Category: Self-Defense

Letter Re: Is a .22 Rimfire Better than Nothing for Home Defense?

Mr. Rawles, I am a junior college student on a quite limited budget. Right now, my only guns are a Daisy Model 881 pellet [.177 caliber air] rifle and a Ruger 10/22 [.22 Long Rifle semi-auto rifle.] I hope to buy an [M1] Garand [semi-auto rifle] that belongs to my uncle, but for now my “battery” is limited. (LOL!) Here’s my question: Will a .22 [LR rimfire] actually be sufficient, if I put enough rounds into a bad guy, to stop him? Thanks, – G.H. JWR Replies: If circumstances dictate that you must use a .22 for self defense, then …


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: Dress for Survival Success

Jim; That was a great article by George Haystack in Tuesday’s blog! I thought I was the only one [that carried so much survival gear around on a daily basis.] Mr. Haystack takes it further than I do. First, I could not carry [a concealed firearm] at my workplace being within the secure area of an airport. I generally carried a sturdy day pack, with the following: (1) Lockback knife (2) LED flashlights (9 LED’s / 3 AA batteries) (16) spare AAA batteries (1) regular AA flashlight (4) spare AA batteries The following are all OTC medications, of course (1) …


Dress for Survival Success by George Haystack

”Wherever you go, there you are.” And hopefully so are your clothes. Therefore it is vital to think of your wardrobe as part of your survival gear on a daily basis. It’s not good enough to have a closet full of BDUs and a piles of high-tech gear if they aren’t near you when you need them. Most of the crises that people face do not rise to the level of TEOTWAWKI and these emergencies don’t come at convenient times. Events like building fires, car wrecks, or muggings come at you when your just out living your life. A firearms …


Letter Re: Riots in Greece Illustrate How Quickly Things Can Get Schumeresque

Hi James, I have found so much value in your site, I have contributed to the 10 cent challenge multiple times. I have also spent several thousand dollars with your advertisers. I believe in supporting a site that provides so much value to me and family. I’m passing a couple items along you might find interesting. First, here’s a news item about riots in Greece. It just shows how a variety of things can trigger TSHTF and things can turn on a dime: Also, here’s an interesting personal story about always being prepared and testing your gear: The other night …


Letter Re: Can Firearms Magazine Springs “Take a Set”?

James, Although I’m retired from federal law enforcement, I am far from being a firearms expert or zealot. For me, a weapon was just a tool furnished by the agency to conduct business. Things (and my opinion) have changed a bit now – although I’m still not as aggressive as a lot of preppers. That said, I have a question regarding the reliability of magazine’s that one might keep loaded (i.e. in a nightstand) for months or years. Wouldn’t the magazine springs tend to (eventually) take-on a “set” that would reduce reliability? Should we replace certain springs with better(?), rotate …


Letter Re: Food Storage Versus Expecting Manna Falling from Heaven

Greetings! In response to Heather M., I think your Old Testament examples are excellent, but there are numerous New Testament examples as well, with the best being St. Paul’s admonition in II Thessalonians 3: 6-15 “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the …


Letter Re: Montana Bound–Recommended Sidearm for Rural Living?

Jim: I concur with your recommendation for a .45 ACP, and the Glock in particular. The Glock 21/30 family is also well-equipped to handle either the .45 Super, or Triton’s .450 SMC, with just the simple addition of a heavier recoil spring and rod. (In the 21-23 lb range.) A Glock set up with this heavier spring is also still able to shoot standard .45ACPs all day long. While not sanctioned by Glock, myself and many, many others have shot a huge number of these rounds downrange in our G21s and G30s without so much as a hiccup. The [discussion …


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, …


Overseas Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. and Mrs. Zephyr in Trinidad and Tobago

PRESENT HOME: A rental three bedroom roomy apartment in suburbs. One hour from capital city of 30,000 on a relatively large Caribbean island, with nearer smaller towns. Ten minute drive to large mall, and ‘Big Box’ mart. Ages: 44 and 28 SOs: Two children, 12 year old and 2 year old. ANNUAL INCOME:varies from $9,000 to $13,000. PROFESSION: Photographer/Entrepreneur and Seamstress/Homemaker INVESTMENTS: Various modest financial tools including stocks, CDs, savings, mutual funds, annuity, and Silver Eagles. VEHICLES: Nissan station wagon (2000), 18-speed mountain bike FIREARMS BATTERY: No firearms, due to excessively restrictive, outdated, draconian, colonial laws. Also, most government policy …


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 …


Product Review: Ultramag .50 BMG Upper Kit for AR-15, by Michael Z. Williamson

I recently tested the Ultramag .50, manufactured by Safety Harbor Firearms (SHF) of Florida.The Ultramag .50 is a bolt action, side-fed magazine, .50 BMG upper that uses the AR-15 lower and trigger group. The two big advantages to this setup are that [in the US,] the Ultramag .50 [barreled upper receiver] requires no paperwork to purchase, and is not on record as a large caliber weapon, since it is bought strictly as “replacement parts.” As far as anyone is concerned, you own an AR-15, which can be more discreet if either purchased privately, or by using a forging such as …


Letter Re: Food Storage Versus Expecting Manna Falling from Heaven

Dear Sir, Thank you so much for your insightful and educational blog. I highly respect your opinion and I am e-mailing you today to ask for your advice. My husband and I are both conservative Christians who are totally committed to being prepared. Our problem is that we have encountered other conservative Christians who believe that manna will literally fall from Heaven if famine comes upon the land. I was personally told by my former pastor that I was “stupid” for storing food and owning guns. He also told me that by being prepared I was demonstrating a “lack of …


Letter Re: Montana Bound–Recommended Sidearm for Rural Living?

Mr. Rawles, I was able to buy 20 acres in Montana, and wanted to get your advice on a sidearm to carry while out on the property. I have a S&W K19 .357 Magnum revolver, SIG Sauer P220 in .400 Cor-bon, and a Beretta 96 in .40 S&W. I am sure that the .40 S&W is not enough to stop any large animal unless the shot is perfect. The same probably goes for both other rounds. I would prefer a semi-auto over a revolver, and wanted to get your thoughts on a Glock 20 with a barrel in 9 x …


Letter Re: Some Technologies for Retreat Security

JWR: In regards to reader Erik’s setup of his “trap” gun: This setup is very very risky business [and an invitation] for a lot of very bad litigation. I am a law student at a top ten law school (yes, there are some of us who are not so elitist to think government will solve everything!) and know for a fact that trap setups are highly illegal [in most jurisdictions] and will subject you to 100% liability even if the injured of deceased trespasser was in the process of committing a felony–even murder! Traps cannot be used as recourse for …