Benelli Nova Pump Shotgun in 20 Gauge, by Thomas Christianson

The Benelli Nova and Supernova series of pump shotguns utilize steel-reinforced polymer receivers. This makes the guns strong, durable, and weather-resistant.

Polymer-framed handguns are as common as flags on the Fourth of July. Polymer-framed shotguns are much less common. After testing the Benelli Nova Pump Shotgun in 20 Gauge, I am surprised that this is the case. I was highly impressed with its balance, fit and finish, and silky smooth operation. I am surprised that the Nova has not carved out a commanding share of the shotgun market since its introduction in the mid-1990s in the way that Glock has established a commanding position in the handgun market. I am surprised that shotguns with polymer receivers have not become more or less the industry standard.

Perhaps shooters are not as open to innovations in shotgun design as they are in handgun design. Perhaps pleasant memories of youthful hunting experiences have frozen us in time, binding us to fixed ideals of what a shotgun should be like? If so, that is a shame, because the Nova is superior in almost every way to the shotguns of my youth.Continue reading“Benelli Nova Pump Shotgun in 20 Gauge, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Saltine Cracker Crumb Chicken 

The following recipe for Saltine Cracker Crumb Chicken is from SurvivalBlog reader L.A..

Ingredients
  • ½ c. butter or margarine
  • 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed to crumbs
  • ½ c. bread crumbs (Panko crumbs are best, but any others will do.  Or substitute more cracker crumbs, if you don’t have any bread crusts.)
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (+/- to suit your taste)
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 4 medium-sized boneless and skinless chicken breasts
Directions
  1. Place each chicken breast between two sheets of wax paper. Pound each breast to around 1 in. thickness using a meat mallet.
  2. Pre-heat oven to  375 F.
  3. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan or in a microwavable dish.
  4. Combine the crushed crackers, bread crumbs, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large ziploc bag.
  5. Dip each chicken breast into melted butter covering both sides. Drop the buttered chicken breast into the crumb mixture.
  6. Close the bag and roll the chicken breast around in the bag to coat all sides with crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat this process for each chicken breast.
  7. Sprinkle some of the remaining cracker crumbs onto the top of each chicken breast.
  8. Bake at 375 F for approx. 40 minutes or until the center of the chicken pieces are no longer pink and the juices are clear. (Internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 F.)

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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!

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 29, 2024

Please pray for everyone who was in the path of tropical storm Helene, and now dealing with the after-effects of the storm.

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On September 29, 1916, American oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller became the world’s first billionaire.  In terms of purchasing power, that would be the equivalent of $28,880,366,972, in inflated 2024 Dollars.

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On September 29, 1668, the English expedition to Hudson Bay led by Frenchman Médard Chouart Des Groseilliers arrived at Nemiscau (Rupert) River aboard the Nonsuch. This was the beginning of the Hudson Bay Company.

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The famous and controversial Twilight Zone episode “The Shelter” (Episode 3, Season 3) aired on September 29, 1961, on CBS. It is one of the few Twilight Zone episodes to feature no supernatural or sci-fi elements. It was written by Rod Serling.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends tomorrow, September 30th, 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.

The Final Countdown: Last-Minute Readiness Checks – Part 2, by Michael X.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Water List

This is an item for the first three days. This is super important and needs to be one of the first items confirmed.
Check locations and condition of water sources:
Bottled Water/Stored water containers
Well water (power dependent)
Lake water – are there containers to carry and larger containers to store lake water?
Is there a rainwater collection option available?
Is the Berkey/Filtered water system ready?
Can the tub be successfully filled with water from the system before the power goes out or the line pressure is gone?
Can I treat the lake water? Do I have the sanitizer in place?Continue reading“The Final Countdown: Last-Minute Readiness Checks – Part 2, by Michael X.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

Today’s meme, created by JWR, was based on a concept that was suggested by SurvivalBlog reader John H.

Meme Text:

Liberals Now Call Themselves Progressive…
Just Like Untreated Cancer

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:

“Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” – Colossians 4:1-6 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 28, 2024

On this day in 48 BC, Pompey the Great was assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt.

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On September 28, 1066, William The Conqueror invaded England, landing at Pevensey Bay, Sussex.

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And on  September 28, 1781, and estimated 9,000 American troops and 7,000 French troops began the siege of Yorktown.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 30th, 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.

The Final Countdown: Last-Minute Readiness Checks – Part 1, by Michael X.

Hypothetically, (of course), assume for a moment that the proverbial fan has been hit. Now you have three days….or two weeks….or two months…until the consequences of the event hit where you are. Good luck guessing how long it takes to hit you. Are you as ready as you can be? Are you sure? How do you know?

How and when it hits you, whatever it may be, may be based on three key things: the type/cause of disaster, your proximity to the disaster or populated areas, and the stability of your systems (electricity, water, fuel, and human support systems).

THE CAUSE

What will cause society, and the entire country, to finally tip into chaos? Pick your favorite. Could it be a societal breakdown? Another “lone wolf” attack on a presidential candidate? A candidate/office holder arrested for some oblique financial crime? Perhaps someone trying to influence the election? Maybe the election is rife with fraud. Maybe someone doesn’t like who won the election?

Or, thinking big: Another round of Covid? EMP? WW3? Foreign invasion? Internal attack by some of the millions of illegals that have been allowed in the country?

Even if “It” is caused by nature, like a tornado, forest fire, or a hurricane, things will break down. And the problems could easily spread…starting locally and then all over the country.

The bigger the problem the faster the mess will hit the fan, and the closer to a highly populated area you are, then the faster that you could be caught up in the turmoil.Continue reading“The Final Countdown: Last-Minute Readiness Checks – Part 1, by Michael X.”

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:

This week, I did my best to catch up on my blog writing, following our long road trip.  (I try to keep the blog written and edited at least three days in advance.)

I’ve also been busy packing and mailing out orders, for my Elk Creek Company side biz. Every time we run a special sale, I get a rush of orders. The current sale is on all of our inventory of Ludwig Loewe (Berlin) M1891 Argentine Mausers and our Pietta percussion .44 revolvers. Many of the latter are convertible to safely fire .45 Colt and .45 ACP cartridges.

There is definitely a nip of Fall in the air, in our corner of the American Redoubt.  Lily has been busy harvesting in the main garden and in the orchard. I’ve just been helping to get some of that produce tucked away in our Cool Room. I helped her pick apples, and got them into The Other Cool Room. I also slaughtered, gutted, and skinned five roosters. As usual, Lily finished up butchering those and got three of them into the stew pot. I then deboned those into ziploc bags and Lily put that meat in one of our freezers. The other two birds went right in the oven, for a chicken roast.

Lily will give you some more details on her bountiful harvest, in her report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.” – Psalm 119: 40-45 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 27, 2024

On September 27, 1822, French scholar Jean-François Champollion announced that he had deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics using the Rosetta Stone.

—

We are running a 3-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 11th, 2024, all of our Pietta brand blackpowder revolvers and all of our M1891 Argentine Mauser rifles are deeply discounted. Take a look!

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 30th, 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.

Prepper Group Training: Indigenous Guerrilla Teams – Part 2, by Bulldog

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

The Challenge

To understand why I feel we are lacking in our preparation of these men and women, let us look at only one necessary skill set, team radio communications. Certainly we could agree that it represents one of the key core elements critically necessary to prepper and survivalist groups. Yet, in most cases it is overlooked or minimized by group leadership. Instead, we relegate programming to the “commo guy” and hope that after stuff hits the fan (SHTF), group members will somehow magically demonstrate more interest. Please understand that I am in the same boat. In my own situation here, I find myself handing out pre-programmed “Fengs” to neighbors. Still, our goals should be that our group members are proficient in manually programming frequencies, or more importantly, programming and successfully making a specific contact.

With each passing year, the complexity of our communication training needs only increases. Although the analog radios could sometimes tax the patience of new members, the digital mobile radios (DMR) of today brought with them another layer of complexity. For us here, we maintain one model of dual-band analog HT, and one model dual band DMR. With either, the goal should be that members can manually program and transmit successfully, using the individual team radio for both voice and data transmission and reception. But now we added a small tablet or Android device to achieve a redneck burst transmission of sorts.Continue reading“Prepper Group Training: Indigenous Guerrilla Teams – Part 2, by Bulldog”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the raging bull gold market. (See the Precious Metals section.)

Precious Metals:

With spot gold hitting another all-time high of $2,693.00 per Troy ounce on Thursday morning, it now appears that the U.S. COMEX short traders are near capitulation. (Meanwhile, spot silver hit $32.61.)  When the shorts finally give up their weekly see-saw battles with their bullish Asian trading counterparts, I predict gold will make a successful run to $3,000+ per ounce.  I hope my readers took my advice and stacked gold in or before October, 2022, when Gold was under $1,650 per ounce. And BTW, there is still time to buy silver and platinum, while their prices are artificially depressed. Once this bull goes Full Pamplona, silver and platinum will likely double in price! – JWR

o  o  o

Saudi Central Bank Caught Secretly Buying 160 Tonnes Of Gold In Switzerland.

o  o  o

Hub Moolman, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Is Stepping Up Its Monetary Dominance.

Economy & Finance:

From reader H.L.:  Walmart plans instant bank payments, cutting out card networks.

o  o  o

Jerome Powell: Migration Is Raising Americans’ Unemployment Rate.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: China’s Collapsing Economy Adds To Headwinds For Japanese Automakers.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”