Odds ‘n Sods:

You have known this for some time, but here it is again: They want to know who you are, what you have – H.L.

It’s all about control of weapons, food, transportation, et cetera. . . I’m still getting questionnaires from the Dept. of Agriculture over property that I sold nearly 15 years ago. They want to know how I use the property and what it produces. I routinely throw the notices away and refuse the telephone calls. So far, they have threatened me with arrest and jail, both through the mail and over the phone but no warrants have been issued yet.

o o o

Military-stealth-dirt-bike. New DARPA electric/multi-fuel dirt bike for special forces. – A.W.

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The Factory That Made Guns, by Dalia Mae Lachlan

“In the heart of a peaceful valley, surrounded by dairy farms and peach orchards, was a little factory that made farm implements. Then one day Mr Reedy Power gathered the workers. ‘This little factory is going to start making guns’ he laughed. The peach orchards were cut down and the cows were sent off to another valley far away, and the factory started making guns and tanks. But when they stopped selling, Mr Reedy Power decided that a war was needed so that he could keep his factory busy.”

Nope. Obviously no bias or agenda HERE. – T.Y.

HJL Notes: The link was deliberately left off, but you can find it on Amazon. The lone review says it all. It’s a shame that some people attempt to write children’s books (or publish them.)

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Suspicious Deaths of Bankers Are Now Classified as “Trade Secrets” by Federal Regulator. – D.S.

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Compost Heating System. Seems like an interesting idea. Might be important some day to have some experience. – J.R.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“If a secular table reconciles men to one another when they meet together, why should not the table of Christ effect this the more? Since the wildest beasts are tamed by food, why are men not made gentle by this heavenly food? If treaties and covenants are usually sealed by food and drink, why do not the children of God establish peace and friendship among themselves by communicating together?” – Peter Martyr

Notes from HJL:

For those who have eyes like mine, don’t forget to check out this SurvivalBlog post for the instructions on how to set your iPad/iPod/iPhone to work with our new format. Your eyes will thank you. For anyone who has a Windows tablet or Android device, I’d appreciate if you would send the instructions for the zooming function to me, as I don’t have access to one of those devices.

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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.

Bug Out Bag Strategy, by S.G. – Part 1

It’s the middle of the night, and you get a call from the local authorities that a mandatory evacuation has just been ordered because of a major fire. You’ve been given 10 minutes to evacuate because no one expected the fire to turn your way so soon, and you have no time to do anything but grab what you can and jump in your vehicle to head out for parts unknown.

What’s a BOB?

Let’s start with a simple definition of what a bug out bag is. It’s some form of bag or backpack you’ve prepared that you can grab at the drop of a hat when you need to leave right now. Within this bag, you’ve placed items that will make your life bearable in the short term. Ah, but how do you stock it? What are the kinds of things that you’d need to make your situation livable while you’re dealing with an involuntary displacement?

The Bag

As for what to carry all your necessary “stuff” in, it can be anything from a couple of sturdy grocery bags (probably not recommended, considering the state of today’s less-than-satisfactory grocery bags) to a backpack to a duffel bag. What matters is that it’s something that can be easily grabbed on the way out (or even left in the trunk of your vehicle) and is sturdy enough to hold everything without falling apart immediately. A good start would be to look at any of a number of so-called “three day packs” manufactured by a variety of companies. If this is the direction you go, something you might consider is one of the new military-style packs, manufactured by Maxpedition®[1] or Spec-Ops®[2], which allow for attachment of pouches of various types on the outside of the pack, including pouches for everything from Nalgene®[3] water bottles to handheld radios and even specialized pouches for small first aid kits. However, even a simple grade school-type backpack can fit the bill in a pinch, and these can be found in most big box stores for a very easy-on-the-wallet price. The important thing is to find a packing system that works for you.

Contents

Now, what to put in your bug out bag? There are some basic items that you need to consider.

The first consideration is basic physical comfort. Since you cannot be sure of how long you’ll be away from home, you should consider having enough clothing for at least five to seven days, with clean undergarments, underwear, and socks being especially important. So, consider three or four shirts, one or two pairs of pants, a week’s worth of undergarments and socks, and a sturdy pair of shoes or light hiking boots. Oh, and don’t forget a sweater or sweatshirt, a good coat (light weight for mild weather and/or heavy duty for colder areas), and a good hat for sun protection. You may also carry gloves and a neck scarf, depending on where you think you might be stranded and the season of year.

You should also have a week’s worth of toiletries. For men, it could be as simple as a comb, razor, tooth brush and toothpaste, shampoo, and soap. For women, the necessities are slightly different. They include similar personal grooming supplies plus feminine supplies and other similar items specific to women, such as feminine pads, tampons, douche, and so forth. The basic toiletries are also necessary for children, including toothpaste and a toothbrush.

Just as important are any dietary supplements you take, as well as a small supply of necessary medications you may require, just in case you forget to grab your regular supply. Ideally, you should have your medications arranged in such a manner that you can put them in a small carry bag you keep nearby, so that you can have all of them available in case of a long term stay. Don’t forget your prescription glasses! Even an outdated pair of glasses with an old prescription is better than nothing. Depending on where you live, including a pair of sunglasses might be included.

It would also be a good idea to have enough sustenance for at least two or three days. This could be in the form of bottled water, figuring about three liters of water per day for a female and four liters for a man[4], assuming typical activity levels. If you’re in a warmer area, carry more water per day. Unfortunately, water is heavy, and there isn’t much you can do about that, except to carry water in bottles rather than large, bulky containers. This way, you can carry a couple bottles with you while leaving the rest in your vehicle, where you should ideally already have a couple cases of bottled water purchased from the local big box warehouse store. As for food, carrying snack-type foods is most convenient; small bags of nuts, jerky, energy bars, and the like are handy. Try to stay away from high sugar items like candy bars, which tend to be “empty calories” that don’t support you as well in a high stress situation, like a mandatory evacuation. While the idea is not to carry gourmet meals wherever you go, you can carry foods that are high in energy (for their size), are easy to consume while on the move, and also taste good. Just consider all the different flavors of jerky and conveniently packed “meat sticks”!

Don’t forget your cell phone and, at minimum, a car charger for it, so you can contact family members. In addition, a small battery-powered transistor radio is a good idea for listening to news reports when you’re away from your vehicle radio. A flashlight with extra batteries is also a good thing to have for finding your way around dark areas. Try and find one that takes the same batteries as your transistor radio. It would be a good idea to have at least a small pocket first aid kit, to which you might add things like eye drops, saline nasal spray, a small bar of soap, and deodorant. If you have babies, bring baby food and a couple of favorite toys. The same goes for pets. They require appropriate food and toys. Also, don’t forget one of the great basics– toilet paper!! You never know when you’re going to need it; while heading out your may find that the restroom in the last gas station out of town is fresh out. You don’t want to start experimenting with unknown leaves on your backside!

You should also have an “important documents” bug-out kit. This includes insurance papers, the deed to your house, important bank documents, plus a list of important phone numbers (relatives, doctors, insurance agent) and ID documents, such as your Social Security card and your passport. If you have room and time and you think it’s important enough, you might want to grab any important family items, such as small pictures or other keepsakes like your grandmother’s wedding ring.

This is, of course, a “short list”– a starting point to be modified to personal need. The important issue is, be prepared; you don’t want to be throwing things in the car at the last minute!

First Aid Kit

It’s late on the second day of a camping trip, and you’re starting to pack things up to head for home. All of a sudden, somebody bumps you with a metal box. The sharp edge digs a gouge in your arm, and you’re bleeding! It’s nothing major, but you’re still dripping blood and you’re worried about getting an infection. Did you bring your first aid kit?

Even a small kit can go a long way in keeping a minor wound from getting really nasty. Having one on hand that’s both simple and useful is actually very easy. Whether you’re carrying a small personal kit in your pocket or you’ve got a more comprehensive model in your vehicle, the process can start with a quick trip to any big box store that has a decent pharmacy.

For a personal kit, light and small is the order of the day. A small pouch with a few small bandages, a small tube of antiseptic, some lip balm, and prescription medications[5] for a day or two is all that’s probably necessary. This is assuming that you’re dealing with a very minor injury. If you’re more seriously injured, you or someone nearby can get you to a hospital.

For a personal bug out bag kit, you want something a little larger. Many big box pharmacies will have first aid kits in small plastic boxes. The one I’ve got is from Johnson & Johnson and purchased at Wal-Mart. It contains some small cleansing wipes, a variety of Band-Aid®s, some Tylenol® (acetaminophen) and Motrin®, and some Cortaid®. This is usually more than enough to deal with minor dents and dings. Another item you should keep and use all the time, especially if you’re fair-skinned and/or operating at high altitude, is a good sunscreen of at least SPF15 (the higher the better), as recommended by the American Melanoma Foundation[6].

For a first aid kit that would go in your vehicle bug out bag, you can start to get more comprehensive. In addition to the above items (which you should increase in number a bit), it would be a good idea to include an ace bandage, a large 2 foot-by-2 foot section of cheap cloth to act as a sling, a small bottle of iodine antiseptic, a couple of needles for piercing blisters and extracting splinters, tweezers, some self-adhesive medical tape, some 5 inch-by-5 inch gauze pads, a small pair of scissors for trimming medical tape, and bandages.

Finally, if you’re really serious about being prepared and you want to be of somewhat more assistance to others in an emergency situation, I would suggest contacting the American Red Cross regarding taking the appropriate courses for First Aid Certification. You might even decide to earn CPR Certification. This way you not only can take care of yourself in the immediate, you can be of service to others.

References

[1]www.Maxpedition.com.

[2]www.specopsbrand.com.

[3]www.nalgene.com.

[4]http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_recommended_amount_of_water_to_consume_in_one_day.

[5]I’ve got a small pocket first aid kit called an “Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight” which I purchased at the local REI which, minus the prescription medications, fits the bill perfectly.

[6]http://www.melanomafoundation.org/prevention/facts.htm, first bullet point under “How do you select a sunscreen?”

Two Letters Re: Preparedness For Teenagers

Hugh,

Preparedness For Teenagersjust once again brought to my attention a matter– we should ALL get a vocabulary change in place.

He states getting a shot gun.. then to ‘graduate’ to rifles and ASSAULT rifles (emphasis mine).

Please, can we STOP calling them ASSAULT rifles. They are DEFENSE rifles.

This is NOT directed to A.H. It is directed to ALL OF US. Stop playing the gun control crowd’s games. Terms and words DO matter.

DEFENSE rifles (as opposed to what the “crowd” considers HUNTING rifles, yet WE know any firearm, be it a 306, a 30.30, or a .45, can be a DEFENSE tool, as can a typical ‘”defense” rifle be used for hunting. (It all depends on what you are going after.)

Come on troops.. altogether now D E F E N S E … DEFENSE – P.W.

HJL Adds: Don’t forget the “standard capacity” magazines. I think the author did a good job, especially considering he was 18 years old when he wrote it. We do need to be wary of the word games used by the progressive left though. Thanks for the reminder.

o o o

HJL,

Watch the recoil on a 20 gauge. Last time I considered one there was certainly a smaller charge, but it was more than offset by the lighter weight of the gun, resulting in recoil equal to or greater than the 12 gauge. – Susan

Economics and Investing:

Nickel Enters Bull Market as Supply Concerns Mount After Crimea – Bloomberg. – JBG

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Low-Wage Workers Are Finding Poverty Harder to Escape – NYTimes.com. – RBS

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Items from The Economatrix:

Sentiment Highest Since July

White House Ramps Up Housing-Reform Push As Legislation Approaches Key Hurdle

It All Begins With This: U.S. Middle Class Is No Longer The World’s Richest

CEO ‘Post-Weather’ Optimism Collapses To 5-Month Lows

Mortgage Companies Face “Tremendously Difficult” Year As Housing Recovery Crumbles

Odds ‘n Sods:

Driver Finds Himself Surrounded By Cops With Guns Out After Automatic License Plate Reader Misreads His Plate – H.L.

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Everything at your hospital can be hacked – easily – D.S.

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Experts Warn More European Muslim Youth Are Radicalizing. – So violent, so bloodthirsty, is the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a Syria-based jihadist group, that even al-Qaida will have nothing to do with them. – H.L.

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Pentagon to destroy $1 billion worth of ammo. This makes sense because…?. – K.B. Oh, what a thought… Selling it as surplus to be financially responsible? Use it it for training?

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‘Fire Harry Reid’ becomes rallying cry heading into ’14 elections. – RBS

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“We cannot restore traditional American freedom unless we limit the government’s power to tax. No tinkering with this, that, or the other law will stop the trend toward socialism. We must repeal the Sixteenth Amendment.” – Frank Chodorov

Reading the New Blog Format for iPads/iPods

2

For those who have eyes like mine, the font on an iPad/iPod is difficult to read, but there is an answer. Since everyone’s eyes are different, it doesn’t make sense to regulate that aspect of the blog from the server side. Rather, each iPad/iPod needs to adjust specifically for its user.

To that end, these instructions should alleviate the issue. If you are using a Windows or an Android tablet/phone, there should be similar methods available to you as well.

  2. For those who want the advertisements to show on the smaller screen identical to the desktop, you pretty much have to use the google chrome browser. After SurvivalBlog has loaded the page, you can tap the settings button in the upper right corner of the browser to get the drop-down menu. From that menu, select “Request Desktop Site”. This will give you the normal site rather than the mobile site. The iPad has enough screen area to do this; the iPod or iPhone probably do not. Make sure you’re holding the iPad in landscape mode though.
  3. Go to the settings app. Select “General” settings in the left hand pane. Then select “Accessibility” in the right hand pane. On the screen that appears, select “Zoom” and make sure it is turned “On”. Now when viewing anything on the screen, you can use a “three-finger”, double tap to turn the zoom on and off. To scroll while the screen is zoomed, use a “three-fingered” drag. To go back to the normal screen, use a “three-fingered” double-tap again.

Notes from HJL:

April 28th is the birthday of Aimo Johannes Lahti (born in 1896.) This clever Finn designed (or co-designed) an amazing array of weapons including the L-35 Lahti pistol, Suomi M-31 SMG, the Lahti-Saloranta M/26 LMG, the the famous Lahti L-39 20mm anti-tank rifle, and even the 20 ItK 40(a 20 mm dual anti-aircraft cannon).

Guest Article: Ideas Concerning A Post-Collapse World, by M.S.

In thinking about the results of a total collapse of financial institutions in the United States, some conclusions can be drawn to identify events that would unfold immediately following the collapse. Following these conclusions, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to theorize how the subsequent future of society would look once order is restored.

The collapse will obviously be violent and downright depressing. The cities will see conflagrations, mass killings, and famine, similar to what is seen in urban warfare. Because of the violence and difficulties living in the cities, there will likely be a migration of survivors into the rural areas in search of food, shelter, and peace. Luckily for those in rural areas, most “urbanites” will be on foot since gasoline will be gone quickly in a collapse, either from poor usage planning or thievery. These sojourners will not get too far before they either settle in nearby suburbs with relative stability or in refugee camps, or they die from either brigands or myriad accidents.

One of the more virulent aspects of the collapse that will affect all people everywhere will be disease and pestilence. Normally treated and suppressed communicable sicknesses, like influenza and colds, will kill many who cannot receive treatment. Simple cuts will cause cases of tetanus and/or infections. Medicines will become the most valuable of commodities.

Areas that were once arable, like the California Central Valley and other farmlands of the West, will return to desert. Other stable farmlands that utilize modified crops will fail as well, especially the Midwest, where vast farmlands will be rendered untenable by the vast areas to cover as well as the deficient genetics of the crops used. Pestilence will reign because of the lack of pesticides and other chemicals used to protect crops. Most rural areas will not be immune to the collapse.

The only farms that will survive will be those small-scale farms that utilize traditional methods of both durable crops and a proper crop rotation. These farms will be operated by individuals that know and understand the environment in which they live and have adapted the learning of “Physiocracy” into their farmstead.

These farms will be tended by large families or survival groups that provide both manual labor and defense of their lands. The success of the farmstead will be dependent upon the physical fitness of the group and the skill sets of individuals. The farmstead will also be in community with other farms or survivors in development of a community of mutual defense and charity.

So what’s next?

Once stability has been established in communities throughout a region (either through diplomatic efforts to establish communities or through decimation of fighting forces in combat), civilization can begin to rise once again. Depending on outside threats, the nation will be able to reunite under similar circumstances as our current system, or the nation will be “Balkanized” for a considerable amount of time.

For the nation to reunite, the small communities that were once opposed to each other would have to be united against a common foe, like an invading army. This army would either be from a region of the country that quickly reestablished itself or from a foreign nation bent on conquering the old United States. It seems unlikely, though, that a foreign power would rise to such an occasion. Also, the quick establishment of a region would depend upon a lot of pieces coming together, especially access to natural resources – the most important of which is food and water.

In the Balkanized model, small communities that survived the collapse would become independent states, commanding areas delineated by natural barriers– mountains, rivers, and desert; a population of people to hold the territory; and diplomatic agreements with other communities. These communities will probably have differing forms of government and lifestyles, depending on how they managed to survive.

From a historical perspective, these states might resemble the ancient Greek city-states or feudal Europe. There will be differences amongst themselves, but they’d be united under webs of treaties and promises of mutual defense. There will likely be small wars, especially over borders and natural resources, but there will also be diplomacy. The individual states may see fit to keep themselves separated from other states, especially if the state holds an advantageous position of natural resources or strategic location against its neighbors. These advantageous states will eventually be able to exert control over their neighbors, either through diplomacy or war, and will expand outward.

Pockets of similar growth will be seen throughout the country, until the small states have become large states. In the end, it seems logical that these states will eventually unite into a new United States. Questions remain, however, as to how the new U.S. will look. Will it be founded under the Constitution? Or will there be some new form of government?

While that could be debated, it seems logical that the original families and groups that created the original stability will hold considerable control in the evolution of the states. The rise of powerful families is another logical conclusion to the destruction of modern society. There will likely be an aristocracy of sorts, possibly similar to the Roman division of Patricians and Plebeians. The landowning families may develop large estates with the lower-class citizens working the fields.

Eventually, gasoline would become available again, and machinery will overtake the agrarian lifestyle that got people through the crunch. The question would then be how will cities develop themselves? Would it be like today? Would technology learned today be applied to create futuristic cities? Would the future government be like Orwell’s 1984, controlling every aspect of life? Who knows?

Pat’s Product Review: Ruger’s SR-762 Rifle, by Pat Cascio

Hands down, I received more requests from SurvivalBlog readers for a review of the Ruger SR-762 rifle than any other firearm, ever. Over my many years of writing about firearms, I’ve received quite a few requests from readers to test new firearms, and I try to accommodate those requests if possible. However, I honestly didn’t want to review the Ruger SR-762 for one major reason– I’ve already reviewed the Ruger SR-556 and SR-556E rifles, and this was nothing more than a “big brother” to those two rifles. It’s chambered in .308 Winchester/7.62NATO, and they are NOT the same caliber. However, Ruger advertises that their SR-762 will readily accept either caliber.

When the SR-762 came out about five or six months ago, I heard from there were some minor problems with feeding from the supplied magazines. However, Ruger worked through it without a recall. I was happy to hear this, as in the past Ruger rushed a few gun designs through, and there were some problems. That decision resulted in some major and expensive recalls. In this regard, Ruger does step-up to the bat and takes care of any problems. They have a fantastic customer service department. I’ve had some early production firearms that had to be returned to several gun makers, so I shied away from requesting the SR-762 until I could no longer ignore all the hundreds of requests I received for an honest review and test of the SR-762. So, I broke down and asked for a sample for testing.

A quick look at some of the specs of the SR-762 is in order. For all practical purposes, this gun is a scaled-up (but not so much) AR-15 in .308 Winchester, with a piston-driven system, instead of the direct impingement gas system. I’ve grown quite fond of piston-driven ARs over the past couple of years, and it shouldn’t come as any surprise, as many of my favorite battle rifles operate with this same type of system. Although, the Ruger piston-driven system appears to be one of the simplest and easiest of the bunch to maintain. While the SR-762 is larger than their SR-556 models, it honestly isn’t “that” much larger; it’s only slightly longer and a little bit heavier. The SR-762 weighs-in at 8.60-pounds when empty, with its 16.12-inch Bbl.

We also have a 6-position telescoping stock that is a standard, a Hogue over-mold pistol grip with finger grooves, and an aluminum quad-rail hand guard. However, the “quad-rail” doesn’t have rails at all the positions; only the top rail has a manner for affixing something to it. Ruger has brilliantly, in my humble opinion, simply drilled and tapped this hand guard at the three, six, and nine o’clock positions, and provides two rails that you can attach where you want to place accessories on the rail. Additional rails can be purchased separately, if you feel the need to attach a lot of toys to your SR-762. I’m old school, in that, I don’t feel the need to attach much to my rifles. I like to keep in simple. Additionally, I’m getting older, and I don’t want to pack around a rifle that is heavy any longer. The rounded hand guard is quite comfortable to hold, unlike many quad-rails that have sharp edges and have to be covered with a poly cover to not only protect the rails from damage but to protect your hand as well from getting cut.

I did attach a MagPul Angled Fore Grip to the six o’clock position and a sling swivel for attaching a sling to the front of the gun. Strangely, Ruger does not provide a front swivel sling attaching point. It wasn’t any big deal, as I found one at my local gun shop for $12.00. Still I would like to see this included in the complete package from Ruger. I don’t want to carry my rifle at the ready all the time. It’s nice to sling a rifle. Without the front sling swivel attachment you can’t attach a sling, and the SR-762 does not come with a sling. A $5.00 Nylon sling works nice for me.

The SR-762 also comes with an outstanding set of fold-down “iron” sights. In fact they are some of the best I’ve ever used. I added an inexpensive Sight Mark red dot sight to the top of the SR-762. I have this particular sight on several of my ARs. They run about $70.00, and you can find them on Amazon.com in a couple of different versions. They are tough, too. On more than one occasion, when an AR of mine that has one of these red dot sights has fallen over, the sights remained zeroed and still work. You can also co-witness the back-up sights on the Ruger SR-762 through the Sight Mark red dot sight. I like that should the red dot sight go down, I simply flip-up the back-up sights, and I’m still in the game. There is a nice flash suppressor on the end of the barrel, which is a Ruger proprietary design and does the job nicely of keeping flash down on many rounds.

The piston-driven system is worthy of mention in that it has four different positions. The SR-762 and SR-556 rifles come with the regulator set on the #2 position, and I’ve yet to have to change it. However, if you are having functioning problems with a certain type of ammo, you can open-up the regulator to the #3 position, if the ammo is a bit too hot or the gun is running extremely dirty. Also, you can dial it down to the #1 position, if the ammo is a bit under-powered. The #0 position turns the gas off, and the gun will not feed any rounds. This is used in many instances with sound suppressors. I like that this piston-driven system is easy to clean, too. It only takes a minute or two to take it apart for cleaning. The two-stage piston is also chrome-plated for easier clean-up, and it helps resist rust and dirty, too.

On some of the newer piston-driven AR designs, there has been a problem with carrier-tilt in that the design of the AR operating system wasn’t meant to operate with a piston. It was a direct impingement system, and the piston-drive systems were causing the bolt carrier to slightly “tilt” downwards, causing unnecessary wear and tear in the buffer tube area. Ruger has resolved this problem with a newly designed bolt carrier that doesn’t allow this problem to happen.

The SR-762 comes in a nicely padded carrying case, along with 3 MagPul PMags that hold 20-rds each of .308/7.62 NATO rounds. To be sure, I believe the MagPul .223 mags are some of the best in the world for use in an AR type rifle. However, while I had zero problems with the mags that came with the SR-762, I did purchase some metal mags, and they just seemed to feed the rounds smoother into the chamber. I used some DPMS magazines as well as some ASC metal magazines. For my money, the ASC mags worked great and were less money. So, I now have a good supply of the ASC mags on-hand. Plus, I also purchased some additional PMags as well, just to have around.

For my shooting enjoyment, I had some Black Hills Ammunition .308 Winchester 168-grain Match HP ammo, some Buffalo Bore .308 Sniper 175-grain ammo, and Winchester’s white box, USA brand 147-grain FMJ fodder. I ran several 20-rd mags of ammo through the gun as fast as I could pull the trigger, and there were no functioning problems. The gun remained cool, too. I took the bolt-carrier group out, and it was cool to the touch. Try that with any direct impingement AR and you will burn your fingers and find the bolt carrier group to be dirty, too.

I settled down for some accuracy testing with the SR-762 at 50-yards because of terrible weather conditions– heavy, low-hanging fog. I only used the Sight Mark red dot sight for my accuracy testing, and with the Black Hills and Buffalo Bore loads mentioned above, I could place three shots touching into a nice clover leaf at 50-yards if I did my part. My method is to place a rolled-up sleeping bag over the hood of my SUV and use that as a rest for accuracy testing. At the 50-yard distance, there was no clear winner; both the Black Hills and Buffalo Bore loads shot the same, “almost one hole” groups. The Winchester load opened the groups up a little bit more but not by much at that distance.

In all my testing, I ran more than 250 rounds of .308 Win ammo through the SR-762 with zero problems at all. I will say that, for many years, I have had a love affair with another brand of .308 battle rifle. However, that “affair” is over. There is a new love in my life– this Ruger SR-762. I must say, I do kind of kick myself in the behind for not requesting a sample sooner. To be honest, I mistakenly thought it was just another .308 Win AR with just a different name on it. I was wrong, and it pains me to admit that. The SR-762 is a lot more gun than I thought it would be. It has all the innovation of the AR-15 family of rifles, as well as being able to accept all manner of accessories, plus it is piston-driven. The SR-762 is just one of “those” rifles that grows on you, in very short order.

How much did I like the SR-762? Well, that is easy to answer. I’m buying my sample, and I don’t purchase a lot of firearm samples these days because I have all the guns I need, but I don’t have all the guns I want. That’s a big difference. If I were to have to bug out right this very moment and only had time to grab one rifle, the Ruger SR-762 would be that rifle. My A-L-I-C-E gear would be 4 Nylon magazine pouches, each holding two twenty round magazines for a total of 160-rds, and another magazine in the gun. That would sure get me out of just about any trouble I might be in. To be sure, while the SR-762 is a bit heavier than my SR-556E and the .308 ammo is heavier than .223 ammo is, I’d still reach for my SR-762 for a SHTF scenario. The .308 can do so much more than the .223 can, and I’m not here to debate which round is better. In my humble opinion, the .308 is a better round for a SHTF situation…simple as that!

The SR-762 doesn’t come cheap. It has a full-retail of $2,195.00. However, you can find them for a lot less on http://www.gunbroker.com/ as well as at your local gun shop, if they have one in-stock. They are a very popular .308 Battle Rifle these days, and I’m not the least bit surprised, either.

Recipe of the Week: Chicken & White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup rice
  • 2-3 tablespoons dehydrated onions
  • 1 15.5-oz. can white beans
  • 1 13-oz. can chicken
  • 3/4 cup dehydrated spinach

Directions:

  2. Cook first three ingredients, until the rice is done.
  3. Add the next three ingredients (including liquid in cans) and cook about 10 more minutes.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste.

Notes: We grow Malabar spinach, dehydrate it, and store in quart jars in the pantry. We also make homemade chicken broth, reduce it, and freeze in ice cube trays, then just use about 5-6 cubes with water. Homemade broth tastes better than store canned, and it will give your immune system a boost. If you use dried spinach and canned broth, this recipe can be made straight from the pantry.

More notes: You get two recipes. After serving roasted chickens, pick off most of the remaining meat and refrigerate or freeze. Put all leftover bones, skin and drippings in a big pot, generously cover in water, and slow simmer overnight. The next day, strain off the broth, return the fat to the bones, and in a separate pan reduce the broth by half or more. Then cool, freeze in ice cube trays, pop your broth cubes out into a gallon baggie and return to freezer.

Put more water over the bones/skin/fat and cook for another day, longer if needed. Strain out the bones. They will be soft enough to mush up with your fingers, except the middles of the weight-bearing bones. You can toss the hard bones in the fire, and they become part of the ash you could use to supplement your compost in the garden. Return the mushy bones to the pan and add carrot peels, leftover mashed potatoes or rice, small amounts of green beans, stale corn tortillas, anything that is good for dogs. Cook until done, hit the whole thing with the immersion blender, cool, freeze in ice cube trays, pop into baggies, return to freezer. The dogs love these dog popsicles in the hot summer. In the winter, we serve them in a bowl, melted.

Important reminder: If you ever try to make chicken and noodles out of the wrong ice cubes, you will understand the importance of large clear labeling on your baggies. Thanks. – Brenda from AR

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

Letter Re: American vs. Canadian Currency

JWR,

With hyper inflation about to hit us soon, do you think I would be better off having my dollars changed into Canadian currency or have minted silver dollars? Thank you for all that you do for us. – G.T.

JWR Responds: There is nothing magical about Canadian paper (or Tyvek) currency versus U.S. paper currency. Both are inevitably doomed to mass inflation, because neither are both convertible to precious metals on demand.

I presently recommend acquiring pre-1965 U.S. silver quarters, rather than U.S. silver dollars. Quarters minted in or before 1964 have 90% silver content, while U.S. silver dollars do contain more silver than four silver quarters. (See coinflation.com for details.) However, since all U.S. silver dollars have some numismatic value (above and beyond their melt silver value), there is essentially no such thing as a “junk” silver dollar; there will always be a numismatic premium, when you buy. Hence, silver quarters are the better buy, if your goal is to buy trustworthy and readily recognizable silver for bartering purposes. Also, beware that there are now a large number of fake U.S. Silver Morgan Dollars being made in China and circulating globally. These have even fooled some coin shop owners.

Most coin dealers assume that a $1,000 face value bag of circulated pre-1965 dimes, quarters, or half dollars coins has just 715 ounces of silver, due to circulation wear. That is assuming typical wear for a bag that is composed of nearly one-half of the coins with a 1964 mint date (the largest–and last–minting year of 90% silver coins), and a mix of earlier dates. A lot of the really early quarters (such as Walking Liberty quarters) in a typical bag are so badly worn that you can hardly read the dates. A bag of just those would probably have less than 700 ounces of silver.

So, assuming 715 ounces of silver at the current spot price of $19.75 per ounce, that makes a $1,000 face value bag worth $14,121, wholesale. (Or just think of it as roughly 14.1 times face value.)

OBTW, if you have the storage space, I strongly recommend silver over gold. I believe that silver is far more likely to suddenly double or triple in price than gold. (It isn’t very far from $20 to $40, but psychologically it is a lot farther from $1,300 to $2,600!)

And, as I’ve stated many times, gold is too compact a form of wealth for practical day-to-day barter. (I illustrated that point in the chapter of my novel, Patriots, that was titled “For an Ounce of Gold.”)

Hugh Adds: We live in strange times. Never before in the known history of the world has every major currency in the entire world been fiat currency. I understand how and why we got to where we are, and I also understand that there is only one clear outcome. By necessity, there must be a reset back to standards-based currency. What is not clear is when or how this will take effect. Currently, the U.S. dollar is the world standard, but that’s only because people believe it is the least risky of all the fiat currencies. This is obviously an unstable condition, and any currency can take the place of the U.S. dollar if that country can get people to believe it is the most stable.

I completely agree with JWR here. If you can own a hard asset that is barterable and portable (but not too portable), you are in a superior position for any transition that takes place. That asset can be bullion, silver coins, bullets, beans, and even your labor. Obviously, the more recognizable and desirable the asset after the transition, the better your position.