Category: Retreat Logistics

Some Thoughts on Ammunition Handloading, by Inyokern

I’m a bit surprised at how little discussion there is of ammunition reloading. While the .223 Remington (5.56×45 NATO) is an imperfect military round, its very easy to reload and the cases last pretty well if you are precise and careful about your loads. Midsized calibers like .308 loads even better, and is less fussy than small calibers are. I realize than an autoloader doesn’t take well to reloads, nor is it reasonable collecting spent brass ejected from one on a battlefield. In addition, most milsurp brass is Berdan primed which is almost impossible (very difficult) to reload. Same with …


Survival Retreats, by Michael Z. Williamson

The subject of retreats is a recurring one. I thought I’d mention a friend’s that I have access to. It is within six hours of my location by both freeways and major secondary highways under normal conditions. I keep sufficient fuel on hand to reach it if need be. Our evac plan calls for taking both our vehicles (car and a large van) plus trailer, with any guests also convoying. This gives plenty of protection, and the ability to transfer vehicles if necessary due to road conditions or deadlined [non-running] vehicles. The location is off a well-maintained major road between …


Letter Re: Uses for CONEXes at a Retreat

Jim, You mention using CONEX overseas shipping containers as an improvised house. I have been planning on putting two 40′ containers parallel to each other, cut some openings between containers (to “open” up some room) and cutting holes for windows/doors-using the cut outs as shutters over the windows/doors. I bought “one way” containers as they are near perfect, not 7-to-9 year olds being sold cheaper-with holes, dents, rust and doors that won’t open. Forest fire and theft were my reasons for using all metal outside. Do you or any of your readers have any suggestions before I light the cutting …


Letter Re: The “GM” Diet

Dear Jim: Whether you might need or want to lose some weight, I find the logic behind the “General Motors Diet” (which GM reportedly had a nutritionist develop) absolutely fascinating. I think this understanding could have beneficial survival advantages to your readers. It’s the HOW and WHY it works which is so interesting, and I’ll tell you, it does work. Here are the two versions of it I am aware of: Version 1 (With meat) Version 2 (No meat) Most readers here have probably heard the adage: “Store what you eat and eat what you store.” I think we all …


Three Letters Re: Clarification on Calcium Hypochlorite for Water Purification

Jim, It has been almost 20 years since I had a chemistry class, so you may want to check this with a chemist. Wanderer posted the following comment: “I stopped at the local Big Box lumber yard and they had Calcium Hypochlorite, (a.k.a. Pool Shock) it was concerning as it states 50% Calcium Hypochlorite and 50% Other Ingredients. Making it a 50% available Chlorine. In common language, … is this adequate? It does not seem to be of the 70% goal you mentioned on your earlier post.” He was referring to the EPA web site comment: “… since the calcium …


Letter Re: The Most Overlooked Preparations

Hi Jake, Thanks for the info. Most of the things described (in your Special Report) were actually on my lists but in a slightly different order. I think this is due to a different focus. Given a total TEOTWAWKI when the supplies run out, they’ll be out for good, so I’ve focused on the required knowledge you need to be able to re-make/replace them. For example in my basic survival kit (for bushwalking) I have a small high quality water filter but for the long term stuff I am focusing on learning how to ‘make’ a water filter. Also my …


Letter Re: My Journey of Realization–Getting Back on Track and Stocking Up

Dear Mr. Rawles, I just finished reading your seminal work, “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse” for the third time in as many weeks. In addition, after some internet searching I’ve found your blog, and am in the process of reading everything that I can, when I can. After reading so much of what’s on your mind, I thought I’d share a little of mine. First, foremost, and most importantly, I want you to know that your book was instrumental in leading me back to God, the Father of our savior Jesus Christ. I won’t delve into the diverse ways in …


Letter Re: The Importance of Storing Salt for Preparedness

Jim, Here is an absolutely fascinating article about gorillas and salt that I came upon whilst browsing the Foxnews.com site. I seem to remember an article on your blog, not too long ago, discussing pretty-much the same thing. This is something which might prod your readers all-the-more to stock-up on [blocks, bags, and boxes of] salt. – Ben L. JWR Replies: Unless you literally live next to a salt marsh, I cannot overemphasize the importance of storing salt. The Memsahib and I formerly lived in the Upper Clearwater River Valley of Idaho. In that region, deer and elk would walk …


What is Considered of Value in the Poorest Nations, by SF in Hawaii

I have a book called Material World by Peter Menzel in which average families from around the world put everything they own on their lawn and you get to see what they own and how they live. While I purchased the book as a way to demonstrate to my kids ‘just how good they have it’ there are also some lessons for us survivalists. I went through the poorest nations where per capita income was usually far less than $1,000 USD per year (and in the case of Mali, Africa, $251 per year). What I noticed was a pattern in …


Letter Re: James Kunstler at Midwest Renewable Energy Fair

Dear Jim: I was also at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s (MREA) Energy Fair, just about in the exact center of Wisconsin near Steven’s Point, a week ago. For me, the home tour was the most interesting part. For about $20 they load you on a school bus and take you to 4 local homes that had alternative energy incorporated into them. This included things like solar panels for electricity with a battery bank, heat pumps with in floor hydronic heating systems, soap stone fireplaces (like the Russian design) that burn 2 hours and radiate heat all day (some with …


Letter Re: Toilet Paper Calculations

Jim, I hope the following information will help some of the readers with their supplies of toilet paper. I consider this a very important part of the total preparedness plan. If anything it will be a tremendous comfort for people during a really Schumer time. I will mention toilet paper brands, however, this is in no way an endorsement of any particular brand. I was always curious how much toilet paper I would need per person for a year during a post-SHTF event. Not being the one that bought the stuff I relied on the wife for this. The info …


Letter Re: Are Your Neighbors Prepared? by Doc

Mr. Rawles: One point to note with Doc’s observations as a home repairman. I had my hot water heater short last week. If a repairman had come to my home, he would have walked past my garden and wood pile, had to go down the stairs past one ammo cache and rifle, 12 cases of Mason jars, around bags of old clothes waiting to be used for quilts, past various toolboxes, a chest freezer, lanterns, a grain mill and workbench, et cetera. But, instead, I went to the hardware store, bought a thermostat, and made the repair myself. I would …


Letter Re: Get Ready While You Can, When You Can

Dear Mr. Rawles, Arguably, the first commandments of the preparedness movement is to get ready for bad times before they get here. However, it doesn’t have to be TEOTWAWKI for it to be too late, or darn close to it. I offer the following real life example to illustrate the point. I get a lot of sinus headaches, especially this time of year; what I have always relied on to relieve them is Tylenol Sinus formula. Traditionally, the active ingredients have been acetaminophen (for pain) and pseudo-ephedrine (for nasal decongestion). Because scum use the latter ingredient in making crystal meth, …


Letter Re: Angst and Stocking Up

Hello Jim, There has been a lot of chatter recently about a gut feeling that “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” I share that uneasy feeling and note that many of my business associates and I have begun to prepare for hard times. For myself, I’ve accelerated a bit on topping off my retreat supplies. Some recent additions include 500 pounds of Buffalo meat (at a cost of $2.09 a pound for yearling grain fed Buffalo heifer, cut, double wrapped and frozen.) I’ve had one of my M1A type rifles rebuilt to competition standards, added a case of 12 gauge 00 …


Letter Re: Joining or Forming a Faith-Based Survival Retreat Group

Sir: Many of the recommendations in your book, Patriots, and on your blog deal with survival contingency plans from a small-group/family perspective. Simply put; what is your advice to single (possibly young) people who have no dependents or family structure? In Patriots, one of the characters (who was not an original member of “The Group”) is a young, single male, who “freelances” (almost in the Medieval sense of the term) to the group. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, is it plausible to hope that one can form a mutually beneficial relationship, perhaps in exchange for goods or services? Of course, relying …