A Widow’s View of Preparedness, by Catherine T.

I am a widow of over three years whose youngest son was serving our country in the Middle East when my husband’s death happened.  My husband lost his job and was forced into early retirement before his death.  I will not go into the details of all the turmoil then and of having a child home with injuries of war.  In a SHTF situation there will be many people with war injuries in our own neighborhoods.  My other children and I are so glad he is still alive.  My income dropped further not long after this.   It was the end …


Letter Re: The Case for Stockpiling Gauze

Dear Mr. Rawles, I was recently treated for an abscess in my foot and was reminded of the importance of stockpiling large amounts of everything, gauze in particular. The good news is that a nasty staph infection is treatable in a TEOTWAWKI situation. The bad news is that you need to have antibiotics and gauze, and lots of it. A few weeks ago I went to see my doctor after developing a large and painful abscess that didn’t look like pimples I’ve experienced before. It was deep under the skin, large and painful, so I thought it should be checked …


Letter Re: My Travails in Buying Rifles, Magazines, and Ammo

Mr. Rawles, I wanted to write to you about my recent experience with the US shortage of semi-automatic rifles, full-capacity magazines, and .223 ammo.   I am relatively new prepper.  So far, we’ve got the bug-out bags, the bug-out bins, the emergency plans, the food and water, some other stuff, and a start on guns and ammo.  As of last week, I had my 9mm Glock, a 12 gauge Remington 870 shotgun, various pellet guns (and ~2500 rounds of various ammo).  I had been thinking of my next gun purchase, and leaning toward the Ruger 10/22 takedown model.  That would have gotten me …


Economics and Investing:

Reader “Swampfox” recommended a lecture by hedge fund manager (and fellow nickel coin hoarder) Kyle Bass. We Are Witnessing The Death Of Small Business In America The Real Reasons the Fed Announced QE 4 Demand For Gold “Combiners” Soaring Items from the Economatrix: The Last Christmas In America? New York Stock Exchange Sold To Derivatives Company In $8 Billion Takeover Jobless Claims Fall:  A Bright Spot In The Fiscal Cliff Gloom IMF Chief Warns US On Worldwide Effects Of Fiscal Cliff


Odds ‘n Sods:

One more reason to flee the over-populous eastern seaboard Nanny States: Outrageous… Lib NY Paper Publishes Names & Addresses of Legal Gun Permit Holders    o o o 10 Best Personal Defense Stories of 2012    o o o Gregg suggested: The Crude Homemade Guns Of The Chechen Army    o o o Matt B. recommended: Christianophobia    o o o Antique Firearms is liquidating all their inventory. SurvivalBlog readers can use coupon code SURVIVAL for 20% off. All offers are considered. The Federal exemption for no paperwork pre-1899 guns may become a thing of the past, with upcoming legislation. …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


Observations on Bugging Out By Foot, by J. Smith

I simulated bug-outs on foot in a variety of environments in order to test gear, test myself, and to learn from that single best teacher: experience. I walked with various loads, pack configurations, and equipment through stretches of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. I walked on every type of road imaginable, from the shoulder of bustling interstates to rural roads with a stripe of grass growing in the middle. I walked on railroad tracks, by rivers, in desert, mountains, forests, prairies, and more. In more than a month, I walked around 200 miles while testing various …


Two Letters Re: Dealing with a Genuine Pain in the Rear

Thank you for your wonderful service,  and Merry Christmas! On the subject of Hemorrhoids, my favored,and very effective,  treatment for this problem is tincture of witch-hazel (Hamamelis  Virginiana) It grows plentifully in damp woods in central Appalachians—maybe elsewhere, I simply cut a bunch of the small twigs, stuff them in a jar, and add alcohol. I prefer drinking-grade ethanol, as it is the least toxic of the alcohols. After a couple of days steeping, I begin using it by soaking a small pad of toilet paper or cotton , and pressing it to the affected area a couple of times …


Letter Re: A Nation of Glass

James, I had the same problem that Matt in the Evergreen State did with my doors.  I inherited a house from my family here in The Tar Heel State and after my recent marriage, my wife and I decided to make it our home for a few years.  It was a typical warbaby house, built in the 1940s and remodeled a time or two.  It has a mix of plaster/paneling/drywall walls, a handful of fireplaces, and lots and lots of glass windows and doors.  In fact, when I moved in all someone would have to do to take a stroll …


News From The American Redoubt:

Pro-liberty, survivalist community of thousands planned for North Idaho. (Thanks to reader B.F. for the link.)    o o o The Bakken Oil Boom: Moving “Back Home” to Montana?    o o o The Fastest-Growing States in America (and Why They’re Booming)    o o o Police: US Sen. Crapo arrested, charged with DUI    o o o The scope offerings from Night Force Optics (in Orofino, Idaho–deep in the Redoubt), just get better and better.



Odds ‘n Sods:

What Does It Mean to “Prepare for the Economic Collapse”?    o o o Space Fence program moving forward    o o o Legally Make Your Own Gun.    o o o T.M. recommended AirWaterice.com as a supplier of reverse osmosis systems.  T.M. notes: “The unit is easy to assemble and top quality.  This is small American company, I would like to support the owner.  I do not have any financial ties to him.”


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Have I then no work to work in this great matter of my pardon? None. What work canst thou work? What work of thine can buy forgiveness or make thee fit for the Divine favour? What work has God bidden thee work in order to obtain salvation? None. His Word is very plain and easy to be understood, ‘To him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.’ (Rom. 4:5). There is but one work by which a man can be saved. That work is not thine, but the work of …


Notes from JWR:

As we celebrate Christmas, I wish all SurvivalBlog readers the joy of the knowledge of Salvation and eternal life, through Christ. May the love of Christ Jesus be with you all! — SurvivalBlog’s once lengthy queue for Recipes of the Week is running low! Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!