Category: Retreat Logistics

A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4.) Barrel Length and Effectiveness The M4 Carbine with military 14.5-inch barrels and civilian 16-inch barrels were practical for the kind of police action tactics used in the Middle East where troops regularly deployed out of vehicles and in an environment where clearing buildings was necessary. And so their gear and weapons evolved to better suit those tactics. They did however discover that when in the open in the deserts of Iraq or shooting across canyons in Afghanistan their carbines were woefully inadequate. I will justify this opinion further and later in this article. The 20-inch barrel …


A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 3.) Suggested Low-Cost Replacement Parts Here are some suggested low-cost spares/replacement parts, available from Palmetto Stae Armory  (PSA): PSA Classic Lower Parts Kit, FDE PSA AR-15 Bolt Carrier Group 5.56 Full-Auto Nitride MPI – 516446953 $69.99 Everything but the lower receiver and parts associated with the lower half that includes the butt stock: PSA AR-15 Upper 5.56 16″ Carbine-Lgth 1:7 M4 Nitride MOE w/ Rear MBUS, BCG, & Charging Handle, $319.99 This might be the lowest-cost way to acquire all the replacement parts without buying an entire rifle. This blemished build kit has everything except the lower …


A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 2.) Slings Bottom line, a sling is a necessary part of the rifle. But it should be detachable, to suit particular situations. For those on a budget, Com-Bloc rifle sling will suffice. These are inexpensive, ruggedly built, and with the right swivels work on just about any rifle. If you can do better, then please do. But when building up an arsenal I would economize where possible so that the budget can buy more spare magazines, replacement parts, and ammo. Gucci is nice, but it saps precious funds away from more important items we might be willing …


A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1.) PM and the AR-15 Rifle: Failure is the Best Teacher As I’ve mentioned in a previous SurvivalBlog article, the first five ARs that I ever fired all failed. All five were in what appeared to be like new condition. Four of them failed due to a lack of lubrication. The fifth one was a new rifle that had yet to be test-fired. It turns out it was a home build that was sold through an FFL, a local retail store as if it was a factory build, yet the parts used were sub-standard and the builder …


A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

In this six-part article, I’ll be covering a few of the areas concerning the AR-15 that are often overlooked and do not receive enough attention. This is an attempt to bring some considerations to the attention of new shooters before it is too late to correct an oversight. While this article is decidedly AR-15 rifle-centric, there will be other rifle platforms and alternative ammunition types mentioned. Please be advised that I am not a trained professional and I have no formal weapons training or formal education of any kind and have never been in the military. I speak only as …


Homemade Aftershave, by Thomas Christianson

I will be the first to admit that aftershave does not rank high on any list of survival necessities. In fact, if used in the wrong way, products like aftershave may actually produce threats to one’s chances of survival. SurvivalBlog reader David L. shared some insights along this line in the September 13, 2023 Snippets column in SurvivalBlog: Like many well-prepared preppers, I have gotten past location, food, guns, ammo, etc, etc, to stocking toilet paper, paper towels, and things such as shampoo and deodorants. The last two can be literally DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH! Yeah, right, you say! Bear …


Preparedness Logistics – Part 1, by 3AD Scout

The science and practice of logistics is often defined as getting the right stuff, in the right quantity, to the right place at the right time.  For those who are preparedness-minded, logistics takes on additional nuances.  Unlike those in business and industry, where orders for goods drives the logistics process, Preppers are preparing for threats that have no pre-determined date, have many unknown impacts including time to recovery (if ever), and spatial impact.  Whereas a car manufacturer, who has an order for 100 cars knows they need 400 tires (not including the little donut spare).  Preppers have no idea how much of a …


Building a Versatile AR, by Bulldog

Living the prepper lifestyle for many decades has fas its perks…well, sort of! It typically means there are mounds of extra supplies, boxes of spare parts, jars of both home and commercially canned foods, dry-canned foods, buckets of grain and beans in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and shelving anywhere it can possibly be built. Yeah, I’ve probably left out a few things, but you get the idea. It also generally means you are often versed and proficient in tasks the average person has never even considered. This of course can be a hindrance when you and your wife are …


Vacuum Sealers: For More Than Just Food, by 3AD Scout

We have had a Vacuum Sealer for over two decades having received it as a wedding gift. Although we originally used it for food storage over the years we have found other things to vacuum seal for survival. Here are some of our thoughts and experiences on vacuum sealers For Prepper Food Storage When we first got our vacuum sealer I started sealing up white rice. I did packages with two cups of rice and then placed them inside a five-gallon food-grade bucket. As time went on we started to seal up five cup packages as well. The two-cup packages …


Solar Powered Water Pumps: The Shurflo 9325, by Tunnel Rabbit

This article is in response to a question that I received from another blog reader, that was forwarded to me by the SurvivalBlog staff. Reader O.S. had written, to ask: “I would like to ask a question regarding your Aug 4th, Survival Blog article in the water section.  You mentioned an “inexpensive Shurflo model number 9325″.  I would like to confirm that the model number is exactly the one you are noting.  The reason is, the best price I can find online is $895 at this location: https://thesolarstore.com/shurflo-9300-submersible-solar-water-well-pump-12-24v-model-9325-043-101-p-500.html Other dealers have even higher prices.  When you noted “inexpensive”, it led …


Bartering in a Post SHTF World – Part 1, by D.K.

What is Bartering? Bartering is the exchange of goods and services between two interested parties that does not utilize the current U.S. fiat monetary system, or any national currency system for that matter. Movies and television have presented numerous visuals that help people conceptualize what this might look like on a large scale like “The Hob” in the movie The Hunger Games. In lay terms, incorporating barter items in your preparedness plans is an attempt to anticipate the future needs of those near you or at your destination if bugging out. Words of caution when it comes to bartering: Anyone …


What is Old is New Again – Part 2, by 3AD Scout

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Keeping warm will be another area where we revert back to old ways. I see lots of prepper articles and YouTube videos about sawing wood for heat. Back in the bygone days, one of the daily chores of children was picking up “sticks”. Many of us may remember the old nursery rhythm with the line “five, six pick up sticks”. These sticks were used for cooking. Heat from the daily food preparation was just an added bonus in the colder months. We may want to lower our expectations of post-TEOTWAWKI comfort. Trying …


What is Old is New Again – Part 1, by 3AD Scout

As consumers, we are bombarded with new and improved devices and other consumer goods constantly. Buying something to make our daily work and tasks easier has been ingrained in our psyche over the centuries. As I prepare for the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI), I don’t look for the “new and improved” devices that have electronics, require power (either AC or DC), are made of plastic or that are made in China. That does not mean that I don’t have a Ham (amateur) radio, flashlights, solar panels, and plastic items made in China. What I mean …


Letter Re: Prepping and Squaring Away Rifles

Reader M.M. sent this letter, in response to the two-part article titled Prepping and Squaring Away Rifles, by Tunnel Rabbit: I would like to add my opinion to the recent article by Tunnel Rabbit (TR): I do not know how anyone [in the U.S.] can live on $5,000 per year. I understand that the purpose of the article was for an example of “getting by” on low income. He is making the best quality equipment he can on a low budget which shows that it can be accomplished. Let’s start with the AR rifle design. It is not perfect but …


Prepping and Squaring Away Rifles – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

I am not writing much for SurvivalBlog these days, since I am busy preparing for the worst. This is fortunately my lifestyle, and I am constantly prepping. Currently, I’ve been working squaring away three old Mauser rifles for long-range work. They all need scopes and I had to wait until I could afford to get that done. I am an aging man with many physical limitations. My income is less than $5,000 per year. I receive no regular check from any source and so I am forced to operate under austere conditions and a super tight budget. If I cannot …