Year: 2012

Letter Re: Lexan for Bulletproof Windows

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Dear James, I have recently purchased raw land to build my retreat. Soon I will begin building a home, and wish to equip it with windows which can resist small arms fire. I can obtain Lexan in 1/2″ thickness, and my question is, will I need two pieces of glazing in each window, or three (or more)? I do not think it likely that I will be shot at with anything larger that .50 caliber. Your thoughts on the matter are most welcome. Thanks, – Zoomer JWR Replies: To begin, I must warn readers that acrylic Plexiglas and polycarbonate Lexan …


Letter Re: The SKS: A Battle Rifle on the Cheap

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Hello James, Just a short article for the financially stressed who want a battle rifle. Not all of us can shell out $1,500 to $2,500 for the latest battle rifle with $800 to $3,000 worth of optics on it. But there is hope for us. Here in the south, you can usually pick up a good used Norinco (read Chinese) SKS for $150. (But I’ve heard that they cost more, elsewhere.) I have one that I found that was in excellent condition. These are very reliable weapons with chromed chamber and bore. One with some surface rust may go for …


Economics and Investing:

Diana sent this little history lesson: When the $1 Note Was Silver-Backed Cable TV show ignites modern-day Alaska Gold Rush. Thanks to R.B.S. for the link. Loyal content contributor R.B.S. sent this: In tough economy, people turning in rare, unique items in for cash Items from The Economatrix: Pawn Stars:  Five Household Items With Hidden Value Iran Threatens To Extend Oil Embargo Analysts Warn Oil Could Pass $200 on Iran Tensions 8 Reasons Why the Greek Debt Deal May Not Stop a Chaotic Greek Debt Default


Odds ‘n Sods:

On Thursday, March 1, Matt Bracken’s first novel Enemies Foreign and Domestic will be put into Amazon Kindle’s free library, for a period of only four or five days. Mark your calendar, and tell your friends. BTW, I highly recommend Matt’s novels. His latest novel, Castigo Cay, is another page-turner.    o o o Diana was the first of several readers to send this news from The American Redoubt: Wyoming House advances doomsday bill. “State representatives on Friday advanced legislation to launch a study into what Wyoming should do in the event of a complete economic or political collapse in the …



Recipe of the Week:

R.G.’s Cinnamon & Spice Cookies Here is an old family favorite.  This fits right in with SurvivalBlog as it stores well and travels well. 4 cups of flour 1 1/2 cups of sugar 1 teaspoon of baking soda 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 5 egg yolks 1 egg white (set additional egg whites aside) 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice 1 cup of honey, warmed Sift dry ingredients on a board or in a bowl. Add eggs and enough honey to make a medium stiff dough. roll out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2-inch rounds …


Note From JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a …


Do It Yourself Gunsmithing, by Charles M.

Much has been written about what particular guns are best for home defense and SHTF, but I haven’t seen much about taking care of these weapons when gunsmiths are not around.  Let’s look at what typically causes firearms to fail.  As a gunsmith, the main cause of firing malfunctions I see is dirt.  This can be crud built up from dust collecting in oil forming a grease-like substance, or rust, or build-up from burned powder (carbon), or residue from the casings or shells. The second most encountered problems stem from magazines, or broken or weak springs.  Lost pins or screws, …


Being Prepared is More Than Just Having a Bugout Bag, by Christine S.

When a SHTF moment happens, preparedness is everything. But it is more than just having a bugout bag and a meeting place for your family. It means being ready, economically, intellectually, and physically. I’m going to talk about three specific goals, why they are so important, and the techniques you can use to get yourself in the best position possible. Don’t wait to progress from one to the other – instead, look at each of the three goals and pick an idea from each to focus on, then continue to add and build as you go. Goal #1 – Economic …


Two Letters Re: All You Need to G.O.O.D. You Can Carry on Your Back

JWR: In response to some of the comments on my article:  My point is that is not necessary to carry a lot of “gear” to survive in the wilderness.  I’ve seen some list of items you would need a van to carry it away.   If we have a major earthquake on the New Madrid Fault (and shut down bridges for hundreds of miles on the Mississippi River and cut off the food supply to half the country), flood, tornado, Yellowstone eruption, meteor impact, economic collapse or whatever, your gas tank will be empty very soon and then what do you …


Economics and Investing:

Veteran content contributor K.A.F. sent this: Gasoline Prices are Not Rising, the Dollar is Falling. Here is a brief quote: “”Right now, the threat posed by rising gasoline prices is not just to family budgets. An even greater danger is that the government will use escalating oil prices as an excuse to do something stupid.” G.G. flagged this: Chart of the Week: Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes The Real Hunt Brothers Silver Story Part 1 Projected PIIGS Pillage: 3233.5 Tons of Gold to be Confiscated by Insolvent European Banks Items from The Economatrix: Gasoline Gas Spike …


Odds ‘n Sods:

F.B. sent this charming bit: Official: Anonymous May Be Able to Disable Power Grids by Next Year    o o o Reader R.J.R. recommended this free Kindle e-book: 101 Offline Activities You Can Do With Your Child.    o o o Ready for grid down? “Z2” sent us this BBC article: MPs warn over nuclear space bombs and solar flares    o o o To follow up on a previous article link: Felony gun charge dropped against Farmington man: County attorney calls Fleming an ‘upstanding member of the community’.    o o o G.G. suggested this: Gun culture spreads in …



Note From JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a …


Adjusting Survival Plans to Meet Your Unique Circumstances, by Thomas A.

So, first a quick rundown on my family circumstances.  I am a lawyer by training.  My spouse, a former teacher, is midway through dental school.  We own a (mortgaged) home in the Virginia suburbs of a large city.  My spouse is from a western state, having grown up around guns, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, etc.  By contrast, I grew up in a small city, in a house without guns.  I was in the Cub Scouts for a few years, but various other interests took over and I never got to do the majority of the important skill-building that being in …