Category: Weapons

Letter Re: Choices, Choices, Choices

HJL, I would like to weigh in on the article of: Choices, Choices, Choices – Part 1, by K.C. First thing I want to mention is by no way am I an expert in the field of firearms and all this is only my opinion and what I believe will work for me. A firearm is a tool; many companies make tools, and people have their particular choices in what they like. For power tools, some like Milwaukee, Black & Decker, Ryobi, and so forth. For mechanics tools, some like Sears Craftsman, Snap-on, Kolbalt, and others. What it all boils …


Understanding Unconventional Warfare As It Applies to Conservative Families, by Swamp Fox

Worldview Before reading a book, watching a youtube video, or obtaining any form of information from any source, a wise consumer will ask a few questions. What is the worldview of the individual imparting the information? Is the individual, who is imparting that information, qualified to do so? Is this person sufficiently capable of relaying this information through his or her chosen means of communication? It is said that one “cannot judge a book by its cover”. I disagree. As a man who has, from a very young age, frequented used book sales in search of hidden treasures among tattered …


Choices, Choices, Choices – Part 2, by K.C.

Rifles Continuing with my previous article, I started to think about rifles. There are so many choices out there, and each has their fanboys who clutter the Internet daily with their endless debates—none of which gets anyone anywhere. As I said in the other article, I dabbled a bit in 3-gun. I’m also former military, with combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. I’m also a gun enthusiast, so I’ve owned or played with a wide variety of guns. I’m also a husband and a father, so I needed to consider what the wife and kids, along with the other people …


Choices, Choices, Choices – Part 1, by K.C.

It’s almost holy writ that preppers, looking at guns for defense, should buy a 12 gauge shotgun (preferably a pump), a .308 battle rifle of some sort (M1A and HK seem to be the most popular), and a 1911 in .45 caliber (debate on this rages). For a while, I had all of these, along with some others. Then, I got married; then, I had kids. I did not grow up around guns, really. My father had little to no interest in hunting, and I think we shot the guns we had maybe a dozen times while I was growing …


PVC Survival Gear: How to Make It – Part 2, by J.H.

PROJECT 2: The PVC Recurve Bow There are several different types of PVC bows that can be made using heat, minimal heat, or no heat. The example I will be using here is a recurve bow, using heat, that has an approximate draw weight of 35 pounds. You can change the draw weight by changing the length or diameter of the PVC pipe you choose. I have built bows with a draw weight of up to 70lbs, and I have seen others that have made bows with a pull exceeding 100lbs. There are variations of this bow. It can be …


Letter Re: Firearms Philosophy

I’m writing in response to the discussion about the “narrow, but deep” firearms philosophy. I agree with the author of that post: start with your main rifle, buy quality optics, and then slowly expand your collection. There are several advantages to having guns in lots of calibers: There is always ammo to shoot. I remember several years ago, when ammo was really hard to find in my area. There wasn’t a box of .223, .308, 9mm, .45, or even 30-06 to be found, but I saw several leftover boxes of .40 S&W and .243 Winchester. They were there week after …


Product Review: Springfield Armory XD-45 Mod.2

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Last month, SurvivalBlog readers got an in-depth look at the Springfield Armory XD-9 Mod.2 sub-compact 9mm handgun, and to be sure, it’s a winner in all respects. However, not everyone thinks that the 9mm round is the best all around caliber for self-defense or other uses. Some of us believe nothing less than the .45ACP will make do, and I’m in that group myself. Yes, quite often I can be caught carrying some kind of 9mm pistol, but if I know in advance that I’m headed into harm’s way I’ll elect to carry a .45ACP of some sort. Many gun …



Low Budget Knife Selection for a Novice, by S.G.

I. The World of Knives On the top of all new “prepper” lists is a good survival knife. The knife is a low-tech, multipurpose tool that has served humankind since before the dawn of civilization. To these early men, the side of a chipped flint could butcher an animal carcass for food and clothing. To the modern man, however, there is a dizzying array of choices when it comes to knife selection. This article documents my ongoing journey of knife selection, with my own frugal, low budget perspective. Now, when talking “low budget”, I do not mean cheap. When I …


Letter Re: Firearms Philosophy

In his book– Tools for Survival– JWR states that he is in the “narrow but deep” firearms camp rather than the “broad range” of firearms camp. I suggest a third alternative: Go for the “narrow but deep” philosophy first with a military style rifle with quality optics and a military style handgun and LOTS of mags and ammo for each (and, arguably, a shotgun). Then, slowly supplement that with other less expensive firearms with less ammo. These firearms should be non-military as, for example, lever action rifles, bolt action hunting rifles, and revolvers, with smaller quantities of ammo. Why? The …


Letter Re: Scoping the Garand

Hugh, Here is some helpful information when dealing with the Garand rifle. This video shows how to field strip the Garand rifle. You may remove the operating rod without removing the gas chamber/front sight assembly. Remove trigger group, Remove operating spring, Pull operating handle to the rear where it will come out of notch on upper edge of slot, Pull operating rod back and out of gas chamber. Thank you, – V.S.


Buck Knives Model 245 MWG, by Pat Cascio

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You probably won’t find the new fixed blade Buck Model 245 MWG on the Buck® Knives Official Website list of their Hunting and Tactical Knives just yet, because it is so new; I received one of the first samples. Sure, a month or two ago, many websites released a press release– the same I received– on the Model 245 MWG Buck knife, but these sites do an injustice to the product and the reader, if you ask me, by simply posting a press release without actually testing the product. Everyone is probably familiar with the most famous Buck folding knife …


Scot’s Product Review: Nikon PROSTAFF Target EFR 3-9x 40mm Rifle Scope

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If my rifles had feelings, I bet my .22’s and air rifles would feel slighted. They don’t get the expensive accessories that my centerfire ones get, the most important of which are quality optics. I usually have to pinch pennies, and I view the most important firearms in my collection to be the self-defense and hunting ones, so that’s where the money goes. The importance of self-defense does not need to be stated, while hunting puts food on the table and also serves a critical function. I don’t get to hunt as much as I would like, but when I …


Range Brass to Finished Cartridge, Tips For The Ubiquitous .223 Cartridge, by R.W. – Part 3

On full charge cartridges, you need to watch for defects, so: Look for any swelling, cracks, splits, or thinning of the brass. Check for fouling, debris, or dirt jammed into the cavity of the shell case. It may be generally noted that discoloring around the top of the case at the neck radius is common with most military surplus brass and will often be polished off in the cleaning of the shell cases. Watch for any heavy corrosion or pitting, as this should be a warning that the bullet has lost some ductility and integrity due to the oxidization process, …


Range Brass to Finished Cartridge, Tips For The Ubiquitous .223 Cartridge, by R.W. – Part 2

Why would anyone go to the risk or bother to reload their own bullets, if all things are equal? For instance, why reload if reloading materials are just as available as finished bullets and conversely there are no shortages or sticker shock encountered in either? That’s a good question. My advice is to leave no stone unturned, dig a little deeper, and keep all of your options open. Not all bullets are created equal, of course. Even if all manufacturers made the same specifications, performance and accuracy would vary wildly, or else the science of punching holes in paper to …