body armor and all manner of shooting accouterment. The sky is the limit (and
your income).
5. Pay for the very best firearms training you can afford; a single digit percentage
of the gun culture pays for professional training and this is the greatest
shortcoming you can have. No matter how American the concept of having the
most elaborate toys, if you can't employ them, then their value is moot. Go
to Google or Metacrawler, type in firearms training in your state and see who
offers it locally or go to the nationally renowned training centers like Gunsite,
Thunder Ranch or Firearms Academy of Seattle (my personal favorite for value
and quality). Take your spouse, too. She is your primary team-member.
6. Teach your children well. The gun culture has roots as far back as the first
settlers in North America. This continuity is a result of parents passing on
their knowledge and weapons to their progeny to continue down the line. Exposure
to guns early enough can make liberty contagious.
Remember, guns don’t kill people, governments and the criminals they
create do. - William Buppert, February 18, 2008
« Letter Re: Guinea Fowl for Bug Control in Your Garden |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Advice on a Whole Life Insurance Policy and Firearms
Jim,
I'm a newbie to your site and I love it! Read it every morning instead of the
newspaper. I'm a single female horse rancher living in Alabama (not originally
from Alabama). I attend a home church and have been preparing for our future
events for several years before reading your blog. After reading the blog
I realize how much farther I have to go. Especially in the home defense area.
I own two .22 rimfires and a BB gun. LOL!
Thank you so much for all the time and information your providing us. I've
referred many of like mind to your site.
My main question to you is about whole life insurance. I recently received
a [whole life] plan through my parents (something I would never waste my time
acquiring). They've paid into it for over 30 years. I did a archive search
to see if there
are any articles on this subject and found none. Do you have any recommendations?
Cash it out? Borrow against it? Leave it alone? I'm thinking something like
this will become irrelevant in the future. Any thoughts or reading material
you could give me? Thanks for your time. - Merry
JWR Replies: It is apparent that you already recognize the
difference in value between whole life and term life insurance plans.
(A lot of people are clueless, and waste money on whole life plans, which
are not appropriate for the circumstances of most folks.) Unless
the value of a whole life policy is appreciating faster than the
rate of inflation (currently
18% in the real world, versus the "official" Commerce
Department statistic), then it is losing net value.
Since you are single, your only "after assuming room temperature" concerns
should be your burial expenses and settling your debts. I recommend that you
cash out that whole life policy and set aside roughly $12,000 in precious
metals (which would cover your burial expenses), pay off any car loan and credit
card debt, and invest the
rest in
preparations (real "life assurance") and various investment
barterables. Since you know horses, your tangible investments should include
hay ground,
brood mares, tack, and vet supplies. Your knowledge of horses has value, so
capitalize on
it.
In a
world with scanty and expensive gasoline, if you have extra horses
(with brood mares to produce more) and extra tack you will be considered very
wealthy.
Since you are lacking in the area of self defense, give purchasing priority
to firearms, ammunition, spare magazines, gun cleaning equipment, holsters,
scabbards, and web gear. (Web gear is tack for people. You
need a comfortable and practical way to regularly carry loaded spare rifle
and pistol magazines, a pistol holster, and a canteen.)
Proper training is just as important as the guns themselves. Budget for training
with one of the top-notch training organizations. Here are some suggestions.
I haven't attended all of these, but they come highly recommended by SurvivalBlog
readers):
Front Sight. Pahrump
(near Las Vegas), Nevada. The biggest and the best, in my opinion. They are
particularly successful at training women, since they eschew the macho posturing
and drill sergeant bullying used by some of the other schools. Try to schedule
your class dates from October to April, to avoid the summer desert heat. They
also have a training facility in Alaska ("Front Sight North"), if
you can only get away in June, July, or August. FWIW, I was a strong proponent
of Front Sight's training long before they ever became a SurvivalBlog advertiser.
RWVA/Appleseed Project.
Inexpensive but very effective rifle training.
Western
Rifle Shooters Association (WRSA). Inexpensive but very effective rifle
and pistol training.
Badlands Tactical in
Oklahoma. They specialize in long range shooting.
Yavapai Firearms Academy Louis Awerbuck is a mobile trainer that specializes
in defensive shotgun shooting. If travel expenses to attend a school seem prohibitive,
then watch the Yavapi training calendar. (The training may come to you!)
Defense Training
International (John and Vicki Farnam)
Lethal Force Institute (Massad
Ayoob)
Suarez International A
very high intensity school. They specialize in the AK-47.
Thunder Ranch Clint
Smith is the inventor of the 'Urban Rifle' course, and a great instructor.
E.A.G. Tactical Pat
Rodgers is a master of the carbine.
Range Master (Memphis,
Tennessee). Tom Givens has been recommended to me by readers from the midwest and in the southern US.
Holland's (Powers,
Oregon.) Darryl Holland specializes in long range shooting. He is soft-spoken
and has a real gift for sharing his knowledge and skill.
« Letter Re: Keeping a Low Profile is Crucial for Preparedness |Main| Letter Re: Recommendation for the Movie "Right at Your Door" »
Selecting a Rifle for a Budget-Constrained Prepper
Dear JWR,
I have first taken the time to read through your previous posts on Main Battle
Rifle (MBR)
recommendations before asking this question, but have not found what I am
looking for. I am sure you receive an over abundance of firearms questions
but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Due to financial restraints I am the weak link in my group so far in preparedness.
I have chosen to spread what resources I do have at my disposal evenly rather
than focus only on firearms as too many seem to do. I feel a need to escalate
all of my preparations due to present day situations, but 1.) I live in Central
Illinois with all ridiculous gun control that comes with living in the same
state as Chicago, and 2.) If we are less than a year away from a Democrat-controlled
White House and Congress I fear further gun control restrictions. So I am trying
to purchase my firearms as soon as possible.
I am planning on purchasing a Model
1911 .45 ACP , an AR-7 .22
Long Rifle survival rifle from Henry (which can be disassembled stowed in its
waterproof stock), a shotgun, and a MBR. For magazine and ammo interchangeability
we are all keeping with .45 pistols, 12 gauge shotguns and .22 rifles. The
other members already have [.223] AR-15s
and we are now adding .308s. Due to my budget I am opting for less expensive
alternatives to the rest of the groups collection, i.e. a Taurus 1911 instead
of their Gold Cups, a Mossberg 590 instead of their Remington 870s. I will
most likely not be able to purchase both an AR-15 and a .308 MBR, so if forced
to choose one I am going with a .308.
I have looked into Springfield M1As, FN
FALs, HK91s
(and PTR91 HK clones), all leading me toward a $1,500 to $2,000 price range,
it seems. I have noticed several times CETMEs
and Century Arms FN clones, but have noted your objections to them. Is there
anything in particular that is the problem with these alternatives that can
be addressed by upgrading parts or having a gunsmith make some modifications?
Or are these rifles just clusterflops? If I can purchase a CETME for $500
and spend $200 having a gunsmith work some magic the savings over an HK or
FN FAL would almost leave enough to make all my other firearms purchases.
I realize that saving a couple dollars is not worth being caught in a situation
where you have a .308 paperweight in a firefight. I just am not sure if you
are stating that one is much preferable to the other out of the box, or if
there is nothing that can be done to bring these alternatives up to spec. If
you could shed some light on the shortcomings of these budget rifles I would
be very interested. Thanks for your help, and all your work. - Eric in Illinois
P.S.: Pony up the 10
Cents, people!
JWR Replies: I can appreciate your budget concerns. You are
not the only prepper with a tight budget!
The main complaint that I've heard about both the Century Arms L1A1 Sporter
(inch pattern FAL clone) and the various CETME clones is unreliable
feeding. These can be traced to either receiver dimensional quality
control or a Neanderthal approach to assembly. (Namely, lots of grunting and
head scratching, followed by WECSOG sledgehammer
pounding and copious grinding.) The bad news is that these feeding problems
are difficult to
isolate and resolve. but the good news is that these problems are not universal.
(Roughly 40% of these rifle function like a champ.) Therefore, if you have
the opportunity to buy one these rifles, I recommend that you first make inquiries
about how well it functioned at the range and if the magazine well "feels" right
with standard, unaltered magazines. (Many of these rifles have dimensional
problems wit their magazine wells, making them "tight" so that it
is difficult to insert and remove magazines quickly. If you get a positive
report on both counts, then ask the seller if you can test fire the
rifle before you buy it. Be sure to put at least 80 rounds
of standard ball ammunition through the rifle. If it feeds and functions well,
and magazine insertion does not require Herculean strength, then buy it! (If
not, then politely pass, and continue your search.)
FWIW, my current favorite MBR recommendation is the the excellent Vector
V-51 clone of the HK91. These are built in Utah, using German Army surplus
HK G3 parts
sets, with seven US-made parts to comply with US Code section 922(r). The
Vector rifles have a great reputation for function, reliability, fit, and
finish. The good news is that they can sometimes be found in used condition
for as little as $675 to $725 at gun shows. The JLD
PTR-91 is a fairly close second choice, and can be found for about the
same price, or perhaps a bit less if you are lucky.
These days, with the profusion of military surplus G3 magazines on the market--often
less than $2 each, if bought in quantity!--I consider HK91 clones to be the
best rifles for the money, Spare parts for HKs are also quite reasonable.
You can find complete G3 parts sets (with everything except a receiver)
for
around $275. (BTW, that would be unheard of for an M14 parts sets. Presently,
complete M14 bolts are $120 each, and both operating rods and barrels sell for
around $250 each!)
« Letter Re: Is Grain Sold as Seed or Animal Feed Safe to Eat? |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Keeping a Low Profile is Crucial for Preparedness
Jim,
My missus and I have been into "prepping" for about 15 years. Our
house has a basement and it is practically wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling
with shelves--with just narrow aisles in between. The shelves are chockablock
with storage food (all labeled and organized "FIFO"-style),
medical supplies, assorted "field" type gear, tools, barter/charity
stuff, ammo cans, propane cylinders (that fit our camp stove and camping lantern),
reels of field phone wire, paper products, and so forth. Following the example
of Mr. Whiskey (from your "Profiles")
we have recently built up 27 sets of designated "charity duffles",
each packed in a cheap Made-in-Taiwan nylon duffle bag. Each of these contains
a Dutch Army surplus wool blanket, a Chinese knockoff of a Leatherman tool,
a pair of gloves, a pile ("watch") cap, a half dozen pairs of socks,
a thrift store man's jacket, room for four days worth of food (which we would
pack from our FIFO inventory, as needed), a collapsing plastic water container
(the type that Campmor sells), a waterproof match container, a tube tent, and
a hand line fishing kit. ("Teach a man to fish...")
When we moved back to California in 1998, we picked our house specially because
it was built in the 1940s. It is the oldest and sturdiest house on the block.
(The neighborhood built up around the house, when the property was subdivided
in the 1960s.) It has a basement and its own water well, which
is now "off the books"--since the house is now on "city" [metered]
water, but the well is still functional with a 24 VDC submersible
well pump. I have four flush roof-mounted Kyocera PV panels
(cannot be seen from the street) and six deep cycle batteries. The cables are
run series-parallel to provide both 12 VDC and 24 VDC outputs.
Even though we live in a standard suburban neighborhood, none of out
neighbors are any the wiser about our preps. At the core, I
consider my preparations my own business. When the time comes to
hand out the charity duffles, we will do so through an intermediary,
like our church. (We are Methodists.)
After seeing what
happened to that guy in Norco last year, I am glad that I keep a low
profile. The specific measures that we have taken to keep a low profile are:
1.) We take no UPS deliveries
at our house. Nearly all of our mail-ordered goods are sent to our private
mail box at the local UPS Store (it was formerly a "MailBoxes, Etc.")
From there, we take the boxes home in our minivan.We are always sure to unload
the van from inside my garage, with the garage door shut.
All of the empty boxes have the "to" and "from" address
labels cut out with a box cutter knife. I discard the flattened boxes in the
cardboard recycling dumpster behind the office where I work. (I'm a sales engineer
for a medium-size company.)
2.) We don't subscribe to any shooting or hunting magazines. We get all of
the gun information we need online. To "stay in the fight" politically,
I do make regular anonymous contributions to the GOA, JPFO and
CRPA [The California Rifle and Pistol Association, a firearms rights organization],
via Post Office Money Orders. (BTW, I do the same for the SurvivalBlog [10
Cent] Challenge. Shame on any of you that read this blog regularly but
don't pony up the 10 pennies a day!)
3.) We access all web pages via Anonymizer,
with no exceptions.
4.) Most of of our preps purchases are either made F2F,
with cash, or with Post Office Money Orders if ordering by mail. This eliminates
the "trail of paper" from writing checks or using a credit card.
We buy a lot from Nitro-Pak, Ready
Made Resources, Major
Surplus, and Lehman's.
5.) All of our guns, ammunition, gun gadgets, targets, and cleaning supplies
are bought "private party", mainly at SoCal [(Southern California)]
gun shows. Also, needless to mention, these are greenback transactions
only! In
California, we can still at least buy rifles and shotguns that are more than
50 years old
without having to buy through a [licensed] dealer. We have two [M1]
Garand rifles, and a FN.49, also [chambered] in .30-06. I'm still looking
for one or two more of those, but they are scarce, and even harder to find
private party. We also have three [Winchester] Model 12 pump[-action] 12 gauge
shotguns, two of which have had their barrels shortened to 18.5 inches. Handgun
buys in California all require paperwork, but by Divine Providence
I bought several Glocks
and [Colt Model] 1911s when
I was living in Arizona for a couple years, back in the late '90s. [JWR
Adds: That loophole was recently closed for Californians. Anyone moving
into the state must now register their handguns. Drat! But at least there was
a grandfather clause.] There is isn't much to do out in the desert except shoot,
so I bought a lot of guns when we were there.
6.) We signed up for an identity theft and credit report checking protection
plan three years ago. I noticed that SurvivalBlog just started running an ad
from Comprehensive Risk
Solutions. Their service has more bells and whistles and a lower subscription
cost that our current provider, so we will switch [to them] when our current
subscription lapses. [JWR Adds: I highly recommend this service.
It is cheap insurance to prevent what would otherwise be a very costly incident.]
7.) We use a TracFone
whenever
calling a mail order vendor. (No calling history paper trail.)
8. ) We don't mention our preps to anyone outside of our family.
We have coached our kids from an early age to keep their lips zipped.
9.) Whenever we have anybody visit our home, the basement door stays closed
and locked. (It is a keyed deadbolt lock.) The basement has
no windows. Most of our friends and relatives don't realize that we
even have a basement. (Basements are actually rare in California
tract neighborhoods.) To anybody that visits, the basement door just looks
like a locked closet.
10.) We don't leave anything "suspicious" out where it can be seen
in our house and garage.
These precautions might seem kinda "over the top", but put yourself
in my shoes. In the People's Republic of California it pays to be a bit of
a Secret Squirrel. I does cost me about $300 per year to get my mail and packages
at the UPS Store, but I consider that a small price to pay for my privacy.
I plan to retire to the mountains of central Nevada in nine years, but for
now, I am making do in my present circumstances. - F.L. in Southern California
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| From the SurvivalBlog Archives: Start With a "List of Lists" »
Letter Re: Best Items to Store for Barter and Charity?
Mr. Rawles,
My wife and I are are in our 50s, (never had kids) and we live
in a four bedroom house on 80 acres (mostly leased out [for farming]), eight
miles outside a
town of 20,000
population,
in south-central Iowa. Two of our cousins and one nephew--all military vet[eran]s--that
live in town are planning to come out [and live with us], if and when times
get nasty. We have now have (or will soon have) all our basic preparations
in hand,
including a three year food supply for five people, which
we
got
mostly
through Safecastle and
Ready Made Resources,
plus some extra
meats
from Freeze Dry Guy,
and some canned butter from Best
Prices Storable Foods. We also took your advice
and upgraded to a propane [chest] freezer.
(That took a lot
of
searching, believe me!)
It
now holds almost a a side of beefalo, and almost 15 gallons of frozen
olive oil. (Thanks for mentioning [fats and] oils--that was something that
we had
totally overlooked!).
My wife and I plan to book the four day handgun course and the four day rifle
course back-to-back at Front
Sight, with some
sightseeing in Vegas, on the weekend in between [the two courses]. We are going
in April--before the really scorching
weather starts in southern Nevada. (We've been warned about the summers
there!) Per your suggestion posts, we [standardized] with Glock 21-SF
.45s and FN-FAL clones.
With five of each--not to mention the rest of my [gun] collection, which
was ah-hem substantial before I ever started reading your blog--we
should be able to hold off a small army. We have well water, but have a very
reliable windmill that pumps [water up] to a 850 gallon tank with its overflow
piped to a 2,700 above-ground
concrete cistern for irrigating our garden. Water is not an issue.We also
have oversize propane and home heating [oil] tanks. (Large enough that they've
each prompted
comments
from visitors. I've just told them that I like to buy in bulk whenever
fuel prices dip.)
Now that we have all the basics covered, we are ready to acquire some stocks
for barter, assuming one of your "Grid
Down" collapses. We have plenty of
[storage] space, since our house has a full unfinished basement. FYI, it has
never had any dampness or
flooding
problems.What
do
you
suggest
as the
most important
barter [item] to stock up on? We also want to have extra items for charity.
We plan to do that through our church, so that our family name never
gets
mentioned.
- Karl in Iowa
JWR Replies: It sounds like you are "Away squared"!
For
anyone living in an inland area, I consider salt the
highest priority barter and charity item. Buy a lot of salt,
in several forms. As space allows, buy 20 to 30 of the 50-pound plain white
salt
blocks
from
your
local
feed store.
These are great for barter--both for folks with livestock and for people that
want to attract wild game. Buy a couple of 25 pound sacks of iodized salt for
your own use. Also buy 100 to
200 of
the
standard
cardboard
one pound
canisters
of
iodized
salt
for
small scale barter transactions.
The second highest priority for barter and charity is fuel.
If you have an outbuilding that can provide safe and secure storage, then buy
at least a 20
one-gallon
gallon cans of Coleman stove/lantern fuel, 30 to 50 standard propane cylinders
(the size
used for torches
and camp stoves) and 40 to 60 one-gallon
cans of kerosene. You might also lay in a few extra welding cylinders (Oxygen
and acetylene.)
Also store some bulk fuel. If you can afford it, also install
a 300 to 800 gallon underground gasoline tank and a 600 to 2,500 gallon underground
diesel tank. (And of course make sure that you have at least one diesel vehicle.)
You should carefully camouflage the filler necks and hand pumps for those
tanks, as I've previously described in the blog. (In the "Search" box
in the right
had bar, enter the word "wine".) If you ever use any of your gas
or diesel for barter, do not reveal how much you have stored,
or the fact that you have underground ranks. All that your customers should
be allowed
to
see is a few 5 gallon cans. Also, depending on the local circumstances, you
might also consider getting a pair of used 80 gallon aboveground tanks (typical
farm and ranch tanks on metal stands)
clearly stenciled "Unleaded" and "Diesel" to
leave behind your barn unlocked
and
nearly
empty, as a decoy for burglars.
The third highest priority for barter and charity is common caliber
ammunition.
I have discussed this at length before in SurvivalBlog. (In the "Search" box
in the right hand bar, enter the word "wampum".)
Beyond, those three categories of high priority barterables, if you still
have extra cash and storage space available, see my book SurvivalBlog:
The Best of the Blog - Volume 1 and/or the SurvivalBlog archives for
dozens of other barter items
that have been suggested by blog readers.
OBTW, one of my consulting clients recently suggested buying several extra
pieces of inexpensive night vision gear, such as first generation Russian monoculars.
These would be
in demand
from
any folks fearing nighttime attacks from looters. Since light amplification
night vision gear is still relatively uncommon it would surely be a desirable
item for barter. If you are looking for
night vision
gear, please contact our advertisers such as JRH
Enterprises and Ready
Made Resources,
first.
« Letter Re: I Told You So |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Advice for a Canadian with a "Just One Gun" Budget
Hello SurvivalBlog:
I am a Canadian 21 year-old living in rural Nova Scotia looking at purchasing
my first gun. I will only have enough money for one in the near future (with
ammo stockpiles).
I've just got my license (we need 'em in Canada, unfortunately), and have $1,000
to spend [on the gun and ammunition, combined]. My budget is extremely
limited, but I think that a gun is the most important priority for survival
situations.
We
have
a self-sufficient garden,
clean water,
well, fuel, wood-stoves, and have potato-like Jerusalem Artichokes growing
wild all around us.
I am looking at a Marlin .30-30. Good for hunting. Good for self defense. Good
for bug out.
Do you have a better recommendation? Thanks, - Matthew in Nova Scotia
JWR Replies: Instead of the Marlin .30-30, I would recommend
a replica .303
Lee-Enfield "Jungle Carbine" (replica of the Number 5, Mark
I) or an Ishapore
2A1 carbine (The latter is a 1960s Indian arsenal final evolution of
the Enfield, in 7.62mm NATO)..Your choice
of caliber should be based on whichever is more popular
in your corner of Canada.
Lee-Enfield bolt actions are much faster to reload than a tubular-magazine
lever action, either via stripper clips or loaded spare magazines. Both .303
and 7.62mm NATO are ballistically superior to .30-30, and surplus ammo for
these calibers bought in bulk is much less expensive than commercial .30-30
soft nose ammunition.
One qualifying note on "Jungle Carbines": From what I have read, less than
20% of the #5 Enfields on the market are genuine originals that were made during
WWII with the lightened receivers. Those are
real collectibles that fetch $600+. Most of the so-called "Enfield Jungle
Carbines" are actually just commercially-rebuilt earlier model Enfields,
on standard receivers. (Typically a No. 1 Mk III with a bobbed barrel, shortened
wood,
and a replica #5 flash hider and #5 buttpad installed. ) The notorious Sam Cummings
(of Interarms) and other importers reworked tens of thousands of these in the
1960s
and 1970s.)
They now run $250 to $375 at US gun shows, which is not considerably more
than a standard Enfield.
I would suspect they could be found at similar prices in Canada.
From a practical shooting standpoint, the replica #5s are actually
preferable to the scarce original #5s, which had a problem with "wandering
zero". You could zero in one of these, only to have the zero change while
shooting it. According to SurvivalBlog reader B.A.G., this problem was traced
to the
lightening cuts that were made in the #5 receiver. Short of replacing the lightened
receiver, there is no way to fix it. The replicas do not have lightened receivers,
so this is not an issue. Again, they will never have the same collector value
as an original, but they are more accurate shooters.
I have owned two of these replica #5s, and they both had decent accuracy (2" groups
at 100 yards), with no symptoms of wandering zero. Their recoil is
hefty,
but quite bearable with a slip-over recoil pad.
OBTW, most of the Ishapore 2A1 carbines that you see are equipped the same
US-made fake #5 flash hider. There were umpteen thousand of those flash hiders
made.
If you have your heart set on a lever action, then consider finding a used Browning
BLR (a box magazine-fed lever gun) chambered in .308
(or perhaps .30-06 if bears and moose are plentiful in your area) and at
least a half dozen spare magazines. If possible, get the takedown
variant, since
these
can be stowed in a backpack or suitcase. The BLR is much faster
to reload than traditional tubular magazine lever action rifles.
« Weekly Survival Real Estate Market Update |Main| Letter Re: Does Future Inflation Justify a Higher Level of Indebtedness? »
Letter Re: How Much Ammunition to Store?
Mr. Rawles:
My wife and I enjoy your web site immensely. I do have one question for you.
I know we are targeting how much food/water supply we need for long-term
survive but how much ammo do
you think the average family should strive to purchase/store? Thanks, - David
K./p>
JWR Replies:
It is important to maintain balance in your preparations. Food storage, first
aid supplies, and heirloom seed storage should be priorities. But after those
have been taken acre of, it makes sense to stock up on ammunition. As long
as you store your ammo in sealed military surplus cans, there is no risk
in over-estimating your needs, since ammunition has a 50+ year storage life
if protected from oil vapors and humidity. Consider any extra ammo the
ideal barter item. The late Col. Jeff Cooper rightly called it "ballistic
wampum."
For your barter inventory, I recommend that you stick to the most common calibers:
For rifles: .22 Long Rifle, .223, .308, .30-06 (and in the British Commonwealth,
.303 British.) For handguns: 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. For shotguns, 12
gauge and 20 gauge. As
I've previously mentioned, you might also buy a small quantity of the "regional
favorite" deer cartridge for your area, as well as your local police or
sheriff's department standard calibers. (Ask at you local gun shop.)
I consider the following figures minimums:
2,000 per battle rifle
500 per hunting rifle
800 per primary handgun
2,000 per .22 rimfire
500 per riotgun
If you can afford it, three times those figures would meet
the "comfort level" of most survivalists. In an age of inflation,
consider that supply better than money in the bank.
Ammo prices have recently been galloping, so do some comparison pricing
before you buy. Bring photocopies and "print screen" print-outs
with you when you shop, as bargaining tools. Typically, the larger gun shows
each have several large ammunition vendors.
Some Internet ammunition vendors that I recommend are: AIM
Surplus, Cheaper
Than Dirt, Dan's
Ammo, J&G Sales, Midway, AmmoMan.com, Natchez
Shooter Supply, and The
Sportsman's Guide. Both to save money and to maximize your privacy--since
umpteen heavy crates being unloaded from the back of a UPS truck
is pretty obvious--I recommend that you be willing to drive a distance take
delivery in person from a regional vendor. Ammo is best bought by the 3/4
ton pickup load! Also, keep in mind that by buying in large quantities all
at once from a big vendor, you will typically get ammo for each caliber all
from the same lots, which will result in more consistent accuracy.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Elements of Quality Pistol Holster Design, by Steven »
The Four Laws of Firearms Safety
For the benefit of those that are new to SurvivalBlog, it is important to
again mention The Four Laws of Firearms Safety, developed by the late Col.
Jeff Cooper
1) All firearms are loaded. - There are no exceptions. Don't pretend that this
is true. Know that it is and handle all firearms accordingly. Do not believe
it when someone says: "It isn't loaded."
2) Never let the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you are not willing
to destroy. - If you would not want to see a bullet hole in it do not allow
a firearm's muzzle to point at it.
3) Keep your finger off the trigger unless your sights are on the target. -
Danger abounds if you keep your finger on the trigger when you are not about
to shoot. Speed is not gained by prematurely placing your finger on the trigger
as bringing a firearm to bear on a target takes more time than it takes to
move your finger to the trigger.
4) Be sure of your target and what is behind it. - Never shoot at sounds or
a target you cannot positively identify. Know what is in line with the target
and what is behind it (bullets are designed to go through things). Be aware
of your surroundings whether on a range, in the woods, or in a potentially
lethal conflict.
« Letter Re: A Significant Wheat Shortage is Looming in the US |Main| Note from JWR: »
Coping With Inflation--Some Strategies for Investing, Bartering, Dickering, and Survival
Statistics released by the Federal government claim that the current inflation
rate is 4.3 percent. That is utter hogwash. Their statistics cunningly omit "volatile"
food and energy prices. The statisticians admit that energy costs rose by
more than 21% since last December. They also admit that Finished Goods rose
7.2%, and "Materials for Manufacturing" rose a whopping 42% , with
a 8.7% jump in just the month of November. When commodities
rise this quickly, it
is apparent that something is seriously out of whack. Meanwhile, the
buying power of the US Dollar is falling versus most other currencies.
Not surprisingly, import
prices were up 11.4% from 2006. Coincidentally, economic growth has slowed
to a crawl--to just 1% growth. Former Federal Reserve Chairman
Alan
Greenspan recently declared that we are in the early stages of a 1970s-style "stagflation" period.
Since this new economic downturn was driven by a credit crisis rather than
the traditional business cycle, it could
very well be long and deep. Ironically, even though credit squeezes are
considered deflationary for assets, this recession (or perhaps
depression) will probably turn out to be inflationary at the consumer
level. .
I don't know about you, but here at the ranch,
our
four
largest
expenses each month are fuel, groceries, livestock feed, and insurance. I'm
sure
that you have seen what
has happened to food and feed prices in the past year. Driven
by higher fuel and fertilizer costs as well as huge demand for corn--for ethanol
production--some food costs have gone up by 25%. Wheat, for example, recently
spiked to $10 per bushel--a record high. With all of the preceding in mind,
we can realistically conclude that the "real
world" consumer price inflation
rate is somewhere between 12% and 15%.
As I've written many times before, inflation is a form of robbery,
albeit in slow motion. Since there is effectively only one currency
in our country, it is the only
way to do business. It may prove difficult, but you need to discard your
traditional mindset about the currency and realize that we are riding a down
escalator. An inflationary environment
stands
traditional logic on its head, since "Saving" becomes losing.,
and "Investing"
is almost like throwing coins into a pond if the rate of return of any investment
is lower that the real world inflation rate. The only noteworthy exception,
is investing
in tangibles,
which I've
discussed
at length in previous SurvivalBlog articles. Obviously you can't invest in
anything perishable. But there are lots of things--like common caliber ammunition
and full
capacity magazines--that have storage lives that can span decades
or even centuries.
With every passing day your savings are
gradually eroded. With an effective inflation rate
of 15%
per
annum,
applying the Rule
of 72 we can see that the purchasing power of every
"saved" dollar is cut in half once every 5 years.(Well,
4.8, to be exact, but 12 month increments don't look pleasing when expressed
in decimals.)
The following are some of my suggestions on how to
protect yourself from the ravages of inflation:
1.) Buy in Bulk
Buy most of your staple foods and groceries at a discount or "warehouse" type
stores such as Costco or Sam's Club. Don't overlook the "close-out" and "dented
can" stores.
(But avoid buying any bulged cans, or cans with dented rims.)
Stock up on non-perishable items whenever they are on sale: thing like light
bulbs, paper products, bar soap, house cleaning supplies, laundry detergent,
lubricants, and so forth. As long as you protect these
supplies
from theft, moisture and vermin, they are better than money in the bank. (Again,
money in the bank is being eroded by inflation.) These are tangibles bought
at today's
prices, that you can use for many years to come. Here at the Rawles
Ranch, we are still using up some spices, light bulbs, and aluminum foil that
I bought at a military commissary in the early 1980s--at what now seem like
absurdly
low
prices. My only regret is that I didn't buy more of them! This approach
to stockpiling was described in the modern-day classic book "The
Alpha Strategy" by John
Pugsley. (Download this free book and read it!)
For more details on stocking up including some detailed tables on shelf lives,
see my"Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course with accompanying audio CD.
If your local zoning and fire regulations allows it, buy your own gas and
diesel fuel tanks. Also consider installing over-size propane or home heating
oil tanks. Always ask about the availability of used tanks or 'trade-in" tanks. Who
cares if they are in some odd color? Re-paint them flat forest green or earth
brown. Wait and have your tanks re-filled
each
time there
is a
price
dip. (Sadly, this is an increasingly
rare occurrence, these days.)
When getting competitive bids from tank suppliers, be sure
to ask them to lock in the price per gallon for
the initial fill for each new tank. To win your business, the tank
salesman might be willing to commit to a price that is a few pennies
per gallon below current
market. (This adds up on a 2,000 gallon tank!)
2.) Learn to Barter
Barter, by its very nature, shields you from inflation. Instead of using depreciating
paper tokens as a means of exchange, you are directly exchanging a
tangible for another tangible, or a service for a tangible, or a service for
a service.
As I've
written previously
in SurvivalBlog
on several occasions, I do advocate
stocking up on extra items for barter. However, it is with the proviso that
you do
not embark
on buying goods dedicated for barter until after
you have your family's essential beans, bullets and band-aids squared away,
following
a well-balanced logistics plan.
Here in The Un-named Western State (TUWS),
there is a lot of bartering that goes on, quite informally. I see it all the
time: Cartridge
Reloading for Snow Plowing, Eggs
for Honey, Firewood for Horse Training, and Zucchini for just a smile and
a thank-you.
To be useful in barter, choose items that have most or all of the following
seven attributes 1.) Have appeal/usefulness to the majority of the citizenry.
2.) Be immediately
recognizable.
3.) Have
longevity.
4.)
Be easily divisible. 5.) Be relatively compact and transportable at reasonable
cost. 6.) Have consistent quality. 7.) Have limited availability. Let's discuss
each of those briefly, in turn.
1.) Have appeal/usefulness to the majority of the citizenry. Nearly every
family uses soap, but just a few need #7 Singer sewing machine needles.
2.) Be immediately
recognizable. Name brands need no introduction. All others are suspect.
3.) Have longevity. Keep shelf lives in mind. If you cannot barter it all
away before it goes bad, then you are buying too much. Even coal has a shelf
life.
4.) Be easily divisible. Boxes of matches, boxes of cartridges, coils of rope,
balls of twine, and cans of kerosene are perfect examples. OBTW, if you plan
on dividing a commodity in barter transactions, then be sure to have the containers needed
for
parceling
it out.
5.) Be relatively
compact and transportable at reasonable cost. Toilet paper has great
appeal,
but just $500 worth would completely fill the JASBORR.
6.) Have consistent quality. (For example, precious metals coins of known
purity, or ammunition from a major manufacturer such as Winchester, Remington,
or Federal.)
7.) Have limited availability. I mentioned zucchini earlier, for good reason.
In North America, jars of freeze dried instant coffee would be ideal, but in
Central
America, they would probably be laughed at.
For some extensive lists of potential barter items suggested by readers,
see the SurvivalBlog Archives for October
2005 and November
2005 (scroll down to November 1st and 2nd)
For a good rationale on selecting barter goods, see this
SurvivalBlog article by OSOM.
3.) Learn Several Valuable (Barterable) Skills
Every family should have at least one home-based
business that they can fall back on, on the event of an economic recession
or depression. Concentrate on skills rather than goods for barter.
The beauty of having skills to
barter, is that most of them don't require much raw material. So, unlike barter goods,
you will never "run
out". By extension, it is best to have a skill that requires very little
raw material. A profession or skill that also requires a specialized tool
set is fine. However, if the skill also requires delivering a factory-made
device to complete each transaction,
then you might consider doing something else. (For example, installing burglar
alarms might be profitable as long as you have a source of resupply, and as
long as the power and telephone networks are functioning. But in a grid-down
TEOTWAWKI how
long could you continue running such a business?)
Avoid developing a skill that appeals only to wealthy customers for discretionary spending.
Those are the purchases that will be delayed or skipped altogether in an economic
depression, Hence, shotgun checkering and engraving are poor
choices, but septic tank pumping is a good one.
Concentrate on a business that can be operated without the need for grid
power. It is notable that most of the businesses in this category existed in
the 19th Century. Who
knows? Maybe buggy whip makers will make a comeback in the Second Great Depression
Ideally, you should have two or even three supplementary
income businesses that you can fall back on to pay your mortgage and to buy
necessities, if you lose your job. Depending on the severity of the coming
recession or depression,
some
home-based
business
may thrive, while others won't. It is hard to predict which
businesses will do well (although we have some
clues based on the experience of the 1930s,)
so there is safety in redundancy.
4.) Learn How to Pinch a Penny
Here are some suggestions (in no particular order), some of which I've borrowed
from "The
Encyclopedia of Country Living" by the late Carla Emery. (The Memsahib
and I
both highly
recommend this book.)
Distinguish your needs from your wants.
Research and do some comparison pricing before any purchase of more than
$10. Do extensive comparison pricing before any purchase
of more than $100.
Never buy on impulse. Plan your purchases well in advance, do your homework,
and be patient.
Refer to back issues of Consumer Reports magazine (at your local
library) before making a purchase of a major appliance
Develop the habit of dropping by thrift stores, second hand stores, used book
stores, and pawn shops.
Find out on which days particular items are discounted at thrift stores. (Often
by a system of colored price tags.)
For big ticket items, do lots of comparison pricing via the Internet. If you
decide to buy locally, then bring the price print-outs with you, to use as "ammunition"
when you dicker.
Buy off season. Buy winter clothes in summer, and vice versa. Buy livestock
in October and November, when owners are facing expensive hay purchases if
they "winter-over" their stock
Use a clothes line instead of an electric clothes dryer.
Utilize
the MSN Autos Web Page data for the best local gas and diesel prices. This
is particularly important when you re-fill your cans and drums.
Heat with wood. Cut, haul, split and stack the wood yourself
Buy your guns and ammo at gun shows, not at gun shops. Learn
how to dicker for the best prices.
Buy at farm auctions, but beware of impulse purchases and run-away bidding.
Make a list of your maximum bids during the preview and and
then stick to it religiously. Never bid emotionally, and never jump
on on the bidding for an article unless you planned to bid on it before the
auction began.
Build/make/sew things for yourself rather than buying them factory-made
If you use any national brands, then clip
coupons. Keep your coupons well organized (many folks like to use an accordion
folder and they keep it handy in their car),
and
don't
lose track of coupon expiration dates.
Buy most items used, rather than new. Never buy a new "big ticket" item
like
a car or truck "factory new". Be sure to refer to Edmunds.com before
making
any
vehicle
purchase, to make sure you aren't getting a "lemon:" model or model-year.
If
you
are
buying
a
used vehicle
worth
$5,000
or
more, then
it
is
worthwhile
to pay
$8 for a vehicle
history report.
Negotiate
prices with merchants. It is amazing who is willing to negotiate.
(But I've had no luck in talking down bridge tolls. I'll keep trying.)
Spend some of your Saturday mornings at garage sales and yard sales. Dress
down when you go, and don't be afraid to negotiate for better prices.
Check Craig's List and
your local "penny" or "nickel" classified ad papers frequently for
free and bargain items
Avoid fashion trends. Dress and drive modestly.
Find out when there is a curb-side "free hauling" day offered by
your local waste disposal contractor. If allowable by local law, cruise
through the neighborhoods the night before the scheduled collection with your
pickup or
trailer. This
is the way we found the majority of our small livestock cages.
When buying things from private parties or small businesses, offer other items
or your skills in barter.
Watch for free tours at educational places like factories and museums.
If your community has a well-established local
currency, then utilize it to the utmost.
Plant a large vegetable garden. Get plant starts for berries and other perennials
from neighbors
Cancel your newspaper subscriptions and carefully limit your magazine subscriptions.
These days, there is so much news and information available on the Internet
free of charge (you are looking at some of it right now) that
hardcopy newspapers are for the most part expensive dinosaurs. Two
notable exceptions: 1.) If you are a consistent and well-organized
coupon clipper. If that is the case, then you might want to get a "Sunday paper
only" subscription.), and 2.) Subscribing to a small town weekly newspapers
in your
retreat locale. Reading
one of these
papers
regularly
is
important
for
developing
local
intelligence
and for "fitting in" by being knowledgeable about local geography,
personalities, events, politics, and lore.
Change your own oil and make most of your own car repairs.
Buy a food
dehydrator. It will pay for itself many times over.
Learn how to do your own canning. Once you have, you'll
have no excuse to ever buy another store-bought jar of jam, jelly, or applesauce.
Buy dairy goats or a cow. Sell or barter the excess milk, or feed the excess
to your chickens and/or hogs
Cut out needless expenses. (Like those $4 lattes at Starbucks and $20 trips
to the movie theater.)
If you have a mortgage at a rate that is more than 1.5 percent higher than
the prevailing rate, then consider refinancing. Just beware of any
hidden
costs
and of course avoid Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs.)
Swap CDs and DVDs with friends and relatives or check them out from your local
library rather than buying new ones.
Develop a budget,
and stick to it.
If you have a credit card then pay it off in full every month.
No exceptions. Don't fall into the easy credit trap. Remember, the card is
only in your wallet for convenience, emergency expenses (such as car repairs
when
travelling),
and as a means to gain frequent flier miles or points for programs like gasoline
purchase rebates. If you recognize that you don't have sufficient self control,
then
leave your credit card(s) at home--or cut them up.
Make detailed lists of all of your expenses, and scrutinize them weekly. Look
for ways to reduce expenses.
Shop around for the lowest car/health/home/life insurance rates. A few hours
of research on the Internet could easily save you $500+ per year.
Unless you know for certain that you want a book as a permanent reference,
then use the public library or try to find it online.
Don't overlook the inter-library loan system.
Get the free Skype software,
and encourage the friends that you call often to do likewise. This will greatly
reduce your long distance phone bill.
Take advantage of free or low-cot straining available from organizations
like the American
Red Cross and FEMA.
(Just don't be ware of any socialist/statist nonsense that they try to feed
you along with the training.)
Learn how to repair small appliances and engines.
Don't buy store-bought meat. Hunt for or raise your own.
Handload your own ammunition.
Get out of debt and stay out of debt. Paying interest is throwing money away.
Forestall making purchases to avoid indebtedness. Instant gratification creates
decades of debt.
Proviso #1: Do not attempt to save money
by foregoing carrying insurance, or by forestalling any expenses that have
an impact on health, hygiene,
or
safety.
For example, if your windshield
gets cracked beyond repair, then replace it. If your chimney needs cleaning,
don't
delay cleaning it. (But of course buy your own brush and rods and
learn how to do the job yourself.) If you have a toothache, don't delay in
seeing
your
dentist.
(But ask about
possibly paying in barter when you do!)
Proviso# 2: Don't be Penny wise and Pound foolish. If you
are a highly-paid professional, then take
into account the value of your time. For example if you are
an anesthesiologist, you should probably find a few more billable cases rather
than taking up handloading.
Proviso# 3: Don't skimp on education. That is an expense
that will make you money in the long run.
In closing, remember (and recite frequently) this old adage: "Use it
up, wear it out, make do, or do without."
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Three Letters Re: Choosing a BOV »
Six More Letters Re: New-Found Respect for .223 as a Potential Man Stopper
Note from JWR: The string is starting to degenerate into
one of those endlessly-mired "Ford Versus Chevy" or "Revolver Versus Automatic"
debates, so this will likely be the last batch of letters that I post on this
topic.
Hey Jim:
The .223 versus.308 [debate] is interesting. I think that several factors should
be examined when selecting a cartridge and weapon. Military and police snipers
shoot .308
or bigger. Why? Killing power. all the hype about .223 boils down to this.
It is a varmint round meant to shoot things under 50 pounds. Jeff Cooper described
the controversy very succinctly. a SWAT team in Alexandria Louisiana found
out about stopping power the hard way. Which brings up the next point. The
SWAT team
could not penetrate a federal housing project steel door with their .223 weapons.
All of the comments on .223 out performing .308 are wrong. That
SWAT team now carries your weapon of choice, the [.308] FAL. Also, if .223
was all that great, why is the military fielding more .308 weapons than before?
And why did the Special Forces community invent the 6.8 mm SPC if they loved
the .223 so much? The .223 was designed to be used for varmints on four legs
and two wings not two-legged ones. People forget that a rifle is not a death
ray. You need all the stopping power you can effectively handle. You also need
the versatility of a cartridge that penetrates cover, which the
.223 does not as the rounds are designed to expand violently. There was a [Discovery
Channel] television show that compared the effectiveness of.223 to that of
7.62x 39mm. On paper
and
in a clean sterile environment, that M16 and .223 look superior. But after examination
of the rounds in combat the 7.62 x 39 was superior. I agree that the .223 is
good for what it was meant to be used for, a varmint gun. Also, I will keep
a
.223 Galil in my battery just because it uses our military forces' cartridge
and
may be around if ammo is in short supply. But, it is very far from my mind as
a
primary
or secondary combat rifle cartridge. - Bret
James:
AVL wrote in praise of the .223, "...it bears repeating, any wound over
2" deep has a very high likelihood of being fatal." I'm sorry, but
I couldn't let this one go by. That statement is utterly false Following the infamous Miami/Dade shootout with Platt and Madix,
the FBI has done extensive testing and found the minimum penetration requirement
for
a given round to be effective. It is 12"
(30.48cm) in 10% ballistic gelatin, not 2" as AVL suggests. The 12" minimum
is agreed to by the International Wound Ballistics Association (IWBA) as well.
This is exactly way you don't use [an instantaneously-expanding] varmint round against humans:
He went on to state: "With this in mind, even explosive varmint bullets
will
penetrate this deep, most likely tearing through soft body armor up to 500
yards." The main kill method for bullets, clubs, and rocks is not penetration,
it's energy
transfer." Wrong again! Energy transfer actually has
little to do with incapacitation. I suggest reading
the following online sources:
Firearms Tactical
BT Ammo Labs
Tactical Forums
Regards, - Krunch
JWR,
In case some of your readers missed the reference in Michael Z. Williamson's
letter, the info available in the Ammo
Oracle reference is well worth
the time reading. All AR15 owners/shooters and potential owners/shooters should
read and digest this info, it gives invaluable info regarding the capabilities
and limitations of the 5.56/.223 round. It is a long read but well worth the
time. Good stuff!
Regards, Keith in Texas
Jim,
Nice ammo dialogue. I am reminded of the old domestic giant engined muscle
car versus slick handling foreign sports car arguments of the 1970s. As Bonehead
reminded us, survivalists are not infantrymen. I would guess that the lighter/smaller
third of our population will find the .223 much more user friendly and therefore
effective in a sustained engagement. I also don't see how many folk can properly
practice with .308 at current ammo prices. I would rather be accurate than
be Macho. - Bruce F.
Jim:
Re: [AVL's comment] "... even explosive varmint bullets
will
penetrate this deep, likely
tearing through soft body armor up to 500 yards." That is laughable. I
have no
doubt that lightweight
varmint bullets would be devastating against an unarmored person at close distance…but
at 500 yards, with a 5.56x45? You might as well be shooting buckshot, IMO,
at least
then you might hit an unarmored place. Controllability in full auto? That is
a non issue - we [aren't he military so we] don’t work that way. Too
much [expense] to buy one, too much to feed one, and too wasteful in the long
run.
Lots of cover here in the northwest and I'll take a 308 for it's versatility
and power. If things were to ever get close, in a situation where many people
would grab an M4, I'll take my 7.62x39 AK - it has enough bullet IMO and I
don’t
have to worry about a short barreled 5.56 "underperforming". I think
it is very informative that the military is looking at calibers from 6.5mm
to .30 as possible replacement for the 5.56, no calibers smaller…hmm.
I hope we do see a compromise in the future, I think one exists. Given the
constraints of the M16 platform the 6.8 SPC is spectacular and with a new platform
the 7x46 in a moderate loading might be ideal.
As far as medics treating 5.56 wounds goes - why are our medics treating 5.56
wounds? Because those we shot with 5.56 and were not hurt really badly--left
to fight another day would be my guess. No doubt the little 5.56 can get the
job done - with the right load but larger calibers offer more flexibility and
a larger margin for error.
Keep up the good work! - A. Friendly
Sir:
As I’ve read the interesting and informative debates here, on .223 vs
.308 vs 7.62x39, I can’t help but think we’re falling into what
Jeff Cooper would call PII: Preoccupation with Inconsequential Increments.
Terminal ballistics is only one consideration, among many, and when the differences
in that one metric are marginal, you look at other factors for your decision.
For example, do you buy a $70,000 car if it is only 10% better than a $30,000
car? Not unless you’re independently wealthy. Why? Because the $40,000
price difference is an opportunity cost; it represents $40,000 of
other goods and services you now can’t buy. It is in this context that
I view firearms: they fulfill a survival role, and as such, should be cost
effective. Money
spent on gold-plating firearms is money not spent on other preps.
To many of us, this debate is moot: we’ve already made our choices of
platforms and calibers. We bought our .308 milsurp back when it was $150/case.
But what if I were starting out all over again, with no legacy arsenal? How
would I select? I would define the mission that my firearms would fulfill,
and find the best-for-the-money solution, without undue overlap.
What would I need? I need: handgun; defensive carbine; and, depending on my
area, a longer range solution. I need them all to “get the job done” without
soaking up too much money. I also need to look at the reality of defensive
gunfights: most people are not going to be able to take careful aim and make
one surgical shot after another. You need something easy to shoot, with reasonable
capacity, rugged and light. You also need to afford enough ammo for training
and practice, as well as to stockpile.
For this reason, I exclude MBRs
in .308: at $600 per case, .308 is no longer a serious option for those starting
out. The .308 is analogous to the $70,000 car:
yeah, it might be a little better than the others, but the cost effectiveness
isn’t there. I follow a similar rationale for handguns: .45ACP and .40
[S&W] might be slightly better stoppers than 9mm (though there really isn’t
any evidence of this), but not enough to justify the large price difference
in ammo. The bottom line reality is that all the basic intermediate powered
rifle and “service caliber” handgun rounds will get the job done
within the limits of most people’s ability to hit anything under pressure. Hence,
here is my advice for those starting out:
Handgun = Glock 19 or Glock 17. At least 10 spare magazines. Holster and mag
carrier. 5,000 rounds FMJ 9mm for practice. 500 rounds premium hollow point
for self defense. Minimum of two weekend training classes. Total cost about
$2500.
Carbine = AK47. At least 10 spare magazines. Shoulder-style mag/dump pouch.
5,000 rounds 7.62x39 Wolf ammo for training and also actual use. Minimum one
weekend training class. Total cost about $2200.
Affordable plinking/practice = any rifle in .22 Long Rifle: bolt, lever, or
semi-automatic. 10,000 rounds .22LR. Advantage Arms .22LR conversion kit for the
Glock. Total
cost about $700.
Long distance = scoped bolt action in .308 or .30-06 (a used Savage provides
excellent value, for example). 500 rounds match level ammo. Remember: we’re
looking for usable minute-of-torso shots at reasonable distance, not match
trophies. Total cost about $1,000.
If you have any extra money, buy an extra Glock and an extra AK47.
This covers all essential firearms needs. I consider a shotgun a niche weapon,
whose role the carbine adequately covers. Shotgun is nice to have, not must-have.
I invite readers to calculate similar solutions for .308 MBR-based arsenals,
and decide if the ballistics value-add justifies ammo that costs three times
as much as 7.62x39. - DG in Philadelphia
« Letter Re: Preparedness Course Applicability for Australia? |Main| Recycle!, Recycle!, Recycle!, by Heghduq »
Letter Re: Advice on Buying AR-10 Rifles
James,
I live outside of Boise, [Idaho] on 40 acres with a deep well and have most
everything ready for a jump to my brother’s new ranch in Montana, if
(when) the SHTF.
While my place will be occupied by my friends that don’t
have anywhere to go and /or want to stay in the area. I will leave for a
better Bug Out Location where
I and my family can better survive long term. I only live here because it
is a good job and I can’t find anything even close to pay in the part
of Montana that my brother lives in. He is a doctor and can afford the remote
life style.
I would like your input,. My brother and I are getting ready to buy a
pair of .308 semiauto rifles and for the most part I like the Armalite AR-10 with
an ACOG scope.
This would be our defensive long range (250 to 500+ yard ) rifle. Any recommendations
as to something “better” than a factory model,
do you know of someone else building something with .308, reliable magazine
design. While rails and collapsible stocks are cool and I would like them,
they are
not necessary for the intended purpose. I have looked at [the] DPMS [AR-10]
but I also here a lots of complaints from people who actually own the weapon.
Thanks,
E.
JWR Replies: Aside for Eugene Stoner's relatively dirty gas
tube action (which can be mitigated with regular cleaning), the only drawback
to
most of
the AR-10s on
the market
is
the high
cost of extra magazines.
Most AR-10s use variations of M14 magazines
which can cost up to $40 each. However, a few brands of AR-10s use standard FAL magazines
which can often be found for under $8 each! So, with that in mind, I would
recommend the Bushmaster
AR-10 (now out of production) and the RRA
(Rock River Arms) LAR-8 A SurvivalBlog reader was recently told by a Bushmaster customer service representative that Bushmaster sold its tooling and rights for their .308 rifle about a year ago to Rock River Arms.
The AR-10 is a fine rifle choice for your circumstances. They can be quite
accurate, so they are ideal for open country--like the majority of Montana.
Just be sure
to get
at
least
one
of
your AR-10s set
up
for long
range
shooting.
Get a full length (20") barrel
and fixed stock flat top ("A4") model that will readily take optics
mounted low enough to provide a consistent cheek
weld. The ACOG TA-01 or
TA-11E would be good versatile day/night scopes. They are available
from
a number of Internet vendors including CGW.
(I noticed that they currently have the TA-01 .308 BDC scope
on sale.) But since you are planning on open country shooting, make sure
that at least one of your long-barreled .308 rifles is set up a with
an adjustable magnification Mil-Dot or ART scope
in its primary configuration, with perhaps an ACOG as a spare if you can afford
it.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: New-Found Respect for .223 as a Potential Man Stopper »
Letter Re: Recommended Spare Parts for Firearms
Sir:
I am interested in acquiring a good stock of spare parts for my firearms
but am not sure where to start. For my AR-15 I got a spare parts kit which
covers
all the likely culprits for failure (I know it well enough to be sure of
that). Eventually I will get an extra bolt carrier group for it. However
I do not
know enough about the parts that tend to fail for other firearms in my collection.
The other firearms I am concerned with are: Springfield Mil Spec .45 [Colt
M1911 clone] , Mossberg 500 12 gauge, Ruger 10/.22, Winchester [Model 18]94
30-30.
Any advice
be it
specific or general would be greatly appreciated as having a 10 dollar part
break
and render
a
precious weapon useless would really ruin my day. -
Ryan
JWR Replies: The most robust gun on your list by far is the
Winchester Model 1894. They hardly ever break. I have seen a few that were
badly abused in
the field. A surprising number of these lever guns end up with broken stocks,
when
horse take a roll. (Which often bends the tang.) Rear sights occasionally get
broken and, less frequently, magazine tubes get dented.
The basic high breakage
parts for nearly all semi-auto guns to consider "musts" for spares are: firing
pin, extractor,
and
ejector.
Some firearms designs have parts that are notoriously prone to breakage. (For
example, the forend bars on Ithaca Model 37 shotguns and the rear sights on
Ruger 10/.22s. Be sure to do some research at the various Internet
forums for gunsmithing discussions on each gun make/model that you own. One
of the most comprehensive gun forum sites is GunBoards.com.
Surprisingly, from
what I've heard in conversations with several gunsmiths, they replace
more lost parts than they do broken parts. Any small part
that is removed during cleaning and that is under spring tension is likely
to go
flying off
into the weeds. (Or just across your garage workshop, never to be seen again.
"Been there, done that.")
I don't feel personally qualified to make recommendations on spares for Mossberg
500 series shotguns, but since I've owned all of the others, here are my comments
on them:
For
AR-15s, I recommend:
Firing pin and 2 firing pin retaining pins
2 Extractors, 3 extractor pins, 2 extractor springs, and 3 extractor spring
nylon inserts
Buffer retainer pin and spring
Ejector with spring, and pin
Ejection port cover assembly complete, plus 3 spare C-clips. (The
C-clips are almost microscopic.)
Buttstock
1 pair of handguards
20+ magazines
For Ruger 10/.22 rifles, I recommend:
Firing pin
2 Extractors
2 Trigger group retaining pins
Ejector (The little plate that flops around in the top of the trigger group
when it is removed)
2
rear sight assemblies, complete
5+ magazines. (I particularly like the Tactical
Innovations milled aluminum magazines. They are fully adjustable, feed
flawlessly, and are practically bombproof.)
For M1911s and Clones, I recommend:
Firing pin, spring, and retaining plate
Slide release
2 Extractors
Barrel bushing
Mainspring and plug
Ejector and 4 pins
Triple leaf spring
12+ magazines. (I prefer original Colt, Metalform, and Shooting Star brands.
Most of the aftermarket magazines are not worth buying. See my M1911
Magazine FAQ for details.)
For Winchester Model 1894 rifles, I recommend:
Firing pin
Magazine tube
Rear sight assembly, complete
« Two Letters Re: Living Off The Land |Main| Letter Re: Safety Tips on Hi-Lift Jacks »
Letter Re: Curious About "Curio and Relic" Firearms Laws in the US
Hi Jim,
I read from time to time "C&R eligible." Can you please post
a quick note on the SurvivalBlog that explains what that is referring to, as
it relates
to firearms. Blessings, - Mark B.
JWR Replies: I often write about the full exemption in the
Federal law for pre-1899
guns, but I haven't given much attention in the blog to Curio
and Relic (C&R)
guns. A Type 03 Federal Firearms License (FFL) is issued by the Bureau of Alcohol
Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) . It allows individual C&R
collectors to purchase across state lines some specifically listed firearms
and ammunition
for their personal collections. These post-1898 firearms and ammo are classified
as a Curio
or
Relic only under certain circumstances. The following is a snippet from the ATF
web site:
To be recognized as curios or relics, firearms must fall within one of the
following categories:
(a) Firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current
date, but not including replicas thereof;
(b) Firearms which are certified by the curator of a municipal, State, or Federal
museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; and
(c) Any other firearms which derive a substantial part of their monetary value
from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association
with some historical figure, period, or event. Proof of qualification of a
particular firearm under this category may be established by evidence of present
value and evidence that like firearms are not available except as collector's
items, or that the value of like firearms available in ordinary commercial
channels is substantially less.
The ATF's list of eligible C&R guns and ammunition has been assembled piecemeal
since 1968, and parts of it therefore show no rhyme or reason. For example,
some
Winchester
Model 1894 "Trapper" short-barreled rifles with specific
serial numbers have
made their way onto the list, while hundreds of others have not. The
BATFE's list of eligible C&R guns is sporadically updated and posted
at the BATFE
web site.
The Type 03 Curio and Relics License
doesn't permit the license holder to deal in firearms as a business. It is
strictly a collector's license. (With a C&R license, you can buy and sell
guns, but only with the intent of improving your collection--not as a way to
make
a living.)
Guns
that
are not specifically C&R eligible would still have to be obtained
through
someone
with a Type
01
dealer's
license. At present,
the
Class
03 license
fee is $30 for three years.
If you are interested in getting a C&R license be sure to first check our
your state and local laws that might also affect your firearms purchases. Next,
read though the extensive information at Cruffler.com.
I generally discourage all but the most ardent gun collectors from getting
a C&R license. If you are persistent, you can generally find the guns you
want inside your own state from a private party seller. (For example, see my
Note at the top of today's posts.) If you definitely plan to buy several
50+ year-old
military surplus rifles per
year,
then
it might be worthwhile to get a license. Otherwise, the cost/benefit ratio
must be considered. One factor to consider: All Federal Firearms licenses require
record
keeping,
and those records are subject to annual inspection by ATF agents. An error
in record keeping is a Federal crime. Also consider that having a Federal firearms
license--even just a Type 03 C&R--will raise your profile
with
law
enforcement at all levels. In the event that our nation's gun laws change,
FFL holders
will probably be under intense scrutiny. And finally, as a FFL holder, your
records .are subject to audit (no more than once per year), and you conceivably
might be asked to present any guns listed in your records for inspection. (Who
knows
how the
regulation
might
change in the future. But for now, ATF agents cannot search the home of a Class
03 license holder without warrant.)
In essence, a license is the granting
of a privilege to conduct an act that would otherwise be illegal. Holding
a license makes you subject to a new jurisdiction and holds you to a high record-keeping
standard. Think that through. There are serious
implications
to
obtaining
any license. Don't
leap
into getting
one
without
first weighing
the
costs and
benefits.
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The Demise of the US Dollar--The Handwriting is on the Wall
The major news outlets have finally started shouting about the
collapsing value of the dollar and the bull
market in precious metals. (Looking at the
charts, $820 per ounce seems
to be the new floor for spot gold.) Just as I predicted, it
was a move by China that precipitated the latest drop in the dollar. Thanks,
BTW, to the five readers that all sent that link. I should mention that several
SurvivalBlog readers mentioned that article. Reader Mike the Blacksmith
noted:
"The remarks
by Cheng on world currency status is the most important point in this article."
The currency markets are coming apart at the seams. Reader Chris S. pointed
to the
one year chart for the US Dollar versus the Canadian Dollar.His comments:
"Notice the steep drop? It hasn't even looked close to this since the
1970s during the worst of the oil crunch. Other countries are beginning to
stop trading
in dollars altogether. When someone says "your money is no good here" now,
it's not a compliment and a prelude to a freebie. It means they don't want
our money. Considering our main export to the rest of the world right now is
our paper money, this doesn't bode well. I would say that we could work our
way out of this by building things the rest of the world
wants to buy, but our so-called leadership in this country (both political
and business) has also exported the jobs and sold off our infrastructure. We're
getting increasingly stuck with empty factories and mortgage debt in a real
estate market that no one wants to finance. BTW, the US Dollar is also now
beginning to lose value against the Mexican Peso..." Also in the news,
there are rumors
of a formal dollar devaluation.
And if that weren't
bad enough, we read some disturbing news on the credit market front: Markets
fear
banks have $1 trillion in toxic debt (thanks to both D.V.
and
Matt
B. for sending that link.) But wait, it gets worse: Bond
insurers set off fresh wave of credit panic.
Getting back to the FOREX markets,
it is noteworthy that the
USD Index has broken down below the 76 level. When I last checked, it
was at 75.405, and falling. From deep in his lair (rumored to beneath
Zurich's Paradeplatz),
my friend The
Chartist Gnome tells me that it is a long way down to the next
interim
support
level.
(For
those of you that deride technical analysis, just ignore the following.)
This SurvivalBlog snippet from a few weeks back bears repeating:" [I had
mentioned 'Some analysts suggest 75 or perhaps even 72 as the next support
level for
the US
Dollar Index'.
The Chartist Gnome said that I was being overly optimistic. By his calculations,
'the next logical support level for the USD Index is 72 and then if that fails
to
hold, we can
expect
a step
off the
cliff with no support until 42.' Lest you think that this is
some wild-eyed exaggeration, Jordan Roy-Byrne (editor of The Trendsman)
came up with almost identical numbers. (Namely, 72 and 40 support levels.)
Gulp! A USD Index
level
of 42 would equate to around $2.75 to buy a Euro and $4.02 to buy a British
pound."
I often tell my consulting clients that it is impossible to predict short
term market moves, but I'm often asked for advice on long term trends. My favorite
bit of sage advice to quote about the UD Dollar comes from economist Ed Daughty,
who writes under the pen name The
Mogambo
Guru:
He explains: "You
paint a dollar sign on a rock, which you can also use to defend yourself, and
(according to the instructions), 'Hold the rock in an outstretched hand, making
sure the rock is well away from your body, then say aloud 'Oh, Magnificent
Mogambo U.S. Dollar Index Predictor, what will the dollar's value be over the
long run?'
then let go of the rock.' It's uncanny how accurate it is!"
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again: Protect yourself from
the imminent demise of the US dollar. Get out of your dollar-denominated
investments. If you have an IRA,
talk to Swiss
America and roll over your IRA into a warehoused US Gold Eagle IRA.
Sells your stocks and bonds.Even the best of them is no protection when the
currency unit itself is destroyed. Sell your silly jet ski and big screen plasma
HD television. Instead, buy
productive farm land in a lightly populated region--land that that can first
and foremost serve as a survival retreat. (See our spin-off SurvivalRealty.com web
site for specially-selected retreat properties.) Get your family's food storage
and survival
gear squared away. Buy some practical tangible barter goods, like common caliber
ammunition and full
capacity magazines. After
that,
if you have any funds left over, invest it in physical silver (such as $1,000
face value 90% silver pre-1965 mint date coin bags) and store it in your home
vault.
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Letter Re: Eating The Food That You Store
Mr Rawles,
First off, let me start by saying, I loved "Patriots" Kudos
to you.
The thing I'm writing to you about is an idea I came up with after
reading
one or the suggestions for single survivalists using # 10 cans of foodstuffs
in their preps. The reduction of waste is a serious subject. I think it would
be a good idea for all of the folks that use these food stores, to
invest a bit of their survival funds on a vacuum sealer system, and kitchen
scale. The
cans
could then be opened, divided into individual portions, [labelled] and then
resealed. The sealer system could also be used to pack other survival items
for long
term storage. I have not tried it yet, but I think this would also be a good
idea for the folks out there that have firearms and ammo caches that they want
to protect. Just a thought. It may or may not work, but if it does, it
would save a lot of good people from a lot of "bad things". I would
not like to be one of the huddled masses in the world today. This
is why I prepare for my family, and myself, while (being what they are) times
are good. - Dim Tim
JWR Replies: Thanks for that suggestion. Here at the Ranch
we use a Tilia
Foodsaver Compact. Even a simple (and
quite inexpensive--under $20) Pump-n-Seal sealer will suffice. OBTW, I do not recommend vacuum sealing
ammunition, since there is the small chance
that
it
might cause bullets to become
unseated from their cartridge cases. Heat sealed packages are fine for ammo.
Just don't vacuum seal them.
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Letter Re: The Falling Dollar--Sheltering Your Assets in Steel and Alloy Tangibles
Jim,
I really appreciate your web site and your wisdom. I agree with your evaluation
of the need or the wisdom in storing magazines. You recommend original factory
or
military surplus. My question is what would you advise as far as AK mags
go?
Any thought on the polymer mags would also be appreciated. Thanks, - Andy
JWR Replies: For steel AK magazines, I recommend buying any
of the magazines made in the former Soviet Bloc that have a full length
standing metal rib on the back. Virtually
all of those are quite robust and reliable, regardless of the country of origin.
(They were all made to essentially the same specifications, on USSR-supplied
tooling.) The only steel AK magazines to avoid are: A.) the Chinese magazines
(which can
be identified
by their lack
of a
"dorsal
rib"),
and B.)
Aftermarket
magazines
from companies like USA Magazines and Triple K. Their quality control is pitiful,
which generally results in unreliable junk.
For polymer AK magazines, I recommend buying either Finnish Valmet green "waffle"
magazines (which can be identified by their molded-in lanyard loops), or Bulgarian
waffle magazines. Both are excellent. Polymer magazines are available from
KVAR, although I've
noticed a few genuine bargains from time-to-time on Buddy's
Board.
I should also mention that most of the AK drum magazines on the market are
overpriced and many of them have poor feeding reliability. My advice: stick
with 20 and 30 round magazines.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Influenza Exercise Shows the Potential for Major Infrastructure »
Letter Re: Advice on a Rust-Resistant Method to Store Spare Magazines
Hello Mr. Rawles,
I just read your recent post on investing in full capacity magazines and was
motivated to place several large mag orders. I already had at least 150 rifle
mags, so
I have quite a few mags around. I recently have been trying to get my preparedness
storage organized so that items can be stored for long periods without being
damaged. As part of this I have been vacuum sealing mags in my Tilia Food Saver
with an oxygen absorber thrown in for good measure. These will then be stored
in bins in my clean, dry attic. (I live in the Midwest - extreme hot & cold
temperatures). Many of my AK mags are polymer, the steel mags I have given
a coat of Break
Free Collector before sealing. The AR mags are of course either
aluminum or the new Magpul polymer mags.
Do you think this is a good idea, or is there a better way? What is your recommendation
for long term mag storage? My indoor climate controlled space is at a premium
for food and ammo storage, so I would love to be able to keep these in the
garage or attic if possible.
By the way, your book "Patriots" was
instrumental in my starting my prepping journey, six years ago. Your Brother
in Christ - EWG
JWR Replies: Proper magazine storage depends a lot on your
climate. If you live in a humid climate and you want to store your spare
magazines in a garage or attic, then you should first heavily oil any steel
magazines and store them in sealed ammo cans. Be sure to also include a large
packet of
silica
gel desiccant
in each storage can. In the less humid western states, just a light coat
of oil will generally suffice. My favorite airtight containers for storing
bulky
but fairly
lightweight items
such as magazines are USGI
20mm ammo cans,
which are available at most gun shows and surplus stores. They are also fairly
inexpensive via mail order, but typically by the time you've paid for shipping,
your cost will double.
« The Falling Dollar--Sheltering Your Assets in Steel and Alloy Tangibles |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Building a Scout Rifle on a Budget, by Paul B.
The late Jeff Cooper described a scout rifle as "a general-purpose rifle [that]
is a conveniently portable, individually operated firearm, capable of striking
a single decisive blow, on a live target of up to 200 kilos in weight, at any
distance at which the operator can shoot with the precision necessary to place
a shot in a vital area of the target." Some
of the basic requirements are a maximum unloaded weight of 3.5 kg (3 kg optimal),
an overall length of 1 meter or less, a Ching sling, a forward mounted scope,
a .308Winchester / 7.62mm NATO chamber, and auxiliary iron sights (optional).
In
my opinion these characteristics lend themselves to a SHTF scenario. The rifle
would
be
light enough to always be carried, yet powerful enough to be used for defense
or hunting. Also as a bolt action it would be reliable and accurate. It also
would not call as much attention to you as a semi-auto battle rifle.
Nowadays, several manufacturers make scout rifle variants. Some of the most popular are the Steyr Scout, the Savage 10FCM, and the Ruger M77 Frontier rifle. The problem is that these rifles cost in excess of $2000, $675, and $750 respectively. This places them out of the range of many gun buyers. The great news is that there is an alternative. If you have at least some modest gunsmithing skills, then why not build your own?
The first thing to do would be to find a starter rifle. Since you want a cheap
rifle, I would suggest trying to buy a used hunting rifle or looking at the surplus
market. A good Israeli Mauser (.308) would be a great starting point and there
are plenty of aftermarket Mauser parts. If necessary, a 7mm Mauser would also
work. Another option is the Enfield Ishapore 2A. This is the option that I chose
due to its availability at my local gun shop, its reliable and fast action, its
10
round [detachable] magazine capacity, and its ability to be loaded from 5 round
stripper
clips.
Another bonus for using the Enfield is that a "Shooter's
Special" version is now available from AIM Surplus for $99.95. Since we
will be replacing the stock and cutting and re-crowning the barrel, some drawbacks
of the “Shooter’s Special” will not be an issue. Although the procedures below
were performed on the Enfield, most could be universally applied.
After you have chosen your rifle, the next step would be to clean it thoroughly and then test fire it. This way you can return it if there is a problem. There is no point investing the time and effort into a faulty rifle.
If you are satisfied with the performance of the rifle, then proceed to the disassembly
phase. The Surplus Rifle web
site
has excellent "walk through" procedures on how to do this. Make note of any damaged
parts
and order replacements from Gun
Parts Corporation (Numrich),
or a similar company. I would suggest at least getting another extractor spring,
extractor (if available), firing pin, firing pin spring, a new magazine, and
a firing pin removal tool. These are not requirements, but having these spare
parts would be invaluable if the supply suddenly dried up. The extractor spring
is probably the most important since if the rifle was stored with the bolt closed
the spring could have lost some of its function causing the extractor not to
grip the rim properly resulting in very poor extraction. As far as magazines
go, the new manufacture magazine I got from Numrich worked decently, but the
new ProMag ones were terrible. Something else to note is that about 80% of the
small parts in a Ishapore Enfield
2A
are compatible with the Enfield No 1 Mk 3 parts.
After the rifle is disassembled, proceed to remove the barrel mounted rear sight assembly. On my rifle, this assembly was fastened with a screw under the slider bar and a pin on the side through the barrel. It would be a good idea to clean the area around the assembly with acetone (or fingernail polish remover) to remove the enamel paint and gunk. I had to use a torch to heat the assembly enough to knock it loose.
With the sight assembly gone it is time to tackle the barrel. According to Tac Ops,,
a .308 20" barrel will result in complete powder burn, full velocity, and full accuracy, while an 18" barrel loses slightly in velocity while accuracy remains the same. I decided the 18" barrel
would be worth the trade off. Mark where the cut will be made, secure the barrel
in a vise, and proceed carefully with a hacksaw. After the cut is done, stuff
a cleaning patch down the barrel (starting from the receiver) to prevent further
metal shavings from getting into the barrel and receiver. Use a file to smooth
out your cut and get it as close to straight as possible. The better you do here,
the easier the next step will be.
To finish the muzzle you will need to crown it. You could take it to a gunsmith, buy the crowning tools from Brownell's, or use WECSOG skills and a little creativity. I chose to buy the Brownell's tools and they worked rather well. I had to sand down the .308 pilot a little to get it to fit, but other than that there were no issues. Use plenty of thread cutting oil or similar and go slowly, cleaning the tool often and clearing any metal shavings from the barrel.
Enfields come with a little magazine loop on the trigger guard where a chain
used to hold the magazine to the gun. This was from the days when commanders
feared their soldiers would misplace their only magazine. I cut this off with
a Dremel as it is no longer needed and it looks cleaner without it.
Before you proceed you must refinish the rifle as you see fit. For me, this meant cleaning, sandblasting, degreasing, and finishing with Gun Kote.
After the rifle is refinished, you can attach the scout scope mount. I chose
the XS Sight
Systems mount due to looks and robustness. To attach this mount, degrease
both the barrel and the scope mount, attach the mount with JB Weld, make sure
the Weaver rail is aligned with the receiver, and let it dry. After the JB Weld
is dry, use Brownell's Acraglas or similar to f
