Category: Contest

Range Estimation and Windage with Mil Reticles – Part 1, by N.E.

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“Tossing a bit of dry grass in the air as he had done at countless high-power matches, T.K. judged the wind. He complained, ‘Darn, I wish I had a windage table for .50 Browning. I’ll just have to guesstimate.’ Getting ready for his first shot seemed to take forever. First, he made several adjustments to the bipod. Then he squirmed around trying to get into a comfortable prone position. He tried placing his cheek on the stock several times before he found a position that was both comfortable and provided a full field of view through the rifle’s ten-power Leupold …


My Preparedness Evolution, by Melody Channel

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I was six, and there was very little food in the house that night. I rummaged around in a cupboard and pulled out a nearly empty peanut butter jar, and using a table knife and my finger, I scraped out every bit of it and went to bed early. Being young, I don’t remember if this time lasted days or weeks, but the gnawing feeling of hunger made a profound impact, and from the roots of that childhood experience came the mindset for preparedness and survival. Everyone has a story, and this is mine. It is hoped that by sharing …


Thoughts on an Amish Auction and Preparedness, by 3AD Scout

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Previously, in my August, 2020 SurvivalBlog article titled Going Old School,  I discussed how when we prep by having a primary and back-up, I stated that one back-up should be old school or vintage to accommodate loss of electric and other technology in a prolonged (years) event. Practicing what I “preach” I sometimes attend Amish auctions for non-electric and off-grid equipment and supplies. Recently I spent a Saturday at an auction where the property of an Amish Wheel Wright and buggy maker was up for sale. My first observation was “English” (non-Amish) buyers were the minority. So, if you go …


Getting Started with Cloth Diapers – Part 2, by ADC

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Cloth Diapering when TSHTF It is important to remember that SHTF is a spectrum. The S is H-ing TF right now everywhere and H-ing extra hard in several places. I, for one, have broken the seal on my SHTF ammunition reserve. Yet, the electricity and the plumbing still work. We can continue diapering as normal, and don’t have to hope that the shelves aren’t stripped of diapers, and that the store hasn’t shut down because of the pandemic, and that rioters haven’t burned the store down. Detergent is the only diaper supply …


Getting Started with Cloth Diapers – Part 1, by ADC

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Introduction People who are interested in preparedness are naturally drawn to cloth diapering, because cloth diapers provide a degree of independence and resiliency that cannot be had with disposable diapers. Toilet paper shortages in the time of COVID have gotten a great deal of attention, but there have also been shortages of disposable diapers. Cloth diapers might even be the ideal prep: it is simple, affordable, and socially acceptable to choose to diaper your baby right now in the same way as you would have to diaper you baby post-TEOTWAWKI. The easier it is to practice a prep, the more …


Lessons from the Pandemic – Part 1, by Don and Patrice Lewis

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The year 2020 has been wacky, hasn’t it? When we celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2019, few of us anticipated what lay in store for the future. But that’s the nature of crises – they’re unexpected. Despite being immersed in the preparedness movement for many years, the coronavirus pandemic was something we didn’t see coming. Now everyone is coping with the fiscal aftermath of what might turn into another Great Depression. To paraphrase Thomas Paine, these are the days to try men’s souls. From a personal standpoint, our situation is additionally complicated because we’re in the process of selling our …


Hardening Your House, by R.R.

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Preparedness has gained a lot of attention and a whole new meaning in 2020. First, everyone got hit with the threat of infection. Next, a lot of supplies which some households stock regularly, while others buy as needed, went out of stock in the stores causing further panic. Next came civil unrest because folks could not seem to obey simple instructions and suddenly the bad guys became saints and poor victims, but I digress. Altogether, I have to be honest – I’m waiting now for a threat of a meteorite strike or an alien invasion! It seems that in 2020 …


Thoughts on Surviving Civil War, by 3AD Scout

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Author’s Introductory Note: I am not advocating for armed conflict; I am specifically writing this article to get people prepared for a different type of disaster than we normally have to be prepared for. I suspect that the majority of people just want to live their lives in peace but may be caught up in a civil conflict. This article is to help families be prepared should it occur. — Normally I am a very optimistic person, but we are not in normal times now, are we? As “Preppers”, “Survivalist”, “Homesteaders”, and others with a self-sufficient mindset, we strive to …


Physical Resilience for an Uncertain Future – Part 3, by A.D.

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(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) Putting it all together In this section I’d like to distill all the preceding information into what it might look like in terms of an actual week of fitness. I will also show what a couple weeks in succession could look like, to give you an idea of proper progression. I mentioned in the anaerobic section the analogy of your fitness attributes like the many sliding dials on a DJ’s sound mixing table. For the purposes of this example, let’s say this person is just starting out and has decided to prioritize …


Physical Resilience for an Uncertain Future – Part 2, by A.D.

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(Continued from Part 1.) Anaerobic (non-oxidative) Conditioning In the last 20 years with the popularity of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), CrossFit™, Bootcamps, and similar approaches, the anaerobic system has prominently been featured center stage in the world of exercise. While certainly meriting training and attention, this trend has in my opinion pushed the needle a little too far that direction. The Anaerobic system (comprised of many subsystems likely beyond the scope of the current audience’s interest, but if not resources will be listed!) is responsible for rapidly creating cellular energy to fuel high octane tasks. Throwing a baseball, lifting …


Physical Resilience for an Uncertain Future – Part 1, by A.D.

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Oftentimes, in the circles of the preparation-minded, the focus centers around guns, grub, and gear. Areas most certainly worthy of attention, but in my opinion, second place to the state of one’s health, fitness, and overall capital in the realm of physical resilience. An individual with the best-prepared resources in the realms of food, water, and security yet neglecting their fitness and health, whether consciously or not, is missing a key component of their preparation program. My personal definition of fitness is an ability to perform any desired labor or leisure task at any time, with physical competence, and recover …


Wargaming, by Pudge

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Editor’s Introductory Note:  This article was written by an active-duty Special Operations Forces officer. I’ve confirmed his bona fides. You may recall reading his article on SOP writing, which we posted in April of 2020. — I’ve been thinking about writing on the topic of Wargaming for quite some time but recent events really pushed me to get it done and hopefully pass on some sage advice. We are currently in some tumultuous times and it pays to be as prepared as possible. Now that you’ve got your perfect homestead all set up ready for the Schumer to hit the …


Be Ready For Infrastructure Collapse – Part 2, by J330

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) — I also want to leave you with one example of the scenario that I fear the most happening in my localized area. Let’s just say that there was a 7.0 or higher earthquake on the New Madrid Faultline. (I am in an adjacent state that would be affected, per the research by experts.) I ask readers to ponder the following situation: Powerlines are down in the majority of 3-4 states. Underground power lines could be disrupted. Substations could be damaged. Supposing that parts vendors have enough inventory ready to go, are …


Be Ready For Infrastructure Collapse – Part 1, by J330

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I feel a pressing need to share with you some things I have learned about the industry in which I am employed. I am very blessed to have grown up on a working farm in a close-knit rural community in the south. I come from a long line of vegetable gardeners, lunchroom ladies and short-order cooks, and the main order of business has always been to get food on the table and all that this entails. I still live on the same 100-acre property that I grew up on. We grow chickens, pigs, cattle, hay and vegetables. We have abundant …


Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced: Round 90

We’ve completed the judging for Round 90 of the bi-monthly SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. It was difficult to judge this particular round because there were so many great articles.  So many, in fact, that I wish that we had five available “top three” prize spots.  I’ve sufficed by awarding an unprecedented 13 Honorable Mention prizes. The Prize Winners fro Round 90 are: First Prize: First Prize is awarded to 2A Advocate, for his article Finishing an 80% AR Lower Receiver. It was posted in three parts on September 18-19-20, 2020. Links: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. The photovoltaic …