Month: February 2020

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 18, 2020

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This is the birthday of Jack Palance (1919–2006), an actor known for his Tough Guy roles, such as the rebel leader Jesus Raza, in The Professionals — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 87 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can …


Smelting Scrap Lead For Bullet Casting, by A. in N.D.

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Authors Introductory Note: This article describes my experience in obtaining, refining and casting scrap lead for later use in bullet casting. The safety precautions in this article are the actual ones I used in this process, and I believe them to be adequate to protect against contamination to yourself and the environment. However, I am neither a doctor nor a chemist, and if you attempt this yourself you should do your own research. — There are many articles on SurvivalBlog about the utility of bullet casting. This is true, especially for someone who has older cartridge guns and black powder …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on a big dam controversy between Oregon’s leftist Governor and Washington’s Snake River dams.  (See the Eastern Washington  section.) Idaho A Redoubt News video of state assembly debate: Idaho Rep. Mike Moyle Does Not Want a Grocery Tax Repeal o o o From …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 17, 2020

On this day in 1838, hundreds of Voortrekkers traveling along the Blaukraans River in the Natal region were massacred by Zulu tribesmen. This tragedy became known as the Weneen Massacre. — A reminder: Because I have some travel planned, a one-month shipping hiatus for Elk Creek Company will begin at 6 PM Thursday, February 27th, 2020. So if you want to order any antique guns, then get your order in soon!  Any orders received after February 27th will not be shipped until April 8th. — I just noticed that we are now down to less than 200 of the 2005-2019 …


Kimber America Pro CDP II 1911, by Pat Cascio

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It’s difficult to keep up with all the various 1911 handguns that Kimber America produces these days. However, they produce and sell more 1911 handguns than any other maker – or so I’m told. However, there are several 1911 makers in the Philippines that produce a lot of 1911s. For the sake of argument, we’ll say that Kimber is the largest producer of 1911 handguns in the USA. I still remember when Kimber first came on the scene, and their very first 1911 was a full-sized Government Model. This pistol had all the bells and whistles than 1911 lovers wanted, …


Recipe of the Week: Susan’s Favorite Bread

Reader Susan M. kindly sent us her favorite bread recipe: Ingredients 2 1/2 tsp. dry yeast 3 1/2 cup flour (or substitute 2 1/2 c. bread flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour or whatever flours you like; rye, wheat germ, plain AP) 1 1/4 cup milk (reconstituted nonfat dry milk works) 1/4 lb. butter (or shortening) 1/4 c. sugar (or honey) 1 T. molasses 1 tsp. salt 1 egg Directions Heat milk, honey, butter, salt until shortening begins to melt (115-120 degrees). In large bowl, comine 2 cups flours, with yeast. Mix well with wet ingredients. Stir in enough …


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. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at Bitcoin volatility. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.) Precious Metals: For those of you who took my advice and bought rhodium: This current spike to $10,000 per ounce is a good time to sell. As always: Buy low, and sell high. o  o  o Greyerz: The Crisis Will Sink …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“The American military experience in World War I and the influenza pandemic were closely intertwined. The war fostered influenza in the crowded conditions of military camps in the United States and in the trenches of the Western Front in Europe. The virus traveled with military personnel from camp to camp and across the Atlantic, and at the height of the American military involvement in the war, September through November 1918, influenza and pneumonia sickened 20% to 40% of U.S. Army and Navy personnel. These high morbidity rates interfered with induction and training schedules in the United States and rendered hundreds …


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 16, 2020

February 16th is the anniversary of U.S. Lieutenant Stephen Decatur’s “Most daring act of the age” as British Admiral Horatio Nelson called it. The Muslim pirates from the Barbary states – Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and Tripolitania, had been leading raids against U.S. flagged ships, stealing the cargo and ransoming the crew back to the U.S. at exorbitant price. After two years of minor raids, President Thomas Jefferson ordered U.S. navy vessels to the Mediterranean Sea to engage them. The U.S. frigate Philadelphia ran aground near Tripoli and was captured. On February 16th, 1804, Lt. Decatur led an expeditionary force into …


Letter: Elderberry and Wuhan

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Dear SurvivalBloggers: Just a quick note concerning Elderberry syrup and the Wuhan coronavirus (now named “COVID-19”) that I didn’t want to get lost in the extensive comments about the virus at https://survivalblog.com/post-exposure-prevention-pep-protocol-jj-mi/ and https://survivalblog.com/letter-wuhan-virus-shepherdfarmergeek/ : Normally, with flu, elderberry syrup is a positive and helps fight the virus.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190423133644.htm“Sambucol Elderberry Extract and its formulations activate the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory cytokine production.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518 However, “…elderberry also enhances cytokine response, which may not be so good when one of the complications of pandemic influenza is cytokine storm.” https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/high-dose-vitamin-d-and-elderberry-syrup-for-flu-treatment And here we have that immune dysfunction also showing up with COVID-19 …


Letter: Acclimate to Wearing N95 Masks!

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Dear Prepper Friends and Family, As someone who sleeps with a CPAP machine running every night I’ve grown accustomed to the strangeness of having a mask on my face. Even more so, when I exhale the mask fills with hot breath and it feels as if I’m suffocating. When I inhale, however, I get clean, fresh air and it’s all okay. But I had to train myself to not struggle with it. We’re all going to run into this situation with N-95 filter masks if and when the time comes to wear them whenever we go out in public, to …


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”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at more Wuhan news: a mandatory 14-Day Quarantine. Coronavirus: Beijing Orders 14-Day Quarantine for Returnees Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site, there is this report: Coronavirus: Beijing orders 14-day quarantine …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — February 15, 2020

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Today, I’d like to wish Mike Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large) a Happy Birthday! — Gun developer Richard “Dick” Casull was born on February 15, 1931. Casull passed away peacefully at home on May 6, 2018 after a long battle with cancer. Dick Casull is most famous for his design of the .454 Casull revolver, along with many other handgun and rifle designs. He held 17 firearm patents.