Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of both SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio and sci-fi novelist L. Sprague de Camp (1907 – 2000.) — Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $8,500+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) 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 …




Cleaning and Lubricating Your Lead Launcher, by Keith H. in Ohio

In the course of most firearms related articles there is the usual debate over caliber, brand names, action types, magazines, super-duper sights, LED lasers/lights, savvy slings, hot holsters and of course the great rail debate. Very little is written on the after effects of all that lead launching other than the firearms needs cleaned. In reality most shooters should spend as much, if not more, time cleaning and maintaining their firearms then they did actually tripping the trigger. The vast majority of shooters I see at public ranges and gun clubs do not even bring rudimentary cleaning and firearm maintenance …




Letter Re: Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM II

James, In his recent review, Pat Cascio accurately addressed the main objections to the SOCOM Rifle, muzzle blast and that much too fat tritium front sight. An Alternative within Springfield’s own product line up is the Squad Scout Rifle. The Squad Scout come with an 18″ barrel and a less blistering version of there muzzle brake and a National Match .062″ Front sight, and the appropriate rear sight (not National Match aperture diameter, but not that awful ghost ring) This is a nearly MOA rifle out of box. The first one I bought had a beautiful gray green laminate stock, …




Letter Re: Light Blocking Suggestions for Windows

Hello Jim, I’ve been following the window light blocking conversation with interest. The prospect of spending money and time for highly specialized fabrics or felts, for a highly specialized purpose, which may or may not be a future necessity, just doesn’t feel affordable or practical to me. In comparison, I believe my simple, flexible, and inexpensive alternative approach has much to offer. I’ve been stocking up on large Polar Fleece blankets, as a multi- purpose basic material, from my local thrift store, where I can often find a queen or king size for around $10. Two or three folded layers …




Economics and Investing:

Under Obama, Your Electricity Costs Have Already Necessarily Skyrocketed Peter Schiff: Another Bubble Set to Burst Items from The Economatrix: Four Fantastic Charts Showing Gold Is Nearing A Major Turn Trickle Down Economic Recovery: Monetary Expansion, Excess Bank Reserves, And Leftovers For Main Street Gold Price Trend Forecast Into the End Of 2013




Odds ‘n Sods:

Alan H. sent the link to this fascinating piece on the human eye’s natural night vision: The Red Myth.    o o o Cyber attack in the American Redoubt: Credit Card Machines Shut Down At Some Local Stores Following Cyber Attack Aimed At Stealing Vital Information    o o o Another one Mikey Bloomberg’s group of “crime fighting” mayors gets busted: Anti-Gun Group Mayor Arrested for DUI, Attacking Clock. These arrests happen with such great regularity that we can only wonder about the sincerity of these statist do-gooders.    o o o P.M. mentioned that the thought-provoking (albeit slow-paced and …