Scot’s Product Review: CMMG .22 LR Conversion for AR-15

We can have a lot of discussions about the good and bad points of the AR-15 and the .223 cartridge it is usually chambered for. Some think they are worthless junk, while others feel they are the cat’s meow. A lot of folks, myself included, are somewhere in between those two ends of the argument. I find the ergonomics to be quite good and very adaptable for left-handed shooters, like myself. You need to add an ambidextrous safety, and I think an ambi charging handle also helps. An ambi magazine release really rounds it out, but I can live without that part without much hassle. I do hate cleaning the bolt carrier group, which gets pretty cruddy from all the gas that enters the action. Other designs keep the gas out of the action and are much easier to clean.

One thing that we all have to agree on, though, is that the bloody things are everywhere. The military and most law enforcement agencies now issue them. With them so prevalent, I think shooters, and particularly preppers, should be familiar with them, even if they feel they are a subpar solution to any ballistic problem. You may find a chance to acquire one during a crisis, and it’s best to learn how now.

AR’s are fun to shoot. There isn’t much recoil to speak of, and they are light and handy, if one is sensible in how it is set. The muzzle blast is pretty noticeable, though, particularly with the 16-inch barreled carbines. Fancy muzzle brakes usually increase the blast effect, so I avoid them. AR’s tend to be fairly accurate, especially with match-grade ammunition. Mine will shoot less than one-inch groups with Federal 69 grain match loads and hold two to three inch ones with average training ammo.

All of this AR lead up is to get to something that can make the AR much more versatile and useful. While I’m not crazy about the .223 cartridge, there is another cartridge I am crazy about– the .22 Long Rifle (LR). The .22 is the preeminent cartridge for practice and for small game hunting. It is a blast to shoot, and you can do it all day and all night, thanks to the lack of recoil, noise, and muzzle blast. Since the .223 has bore diameter in common with the .22 LR, it is easy to convert an AR into a .22 LR in less than a minute by using a kit. such as the CMMG one. This slick $240 unit replaces the bolt carrier group in an AR with a chamber insert and a bolt that cycles and feeds .22 LR ammunition from the supplied magazine, which fits normally into the rifle.

My kit is an older model made of plain old carbon steel. They have newer ones made of stainless steel, which should make them even easier to care for.

Once you fit the kit into a rifle, you have a weapon that is much less expensive to shoot than the .223. While .22 ammunition has been hard to find, it is becoming more available. Even at the highest prices I saw (and refused to pay), .22 LR was still less expensive than .223, no matter if you reloaded it with components that were as hard to find as .22 LR ammo. Just as a reminder, now that things have eased, we need to replace what we used when there were problems. It might even be smart to add some extra for next time.

Besides being more economical to shoot, an AR converted to .22 LR is much quieter and has almost no muzzle blast. That makes it great for training new shooters, plus it means you can use it in places where a .223 makes too much noise. While the recoil from a .223 is minimal, the .22’s is non-existent, which adds to the appeal for young or new shooters. My son was somewhat intimidated by the AR when he began to outgrow his starter .22, but he fell in love with the AR conversion. It made it a lot easier for him to segue into shooting .223 a few months later. He was already familiar with the firearm, so all he had to do now was deal with the muzzle blast and a little more bounce. He was actually disappointed, I think, by lack of kick from the larger round.

Self-defense practice with the .22 LR isn’t the same as with .223, but it is close enough to be worthwhile. My split times between shots are almost the same.

There are some handling differences between the .22 LR and the .223 AR’s, mostly related to the fact the bolt catch doesn’t work properly. The bolt is held back by the empty magazine’s follower, but it doesn’t actuate the catch. The pressure of the action spring holds the magazine in the rifle so it won’t drop free the way most AR magazines will. You have to pull it out, which releases the bolt to go forward. The bolt stroke is perhaps half that of the .223, so when you pull the charging handle back, it stops early. That always leaves me feeling there was a problem when I chamber a round, even though all is well. It also means that the bolt can’t be pulled back enough to lock it open, so you can’t practice a bolt back reload using the bolt release. It also raises hackles at one range I shoot at that requires the bolt to be locked back and the magazine out while shooters are forward. I make sure to have a chamber flag when I go there.

I have seen an adapter that is supposed to operate the bolt catch, but it isn’t on the CMMG web page at this time. I have not tried it, and I note some complaints in the Amazon user reviews. Not all magazines work with it.

After using this to convert a .223 AR, I decided I wanted a dedicated upper receiver for .22 LR. The conversion works well, but the 1/7 twist barrels that work well with heavy bullets on the .223, isn’t optimal for accuracy with .22 LR. A 1/15 or 1/16 twist is most often recommended for rimfires.

CMMG also makes complete .22 uppers and rifles, but I like to build things for myself, so I bought one of their barrels, which go for about $160.00 these days.

I next picked up a flat top upper receiver from Brownells (I don’t even remember which brand it was) for about $100 along with a Colt Barrel nut assembly for $35.

The trickiest part was figuring out what to use to hold the handguard on the barrel with. AR’s usually have a front sight base which holds the handguard cap in place that, in turn, secures the handguard. I didn’t plan to use it with iron sights and I wanted something inexpensive and easy to put together in my garage. The front sight base is best pinned to the barrel and properly drilling holes for the pins is beyond my skillset. I found a gas block with Picatinny rails that clamps on the barrel with set screws for about $30, also from Brownells.

The end of the barrel is threaded and to give it a finished look, I put an A2 style flash hider on it. I don’t remember which one I got, but it was the cheapest one I could find from Brownells. It was under $10.

I also needed a handguard, so I got a Magpul one for another $25 or so.

Finally, I scrounged a charging handle from my leftover parts box, dug up a cheap scope and I was in business after some trivial assembly work.

I hate to admit this, but having a complete upper led, as part of mission creep, to building a lower for it so my son could have his own AR. So much for all the money I saved on ammo.

I have found the dedicated .22 LR barrel to be more accurate as a .22, on average, than the .223 barrel, but the .223 barrel has managed to come close to what I can get with the Long Rifle barrel. What I have noticed is that more varieties of ammunition shoot well in the dedicated barrel, while the .223 barrel only likes a couple of loads.

Another point in favor of the dedicated version is that rimfire ammo, especially the inexpensive blasting stuff with lead bullets, is often very dirty. I have seen debates about .22 LR fouling, and particularly leading, getting into the gas system on the .AR. I’m not convinced it is a big deal if one cleans after shooting and uses high quality ammo, but it can’t hurt to keep it out of your .223. A friend recently had some really rotten .22 ammo that heavily leaded a pistol to the point of inaccuracy and unreliability. I hate to think of that happening in my primary AR, so I made a point of using premium copper-plated ammunition when I was running it on my .223. Now that I have a dedicated .22, I’m not as careful and I have run some rotgut bargain ammo through it. While I paid for it when I cleaned the barrel, I did get some cheap practice without any risks to a defensive weapon.

As far as accuracy, it is pretty close to my Ruger 10/22, though it is more selective about what it likes. My best groups with the Ruger run about one inch at 50 yards, while the best ones with the CMMG have been 1.5 inches. I have had the Ruger for years and have gotten to try a lot more ammo with it than the CMMG, so I suspect there may be some better groups in the future with the CMMG as I do more testing.

It is common for a .22 to have particular tastes in ammo. None of my .22’s agree on what good ammo is, much to my frustration. I have had to lay in a separate supply for each one of them– handgun as well as rifle– as if life isn’t complex enough. I don’t worry so much for practice, but I want the most accurate stuff I can get for hunting or pest control.

CMMG says they find that the Federal and CCI 36 grain loads usually do well, and that mirrors my results. The most accurate round in mine so far has been CCI Mini Mag hollow points. Annoyingly, it doesn’t like the Mini Mag round nose that my Ruger likes. I’ve also seen folks tout the CCI Subsonic loads with these setups.

I should point out that I am using the same model scopes on both rifles. I got them on sale, and there was a reason they were on close out– they were cheap; I would never have paid the original price for them. One of these days, I intend to put better scopes on both, and I suspect that will help accuracy a bit.

The triggers on the Ruger and the lower receiver I used with the CMMG upper are pretty equal. The Ruger is a bit heavier and the AR is creepier. The shooter, in both cases, is pretty lame. A better marksman would get nicer groups.

Reliability has been excellent. It has run standard and high velocity ammunition without qualms. It will not cycle the CCI Quiet ammo, but none of my semi-autos will. CB caps, of course, won’t cycle it, either. It actually has been a tiny bit more reliable than my Ruger, but you can count on either rifle to work. Cleaning has always solved any issues.

I’ve seen a number of AR look-alike .22 rifles, but most of them just have the appearance and not the innards of an AR. They are usually lighter, not as sturdy, and don’t truly replicate the feel of an AR. Some of them are decent firearms, but I just don’t think they provide the same quality training as a real AR converted to .22, either with a complete upper or just the conversion kit.

I am very happy with my CMMG conversion and have no regrets about buying it. I am also very happy with the upper receiver I built with their barrel. It is reliable and accurate enough to use for hunting. I am thrilled to have it for practice as well as starting off new shooters. It is a good piece of kit and worth the money. I have more in it that one might put into a 10-22, but a 10-22 will never come close to simulating an AR. It’s nice to have both, but if you could only have one, the conversion makes a lot of sense, if you run AR’s.

Product Update DRD Tactical AR-15

Speaking of AR’s, I recently reviewed the DRD Tactical take down iteration of the AR https://survivalblog.com/scots-product-review-drd-tactical-cdr-15-556/. Besides the allure of having an easy to pack rifle, you can easily swap barrels giving you one gun that shoots more than one cartridge. The one I am testing came with .223 and .300 AAC Blackout barrels, and I finally managed to scrounge up some .300 ammo and make some time for a range trip to see how it works.

The bottom-line is that it works well. There is a bit more push to the shoulder than a .223 but nothing to fret over. The muzzle blast is easier to bear than the .223, which makes it more pleasant to be around, particularly in an indoor range where I did some of the shooting.

Due to recent increases in .22 rimfire ammo costs and ammo shortages, I only have about 100 rounds through it so far, but it has been 100% reliable. Accuracy is fine with groups running about 1.5 inches at 100 yards using a Leupold VX-III 1.5-5x scope set at 5x. I suspect careful hand-loading might get better groups, and there might be a better factory load than any of the three I have tried. I should also again remind everyone that I’m not the best shot and a better shooter will likely shave some off of these groups.

I like the rifle and find the cartridge intriguing. It hits harder than a .223, but it starts running out of steam pretty quickly. My thought is that it is at its best under 150 yards. It is by no means a .308. Bullet selection appears very important. Most bullets for .30 caliber are designed for more powerful cartridges and won’t expand at .300 AAC velocities. There are bullets that will work and they should be selected. Many hunters have reported good results using it on medium game within the limitations of the cartridge. I hope to match them if my plans to try it on hogs next month pan out. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Erie

A Few Thoughts on Water Storage, by N.P.

Dear HJL,

The referenced article was pretty complete and detailed; I just want to add a couple of details. First, when I fill my storage tank with the intent of leaving it unattended and unused for a long period of time, I usually dose the water to about 7 PPM Chlorine. Then I check it every time I visit my distant retreat, supplementing the chlorine dose if the reading gets to 2 PPM or less. Levels at and above 7 PPM are dangerous to your health but draining the right amount of water and adding untreated water to the tank will bring it right down to the correct and safe drinking level of less than 3 PPM.

The thing that we want to know is the residual-free chlorine still available to treat what is in the water that should be treated or might come into the system. To do this I use test strips that will tell the residual chlorine concentration between 0 and 13 PPM. These strip show a distinct color for each distinct concentration, making them much easier to read than pool test kits.

I want to disagree with the placement of the tank directly on the concrete floor for a couple of very reasons. First, a tank, that has the ability to provide water through a period of three or four weeks when you can not refill it, can not be easily manhandled. At two gallons/per person/per day, a 100-gallon tank will cover 50 man days or less than a month for two people. Add two children and the time is 12 to 13 days. I designed my system for 60 days survival without replenishment because water is survival!

Secondly, in most situations adequate sized storage tanks are too heavy but to install except on a slab, basement floor and almost certainly will require manually filling containers and manually transporting those filled containers. I selected the square, stackable, 5-gallon water jugs sold at many prepper-oriented web sites. My 1550-gallon tank sits on a well-engineered (my wife says way over-done) platform that is just high enough that I can sit two of those five-gallon jugs on the floor and let gravity fill them until the tank bottom is nearly dry. My well system is pumped in to a very large captive air tank with the pressure switch set at 35 psi; from there the well water is plumbed in 1″ PVC to a booster pump that serves the house and a branch that directly leads to the 4″ ball valve at the tank via a tee that serves the tote filling piping on the other side. The totes used are similar to PN 400 with a M110 valve that is removed for filling. None of this will be very helpful if the means of refilling the storage tank are forgotten. I have two generators, each capable of running the well pump. I would replenish my storage tank at least once a week in a grid down situation, until my fuel storage was depleted. – B..J.

Recipe of the Week: Excellent Microwave Sweet Pickles, by L.H.

I am still making these pickles from the original recipe cut out of the Wichita (KS) Eagle newspaper from Sunday 10.29.89 (the newsprint is getting quite yellow and brittle), which is definite proof that this is a recipe that has stood the tests of time. These are what most call a “bread and butter” type pickle, and as the name says, they are truly excellent, as well as being excellently easy.

Ingredients:

  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric
  • ¼ tsp. mustard seed
  • ¼ tsp. celery seed
  • ½ c. cider vinegar
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 cucumbers, unpeeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 or 2 small onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. In small bowl or measuring pitcher whisk together salt, turmeric, mustard seed, celery seed, vinegar, and sugar.
  2. Mix cucumbers and onions in separate microwave-safe bowl.
  3. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and onions.
  4. Microwave, uncovered, on high power 5 minutes. Stir well and return to microwave 5 minutes more.
  5. Cool, pour into quart jar and refrigerate.

Pickles are ready to eat when thoroughly chilled. Makes 1 quart.

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

Odds ‘n Sods:

Attorney Stephen Stamboulieh is attempting to overturn 18 USC 922(o) and the National Firearms Act of 1934 as unconstitutional, via GoFundMe.com.

He has raised nearly $20,000 in just three days. Chip in, if you can spare a few dollars, folks!

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Infection Control for Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers in the African Health Care Setting. – MDM

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Shady company tricks police to spread spyware. – D.S.

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Texas Health Worker Tests Positive for Ebola. – RBS

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What Can You Do to Prevent/Treat Ebola and Other Viral Infections. – D.S.

Notes for Sunday – October 12, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.
  12. 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 FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, 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,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 55 ends on November 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.

Surviving Kidney Dialysis in a Down-Grid Scenario, by G.C.

The power-grid goes down two hours before you are scheduled to begin your next round of hemodialysis at a clinic thirty-five miles away. Using the Ham radio, you discover through your III Percent communications network that all power is down across the southern sector. There is little hope of it being restored in the foreseeable future. The clinic should have a back-up generator in place, so (other than an inconvenience) your treatment should go ahead as planned. You lock the place down, turn on the alarms, and then you and the wife head for the clinic. As usual, when you leave you can’t shake the feeling of vulnerability, knowing that the security of the homestead rests with Macs– an eleven year-old Labrador that is racked with arthritis so bad that he seldom moves from his favorite spot under the corner of the porch.

As you maneuver your way down the hill, straddling the gullies caused by a recent downpour, you began to question the rationality of your situation. Can you really survive a down-grid scenario with renal failure? What happens if you arrive at the clinic to find they have no back-up power? What happens if the roads are blocked or the clinic is under attack by roving thugs looking to cash in on prescription drugs? Questions, one after another, began to tumble through your mind; answers, however, prove more elusive than the dust before yesterday’s rain. By the time you make it to the blacktop, you realize that what you don’t know could be just enough to kill you.

Those who suffer from kidney failure must deal with these questions every day, praying for no interruptions in their circumstances, and hoping to survive until a donor is located and a transplant successfully performed; at least that is the case for those whom transplant is even an option. According to the National Kidney Foundation, of the 99,000 Americans on the kidney transplant list, fewer than 17,000 people receive one each year. Every day, 14 people die while waiting for a kidney. Of course, there are no guarantees, especially when considering the many obstacles encountered during this trying time (and the risks inherent with dialysis). Fortunately, there are answers to many of these questions through an alternative dialysis treatment– peritoneal dialysis (PD). PD provides patients an opportunity (and the flexibility) to perform dialysis, regardless of location or the need of electricity. This can mean the difference between life and death in a down-grid scenario.

My knowledge of this treatment came about through the personal experience of a dear friend that I will refer to as Sniper1. Like me, he is retired, middle-aged, and doing everything he can to prepare his family for the eventual collapse of society. Regrettably, he was diagnosed in January 2013 with chronic renal failure. His kidneys had shut down and toxins were building up in his bloodstream. After numerous tests (which almost cost his life) Sniper1 was placed on a hemodialysis regimen three times weekly (lasting four hours, each). He would usually leave the house before sunrise to make the thirty-five mile trip to the clinic. There, he would use his walker to slowly move to the check-in desk, answer a litany of questions, fill out forms, and then spend about an hour in the waiting room before being called back for treatment. He would then be weighed and his ports connected to the hemodialysis machine. Approximately three hours later at the end of his treatment, he was usually so tired and weak that he required assistance back to the car for his return trip home. Due to the side effects of hemodialysis, such as: cramps, nausea, vomiting, and weakness, he was not able to drive himself back from treatment. This required either his wife, daughters, or close friends to chauffer him the seventy miles round trip, three times a week. He would spend roughly thirty-six hours with these painful side-effects, slowly and painfully regaining some strength, and then repeat the cycle again.

I watched as my friend’s condition deteriorated, becoming progressively worse with each passing day, but there was always hope in Sniper1’s eyes. He would force a feeble smile and say, “Red Flint, we’re gonna buy us a mountaintop in West Virginia some day when we win the lottery and I get to feeling better.” I would wholeheartedly agree, anything to keep him in good spirits. We would discuss plans for our bunker and spend hours exchanging ideas on scriptural issues and doctrines. As far as he was concerned, this kidney failure was just another bump in the road, like the rest of his life had been; he would get through it just like he had Vietnam and everything else since then. He was determined to leave this world at the last possible second, as Sniper1 is a true survivalist.

Not only is he a survivalist, he is a realist and fully understands the urgency of his situation. The side effects of the hemodialysis treatment were taking a physical toll on his body and the long drives were putting a strain on his finances in addition to causing an excessive burden on his family. Even in his frail condition, he began to research alternative methods of kidney dialysis. The last thing he wanted was to be dependent on the electrical grid. One alternative method–peritoneal dialysis– sounded promising. He spent many hours researching the pros and cons of this procedure.

Sniper1 believed he could reduce many of these additional health problems by changing from hemodialysis to peritoneal dialysis and improve his quality of life in the process. More importantly, he wanted to be able to survive without the use of electricity. His doctor agreed that he was a good candidate for peritoneal dialysis and suggested he start the new treatment. The port in his chest was removed, and a small catheter was inserted into the peritoneal cavity in his abdomen. He was required to attend classes on how to perform the procedure safely. Once he was cleared and certified as proficient, items required for the treatment and the dialysate were shipped to his residence.

Unlike hemodialysis, which requires the patient’s blood be cleansed through a machine, peritoneal dialysis involves a change of fluids by force of gravity.

www.rch.org.au- A single-dose flexible bag, containing dextrose solution, is hung on an IV pole, and a small tube from the solution is connected to the catheter on the patient’s abdomen. The peritoneal dialysis solution is instilled into the peritoneal cavity. Through the process of osmosis, excess water and toxins in the bloodstream are pulled into the solution through the semi-permeable membrane of the peritoneum. The length of “dwell time” of the solution in the peritoneal cavity is determined by the doctor. Afterwards, the solution is drained from the patient. Normally, the fluid is drained and solution is instilled at the same setting; this takes approximately thirty minutes for both procedures and is usually performed four times each twenty-four hour period.

Patients are encouraged to stockpile three months’ supply of dialysate. This is shipped to the patient’s home via UPS or FedEx. Some facilities will allow a far longer supply, if requested. The main concern is not to exceed shelf life. Storage is the primary problem to overcome when requesting a large order.

Though there are numerous advantages of peritoneal dialysis, there are precautions and warnings associated with this procedure. Like all medical procedures there are risks involved that could prove fatal, if proper procedures are not followed. The greatest risk with peritoneal dialysis is infection. Every facet of this procedure must be performed in an extremely sanitary environment, and all tubes, catheter, and connections must be sterilized. Even something as small as a dust mite can result in peritonitis; infection, if not treated properly, can be fatal. Infection of the peritoneum has been described as a pain worse than death. Sanitation cannot be overstated while performing this procedure.

Patients who are using peritoneal dialysis should have routine evaluations to determine if accurate hematologic factors and electrolyte blood levels are being maintained. This osmosis process can cause a significant loss of water-soluble vitamins, protein, and amino acids; replacement therapy may be required if levels are determined to be too low. It is also extremely important to maintain a proper fluid balance between treatments to prevent over- or under-hydration. Failure to maintain a proper balance can result in shock and/or heart failure.

Sniper1 has been on peritoneal dialysis now approximately a year and is enjoying a far better quality of life than he did while on hemodialysis. He still suffers from neuropathy in both feet and requires the use of a four-pronged cane sometimes to keep from losing his balance. He can perform many tasks now that were impossible while on hemodialysis, such as mowing the yard or working in his garden. He is certainly not up to pre-renal failure abilities, but he can perform roughly 70% of his normal daily routine.

It is still unclear as to why his anti-immune system failed, leading to this life-threatening condition. Sniper1 is presently on the waiting list for transplant and is being tested continually to monitor whether he is a viable candidate. He may or may not receive this operation; his white blood cell count is still too high, indicating an anti-immune deficiency reaction. If fate dictates no improvement, he will be required to continue peritoneal dialysis indefinitely.

Can Sniper1 or a reader of Survival Blog really survive a down-grid scenario with renal failure? The answer to this question is a resounding YES! There’s no need to worry about a blackout, whether the clinic has a backup power source, if the roads are blocked, or if thugs are on the prowl. This life-saving procedure can be performed in the comfort of one’s home, while reading the latest edition of Field & Stream, or The Patriot.

I write this so that other readers of SurvivalBlog know that there are alternate solutions to their health issues in a worse-case scenario. I, like everyone else in Sniper1’s family and my own, was completely unaware that peritoneal dialysis even existed. I have now seen its capabilities first hand and am duly impressed.

JWR Adds: Peritoneal dialysis at home should only be considered a “last resort” measure, when there is no other care available. In my estimation, the safest course for anyone who is on a kidney dialysis regimen is to strategically relocate to a region that already has a capable, well-established dialysis center with at least thee seats and that is in an electrical power exporting region where the local power utility already has plans in place for “islanding” their power, in the event of a grid collapse. I described one such area (Farmington, New Mexico), in my novel Survivors. There are several other such regions, mainly in the Pacific Northwest and in the Inland Northwest. For further details, see my article: Islands in the Darkness: Some Local Power Utilities Have Prepared to Go It Alone. – JWR

Letter Re: A Few Thoughts on Water Storage

Hugh,

I reuse polyethelene 2.5-gallon theatrical fog fluid tanks for water storage. The fog fluid is a glycol, and the tank will smell for a while. I first rinse the tanks to get all the gross product residues out. I then begin a leaching process by filling the tank with very hot water and let it sit until cool. I then repeat the process multiple times until there is no smell. I do two more leachings after that.

Another point that I thought was missed is biofilms. These, like slimes, adhear to the walls and are almost impossible to get rid of. E. coli is one of these film producers. This is why I hate trying to reuse milk jugs. You can never get these biofilms out of them completely. I like peach tea, and within a couple of days, you will notice stains on the walls of the reused milk jug from incomplete removal of the biofilm. Only use jugs that came from the factory with water in them. I can use a water jug for months before any films begin to form. – Capt Nemo

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30&31 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – October 11, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.
  12. 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 FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, 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,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 55 ends on November 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.

Bugging Out With Children, by T.L.

The day that we found out I was pregnant was a happy and joy-filled day. Never once did it cross our minds that a few years down the road, we would fear for the lives of our children and their futures. The world in which we live in is a scary place. The economy is always in peril, the government continues to become more unstable, and it seems we are always one step away from some catastrophic worldly event or the threat of scientific experiments gone wrong, causing a man-made apocalypse. Whatever the case may be, we live in constant fear of the “what if” circumstances. Anything seems possible in this day and age, and all you can do is try to be as prepared as you think you can be for the worst. Being prepared, however, does not ensure survival, but it sure does give you peace of mind over those that choose to ignore the signs around them. We have a saying in our house: “We would rather be prepared for nothing, then unprepared for everything.” We have used the little knowledge we have to try to raise our kids to think the same way! While each person thinks differently about how to be prepared, we have written what we think may help some people out who have smaller children. We are in no way, shape, or form experts; we just use our common sense. We practice basic principles, while having a minimal impact on our daily lives.

Having children adds a different element to our thought process of being prepared. Kids are ever-changing and growing; you never quite know what you can expect from them. How can you truly have a preparation kit for a child that doesn’t stop growing until they reach a certain age? How can you teach them to be cautious and pay attention to details, when they can only stay focused for minutes at a time? How can you teach them not to let fear dictate actions following a crisis, when they have no idea what the crisis may be? Running for your life and trying to survive is a lot more different then running out of Gold Fish, which is the closest to crisis most kids know about or understand!

As parents, we fear for the lives of our children everyday but now more then ever. However, we have learned to turn that fear into a useful tool! Visual aids and hands-on learning are a great way to keep our kids interested in what my husband and I are trying to explain to them. Since they are only four and seven years old, we already have our hands full. Our oldest son was diagnosed with combined type ADHD and a sensory processing disorder. This is where the visual aids and the hands-on learning come into play. The more we let them do makes the presentation feel more real and the better they pay attention. Always remember the first step in preparing your children is getting them to shut off the electronics! Not relying on electricity and technology is the way to go– no phones, Ipods, television, game systems, or what not. One night a week we practice electric-free night. We turn off “the electric” and live off the grid, so to speak. Granted, we live in an apartment complex, so we aren’t technically living off the grid. However, the kids get a sense of what it is like to not have the things they are used to and rely on!

There has to be something said about preparing for the unexpected while living with the unexpected. While shutting off the electric one night a week is a good start, it is just that– a start. While this teaches them not to be dependent on the electricity and electronic devices, it does not do anything for an outdoor living scenario. What if they had to be woken up in the middle of the night to bug out? While we have never actually woken our kids up at two in the morning for a bug out situation, we have started working with them on their endurance as well as our own. They may be little, but they have endless energy for short periods of time, and we have used that to our advantage. A 20-minute workout with a punching bag followed by a nice long walk on the trails close to home have done wonders. They also carry their own bug out bags. To some people, this may seem extreme. People will always criticize and have their opinions. As parents, only you can really know how much your child can take! We never push our children to accommodate what we expect of them! We are never pushing them to their breaking point, where the fun is lost. Teaching our children how to be prepared for their own sake is the best thing we can do for them. It has become such a normal part of our lives that the kids do not even question what we are doing anymore. It is second nature for them, and knowing this helps us sleep better at night. Though, knowing how much they depend on us still adds stress that you really cannot get rid of. As a parent you will always worry for your children and their well being.

As I mentioned before, our children do have their own bug out bags. While we like to think we will always be there for our children, we must also prepare them for what happens if we should become separated or worse. Their bags are light weight but pack all the essentials to get them through for a couple of days. You can’t really prepare them for being alone and separated from you, but teaching them how to stay calm and think logically will play an important role in their survival. In each child’s bag, they have:

The duck call was very important to us. We did not want the standard call of a whistle for fear that, if separated, it would draw additional attention from anyone else around. They are easy to use, and the kids love hearing the sounds they make. Every night before bed we all grab our bug out bags and make sure they are ready for the next day. The water gets swapped out every week to ensure they always have fresh bottles of water. We have also purchased a set of thermal-insulated coveralls and hiking boots for them as well. Since they always seem to grow, though, we purchase one size up from where they are now. While this gets pricey every six months, it ensures they will always have warm clothes and shoes to wear for at least six months.

Showing our children how to be still and alert is an entirely different struggle. They are, after all, children. Children want to run, play, and be loud. This has not been easy, and we are still working on it, though we always try to practice letting our kids be kids while they still can. We are teaching our oldest how to be patient, but at the same time we are teaching him how to use his ADHD to his advantage. While he does require medicine to pay attention at school, in the wilderness he can be himself. He is learning how to start fires with flint and fish with just a stick, string, and hooks. While we feel that our youngest is just too little yet to learn these things, there are a few things we have started working with him on. He enjoys collecting firewood, gathering edible plants with us, and using branches with leaves and tree limbs to build shelter. These are all very useful things, when living off the land. Teaching our kids how to live off the land was and is so important to us right now. They are accustom to prepared meals and not worrying where their next meal will come from. We have gathered many published works on edible and medicinal plants, bugs, and wildlife for our region as we could find. We read and research how to forage daily and learn new things as a family.

There are no struggles in life that are easy, and certainly none that are easy to go through with children. Patience is the foundation we have built on, as well as good old fashioned common sense. If people were more interested in helping each other rather then themselves, I doubt we would have a need for articles like this. If you read this and have small children, we encourage feedback and would love to hear how you are making preparations! We love hearing ideas, because we alone have not thought of everything and will never be able to think of everything. We would love to hear from parents with children who have ADHD/SPD or any other medical conditions. Again, we are not experts nor claim to be. We are concerned parents who have decided that it was time to get our kids to take a look at the things around them instead of the things in front of them. They are bombarded daily with distractions and are often not reminded of the beauty of nature and the benefits it can have on them. Hopefully no one reads this and thinks we are bad parents who are trying to push our views on our children. We just want what is best for them and feel having knowledge of certain things can only help them survive, should the situation ever become necessary. Knowing how excited they get for our “no electricity day”, we know they are at least retaining some of what we are trying to teach them. We are preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.

Letter Re: Backup Electrical Power

Hugh,

In Great article by Duliskov on backup electrical power, he suggests a propane tank heater/cover to counter low temps that reduce available propane. I noticed it’s a spendy item. Depending on your conditions, you might get by with one of these and a blanket. Speaking of low temps, just a reminder of how handy thermostatic switches are as part of a freeze-protection system. My pump house is very well insulated, but I have a 100W bulb on a thermo switch which comes on if needed. Best regards, – D.O.