Letter Re: Hunting and Trapping Hazards

Mr. Rawles: All the talk about snares and traps and hunting… You’d better inform people about the proper precautions concerning RABIES in wild game. – Tamara JWR Replies: Yes, you are right. There are risks involved with hunting and trapping. But there are also risks involved with walking down a city street, or buying potato salad at your local delicatessen, or picking berries in bear country. As with anything else in life you need to weigh cost/benefit ratios, and learn to take appropriate precautions. Here are some basic precautions about hunting, trapping, and handling raw meat:  Always wash your hands …


Reader’s Book Recommendation: “Wilderness Medicine” by Auerbach

This book is full of ideas and know how on wilderness survival/medicine. I would like to share my find with others. It is called “Wilderness Medicine”(4th edition.) It was written by Paul S. Auerbach, M.D. and is essentially a text book about 1500 pages. Its somewhat spendy but worth it. I have provided a link if you are interested. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0323009506/002-0312643-5760820?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance . Thanks for your book (Patriots) and the great web site. – Josh


Letter Re: .40 S&W to 9mm Conversion Barrel for a Glock Model 23?

Hello, Well I thought I would write a quick note concerning the shooting of  9mm [Parabellum] in a Glock 23 after you’ve changed the barrel. Some say that it will work most of the time. Why would you ever do something to a firearm which only works most of the time? It is not only very stupid it is also unsafe, one of the reasons being the different ejectors between a 9mm and a 40 S&W. I for one know that the time I needed the firearm the most it would not work. Please, if you want to shoot a …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Jed: “Pearl, What d’ya think? Think I oughta move?” Cousin Pearl: “Jed, how can ya even ask? Look around ya. Yer eight miles from yer nearest neighbor. Yor overrun with skunks, possums, coyotes, bobcats. Ya use kerosene lamps fer light and ya cook on a wood stove summer and winter. Yer drinkin’ homemade moonshine and washin’ with homemade lye soap. And you ask, ‘Should I move?’” Jed: “I reckon yor right. A man’d be a dang fool to leave all this!” – Buddy Ebsen and Bea Benaderet, in The Beverly Hillbillies



From Gary Bourland in Iraq–Regarding Veteran’s Day

Note from JWR: The following Armistice Day piece comes to us from USMC Captain Gary Bourland, who is one of my regular www.AnySoldier.com contacts. He is stationed near Fallujah, Iraq. OBTW, if you don’t already send letters and cards through the AnySoldier.com’s web page contact list, I highly recommend it. Just one word of warning: It is habit forming. Blog Readers: Although many of you already display your strong support for the military, this year, stop for just a couple minutes and really think what Veterans day is about. Think about the families that were affected and the lives it …


Letter Re: Aviation Gasoline (100LL) and JP4 as Alternative Fuels

Jim: It should be pointed out that AVGAS should NEVER be used in a car or truck engine or for that matter anything powered by similar engines. This fuel will destroy an automobile engine in short order. Will also clog the catalytic converter as your other writer stated. I only recommend getting Jet-A [JP4–to be used in lieu of water clear kerosene] from an airport, not 100LL [100 octane leaded "avgas"]. Get yourself a battery operated pump or hand pump for this purpose and allow a stand off of at least 4 to six inches [distancing the pump drawing inlet …


Letter Re: Leadership in Survivalist Circles

I’ve been looking for a U.S. Survival site to take the lead and looks like you are it. John has done a great job with http://www.aussurvivalist.com and Jim Benson keeps the torch of the original ASG thinking alive with http://www.modernsurvival.net, otherwise Yahoo groups has been the best place to hang out – but now this is this site and I wish you all the best. Love what I see so far. The “Survivalist” movement is going to make a comeback in the next 4-to-6 years IMHO, and it looks like you are going to be a real leader in that. …


Letter Re: How Vulnerable are Alternative Energy Systems to EMP?

Jim: As usual, excellent comments about [making] a clean cut from the grid. As for me, I am fully self contained in the country with a Trace Inverter/Charger in a Genverter setup. My day to day electricity is from a dual fuel generator which is powered by propane stored in six 1000 gallon surplus tanks. I also have a windmill, windmill tower and solar cells pre wired. HOWEVER, the windmill and solar cells are stored in a well grounded CONEX. ( and BTW the windmill is heavy as he*l on the alternator end and takes a heavy gin pole to …


Letter Re: E85 Ethanol Compatibility and the EMP Protection Quandary

James: My 1988 Ford F-250 pickup runs fine on a 50/50 mixture of E85 and regular gasoline. I can run E85, but it will not start using just E85, it just won’t fire. – CRZ JWR Replies:  The only vehicles that seem to do very well running the E85 ethanol blend are those that have been specifically designed for it. This is because they include an electronic sensor to detect the relative flash point of  the fuel.  This adjusts the fuel/air mixture “on the fly”, even if you pump your tank full of regular unleaded gasoline, or all E85, or …



You are “Not” a Survivalist? — by “Buckshot”

A friend once told me back in the late 1990s: “I am not a survivalist.” I replied, “Oh really? Why do you get up every morning and go to work?  Because you love working here so much?” He answered: “No, I come to work to feed and shelter my family.” I then quipped; “Oh, so in order to survive you work, so you are a survivalist too.” He cracked a smile and said that I had a good point! By the same token you have house, life, car and health insurance, right? Why? Do you plan on having your car …


Poll Results –What are the Best Items to Store for Barter and Charity?

Here is another suggested barter/charity item list.  Keep them coming! Mr. Rawles: My barter "box" contains the following: Toothbrushes Travel size toothpaste Travel size soap and shampoo (hotel size) Matches and lighters Aspirin Coffee Salt Band aids Razors (disposable kind) Dish soap Sewing supplies (needles, thread, buttons) – K. in FL


Letter Re: A Source for Storage Barrels

Mr. Rawles–just wanted to drop a quick note about storage barrels. We live down the road from a juice factory and they would probably give the barrels away if they had to. Last time I bought a couple, the steel barrels were a buck (with lids and compression rings…the steel barrels were also lined) and the plastic ones were five dollars. Don’t know how many juice factories are out there, but it sure beats paying the high prices the “survival food” companies charge for the same barrels. I’m sure there are other good sources for cheap food grade barrels, too.  …


Letter Re: State Boundaries (Expanding on “The State Line Game”)

Hi Jim, Your comments on building a house straddling a state line brought me back to my Navy days in Pensacola, Florida. It may be difficult to build across a state line but not impossible. There is a bar that straddles the state line between Florida and Alabama called – of course – The Floribama. As I recall it, there was a different last call time on opposite sides of the bar as the two states had different alcohol serving times. In any case, if it can be done with a commercial establishment (particularly a bar!) it can be done …