Month: September 2021


Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — September 15, 2021

On this day in 1944, the U.S. 1st Marine Division landed on the island of Peleliu, one of the Palau Islands in the Pacific, as part of a larger operation to provide support for Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was preparing to invade the Philippines. Within one week of the invasion, the Marines lost 4,000 men. By the time it was all over, that number would surpass 9,000. The Japanese lost more than 13,000 men. Flamethrowers and bombs finally subdued the island for the Americans, but it all proved pointless. MacArthur invaded the Philippines without need of Army or Marine protection …


Flatten The Curve for Hunting Deer – Part 2, by Behind The Counter

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) The topics that I’ll deal with in Part 2 include: • The size, shape, location, and contents of a deer’s vital zone, • Legal, ethical, and practical considerations using your defense rifle for hunting, • Other caliber options available for your AR-15 platform including .300 Blackout, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, .224 Valkyrie, .22 Nosler, .350 Legend, and the new kid on the block 6mm ARC. Let’s begin by understanding where to aim. HOW BIG IS A DEER’S VITAL ZONE? Well, it depends. A deer’s vital zone area is easy to visualize. Draw …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. Several readers mentioned this article that was picked up by dozens of newspapers: Growing risk of once-in-a-century solar superstorm that could knock out internet, study says. Here is a snippet from the article: “The paper, written by University of California assistant professor Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi, is titled “Solar Superstorms: Planning for an Internet Apocalypse.” It paints a scary picture of …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 14, 2021

Today is the birthday of actor Clayton Moore (1914–1999). His name is almost synonymous with Lone Ranger. This is also the birthday of James Wilson, a lawyer and a signer of the Declaration of Independence (1742 – 1798). — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 96 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 …


Flatten The Curve for Hunting Deer – Part 1, by Behind The Counter

Do you remember how long it was supposed to take to “flatten the curve”? Weeks not years. In this article, it takes a second or less to flatten the curve. To flatten the curve for hunting deer, we will follow the science. No masks required. This is primarily the science of external ballistics with a nod to terminal ballistics. The curve is the trajectory or arcing line of flight that a bullet takes when it leaves the muzzle of a firearm on its way to a down-range target. Because the barrel is pointed slightly above the line of sight, the …


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, we focus on the death of USMC Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, and its repercussions. (See the Wyoming section.) Idaho Idaho exploring legal action against Biden’s COVID-19 plan. o  o  o White-tailed deer test positive in Clearwater Region for EHD. The article begins: “The Idaho Department …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Let the American youth never forget that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils and sufferings and blood of their ancestors, and capable, if wisely improved and faithfully guarded, of transmitting to the latest posterity all the substantial blessings of life, the peaceful enjoyment of liberty, property, religion, and independence. The structure has been erected by architects of consummate skill and fidelity; its foundations are solid, its compartments are beautiful as well as useful, its arrangements are full of wisdom and order, and its defenses are impregnable from without. It has been reared for immortality, if the work …


Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 13, 2021

September 13th, 1951 was the birthday of President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan. — A Reminder:  I have put Elk Creek Company on another ordering hiatus, for the month of September, 2021. I’m now traveling, in part to gather more inventory. I plan to reactivate our shopping cart system on September 29th. (Mark your calendar.) Thanks for your patience. – JWR — Today we present another review written by our Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.


SIG-Sauer MPX Pistol, by Pat Cascio

This 9mm pistol, and it is a pistol, has been discontinued by SIG-Sauer for some reason…and they now have a shorter, smaller version called the Copperhead. I received an early version of the MPX for testing, and I’m just now getting around to finishing the article I started a few years back. Right now, there is a lot of confusion, caused by politics and the BATFE, over certain firearms. Until recently, the ATF has held that pistols, with an arm brace or wrist brace, is legal to own and use. But the BATFE, as always, just keeps changing the rules on …


Recipe of the Week: Chicken Boullion-Flavored Rice

The following recipe for Chicken Boullion-Flavored Rice is from SurvivalBlog Reader Carl W.. It is a tasty way to use some of your stored rice. The dried versions of the seasonings store well, so this would make a good TEOTWAWKI recipe. This recipe makes 4 to 5 servings. Ingredients 3 cups of white rice — This can be long grain, short grain, Jasmine, or Basmati. 2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon powder (or less, if using concentrated bouillon cubes.) 2 teaspoons of dried onion dices or powder (or 3 teaspoons if using fresh, finely chopped onion) 1/4 cup of dried parsley flakes (or closer to …


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 classic car sales. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Gold Bullion Bar Supply Crunch for US Mint. JWR’s Comment: If you want a real gauge of the genuine value of the flood of U.S Federal Reserve Notes (FRNs) and confidence in them, then just watch U.S. Mint sales. …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 12, 2021

Today is the birthday of Richard Jordan Gatling (September 12, 1818 – February 26, 1903). He was best known for his invention of the Gatling gun, the first successful machine gun. The design was later modernized to become the now-ubiquitous family of electric motor-operated miniguns, chain guns, and Vulcan cannons — ranging from 5.56mm up to 30mm. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 96 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 …