Month: July 2007

Two Letters Re: Recommendations on Glock Spares and Upgrades

James, When I was a police officer I carried a [Model] 1911. In 1992 I was hired to instruct, among other things, firearms for associate degree police science students. In that year we bought 13 Glock M-17s. It is my estimation that those first Glocks in inventory have put 90-to-110 thousand rounds downrange in the associate degree and the police academy. We have broken five trigger springs and have had three front sights fly off. There have been one extractor break on the 17s, however, three broke on the M22 (.40 S&W). Having five Glocks in inventory here at the …


Letter Re: Some Results From the CDC’s Asian Avian Flu Preparedness/Education Budget

Hi Jim, I’m a regular reader and 10 Cent Challenge contributor. I just wanted to pass on a little info that struck me as very unusual. I live in Louisiana, too close to New Orleans unfortunately. In my mailbox on Saturday, I received a 32 page publication from the Louisiana Dept of Health & Hospitals. It is titled “How You Can Be Prepared for a Flu Pandemic” Individual & Family Handbook. What do they know that we don’t? The state spent $663,594.40 publishing 1,658,986 copies of this Handbook under a grant support from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Remember that there is now just one week remaining for the $500 Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) vest special from BulletProofME.com. July 12th is the deadline. Anyone who has shopped for body armor knows what a great deal $500 is for a new Interceptor vest. Don’t miss out on this deal. OBTW, I recently received another recommendation for the company: ” I thought you would like some more feedback on your new advertiser, BulletProofME.com. After extensive searching for a vest supplier last year I bought one from BulletProofME.com. Because I had never purchased a vest before I had a lot of …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“All of the government’s monetary, economic and political power, as well as its extensive propaganda machinery, will be enlisted in a constant battle to drive down the price of gold – but in the absence of any fundamental change in the nation’s monetary, fiscal, and economic direction, simply regard any major retreat in the price of gold as an unexpected buying opportunity.” – Irwin A. Schiff


Notes from JWR:

Happy Independence Day! I pray that God will continue to grant us liberty in our land, for generations to come. Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. It is in your own best interest to do so. Why? Every friend, neighbor, and relative that gets motivated to prepare constitutes one less individual that will come begging on your doorstep, come TEOTWAWKI+1. I would greatly appreciate it if you added a SurvivalBlog graphic link to your web site and/or e-mail footer. Our goal is to double the SurvivalBlog readership by the end of 2007. Many thanks! Today we present another …


Are You Preparing Without Physical Fitness? How and Why to Get Physically Fit, by Flhspete

Introduction The more physically fit one is overall, the better your odds are you will survive WTSHTF. Or, maybe you don’t believe that survival preparations should include physical fitness. U.S. military forces emphasize solid fitness in part because the higher the fitness level, the more an individual can maintain acceptable performance levels while under stress. Police SWAT units emphasize high levels of fitness for the same reasons. Organized units like these are highly effective also because they conduct rehearsals of established SOPs until it is ingrained to the point that they are able to perform under any conditions. They are …


Odds ‘n Sods:

From ABC News (by way of Matt Drudge): Secret Document: U.S. Fear that a Terror “Spectacular’ is Planned for this Summer    o o o Adam in Ohio sent us a link to an animated cartoon on YouTube, about Post-Peak Oil Preparedness. Adam’s comment: “It’s too close to reality for most of us.”   o o o Commentary from securities market analyst Tony Jackson: Myth that could undermine credit derivatives.    o o o I just heard that JRH Enterprises (one of our most loyal advertisers) has on sale a couple of scarce original PVS-14 Gen-3 night vision units, normally …



Note from JWR:

The high bid is still at $190 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a batch of 10 brand new original Imperial Defence SA-80 (AR-15) steel 30 round rifle magazines. The auction ends on July 15th. I’ve recently had two different readers ask me about recommended spare parts and upgrades for Glock pistols. Since I’m an “old dinosaur” Model 1911 .45 shooter, I don’t feel qualified to comment on Glocks. So I forwarded their questions to Teddy Jacobsen, a master pistolsmith in Texas, who kindly shares his wisdom. (Over the years, he has worked on more than 15,000 pistols and revolvers.) …


Recommendations on Glock Spares and Upgrades, by Teddy Jacobsen

I can easily explain how I look at things for a Glock. Basically I see no reason to install these aftermarket parts as a general rule. I am always looking for heat treated guide rods, but most you see are not [properly heat treated]. Check the Brownells book and only Wolff states the[ir product’s Rockwell] hardness. Using a soft rod with a Rockwell hardness of 23 on the “C” scale is not good enough. it must be 50. Wolff makes hardened steel guide rods with a Rockwell hardness of 50 but you must use his music wire spring, this is …


Letter Re: Coastal Southeastern Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Mr. Rawles: I have to take issue with your abuse of Alaska in your [Recommend Retreat Areas page] location recommendations. There is a substantial area in Southeast Alaska that has none of the downsides you cite. I speak from experience and on the ground knowledge that affirms that the Wrangell-Petersburg area of Southeast Alaska is The absolute best location to be in the U.S. bar none. We have gambled everything on it and were absolutely right. We are not earthquake nor Tsunami prone. The biggest recorded tsunami here was not noticed. The fault lines all go out to sea South …


Letter Re: Cell Phone Coverage Maps as a Tool in Choosing Retreat Locales

Greetings, Jim: Several times you have mentioned using “lights of the night sky” [satellite] pictures to show where people are centralized ([assuming that a greater concentration of] people = trouble) in choosing where not to live/retreat. I have another suggestion: the maps of cell phone companies of their cell coverage. Cell phone coverage means lots of people or major travel routes. if a person wants to find a place to get away from people then looking on the no coverage area of cell phone maps is one tool to use. thanks for a great web site and great books. – …


Odds ‘n Sods:

“T” recommended this article on “Chameleon” weapons, over at Noah’s DefenseTech blog.OBTW, the comments that follow the article include some interesting links.   o o o RBS sent us this unusual survival story: Man survives after nearly being sucked out of plane    o o o Rob at Green Mountain Gear mentioned that he currently has a special on HK91/G3 Alloy magazines in new, unissued condition. Rob notes: “Some of them might have slight handling marks from moving around the world over the years. The first 20rnd magazines I pulled look simply awesome! Hit them with a little degreaser and …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 11 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 11 runs for two months, ending on the last day of July. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival …