SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

UPS Further Clamps Down on Firearms Shipments. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“The United Parcel Service (UPS) has followed up its decision to enforce the new Biden administration rule on gun parts a month before it took effect with a new, restrictive firearms shipping policy that could prove troublesome to gunmakers and gun owners.

The new UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service indicates that only licensed dealers, importers, manufacturers, and collectors will be able to ship firearms products or parts via UPS.

“Packages containing firearms (as defined by Title 18, Chapter 44, and Title 26, Chapter 53 of the United States Code) and firearms parts that do not constitute firearms as defined by federal law (together, “Firearms Products”) are accepted for transportation only as a contractual service and only from Shippers who are licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors (as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code),” the terms read.”

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A new video from Montana-based commentator Matt Christiansen: Facebook Spied On and Sent Private ‘Election Denier’ Messages to the FBI | DOJ Whistleblowers Say.

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Dan wrote:

“I enjoyed thoroughly the article What’s in the rest of my bags and why by D.D. in Arizona.  It is usually informative to get an idea of how others are preparing. I do have advice on one of the items mentioned by D.D.: the climbing carabiner.

Mountain climbing equipment is not bad in a jam, but is usually not best-in-class. Climbers have died when their carabineer opened unexpectedly, or simply failed. My advice is to buy a carabiner designed and certified for fall protection. Fall protection equipment is designed to prevent a fall from a person working on top of the side of a structure.

There are different shapes and types, many with a spring-loaded lock which keeps the gate closed. Modern metallurgy has also afforded carabiners construction on lightweight, corrosion-resistant materials. If you plan to buy one carabiner, then buy one you can depend on for a few dollars more.”

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Reader D.S.V. spotted this: Covid Vaccine Destroys Natural Immunity, NEJM Study Shows.

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R.T. had these comments:

“There was some very good advice in A Vehicle to Help Adjust Your Thinking, by R.V. Many campers and RVers seek to mimic their use of water at home while camping. We have learned to practice our water usage at home from how we use water when camping. We also turn off the shower after soaping up and keep a bucket under the showerhead to flush the toilet with. We also use water from the dishpan and dehumidifier to flush the toilet. Being frugal with water isn’t about saving money on our water bill, it is about learning to do as well with less. Here are some more things we do for water frugality. When I brush my teeth I fill up a glass, swish the brush in it, brush teeth and swish it again in the cup after I use it to rinse. No running water for that task. We do not have a dishwasher nor want one. Steaming vegetables uses less water and energy than boiling water. We rarely wash the vehicles with the hose. Instead I use a garden sprayer and rinse them off with soapy water right before it begins to rain. I can do that with about 1-1/2 gallons for a car and a truck. In the winter the soapy solution ices up and falls off. It isn’t anywhere near as thorough as a car wash, but I don’t have to wait in line for 20 minutes to pay $6 to $10 and it does rinse off the whitish road salt. Besides that, the look on people’s faces as they drive by is worth it. Outside, we have rainfall collection primarily for the garden and have only watered the garden from tap water twice this year when our water collection was empty. As a side note, as to a comparison of our water frugality with those who aren’t so, when we have guests it is easy to measure the increased volume of water usage. It is roughly three to four times ours. When I take a shower the water runs for about 2-3 minutes, a guest will run it for 10-to-20 minutes.”

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At National ReviewUkraine Proves There’s No Substitute for Hard Power.

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Tunnel Rabbit had this suggestion:

“Here is a killer deal on a rifle scope, the Arken SH4 4×16-50, or SH4 6×24-50. Mine is in the mail. This will give me a second LR (long range) rife in 6.5×55. It costs just over $300 depending on the scope selected, if you get the accessories package, and use the discount code REX170.  If we buy the SH-4 6×24-50 Gen 2 scope for $325, and use the discount code REX170, we also get a $170 discount on a $194 accessories package that includes the rings, and everything else needed. This makes the scope a killer deal.

If you are uncertain about the quality, of this scope, view the many hours of reviews from different perspectives on YouTube. If the first scope proves to work good for you, suggest buying 1 or 2 more as spares, or install them on other rifles.
See the many reviews on YouTube, and in particular the highly qualified opinion of Tiborasurausrex,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K89ZjwJSJOs&t=553s
This is a rifle capable of MOA accuracy needed for long-range shots.  It costs only $300. https://mossbergarmory.com/mossberg-patriot-synthetic

The Arken scope in combination would make this a rifle a 1,200 meter rig if chambered in a 6.5 cartridge, or a 800 meters rig if chambered in .308 Winchester, and for all only $650.  This means one can afford to buy more ammo.”

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SaraSue sent this reply to a letter, wherein a reader suggested that she consider litigation:

“Yes, I agree, it was fraud (a bigger story behind that I did not share). I will no longer use or recommend the realtors I had because they were clueless, and when I brought the situation to their attention they didn’t know what to do, and one of them is a lawyer! What I decided to do, in that moment of having no water and a houseful of small children, is solve the problem permanently, immediately, pray, and call it a wash (no pun intended). It was a choice I made. Having a “high tech” background doesn’t mean I have in-depth knowledge of wells, cisterns, or water quality. I “trusted” people, especially the home inspection person. I could configure highly secure networks and systems, but had no clue about wells. Live and Learn. Thank you for your thoughts. It was one of my biggest, and costly, mistakes, in my home buying experiences. Sharing my mistakes, hopefully, helps others.”

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D.S.V. like this post:  How To Make A Kid’s Bug Out Bag.

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Ray D. wrote to mention this insightful video from The Patriot Nurse: You’re Watching It Happen: Desantis, The Feds and the Illegal Alien Showdown. JWR’s Comments: She is correct. Take special note of her final assertion: “You need control of this, one way or the other — the beans, bullets, and Band-Aids. Having preps in this area is as old as history itself. Because, the three ubiquitous factors in human history that are readily observable are: War, Famine, and Disease. And if you have got your basics covered with those three things then you are much better suited to ride out this next wave of history that is coming.”

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Reader B.D. wrote to ask:

“Reading the excellent article on the incoming brace amnesty something occurred to me and no one online has seemed to address it; would pistol chassis such as the Roni/micro Roni or recover 20/20 system be counted under the same restrictions? I had been considering the 20/20 system but may resort to one of the sling mounting options for Glocks to use the sling tension technique. But who’s to say that wouldn’t be considered a verbotten brace in the near future. Any information you have on this would be appreciated.”

JWR’s Reply: We won’t have much concrete information on the planned amnesty until it is formally announced. Apparently, it will incorporate the ATF’s vague and convoluted two-page arm brace Worksheet 4999. If that is the case, then I fear that the Micro Roni and similar braced pistol conversion would be included in the ban and amnesty. And for those, there is no easy workaround. It is sad to see that the ATF lured American gun owners down the garden path of braced pistols for nine years. They induced 3+ million people into buying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gear that they would later reclassify as felonious NFA violations. That is just plain evil.

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Video: “They Spy On Us Using This Chip” — Edward Snowden

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“Crazy Old Ferd” suggested this video: How control rooms across the US are using what3words.

Ferd says: “This takes the ‘search’ out of Search & Resue. Seems like all the prepping and risk-taking activities communities should be aware and using what3words, in my humble opinion.”

Please Send Us Your Snippets!

Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR. or AVL. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.