Category: Weapons

Springfield Armory XD Mod.2, by Pat Cascio

Much has been written about this redefined little 9mm handgun from Springfield Armory– the XD Mod.2 since the first day it came on the scene. The gun is also available in .40 S&W, and by the time this article appears in print, it will also be available in .45ACP. I’ll be the first to admit that when the first XD subcompact 9mm came out, I wasn’t all that thrilled with it. It was too chunky to my way of thinking, and it just didn’t feel right in my hand. I shot one but never bought one! Just a quick run …


Letter: An Argument Against Milsurp Rifles

Dear Jim, Good article on Mauser rifles, but I have a few comments to consider. The cost of a milsurp, plus the cost of a free float barrel stock, plus the cost of gun smithing scope mounts on the receiver, plus the cost of the mount and rings cut to fit the receiver profile, plus the cost of a bent bolt that then needs to be fitted to your receiver is more than a bolt action 270 or 308 or 30-06 sporting rifle, which are already setup for off-the-shelf mount, rings, and a standard hunting scope with modern optics. Old …


Scot’s Product Review: Mauser 98 Rifle

As part of my continuing investigation of old military rifles for prepping, I have come to the products of the Mauser boys– Paul and Wilhelm– who are best known for their bolt action rifles. While they didn’t invent bolt actions or the box magazines that came to be one of their signature features of the bolt gun, their rifles, particularly the Model 98 (that’s for 1898) pattern, are still considered to be in the top tier of the type. Versions are made to this day. As best as I can research, the first bolt action rifle was the Dryese needle …


Scot’s Product Review: Federal Ammunition

I have always had good results with Federal ammunition, in handguns, rifles, and shotguns. It is what I carry in my primary self-defense pistol, and it’s what resides in my home defense shotgun. I’m torn between one of their loads and a competitor’s for the AR platform. Federal offers a pretty complete line; while it doesn’t satisfy every niche of my needs, it gets most of them and does so with reliable, high quality, and consistent products. They have some lines that I think should be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers, for self-defense, hunting, and training. Federal American Eagle Fresh …


Letter Re: Armor Plate for a Bus

Hello, I’m looking at putting plate steel inside the walls of a bus that I am converting, and I was wondering how thick of steel I should put in there for effective armor from rifle fire up to something like .30-06. Can you provide any guidance in this area? Thank you – T.K. Hugh Responds: If you are talking mild steel plates, there isn’t any thickness that I would recommend. Mild steel (the most common plate steel) is so soft that thicknesses of greater than 1” may be required. Many today use abrasion resistance steel (steel intended for large earth …


Letter Re: Response to “A .308 Pistol?”

JWR, Most of the comments below the linked article ridiculed the idea of rifle-caliber pistols in general by stating that they pose the risk of over penetration indoors and cannot be carried concealed, and thus they serve no purpose other than as range toys for preppers and militia-types. To the contrary, these are essentially SBR’s without stocks or any of the paperwork and tax stamps associated with them. Rifle-caliber pistols are not meant to be fired as enormous handguns with both hands on the pistol grip, as some have alleged. They are simply intended to circumvent SBR legalities, or to …


Letter Re: Prepper Armor

Hugh, One point concerning body armor I have always wondered is if the NIJ testing is done at shorter ranges. In theory shouldn’t armor offer higher levels of protection at longer ranges than the NIJ certification due to velocity loss (and with it, reduced energy)? I know it’s not as simple as looking at energy, but a 240 Grain, JHP .44 Magnum round has about 700 ft-lbs at 25 yards, while a M193 round has the same energy at about 250 yards (according to my iSnipe app). While a .44 Magnum projectile is a lot heavier, slower, with more surface …


Becoming a Top-Tier Survivalist and Representing the Prepper Community, by M.M. – Part 4

Today, we’re continuing the list of EDC gear detailed under the fourth point– “Carry and Use Quality Gear”– of the six points that will be presented and detailed that, if implemented in your own life, will greatly increase your chances of success, both in surviving TEOTWAWKI and in breaking the stereotype of the “kooky prepper”. Lighter I have carried a lighter since I was very young, because of it’s usefulness. It can be used for a variety of tasks, including lighting fires, candles, and fuses; fusing the ends of synthetic cords and ropes; securing heat-shrink tubing; firing up gas stoves; …


Letter: Vacuum Sealing Ammo

Hugh, I have been thinking of vaccum sealing my storage ammo and just use wood crates to store in bulk. You know, I’d do it with a common food sealer system. Has anyone tried this or made suggestions in this area? Any feedback (good or not) would be greatly appreciated! – C.P. Hugh replies: You can seal your ammo, but you need to be careful about what type of ammo. The powder contains its own fuel and oxidizer (as does the primer), so a storage in a vacuum should not harm the active components. You may still have some tarnishing …


Scot’s Product Review: Streamlight Weapons Lights

Bad things can happen in the dark, and one of the great comforts we have is being able to make light. Light allows us to perceive our surroundings and make our way without stumbling. One thing I am seldom without is a good compact flashlight in my pocket. Over the last few years, weapon-mounted lights have become popular, especially in law enforcement circles. They are probably even more popular in Hollywood entertainment, and if you can stand the stuff, you will probably see at least one scene in almost any action TV show or movie with the hero searching about …


How To Obtain Protein From Alternative Sources Without A Firearm, by Rockvault

We, Americans, like our protein, and in a prolonged hunker-in-place situation one of the many inconveniences we will be faced with will be the difficulty in enjoying our nightly beef, pork, chicken, or fish, let alone finding enough protein to maintain the health of ourselves and families. Sure, vegetarian-based diets can keep you alive, but even in a TEOTWAWKI situation why go without meat when it might not be all that hard to source and may be local to your home, camp, or hide-out, too. First, let’s go over some assumptions. Let’s recognize here that we’re at least six months …


Letter: Open Carry in the Wilderness Challenge in Canadian Law

Dear HJL and JWR, Could you please spread the following information? There has recently been some interest in bringing forward a legal challenge on the right to Open Carry of sidearms (handguns) in wilderness environments in Canada. Specifically, it questions the prohibition on carrying handguns and advocates Open Carry to meet threats from dangerous animals on (public) Crown Land and private rural land. It is not a challenge for concealed carry or open carry in urban environments, but it may be a good first step. As you know, the laws on handguns in Canada are not based on any form …


Scot’s Product Review: Brass Stacker Products for the Mosin Nagant

I recently reviewed the Russian Mosin Nagant 91/30 bolt action rifle, and while I really like the old rifle, I did see some problems with using it in today’s world. Fortunately, there are so many of them out there these days that there is a market for improving them and some savvy folks stepping up to the chore. The thing I really hated was the safety, but I doubt if the Russian Army ever had the same concerns that we have today about negligent discharges. While the safety is effective, it is very difficult to apply and release. You have …


Slimming Down, by Dan from Alaska

No, this is not an article on weight loss, though it should be; I need to take off a bunch of pounds. It’s more about how I readjusted my lifestyle and budget after a loss of a paycheck. Both my wife and I have been working steadily since our teens, and I consider us to not be rich, per se, but in the comfortably middle class. We have been married for the past 10 years, and we both met each other at work. That is when I first heard the moniker, DINK– Dual Income No Kids. As I stated, we …


Letter: A Few Comments

Hello Hugh, I just wanted to pass on that the article you posted on Monday, the 27th, ER Doctor: What Scares Me Even More Than Ebola, made the rounds amongst the nurses, doctors, and some of the EMTs in the mid-sized hospital emergency room where I work, and every single person that read it was in total agreement that it was the most sound and well thought-out plan for dealing with wide spread pandemic infectious disease, whether Ebola or what ever the next wave might be. I have my doubts about it being taken to heart and applied nationally, but …