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.

Navy warship commander relieved of duty after viral photo gaffe. JWR’s Comment:  The long delay in relieving him seems odd.  It would have been less embarrassing to our Senior Service if they’d done so, immediately.

o  o  o

8-Year-Old Skillfully Drives Tractors and Helps With Farm Chores, Says He’s Going to Take Over the Family Farm.

o  o  o

Reader J.R.G. wrote:

“I am very much enjoying Tunnel Rabbit’s thoughts on hunting – foraging during desperate times.  Good practical advice that people who live in rural areas would be well advised to read and consider.  Hunting skill and patience required to be successful, as well as recognizing the presence of game sign to avoid barren areas.

The .410 has been considered a novelty – toy fit for either expert wing shooters or young kids who aren’t old enough to use a ‘real shotgun’.  The small shot load is a hindrance when shooting at moving targets.  But when the game is stationary or perched, a completely different situation altogether.  The small amount of shot will do much less damage to the meat collected.  ‘Pot Shots’ are more productive and for this situation, the .410 is well suited.  The single shot long barreled .410 is relatively quiet – my Yildiz TK-36 .410 has a 28” long barrel and conveniently folds nearly in half so can be carried in pack or folding chair bag much easier.  The real ‘bug’ in .410 is the cost of factory ammunition.  If there is a cartridge destined for reloading, the .410 is a candidate for it.  Those old now sadly discontinued Savage 24s are great tools for this purpose.

Barrel sleeve inserts add to versatility but recognize the weight gain having the shotgun bore filled with steel sleeve.  My MCA Sports Ace Dube 18” long .30-30 Winchester for a 20 gauge barrel weighs approximately 1-¼ pounds.  This weight definitely adds to a steadying effect when shooting offhand.  Slow to reload, so making that shot count is much more critical.

Air rifles, particularly spring piston break barrels are great for areas more near suburbia.  Very productive for small vermin control, especially around places that can be damaged with powder-burning firearms.  Fewer restriction because of non-powder-burning (but definitely check all firearm laws before using, as some states prohibit game animals being harvested via powder-burning firearms).”

o  o  o

“Tunnel Rabbit may wish to review the following statement in today’s article:

‘The .410 2-1/2 inch standard shell is noticeably on the light side, but good enough for small birds, and squirrels out in the open. I used the .22 LR to shoot pheasant. And .410 slugs would be good enough on deer at close range well under 50 yards and it could also handle .45 Long Colt, but the smooth bore will not stabilize this round, so slugs and 00 buck are the only viable choices.’
If I understand correctly, the .410 bore is 0.410-0.415 inches without a choke, while the .45 Colt shoots a .452 diameter bullet. It is possible to shoot a .410 in a dual-chambered .45 Colt, but the wad will need to fill an extra ~.042″ nominal gap, or 0.021 per side, which is within reason.
What I have done in a Cylinder Bore .410 smoothbore, is push a .358 LSWC into a birdshot wad on top of 12 grains of 2400 powder. (Black powder could also be used.) It is functionally accurate out to 50 feet, in my experience. Not great, but a cheap expedient slug. Certainly better than nothing. They do keyhole, so terminal sectional density isn’t necessarily a lot better than a foster slug. However, it isn’t as likely to fall apart.”

o  o  o

South Dakota Ranchers Battle the US Forest Service.

o  o  o

A new book by a fellow prepping blogger Jennifer Rader, titled: “Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Cafe, Volume 2, Condiments, Sauces, Seasonings, and Other Homemade Essentials Using Food Storage” is now available on Amazon.com.

o  o  o

Innovative drone drops molten thermite on hidden positions in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

o  o  o

Reader T.S. wrote:

“I read Tom’s review of the Big Idea bolt action pen, and wanted to pass along my recommendation for the Karas Pen Company’s Bolt V2. I bought one five years ago, and it’s my favorite writing tool, by far. It’s a conversation starter–everyone wants to hold it and play with the bolt. As a bonus, it’s slightly less expensive than the Big Idea, but actually made in the USA  — in Mesa, Arizona.”

o  o  o

Popular Conservatives Allegedly Tricked Into $10M Russian Influence Campaign: DOJ.

o  o  o

Reader M.D. suggested this video: Extract Broken bolts from deep holes, new easy way.

o  o  o

Freedom speech is dead, in Europe: German Podcasters Might Face Prison or €250,000 Fine for Misgendering Trans Activist.

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.