The Efficacy of Gun Control, by B.W.

Plato purportedly said, “Only the dead have seen the end of war,” and in many ways he was correct. Violence has been a constant throughout recorded history, and it continues to plague humanity. In fact, perhaps the only significant change is our growing expertise and efficiency. The invention of the firearm in 13th century China marked a turning point in state-sponsored warfare and interpersonal violence. Black powder in conjunction with a simple machine and projectile enabled the relatively unskilled and weaker combatant to create parity with a group who possessed superior strength. For better or worse, politics had irrevocably changed. As a direct result, the following questions immediately emerged: Who should possess these weapons? Should they be exclusive to state actors? Should they be available to the general public? As emotionally charged as these questions have become, and as much as we want there to be simple solution to violence, gun control is politically dangerous, it does not directly prevent violence, and history has shown it to be a dangerous tool in the oppression of minority ethnic, religious, and political groups.

In 1513, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote his seminal work The Prince, which detailed his observations and reflections on politics and government. He made the following statement regarding the citizenry and arms: “But when you disarm them, you begin to offend them, and you show that you distrust them either because of cowardice or lack of loyalty, and both of these judgements generate hatred against you.”[1] Nothing if not pragmatic, Machiavelli argues that if a ruling party desires to regulate (or prohibit) private firearm ownership, they take a huge political risk. For by attempting to disarm the populace, the ruling party can potentially cause the political unrest they were attempting to prevent.

Further complicating the political viability of gun control, the anger and hostility generated by these efforts can become multi-generational. In his 1927 autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi recounted several decades of British oppression. He reserved some of his most pointed comments for British efforts at firearm regulations, specifically the Indian Arms Act of 1878.

“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look back upon the Act depriving the whole nation of arms as the blackest. If we want the Arms Act to be repealed, if we want to learn the use of arms, here is a golden opportunity. If the middle classes render voluntary help to Government in the hour of its trial, distrust will disappear, and the ban on possessing arms will be withdrawn.”[2]

This reasoning may seem archaic in our postmodern society, but what would be the outcome of a Presidential Executive Order outlawing private gun ownership in this country? Would the situation be any less politically and socially precarious than it was in the time of Machiavelli? Arguably, any such action would produce the largest political crisis since World War II.

It can be argued that political expediency is irrelevant because gun control is necessary to prevent interpersonal violence. There can be no debate that firearm violence is out of control in the Americas, and common sense dictates that removing the guns will stop the violence. But does fewer (or no) guns directly translate into fewer victims? In response to the 1996 Dublane School Massacre, the United Kingdom Parliament passed the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997, which prohibited the private ownership of handguns. This is not an uncommon response to a tragedy of this nature. We saw similar actions in Australia following the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre. These laws were presumably well-intentioned and were generally considered to be successful at limiting gun violence. Unfortunately, and perhaps counter-intuitively, in spite of a drop in gun-specific violence, violence in general has not lessened.

According to the UK Home Office Statistical Bureau, in the ten years preceding the Firearms Acts of 1997, the murder rate in England and Wales was fairly consistent and averaged 11.6 per 1,000,000. It would be assumed that the rate would drop as a direct result of the legislation. However, in the ten years following the Act, murder rates actually rose consistently and averaged 14.0 per 1,000,000. This is a fairly conservative average, because the rate trended upward post-Act, and peaked at 17.9 in 2002/2003.3 If gun violence in fact diminished (representing only 9% of murders in 2008 to 2011), how does the murder rate continue to climb? Simply put, violence is not limited to a single instrument, and the lack of firearm availability does not translate into a decrease in violent crime. Furthermore, according to the same report, 37% of all murders of men were with “sharp objects”, and a further 27% were from “hitting and kicking, etc.”[3]

There is another, more disingenuous intention driving many historical attempts at firearm confiscation. It is best explained by the 1857 United States Supreme Court Case Scott v. Sanford. Even though this decision is a monumental blemish on the history of the court, it betrays the intentions of many who would exert control.

“It would give to persons of the negro race, who were recognized as citizens in any one State of the Union, the right to enter every other State whenever they pleased, singly or in companies, without pass or passport, and without obstruction, to sojourn there as long as they pleased, to go where they pleased at every hour of the day or night without molestation…and it would give them the full liberty of speech in public and in private upon all subjects upon which its own citizens might speak to hold public meetings upon political affairs, and to keep and carry arms wherever they went. And all of this would be done in the face of the subject race of the same color, both free and slaves, and inevitably producing discontent and insubordination among them, and endangering the peace and safety of the State.”[4]

It is notable that one of the primary causes for this absurd decision is that “they” would be allowed to travel, speak, and carry a firearm at will. Therein lies the issue. Gun control is a powerful tool in the subjugation of minority ethnic, religious, and political groups. At this point, many would ascribe this premise to paranoia or conspiracy, but a limited study of 20th century (and before) history, reveals an alarming trend: gun control precedes genocide.

Given more time, we could discuss the Ottoman Turks, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and the millions of political, religious, and ethnic minorities that died at their hands following targeted gun control legislation, but for the sake of this paper, it is sufficient to note the following from Bernard E. Harcourt:

“But if forced to, it seems fair to conclude—at least preliminarily—that the Nazis were in favor of less gun control than the Weimar Republic for the “trustworthy” German citizen—while disarming and engaging in a genocide of the Jewish population.”[5]

The harsh reality is history does not favor the disarmed. The twentieth century has shown us multiple examples of ethnic cleansing and genocide, many of which are still on-going. Pragmatically speaking, when a minority group gives up their arms, either by force or voluntarily, it greatly increases the likelihood of oppression by those who have not.

Admittedly, gun control is an emotionally charged topic. All sides are deeply vested in their opinions and platforms. This is not surprising because there is so much at stake. All sides would like to see a world without violence, where instruments of war are not necessary. However, it is misguided to think that these instruments are the cause of our problems. Cain did not need a firearm to kill Abel, just as the rock did not provoke him to do so. Political and social theory aside, there is just the historical fact that mankind is generally violent, and we will use whatever is at hand as the instrument of that violence. It may be a firearm, a sword, a sharpened stick, a stone, or a neutron bomb, but the outcome is predictably the same.

Bibliography

References


[1] Machiavelli, Niccolo, The Prince and Other Writings. New York: Fine Creative Media, Inc., 2003.


[2] Gandhi, Mahatma. My Experiments with Truth: An Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi. New Delhi: General Press, 2013. Amazon Kindle Edition.


[3] Smith, Kevin, Sarah Osborne, Ivy Lau, and Andrew Britton. “Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2010/11: Supplementary Volume 2 to Crime in England and Wales 2010/11.” Home Office Statistical Bulletin (January 2012): Accessed November 14,2015. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/116483/hosb0212.pdf.


[4] The Dred Scott Case. The Black Heritage Library Collection. Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press, 1973. Electronic Format.


[5] Harcourt, Bernard. “On the NRA, Adolph Hitler, Gun Registration, and the Nazi Gun Laws: Exploding the Culture Wars.” A Call to Historians, Chicago, IL, April 5, 2004. Accessed November 16, 2015. http://www.law.uchicago.edu/files/files/harcourt_fordham.pdf.

Letter Re: When You Get Here

HJL,

Having moved to a small town from a large metro area 23 years ago, and I found this article to be of interest. Although all the suggestions in this article are universally good and applicable to anyone moving into any new community, the brief mention of a drug and alcohol problem with the admonition to “stay out of bars” needs some more attention. There is a serious, escalating drug and alcohol problem in rural communities that, in fact, do “stay out of bars” as there isn’t enough room there. Around here, farmers post signs in their fields stating “these fields are fertilized with swine manure”, just to remind city cats that there are other odors in the country besides the roses. Furthermore the rose bushes in the countryside have got just as many thorns as their city cousins have. My sign to potential newcomers would be “These communities are permeated with drugs, bankruptcies, divorces, suicides.”

Any vision of rural or small town living as being a refuge from the rapidly crumbling society and culture is naive. Small town communities are in fact experiencing it at a far faster pace with far more destructive results than in large metro areas due to abundant apathy and little or no resources to counter it. The drug networks know that this is an “easy place”. Residents in these rural/small town communities will travel 40 miles daily to get to jobs in the one or two industries that support the local economy, but the pervasive fear of their departure is always there. And when it does happen, which it frequently does, the effects of the ensuing economic depression can bring despair, desolation, civic breakdown, and an exodus of youth.

I can see the closest farm from our backyard. If I were to pay that farmer a visit and ask them, for instance, how to sharpen an axe, the workers would direct me to his office where I would find a well-dressed man in his late 40’s sitting at a desk going through satellite field reports over multi-display computer monitors. “Sharpen your axe?” he’d say laughing. “What do you think I am, Amish?” In fact I did visit the local Amish, and I don’t know if they offer axe sharpening services, but they do sell brand new name brand axes of the highest quality. As I leave, I notice a small shed that is outside the edge of their property. I’ve inquired about what that is for; it is where they keep their cell phones, cordless drills, and work radios, as it is forbidden on their home turf.

I do not regret our move. It has worked out well despite the challenges we encountered. However, along with the advice about being a good neighbor “when you get here”, before you think about getting here, think twice about coming in the first place.

Mr. T.

News From The American Redoubt:

Former U.S. Navy carrier pilot and now Trike flyer “TTABS” has uploaded another one of his great flying videos. This one was recently shot over eastern Washington: The Intermission Time is Over! (As you can see, the region is starting to “green up”, with the spring weather.)

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Finicum Shooting Investigators Release Bundy Cellphone Video – RBS

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Wyoming: High-speed chase ends in arrest

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Montana: Fire in northwestern Montana burns through wilderness area

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Eastern Oregon: FBI Arrests Another Defendant in Oregon Standoff

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Eastern Washington: Former Spokane Police Officer Tim Moses Sentenced For Making Misleading Statements Following The Controversial Death Of Otto Zehm
What REAL ID means for Washington state

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Idaho: Clif Bar plant in Twin Falls readies for opening

Economics and Investing:

12 frugal lessons from the Great Depression

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Goldman-Sachs fined $5 billion. But, since they took $10 billion in bailout money from tax payer dollars, they still profited $5 billion plus what they initially stole prior to the crash. – DMS

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

What Harry Potter Can Teach the Federal Reserve (Mises) Excerpt: “Given the monetary dark arts being practiced around the world, I would much prefer my money in the hands of a Gringotts goblin, than at the mercy of our Federal Reserve Chairman Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. “

US Readies Bank Rule on Shell Companies Amid “Panama Papers” Fury (Reuters) Excerpt: “The U.S. Treasury Department intends to soon issue a long-delayed rule forcing banks to seek the identities of people behind shell-company account holders….”

International News

The Panama Papers: 7 Things to Know (CNN) What are they? Why are they called the Panama Papers? Who is mentioned in the documents? How have the accused responded to the Panama Papers? What is Mossack Fonseca saying? How did ICIJ get the documents? What are the consequences of this leak?

Relatives of China’s Top Leaders are Identified in Panama Papers (New York Times) Excerpt: “Chinese government censors have moved aggressively since the first release of leaked documents on Sunday to purge any media’s mention of them in China, going so far as to block Internet searches and online discussions that involve the words “Panama Papers.”

Panama Papers: Iceland PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Steps Down (BBC) Excerpt: “The leaks, from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, showed Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson owned an offshore company with his wife but had not declared it when he entered parliament.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

That Time We Bought a Homestead (Frugalwoods) Excerpt: “In our opinion, the culturally dominant idea of continually upgrading our home, car, possessions–in other words, hopping on the carousel of lifestyle inflation–was an empty, meaningless way to spend our existence. Propelled by the desire to truly live, instead of merely survive, we charted a path to financial independence….”

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Arrogance to the nth power: Obama Administration Doesn’t Care Anymore, Releases Fast And Furious Documents

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Violence becoming the norm at Dearborn’s businesses – Sent in by B.B.

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Shock: Man Who Called 911 To Report Walmart Threat To Be Charged After POLICE Shoot and Kill Suspect

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How a Cashless Society Could Embolden Big Brother “But wherever information gathers and flows, two predators follow closely behind it: censorship and surveillance. The case of digital money is no exception. Where money becomes a series of signals, it can be censored; where money becomes information, it will inform on you.” – Sent in by G.G.

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How Islamists Are Slowly Desensitizing Europe And America – S.M.

Notes for Monday – April 11, 2016

April 11th is the birthday of John Milius, who was born in 1944. He both wrote the screenplays and directed the films Dillinger, The Wind and the Lion, Big Wednesday, Conan the Barbarian, Red Dawn, Farewell to the King, and Flight of the Intruder. He also wrote the screenplays of the first two Dirty Harry movies as well as the first draft of the screenplay for Patton (before Francis Ford Coppola turned it into a vaguely anti-war commentary laced with references to reincarnation). Milius is JWR’s favorite Hollywood writer and director, in part because he stands for everything that Hollywood doesn’t.

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I was quite saddened to hear of the death of music legend Merle Haggard, who is remembered for his songs like Rainbow Stew and Big City. He was right, when he sang: This World is Not My Home. I’ll see you in heaven, Merle!

How to Survive Workplace Violence , by SM

The office building where I work was recently the scene of workplace violence that ended in a murder-suicide. While company policies and security measures attempt to prevent such things, we all know that it is nearly impossible to stop people who are bent on destruction; rules and policies are simply ignored, and security can be circumvented. Like I did before this occurred, you may view workplace violence as something that happens somewhere else, maybe in large cities or in other states. But we experienced it in our community, at our workplace, so I want to remind SB readers that it can happen anywhere, at any time, and it is prudent to prepare for it.

Should the unthinkable occur, the primary objective is rapid, safe evacuation of your team and yourself. Unless your role is one of emergency responder, then your thoughts and preparations must be on moving to safety first and not confronting the perpetrators, securing the facility, fighting the fire, or providing medical care. Once the immediate threat is over, then medical assistance can be given and the other issues dealt with.

Thinking back to the day and its events, I have concluded that there are actions that can be taken to reduce the risk of serious injury or death. Some of these actions I took, while others I should have taken:

  • Treat every warning or evacuation order seriously: We have to consciously resist normalcy bias. In our hearts and minds, we believe that the events of each new day will be similar to previous days and go as planned. When given a strong indication, such as an alarm or verbal order to evacuate, we must quickly flip a mental switch that it is no longer “business as usual”. While fire drills are useful exercises to learn procedures, egress routes, rally points, et cetera, they can create a sense of complacency; it’s only a drill, after all. To improve your prospects of survival, commit to yourself that you will consider any alarm or warning as deadly serious.
  • Look all around as you evacuate: Although your primary objective is to vacate the building, as you move implement extreme situational awareness. Look behind you, to the sides, in front, above, and below. Look for threats, victims, people that need assistance to evacuate, hazards, obstacles, et cetera. Help where you can, but keep moving.
  • Keep critical personal items on your person: During a hasty evacuation, you likely will not have time to locate and gather your cell phone, car keys, purse, medical items, et cetera from a distant desk, locker, or conference room. Best practice is to maintain these items on your person: in your pocket, on your belt, or in your brief case.
  • Consider evacuation to be permanent: There are many circumstances, including fire, chemical contamination, et cetera, that will prevent you from ever returning or retrieving critical personal items. So plan the management of critical items accordingly.
  • Every day carry (EDC) items: There are items that can be carried to support your safe egress and comply with common weapons-free work environment policies. First is a flashlight. I see many people depend on the flashlight function of their cell phone, but I believe best practice is to carry a dedicated battery-powered LED flashlight. At a minimum, a pen sized light with two high quality AAA batteries is recommended, or better yet an LED light using DL123 or rechargeable 18650 batteries. While a larger light clearly provides superior illumination, it must be a light that you will commit to carrying at all times. Other items that can be every day carried are a basic first aid kit, tactical pen that can serve as a covert weapon, and a ballistic insert for your brief case or backpack.
  • Spare car key: I strongly suggest that a spare key be duct taped or magnetically attached to the underside or hidden in an external area of your vehicle. If you can get to your car, even without a key, you need to be able to open the doors, remove items you have in it, and drive it away. With older vehicles, it is a simple matter of having the local hardware store cut a duplicate key. With newer cars, the keys often contain “chips” and are not easily duplicated. Spare keys can be purchased at greater cost from a dealer. This measure can also serve you well in less critical times, should you lock your keys in your car or loose your keys.
  • Rehearse evacuation: Although it seems like an obvious thing to do, few people make a concerted effort to identify the locations of fire alarms, fire extinguishers, defibrillators, and emergency exits prior to an emergency. Schedule time on your calendar, or take whatever effort is needed to devote adequate time to review your facility and its emergency features.
  • Account for your team: Once you have evacuated the danger zone, turn your attention to accounting for your team members. Gather them together, and identify any missing people. Make emergency personnel aware of anyone who is missing.

Although every situation is unique, I hope that this experience and these suggestions can make a positive difference for those who might experience workplace violence. Many preparations and the mindset for surviving small scale workplace violence also apply to larger scale disasters. Please consider and implement steps that would improve the your chances of surviving workplace violence or other sudden calamities.

“A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 27:12

Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Springfield Armory MC Operator 1911

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I first saw one of the very first Springfield Armory MC Operator 1911s at a gun shop in Idaho some years ago. The MC Stands for Marine Corps, and this particular 1911 was designed with the specs laid out based on what the US Marine Corps wanted in a 1911 for their special ops guys. It wasn’t until just recently that the Corps was even allowed to refer to their special ops guys by the term Special Operators! Like many in the military SpecOps community, they prefer the proven stopping power of the .45 ACP FMJ round in the 1911 platform. In most cases, they are limited to using FMJ ammo, and it is a much better stopper than 9mm FMJ.

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The Springfield Armory MC Operator has gone through several slight changes over the years, and I’ve owned them all, not that there’s been a lot of changes. The original had Pachmayr wrap-around rubber grips that I didn’t much care for, but they were functional. The first guns didn’t have an accessory rail either. However, there were the three dot tritium night sights, ambi safety, flat/checkered mainspring housing, and all the other goodies that the US Marines wanted. I had one MC Operator with a full-length recoil spring guide, and that wasn’t spec’d by the Marines. The current guns have the standard GI style recoil spring system, for much easier field stripping.

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The gun that Springfield is now offering hasn’t changed that much from the first generation. We have the forged slide and frame, with the slide having a black Armory Kote on it. The frame has the OD green Armory Kote on it, which is tough stuff and really holds up to severe weather conditions. The barrel is 5 inchs in length and is stainless steel and match grade. The barrel is also throated and polished for sure feeding of all types of .45 ACP ammo, and the feed ramp is also polished, which is a nice touch! Grips are G10 with a nice green/black color to them and with a nice pattern CNC’d into them, for a sure and positive grip under any weather conditions. The front of the frame doesn’t have the traditional checkered pattern to it. Instead, it has what’s called Posi-Lock texturing, which is not too rough and not too subtle; it gives a great purchase on the gun, without being overly aggressive and rough on the hand. I love it.

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As already mentioned, there is the accessory rail on the frame, for attaching lights and lasers. That’s something the first MC Operators didn’t have, and SpecOps folks take full advantage of this. Most install lights on the 1911s, and some install a combination light/laser on their 1911s. The gun weighs in at 43 oz, which is a bit heavier than some other 1911s without an accessory rail. It comes with two 7-rd mags, which are my only complaint; I prefer 8-rd mags. However, this is easily taken care of if you prefer 8-rd mags. There is also the nice carrying case the gun comes in, with a paddle holster, double mag pouch, cleaning brush, and a full instruction manual.

Most of the time, whenever I receive any 1911, regardless of what make or model it might be, I can always find something I feel I need to change or customize on the gun to make it more to my own liking. The only thing I did was use some 8-rd mags with the gun instead of the factory-issued 7-rd mags. Oh, I used them during some of my testing, but I much preferred the 8-rd mags, and I had a variety of them from different makers, too. I didn’t feel the need to tweak the trigger pull or make it lighter. It came from the box with a dead-on 5-lb, very crisp trigger pull, with no slop at all– outstanding. The ambi safety snicked on/off with authority, too. The Delta speed hammer works nicely and gives you a little bit more speed when you pull the trigger. There’s slightly faster lock-time, and that means more accuracy. Factory standard recoil spring weight is 16-bs on full-sized 1911s, and the MC Operator came this way. For some extended shooting with +P .45 ACP ammo, I installed an 18.5-lbs recoil spring, and the gun ran fine with it. However, when I returned to standard velocity loads, I went back to the 16-lbs recoil spring. I guess you can say that I did “change” something on the gun, but it would have run fine for an extended shooting session with +P ammo just the same. Why beatup the gun if you can avoid it?

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I don’t believe in shooting guns to see if I can destroy them. The gun makers themselves have already done this. However, some gun writers take great joy in seeing if a gun will fail in a 5,000 or 10,000 round torture test, where they just shoot the guns as fast as they can with the help of others to see just when a gun will break. That’s stupid! It proves nothing. Any gun can and will break under the right circumstances. However, I believe in giving gun samples a more than fair ammo test, which brings us to a comment I got one time from someone who was doing PR/Marketing for a very large ammo maker. I was told that my ammo requests were a bit unreasonable when I asked for 500-rds of ammo to test. I was informed that the average gun writer runs 64 rounds of ammo through guns when testing them for articles. That’s crazy! I know quite a few fellow gun writers, and they all told me they put several hundred rounds through guns most of the time. I stopped begging for ammo from this major gun company when they started sending me two boxes of ammo for my testing.

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Now, as already mentioned, I don’t do testing to destruction in my articles. However, now that the ammo drought is over, or mostly over, I do like to run no less than 500 rounds through a gun that I’m testing and writing about. However, in the case of the MC Operator, I did some long-term testing over the course of a year. Much of the time, I’ll conclude my testing after a week or two and sometimes over a weekend. The MC Operator was used for over a year. At 3,000 rounds of shooting, I started to lose count, but I’m sure I ran more than 4,000-rds of ammo through the gun in a year. I only did routine cleaning and maintenance every 500 rds or so, and I didn’t keep an exact count. But I would clean and lube the gun with my favorite products by Italian Gun Grease. For my money, you can’t beat their Tactical Lube.

I am forever in the debt of two ammo makers for always keeping me supplied in their fine ammo– Black Hills Ammunition and Buffalo Bore Ammunition. They always come through for me, no matter how much ammo I request, even during the great ammo drought. If they had it, they sent it to me with no questions asked, ever! Thanks, guys!

From Black Hills, I had their 200-gr Match SWC ammo that is always accurate, very accurate, and their 230-gr FMJ, 185-gr JHP, 230-gr JHP, 230-gr JHP +P, and their 185-gr Barnes TAC-XP all-copper hollow point +P load. From Buffalo Bore, I had their 160-gr Barnes Low-Recoil, standard pressure all-copper hollow point load, 255-gr Outdoorsman Hard Cast FN +P load, which is great for out in the boonies, where dangerous game are. Their 230-gr FMJ FN +P, 185-gr JHP +P, 230-gr JHP +P, 185-gr Barnes TAC-XP all-copper hollow point +P, and their 200-gr JHP +P load. Whew! Quite a selection to run through the MC Operator.

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Okay, there are no mysteries here. The MC Operator ran without a hitch of any kind. No ammo was beyond what the gun could feed. It fed everything, and I mean everything, right out of the box. There were no hang-ups of any kind, PERIOD!

For my accuracy testing, I was shooting at 25 yards over the hood of my pickup truck, using a rolled-up sleeping bag as a rest. I was sure that the Black Hills 200-gr match SWC was going to take home best honors, but it didn’t. The Buffalo Bore 200-gr JHP +P load was given that honor, with groups down to two inches if I did my part. All other groups were three inches and under, and I mean all the ammo was plenty accurate. I couldn’t consistently get groups in the 2-inch range, but if I was on my game, I did it! None of the ammo tested was “bad” in the accuracy department, none of it. For the most part, the MC Operator was pretty consistent in accuracy, which is a testament to how well the gun was fitted. To be sure, the gun was very tight, and it stayed tight during all my shooting over the course of about a year.

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As I mentioned, I wasn’t trying to destroy the gun or shoot it until it had malfunctions. Instead, I would grab it most of the time, when I went out shooting for fun or shooting other guns for articles. I didn’t want to let the gun get super-dirty, and it was cleaned and lubed around every 500-rds or so, and that is just prudent if you ask me. I don’t see myself getting into an extended fight, armed only with a handgun and a thousand rounds of ammo on my back. That just isn’t real-life! However, you can find yourself in a survival situation or perhaps in military combat where you might be out for an extended period of time and regular maintenance can’t be done. I keep a cleaning kit in my ALICE gear at all times, though.

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If you shop around, you can find the MC Operator from Springfield Armory for around $1,200.00 – $1,300.00, and it is a good deal, if you ask me. I do have a bone to pick with those who selected the Colt over the Springfield Armory Operator as the gun for the US Marines though. The Colt is twice the money, literally, and it is not twice the gun. As a matter of fact, in my humble opinion, it’s not quite the gun that the Springfield is, if you ask me. Yeah, for sure, the Colt is coated in a desert tan color and has different colored grips. Well, Springfield could have supplied their MC Operator that same way, if that was a request. It never ceases to amaze me how our FedGov will spend our tax dollars foolishly. I’m not saying the Colt isn’t a good gun; it is. But why waste our tax dollars and spend double the money when the Springfield would have served the needs of the US Marines SpecOps guys?

I have no vested interest in Springfield Armory or Colt products. However, if you laid out similar makes and models from Springfield and Colt in front of me and told me I could have my choice, more often than not I’d pick the Springfield over the Colt. It’s just my preferences. So, don’t think I’m a Colt hater; I’m not. I know what I want and what I like in a 1911, and I like what Springfield Armory is producing these days– some of the best 1911s money can buy at prices that won’t break the bank, either.

– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Beef Bundles, by Mrs. Almand

Mr. Latimer, here is a recipe that I first made as a money-saver. It soon became a requested family favorite. Easy, delicious, and budget friendly.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup packaged/homemade stuffing mix
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp catsup

Directions:

  1. Combine milk and ground beef. Shape into 5 large (thin) patties.
  2. Prepare stuffing mix as per directions. Divide into 5 mounds of stuffing and place one on center of each patty. Draw meat up around the dressing to form a ball.
  3. Place balls, seam side down, in a baking dish.
  4. In a small bowl combine undiluted soup, catsup, and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over meatballs.
  5. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Hope you enjoy it as much as even my children do.

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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Letter Re: Google Maps Measurement

HJL,

Google maps has a neat feature that lets you measure distances on their maps by zooming in to the features you want to measure, right-click over the point of the start of the measurement then select “measure distance” then left-click the next point of measurement. You can continue to add segments to the existing measurements or simply right-click again and select “Clear measurement” from the menu. This is handy to get rough range estimates to neighboring properties or terrestrial features that may aid in range finding. This does not mitigate the need to actually observe the landscape in person. You never know when a hill, tree, or brush may be intervening that you can’t see on google maps. Of course, this is no substitute for physically being there or a good topo map, but it’s better than nothing, and you can do it from the comfort of your computer chair.

This also works through the Tor browser, as you never know who may be interested in seeing what you are ranging. – DB in Michigan

Economics and Investing:

“The Greater Depression Has Started” – Comparing 1930s & Today – J.C.

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Government Will Owe More Money Than Entire Economy Produces – G.G.

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

The $1 Trillion Short Underlying Stocks’ Spring Awakening (Bloomberg) Excerpt: “Amid its biggest about-face in nine decades, a funny thing has happened in the U.S. stock market, where rather than loosen their grip bears have grown ever-more impassioned.”

Obama Administration Pushes Banks to Make Home Loans to People with Weaker Credit (The Washington Post) Excerpt: “The Obama administration is engaged in a broad push to make more home loans available to people with weaker credit, an effort that officials say will help power the economic recovery but that skeptics say could open the door to the risky lending that caused the housing crash in the first place.”

The Former CFO of Enron Warned a Group of Execs that Large US Companies are Doing the Same Things He Did (Business Insider) Excerpt: “He said he knowingly engaged in numerous transactions that were designed to mislead investors by hiding debt in special purpose entities, etc.”

The Fed Can’t Save Us (Mises) Excerpt: “It is attempting to pull off a magic trick whereby it can keep all of the “benefits” of its earlier rounds of monetary expansion (i.e., “quantitative easing” or “QE”) while removing the artificial stimulus of ultra-low interest rates.”

US Weakens Retirement Advice Rule, Responding to Industry (Reuters) Excerpt: “Unlike the draft proposal, the final rule does not restrict brokers from pushing proprietary products, splitting revenue with creators of funds they promote, or recommending risky, high-fee investments in alternative assets and certain annuities.”

International News

Under 40? Five Charts that Show Why You’re a Victim of the Housing Crisis (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “Britain’s growing army of tenants now spend up to a third of their disposable income on rent, according to official figures which lay bare the extent of the UK’s housing crisis.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

Why You Need to Turn Paper Statements Back On (Clark Howard) Excerpt: “…the best way to prove what funds you had on deposit in the event of a catastrophic data breach is with hard copy paper statements.”

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Notes for Sunday – April 10, 2016

10 April, 1796 is the birthday of James Jim Bowie, who died March 6, 1836 at the Battle of the Alamo.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 64 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 64 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Crises Preparation- Part 3, by B1

Without Electricity

If you have a portable generator and/or a whole house generator, that is great. However, how much fuel do you have to run it? Do you have enough set aside to last you several months? The less you run it, the longer it will last. You should only run it for the bare necessities. Do you honestly need lights? No. Invest in candles and lanterns. The generators should only be run at the bare minimum. They make noise and draw attention from criminals. They should only be run during the hours of less activity outside, so as not to draw too much attention. They will also need to be locked up or secured somewhere when not in use. Will your generator be big enough to run some source of electric heat? Again, we will be approaching winter time, so you will need heat. Do an inventory of things that require batteries and have extra batteries on hand for those items. Again without electricity, how will you cook and stay warm? Do you have a wood stove? The outside ones are great, but without electricity they may be useless. If you have a fireplace and wood stove in your house, that’s great. If you don’t, you may want to try and get them. Installing a wood stove is not that hard. However, it may be outside your budget. Also, with a wood heat source comes the need to have wood to burn. You would need to get busy cutting wood now and have enough on hand to last you for two winters. Keep in mind, if this is your only source of heat and cooking, it will require more wood because you are using it more. Charcoal or gas grills are good for cooking but not good for heating a house. Again, whatever you plan on using, you must have stockpiled enough fuel or wood to sustain it for a longer period of time. Imagine being without power all winter. I suggest planning everything for at least six months of preparation.

Water

Water is very important, obviously. What is your plan for water? You may not have running water in your house during a crisis, or it may be contaminated. Invest in water purification items. These can be found easily on the Internet. Research it and find what’s best for your household.

If you have no well or city water, I suggest stockpiling it. I don’t recommend bottled water, since it is not cost effective. Maybe some if you need to bug out, so get camping type containers that are large and can hold a lot. I don’t know what else to suggest. This will be the biggest struggle. Water is the life source. Think outside the box and look into things such as a rain water collection system and snow melted, using a ater purification system; this water is drinkable after being purified.

Food

You will have limited sources to cook the food and keep it refrigerated. Of course, in winter it could be kept outside. You will want canned food and dry packed food with a long shelf life. Rice is a good example since one cup of uncooked rice would feed a family for one meal. Look for foods that have a long shelf life that don’t require refrigeration or a lot of preparation to get them ready to eat. Look for foods that are healthy and full of the essential vitamins and nutrients you need. Look at the types of food you are getting. You don’t want something loaded with sugar or bad carbs. Corn is not good for you; it’s pure sugar. Ramen noodles, while inexpensive and easy to cook, offer no nutritional value. You could starve to death eating these alone. Keep in mind things like powdered milk and dehydrated foods. If you have very young children, do you have enough baby food for them? Look at the expiration dates on everything you buy. Obviously, you want the ones that will last longer.

Garden

It is late in the season to plant now, but will you have seeds for next year to plant? You could plant root crops now that will grow in to early winter. This might include turnips, potatoes, et cetera. Yes, potatoes are kind of boring, but they can be eaten raw and one plant produces many of them. You get several meals off of one plant. If you have a yard, plant something.

Chickens and Pets

Enjoy their eggs. Do I need to say more? This is another food source. If you have a rooster, then you will have more chickens eventually. Chicken eggs also do not have to be refrigerated. As long as they are not washed off, they can sit on your counter for weeks before going bad. If you’re stockpiling food for yourself, you will have to do the same for your pets, unless you don’t plan on them being on the dinner table. The same is true of your chickens, if you have any; they will need food during the winter. A friend of mine, Matt, shared with me information for feeding chickens in warmer weather. Get a bucket with a lid. Put several holes in it on the sides. Secure the bucket to a pole off the ground in your coop. Place all of your food scraps in it. This will attract flies and bugs. The larvae and bugs from this will fall to the ground for the chickens to feed on.

Hunt and Trap

Learn how to hunt and make traps to catch food, including squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, et cetera. Even a stray cat could become a meal for you. Tractor supply sells traps that are not hard to work or set up.

Do Your Bit

I understand a lot of this is easier said than done. Some of us live in urban areas where most of this is not possible. Furthermore, we all have different budgets and family needs. Some families or people would not be able to get prepared without help. You may have family and friends that will come to you for help. You might actually be someone that needs to go somewhere for help. If you plan on leaving your home and joining someone else in a crisis, be sure to sit down with them and plan it out before it happens. For example, I hope to have enough provision for my family. Will I have enough to take on another family in need? God willing, I will. Nevertheless, do not allow yourself to be a burden to someone. If there is a plan in place for you to join up with someone else, be an asset not a liability to them. Bottom line: Don’t go there to mooch or be a freeloader. Keep in mind that if you go somewhere else, you need to be prepared to submit to that family’s rules and requirements. Even if you plan on bugging to someone else’s house to get through the crisis, you can still contribute to the provisions and responsibilities. You can still stockpile and take it with you. Don’t show up at some one’s door empty handed, when you have had the means to get stuff. Everyone receiving this letter has been warned of what may come in a crisis. You know what you need to do.

Obviously there is no way I can possibly give advice for every possible scenario or crisis that could come. Remember that for the basics in a crisis, you need:

  • security (against criminals and the weather),
  • heat (in the winter),
  • food and water (and a way to prepare food), and
  • first aid.

This letter I am hoping will give you some idea where to start your planning and preparation. If you have further or more specific questions, contact me. I will do the best to answer them.

First Steps for Right Now

Spiritual Preparation

If Christ is not your Lord and Savior, you will fail in the long run. Many Christians are hoping the rapture will occur before any bad crisis. I am one of them. However, the reality is that it may not happen for several more years. It is better to be prepared then not be prepared. One fear you may want to consider in a crisis of this magnitude: This could and most likely would usher in the one world currency. Whether you know it or not, there are many countries now planning for a one world currency that would make the American currency obsolete. Basically, this could usher in the beginning of the End Times from Revelation. Being spiritually prepared should be your priority right now.

Mental Preparation

A crisis will be dramatically tough on every one. You must accept the fact that something is most likely going to happen, and life as we know it now will change. This goes along with being emotionally prepared. If things get as bad as it has been predicted, this crisis will knock us off our feet.

Physical Preparedness

This is your plan, provisions, health, et cetera. Basically, this is everything I have touched on in this letter.