Notes for Tuesday – March 15, 2016

This is the birthday of General and President Andrew Jackson, in 1767. He was the 7th President of the United States (1829-1837.)

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Safecastle has their lowest price ever on LifeStraw 5-packs. Use the coupon “LS16off5” at checkout to get the discount down to as much as 48% off of MSRP.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 63 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 both 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 63 ends on March 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.

Why I Started Prepping, by KB

Several years ago, right after the election of Barrack Hussein Obama as President of the USA, a feeling crept over me that things were about to change. It is at that moment that I seriously began to start preparing for what now is evident, that our country and the world are in a severe downward spiral.

CEOs of America’s top companies were so busy exporting our jobs for the sake of the bottom line, keeping shareholders happy, and avoiding high U.S. corporate tax rates that one day we woke up to find that the middle class in America was disappearing. This is the middle class, whose prosperity after WWII brought about the greatest economic revolution the world has ever seen and was our strength.

I work for a leading global corporation that manufactures equipment for the mining, aggregates, and oil/gas industries. I have traveled all over the world and spent a great deal of time in Latin America, where I always wondered why their people are so poor with all of the abundant natural resources they have. The answer I came up with is that there is no middle class to bring about prosperity. In Latin America, you are either rich or poor, and the middle class is, for the most part, nonexistent. The last few decades have reversed this trend at the expense of the middle class in the U.S. The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, & China) countries have experienced a robust growth in the middle class and a higher standard of living that brought about prosperity. Sound familiar? This phenomenon happened in Mexico and other Latin American countries marching across Asia as well. Now that we have exported many of our high paying manufacturing jobs and wealth to these countries, I can only draw one conclusion: We were sold out by corporate America, our politicians, the banking system, and federal reserve policy that printed money like there was no tomorrow. Well folks, tomorrow is here and what will you do to survive?

Thomas Jefferson said, “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” He also said, “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”

Barack Obama has been allowed to promote his socialist agenda by melodic rhetoric, executive action, political bickering, and voter apathy. The man is not ignorant, far from it. He enticed the masses with free food, free cell phones, free health care, and subsidized housing, and the masses began to think it was their right to all things free. It’s interesting how I don’t find that anywhere in the Bill of Rights. He and the progressives have perpetrated the biggest theft of American wealth the world has ever seen, not to mention that it is taken right out of the liberal playbook on how to get votes– buy them. The last budget of his presidency is $4.1 trillion in spending. In 2015, the U.S. Treasury collected $2.67 trillion in revenue. Now you know why we have passed the $19 trillion debt level under his presidency. Who is footing the tax bill? The below chart shows the percentage of revenue by source for the years 1952 and 2015.

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It shows that you and I are paying a higher percentage of revenue while corporate America pays about a third of what they did in 1952. Can we blame corporate America? Not really. They can afford legions of tax attorneys to find loop holes to avoid the 39.1% corporate tax in the U.S. and shelter earnings off shore.

Heritage.org published a graph showing the corporate tax rate in select countries around the world and stated that “The U.S. total corporate tax rate at 39.1 percent is the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world, which reduces investment in the U.S. and costs American workers jobs and higher wages. COMBINED CORPORATE TAX RATES (2014).” See graph below.

OECD

What can we do? We have an election coming in November and whatever your party affiliation, whether it be Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, or Whig, all I ask is to get out and cast your vote. However, do not get hung up on party affiliation. Spend some time to really understand the position of the candidates and whether or not they fit with your beliefs and concerns. If we do not turn this country around in the next few years by electing people to office that will institute sound fiscal policy, maintaining a strong defense, fighting for our 2nd Amendment rights and the Constitution in general, eliminating the welfare/entitlement state and not get hung up on political correctness, then all I can say is that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Our institutions of higher learning are forcing their progressive ideas onto our children. Many young voters are listening to the sweet music that Bernie Sanders is playing of free, free, and free! Allow that man to get elected and you will pay, pay and pay! Many people around the world have given their lives for our republic and for citizens to have the right to vote. Why do we take it so lightly? Do not fall victim to voter apathy and squander such a gift that many have died to give us.

I remember our youngest daughter calling me when she got her first paycheck. She worked for two weeks and had calculated how much she would earn, and when she opened up her pay envelope her heart sank. Where did my money go? How come they take out so much for taxes? Where is that money going? Welcome, my dear, to Real Life 101. The politicians took it and squander it on all sorts of free stuff that you and I pay for. Any vestiges of liberal thinking quickly evaporated from her thought processes after that first paycheck. Talk to your children and get them involved. Teach them how government works (or doesn’t work). Tell them you can fight back, but you need to vote.

We face difficult times, and I have adopted what I call the 3P’s: prayer, prepping, and pray again. If you have not found the Lord and turned your life over to Him, then it is not too late. It is often too easy to fall into a mindset of negativity. I struggle with this at times as I am sure many of you do. My wife tells me to quit watching the news, but it is not easy when you are surrounded by the events of the world. Moral decay, ISIS, Christians being murdered around the world, a world economy in turmoil, feckless politicians, and the list goes on and on. God is the answer. He asks you to lay your burdens at His feet, and you will find comfort in your soul. All He asks is to give your life to Him and experience the depth of grace, love, and forgiveness that we cannot even fathom. He stands at the door and knocks. Will you answer? I can tell you now that if the SHTF, you will not survive on bread alone. You may have all of the bullets, Band-Aids, and beans that money can buy surrounded by a mighty fortress, but without a spiritual compass to guide you then you will not survive. Oh, you may live on for decades, only to miss a life everlasting with the LORD. I know what kind of life I want after this earthly body has turned to dust.

Once you have found the LORD or if you already have Him in your heart then it is time to prepare. I am not going to go through the extensive list of preps I have for me and my family. There has been much on this topic in SurvivalBlog and plenty in the archives to review. We do not know the hour in which our LORD shall return and there may very well be plenty of calamity, death, and destruction in this world before He does come. Be prepared! As a former Boy Scout, this motto still rings true in my head. Move to the American Redoubt or away from urban areas, to areas that let you be more self-sufficient if you can afford it. We moved four years ago back to Colorado from Indiana and found a place up in the high mountains and away from the city. Get your bullets, Band-Aids, and beans stocked up. Learn skills that will serve you during times of need. I have an engineering background and have a vast array of capabilities, but I also trained and worked as an EMT for 4½ years that gave me valuable experience in first aid and emergency trauma. Learn to grow your food. You really don’t need acres of land to produce food. There are many publications on square foot gardening that can make the difference in life and death when you need to stretch your stock pile of food or add variety to your diet. Get barter items for trade. I travel a lot and spend many nights in hotel rooms. I always collect the shampoo, conditioner, body lotions, and soaps and bring them home. They’re good barter items to have since cleanliness is a key to health in the SHTF times and it doesn’t cost me anything. Buy silver and gold and store up on nickels. Hard currency will be king when our fiat currency collapses. Make friends in your community with like mindset people you can count on in difficult times. Your church is a good place to start. Maintain OPSEC or you will find unwanted hordes descending upon you and your family when the TEOTWAWKI comes. Maintain your health through good diet and exercise, and get any medical or dental procedures done that you have been putting off. Be ready to bug out if you have to and have a secure location to fall back on. Use SurvivalBlog resources to help you develop a plan of action and then follow through on the actions. The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Start today!

Finally, pray again. Pray that you never have to use your preps and that our world heals itself. Pray for our leaders, whether you like them or not. 2 Timothy 2:26 (ESV) 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

GOD’s blessings be upon you,

Letter Re: Gas and Diesel Storage

Hi Hugh and Jim,
I am from Southeast Asia. Thank you for this article. I have been searching for answers to this topic for awhile, but I have not came across anything helpful out there. I have consulted with reps from oil and gas companies, but none were willing to share their insights on the matter. Since long-term storage for gasoline seems slim due to its inherent problems, would long-term storage of diesel to power generators, trucks, et cetera be a better option. Would the same problems related with quick expiry (instability), requiring special containers and flammability associated with gasoline that you have explained in your reply also apply to diesel? Appreciate your insights. – Mack

HJL Replies: Diesel fuel is processed less than other fuels that are readily available. As such, it is inherently more stable. While the life of untreated gasoline is measured in months, diesel has no problem lasting for more than a year in an untreated state. The addition of stabilizer will increase that easily to the five year mark or more. All fuels have issues with water, and diesel needs to be protected from water and condensation in the tank. Algae is the number one enemy, as it will happily coexist in a diesel fuel tank that has water in it. Your best bet is to keep the tank full to reduce air space and condensation and treat it with an algaecide. (A commercially available diesel stabilizer usually contains an algaecide, but check the label to be sure.)

News From The American Redoubt:

Idaho Sheriffs Association Backs Permitless-carry Bill – Sent in by D.B.

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Malheur County Oregon residents vote ‘no’ on canyonlands conservation – RBS

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Jailhouse interview: Ammon Bundy says government’s story is unraveling

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Suspect in Idaho pastor shooting arrested near White House – Sent in by RBS

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Rebelling state politicians & Feds launch assault to crucify this honorable Oregon Sheriff, hopefully the citizens of Oregon will stand with & support him.

If citizens don’t unite behind sheriffs like Glenn Palmer, they will also end up standing alone when the Feds come to strip them of their firearms, assets, and freedoms. States, such as California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, New York, Illinois, etc. are now ruled by marxist anti-American politicians because the people cowered and refused to take a stand and immediately removed their oath breakers from office. Cowardly civil behavior is directly responsible for the creating millions of illegal aliens who ran-away from their obligations and now want some other country to give them money, property, and freedoms they were unwilling to fight for. Our 2nd Amendment will be of zero use to Americans who are too bashful to exercise their Constitutional obligation to discipline and fire their openly corrupt public servants in a peaceful manner. – Chuck T.

Economics and Investing:

Amid sales surge, Dollar General plans 900 new stores – RBS

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Some people just never learn: US credit card debt balloons to $917B: What it means – G.P.

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

The Biggest Force Powering the Stock Market is Starting to Disappear, and It Could be a Huge Problem (Business Insider) Excerpt: “The issue that should scare investors is what would happen if this corporate stimulus went away.”

Without Buybacks There is No Earnings Per Share Growth (Contra Corner) Excerpt: “According to a chart from Deutsche Bank, as sales and profit growth have retreated, companies’ consistent purchases of their own shares have prevented earnings-per-share, or EPS, growth from going negative.”

Will Defunct Obamacare Co-Ops Repay Taxpayers’ Money? Senate Panel Seeks Answers (The Daily Signal) Excerpt: “When co-ops collapsed, 740,000 residents of 14 states lost their health insurance provider. The 12 failed co-ops also received a total of $1.2 billion in taxpayer dollars that they may never repay.”

Feds Ignored Warning Signs of Obamacare Co-Op Flops (The Daily Caller) Excerpt: “…Deloitte reports “showed that, starting almost immediately, the failed co-ops experienced severe financial losses that exceeded even the worst- case scenarios outlined in their loan applications….”

International News

JP Morgan: The ECB Could Purchase Equities Next (Zero Hedge) Excerpt: “…we find it very disturbing that we now live in a world in which the only asset class that has no explicit central bank support, is a “pet rock.”

Hungary’s Central Bank Ready to Use All Tools to Meet Inflation Goal (Reuters) Excerpt: “…there were significant downward risks to the achievement of the inflation goal with current monetary conditions and rate-setters would have to act to offset them.”

China’s PBOC Flags Stimulus Restraint but Says Policy Should be Flexible (Reuters) Excerpt: “The central bank is trying to keep liquidity flush to support an economy undergoing the most significant structural reforms in two decades. But officials, including Zhou, have warned against excessive policy loosening….”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

Spring Foods to Can or Freeze (Frugal Living) Spring is just around the corner. This article includes lots of ideas and instructions for ways to enjoy the spring harvest by preserving early fruits and vegetables for use throughout the year! These are great ways to improve the quality of delicious home-cooked meals and save money in the grocery budget at the same time.

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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:

Remote Utah Enclave Becomes New Battleground Over Reach of U.S. Control.

Many readers will recall the Four Corners region as one of the main locales of JWR’s second novel, Survivors.

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7-Eleven customer shoots man who attacked store clerk – Sent in by D.S.

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Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large, sent in this pair:

Rebel improvised APC (Not in English, but the picture says it all!)

Video: Be careful opening doors and don’t push any buttons.

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Wyoming man’s EPA fines are now approaching $16 millionin his continuing battle over the right to have a pond on his property. SurvivalBlog notes that the state gave permission to build the pond. Just another example of out-of-control bureaucracy. – J.C.

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Video: Massive tax fraud by illegals – P.S.

Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Pat Law Tactical AR Folding Stock Adapter

I still remember, arriving at Ft. Lewis, WA in the Fall of 1969 and being issued the M-16 for my Infantry School training. It was a real joy to carry that rifle, especially after having carried the M-14, which weighed at 10 ½-lbs, in my Basic Training. The M-16 was only about 5½ lbs, so it was about half the weight of the M-14.

There were some flaws in the early M-16, one of which was that the first ones to go to Viet Nam didn’t have chromed barrels, and the barrels themselves were considered “pencil” barrels, because they were so thin. Once the barrels heated-up under continuous fire, accuracy dropped off dramatically. Then there was the problem with the ammunition; the propellant itself caused problems and the guns ran dirty and malfunctioned a lot. Of course, there was also the misleading information that the M-16 didn’t need cleaning, that it was actually “self-cleaning”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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Design flaws were corrected, and over the years the M-16 evolved into one of the finest combat rifles on this planet. I’m not about to get into a discussion as to which military or military-style rifle is the “best” for combat. We all have our favorites. We’ve seen the original M-16 go from being a strictly military select-fire weapon to a civilian version that was semi-auto only. Also, the gun shrank down in size over the years to many different versions, manufactured by many different makers, using different model numbers for the gun’s designation. The most popular version is the M-4 (generic), and it is called different models by different makers, too.

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The M-4 is a “carbine” (sorta) version of the full-sized M-16 in use by the U.S. military. The civilian version(s) are similar, in that they usually run with a 16” Bbl and have a telescoping stock of some sort. I’ve seen the venerable AR-15/M-16 go from being a full-sized combat rifle that was light-weight to those having heavier barrels. I’ve also seen the M-4, civilian and military versions, turned from neat, very cool, light-weight and compact carbines into guns that now weigh as much, if not more, than that M-14 I carried in Basic Training, because so many things have been added to the guns. In my humble opinion, some folks just don’t “get it”, that the purpose of the M-4 is as a compact, fast-handling, and easy to carry and shoot weapon.

There are civilian versions of the M-4 with fixed stocks, as well as various types of telescoping style stocks from various makers. While I really like the telescoping stocks since they are great for adjusting the fit of the gun based on the clothing and gear you are wearing, I don’t much care for fixed stocks on these guns.

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Over the years, many people have desired, and maybe even demanded, a folding stock on the M-4; however, because of the buffer tube that rides inside of the stock tube, it hasn’t been possible to do this, until now!

The good folks at US Tactical Supply in Albany, OR carry a wide range of tactical products for military and law enforcement applications as well as civilian use, and they are proud as can be that a majority of their products are “made in the USA”. Not all their products are, but this simply can’t be avoided in this day and age. However, whenever possible, they carry USA-made products. They provided me with a sample of the Law Tactical Folding Stock Adapter, Gen 3 Model for this article. Quite honestly, I was a little concerned about whether the Law Tactical Folding Stock Adapter was going to be up to my standards and was the thing going to work as advertised, too.

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First of all, this product is manufactured in the USA and is patented, too, so no one can copy it, not even over in Asia or China, where they are known to clone products. Of course, it won’t stop these pirates from trying to copy it, so buy from a reputable dealer, like US Tactical Supply.

I won’t go into all the specs on this folding stock adapter, because you can read them for yourself in the above link. However, I did want to cover some of the outstanding specs, like the fact that this can be used with gas piston or direct impingement M-4s. Be advised that it won’t work with early models of telescoping stock M-4s. It is designed to work with A2 models, including full-auto/select fire as well as 5.56mm and .308 chambered weapons.

Now, at my age, I don’t see myself driving around in a Hummer and jumping out and engaging in serious combat. However, it can be very close quarters inside any vehicle, where you are carrying your M4, and as small as the M-4 it still is a bit “bulky” in any vehicle. This is where the Law Tactical AR Folding Stock Adapter really comes into play. By installing this very clever adapter on your folding stock M-4, it allows you to fold the stock to the (left) side of your weapon, greatly decreasing the overall length of the gun, as in a vehicle, where space is at a premium.

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BTW, you can also have the stock folded to the side, when you are out on a patrol and you have your single point or two point sling attached to the M-4. While I don’t personally see myself doing this, the option is there if you want it.

Now, there is nothing complicated about folding and unfolding the stock on your M-4, once you have this adapter installed. No fine motor skills are needed. It only takes a split second to fold and unfold the stock, period! Over the years, telescoping stocks have really come a long way. The very first ones were on Colt rifles; they were rather cheap and didn’t really lock-up solid. There was a lot of “play” in the stock that rode on the buffer tube, which was not very conducive to a stable shooting platform, in my humble opinion. However, these days, quality-made telescoping stocks lock-up solid for a much better shooting platform.

The Law’s adapter is made on CNC machines out of 4140 steel, which is tough stuff. My one fear was that, once the Law was installed, was that there was going to be some wobble or place between the product and the buffer tube/upper receiver. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Once installed on your rifle and the stock is locked open, there is no play between the buffer tube and the upper receiver, absolutely none!

This adapter does add some weight to your M-4, about half a pound, and that is because it is high-quality steel rather than cheap plastic or aluminum. It also adds a little over an inch to the overall length of the stock pull. That’s nothing that I’m concerned about in the least. Remember that it is an adjustable, telescoping stock you are adding this to, so adjust the stock length down one position if needed.

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I love working on firearms. I have been doing it all my life. I was certified as a military Armorer many years ago, as one of my secondary MOS (Military Occupational Specialties) as well as being trained as a gunsmith. Even though I enjoy (still) working on firearms, I don’t take much pleasure in anything that is overly complicated. The Law Tactical Folding Stock Adapter was very easy to install on a S&W M&P telescoping stock “M-4” with the supplied tool. However, I recommend that you have an AR stock wrench. This is something that you will use over and over again over the years to make this job a lot easier to do. You don’t have to be a gunsmith, or take your gun to one, to install this adapter. Full and concise instructions come with the packaging. Inside of 15-20 minutes, even an unskilled gun tinkerer can install this product. It doesn’t take a genius to install, because it’s nothing complicated. If you can field strip your M-4, you can install this adapter.

If you want to be able to fold your telescoping M-4 stock to the left side of your rifle, this adapter is the part you’ll want. The design is superb. It’s one of those “why didn’t I think of this” designs. It is very well constructed for a lifetime of service, too. I’m sure we’ll see some imitations on the market, and they will be just that– imitations. I can assure you that those imitations won’t be as well made as the original.

As SurvivalBlog.com readers know, I don’t like “junk”, and when you buy junk you have to buy it over and over again. It’s as simple as that. The Law Tactical AR Folding Stock Adapter doesn’t come cheap. It retails for $259.99. However, US Tactical Supply has them on sale for $235 for a limited time. Yes, I know, it’s a lot of money, but if you want the best-of-the-best this is the adapter you want; it is top-notch in every respect.

If you’re in and out of a Hummer or a patrol car all of the time and you are carrying an M-4 of some type, this is the way to go. The stock folds to the side, giving you a bit more room in an already cramped vehicle. Yet, the stock can be opened, locked solid in a split second, and ready for firing. What’s not to like here?

– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio

Off-Paper: The Importance of Making Private Arms Purchases

Firearms sales in the United States, as measured by the number of completed National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks, are near an all-time high. In February, 2016, there were a whopping 2.6 million background checks! But those sales numbers only reflect the sales of new guns sold by Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders. The bigger and largely unreported news is of the upswing in the sales of used guns (“secondary sales”) by private parties. At a recent gun show, I observed that the folks who were there selling guns from their private collections were met by very eager buyers. At one private party sales table a gent sold out of every gun that he brought with him, all on a Friday– the first day of a three-day gun show. Everywhere at the show I heard and saw the same thing: Buyers who were primarily looking for battle rifles, scoped long-range rifles, and handguns with double-column magazines, and looking to buy them without any paperwork. Twice, I heard husbands say to their wives: “No, not that table, they have a license.” The tables being run by FFL holders were not nearly as busy as the private party tables. This was the busiest Friday I had ever seen at a show.

Understanding the Federal Gun Laws

Up until 1968, guns could be ordered by mail. With the enactment Gun Control Act of 1968, the sales of all new guns could only be made by FFL holders. Under current law, any FFL holder who brings any new or used gun into their inventory must log it into their Bound Book (or computerized equivalent) by the close of the next business day after the acquisition or purchase, and they must record sales or other dispositions within seven days. When a FFL holder sells any post-1898 manufactured gun, the buyer must fill out a Form 4473. Starting in November of 1998, the NICS phone system went live. So now, a NICS check must be accomplished before the buyer walks away with his purchase from an FFL. The Form 4473 is a permanent record, and any FFL holder who lets his license lapse must turn in his books and forms to the BATFE’s Out-of-Business Records Center. There, the records are digitized for future reference, making them a de facto gun registration database.

In addition to Federal law, America has a patchwork of state and local gun laws. This can be both good and bad. The good side of this is that if you dislike the laws in your state, you can simply “vote with your feet” and move to another state. The bad part is that when you travel, you might unwittingly come under the jurisdiction of some strange gun laws. For example, in Massachusetts, shooting ranges are prohibited from posting up targets that resemble human beings. In North Carolina one cannot carry a firearm in a funeral procession. And in Illinois, some local governments have enacted magazine capacity limits, including Chicago (15 rounds), Oak Park (10 rounds), Aurora (15 rounds), and Cook County (10 rounds).

Under Federal law, since 1968, it has been illegal to be “engaged in the business” of buying and selling firearms with the principle purpose of earning a living without obtaining an FFL. Oddly, neither Congress nor the BATFE has ever set a threshold of how many gun sales per year constitutes being “engaged in the business”. Thus, it has been largely up to the persuasive power of Federal prosecuting attorneys to convince juries of such status, on a case-by-case basis. The ambiguity has never been resolved. And recently, it got even worse. In January 2016, President BHO announced executive actions that were intended to intimidate private gun collectors, threatening them with prosecution, even if they sold just an ambiguously “few” guns a year with the intent of making a profit. A newspaper account stated: “Obama said that anyone ‘engaged in the business’ of selling firearms would need to obtain a license [or face prosecution]. Attorney General Loretta Lynch further clouded the water by saying this could mean as few as one or two gun sales.” These executive actions are unconstitutional, because they were aimed at intrastate commerce. It will surely eventually be tested in the courts, but for now, Obama’s expansive “redefinition” of the term gun dealer seems to be intended to put fear, uncertainty, and doubt into the minds of private collectors who sell guns from time to time, to upgrade or reduce their personal collections.

The Last Bastions of Firearms Freedom

In most States it is perfectly legal for used guns to be bought and sold by private parties, with no paper trail. Under the protection of the Second Amendment, this is the way it should be! The government has no business restricting private sales of used goods inside of any of the 50 States. (The Interstate Commerce Clause only gives jurisdiction over interstate sales. So, by definition a used gun that stays within the boundaries of a State is no longer in interstate commerce and has no Federal legal nexus. It is just another piece of private household goods. And as long as both the seller and the buyer are adult residents of the same State, then they are conducting legitimately intrastate commerce. No nexus means no jurisdiction.)

A few States now require private party sales of used guns to be conducted through FFL holders with NICS background check and the Federal paperwork. If you live in a state where private party sales have been banned, then you should either move or get busy trying to get those laws changed. If you feel stuck in one of these States because of family or work obligations, then you might have to make do the best you can. One good approach in these States is to acquire cartridge guns that have frames (receivers) that were manufactured in or before 1898. These Pre-1899 Guns thankfully are not classified as “Firearms”, and as Antiques they are exempt from Federal recordkeeping requirements and are also exempt under most State laws. (Be sure to consult the laws in your jurisdiction.)

Another possibility, at least in some States, is to manufacture your own guns. Again, be sure to check on your State and local laws, but even in most of the States where private party sales are banned, there is no paperwork required for gun receivers that you manufacture yourself. Nearly anyone with basic mechanical skills can finish up an 80%-complete receiver and then assemble an AR-15 with the other readily available (unrestricted) parts that make up the rest of the rifle. Even someone who is a klutz at machining can set up a Ghostgunner automated milling machine or get through the many steps in casting an inexpensive “Pour Freedom” polymer receiver, using molds available from AR15Mold.com.

Under current U.S. law it is only the serialized receiver that constitutes the “firearm”. That is the only restricted part and hence the only part that requires the Form 4473 paperwork. All of the rest of the parts required to assemble a gun can be bought via mail order or at gun shows without any paperwork. In many other countries, any gun part that is under pressure when firing (barrels, bolts, and gas pistons) are also restricted, and their purchase comes under the same scrutiny as would the purchase of a complete firearm. This same legal standard might eventually become adopted in the United States, so it is important that you not just acquire your AR receivers but also your complete upper receiver/barrel and bolt assemblies without paperwork, soon.

Their “Loophole” is Your Freedom!

The gun-grabbing Leftist-Statists have recently become fond of the phrase: “Closing the gun show loophole”. This is purely a political phrase with no basis in fact. Their goal is to turn all gun sales into paper-traced transactions with a Federal background check. If they succeed in this, then they may end our firearms ownership privacy in just one generation. Once this system is in place, then there will be no firearms ownership privacy and there will be no free secondary market. The pool of privately-owned arms is presently quite opaque, but they aim to make it all-too transparent and fully accountable to Big Brother. Don’t fall for their rhetoric. Their real goal is to enslave you. They are just doing this under the guise of “commonsense gun regulations.”

Keeping Kosher

Every freedom-loving American gun owner should maintain at least a part of their gun collection that has no paper trail. And this should include at least one battle rifle chambered in 5.56mm NATO or 7.62 NATO. This sans papiere part of a gun collection is what I call my Kosher Collection– the guns that are not traceable to me as an individual. This is important, because the day may come when laws change and Federal agents (or their local minions) will come knocking on doors, collecting papered guns. So you will want to have some guns that are either entirely untraceable, or that have broken paper trails that you’ve bought anonymously with cash from private parties.

Ideally, your Kosher Collection should be stored so well hidden that it cannot be found, if burglars or other miscreants ever seized possession of the rest of your other guns. In essence, your rule should be: Keep your papered guns stored in your gun vault and your paperless guns hidden in your walls or cached underground. Your Kosher Collection must be kept as viable tools for self defense or for the common defense, for the long term. Therefore, it stands to reason that you should also keep stored with them a good supply of ammunition, spare magazines, cleaning equipment, and a few spare parts. These too should be kept well-hidden.

Shortages Are Looming

The current surge in gun buying is not public hysteria. It is just people looking out for themselves and their families, in their rational self-interest. I believe that it is just a precursor of more frantic buying in the next eight months. Don’t be surprised to see significant shortages of battle rifles (with commensurately higher prices), particularly AR-15s and AR-10s, and full capacity magazines, before November. Also in anticipation of the presidential election, I expect to see shortages of gun burial tubes and perhaps even some shortages of 6″ and 8″ diameter PVC pipe threaded end caps.

Remember: We are living in the Age of Deception and Betrayal. Conduct yourself stalwartly, in ways that are fitting for these parlous times. – JWR

(Note: Permission is granted for re-posting of this entire article, but only if done so in full, with proper attribution to James Wesley, Rawles and SurvivalBlog, and only if the included links are preserved.)

Sarah Latimer: Inspiring Family Unity and Heroic Identity- Part 1

We’re preparing to see lots of green, and I don’t mean money. Irish Americans and actually Irish everywhere, as well as many who aren’t Irish but enjoy the celebrations, are gearing up for the annual festivities of St. Patrick’s Day, so “green” items are in all of the stores and either are or soon will be in the ads as well as notices about special events. So, what does this mean for us in the survival community?

Well, I was thinking about the ethnic and national pride surrounding this day. On this day those in our communities who we had no idea were of Irish heritage will wear green, shamrock hats, and buttons saying “I’m Irish” or something similar. Sometimes the garb actually borders on the ridiculous, but it is all part of the fun and pride in passing on the tradition. It’s as if the Irish come out of the woodwork and those who have any connection, regardless of how remote, to Ireland proudly exhibit their connection. For some, it is also a religious connection. They may point to God’s intervention upon a nation and His work to cleanse and protect a land, as the legends tell us of how St. Patrick cleaned Ireland of snakes and such. Regardless of the reason, shamrocks are the image; green is the color; green beer/ale is the beverage; corned beef is often on the menu; and music, dancing, and celebration are in order, not only in Ireland but across the United States and around the world. However, many Americans are not of Irish descent. Whatever our heritage, it’s just as important.

Why is our heritage important in these troubling days and in relationships to survival? Well, it is often in looking at history that we find answers, hope, and courage for the present and future circumstances. It is in unity with coordinated efforts that we are most likely to survive. In looking at how others survived and overcame obstacles, particularly those with whom we have connections (through family, community, faith, or even national or ethnic ties), we are able to teach our children and grandchildren that they belong to something greater than themselves and that they have the strength to also survive and overcome obstacles. We seek to find unity in our family and group and to have a godly pride, which means that we have good character and reflect well on God and others in our “group”.

Where this can go wrong is in teaching that any particular group is innately superior to others or that other groups are inferior. We’d do well to remember that nations rise and fall. We must remember that we are ultimately judged as individuals. None of us can take credit for choosing the ethnic group in which we were born or the nation where we were born. It seems to me to be ridiculous for a person to build their sense of self-worth upon their skin color, whether black, white, brown or anything else, since none of us have anything to do with that aspect of ourselves. However, we can look for the champions within our families, ethnicities, and nations and find inspirations within them because of the choices these individuals made and then teach our children and grandchildren about these individuals and the noble characteristics and choices they made. We can teach our children to look beyond and realize that they belong to something greater than themselves and to choose role models who are wholesome and good, while also respecting those who are different. In doing so, we encourage them to greatness and to see that even in hard circumstances, there is a future and greatness can be had.

If the United States recognized a national holiday for every ethnic group represented within it, we’d probably have one every day. However, we don’t need to close down a business to celebrate our “memberships” in the various groups to which we belong.

Survival “Membership” and Mentality in Family

We can celebrate our SurvivalBlog “membership” by publicly supporting it with a vote on ***LINKhttp://www.topprepperwebsites.com/vin.php?s=survivalblog** top prepper website so others will know of the blog’s appropriate prominent position for reliable, original survival information. We can contribute articles and letters to the community resources, and we can gather with like-minded people in our communities to share ideas, discuss resources and scenarios, and practice our preps with bugout and bugin rehearsals. We can have regular family and group meetings to discuss and practice our preparedness training. Even the children can take part by practicing to use the manual resources they will need to use when SHTF, depending upon their age and ability.

To prepare and encourage your children, consider naming your survival group/family and/or developing a motto, jingle, or cheer for your survival work that keeps morale up. Children respond to music and reinforced phrases. So, for your little “Smith” (insert family name) children to keep them moving toward preparations and encouraged when things get tough, come up with something like “Smith’s gonna survive somehow, cause Smith’s got guts and know-how”. Then, read some stories of survival to them that are age-appropriate. The Swiss Family Robinson is a popular book for youngsters. Another, generic book for boys who overcame obstacles is Boys of Grit Who Became Men of Honor. A good book for girls to exemplify perseverance and integrity is The Basket of Flowers: A Tale for the Young. Keep them focused on the goal that “this family” can overcome obstacles with God’s help and a lot of hard work as well as some sacrifice. It can be fun, too! This little cheer/jingle is just one way to make it so.

We don’t get to choose our skin color nor do we usually get to choose our family either. However, some do choose their national citizenship, as that can change. Most significantly, we can choose to be citizens in the greatest kingdom– the Kingdom of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob– through faith in His Son. In our belief and following Jesus, we become family of God and must fervently love our brethren of all colors and nationalities.

“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:…Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:…”I Peter 1:17-19, 22

This heavenly family is most certainly the group where we have the most to gain from being a member and where membership is a choice. Let’s talk about how we impart the idea of group identity onto our children, whether we are talking about our physical family or our spiritual one.

Celebrating and Imparting Group Identity to Younger Generations

Teaching our children and grandchildren the importance of family membership cannot be overemphasized! God instituted the family from the beginning and set it up as the core of civilization. It is the breakdown of the family and proper roles within the family that I believe is to blame for most of the societal crises we are experiencing. I don’t want to delve into that in this article, but I want to emphasize that devotion to family and roles in family is paramount. Teaching our children to honor their father and mother and to look out for one another and remain loyal to family, even to make personal sacrifices for the good of the family, is noble and expected. Using history is a good way to train them in this. Here are some ideas of hands-on activities to do with them while discussing their “membership”:

  1. Read and discuss bible stories, which are real accounts of actual occurrences, with your child/grandchild. The bible is the best teaching tool! The stories of Noah (Gen. 5:28-9:1), Joseph (Gen. 37-47), David (I Samual 17), Esther (Book of Esther), or Ruth (Book of Ruth) are great places to start. They endured ridicule, threats, hardships, and the first four were used to save their people by being obedient to God. All five had some hard work to be done and sacrifices to make that ended in reward and salvation for them and their people. These are great stories for us, as preppers, to discuss with our children, as these people had to work, do things differently than what others were doing, take some risks, and most of all trust God by following His instruction even when it didn’t seem to make sense to them. Remember to emphasize God’s power and authority and how we can trust Him, as He is still in the business of doing mighty works!

    In Part 2 of this article, I will detail some hands-on activities for both younger children and older children to help them explore the truths found in these stories. While we, adults, can tell them things, it is more personal and memorable if they can explore, participate in discovering, and then create something. Whether the end result is a picture, a mural, a shadowbox, play dough sculptures, dramatic presentation, music/song, poetry, a paper, a speech, or something else, if your child (or you) begin by asking God’s Spirit to give you understanding, truth, and proper application of what you read in His Word, it will have far greater impact on their lives than you simply telling them the story and summarizing its implications. Let them spend time on it and be creative, as God made us in His image, and He is most certainly a creative God! It doesn’t matter how perfect their sculpture or picture or paper either. What matters is the concepts they grasp from their efforts and that they do their best. Help them where they need it, but let them ask questions. Encourage them to do some research. If you don’t know the answer, dig deeper in to the Scripture and pray for knowledge and understanding. Through teaching and answering the questions of others, I am blessed to be encouraged to also learn what I otherwise might not. Moms and Dads, you have a great privilege and commandment of God to teach your children God’s instruction:

    And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (Deut 6:6-8) (Emphasis added)

Recipe of the Week: Golden West Duckling, by G.T.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (4 to 5 lb) ready-to-cook duckling
  • 1 (29oz) can sliced cling peaches
  • 1 Tbsp grated orange peel
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp seasoned salt
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp cold water

Directions:

  1. Cut or have the butcher cut duckling into halves, lengthwise (if your slow-cooking pot is 3½ quarts or less, cut duckling into quarters so it will fit.)
  2. Prick skin with fork at about 2-inch intervals.
  3. Place on trivet in slow-cooking pot, cut side down.
  4. Drain peaches, saving syrup. Combine 1 cup peach syrup with orange peel, wine, honey, soy sauces and seasoned salt.
  5. Brush some of the sauce over duckling.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or until tender. (If possible, drain excess fat and brush with sauce once or twice while cooking.)
  7. Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into remaining sauce.
  8. Cook sauce in a small saucepan until slightly thickened. Add drained peaches to sauce, heat and serve with duckling.

Serve duckling with bananas and cooked rice. Makes about 4 servings.

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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: Long Question About Eotech Lawsuit

James and Hugh,
A while back I was reading The Reluctant Partisan from John Mosby. One of the suggestions was getting an optic on your AR or battle rifle. (The whole book is really good info from someone who was special forces, so I respect what the guy was saying!)

Long story short, I went out and picked up a Eotech for my AR and another one with magnifier for the PS90 carbine, well because the FN sight on the PS90 is a joke. so yeah I have about $2000 tied up in optics on my two weapon systems.

Just after getting the second one sighted in, I started reading reports online about Eotech getting in trouble over selling out of spec sights with problems. They are offering refunds for them. I’ve been sitting on my hands since I found this online the end of 2015, so now I’m wondering if I should hurry up and get an RMA and dump them, or keep them and hope for the best? I’m kind of thinking that at some point the company is going to stop refunding money and close up shop.

I’ve never had issues with them; they seem to work fine, but it seems to me I don’t know if I can trust a company that knowingly, according to the lawsuits from the FBI, sold scopes they know wouldn’t hold a zero at temperature changes. Granted, since my stuff– both optics– were sold in 2015, they “might” be fine. (The company never came out and said what models were a problem from what I’ve seen online, so there is a lot of panic, and accusations on the Internet.) But what I’m worried about is say this company goes under, and later I have an issue. What then?

There isn’t a whole lot I can do aside from dump them on an RMA back to the company and wait a few months for my money back or sell them at a loss since most people won’t want them. Should I keep them and hope for the best, while having BUIS? I’ve yet to be let down by them as I’ve said before (and I had believed they were quality sights), so I’m not sure I want to be out a few grand, and/or waiting for a refund or be let down because the product isn’t what it claimed to be. I haven’t seen anything about this (and I might have missed it on your blog), but I figure it’s worth asking about if Eotech owners (fellow preppers) don’t know about it yet. Have you guys discussed this yet? What’s your take? – Fitzy in PA

JWR Replies: Here is the short answer to a long question: As long as they are offering a refund, then take it. It is noteworthy that EoTech is just one division of a much larger defense contractor (L3 Technologies), so they can afford to make good on their warranty promises. I really doubt that the company will go under leaving any warranty claims unpaid.

You might throw a used $60 Bushnell red dot scope on each of your guns, in the interim. (Then save those, to keep as spares after you’ve bought proper replacements with the warranty reimbursement funds.)

FWIW, I’m still a fan of an ACOG for use without a NVD, or the Aimpoint Micro T-2 for use with an in-line NVD without a reticle, such as the AN/PVS-14. The Aimpoint Micro T-2 will run continuously for five years (at low brightness, for use with an NVD) on just one battery.

Economics and Investing:

Food Stamp Beneficiaries Exceed 45M for 56 Straight Months – Sent in by B.B.

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Hold off on buying forever stamps until after April 10th – The value will drop to $.47 Sent in by C. Maxwell (You might want to check his website out at www.foreverstampvalue.com/ .)

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Senators Accuse State Department of Defying Congress with $500M UN Climate Payment (Fox News) Excerpt: “Lawyers cannot replace the constitutional requirement that only Congress can appropriate money….”

Puerto Rico’s Game is Rigged (Washington Examiner) Excerpt: “But as happened 70 years ago, Wall Street financiers and their paid representatives have a vested interest in making the situation worse on the island before it gets better.”

Blue Cross Parent Lost $1.5B on Individual Health Plans Last Year (Chicago Tribune)

Maine Nonprofit Health Insurer Lost $31M in 2015 (Portland Press Herald)

International News

Oil Rally is Too Little, Too Late for Cash-Strapped Producers (Market Watch) Excerpt: “The fiscal break-even point for members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is $98.83 a barrel, said the RBC strategist.”

Grexit Back on the Agenda Again as Greek Economy Unravels (The Guardian)

Chinese Steelmaker Readies 50,000 Job Cuts as Industry Crisis Deepens<\a> (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “…Chinese steel companies have debts of $520bn, mainly held by Beijing-backed banks, noting: ‘Do Chinese banks and policymakers have the stomach to manage an impending default crisis that will naturally come alongside steel plant closures?'”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

If You Press 1 When You Get This Robocall, It Will Open You Up to Identity Theft (Clark Howard) Don’t fall for this one either! Excerpt: “Here’s how it works: you get a robocall claiming to be from a local branch of the Health Insurance Marketplace, which is the organization that oversees HealthCare.gov. The recorded message says, ‘You need to buy health insurance or face a fine. To learn more, press 1.'” Read on.

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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:

Chaffetz wants to take guns away from ‘Rambo’ BLM, Forest Service agents – Sent in by B.B.

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Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Unflinching Faith in America – Submitted by T.A.

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A remarkable, tasty, healthy treat when TSHTF – Well, perhaps not necessarily healthy but certainly tasty! Waffle Smores Are the Dessert, Breakfast, or Anytime Snack You’ve Been Waiting for – Sent in by A.L.

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By way of Yer Ol’ Woodpile Report, comes a link to an excellent 19-minute TED Talk (video):

Hubertus Knabe: The dark secrets of a surveillance state. JWR’s Comment: This is not just for historical interest. Depending on shifts in the political winds in these United States and continuing corruption and politicization of Federal law enforcement, this strategy may soon be unleashed on our own citizenry, with even greater technological sophistication. (Hint: See SurvivalBlog’s many warnings on the honey trap of social media “services”. In the long run we’ll discover who is being serviced.)

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From Patrice Lewis on WND: There coming to take me away, ha, ha!