Making Repairs, by Big John

So you are living in a societal collapse and something breaks. Let’s say that your generator dies. You’ve gotta fix it. The following describes what have I learned about fixing things:

I used to go through the repair process in my mind a few hundred times. I would pull the cover by loosening two screws, then unbolt the coil with a socket wrench. Then pull the coil and inspect for a broken winding. But first of all, I must borrow my friend’s socket set.

I have learned over the years that the most efficient route is often to just tear into the project cold. So I don’t have the sockets, I just start the project. So I get the cover off and guess what, it is not bolted, it is attached with big screws requiring a big Phillips screwdriver. I just saved a trip to my friend’s house, to find him not home and a second trip to borrow the sockets which were never needed.

Often, tearing into the project gives the most bang for the buck. It is like an army patrol going out and getting intelligence. It is very easy to go on a wild goose chase in your mind of how the job will go. It can be the paralysis of analysis.Continue reading“Making Repairs, by Big John”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

This weekly column features media from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. The public domain photo above was taken Bonnie Moreland, in Eastern Oregon.

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“But, you know, we have these entrenched entities – and I’m talking about both Republicans and Democrats – who believe that when you’re elected to office, you become some kind of member of the aristocracy, and that anyone who challenges you is attacking you and is unpatriotic. This is foolishness.” –  Dr. Ben Carson

Preparedness Notes for Monday — April 6, 2026

On April 6, 1652 Cape Colony, the first European settlement in South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company under Jan van Riebeec.

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April 6, 1768: French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville’s expedition arrives in Tahiti, claiming it for France and naming it New Cythera.

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This new Southwestern Oregon listing at SurvivalRealty.com caught my eye: Turnkey Off-Grid Survival Compound — Rogue Valley — Water, Power, Food, Multi-Family Ready.

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Our feature piece for today is by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

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We now need entries for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $984,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 124 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Henry Lever Action Supreme in 5.56 NATO, by Thomas Christianson

A rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO probably offers the most widely available and varied selection of ammunition in America today. A quick visit to cheaperthandirt.com revealed a total of 144 different ammo options in a variety of bullet weights available in 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington at the time of this writing. These options also tended to be more economically priced than ammunition for other center fire rifle chamberings. Rifles chambered in 5.56 NATO also tend to produce negligible recoil and are generally light and easy to carry. Factors like these make rifles chambered in 5.56 NATO attractive options for a variety of uses such as varmint control and home defense.

The most common civilian rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO is the AR-15. But there are other exciting rifles chambered in 5.56 NATO that are not AR-pattern. The delightful Henry Lever Action Supreme in 5.56 NATO is one of these.Continue reading“Henry Lever Action Supreme in 5.56 NATO, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Reduced-Carbohydrate Trail Mix is from SurvivalBlog reader F.C..

Ingredients
  • 2 cups mixed dry-roasted nuts. (Any combination of peanuts (not truly a nut), almonds, hazelnuts, and/or pistachios.)
  • 1 cup toasted seeds, unsalted. (Such as pumpkin, squash, and/or sunflower seeds.)
  • 2 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut.
  • 1⁄2 cup raisins and/or craisins.
  • Sneak in a few M&Ms, if desired.
Directions

Just measure, and mix it up!

STORAGE

This stores best in airtight containers.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: Northern European flags share the same Christian cross design. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 5, 2026

On April 5, 1242, Russian Prince of Novgorod Alexander Nevsky defeated the Teutonic Knights on the frozen Lake Peipus between Estonia and Russia. This became known as the Battle on the Ice.

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April 5, 1424 Scottish King James I returned to Scotland after 18 years of detention at the English court. During his captivity in England, James married Joan Beaufort, a cousin of Henry IV. On 28 March 1424, a ransom agreement amounting to £40,000 sterling, after deducting a dowry payment of 10,000 marks, was established in Durham, with James affixing his personal seal to the document. The king and queen, accompanied by nobles from both England and Scotland, arrived at Melrose Abbey on April 5th, where they were greeted by his uncle Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, who surrendered his seal of office as governor.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value).
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Heaven’s Harvest is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $984,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 124 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Stocking Items for Barter, by Big John

Along with all of the other items that a seasoned Prepper has, barter items are critical. You undoubtedly will need items that you forgot to stockpile during the good times. This area of prepping needs to be approached with the same meticulous logical order as all of your other prepping gear.

Your trading partner, the one with those critical items that you need to survive must be satisfied. You’ve gotta have stuff that he really needs, not just stuff that fit into the category of general prepping items. He may have no need for ammo but desperately needs antibiotics. So antibiotics are what you want to have on hand in excess…in that particular situation.

So how do you know exactly what this random stranger will be wanting? The answer is, you don’t. So you must diversify in your acquisition of trade items. Obviously, having cartridges, salt, antibiotics, and gasoline is better than just one of them.Continue reading“Stocking Items for Barter, by Big John”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

NASA Really Dropped The Ball On This One…

They Neglected To Also Include A Disabled Non-Binary Multiracial Asian-Latino-Tribal Citizen

News Link:

Artemis II crew includes first woman, Black astronaut and Canadian ever flown to moon.

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” – Ephesians 1:3-12 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 4, 2026

Today is the 101st birthday of famed Navy fighter pilot Royce Williams. It is great to see him still alive and kicking!  Williams was just recently awarded the Medal of Honor. The now-declassified story of his aerial combat over Korea against Soviet-piloted MiGs is fascinating reading. It is summarized in Wikipedia. Here is a brief excerpt from his biography:

“The story of his battle with the Soviet MiGs led to Williams being debriefed at the time by admirals, the Secretary of Defense, and a few weeks later by newly inaugurated President Dwight D. Eisenhower. These authorities decided to cover up the specifics of the battle, because the Soviet Union was not officially a combatant in the Korean War, and it was feared publicity about the air battle would draw the Soviets further into the conflict.”

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On the 4th of April 1291, the siege of Acre began.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value).
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Heaven’s Harvest is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $984,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 124 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Looking Back at My Flight Training Adventures (Circa 1970), by H.L.

Editor’s Introductory Comments:  Most regular SurvivalBlog readers recognize the initials H.L.  She has been one of the blog’s most loyal and prolific volunteers, sending news and information links since around 2010. I am confident that she spritely lives to a three-digit age. But when she does pass away, I hope that her gravestone will be inscribed: “Always a Maverick.” – JWR

At age 83 now. I have some very unusual memories of my early life.  I did not lead the conventional life of an American woman born in 1942.  Conventional is fine. However, there was something in my soul that called to me to be different.  I had always said that I would never fly. But, oh boy, I changed my mind.  One evening, I went out drinking with some of the men from the Engineering Department where I was working.  One of them said that there was an airplane for sale at a small local airport and suggested that the three of us should go look at it, and perhaps buy it.

>We did so the next day, but I said in my wisdom:  “Well, we should all take flying lessons.”  Steve had logged a few hours in a plane. But Ed and I had none.  Long story short, we did not buy the plane, and they did not take lessons.  However, I did, and I got hooked on flying.  Wow, did I get hooked.  I treasure my Pilot Flight Record and Log Book. The first entry was October 18, 1970.  It was at a small one-runway airport.  I finally did solo, and I became so interested in flying and aviation in America, that I subscribed to a couple pf private pilot and airplane magazines.  I learned about Control Towers, Air Traffic Control Centers, and a lot about weather.  Weather is the biggest problem for small planes, and bad weather gets inexperienced pilots killed. To this day, the weather science that I had to study in ground school still helps me understand weather reports and news about severe weather events.
Continue reading“Looking Back at My Flight Training Adventures (Circa 1970), by H.L.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

I slaughtered and butchered another yearling ram, just a few days before our Passover (Pasach) dinner.

I helped an ailing neighbor select and purchase a used SUV, because his 23-year-old one was falling to pieces. This necessitated making day-long trips down to Coeur d’Alene, on two successive days.  Those trips set me back on my writing and editing schedule. But it also gave me the opportunity to buy some more light fixtures for our shop. But installing most of those will have to wait, since Lily has a fencing project planned. I also have a few more deadfallen trees to cut up.

I mailed out five Elk Creek Company orders this week.  Surprisingly, four of those orders were paid in silver. I also mailed out another 14 SurvivalBlog Old School (S.O.S.) newsletter envelopes, to new subscribers. As new subscribers, they each got both the March, 2026 issue, as well as the two previous issues from 2024 and 2025.

I finished up the waterproof AC outlet mounting and wiring on a replacement post near our bullpen. I constructed a demi-roof atop the post using scrap lumber and a scrap piece of roofing tin, just to make the outlet even more weatherproof.

It is really starting to feel like Spring here at the Rawles Ranch. Our pastures are starting to green up. The treefrogs are peeping in the evenings. And our little lambs are running around, kicking up their heels.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”