Category: Self-Defense

Pat’s Product Review: Springfield Armory M1A

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I hear from quite a few SurvivalBlog readers about my articles. Most of you are pretty knowledgeable, polite and have questions. There’s a few SurvivalBlog readers who are rude, it’s okay, we’re all entitled to our opinions. When you’re reading a review of any product, be it a gun, knife, camping gear, or whatever, you must remember, you are reading the opinion of the writer. Although I’ve been writing about firearms and knives for almost 20-years now, and I’ve been a shooter for more than 40 years, I don’t consider myself an “expert” of any sort. Instead, I call myself …


Letter Re: Observations From Fence Building

Dear Mr. Rawles: As a Texas rancher, I understand the difficulties associated with fence building and repair. Too much fence building in a short amount of time will run off a good ranch hand. Mudflap’s comments about proper clothing and hydration when fence building are right and should be given attention. We use twisted smooth wire (no barbs) for horse pens but to contain cattle, barbed wire is necessary. Good gloves are essential. Pigskin gloves are very barb resistant. You will be nicked by the barbed wire, so stay current with tetanus shots. Every vehicle on my ranch has a set of fencing pliers …


Letter Re: Ohio’s 31+ Round Magazine Ban Insanity

Hi Jim, I was just re-reading your tangibles investing article linked in today’s blog.  Please let your readers know that even though preemption is the rule for the Ohio cities that had previously banned standard capacity magazines; Ohio has a very unusual state [felony] law: Any magazine 31 rounds and larger is classified as a “automatic firearm”. This may sound crazy but it is true.  So don’t add 40 or 50 round magazines or 100 round drums to your gun collection in Ohio. Under Title 29 of the Ohio Code: “(E) “Automatic firearm” means any firearm designed or specially adapted …


Letter Re: Some Advice on Tangibles Investing

After first picking up your book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” on a whim, SurvivalBlog.com has definitely changed a lot about how I live my life, particularly in how I choose to spend money.  As a prospective medical student, I can’t buy a retreat property and set it up the way I should (however much I want to).  However, there are many things I have found I can do.  After reading The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason years ago at the encouragement of my Dad, I started to set aside 10% of what …


Pat’s Product Review: CRKT Hissatsu CQB Knives

Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) is always on the lookout for new knife designs. Rod Bremer, the owner often asks me to keep an eye out for a hot knife design, and I’ve directed him towards a few over the years. Several of these were from custom knife maker, Brian Tighe. I wish I could take credit for directing Bremer towards James Williams, and his Hissatsu fighting knife, but I can’t. James Williams is a former army officer, and a martial arts practitioner and instructor, with over 45-years experience. Williams knows cutlery as President of Bugei Trading Company, producer …


Letter Re: Chiappa Rhino Revolvers

James, You regularly publish Pat’s Product Reviews and very rarely do I find any reason to complain. But today’s column did little more than make me roll my eyes. Revolvers today have two advantages over autoloaders: Higher calibers (like the .460 and .500) and utter reliability. There are significantly fewer moving parts in a revolver than an autoloader and therefore fewer things that can break. Unfortunately, the Rhino fits neither of those two. The .357 Magnum is no longer that impressive and the Rhino has by far the most moving parts of any revolver out there. I too was originally …


Pat’s Product Review: Chiappa Rhino Revolver

Now, for something a little bit different. I believe, rightfully so, that most of us like eye candy, when it comes to firearms. If they have eye appeal, then that’s half the battle. And, a gun has to feel good in my hand, if it doesn’t, then I don’t have much use for. Additionally, a gun has to be a good shooter – if a gun doesn’t hit where I’m aiming, what good is it to me? A gun also has to be reliable – without a gun that 100% reliable, it won’t be in my stable or be carried. …


Pat’s Product Review: Buffalo Bore Ammunition

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I like it, when an ammo maker isn’t afraid to experiment, or push the envelop a bit, especially in handgun calibers. Let’s face it, given a choice, when things go bad, it’s better to have some kind of .223 Remington, 7.62×39 or .308 Winchester rifle in your hands. However, that’s not always possible, so we are “stuck” carrying some kind of handgun, and it’s usually carried concealed, for self-defense purposes. If I can get a little boost in power from my handguns, then I’m certainly going to take a close look at doing so. SurvivalBlog readers have seen me mention …


Pat’s Product Review: Benchmade’s Bedlam Model 860

Pat’s Product Review: Benchmade’s Bedlam Model 860  The Benchmade 860 Bedlam folder could best be described as a “wicked” knife. I like big folders, as most SurvivalBlog readers know. The Bedlam actually looks bigger than it actually is, with its 3.95″ upswept curved blade – it reminds me of the ancient scimitar type blade. Benchmade uses 154CM stainless steel for the blade material, one of my favorites. And, the Axis lock makes for butter-smooth opening and closing, and the blade stays locked solid when opened, too. Most people, who have watched one too many Hollywood movies, believe that a knife …


Two Letters Re: Securing Windows With Plywood The Fast And Easy Way

Mr.  Rawles,   On the subject of securing windows with plywood. there is one piece that seems to be missing as may often be the case of a “My Home is My Castle” scenario. What if you have to get out? While there is no 100 percent answer, there is the military and historically proven fact that if you make a defensive area/building too hard to get into, it is too difficult to get out of. Such an example would be if there is a fire in the structure.   Thanks for the Blog and your great work.   – …


Pat’s Product Reviews: Springfield Armory’s Range Officer 1911

I still remember the very first Springfield Armory 1911 .45 ACP pistol I ever owned. I believe the year was 1987, and I purchased a brand-new, still in the box, mil-spec Springfield Armory pistol. The gun was nicely finished with an evenly applied parkerized finish, with the overall appearance being that of a standard mil-spec gun in all regards. However, the darn thing wouldn’t feed any type of ammo – I reworked the feed ramp and throated the barrel and adjusted the extractor – rather then sending it back to Springfield Armory. Every now and then, a lemon slips through no …


Two Letters Re: Securing Windows With Plywood The Fast And Easy Way

James: I learned this very important lesson from a building contractor. On his hunting trips to Alaska he would send his supplies ahead of him in small (20′) shipping containers. After the first shipment of containers were raided by thieves he decided to add security to his supplies with a sheet of plywood over [the center of] the doors. Here is the trick that he used: the plywood was well-secured at close intervals with a variety of Phillips screws, Reed & Prince screws, square drive screws, Torx head screws, and long 5/16″ self- tapping [flathead] screws. Thieves might be armed …


Pat’s Product Review: Ruger Mini-14

I have literally lost count over the years, as to how many Ruger Mini-14s I’ve owned – however, I think it’s safe to say, I’ve probably owned a couple dozen Mini-14s. No, I don’t collect them, but I’ve owned quite a few of ’em since they first came on the scene. At present, ironically, I don’t own a Mini-14. But I do keep notes on how guns shoot when I did own them – it comes with the turf being a gun writer. One of the gals who regularly reads Survivalblog, e-mailed me a couple weeks ago, and asked me …


Letter Re: SlideFire Stocks and OPSEC

Mr. Rawles,          First, I’d like to thank you once again for doing what you do, helping many, many people in the preparedness movement.    I’d like to to share my experience with the SSAR-15 SlideFire stock. I saw a video of the product in action on YouTube a month prior to the SurvivalBlog post concerning the SSAR. I couldn’t resist ordering one myself. A very interesting and functional product. And fun too! But where I shoot is private plantation pine land with a dozen houses within a mile. Rifle fire is a unmistakable sound even over mile in …


The Art of Getting Home, by Shattered

So you have successfully prepped for every possible SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation, your house is completely off grid, you’ve stockpiled enough chow to feed you and everyone you know for three full years and you have amassed a huge arsenal of assault weapons and ammunition that is sufficient to put even your toddler in tactical gear, body armor and small arms for the next ten years of sustained combat operations. Everything should be good to go right? So you’re sitting at work in your suit and tie and TEOTWAWKI just pops off, maybe it’s a rain of ICBMs hitting major …