Odds ‘n Sods:

Obama’s ATF is planning a nationwide gun registry. – B.B.

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A Primer to the Clothing the New England Patriots of 1775 Wore. Interesting read on types of clothing, uniforms, and social norms concerning civilian and military dress as well as grooming during the time of the Revolution. – T.P.

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Climate Change Debate: A Famous Scientist Becomes a Skeptic – A.D.

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Video: Travelling security: Defeat Dishonest Baggage Handlers. – A.D.

You will be amazed and completely disturbed by how easy it is to break into luggage and leave no trace. If you travel, this is useful information.

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Arizona town near Grand Canyon runs low on water

Notes for Monday – May 12, 2014:

A couple of noteworthy sales are going on right now:

Camping Survivalis offering a 7% discount. Note that this sale is on all items across the board, and they are already known for low-markup!

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Your chance to save 25-60% on Mountain House items at Ready Made Resources is ending soon, and they will mix and match cases. Make sure you visit their website to check it out.

Guest Article: Evil Exists, by L.A.

When I was young, it was a whisper you heard in the school hallways or some television news story that you overheard your parents talking about.

As children, we still played outside, rode our bicycles or skateboards all over town, and only came home right as the streetlights were coming on. There wasn’t really anything to be afraid of. Whatever evil there was back then, it at least stayed hidden in the shadows most of the time.

Not anymore.

Today’s world is something completely different. Evil is rampant and is increasingly seeking notoriety. More and more children are going missing, and more and more of them are found when it is too late. Pedophiles roam our neighborhoods. Our politicians lie more blatantly, and then they lie some more when they are caught. Childhood games have become acts of violence towards others. Even our police officers have begun to just kill first and ask questions later.

When does it all end?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t end until “The End”, but that doesn’t mean that you have to sit around helpless. When it all starts to hit the fan, there are ways that you can protect yourself and your family, and that is what I am here to share with you.

Everything I am about to tell you is for use in the event that everything has gone to hell. Whether it is a power grid failure, a new civil war, martial law, or zombie horde, these are ways to preserve your life and then defend it.

The first line of defense is your home, but there are a few items that you will need before you are truly prepared to defend it. You should have some of these already, but I’m going to list them, just in case:

  • Rifle(s), Shotgun(s), and Handgun(s),
  • Ammo for each caliber or gauge,
  • Knives in assorted styles and lengths,
  • Batteries in assorted sizes
  • Electric drill, charged
  • Screwdrivers,
  • Screws in assorted sizes, and
  • Plywood, at least 10 – 12 sheets of 4′ x 6′

Now these are just the basics for defense. This is not a “full on” prepper’s guide to survival. Of course, you will also need water, canned foods, and such, but if you are unable to defend your cache, then there is really no point of having it to begin with.

Now, back to the point. Nothing that happens is going to be immediate. No matter how big the catastrophe, there is always a build up to the chaos. This means that you will always have some time to get things ready. It may not be much time, but some is better than none. Just make sure to keep your eyes open and watch what is happening around you.

Now, when it first starts, it will be subtle. The news will most likely be reporting about looting and violence in controlled areas, such as the inner cities. This is your warning sign. In a true, statewide or nationwide catastrophe, these acts will only spread outward. It will start in the inner cities, then move into middle class and suburban areas, and so on.

In an ideal situation, you live in a rural area with a pretty decent line of sight. Unfortunately, most situations are not ideal, so we won’t pretend. Most likely you’re in the middle of surburbia– ten to fifteen miles away from any downtown or inner city areas. As soon as you hear the news reports, you should get to work right away.

Make sure that your weapons are loaded and ready to fire. Make sure that you have at least one firearm in each room that you will be in. This is to ensure that no matter where you are, you have a firearm within reach. Also, make sure that you are carrying a handgun on your person at all times, with at least two loaded magazines.

When it comes to fortification, always start with the weakest point of the home. This is usually a street-facing bedroom with large windows. This is the primary entry point of an intruder during a mob attack. This can be easily secured by mounting a sheet of plywood to the wall, on the inside of the window.

Before mounting the plywood, make sure to either cut, or drill, holes in different areas of the board. These will be used as “windows” or “aiming stations” for your weapons.

Use the electric drill and screws to mount the plywood. Find where the beams are and place your screws in those spots. This will secure the sheet of plywood firmly, and keep it from being easily pushed in. This is also why I recommend screws instead of nails. Repeat this step with all other windows in the house, at least the ones on the first floor.

You will want to secure the doors in much of the same manner. The one problem that comes to mind with this is that you need to have a way out. In my opinion, the front door should be the one left as the exit. Most homes have a steel core front door that cannot be easily kicked in. You may have to defend it a few times before people get the point.

Once you’ve secured the home, and as long as time is still in your favor, you will want to talk to your neighbors. It is important that you organize. There really is strength in numbers, and it provides more cover when it really counts.

If at all possible, it will prove favorable to organize a party of at least 30 people, all with weapons and fortified homes. As time passes, you may even be able to secure whole streets, adding to your own security.

To reach this goal, it is important to give people jobs to do. Not everyone can be “the leader”. However, everyone can perform a role that is vital to the welfare of the group. Assign titles, such as “watch captain”, or “section leader”, and provide job details and functions for each. Assign smaller groups to be hunting parties, and send them foraging for supplies and food. This makes everyone feel important, and it reduces the amount of decision making coming from one person. It is important to keep the group functioning like a well-oiled machine. Negativity leads to mutiny, and that, in turn, leads to needless casualties.

Now that you have fortified and organized, it is important that you learn to defend what is yours. If you live in a two-story home, this can be a little more efficient, as it is easier to fire from an inclined position. This, however, doesn’t mean that defending a one-story home is a hopeless cause.

The key to defense is mounting a fearful offense. You must not be afraid to open fire first. If you see a mob descending on your property, fire a few rounds into them. Most times, the mob will disperse. Remember, everyone wants to take things that do not belong to them, but few really want to die doing it. Use this to your advantage, and just in case the guilt kicks in, remember to think about what they would have done had you not initiated action.

Always strike from a distance, when possible, and reserve your shots for what you can actually hit. Think of every single round as if it were a piece of gold. Use them when necessary, but otherwise hoard them as treasure.

The most important thing to remember throughout this type of situation is that you really do have some control over the outcome. All is not hopeless or lost, and there are people depending on you.

Scot’s Product Review: Bench Space

Like a lot of shooters and preppers, I reload most of the ammunition I shoot. While I agree with those who say they can reload better ammunition than the factory makes, my main motivation is saving money so I can shoot more. I suspect that is true of most reloaders.

A problem I have is space. Reloading presses and equipment need to be solidly mounted to a workbench. They also need space around them to work in. I don’t have room for a bench dedicated to reloading. Mine has to share duties with Pinewood Derby cars for my son, broken appliances, cleaning guns, and so forth. The reloading tools get in the way most of the time. Like most reloaders, I’ve accumulated more than one press plus a number of other useful tools. Clearly, a means to save space is valuable.

I’ve found four strategies to do this. (I’m sure there are more, so please tell me about them!) Two are homemade and two are commercial. The first one I’ll cover is from Inline Fabrication and it’s one I’ve spent my own money on. It feels pricey when you look at it on a web page, but after talking to a friend, I took a chance. When I got it in hand, I did not feel cheated by the cost.

The unit I bought is their quick change systems. This allows you to secure reloading equipment to a plate that can then be easily attached or removed from your bench. They offer a selection of heights of risers to boot. When not using a press or other piece of gear, you can stow it out of the way. They make a bracket that allows you to hang them on the front of a bench or on a wall.

They have a number of other riser options that aren’t quick change, but they didn’t help solve my main problem– space. There are also a number of press accessories to hold bins or process brass more quickly, so the site is worth looking through. I hope to add a few items later.

I have an RCBS Rockchucker and have found that this system holds the press well enough to full length size .308 brass fired from a semi-auto rifle. It works well with the Dillon Square Deal B set up for .45 ACP as well as a Lee Loadmaster for .223.

I chose the Junior 6-inch riser, as it fit both my height and the height of my bench. They have other, higher options that might fit you better, so do some measuring and thinking. I also purchased their mounts for the Dillon Square Deal B and the Lee Loadmaster with one of their brackets to hold the tools not in use.

All of the parts I’ve gotten have been very well finished with a black powder coat. I haven’t had the gear for long, but the finish appears durable. Everything is well machined, and parts fit quite well. The hardware is excellent, and everything you need is included.

The customer service from Inline is great. Emails are answered promptly with good solutions provided. I had a question about fitting the bin that catches loaded rounds for the Lee Loadmaster and was helped by Inline.

Using this system has allowed me to add about 24 inches of space for other jobs on my bench. This makes it a lot easier to clean long guns as well as fixing errant appliances and polishing axles on our winning Pinewood Derby cars.

I used a cheaper alternative before I got the Inline stuff. I made up some 12×12 inch blocks using two layers of ¾ inch plywood leftover from building some shelves. I laid out the pattern needed by various loading tools and secured them to the blocks with hanger bolts– the ones that screw into wood on one end while the other end takes a nut. To my bench, I then bolted toggle clamps. These clamped my square blocks holding the presses, trimmers, and the like to the bench. The system worked pretty well for a number of years, but I never felt it was strong enough for sizing rifle brass with the Rockchucker. I left that bolted to the bench which meant it was always in the way. The toggle bolts also got in the way when I wanted to clear the bench for other duties.

Another commercial system I haven’t tried but looks very promising is Pat Marlin’s ROCKdock. The beauty of this system is that you can remove the tool and have an almost flush bench. I didn’t know about this one when I bought the Inline, and I’m not sure which I would have gotten if I had known about both. I like the extra height provided by the Inline riser, but I also like the flushness you get from Pat Marlin. A friend who uses it really likes it. Marlin’s website says there are plans to make adapters to work with the mounts of other companies, such as Dillon and Inline. There are a number of other interesting items on his page, so it is worth exploring. I hope to try some later for review.

The final one (or at least the final one I know of) is a homemade system that reminds me a bit of the Pat Marlins one. Basically, you mount your tools to blocks of wood and create an inset on your bench that the blocks slide into. What I really like about this system is that you can slide a blank into the position and have a completely flush bench top. If it would not have required completely rebuilding my bench, I think this is what I would have done. I like it a lot better than my old system of toggle clamps, and I like the price. I’m not sure about building it out of particle board, though. I would prefer plywood. Incidentally, Father Frog’s pages are well worth exploring for other material. He has a wealth of information on his site, including homemade gun cleaners and lubes.

At any rate, you can reload without giving up your entire workbench. If you know of other alternatives, please write us. I would like to share them with our readers. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Scot Frank Eire

Recipe of the Week: Polenta with Eggs Over Easy, by M.I.

Polenta:

  • 1 c. cold water
  • 1 c. medium grind cornmeal
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3 c water, boiling in saucepan
  • 2 TBS butter

In a small bowl, whisk the cornmeal and cold water together with salt. Add mixture into boiling water and simmer at least 5 minutes. Add butter.

Cook another 3- 5 minutes, adding a little water at a time if you want to keep a creamy consistency. If you prefer a drier texture, like mashed potatoes, add no extra water. Serves 4

Over Easy Eggs:

Preheat a skillet over medium heat with 2 TBS of olive oil for every 2 eggs. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and then pour them gently into the hot pan. (This makes it easier to keep the yolks whole.) Cook on medium heat until the whites are set. Turn over and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Salt & pepper according to taste.

Serving

Make a pool or a pat of polenta on the plate. (Shredded parmesan cheese, green onion slices or a drizzle of olive oil are nice additions.) Top with cooked eggs.

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

Letter: Another Option for Emergency Power

Hugh,

Having worked on a seasonal farm with large power demands and five back up generators, I have yet to see a pto generator that outputs modified sine wave power. Also the stator and rotor windings are all spread equally through out the machine, so even if one 120 volt leg is loaded a little more, the bearings carry the same load all the time. – Solar Guy

Hugh Replies: I would have to agree with this statement. I like my pto generator because it simply means one less gas/diesel engine that I have to maintain, and it produces a true sine wave. Most generators that have rotating hardware and rotate at 1800 or 3600 rpm will produce true sine waves. Where this breaks down is when the manufacture tries to save money by developing a generator that can run at various speeds for changing loads. These generally produce three phase AC (like your car alternator) at a variable frequency. This is then rectified to DC and electronically altered into modified sine wave or even square wave generators. That allows manufacturers to save money, bringing you a lower price, but you pay for it by not having true Sine wave.

In our case, we keep a small 2KW generator to power the normal things, like the refrigerator and lighting. When needed, the 15kw pto generator comes out, and we run everything that needs power at once– freezers, deep well irrigation pump, et cetera. This concept allows us to power the high usage items (usually for about 4 hours per day) and yet keep the wear and tear on the tractor to a minimum.

Letter: Revision Eyewear

Hugh,

I’ve been issued many pairs of Revision Sawfly eyewear in the Army. At first, I had no choice but to use them (and didn’t know there were other options out there either). My biggest problem with them is that the lenses didn’t protect me that well on the sides. I’ve had plenty of sand blow into my eyes. However, I’ve served with quite a few who’ve had no issues with the Revision Sawfly’s, and they appeared to fit well on the face.

I do like Revision’s Desert Locust goggles. They work pretty well, keeping dirt and sand out of the eyeballs. I also dig the Wiley X SG-1 in goggle mode.

There are a ton of options out there, from Wiley X, ESS, Oakley, Smith, and so on. Revision is a good brand, at a reasonable enough price to be standard issue in the Army. I have quite a few sets staged with my family’s kits in tough boxes. For what they do, they can definitely compete with the bigger (and more expensive) names. It’s definitely worth checking out which will fit you and work better for you.

Remember, keep at least one spare frame with you with any brand you get. (I had some Oakley M Frame 2’s break on me a few months ago when a helmet they were attached to rolled onto them from the top of a rucksack. Talk about freak occurrences). I tend to have a frame for clear and a frame for tinted to facilitate a quick change. – Z.R.

Economics and Investing:

My analysis of the true price of silver in today’s dollars – G.P.

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It’s Very Clear That The U.S. Economy Isn’t Growing

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Items from The Economatrix:

Fed Takes Step To Limit Size Of Biggest Banks Watch for bank mergers before any 100-billion-bar legislation takes place.

Job growth picking up, but data likely to show worker confidence still low

WSJ Survey: Economists See Growth Rebound

The Economics Of Marriage

This Is What’s Going To Happen When All Hell Breaks Loose

Odds ‘n Sods:

In the haste of the day, it’s always good to take a break and enjoy some fantastic scenery. This video of some stunt paragliding is absolutely amazing, both this beauty of the stunts and in the scenery. – J.S.

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The Real Gun Violence Issue. Most of it is gang-related. Most of the gangs are in our inner cities, and our President, along with the rest of the so-called “mainstream media”, simply refuse to address any of it. – J.W.

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Barack Obama and the Monsanto Betrayal – H.L.

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Japan Jails Man for 3D Printed Guns. This one guy was caught and arrested, and to this American reader, was strangely sanguine or even passive about it. The Internet is undermining all kinds of laws, in all kinds of places, in all kinds of unexpected ways. – G.G.

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Elderly cancer survivor tackled, charged with ‘resisting’ after he couldn’t hear commands. – H.L.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“…but then what?” “Then you’d milk cows, of course!” “But I don’t want to milk cows!”

“Neither do I…but if the cow has to be milked, someone has to do it! That’s what makes it a needed skill. Listen…” He turned to the rest of us now. “Too many of you sitting in this classroom have been separated from those very necessary skills for too many generations. It’s given you some very peculiar ideas…of your own importance. Let me relieve you of that foolishness right now…most of you have to depend on too many others for your survival, and that makes you vulnerable. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn a few of those basic skills, because as far as the society you live in is concerned, it’s the training that’s valuable, not the individual.” – David Gerrold, “A Matter For Men”

Notes for Sunday – May 11, 2014:

Today we present another entry for Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  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. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

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. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Autrey’s Armory – specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

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. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. 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.
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 52 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Building Your Own No-FFL AR From An 80% Complete Receiver, by JAG

I read the “Building Your Own No-FFL AR From an 80% Complete Receiver” article by NOMAD several months ago and decided to try building my own AR-15. I have re-written his article to update it with my research and experiences.

Why build instead of buy complete:

  1. Save a little money. The AR-15 platform is an inexpensive weapon overall, and owning one is on-par with buying a much less versatile bolt-action rifle. So for a similar price you get additional versatility. Bolt action rifles are great for reaching out beyond 200 yards, but if the pack of wolves or wild dogs is closer, the bolt action will be a little slow. However, a new AR-15 can still be pricey. A Del-Ton Sport (http://www.del-ton.com/carbine_rifles_s/2.htm) will run you $707 in spring 2014, plus local fees, FFL fees, and shipping. My experience is that by building out an 80% lower receiver you save about $100– money you will want to spend on optics, slings, a case, and so forth. Of course, you would actually spend that money in addition to the cost of a rifle regardless.
  2. We live in very uncertain times. Learning about firearms is always a good idea. Modern firearms are tools. More knowledge equals better preparation, if things go sideways. Being able to do so while staying off some of the official lists is never a bad option. My experience was great for learning things about the AR-15 that I did not know before. (I would not have guessed that the rear retaining pin spring was held in place by the stock.) Should the time come that I need to maintain or repair an AR-15, I will be ahead of the game.

Cautions:

First, before you start on the path I am going to recommend, please check your state and local laws!. I cannot begin to stress just how important it is that you do so! It will be very difficult to protect your family if you are behind bars. Research and informed decisions will save you a potential felonious headache. So act accordingly and responsibly, then proceed at your own risk. Especially right now in New York and Connecticut, you are better off buying locally so you can comply with local laws. www.governor.ny.gov and The New American.

California even has a law where you need a fixed magazine, so check this (if you needed another reason to live ANYWHERE else): gunlaw.com

Though I will recommend companies and products by name and link, I do so not because I am trying to receive free stuff from them, but because I bought from them and the links were easy to create. Prices change over time, and the links may break. YMMV. These parts worked for me, and they will likely work for you, but I make no guarantees that this is the best or perfect parts combination. Particularly, realizing that Amazon Corporation has a HORRIBLE history and attitude about privacy, buying a bunch of parts related to an AR-15 is the same to most Gub’mint folks as putting up a neon sign saying “I’m a gun owner”. At the same time, I am an Amazon prime member, and free shipping is good. I figure I am already on their list for some of the stuff I did in the Army, so I went there, but my wife still complains about all the firearms stuff that shows up when she shops on Amazon.

Next, this will not help you if you use the firearm in the commission of a felony. The bullets that come out of a rifle barrel are grooved. Those grooves are specific to a manufacturer. Manufacturers are required to register their grooves with the FBI that maintains a database. Manufacturers are required to maintain records of rifle barrel sales that will trace back to you. So, even though there may not be a serial number on your rifle, the feds can find you through the rifle barrel manufacturer. Breaking the law is a bad idea, and “building” your own weapon will not help you.

Another option is if you know someone with a high end 3D printer. They could probably print the lower receiver for you, assuming you want to trust the ruggedness. I did not try this, but I did see an article on it. I am sure the gub’mint will be outlawing this as soon as they can figure out how, but for now there is no law so it is legal, not that that will help you. The 3D printing guys are gun shy, and the author of the article could not find anyone willing to print a lower receiver for pay.

Lastly, though the BATFE does not require a serial number on personally manufactured firearms, some police officers are ignorant to this fact. Should such an officer demand to inspect your rifle, you can avoid a whole heap of inconvenience and awkward questions with the simple expedient of adding a serial number. Then if anything happens requiring you prove ownership (like after a theft at your house), you know the serial number. Your best protection is “There is nothing to see here, just move along.”

During my time in the Army, we had a saying, “There is only one kind of special, and that is Special Olympics.” So, when dealing with range owners, police, fire departments, and so forth you want to look just like the guy next to you, who spent more money and knows less about his firearm.

Note:

The Gub’mint is trying to be politically correct and crack down on polymer 80% receivers. This debate, going on right now, could go either way. The Gub’mint says polymer lowers that are sold as 80% complete are actually more than 80% complete. They have raided both Ares and EP Armory. In the next year or two, the polymer lower receivers will be hard to obtain and could put you on the radar. Looking around, I was not able to find any polymer lower receivers that are showing in stock as of March 2014. The essence of the Gub’mint argument is that the different color plastic that is sold as part of the 80% lower makes it too easy to complete the lower. I disagree, but I am not the judge or on the Supreme Court, so no one is going to listen to me.

An additional argument the Gub’mint is using is that the polymer lowers have extrusion nubs at the point you might want to drill the pin and selector lever holes. I will admit this is easier and simpler than buying a jig and marking the hole location, but in terms of completing the lower, this is a minor point. All the work is involved in clearing out the firing chamber. It is easier to drill polymer than it is to drill aluminum, but that is like saying it is easier to fly a jet than a propeller airplane. The effort percentage remains the same; it’s just that the overall work drops. Then, again, I am not the decider.

In the meantime, you can buy an 80% aluminum lower for $90.00, as opposed to $50.00 for a polymer lower. With the aluminum lower I also recommend buying the sticker jig so you can mark where to clean out. So tack on another $10.

BLUF:

Completing an 80% lower receiver is educational, and I recommend it. It will take you 4-6 hours to look at all the YouTube.com videos and complete the entire rifle. You need the following equipment:

Recommended:

Parts:

Background:

The Gun Control Act of 1968 classified the frame, receiver, or lower receiver of any gun– be it handgun, rifle, or shotgun– to be the actual “firearm”. It is that portion of any store-bought gun that requires a serial number for registration. One obscure way to comply with that law, and the BATFE (see question 4) offers clear language on their web site to prove my claim, has been to manufacture your own frames and lower receivers for personal use.

Traditionally, these lower receivers were 80% complete aluminum castings or forgings that required jigs, a milling machine, a drill press, sometimes a lathe, and perhaps anodizing or painting to complete. If you did not have the aforementioned equipment on hand already, the entire process would have you paying more for a finished entry-level rifle than you would otherwise pay by going through any FFL dealer. The only real benefits were the pride you took in seeing your own creation putting bullets on paper or into game animals, plus the anonymity that goes along with not having to register your manufactured firearm.

Lower Receiver Decision:

A traditional Aluminum 80% lower receiver still works. You will spend two hours drilling out, smoothing, and polishing the lower to complete it. You will need to go slow and use tape and jigs to make sure you get a usable lower receiver. Expect the aluminum to take an extra hour to work with and to bump the price by $50, between extra 80% lower cost and jigs. So you will save about $100, instead of $150.

These days, however, technology has given us the option to go with a jig-less design 80% lower receiver made of polymer over the traditional aluminum and a set of hand tools that, if you do not have them on hand already, will run you about $75 . Honestly speaking, I’m a skeptic by nature, so I have to admit that I balked at polymer lower receivers at first. With a new jig and an 80% aluminum lower averaging out to what I considered to be a very reasonable $117, why would I even consider switching from a time-tested method? What made my thoughts about them radically change was after watching a torture test video featuring a polymer lower receiver versus aluminum. I gotta tell you, I was impressed! Not only did the polymer variant match its aluminum counterpart in tensile strength and rugged durability, it actually outperformed it. Additionally, with the cost of that jig-less polymer lower being the $65 I just spoke of, out the door and delivered to your door, not to mention the light-weight design and extreme ease of the machining process, the decision was an easy one for me to make. All this brings us to the available options of jig-less polymer lower receivers– the one that I used– costing $50 before shipping. It was the EP80, available at EPArmory.com. I have personally completed the EPArmory design. The finish is excellent, and it functioned flawlessly. It is a superior option to any aluminum design AR receiver on the market. However, until the Gub’mint gets a clue, good luck on finding one.

One of the things to know about is that there are actually two weak spots in the AR-15 lower receiver that gunsmiths worry about. The first is the ring at the back where the stock screws in. It’s no surprise that if you are banging around the stock, the first place it will break is not the actual stock but the connection point between the stock and the rest of the weapon. The next place they worry about is the takedown pins. Apparently it is a weak point that gets repeatedly tweaked as you assemble/disassemble. See the Torture test link above.

Completion:

Completing one of these lower receivers is about two hours worth of work. If you get a polymer lower, it is easy, in about an hour, to drill out the softer, different colored plastic, smooth the ridges with the dremel to blend with the walls, drill a 5/32” hole for the trigger and hammer pins; and drill a 3/8” hole for the safety selector switch. Lastly, you widen the trigger slot by 1/4” toward the front and a 1/4” to the rear of the lower receiver to match the trigger base. That’s all that is needed to have a stripped lower receiver, ready for assembly. Use the actual trigger parts to make sure it all fits the way you like. This is tedious, slow work, but I was really proud once it was complete.

I went back to EP Armory and purchased an aluminum receiver just to see how hard it was to complete. It ended up costing $117 out the door. I also purchased the paper jig (I did not need the heavier duty jig for $75, one use was fine) for $10, and I paid $17 for shipping. The aluminum was harder to complete than the polymer but not by a lot. I ended up staying with the polymer just because I liked the fit and finish, but the aluminum drilled out easily, and with a permanent marker I easily put markings on the aluminum like the polymer. Finishing it required safety glasses, because of the little metal shards flying towards my eyes as I was looking down into the firing chamber. Still, it finished easily, and there really was little difference between the metal and the polymer in terms of work required. Now I have a spare receiver in case the polymer somehow breaks, and I have now assembled the trigger assembly three times.

Should you have questions or doubts, many YouTube videos are available that will give the layperson key visual completion instructions and tips to seeing the project successfully through. So, if you are inexperienced, watching a few of them will certainly help ensure that your finished lower looks professional and performs flawlessly. If you just remember to take your time, you will not only likely enjoy the project, you will also take pride in seeing its completion through to actual service.

I would be remiss if I failed to add that a drill press will aid in drilling the hammer, trigger, and safety selector holes straight, but by using an inexpensive level, which almost every hand drill of today already has embedded above the trigger grip, you save a couple of bucks. A hand drill will more than suffice if you are steady and patient. The dremel will greatly aid in widening the trigger slot little by little until the trigger fits just the way you like it.

(As a side note, I strongly recommend getting a set of number and letter stamps, which can also be purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for an additional $10, to stamp your own serial number on the completed lower.) Set them on a clothes iron until they are really hot then use tongs and a hammer. For those that like Jenny, my serial number will always be 8675301…

Now that you have completed the lower, the only thing left to do is to select a carbine or rifle kit. Palmetto State Armory (PSA), DPMS, CMMG, J&T Distributing, Del-Ton, and a whole host of other companies have good quality entry-level parts kits available. Naturally, some are more expensive and of marginally better design. I strongly recommend going with Del-Ton. I own Del-Tons, and not only would I stack them up against any rifle kit on the market, I would and have stacked them up against much more expensive rigs and handily outperformed a number of them. Since Del-Ton is one of the least expensive and best designed kits of the list of quality options, it is a no-brainer, as far as I am concerned.

The fit and finish of Del-Ton’s kits are outstanding, and the form and function is no-nonsense and flawless. The upper receivers are already fully assembled and head-spaced. The lower parts kits include quality components. The butt stock and buffer tube are mil-spec and snug-fitting. The only warning I have is that the Del-Ton uppers are test fired and shipped filthy. Expect to spend an hour or so cleaning it before you use it. (Another side note: Del-Ton currently has a 4-6 week lead time on their rifle and carbine kits, with some of them being currently out of stock, but trust me when I say that their price and quality are definitely worth the wait. Mine shipped two weeks into the six week wait.)

(Note: If you are unsure about assembling your rifle, YouTube is again your friend, with a countless array of instructional and how-to videos. It really is a very straightforward process, and valuable knowledge can be gained by watching them if you lack AR-15 experience. I watched several of them, and it made the process very straight forward.) If you can have an extra set of hands, it is a good idea as the springs can get flighty. I chased one spring under the table twice. Still, a couple of hours later you will know a lot more about the AR-15.)

Additional Items:

Some things do not come with the completion kits. The most obvious are a case, a sling, and sights.

  • As far as the rear sight goes, E-Bay and Amazon have many flip-up and carry handle options for under $20 every day of the week. Just be warned that some of the rear sight solutions on eBay are very cheap, flimsy, and will not take a whole lot of abuse. If you want to buy new, check out Brownells and look at optics/scopes/rifles OR Amazon From $12-$600
  • I purchased the UTG Red dot sight, which was only $50, and I like a red dot.
  • An AR-15 trigger/magazine lock is worth thinking about. Without going into the pro and cons:
  • Lastly, a case is never bad.
    • Amazon $14-$100
    • The case locks also made my wife happy.

Summary:

At the end of the day I spent about $770. Ammo is additional. I know that almost $770 is a heck of a stretch for folks struggling to just put food on the table in these uncertain economic times. Believe me, I do know, but if you value your lives and the way you and your family live, it is something that everyone should try to fit into their survival budget. You have to ask yourself not if you can afford to take the plunge, but whether or not you can really afford not to.

Now, I am going to see about painting the rifle to look innocuous. There’s nothing wrong with making it look as common and normal as possible. That may be a separate article. Good luck and keep your powder dry. – JAG

Two Letters Re: A Response to Ideas Concerning a Post-Collapse World

Hugh,

J.L.’s article was a little light on the math. I would assume (assumption #1) that the “Christian Era” referred to in “A Response to Ideas Concerning a Post-Collapse World” started with the birth of Jesus (hence the “A.D.” in our dating system). Given that as the starting point, 5 pennies (were they modern-day pennies, assumption #2) invested at 5% annually for roughly 2,000 years would now be worth $214,703,801,016,035,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, according to my Excel spreadsheet calculations.

Converting that dollar amount to gold (a more compact measure of value than copper coin) at $1308 (5/6/14 at 2 PM, Kitco, assumption #3) per (troy) ounce, and figuring for conversion to standard ounces then pounds then tons, yields 4,675,583,266,749,050,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons of gold. Considering that the earth weighs (according to Cool Cosmos ) an estimated 6,585,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons (metric, but who’s counting?) that comes out to something like 700 billion spheres of gold each weighing as much as the earth (but a lot smaller than the earth because gold is so dense). I’m either too tired or too lazy to calculate how many 8,000-mile-diameter spheres of gold that would be.

I think you get the idea…

Even if there’s a calculation error here and there, I’d say that the original article’s calculation is close enough to make the point that compound interest is a bad thing for borrowers and a great thing for banks. I don’t want to pile on bankers, but the system is broken and a LOT more complicated than most persons realize.

Trust God. Be Prepared. It’s time to do both. – P.H.

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Hugh:

Just to add my 2 cents to the usury comments by J.L., interest rates are a fact of life, as “interest” reflects the amount of money that is discounted for the future. For example, if someone offers me $100 today or $100 next month, I’ll take the $100 today, no question. But if someone offered me $100 today or $150 next month, I might consider waiting. The calculation that goes on in my head whether to take the money now or in the future is the effective “interest rate”. It’s one of those facts of economics that is not changed by legislation, as much as people might like to change it.

Gary North has written exhaustively on the topic of interest in the New Testament. Regards – R.K.

Hugh Replies: While I agree with Gary North in that all interest was banned for your fellow brother, I do not agree with his premise in that the interest was tied to the Jubilee (50th year) as this practice was never implemented in the nation of Israel. They were supposed to, but they didn’t, which is one of the reasons the Kingdom of Judah was sentenced to 70 years in captivity– for the 70 sabbatical years of the land that were missed in 490 years. Also, Christ did not annul any law from the Old Testament anywhere. In fact, He states the opposite position in Matthew 5:17-19 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” The last I looked, the earth was still here. In other words, none of the law from the Old Testament have been done away with.

It’s really not hard to understand why that prohibition is in place. When you loan something to someone, that person is beholden to you. In the case of money, it is very transient in nature. When you loan money to a friend, there is pressure on that friendship, and every time the two of you get together to fellowship, that pressure is there. You think about what he owes you; they think about how hard it is to repay. The addition of interest into the equation amplifies that pressure. Many friendships have ended over the guilt of the inability to repay or the anger of being taken advantage of. Sometimes, the friendship is just damaged; sometimes the friendship is destroyed. In all cases, it takes a concerted effort from both parties of the loan to reconcile. How much better to follow the commands given, and when asked by a brother for a loan, if you can afford it, give it freely to him without the expectation of interest or repayment. Consider it a gift. If they repay it, so be it. If they don’t, it is no loss to you, and you have had the blessing of giving and helping.

Economics and Investing:

Saxobank Warns China Is Exporting Deflation (And It’s Not Going To Stop Anytime Soon) – H.L.

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The Shocking Increase Of College Tuition By State – B.R.

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Items from The Economatrix:

Banks Close in Donetsk – A Lesson For The Rest Of Us

U.S. April Budget Surplus $114 Billion: CBO

Consumer Credit Accelerates In March

Yellen Stays Upbeat But Is Watching Housing

Yellen: Geopolitics, U.S. Housing Could Slow Recovery