Month: February 2019

Becoming a Savvy Pre-1899 Antique Gun Buyer

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After posting my recent warning about potential passage and enactment of H.R. 8 / S.42 and an interview about this on the Reluctant Preppers podcast, I’ve had several readers and consulting clients contact me.  They’ve been asking these questions:  “How do I actually find pre-1899 cartridge guns in good condition?”, “Where can I find antique guns at reasonable prices?”, and “How do I know what I’m looking at”? Here is my summary on how to get savvy: 1.) Do your research. Visit a local gunsmith and have him show you how to spot a gun that has been reblued. (Blurred …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. We also mention companies of interest to preppers that are located in the region. The emphasis this week is on Surplus Dealers in the American Redoubt. (Military, government, and commercial surplus.) Idaho I’ll start out with a mention of Army Surplus 1. Their great store in Sandpoint, Idaho was surely the inspiration for the fictional “Grogan’s War Surplus” in the humorous novels by the late Patrick McManus. o o o Idaho Surplus Warehouse, in Idaho Falls, is …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”.  Today, we focus on how SurvivalBlog has been shadow banned. Pills to Protect Against an Apocalypse A short but fairly accurate piece was recently posted over at The New York Times: Potassium iodide offers limited protection to those exposed to a Chernobyl-type disaster. Every family should have some on hand.  But keep in mind that they only protect against one form of cancer and not any other radiation effects. Several of our …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“A soul so pitiably forlorn, If such do on this earth abide, May season apathy with scorn, May turn indifference to pride; And still be not unblest—compared With him who grovels, self-debarred From all that lies within the scope Of holy faith and Christian hope; Or, shipwrecked, kindles on the coast False fires, that others may be lost.” – William Wordsworth, To the Lady Fleming, st. 7 (1823)



CRKT Maven Folder, by Pat Cascio

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The nice folks at Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) sent me their Maven folder for testing. That is a strange name for a folding knife, “Maven”. It means someone who is an expert in their field, or who has acquired expert knowledge. The Maven folder was designed by Richard Rogers. Richard Rogers is a working cattle rancher in Magdalena, New Mexico. His toughest critic is probably himself, and when he set out to design a no-frills folding knife, he kept this in mind – keep it simple, yet functional. Simple is always better if you ask me – less …


Recipe of the Week: Avalanche Lily’s Eggless Ginger Snap Cookies

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Avalanche Lily’s Eggless Ginger Snap Cookies This recipe is one of our fairly quick and easy favorites, here at the Rawles Ranch. Ingredients 1 Cup Flour (we usually use white flour) 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 3/4 tsp Ground Ginger 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 Cup Softened Butter 1/4 Cup Sugar 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar 1/4 Cup Dark Molasses 1/2 Tbsp Water Later: 2 Tbsp White Sugar (to coat the unbaked cookies) Directions First, thoroughly mix all of the dry ingredients and spices EXCEPT the …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today’s focus is on Monthly Precious Metals Purchases. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: I’ll start today with a couple of vicariously fun video links from circulating silver coin hunters: Epic Half Dollar Roll Hunt: Walkers, Franklins, and Silver Kennedy Halves! and, Silver Sunday! Coin Roll Hunting …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“We must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not attempt to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right as individuals to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money.” – Davy Crockett


Preparedness Notes for Sunday – February 10, 2019

February 10th is the birthday of Zvi Zvika Greengold (born 1952), a Centurion tank commander who was one of Israel’s most notable heroes of the Yom Kippur War. He was awarded the country’s highest military honor, the Medal of Valor — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 81 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three …


New Zealand: Thoughts After Seven Years, Part 4, by Nivek

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Part 4   Taxes, everybody’s favorite topic New Zealand has a top tax rate of 33%. Okay, you think that’s not bad, the U.S. is right up there also. Well the trouble is you get to the 33% much faster as there are only three tax brackets. Making over $65,000 NZ Dollars per year will get you into the top bracket. That’s around $50,000 US Dollars. There are no deductions for a private person and you don’t get credit for kids or being married. The way around this seems to involve having a business and taking deductions through the business. …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”.  Today, we focus on a 4GW Reading List. Another Ninth Circuit Farcical Finding This report was troubling: Appeals Court: Police Do Not Need A Reason To Place Americans On A Suspicious Person List.  It seems the statist Ninth Circuit Court has fully abandoned the spirit of the Fourth Amendment. Presumption of Innocence is one of the main bulwarks of American jurisprudence. Hopefully, this will be appealed to the supreme court. If it is …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday – February 9, 2019

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February 9th is the birthday of Major George Charles Nonte Jr. (Born 1926, died June 30, 1978.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 81 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value), A course certificate from onPoint …


New Zealand: Thoughts After Seven Years, Part 3, by Nivek

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Part 3   Weather Weather in New Zealand is widely varied with the north island getting much more rain than the south island. An exception on the south island is the far south-western tip called the Fiordlands. It’s a very rugged place with thousands of waterfalls. It is worth seeing. The north island has higher temperatures and higher humidity. I chose a location on the top of the south island that would have the most sunshine and dryer weather. I am a desert person and it takes a lot of getting used to the humid conditions. Take a look at …