Month: September 2023

Grab-and-Go Rifle and Pistol Kits for Impromptu Visitors – Part 2, by S4H

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Provide for the Common Defense We are not extremely wealthy, but over the last several years I have made sure to invest in tangibles including two AN/PVS-14 night vision sets and a few extra firearms with all the fixin’s. My wonderful wife has graciously and intentionally never asked me to quantify “extra firearms” and for that I am thankful! Some of my enhanced armory has come from SurvivalBlog affiliate Palmetto State Armory (PSA) and I frequently select my ‘build-a-bang-stick’ materials from that great company. Having “spare” firearms is a calculated and purposeful …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: 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. — Federal judge again strikes down California law banning high-capacity gun magazines. JWR’s Comments:  Sadly, this decision includes a one-week stay, so there probably won’t be a repeat of “Magazine Freedom Week”.  There will surely be an appeal filed by California, within a few days. This case has dragged on for nearly five …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Let us assume that, for whatever reason, you have decided to begin making reasonable and prudent arrangements so that if you choose to, or if circumstances make it necessary, you can live self-sufficiently, relying completely for your survival upon yourself, whatever inner strength you are in touch with, your natural environment and your skills. Your first consideration will probably be finding a safe place — a personal haven. Obviously, the location you choose should afford an environment which is not hostile to life; the climate should provide a reasonably long growing season and not be excessively demanding on you physically. …


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 26, 2023

On September 26, 1962, the television series The Beverly Hillbillies debuted on CBS, becoming one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s. — On September 26, 1820, American frontiersman and hero Daniel Boone died in St. Charles, Missouri. — And, on September 26, 1580, after nearly three years at sea, English Admiral Francis Drake arrived in Plymouth Harbour, England, completing his circumnavigation of the world. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are …


Grab-and-Go Rifle and Pistol Kits for Impromptu Visitors – Part 1, by S4H

Disclaimer: In this article, situations are discussed regarding loaning firearms to friends or relatives for mutual aid and defense of our families and properties. Clearly, one should not allow a mentally ill criminal type touch your guns, but my family doesn’t associate with those types of people anyway. That said, you are responsible for knowing the oppressive laws and unrealistic regulations in your own area – before handing a firearm to anyone. It may indeed be a felony to even let someone else touch or handle a firearm without expressed government approval. I am not a lawyer (because I have …


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 lower mule deer numbers in Wyoming. (See the Wyoming section.) Idaho Judge reserves decision on cameras in courtroom for Bryan Kohberger trial. o  o  o Mother and father of six Rexburg children die of cancer within nine months of each other. o  …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 25, 2023

On September 25th, 1777, Philadelphia, then the American capital, was occupied by British forces during the American Revolution. — On September 25th, 1789, the first Congress of the United States approved 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution and sent them to the states for ratification. — Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog staff Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.


Showers Pass Crosspoint Waterproof Knit Gloves, by Thomas Christianson

Late last fall, I tested a pair of Showers Pass Crosspoint Wool-Blend Waterproof Knit Gloves. As the cool of autumn darkened into the cold of winter, I had the opportunity to test the gloves under a variety of weather conditions. I found the gloves to be ideal for cool, wet weather wear since they were able to keep my hands warm and dry even in chilly, driving rainstorms. They are now my go-to gloves for wet weather wear. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $50. At the time of this writing, they were on sale for $36.40 from www.showerspass.com. That …


Recipe of the Week:  Winter Squash Soup

The following recipe for Winter Squash Soup is from SurvivalBlog reader R.I.S..  It is best made with Butternut Squash. Ingredients 5 medium leeks (white part only), sliced 2 tablespoons butter 4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash 4 cups chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1-3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup sour cream 1 green onion, thinly sliced Directions In a large saucepan, saute leeks in butter until tender. Stir in the squash, broth, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is tender, 10-15 minutes. Cool slightly. In a blender, …


Governments Start Calling For Price Controls – Rationing And CBDCs Come Next, by Brandon Smith

Editor’s Introductory Note:  In place of our usual Monday column on Economics and Investing news items, we are re-posting, with permission, this insightful piece by Brandon Smith.  Both his Alt-Market.us site and his premium newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch are highly recommended. – JWR — Last month in the middle of the surreal “Bidenomics” hype I published an article titled ‘Nothing Is Over: Inflation Is About To Come Back With A Vengeance.’  I outlined the misconceptions surrounding CPI and how it is not an accurate model for the effects of inflation.  I also noted that the index had been manipulated …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 24, 2023

September 24, 2015: According to Saudi officials, 769 people died in a stampede during the hajj to Mecca; however, other estimates claim that more than 2,400 were killed, making it one of the deadliest accidents in the pilgrimage’s history. On September 24, 1869, plummeting gold prices led to a panic known as Black Friday, when U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, after learning of an attempt by Jay Gould and James Fisk to drive up the gold market, ordered $4 million of government gold to be sold on the market. In 1493, Columbus set sail with 17 ships on his second …


A Silver Conversion Exercise, by M.J.

As an intellectual exercise, I converted the price of some of my recent purchases from U.S. dollars to ounces of silver. I did this out of curiosity to see how well I would do in a precious metals-based economy. I used the spot price of silver per ounce that was quoted at www.apmex.com on 09-16-2023: $23.31. The other spot prices for that day are as follows: Gold: $1,937.50 per ounce Platinum: $945.70 per ounce Palladium: $1,286.00 per ounce Here’s what I bought:1 gallon of 30% vinegar: $21.07, or 0.90 ounces of silver. (Regular grocery store vinegar is 5% and costs …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Why is it That We Have No Footage of Jeffrey Epstein’s Lighted “Suicide Watch” Jail Cell… But We Do Have Footage of Rep. Lauren Boebert in a Dimly-Lit Theater? News Link: Lauren Boebert kicked out of a ‘Beetlejuice’ show in Denver. Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provide that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.