Month: September 2020

Finishing an 80% AR Lower Receiver – Part 3, by 2A Advocate

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(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) Results I think my lower receivers turned out great (Photos 15, 16, 17 & 18). The machined edges are straight and sharp. The trigger pocket walls are smooth, almost mirror-like. There are slight tool marks from the end mill, but no touch up or sanding was done until after these photos were taken. Then I touched up the side holes and the opening for the trigger slot with some Aluminum Black by Birchwood Casey. It’s quick and hides the raw aluminum edge.   I didn’t treat the entire inside of the trigger …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 19, 2020

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On September 19th, 1796, George Washington addressed the nation in his farewell address as president. And on September 19th, 1778, the Continental Congress passed the first budget of the United States. While the budget may have passed, the states responded poorly to the call for taxes to fund the government, and the government resorted to printing paper money to cover debts. In effect, the first budget was a failure, due in large part to the states not responding to the demands of Congress and the depreciation of fiat paper money. Sound familiar? — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another …


Finishing an 80% AR Lower Receiver – Part 2, by 2A Advocate

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(Continued from Part 1.) WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO? You will need to create a space within this block of aluminum to install the fire control group: The trigger, hammer and safety selector control. Here is how that’s done: Setup of the Easy Jig 2 So, the Easy Jig 2 is a very cool tool! It is extremely heavy duty. Several of the parts do double duty; it is very well-engineered. Assembly is simple: (Photo 1) attach the two square side plates to the top plate. The words “AR-15” are at the top and there is a right and …


Editors’ Prepping Progress

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To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. Note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.  If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.  If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 18, 2020

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Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown tonight (Friday, 18 September 2020) and ends at sunset on Sunday. I pray that it is meaningful for everyone. Pray, repent, repair relationships, repay debts, return borrowed items, and make amends! — Today is coincidentally the Paratus Holiday, created for preppers by Commander Zero. He’s the Editor of the  great Notes From The Bunker blog. — The 18th of September is also  Chilean Independence Day. On this day, in 1810, Chile declared independence from Spain. — Before anyone pats themselves on the back for “ending” the 110+ days of nightly rioting in Portland… I suspect …


Finishing an 80% AR Lower Receiver – Part 1, by 2A Advocate

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Editor’s Introductory Notes: This is a three-part article. Consult your state and local laws before buying any 80%-complete lower receivers. Proceed with caution. Remember the eternal rule of machining:  You can take metal away, but you can’t put it back. I recommend buying the Easy Jig 3. Or, if you plan to complete a large number of lowers, then invest in a Ghostgunner 3. Once you’ve completed all of your lowers for your family, you will probably find a private buyer who is willing to pay you 90% or more of your purchase price for your Ghostgunner. The advantage to …


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 the worsening shortage of ammunition and magazines in the United States. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Greyerz – Institutional Investors Are Following Warren Buffett Into Gold As Central Banks Panic o  o  o Gold, silver gain as greenback erodes o  o  o Net long!  Hedge funds still …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Beware whenever you hear the word “activist.” Activist judges, activist clergymen, activist journalists, and activist politicians all share one thing in common: They have consciously decided to abandon the truth in favor of enforcing their political will and their particular agenda upon others. That self-centered conscious choice is the root of all of the world’s extreme “isms” and tyrannical regimes. It is antithetical to true justice, to human liberty, and to ground truth. Looking back on history, such activism has been the progenitor of all totalitarian governments and genocides. The urge toward collectivism is the ultimate willful disobedience to God’s …


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — September 17, 2020

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Today, September 17th, we celebrate Constitution Day in these United States. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The 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 be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical …


Privately-Owned Weapons in Modern Military Service

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Introductory Note:  This feature article that I’ve written is a bit unusual for SurvivalBlog.  I wrote it mostly out of my personal interest in military history. It only has limited practical application, but I’m sure that many readers will find it interesting. You will note that I’ve made it heavy on photographs, since those images often speak volumes, just by themselves. There has been very little documented about privately-owned weapons used by members of modern military organizations. Regulations on Privately-Owned Weapons vary widely, but generally, they have grown more restrictive with the passage of time. Because of these regulations, personal …


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 the La Niña winter Weather Pattern. The India-China Border Standoff Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: India-China border standoff has negated notions of ‘asymmetry in power’ Winter 2020/2021: La …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“There is no such thing, at this date of the world’s history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it. There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking …