Category: Investing/Barter

Letter Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm

If the next few years go the way some are expecting, and the country moves in the direction of an authoritarian socialist state, the gray man will do some things his friends may not expect nor initially agree with: The gray man will put a pro-government bumper sticker on his vehicle, in contrast with the beliefs in his heart. The gray man will smile when the police come to his door to collect his firearms. He’ll happily hand over his registered weapons at the door and thank the officers for their work, while his cache of unregistered weapons is safely …


Preparing for Another Battle Rifle Ban, by Michael Z. Williamson

As many people will remember from the last “Assault Weapons” Ban (AWB) [in the US, which was effective from September, 1994 to September, 2004] there was a time window before the law took effect. Once it took effect, however, pre-ban purchased receivers could not legally be built into “assault weapons” unless they were in AW “format” before the ban took effect. So what does one do to get around this? It’s a rather silly technicality, but so are a lot of other legal issues. In this case, your stockpiled receivers need to be in AW “format” before any ban takes …


Letter Re: Advice on Grungy Military Surplus Magazines

I took your advice and ordered some FN-FAL magazines from What-A-Country, and they were promptly delivered. However, I was surprised to find that the military surplus magazines were quite dirty with what appeared to be black sand, and slightly oily. Is that common for used magazines? As a first time battle rifle owner making my first military surplus purchase. I don’t know if this is common practice or not. If it is, what is the best way to properly clean the magazines so they can be used? Any advice or a link to a web site with additional information would …


Letter Re: Safety Note on Modifying Military FMJ Bullets

The article linked at “Box O’ Truth Tests Elmer Keith-style DumDum Bullets” contains a very dangerous statement: “5. Cutting the end off a rifle Ball [full metal jacket (FMJ)] cartridge projectile will definitely make the bullet expand or break up…” DO NOT DO THIS! By cutting off the tip off of a full metal jacket (ball) round you have in effect created a pinched copper tube, open on both ends, filled with a plug of lead. Upon firing, it is possible to blow out the lead plug, leaving the tube (jacket) lodged in the barrel. When the next round is …


Letter Re: Soft Nose Loads for Battle Rifles

Jim, I’ve only been reading your blog for a short time, but I find it both interesting and informative. Having been a hunter for the last 56 of my 64 years, I do wonder why anyone who plans on getting out of Dodge and heading for the woods would want a battle rifle with ball ammo when we won’t be bound by anything like the Hague Convention as to the ammo we use. Seems to me, that soft points would be a better choice and if the SHTF. My M1A will be traveling with me and will be loaded with …


Two Letters Re: What Are the Best Magazines for Investment?

Jim Here’s my feeling on what pistol mags to obtain. Obviously, if you have a high capacity handgun, it behooves you to have at least ten mags for it. I actually have 30 Glock Model 19 mags since I already have one and contemplate picking up another that a friend wishes to sell. I’m also trying to pick up Glock 17 mags, even though they stick out the bottom of my G19. I really want a Glock 34 long slide 9mm, and figure that the only way I may be able to get mags for it down the road is …


Letter Re: What Are the Best Magazines for Investment?

Dear JWR: I took your wise advice posted in the blog back in October and stocked up on magazines for all my guns. I ‘ve even bought some mags [for other guns] that I just plan to buy, such as M14 magazines for my eventual super match M1A buy. But what I’m thinking is, I should also do is by even more magazines just “on spec”, knowing that with Obama coming in[to office, that] a ban of some sort is more likely that not. What types/model high capacity magazines would be best to invest in, for the most possible gain? …


Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Mosin Nagant Rifles

Jim, At the risk of pestering you, I was curious about your opinion of Mosin Nagant rifles. I have seen them advertised on J&G Sales for anywhere from $69 to $199, with folding bayonets. The advertised condition is “very good”. What do you think? It appears that there is pretty widespread availability of 7.62x54r ammo for this weapon as well. Thanks, – MAJ Kevin X., USAR Kevin: Here is brief response. (I get 60+ e-mails per day, so forgive my brevity): I do like the Finn M39 Mosin rifles –some of which are available on pre-1899 antique actions–but the little …


A 1911 Dinosaur Turns Over a New Leaf — Switching to XD Polymer Frame Pistols

I have been shooting M1911 steel-framed Colt .45 ACPs for more than 35 years, and up until now, I’ve always considered myself a M1911 die-hard. But through those years, I’ve seen the price of Colt pistols and spare parts radically escalate. My first M1911-series pistol was a slightly-used Colt Commander that I bought in 1981 at a San Jose, California gun show, for $160. (In those days, you could pay cash for a pistol from a fellow private party, and walk out the door with it, sans any paperwork. Sadly, things have changed in California–and that was one of the …


Letter Re: Flash Hiders for Bolt Action Rifles

Mr. Rawles, In your novel [“Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”], you mentioned having bolt action rifles fitted with flash-hiders., to kinda “tacticalize” a civilian rifle. What type of flash hider do you recommend, these days? My gunsmith (locally) says that he can thread the muzzles on my two bolt guns to 1/2 x28 threads. But all of the flash hiders with that thread that I’ve seen advertised are for 5.56/.22 bullets. Solutions? Thanks Much, – Marty in Rhode Island JWR Replies: Previously, I used drilled out Vortex flash-hiders, to provide .308 bullet clearance. But I now recommend the Hurricane flash-hider, …


Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Storing Guns and Magazines

Mr. Rawles, I have taken your good advice and purchase a few rifles and a number of full capacity magazines as an investment,. Now how do I store them for the long term? Should I spray them with something first? Please continue to help. – James B. (a “Ten Cent Challenge” participant) JWR Replies: The precautions that you need to take depend a lot on where you live. If you live in a high humidity climate, then you need to be particularly vigilant with your guns, magazines, and other tools. In essence: the higher the humidity, the greater the degree …


Letter Re: Determining the Best Pistol Ammo to Store for Barter

Mr. Rawles; The Old Yooper’s statistics on range brass may be somewhat skewed in favor of automatic pistol cartridges because revolvers do not [involuntarily] eject spent rounds. Few cops are ‘gun guys’ but anyone who reloads saves their brass. This is easier to do if you don’t have to chase them, so a higher percentage of auto pistol cartridges are left behind. This having been said, I don’t think anyone will go far wrong stockpiling 9mm, . 40 S&W, and .45 ACP–both live rounds and spent brass. The pocket pistol cartridges are less attractive to reloaders, but I would not …


Letter Re: Determining the Best Pistol Ammo to Store for Barter

With an economic depression looming just in front of the world and post-Peak Oil price shocks on it’s heals (according to Mat Simmons peak oil is history, it happened in May 2005, check his web site out) it would be good to have something for barter better then that green toilet paper we haul around for the same purpose. I think firearms ammunition would be an ideal selection. It is relatively compact, portable and usable. But what calibers to stock pile. Up until the commodity boom hit I was buying fired brass cases by the pound from a shooting range …


Letter Re: Should We Currently Emphasize Storage Food or Gun Purchases?

Hello Jim, I’ve finished reading your fine novel “Patriots” several weeks ago, and have passed it on to another like-minded individual. I’ve also been scouring your web site daily for the last several months, and gleaning extremely valuable information not only from you, but the many fine individuals who add excellent links to current events. I have forwarded your link to others, and have it saved as “required reading” daily. A brief background on our family; I had been one of the Y2K aficionados, and had lived on the Big Island for many years. If it were still just my …


Five Letters Re: Full Capacity Magazine Price Increases are Already Here

Jim, I wanted to contribute this the following to your ongoing discussion on high capacity magazines. Selling high capacity magazines is normally a small part of our business, but that changed last week. Between October 31 and today, we have sold more than I normally sell in a year. I had stocked up anticipating increased demand, but was nowhere near prepared for the huge surge in sales that we experienced. A normal order was 3 to 6 magazines, now it is 12 or more and we have had several customers buy in quantities of 100+. As a result, we are …