Category: Review

SOG Knives’ Power Play Multi-Tool, by Pat Cascio

Many folks ask me what types of things they should put in their Bug Out Bag (BOB), and this is a hard one for me to answer. We all have different needs and different ideas about this. When I tell some of these folks what I put in my BOB, they question some of my choices. If they are smarter than I am, then why are they coming to me for advice in the first place? I don’t claim to be an expert in anything; I’m just a serious student in a lot of fields. However, over the course of …


Springfield Armory XD(m) OSP, by Pat Cascio

My, how times change! It wasn’t all that long ago that a red dot sight was rather huge when mounted on a rifle, and no one even gave any thought to a red dot sight on a handgun. I still remember the first (sorta) red dot sight I ever owned. It was on a shotgun back in the 1970s. It wasn’t quite a red dot sight, but it appeared to project a red/orange dot in the air. It was quite the thing back in the day. Over the years, I’ve tried all manner of red dot sights on rifles, shotguns, …


H&R Pardner Protector Shotgun, by Pat Cascio

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The first shotgun I ever owned was a Harrington & Richardson single shot shotgun in 16 gauge, and I’m here to tell you that thing really kicked because it was such a lightweight gun. I was a pretty skinny 16-year-old kid, too. I took it pheasant hunting a number of times, and it never let me down. I don’t recall whatever happened to that shotgun, whether I traded it, sold it, or what. There is a lot of controversy over what type of firearm a person should buy first for survival purposes. Of course, we have to define in our …


Springfield Armory 1911 With Laser, by Pat Cascio

My number one choice, if I could only own one handgun, is still the grand old 1911 in some configuration. Yeah, lots of new gun designs come along, and I’ve tested many different handguns over the past 25 years working as a gun writer, and most are outstanding in their own regard. However, when pressed, I’m going to still pick a 1911 in .45 ACP, of course. Here are some of my thoughts on my choice in a 1911. First of all, there is the proven fight-stopping .45 ACP round. Yes, I’ve read the report put out by the FBI …


Product Review: Enola Gaye Smoke Grenades, by Pat Cascio

Many years ago, I used to teach SWAT to police and security agencies, and I even co-authored a book SWAT Battle Tactics with my late friend, American Kenpo Karate Grand Master John McSweeney. The book, published by Paladin Press, is in need of a serious re-write, as there was some material added in the manuscript after I approved the galley copy. Still, the basic material is strong and one can build a SWAT team using the basics. When conducting SWAT training, I would often booby trap a house/building or an area where the team would be entering using various types …


Holiday Gift Ideas, by Sarah Latimer

For so many of us who are inspired to give gifts this time of year to let our loved ones know we care, we are running out of time. However, if you have access to Amazon (and money/available credit), you still have time and I have a few recommendations. For The Homestead Gardener On Your List- Garden Rocker or the Hula Ho I look for ways to do things as comfortably as possible while also being efficient. There are two products that have been great tools, for efficiency and for saving my back and knees. They may be well appreciated …


FN PS90 PDW, by Pat Cascio

I first read about one back in the early 1990s and then again in 2005, when the civilian-legal version was released. Several years ago, I actually saw one and handled it in my local gun shop. Recently, my local gun shop got another one in. I hesitated because of the cost, and two weeks later a trade was worked out; I got it. I actually fired this caliber in a converted AR-15, and I liked it, but it offered nothing in an AR-sized gun. Long-time SurvivalBlog reader, Mike C., and good friend in Eugene, OR got one along with the …


Firefield Nightfall-2 Night Vision Scope, by Pat Cascio

We all know, or at should know, that there are certain pieces of kit that we should have if we are truly preparing for a SHTF scenario of any type. We always discuss firearms, and that is first on most lists. We then have to add food and water, as well as shelter of some type, because we never know what the emergency might be that brings us to a scenario where we might have to bug out or are left to our own devices to survive as best we can. To many of us, this is an excuse to …


Zero Tolerance 0804CF, by Pat Cascio

A famous gun writer once said “only accurate guns are interesting…”, and I certain concur with that statement. If a gun isn’t accurate and reliable, I lose interest and get rid of it. It can similarly be said that “only sharp knives are interesting…”. I have no use for junk knives. If a knife isn’t up to my high standards, I won’t waste my time testing or writing about it. For quite a few years, I collected (and designed) custom-made knives, and I really enjoyed it. Even though it was an expensive hobby, it was still fun. When we moved …


Ruger’s American Pistol, 9mm Compact, by Pat Cascio

The very first Ruger firearm I ever owned was a rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum. It was in November or December of 1979. My wife and I were working for the Salvation Army back then in The Dalles, Oregon. I was the youth pastor, and my newly pregnant wife was the church secretary. Both jobs were temporary; however we were promised they would be full-time after Christmas. Alas, it didn’t work out that way, and we moved back to our cold, lonely apartment in Portland, Oregon on Christmas Eve with an artificial one-foot tall Christmas tree that we bought at …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Remington R51

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Most readers probably believe that gun writers get specially picked firearms to test for their articles. I used to believe it myself, until I started writing about firearms. If I ever received a hand picked firearm from a gun maker, I sure didn’t know it. To the best of my knowledge, all my guns came off the shelves at the gun companies without being checked over or hand picked. As a matter of fact, I’ve had more than my share of lemons in the 25 years of writing about guns, and that is probably because I’ve tested so many different …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Ruger P-89 9mm

In our ongoing quest to test and review more “metal” semiauto handguns, as requested by many SurvivalBlog readers, I thought it important to review the Ruger P-89, in 9mm. The P-89 is an updated/upgraded version of Ruger’s first centerfire semiauto handgun. The original was the P-85, and Ruger was hoping to get it out in time for the U.S. military trials for a new handgun. Alas, the Beretta 92/M9 won out. There were some early teething problems with the first batch or two of P-85 handguns. There were a few reports of the firing pin slamming forward when the pistol …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: SOG Knives Evac Sling 18 Pack

Many folks assume, when I tell them I was in the U.S. military, that I was in at the time when they still had a mounted unit– horses! Nope, I’m not quite that old just yet. Back when I was in the military, we had some boring OD green equipment. Everything was OD green in color– our uniforms, A.L.I.C.E. geat, well, just everything, except out boots, and they were all leather, which we had a shine on the toe that you could see your reflection in, plus something almost unheard of today. You could actually have your boot re-soled. In …


Blackhawk Waterproof Tactical Softshell Jacket, by Pat Cascio

In close to 25 years as a writer for firearms, cutlery, and survival magazines and websites, I have reviewed quite a few products. Lots of boots have come my way and, to be sure, I only report on the best-of-the-best in boots and other gear. I don’t want to waste my time, or our reader’s time, reporting on junk products. As I’ve said numerous times over the years, “You only have to buy quality once, but if you buy junk, you have to keep on buying junk…” Of course, when it comes to clothing and footwear, you do eventually have …


JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Books: Ham Radio Study Guide: Manual for Technician Class, General Class, and Amateur Extra Class Get on the Air with HF Digital Movies: Sully The Martian Television: Designated Survivor Jericho Music: Holst: The Planets The Very Best of Enya Podcasts: The Survivalist Podcast: Episode-04- TSP Rewind – You Can’t Lose as a Modern Survivalist The Survival Show: Episode 286 – Debt, Finances and Precious Metals Instructional Videos: Building A Multi-Band HF Dipole Antenna AR-15 – Detailed Step By Step Assembly / Build Instructions (HD Video) Gear: Morovision IR-14 – Phoenix Junior IR Beacon Icom IC-718 Get On The Air HAM …