Letter Re: Advice on Long Term Ammunition Storage Techniques

Sir, Could you address storing ammo? Regarding ammo cans, vacuum sealing, and what that actually accomplishes? Also would 02 absorbers or silica gel be in any way useful? I’m currently using vacuum pack on my surplus after I inspect them and remove any surface dirt/corrosion,then into ammo cans for storage. I also like the idea of vacuum packing small amounts, any thoughts on that? Thanks, – SP JWR Replies: Be sure to buy military ammo cans with rust-free interiors and seals that are still soft and free of any cracks. This will provide an essentially air tight seal. Adding a …


Letter Re: Lack of Large Animal Vets Even in Rural Areas–Be Prepared to Do It Yourself

James and Memsahib, In reference to LL’s letter posted yesterday, you and the Memsahib are right on target again. My wife, a licensed Vet, says that a recurring theme at Veterinarian Continuing Education Conferences is the call for more Vets to consider specializing in large animal care. At a recent meeting she spoke up giving several reasons why it doesn’t pay to treat large animals, and others agreed with her. For many Vets treating large animals there’s little money to be earned. The travel time between billable calls in a rural area, the difficulty some owners have locating their sick …


Odds ‘n Sods:

It is important to keep track of solar flares, especially for those of us interested in amateur radio. (Sun spot activity dramatically affects radio propagation.) It is also a lot of fun to get a glimpse of auroral displays. One site that we have found useful is AuroraChasers.com. They offer a free e-mail alert service.    o o o Michael Z. Williamson found a site with lots of useful information on 12 Volt DC power systems.    o o o A reader in Pebble Beach, California is a part-time FFL that recently got “stuck” with 2,000 rounds of Black Hills …



Letter Re: Lack of Large Animal Vets Even in Rural Areas–Be Prepared to Do It Yourself

Dear Mr. Rawles, We are presently in the middle of lambing season here. The day following our shearing, one of our ewes looked quite ill. She was glassy eyed, was shaking, and unsteady on her feet. A quick consultation with our Merck Veterinary Manual made me think that it was likely milk fever. Merck said the stress of shearing and delayed feeding is a trigger. Death could result in as quickly as 6 hours without treatment. Therapy recommended was an injection of calcium. It was then I discovered that the availability of large animal vets does not go hand in …


Three Letters Re: Use of Force in Retreat Security–Planning for Rules of Engagement

Note from JWR: The discussion of use of force in retreat security (and “Less Than Lethal” means) has elicited large number of e-mails from readers. For the sake of brevity, and since so many letters covered the same ground, the following are just three of them. The first of these is from “FerFAL”. He is SurvivalBlog’s volunteer correspondent in Argentina.   Hi James, I’m glad to see that you are advising people to have non lethal weapons [in addition to guns] and (when the situation allows it) deterrent approaches when dealing with trespassers. Some situations require immediate lethal action, but …


Letter Re: Choosing a State for Relocation

Dear Jim, I found this article on the safest states to live in, based on major crime rates. Compare that to this article from “Parents” magazine, who[‘s author] seems to rate states by the number of socialist laws they have. This is the [same] magazine whose solution to children fearing fire, after seeing the attacks of Sep 11 [2001], was “therapy.” I used the expedient of starting a small brush pile out back, dousing it with an extinguisher, and leaving a new extinguisher in their room. $30 is a lot cheaper and less stigmatizing than “therapy,” and had the practical …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Reader “LG” sent us this: Fed’s rescue halted a derivatives Chernobyl. JWR’s comment: I think “delayed” would have been a more accurate word than “prevented”, for the headline    o o o KAF flagged this Reuters article: Cities grapple with surge in abandoned homes    o o o RBS found a piece that is probably already “old news” to most SurvivalBlog readers: Cell Phones–FBI Can Listen In, Even When Phone is Turned Off    o o o Bee plague worsening, anxious keepers say


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“[Recognition of] Peak Oil will never catch on in any major way, at least no more than the folks in the Tower of Babel economy ever caught on to the big flaw in their economic model. We’ve got 50 years invested in suburban buildout economy, 150 years invested in industrial living, and 500 years invested in the age of expansion to come to understand just what this means for us, at least in the aggregate.” – Matt Savinar, Editor of Life After The Oil Crash (LATOC)


Note from JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 15 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 15 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.


My Seven Favorite North American Edible Wild Plants, by Paul C.

In light of the impending economic and social crisis, a knowledge of edible wild plants is essential. I have included a list of seven easily recognized plants in this discussion, but keep in mind there are hundreds of edible species. These seven are common throughout much of North America. When foraging, one must remember that if you need a field guide to identify a plant, you are not ready to eat that plant. However, field guides with color photographs are necessary for anyone interested in this activity. In my opinion, the best field guide on the market today is The …


Letter Re: Deep Family Roots Versus “Ideal Location” When Considering Relocation

Good Evening, I’ve recently become a reader of your web site – thank you for the excellent resource. Having read through your information on Recommended Retreat Areas, I have an additional question or two. My husband, kids and I currently live in Utah. He has family here, within an hour drive. We also live in a heavily populated area, right on the Wasatch Fault. That is worrisome. My mother, many cousins and close friends live in rural coastal North Carolina. My mom lives alone and is aging. We have thought ahead to the possibility of needing to care for her. …


Two Letters Re: Some Offshore Retreat Considerations, by P. Traveler

James, I see a lot of letters concerning ‘re-locating’ out of the U.S. What are these people thinking? If there is one country that still has a modicum of privacy, freedom, and the ability to ‘disappear’ into the wilderness, then it is here in the U.S. Where in the world can you own the variety and quantity of firearms than here? [Where else can you] stockpile food, go off the grid et cetera? The legal system is still intact here as well, so you can win in court under most circumstances. I just cant figure Americans willing to give up …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SF in Hawaii mentioned Wisemen Trading and Supply. Check out the “Picklemeister”, near the bottom of their crocks product page.    o o o Tonight’s season finale episode of the Jericho television series (Tuesday, March 25, 2008), titled “Patriots and Tyrants” looks like it will be good. The five minute teaser for the finale (on the CBS web site) shows a pro-Second Amendment message hat is most unusual for a network television show. No wonder that the show is now rumored to be doomed to cancellation. OBTW, all of the first and second seasons are now available for online viewing. …