Home Insurance 101 – Part 1, by C.J.

Without question, our homestead, retreat, compound, farm, ranch or home is one of our most valuable assets in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. It will be where we hunker down, retreat to and use to protect ourselves from what dangers threaten us. Properly insuring your home and all your survival gear is of great importance. Having insurance to replace what was lost and not having to start over can make all the difference in the world. While insurance certainly isn’t as exciting of a topic as gun reviews, gardening techniques or pretty much everything else we read about on SurvivalBlog, it is …




JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. The focus is usually on emergency communications gear, bug out bag gear, books, and movies–often with a tie-in to disaster preparedness, and links to “how-to” self-sufficiency videos. There is also an emphasis on links to sources for storage food and a variety of storage and caching containers. You will also note an emphasis on history books and historical movies. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This week the focus is on Trijicon RMR day/night sights. (See the Gear & Grub …







Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 10, 2020

November 10th is remembered in the United States as the “birthday” of the U.S. Marine Corps. Coincidentally, the 10th is also the birthday of the late Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, born in 1919, died December 23, 2013. He didn’t design a lot of different guns, but one of his few designs was the prototype for what turned out to be the world’s most widely produced assault rifles. Once an iconic symbol of international communism, the AK’s curved magazine profile has in more recent years become just a symbol of citizens being well-armed. And November 10th is the anniversary of the sinking …




Review: Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9X40 Scope, by The Novice

There is a significant tactical difference between cover and concealment. Concealment only protects from observation, while cover protects from hostile fire. But it is true that clearly seeing your target can significantly increase your chances of hitting it. This principle is what can make optics such a significant component in a firearm system. October 27 through 29, 2020, SurvivalBlog published my range report on the Browning BAR MK3 in .243 Winchester. Leupold was kind enough to loan me their VX-Freedom 3-9X40 Tri-MOA scope with a 1″ tube to help with the evaluation of that firearm. Now I would like to …




SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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, an update on a state partition movement. (See the Region-Wide section.) Region-Wide Two conservative Oregon counties vote to join Idaho. The article’s opening lines: “Tired of Democratic dominance in Oregon, some rural voters on Tuesday endorsed a plan to split off from the liberal state …







Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 corporations relocating away from cities. Economy & Finance: o  o  o At Zero Hedge: Companies Join Exodus To Suburbs As Cities Transform Into “Ghost Towns”  o  o  o World’s Negative-Yield Debt Pile Has Just Hit a New Record. ($17 Trillion!) o  o  o At Wolf Street: Sales of New …




Preparedness Notes for Monday — November 9, 2020

November 9th (1938) was “Kristallnacht”, in Nazi Germany. Be forewarned, folks: Once a group in any society has been singled out for ridicule and persecution, then they can be systematically attacked, physically. Someday it may be “Constitutionalists”, “Messianics”, “Trumpists”, or “Fundamentalist Christians” who are targeted. — Last Call! The special pre-order sale for the first press run of my new Survival Retreats and Relocation book ends at midnight tonight (November 9, 2020.) So be sure to get your order in soon, to take advantage of the special pre-order price! ($19 each, instead of $24 each.) — Today we’re posting another …




Ruger Officer-Style SR1911, by Pat Cascio

Anyone who has followed my articles for the past 28 years, will surely know that I have a love affair with 1911-style handguns – all of them, in all sizes and calibers. I still prefer a 1911 in .45 ACP over any other calibers, but I’ve owned them in 9mm, .38 Super, .40 S&W, 10mm, and a few others. The latest FBI findings state that the 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP calibers are all about the same when it comes to stopping power – I just don’t buy into that. I’m not going to believe that a 9mm – …




Recipe of the Week: Pressed Chicken

The following recipe for pressed chicken is from The New Butterick Cook Book, by Flora Rose, co-head of the School of Home Economics at Cornell University. It was published in 1924. A professional scan of that 724-page out-of-copyright book will be one of the many bonus items included in the next edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. This special 15th Anniversary Edition USB stick should be available for sale in the third week of January, 2021. The 14th Edition sold out quickly, so place a reminder in your calendar, if you want one. Ingredients 1 chicken 1 tablespoon …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Now y’all look at this nine year Dow/Gold Ratio chart and it’s quite all right if your eyes bug right out of your head and roll across the floor. This is a picture of a market broke as the Ten Commandments.  Mercy y’all, below 69.3 there ain’t nothing at all to catch it!  And what does a falling ratio mean?  Right, give that man a nickel — it means silver and gold shooting to the moon.” – Franklin Sanders, in The Moneychanger newsletter




Preparedness Notes for Sunday — November 8, 2020

Today is the 106th birthday of actor/director/producer Norman Lloyd. He was born November 8, 1914. His most recent film role was in 2015. Hang in there, Norman! — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 91 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course …




Kitting Out The Kalashnikov – Part 4, by A.D.C.

(Continued from Part 3. This concludes the article.) Considerations for Non-Standard AKs When it comes time to order accessories and parts for your AK, it is very easy to accidentally order incompatible items meant for a different AK variant. To get an idea of the scope of the problem, check out UltiMAK‘s and Midwest Industries’ AK product listings. In this section, I’ll help you make sense of some of the lingo on these pages, as well as other terms that you may encounter. Unless otherwise noted (or implied by a chambering in a different cartridge), all of these rifles use …




JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

Today I’m posting a guest meme that was created several years ago, by my friend Commander Zero of the great and long-running blog, Notes From The Bunker: This thought-provoking meme requires no comment! Meme Text: Raise Your Hand  — If You Wish You Had an ‘Assault Rifle” Commander Zero says that you are welcome to share it. But please credit him (with a link to his Notes From The Bunker blog), when you do. Link for sharing this meme:  https://kapwi.ng/c/qZvLiu3z