Security Screens, Security Film, and Security Bars, by D.E.

A large percentage of preppers plan on bugging in and weathering any possible TEOTWAWKI situation in our existing homes. While this plan provides the ability to stockpile lots of food, water, and gear (including weapons and ammo of choice) for the long term, it does not prevent one or more intruders from coming with superior numbers or fire power, penetrating our defenses, and taking all of that great stuff from us. We rely on the strength of our home, and we don’t realize or want to acknowledge that local building codes are not providing for castle strength. Modern homes are built to keep heat and cool air inside the home rather than to prevent someone from breaking down the door or coming through the window.

I know the plan; home defense is what our guns are for, right? What if I could tell you a way to stop a thief or a home invasion without ever having to fire your weapon? What if the window or door the intruders were attempting to penetrate could not be forced, pried, cut, or beaten through? Products that make this scenario a reality do exist, and they are used all over the world every day.

I have listed several ways to make your property more secure below. Obviously keeping a sentry awake all night is the best practice, but the products in this article could definitely allow one person to monitor a much larger area than would be possible when only implementing standard doors and windows. The increased tools and time needed to penetrate security screens, security films, and bars make noise and provide reaction time that would otherwise not be possible.

Stainless Steel Window Screens and Security Doors

Stainless steel security screens are available from multiple sources and can be placed over windows, and stainless steel security doors can be purchased that make it extremely difficult for unwanted intruders to penetrate your home defenses.

For instance, in Australia gun ownership is much less prevalent than in America. It’s difficult to own a gun, and very few people are armed. The weather is hot, and crime in some places is a real problem, so they have another way to deal with criminals. Stainless steel security screens that cover existing windows allow homeowners to sleep with their windows open and still be safe from home invasion and theft. The same screens protect their doors and make it impossible for an intruder without the right tools, time, and lots of noise to break through.

Security screens are used widely in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, but very few Americans even know what they are or what they are able to do to fortify their property. I’m most familiar with Crimsafe security screens, but there are several national companies that sell similar products.

TAPCO, Invisalign, and Crimsafe all make screens that can be installed to ramp up your home defenses significantly. Manufacturers vary about do-it-yourself installation, and not all manufacturers have dealer networks in all corners of the USA. Depending on where you live (DIY or professional installation) and the type of opening you have to secure these screens can make it all but impossible to have forced entry on your property without your knowledge.

Security Film

While not as strong or as sure a barrier as security screens, security film is an excellent deterrent to forced entry. Amazon.com sells many versions of security films at great prices when buying in bulk. I prefer the 3M security film in 12 mil, but many different films are available for ease of installation and a great variety of tint and thickness.

It’s very important to cover the entire window surface with film and follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly. You should make every effort to get all the bubbles out, to make the film invisible. While a window or glass door with film can be broken through in time and with tools, it will prove to be loud and will definitely slow down a potential attacker. I would strongly consider having security film professionally installed, if you have more than three or four windows to protect. Most large and medium-sized cities have more than one choice for professional installation of security films.

Security film is able to withstand direct assault from a blunt instrument like a bat or board easily. Penetration with sharp objects like a knife are possible but difficult and would likely result in injury to the perpetrator.

While this is a project that can be done as a DIY project, it can get expensive unless you do it correctly the first time.

Security Bars

Large to mid-sized cities have multiple dealers for security bars. These products can be decorative and are certainly effective deterrents to forced entry. The bars are, however, only as strong as the structure they are secured to, and unless a door is made with bars for a security purpose it will only be marginally successful. Just screwing bars on a standard storm door is not an effective security barrier.

Many security bars are attractive and professional dealers know how to install these products to maximize their effectiveness. I recommend security bars in applications where the architecture of the structure allows them to be used to affix the bars to structure on the outside of the home. Also, the look of the structure will determine if bars are a viable solution. Examples of security bar companies are Mr. Goodbar and Window Burglar Bars.

Another type of bar window and door security is one that can definitely be done as a DIY project. This method of securing an entry point is not as attractive as the others mentioned in this article, but it can be just as effective. The materials needed can be purchased from your local big box retailer, such as Lowes or Home Depot. All you need are some 3 ½” screws, washers that are 1″ in diameter, ½” threaded pipe, and some three-way pipe connectors. Purchase the pipe in lengths that will cover your window at its longest point. Screw in the three-way connectors to each end and affix it to the structure of the building with the long screws. Leave no more than an eight-inch gap between the bars, and you should prevent anyone from being able to penetrate completely into the structure. Obviously this would work well in an out building, garage, or barn but probably not in your home since your wife would likely object to the way this would look immediately.

Aesthetics

The least noticeable of the options above is the security film. A potential bad guy would never know that the security film was even installed, until they tried to penetrate the glass. Once they tried to break the glass, however, it would be quickly apparent that while the glass will break, they still could not penetrate inside the structure.

The security screens look like a normal window screen or screen door. They cannot, however, be cut, beaten, pried, or penetrated using standard burglar tools. Upon attacking the screen, the intruder would know immediately that the screen was not a standard window screen or door. Security screens also cut down the amount of light entering the structure, which cuts back on cooling costs.

All of the security bars described above would be visible from outside the window and may prevent the window from even being broken, since it should be apparent that the intruder cannot penetrate inside.

Most likely the wife or girlfriend would prefer the security film first, then the security screens, and bars of some type probably come in last place.

Cost

All cost estimates below are based on a 34” x 34” window. The lowest cost is not surprisingly the least attractive– the do-it-yourself bars. The DIY bars cost less than $100, and since this is a DIY job no installation costs would be incurred.

Security film would run between $75 and $150 per window for the film; installation would be extra, if a professional performed the work on this.

Security bars vary greatly in cost, depending on the design and metal content of the bars. Normally, the cost would vary between $200 and $500 dollars with extra cost of $75 per window required for professional installation.

Stainless steel security screens would be between $400 and $500, if professionally installed, and approximately $75 can be taken off that cost, if you install them yourself.

As a security screen dealer, I have seen all of these products used with various degrees of success. One type of barrier is not always the best for every application. In some instances, I have suggested window security films instead of screens. In all instances, an early warning system, such as an alarm system or even a low-tech solution like a dog, should be used whenever possible. There are many good ways to improve your home’s defenses. Just be open to all the possibilities, and let your budget, common sense, and availability of local professionals help you make your decision.

A combination of several security measures is always best, and I always like to see cameras, long deadbolts, and long screws in door hinges as well as the products outlined above. Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas to think about and use in making your homes defenses more effective.

Letter Re: What Happens When A Spouse Dies?

Hugh,

I’m responsing to the article “What Happens When A Spouse Dies?” by JEH. The author failed to mention getting a Revocable Living Trust (RLT) to distribute your assets. When a person contacts a lawyer for their will, they ought to ask if the lawyer knows how to prepare an RLT. Each state has different requirements for an RLT, but basically the RLTs are all the same. The RLT allows your assets to be distributed to your heirs TAX FREE and without having to go through probate. It’s a simple document that works along side your will (and in some cases in lieu of a will). The RLT is revocable in case your living situation changes (divorce, death of an heir, or simply if you just change your mind). Your assets must be transferred into the trust, which is kind of a pain, but the results of the RLT are worth the effort. You can go online and print out a boilerplate RLT and fill the blanks in yourself, and this document, when witnessed, is just as legal as one produced by a lawyer. I STRONGLY suggest that everyone with any assets puts those assets into an RLT. You won’t be sorry. – M.C.

Safari Club International Convention Roundup

I recently attended the Safari Club International (SCI) convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite the OTT crass glitziness of Vegas, I greatly enjoyed the convention and met some great subject matter experts who kindly shared some details about terrain, climate hydrology, fauna, and flora of a region of Africa that will be featured in my next novel.

While the African “Big Five” guides predominated, one thing that surprised me was the number of exhibitors at the show who hailed from The American Redoubt. I’m sure that there were others, since the convention floor was enormous and I just zoomed through walking it, but I did meet the folks from:

  • Caribou Creek Log Homes of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. They build traditional round log and Appalachian Dovetail log homes, as well as custom timber farm homes.
  • Brockman’s Rifles of Gooding, Idaho. They make innovative, lightweight folding stock bolt action rifles with integral bipods an free-floating barrels on both M700 and Kimber actions.
  • Schnee’s of Bozeman, Montana. They have a full line of outdoor clothing, packs, and boots– nearly all of them American-made.
  • Horse Creek Outfitters of Challis, Idaho. They guide hunts in Southeastern Idaho.
  • Proof Research of Columbia Falls, Montana. They build custom, bolt actions with carbon fiber-wrapped stainless steel barrels, in stocks that include both carbon fiber and Kevlar.
  • Gary Neese’s Outdoor World of Hamilton, Montana. They make a fantastic, patented, hunting jacket with a hidden daypack, removable pocket panels for both rifle cartridges and shotshells, plus sleeves that accordion-fold up so that the jacket becomes a vest. The jacket also has a clever hidden deployable optic orange vest in the back, to meet Fish and Game regulations and for emergency signaling use. I bought one right on the spot.
  • Mountain Riflery of Pocatello, Idaho. They make gorgeous big game hunting rifles on custom M70 controlled feed style actions with Oberndorf-style release floorplates. Most of their rifles are in California English Walnut stocks with amazing checkering and fitting.
  • Rand’s Custom Hats of Billings, Montana.
  • Holland’s Shooter Supply of Powers, Oregon. Darrell Holland is famous for his EDMed muzzle brakes, and he also runs a premier long range shooting school. His school is known for small class sizes and even individual instruction. He also recently started producing a very highly-rated American-made survival firestarter, under the trade name Lightning Strike.

All in all, the SCI convention was a hoot. I got to meet and talk with both NRA President Wayne LaPierre and veteran screenwriter and filmmaker John Milius. Just seeing all of the great taxidermy pieces was worth the price of admission. – JWR

Economics and Investing:

The Global Currency Reset is Real & in Motion. The EU, BRICS & the US Dollar Fighting each other for Total Control.

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Second Alleged Murder Suicide by JPMorgan Worker in Seven Months. – P.K.

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

In the Shadow of Abenomics, Japan’s Poor and Elderly Are Being Left Behind

Bubble? Meet The $25 Million Grilled-Cheese Truck

Fearing Grexit, Greeks Turn To Gold Again

Why Citi Thinks Oil Is Going To $20

Odds ‘n Sods:

Old people auctioned off to care homes on the internet: Anger over ‘cattle markets for grannies’ as councils accept lowest bids to save cash

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How to render lard, the easy way. – K.W.

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Combat rations of 20 armies around the world revealed. – JBG

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Although somewhat humorous, this event underscores a major problem as robots become more ubiquitous. They have no conscience, no sense of right or wrong, and no impenitence over causing physical or emotional harm. Robot vacuum cleaner ‘attacks’ South Korea housewife’s hair. – D.S.

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NM Sheriff Stands Against IRS & Federal Marshals – Cancels Land Sale. – B.B.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Give more, so that we can build more, put interest in understanding another more in whatever actions one might carry out in life. Because we all are fighting for survival against adversaries and are sometimes falling, but if we stand together and help shield and strengthen one another, imagine the world that we will live in together, having more happiness with one another, at one another’s side.” ? Jonathan Anthony Burkett, Neglected But Undefeated

Notes for Monday – February 09, 2015

February 9th is the birthday of Major George Charles Nonte Jr. (born 1926, died June 30, 1978). JWR had the privilege of attending ROTC Basic Camp at Fort Knox in the same company with his daughter, Yvette, in 1981. Some of the stories that she told about her father were amazing. He was quite a guy. Cadet Yvette Nonte went on to a career in Army Intelligence, retiring as a Colonel.

An Argument for Milsurp Rifles

I’ve been reviewing old military rifles off and on, with the idea that they have uses for preppers. I’ve even had letters suggesting that I do these reviews. We recently published a very thoughtful letter from M.M. to the contrary. I wanted to address a few of the points he made and thank him for taking the time to write.

The first point is that I wasn’t very good at saying that we are looking for bargains in these rifles. My main goal was to help people realize that if they see a good deal on one, they ought to carefully consider it, particularly if it is a private sale. If it isn’t a good deal, walk away.

Next, I don’t think someone should put huge amounts of money into one unless it is for fun or a labor of love. I see these as being used for budget or backup rifles. I know some who buy Mosin Nagants to handout to neighbors should things go wrong. All you might want to do is make some improvements to sighting, and you can get scope mounts that don’t require a gunsmith. The Mauser I wrote about is going to wind up having $400 in it, which is probably more than I should spend, but I really like the rifle and am doing a couple of things I could get by without.

M.M. suggested the need to replace the stock, but I wouldn’t do that. If the stock on the rifle is bad, look for another one.

I also should say that there are some rifles that might not be a good idea, especially if they use odd, difficult-to-obtain cartridges. Rounds, like 7x57mm, 8x57mm, 7.62x54R, .303 British and .30-06, are widely available. Others, like 7.65x53mm Argentine/Belgium Mauser or 7.5mm French, are not so easy to find and probably best avoided.

M.M. is absolutely right that a lot of surplus ammo is corrosive, and that means a proper cleaning is mandatory. You should actually start before you leave the range. I push a few patches with a cleaner rated for corrosive ammo through before packing up, and then I finish at home. You don’t need ammonia, though, as M.M. mentioned, for corrosive ammo. Hot water will dissolve the salts used in corrosive ammo. Ammonia is used to remove copper fouling. Most modern bore cleaners will get copper out, and many (but not all) will take care of the corrosive primers; just be sure to check the label.

He correctly states that commercial ammunition is often downloaded a bit in these calibers in deference to the age of some the guns it may wind up in. I don’t think, however, that it makes much difference to the target.

I haven’t had issues using the S&K or Brass Stacker Scout mounts, but I make a point of regularly checking the fittings for tightness. Mounting the scope forward avoids the issues M.M. cited about having to bend bolt handles and not being able to use stripper clips. These mounts also allow you to return the rifle to original, should you desire.

M.M. prefers a fixed power scope, mounted conventionally; that is a matter of personal preference. I like both Scout and conventional scopes, and I generally use variable power ones in conventional mounts and fixed in Scout mounts. One point we agree on is that one should not use a junk scope. As he points out, junk will fail, but it fails whether mounted as a Scout or conventionally. I have had fine results with Burris and Leupold Scout and pistol scopes, and I think they can be relied upon, though anything can be broken. I also agree with M.M. that a fixed scope has fewer parts and should be more reliable, but variable power scopes seemed to have closed the gap over the years.

Another comment M.M. made was on the parallax issue with scopes and the importance to line the eye up with the sight. Scopes are usually higher than iron sights, so we need a higher cheek piece to properly use a scope. That is easily achieved with a cheek pad, such as the one from Brass Stacker https://survivalblog.com/scots-product-review-brass-stacker-products-for-the-mosin-nagant/ that I mentioned when I reviewed their scope mount for the Mosin Nagant. Parallax issues and lining your eyes up applies to all scopes, not just forward mounted ones. Pistol scopes are often set to 50 yards for parallax, which is probably not optimal for rifles, but I haven’t found any serious problems. It is a lot more problematic to use a centerfire rifle scope with the parallax set at 100 yards on an air rifle or .22 at close range.

Some people find the forward mounted scope does not work well for them, so they should avoid them. Others like them. Another option is to go with a red dot sight, which can work well out to 200 yards. Those work quite well on forward mounts, and most have no issues with parallax.

I haven’t looked at the Swiss rifles M.M. mentions, largely because there isn’t much commercial hunting ammo available for them and the rifles are fairly expensive. They have a great reputation, but I don’t think you are going to be able to get much of a bargain on one. I would like to have one but mostly for hobbyist reasons rather than prepping ones.

A big plus for the commercial rifle is that it won’t require much thought or effort to set it up for hunting. The surplus rifle may wind up taking some energy and thought as well as a bit of tinkering. Personally, I enjoy having the knowledge I acquire from all of this and think it might be useful someday. Others may not have time for it.

One of the best deals on the market at the moment for a commercial rifle is the Savage Axis. I haven’t tried one, but they have an excellent reputation for value and are going for only $300 to $400 on Gun Broker. You have to add mounts and rings, but they will cost less than the Scout mounts for a surplus rifle. A decent quality scope will cost about the same for either rifle, regardless of it being forward or receiver mounted.

If you gave me a choice, however, between a nice surplus Mauser 98 with a good bore and the Savage for the same money, I would probably take the Mauser. I’m betting the Mauser would have a smoother action and be more rugged. The Savage will probably be a bit more accurate. Your choice could well be different from mine, but both of us would have good rifles. There is also the chance to find a good used commercial rifle at a good price. That’s a topic I need to explore in the future. That could be the best bet of all.

Thanks again to M.M. for the alternative and well-stated opinion.

– SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Erie

Product Review: Infidel Body Armor – Level IV

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Much has been written and discussed on SurvivalBlog lately about body armor, which is something many people mistakenly refer to as a “bulletproof vest”. There is no such thing as bulletproof vests. There are just vests that are designed to “resist” certain types of ammo of varying degrees of power. I make no claim to being any sort of expert when it comes to body armor. However, over the past 35-yrs or so, I have tested quite a bit of soft and hard body armor. My tests were not “scientific”; I just took body armor panels out and shot them to see how they would react to various calibers of ammo unloaded into them. Most body armor will stop what it claims it will stop, with very few exceptions, and I’m glad those companies are no longer in business.,

In the past, I reviewed some body armor, hard and soft, from the nice folks at Infidel Body Armor (IBA), Bulletproof Vests & Plates for Sale in Texas, Tactical Body Armor, Bullet Proof Vests, AR500 Steel, and ESAPI Plates, and I came away totally impressed with their products. To be sure, I was on-board with Infidel Body Armor when they first started out. The owner of IBA also runs a small survival products website, and I’ve tested some of those products, too. When I tested some of the soft body armor panels from Infidel, they did what they claimed; they stopped certain types of handgun rounds. I also, extensively tested Infidel’s Level III hard body armor plates, and I couldn’t get them to fail, even though more than a hundred rounds of high-powered rifle rounds were fired into it. I mean we’re talking .308 Win and 7.62X39 as well as armor piercing rounds that this armor was not supposed to stop that it handled. I was impressed with their Level III hard body armor plates, and I’ve tested several of them.

Chad Cooper, who owns Infidel Body Armor, told me that his Level III plates were almost classified as Level IV. They only missed this classification by a few millimeters of back face deformation. Yes, they stopped Level IV rifle rounds, but they were dented on the backside just a tiny bit too much to receive the Level IV classification, and when Chad Cooper started out in the body armor business his plates were not certified because he wanted to keep the price down as much as possible in order to sell his armor to the “Average Joe”– folks like you and me. However, there were a lot of people in law enforcement who wanted to purchase his hard armor and couldn’t without certification. Their respective police departments wouldn’t approve Infidel plates for duty wear without being certified. Needless to say, Chad Cooper, spent a LOT of money getting his Level III plates tested and certified.

Cooper kept me informed and up-to-date on the progress of his Level IV hard plates, and they are not made out of AR500 steel, like his Level III plates. They are made out of aluminum and ceramic. His Level IV plates are thicker than the AR500 Level III plates, and they are also thicker than some other Level IV plates I’ve seen and tested. His Level IV plates are a little bit heavier than some of the competition’s Level IV plates, and with good reason. Infidel Level IV plates are close enough to be called Level IV+, if there were such a designation for body armor. So, Infidel’s Level IV plates will much better stop even more high-powered rifles hits than what the Level IV certification calls for. However, Infidel doesn’t advertise their plates as Level IV+.

I received two Level IV plates and a Viper plate carrier for testing. I removed both plates from the carrier and set about testing one of the plates. I fired 12-rds into it. If I recall, to get certified as a Level IV hard armor plate, they have to stand up to 6 or 7 hits; the Infidel plate took 12-rounds of .308 Win without failing. I had planned on keeping the second plate for myself and ordering another plate to replace the first one I shot up; any time your body armor takes a hit, it needs to be replaced…period!

I took the second Level IV plate out at another time, for testing for this article, to see how many hits it would take before it actually failed, and a .308 147-gr FMJ round would penetrate it. In all, it took 15-rds before there was complete failure. I’m here to tell you that, if you are in a position where you have taken that many hits from a bad buy, you are in the wrong place; MOVE positions.

Infidel’s Level IV plates impressed me! They stood up to a lot of shooting for a .308 Win Springfield Armory M1A rifle. Now, the problem I have is replacing both of those plates I shot-up…LOL.

Infidel Body Armor are great folks to do business with, and they are the only hard body armor maker that I’m aware of that actually produce hard body armor for children and small-sized women, too. Right now, their Level IV plates are in great demand; I had to wait two months to get my samples. Unlike some body armor companies, they aren’t afraid to let you shoot their products. I actually had one company contact me and want me to write about their hard body armor without actually shooting it. What!?! That’s like testing a gun without shooting it, or testing a knife without using it to cut something. I politely refused that company’s offer of “testing” their body armor, if they didn’t want me to actually shoot at it. They claimed they had already tested their armor and there wasn’t any need for me to do any further testing. Okay, fine, but I don’t write about any products without actually testing them for myself. Sure, my own, limited testing isn’t “scientific”, but it’s still a real world test of sorts.

Be sure to check out Infidel’s website for their full-line of soft and hard body armor as well as many of the other products they sell. I’m betting you’ll find something you can’t live without. Also, remember, the federal government is trying to ban hard body armor. Oh, sure, they say if you already have it you can keep it (I’ve heard that before), but you won’t be allowed to purchase any hard body armor unless you are in the military or law enforcement fields. I recommend you get your body armor while you can!

– SurvivalBlog Product Review Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week: Calico Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:

  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) French-style green beans, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) white or regular corn, drained (I always just use regular corn)
  • 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen peas and carrots, thawed
  • 1 c. chopped green pepper
  • 1 c. chopped onion
  • 1 c. chopped celery

Dressing:

  • 1 c. cider vinegar
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbs. celery seed
  • 1 Tbs. mustard seed
  • dash garlic salt
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all salad vegetables in mixing bowl. In medium saucepan, combine all dressing ingredients. Bring dressing to boil; stir and boil 1 minute. Pour over veggies, and stir well. Chill at least several hours; overnight is best.

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Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

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

Letter Re: What Happens When a Spouse Dies?

Hugh:

The author of this article recommends a Living Will. These documents often express a patient’s wishes not to be kept alive by artificial means. Your readers should be aware that food and water are now considered medical care in all 50 states, rather than normal care of the sick. That means that people who sign Living Wills may be unwittingly authorizing their own starvation and dehydration. It is far better to express your wishes about medical treatment to a loved one whom you trust and instead sign a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare. That gives your loved one the ability to insure the best care for you in light of the specific medical circumstances. – Critical Care M.D.

Economics and Investing:

Syriza’s 40 point plan for Greece. – H.L.

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‘The Dollar Will Die with a Whimper’, A System Reset Is Imminent, Russia And China Have Been Accumulating Enormous Amounts Of Gold, Positioning Themselves For The Next Phase Of The Global Financial System.

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China‘s secret plan to topple the US as the world’s superpower. – A.W.

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End of an Era: Prospects Look Bleak For Slowing the Coming Food Crisis. – B.B.

Odds ‘n Sods:

SWAT raid on maple syrup tapping. This family’s neighbors reported that they had a suspected meth lab. It turned out that they were tapping trees for maple syrup. At least no one was hurt when DEA and police raided their house, but this is one more example where the governmental encouragement of “If you see something, tell someone” has turned us into a nation of tattletales. – J.C.

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Venezuela to incorporate occupied grocery into state system. – H.L.

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Today In Creepy Privacy Policies, Samsung’s Eavesdropping TV. – P.S.

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Doctor That Said “Don’t Vaccinate” Targeted for Investigation. – H.L.

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Why is a bunch of “3 letter agencies” gathering intel on gun owners?