Odds ‘n Sods:

The Washington Times reports that the NRA’s ‘American Rifleman’ surges to top 25 magazines in America knocking ‘Maxim’ from the list. – G.G.

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Hands off our children, Big Brother, Patrice Lewis’ latest on ‘Common Core’.

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California’s Gun Confiscation Program Hits Firearm Owners Hard. As part of its ongoing efforts to defend gun owners from malicious and improper prosecutions, the foundations recomends:

  • Never consent to a search
  • Exercise your right to remain silent
  • Contact CGF’s Help Hotline through the online form at www.calgunsfoundation.org/hotline or call (800) 556-2109, open 24/7/365
  • If you need immediate legal assistance, please contact an attorney (some firearms attorneys are listed on the CGF Help Hotline web page)

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B.R. sent in this article from the “Charleston Voice” suggesting that the Militarized Police are the standing army the founders warned about.

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A heavily pregnant mother has spoken of her fear after workmen found live ammunition in the garden of her Worksop home. More nonsense from ignorance. This is similar to a post than ran on Sipsey Street Irregulars last year on July 12. The quote used was from “The Abolition of Man” by C.S. Lewis. It’s a good quote.

“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“They’ve (the government) took our silver, They’ve took our gold. They’ve took th’ silver certificates all in. And we ain’t got a thing except our gover’mint on it. There’s all we got t’back it up. It just left us, by granny, with a piece a’paper; an’if we lose our gover’mint, it’s all dead anyhow just th’same as gover’mint bonds. We’re all broke. If th’gover’mint go broke, we ain’t got a thing in th’world.” – Hillard Green, sometime between 1968 – 1970 as part of Foxfire.

Guest Article: LRP Rations, The Survival Food of the Pros, by Thomas Baldrick

Maybe you wear a Peyton Manning jersey. Maybe you gulp Gatorade during your outdoor activities. Maybe you like Lowe’s because they sponsor Jimmy Johnson’s #48 car. If you’re one of the millions of people who commonly buy into the products of the top professionals, you might have an appetite for Long Range Patrol Ration Entrees. After all, LRP Rations are the survival food carried on long range missions by U.S. Military Special Forces members.

The name Long Range Patrol Rations tells you who the intended military target was for this food. Today, current examples of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol units (LRRPs) include U.S. Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, Marine Corps Marine Reconnaissance units, and Navy SEALS. Historians claim long range surveillance teams first formed during the fighting of World War II. The operations of specialized units, such as the British Force 136 and Long Range Desert Group set the modern standards for skills and tactics in scouting the enemy.

LRRP units are small teams of soldiers who bravely serve as “our eyes behind enemy lines.” They do dangerous, covert missions crossing deep into unfriendly territory to gather important military intelligence. They identify and collect current information on matters such as enemy troop sizes and locations, key resources, and strategic targets of opportunity. These types of patrols have served critical roles in eastern Europe, North Vietnam, the Middle East, and beyond.

The Lowdown on LRPs

Out of necessity in the 1960’s, American Military ingenuity developed a high-tech food advancement. It was formally called The Food Packet, Long Range Patrol Ration. Referred to as “Lurps” or “Lurp Rats,” it produced a new solution to an old problem, which had been eating away at both soldiers and commanders for years.

The standard canned rations known as C-Rations just weren’t making the grade. They weighed too much and were too bulky. This was especially true for the backpacks of heavily armed Special Operations soldiers who needed to travel long distances on foot and move quickly at times.

Highly nutritious fresh food is prepared and cooked. It then goes through the freeze drying process. At this time, 98% of the moisture gets removed from the food. Next, it is vacuum-packed, intentionally into the shape of a small brick. Now the nutrients and freshness are locked in securely. Entrees, weighing only four to five ounces each, can be easily stacked in a small space within a backpack, giving soldiers the ability to carry many more days worth of meals. There are other added benefits, too.

Suddenly, soldiers are given more room in their backpacks and more options to carry other important items they might need. Tremendous ease of use is also important. LRP Rations need only water (preferably hot, but any temperature will do) to reconstitute once opened. Within minutes, the aroma, texture, and taste returns. The nutritional value is alive and well. The end result is a delicious meal with a yield which increases to more than 20 ounces of high-protein, high-energy food.

Much to Love About LRPs

LRP Rations aren’t just like freeze-dried foods. They are freeze-dried foods. Long Range Patrol Rations offer a long shelf life, typically lasting for decades. So, as is the case with other freeze-dried foods and dehydrated foods, LRPs will be reliable, ready, and waiting for you in those times when you want or need them most. This is the purpose of survival food.

The differences between these and traditional civilian freeze-dried foods are LRPs have higher ratios of key ingredients such as beef, chicken and turkey. This is mandated in order to meet nutritional requirements established by the U.S. Military for active soldiers in challenging field conditions. Another difference is LRPs in the shape of small brick packs are quite compact. They take up less space and weight than both pouches and #10 cans of freeze-dried food.

Long Range Patrol Ration entrees are manufactured in the U.S.A in large single servings, offering good-tasting, high-energy meals in a wide range of options. Among those on the menu for LRPs entrees are the following meals:

  • Chicken & Rice
  • Spaghetti with Meat
  • Chili Mac with Beef
  • Turkey Tetrazzini
  • Mexican Rice & Chicken
  • Beef Stew
  • Granola and Blueberries
  • Scrambled Eggs with Bacon

Civilian Use of LRP Rations

Because they are lightweight, compact, and easy to prepare, LRPs have attracted the interest of a variety of civilians. Lurp Lovers include backpackers, who carry them on hiking and rock climbing adventures. Also, campers, RV travelers, and sailboat owners bring them along as high-protein, home-cooked tasting meals that take very little space and effort. Survivalists and preppers consider LRP Rations as valuable and practical survival food items to have in their “Grab & Go” bags, and on their long-term storage shelves.

“Americans in the know” know how to make use of LRPs. The big issue with Long Range Patrol Rations and civilians has nothing to do with whether or not to carry them in backpacks, or store them with other emergency preparedness foods and items. The challenge is based on the rarity of these unique freeze-dried food solutions and their lack of availability to the general population.

Due to their long shelf life, manufactured runs of Long Range Patrol Rations are not done every year. In fact, it is not uncommon for periods of five to seven years to pass between requests by the U.S. Military for more.

LRP Rations only become available outside of military circles in the event there is a U.S. Government overrun (as was the case in 2013). On these occasions, a limited supply can be put on sale for consumption by the general public.

The LRP Ration is the longest running military ration still in existence today. For nearly 50 years, it has proven good enough to be carried on the backs of U.S. Special Forces on their longest, toughest missions. So, it may prove worthy of consideration by you for your emergency or outdoor food needs… especially if you want the best, like the pros do.

About the Author:
Thomas Baldrick is with Freeze Dry Guy and can be contacted at Freeze Dry Guy, Inc

Pat’s Product Review: Deployable Compact Armorers Tool

I love working on guns, and I’ve tinkered with them since I was a teenager. Later on, I was trained by a military armorer to work on M1s, M14s, and M1911s, and I took several gunsmithing courses over the years. I’ve repaired many guns; however, the two firearms I enjoy working on the most are the grand old 1911 and the AR-15 family of rifles. More than anything, I usually can’t leave a 1911 alone, especially as it comes from the factory. So, I keep a decent supply of spare parts on-hand. The AR-15 doesn’t usually require a lot of repairs, which is a testament to the Stoner-design. However, when something breaks or needs replacing, it often calls for specialized tools. If I don’t have that tool, I make do with another tool that is not intended for the job but gets the job done. I also keep a small supply of the most often broken or misplaced AR parts.

Some of the most broken or misplaced/lost parts are small springs and pins, so I keep plenty of those little parts on-hand. My local gun shop often calls me to see if I have “this” part or “that” part for an AR. Most of the time I can help them out. If you own an AR of any make or model, you really need to have some spare parts for a SHTF scenario, when a gunsmith not be available and parts are scarce. Plus, you should, at the very least, have a good working knowledge of how your gun operates and have an armorer’s manual on-hand. Honestly, most work done on an AR is fairly easy to do, and most parts don’t require precision fitting; they just need replacing, in most cases.

I have three tool boxes full of spare parts and various types of gunsmithing tools. I’m always searching in the boxes for just the right tool to get a job done properly. Yes, you can make do with a tool that’s not specifically designed for a certain job, but it’s nice to have the right tool and have all the tools you need in one place.

That’s exactly the great benefit of the Deployable Compact Armorers Tool, also known as D-CAT. The D-CAT is designed and sold by Spaceage Weaponry , and it can also be found at my favorite gunsmith supply house, such as Brownell’s http://www.brownells.com/ (where I do much of my tool and spare parts shopping). The D-CAT is just about every tool you’ll need for working on the AR-15/M16 family of firearms, all in one nice little package.

A quick run down on the D-CAT is in order. First of all, the D-CAT was designed to fit into the butt stock of a standard, full-sized AR-15. It also weighs only 6-ounces. The tool (made of 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum, 303 stainless steel, and H13 tool steel) is designed to give you a lifetime of service. The D-CAT comes supplied with all the bits, punches, and other small parts located in the tool’s “magazine”and accessed by rotating the magazine gate to expose the individual storage compartments. You will find a 1/8-inch punch, a flat blade screw driver, front sight adjustment tool, and both 3/16-inch and 9/64-inch hex drivers. There is also a spare punch pocket and a hammer/trigger pin pocket. You can also use the D-CAT as a screw driver. Okay, I can already hear someone complaining, “How do I remove the barrel or the butt stock on my AR?” Glad you asked. You can buy additional tools for the D-CAT for that job. If you need to replace a barrel, you really should be trained in how to do it properly. Torquing it to the right poundage and aligning everything just perfectly is usually a job best left to someone properly trained to work on an AR. An adaptor is available from Spaceage Weaponry, so you can use the D-CAT for butt stock removal. For the majority of us, the D-CAT (as it comes from the factory) will take care of 95% of your needs, and is an all-in-one tool in one nice little package.

One of the AR-15/M16 tools I’m always using and breaking is the front sight adjustment tool. Most ARs that I’ve run across usually need the front sight pin moved up or down to get the proper zero, and I’ve lost count of the number of front sight adjustment tools that I’ve broken because of a stubborn or frozen in place (rusted) front sight pin. Well, with the D-CAT tool, I don’t worry about having to buy another front sight adjustment tool. Springs and pins break, wear out, or get lost if you are really serious about taking an AR apart. The D-CAT tool makes it soooo much easier and faster, plus it’s nice to have just the right punch on-hand. Some folks can’t quite figure out how to remove some of the little pins on an AR (not that they need replacing), but gun buffs get curious. Well, the D-CAT can nicely handle the job on all of the pins. Brownell’s has a short video on the D-CAT, and the Spaceage Weaponry website also has several videos you can watch and see the tool in action.

Have you ever tried replacing the factory trigger guard on an AR? You might want a larger one or an oval-shaped one. Well, it’s easier said than done, since you have to depress the little pin to get the trigger guard to release. However, with the D-CAT, the job is much easier to do. Do you need to remove the trigger assembly for replacement or a broken disconnector, or just want a match-grade trigger group in your AR? Once again, the D-CAT can handle the job.

Are you a military armorer? Just think how nice it would be to have a complete AR-15 “tool box” full of tools, all in one, that you can carry in your pants pocket? To be sure, you could also put some of the most often broken or replacement parts in a plastic baggie to keep in your pocket. This way, when an M4 or M16 goes down and a soldier needs it repaired “right now,” you can do the job, without having to take the rifle back to the arms room or armory to work on it.

Are you a police armorer? Once again, you will find how handy it is to have the D-CAT on-hand. If out on the range with your officers qualifying or just getting in some target practice when something breaks or a part gets lost, you can repair it right there with the D-CAT and a few of the most-needed, spare parts in your pocket. No need to go digging through your tool box to find the right tool; you’ll have it in your pocket.

If you are a serious Prepper, you absolutely should have a D-CAT on-hand, along with spare parts for your ARs plus a working knowledge on how an AR type of rifle operates and functions. They really aren’t all that hard to work on, if you have the right tool and the right parts.

The D-CAT is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” inventions. While it’s not a KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) idea, it took a lot of time, effort, and design know-how to come up with it. Still, you wonder why you didn’t come up with the idea for all the tools you’ll need to work on an AR-style rifle in one compact little package that fits in your pocket. The D-CAT retails for $149.99. It may sound like a steep price, but if you went out and purchased all the tools you’d really need to work on an AR, you’d probably spend that much or more, and they wouldn’t be in one nice, tidy little self-contained package, like the D-CAT.

Remember, though, all the tools in the world are useless if you don’t have the spare parts needed to do a gun repair on an AR, or any firearm for that matter. At the very least, get a D-CAT and then get one of the AR spare parts kits (or a couple of spare parts kits), so you’ll have it all on-hand when it’s needed. If you take your survival seriously, and you should, then take weapon maintenance/repair just as seriously. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat CascioPat Cascio

Pat’s Product Review: CRKT K.I.S.S. Folder

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes up with one of those “oh-so-simple” ideas, and it is an immediate hit or success. I don’t begrudge anyone success in their lives, but how come it’s always someone else who invents a better application of the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle? I’ve been around long enough to know that keeping things simple is usually the right and smart way to go. I recently heard from one of my former martial arts students, who I hadn’t heard from in 25 years. He now holds Black Belt rank himself in several different styles of martial arts. He said he always remembered what I taught him– the “basics” are what work in a fight rather than all the fancy kicks and jumping around. If you did nothing except learn and instill the basic fighting techniques, you’d be a force to be reckoned with.

Now, as most SurvivalBlog readers will know, I prefer big knives. They seem to get the job done better than smaller knives, in many situations. Consider the Columbia River Knife and Tool Original K.I.S.S folder from the creative mind of Ed Halligan– a well-known custom knife maker and designer. It’s one of those simple designs that I wish I had come up with while designing knives over the years. Now, while the design is simple in context, everything had to fit together precisely for the design to function properly. This K.I.S.S. design has to have everything perfectly in balance, and CRKT and Halligan did an outstanding job.

By the way, the K.I.S.S. design actually stands for “Keep It Super Simple”, according to Halligan. I can’t find fault. The design is super simple. The K.I.S.S. is a unique two-piece construction, featuring an integral frame lock, and the design allows the cutting edge of the blade to seat against the handle rather than inside of it. It’s easier to see on the CRKT website, than it is to explain.

I first saw the K.I.S.S. during a visit to the CRKT offices many years ago and was amazed at the design. The closed length of the knife is 3.5 inches, and opened it is 5.75 inches. The blade is only 2.25-inches long and can be had partially serrated or plain edged. Both the blade and handle material is 420J2 stainless steel. The blade shape is a Tanto with the grind being chisel point and only sharpened on one side, like a wood-working chisel blade.

There is a thumb stud for one hand opening. However, I must confess that on smaller blades I simply can’t use the thumb stud to open blades. This is not unique to this knife. It’s the same on all smaller-sized folders; I just can’t open them with my thumb. My thumbs kind of work opposite of most folks’ thumbs; they easily bend backwards but not very far forward.

When you close the blade on the K.I.S.S., it folds onto the handle, NOT into it. My first impression was that a person is going to get cut or the point of the blade will stab them, when it is closed. Such is not the case. I’ve tried to intentionally cut myself with the K.I.S.S. folded and couldn’t do it. The blade is securely locked against the handle and you can’t cut yourself when the blade is closed. AMAZING!

Now, there are several ways you can carry the K.I.S.S. on your person. It can be clipped to your pocket with the pocket clip (my preferred way to carry it) or clipped to a shirt pocket. Since I only wear t-shirts, the idea of clipping to a shirt pocket wouldn’t work for me. You can also use it as a money clip, and it doesn’t draw unwanted attention when you pull the paper money out of your pocket with the knife clipped to it. I have to assume it works that way because I never have any paper money in my pocket. I only carry change, so my pennies and dimes kept slipping off the pocket clip. LOL! You can even use the knife as a keyring knife, and you won’t even know it’s there until you need it.

The K.I.S.S. came with a hair-popping edge on the blade. You can also get one with a partially serrated blade as well. Given a choice, I’d go with the partially serrated blade for opening mail and boxes . The serrations just rip through cardboard boxes with ease. I’ve also found that a small knife, like the K.I.S.S., doesn’t cause someone to express “that” look when you pull it out of your pocket in public. Whereas, a larger knife draws glares, and people wonder why you need such a big knife. The K.I.S.S. is a fun knife. When you show it to someone, they immediately comment on how simple the design is. I’m not sure how long this design has been in the CRKT line-up, but I’m sure it is probably their longest-selling design. It comes in many different flavors, too, so check out the website. You’ll be amazed at all the different ways they came up with this same basic design. Unlike many smaller folders, this is one stout, very well-made, little folder.

If you have a birthday coming up, either for yourself or a loved one, the Original K.I.S.S. would make a wonderful addition to your knife collection. You’ll find yourself using it all the time for those smaller chores that call for a knife. Now, while I wouldn’t dare call this knife a “survival knife” by any stretch of the imagination, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. Which reminds me, I just gave my K.I.S.S. sample to someone who couldn’t stop talking about it. So, I need to replace it because I miss it already.

The K.I.S.S. retails for $39.95, but can usually be found deeply discounted at many of the big box stores or online at knife dealers. Since the K.I.S.S. came along, there have been many, many imitators, but there is only one original. The imitators are all junk and have violated a patented design. Pick-up a K.I.S.S. for your loved ones, and I’m betting you’ll get a kiss in return. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat CascioPat Cascio

Apple Bread with Brown Sugar Icing – Anonymous

This bread freezes beautifully in a freezer ziploc bag. (I recommend storing without the icing. Just defrost the bread and make the icing before serving.) It’s yummy!

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat above ingredients on low speed until thoroughly combined.

  • 2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat and half bread flour)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • pinch cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients into large mixing bowl, stirring until just combined.

  • 1 1/4 cup chopped, peeled apples
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Hand stir apples and pecans into the batter. Pour into greased 9×5” loaf pan. Bake 1- 1 1/2 hours, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool while making icing.

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring very often. Once it boils, reduce heat and let boil gently for one more minute. Add cinnamon and stir thoroughly. Remove bread from baking pan and drizzle the icing on top. Cool, slice, and serve.

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

Letter: Complications of Advanced IRA Strategies

Editor:

I am not a tax preparer, but I have been a financial adviser for more than 30 years. I have been growing more concerned about potential government confiscation of a portion of the public’s Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA’s) and 401(k) plans (employer-sponsored retirement savings plans). The “myRA,” that Obama introduced in his State of the Union address, could be a precursor to a plan that would take part of the assets in these plans, and replace them with U.S. Treasury bonds.

One alternative, of course, is to take your money out of your IRA. You’ll owe taxes, of course, and a 10% penalty if you’re under 59 ½ years old at the time. If you’re over that age, the penalty will disappear. If you own a Roth IRA, withdrawn assets before the above age will be taxable and penalized, with no tax consequences after reaching that age.

I have read a variety of materials suggesting that investors in these plans should either set up self-directed plans or even use Limited Liability Corporations (LLC’s). The purpose here would be to make it more difficult for the government to get its hands on a portion of the assets, since a self-directed plan would be invested in physical gold and/or silver coins, and an LLC could invest in real property or even a business.

However, the government does not have to “get its hands on” assets in such plans. All it has to do is require plan custodians to convert a certain percentage of the assets to cash, and to send that cash to the government, under penalty of law for not doing so. Anyone who did not comply with such an order would be guilty of a felony. Becoming a felon can easily result, among other things, in not being able to legally own guns of any type.

In addition, once a taxpayer reaches age 70 ½, he or she must start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMD’s) from a traditional IRA or employer-sponsored plan. The exact dollar amount is currently based on the value of the account on 12/31 of the previous year, and an actuarial table available on www.irs.gov in the publications section. If one has an LLC-run IRA entirely invested in real property, raising the necessary cash inside the IRA to take these distributions could be difficult.

My point here is to caution readers not to overreact and blindly follow someone who is selling a package that purports to avoid the problems of limited investment choices and potential government confiscation. Also, as a side note, owning real property in an IRA brings with it a set of VERY stringent rules; the violation of any of which can result in your IRA being entirely set aside and immediately taxable. The IRS has not yet targeted these strategies, but as they become more popular they will begin focusing more on anyone who is using them.

At the very least, if you are considering one of the more advanced strategies, have an independent tax preparer or attorney review what you’re planning to do. Do not rely blindly on the material provided by those selling you the strategy. – M.W.

Letter: Soft Point Ammunition in a PTR-91

Dear Mister Rawles,

To your knowledge, does 308 soft point ammunition function in a PTR-91?

JWR Replies: Just like the HK91 from which it is cloned, the PTR91 is not specifically designed to shoot .308 Winchester softnose hunting ammo. The SAAMI specifications for commercially-loaded (Remington, Winchester, Federal, et cetera) .308 Winchester are different from the military specifications for 7.62mm NATO. Although the two cartridges have quite similar exterior dimensions, the military brass is thicker (this creating slightly smaller interior dimensions) and the pressure specification is lower. (Yet, I still hear people talk about “hot military ammo.” The reality is just the opposite; the commercial loads have considerably higher pressure than the military loads.)

Now, as for the HK91/PTR91 design: It has been reported that these rifles will shoot .308 Winchester without damaging the action. However, keep in mind that this action uses a fluted chamber, and that it is notorious for violently ejecting brass. (It is not unusual to have an HK eject fired brass 20 feet, or farther!) With the thinner .308 commercial brass, it is therefore inevitable that you will someday see a case failure, resulting in a jam. Here are a couple of ways this can happen:

Typically, a case failure will leave the front half of the brass while the back half is ejected. Then when a new round is chambered, the bolt will not fly close. Clearing that stoppage does not usually solve the problem, since there is still half a cartridge case in the chamber. It can only be cured by either waiting for the gun to cool down and cycling the action repeatedly and/or banging the rifle’s butt, or by using a ruptured case extraction tool.

The other likely failure is a rim failure, where 95% of the case is left lodged in the chamber. One small portion of the rim shears off, and then the extractor can no long “catch” the empty case. This also can result in a broken extractor.

Bottom line: Yes, you can use .308 softnose in an HK or clone, but DO NOT do so in life threatening situations because jams can take a long time to clear.

Lastly, be sure to buy a spare extractor and a few extractor spring cotter pins for your rifle. These parts are available from RTG Gun Parts, and several other online HK parts dealers. Buy a spare firing pin and a couple of spare takedown pins, while you are at it. (In fact, RTG’s $116.95 \ is worth buying.)

Another must is buying a .308/7.62 NATO ruptured case extractor tool. These are available from KeepShooting.com

I should also mention that there is also an issue of the shallow depth of the chamber flutes used in early-production PTR91 barrels. This makes their early rifles more finicky on the ammo that they will feed. With those, I have found that military surplus South African, German, and Lithuanian ammo all feeds and ejects reliably. And as Pat Cascio pointed out in his review of the PTR91, Winchester (“USA”) white box 7.62mm ball ammo does not function reliably in early PTR-91s.

Economics and Investing:

B.C. sent in this article that seems to be a a pretty even handed view of the macroeconomic landscape. The Author uses the mathematical concept of singularity and the astrophysics concept of a black hole to provide analogies of the risks we face. He also discusses what he believes to be a “flight path” away from the black hole. – We Are Approaching The Economic Singularity

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And D.B. sent in another article outlining the End of the Middle Class. When the New York Times is running it, it must be obvious.

Items from The Economatrix:

Are U.S. Consumers Crumbling?

Industrial Production Report Was Even Worse Than It Sounded

Odds ‘n Sods:

Delta2187 sent in a link to Statement for the Record – Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community and notes that the information is wide ranging (technology, terrorism, health, food, water) and could provide a good (basic) understanding of the threats we all face. The information certainly reinforces the need for prepping!

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B.B. sends in this link showing that almost the first act of the Supreme Court was treason. It’s an interesting read.

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B.R. notes that Violent Protests in Ukraine Supported by US Congress NED, Soros and Other Tax-Exempts

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J.L. sent in this link from Lifehacker. As least I know I’m not the only one with a messy work space.

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For those who are wondering about communications between their base and the LP/OP, perhaps this link from F.J. can help – Simple Intercom From a Pair of Old Corded Phones

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“If I miss a day of practice, I know it. If I miss two days, my manager knows it. If I miss three days, my audience knows it.” – André Previn

Notes from HJL:

This is the last day of the sale by Ready Made Resources with 25% to 42% off Mountain House foods. They are also offering free shipping and will be giving away a case of Mountain House Pouched Yogurts on orders where more than 10 cases are sold. (A $300 value.)

—

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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 gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  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 Prepperis 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.

Round 51 ends on March 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.

Prepper Primer for Your Non-prepper Loved Ones, by T.S. – Part 4

Communication

If traveling by foot, plan on only taking the AM/FM crank radio. It will last for weeks on a couple of AA batteries and for much longer with its crank power. All the HAM radio equipment and walkie talkies are not worth the weight and have much higher power consumptions. If you can, always listen to any radio using headphones in one ear so you do not attract people to your location with the radio noise. Radio stations may only be operational for short bursts throughout the day, so try all the AM and FM frequencies at different times each day.

If you are traveling by car, pack all the HAM radio stuff and other electronic stuff you can find. Of course, also pack all of the batteries. Operating these devices would take a lot of room to explain; stick to the car’s AM/FM frequencies. If time allows, you should be reading the first aid book and the wilderness/urban survival books, not the radio manuals (which are with the radios) though you should of course bring them. If you are rushed for time, make sure to at least bring the small walkie talkie-looking radio. Out of all the HAM radios, you may be able to make local contact with someone in a time of need using this radio.

Defense

Conservative estimates for the number of women raped in the 1992-5 Bosnian War climb as high as 50,000. Sadly, for many women, their rapes were not a one-time ordeal. Many women were kept in rape detention centers where members of the police and military could have easier access to them[1]. Why should we think a lawless United States would be any different. People will no doubt join together in the days after lawlessness begins; some banded for good and some for bad. In addition, those men or women who would never dream of committing a sexual crime, when driven mad by hunger or fear, will try to rob you for your food and/or weapons. One more note: Today in America many people take mind-altering drugs (because some would be in insane asylums without them), and others are addicted to alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. When these addicts are forced to quite, they will all be going through some kind of withdrawal symptoms. As people begin to realize the value of having a gun and feel the pain of hunger some may do anything to steal from you!

While Traveling By Foot

Be very cautious after passing by or meeting any other travelers. Hopefully, your camp will be located somewhere that you will not meet other people. If you do meet anyone and exchange any words, do not give out any more information than you have to. Be on your guard within your camp and move your camp after anyone makes contact with you while you are in your camp! Assume they are coming back to rob/attack you during the night.

  1. Avoid having a fire at night, it will be a beacon that can be seen for miles.
  2. Always try to use fire away from the place you plan on sleeping.
  3. Practice “leave no trace” camping– no fires, no garbage, et cetera. (Some call this having a “cold camp”.)

While Driving

Once people begin to fear the worst and see all 110 lbs of you loading up months worth of food and supplies, lock the car between EACH trip down. Assemble everything in the house and then ferry it all down to the car as quickly as possible. Carry a concealed handgun at all times. Keep super attentive while walking; scan around for people watching you. If they ask what you are doing, say something like “going to visit the grandparents.” Carry items in black garbage bags so know one knows what you are carrying.

Assume all road blocks are ambushes with an evil intent. Road blocks may look like cars parked across the road, downed power lines, or felled trees. As soon as you see any type of road block slow down, scan the road to the sides of the car, and (if you see no one around you) stop before approaching the road block. Take out the binoculars and scan the road block. Look for any sign of people guarding it. If you see people being let through but having to give up gas or food or any type of supplies, turn around and find another way. If you are traveling alone and have a car full of supplies, you will be a great catch to simply keep. If they are simply asking questions and letting people pass, use your judgment. Beware of traps, as well. Cars along the sides of the road can easily be pushed or driven across the road once you have passed, sealing you inside a trap. The best way to proceed when you see cars parked along side the road is to slow down and stop (after checking the road sides for safety) and then inspect the cars or potential road blocks for signs of movement from afar, using the binoculars.

If someone starts firing on you while you are moving, do not speed up to an unsafe speed. If a bullet hits your tires while traveling very fast you will lose control. Do not bother returning fire, you will miss (unless they are literally a few feet outside of your window). It would also be wise to have a gun in hand to let anyone hiding know you are armed while passing through/approaching any suspicious areas.

If you need to rest, cook, or use the restroom, use your judgment. Pull off somewhere you do not expect any traffic. People, however, may be more likely to mess with you if there are not a lot of people around to object to their behavior, so use your best judgment. Obviously, keep the car locked when you are away from it, and take a long gun and a handgun with you. Keep the handgun concealed. For sleeping in a rural area, conceal the car as much as possible and if at all possible do not sleep in the car. Sleeping in the car will ensure you will not hear anyone approaching your position. Sleep in a tarp near to the car; near enough to keep an eye on it. If sometime during the night someone does come knocking on the car, you will be in a much better tactical situation than if you were basically trapped inside the car caught asleep.

  1. Take your BOB with you when you leave the car!
  2. If someone approaches you while you are outside of the car, put the front of the car (where the engine is) between you and the direction they are approaching from. This is the best place on the car to stop bullets.

If you are forced to sleep in a non-rural area where people will definitely be around you, do not sleep in the front seat. Sleep in the back near the gas cap. Hang some sheets up in the car so people cannot see in. The sheet makes it hard for anyone to know how many people are inside. Sleeping near the gas cap lets you hear when someone tries to steal your gas. Leaving a window cracked will help you hear outside.

Operating the Guns

Tips on shooting:

  1. You are almost always better off avoiding/fleeing from any confrontations than you are standing your ground and fighting.
  2. Take your shots slowly. With the long guns, one shot per second is more than fast enough. Slow controlled fire is the idea. Use the scope!
  3. Never jerk the trigger. Always take slow controlled squeezes for every shot.
  4. Whenever possible, rest your gun or body against the ground or a tree to steady yourself. (This will also provide cover and minimize your cross section in the sights of your foes.)
  5. For the handguns, keep one arm relatively straight out in front of you and the other arm bent. Locking both arms out in front will cause you to have an uncontrolled recoil.
  6. Focus on the FRONT gun site, not the rear site. This will keep your aim much more controlled.
  7. Treat every gun as if it is loaded at all times. (Make sure it is empty before cleaning!)
  8. Know your target and beyond. (Do not fire at a squirrel climbing up the neighbor’s house.)
  9. The safety can and WILL fail. (Dropping your gun may get you shot.)

Taking Care of and Using the Guns

In the BOB. you should have packed the gun oil and some cleaning swabs. Since you probably will not be firing the guns much at all, your main concern is keeping them rust- and dirt-free. There are two types of cleaning methods you will need to master: (1) cleaning the barrel and (2) cleaning the action and gun innards. The instructions below are limited. The owner’s manuals for all of the guns are with our stored supplies; read them and actually practice taking the weapons apart, if you have time.

Cleaning the barrel is pretty easy. No gun take down is required. You will need to have packed the: (1) gun cleaning rods, which are gold-colored; there are three of them that screw together, or you can use the smaller wire cleaning kit that is in the BOB, (2) small and large patch holders– one is for the 22 and the other for the larger calibers, (3) gun cleaning solvent, (4) gun oil, which comes as both a spray and a regular oil, found in a can in the “liquids” Tupperware and another oil bottle in the BOB, (5) patches, which are little squares of fabric that can also be made out of other non-synthetic fabrics in a pinch; don’t use synthetic fabrics as the oils may break them down inside the barrel, and (6) wire brushes for each caliber of gun. To clean the barrel, assemble the cleaning roads (all three for long guns, only one section for pistols) and first attach the proper size patch. Add only a few drops of gun oil to the patch. Do not use a full size pad for the 22 as it could get stuck inside the barrel, rip off 1/3 of the small patch. For the other calibers you may also need to rip the patches smaller. You just want enough patch for slight resistance as you run it through the barrel. You may only need to run it through a few times to get any bits of sticks or dust that entered the barrel out. Change patches when they get fouled. Repeat until when you look down the barrel it seems clean and slightly shiny. You should not see any beads of oil inside the barrel; this can actually be dangerous, as it can cause your barrel to explode if you fire it. So, if you think you used too much oil, simply run a dry patch through.

If you have to fire the guns a bunch, you may look down the barrel after cleaning and see there is still dirt in there (or your patches still come out dirty). To get this more stubborn dirt out, put some cleaning solvent on a patch and run that through. Follow this patch with the wire brush a few times. Then run through some dry patches until they come out clean. If you cannot see anymore sticky deposits, send through an oil patch and you are done. If there is still a lot of dirty specks, repeat the process with solvent and the wire brush until the barrel is clean.

If you stick the barrel into the dirt, clean it as soon as possible (ASAP) because shooting it while plugged with dirt could cause it to explode. You can flush the barrel with water to save on cleaning patches and gun oil. Do not worry, it will not rust so long as you follow up with some oil when you clean it after the water flushing.

Cleaning the innards of the gun: The aim here is to clean the action/magazines/trigger assemblies/bolts of each gun. For all guns, you should never try to take apart the trigger mechanism! Limited take down instructions for each gun are listed below, but none of them have you taking apart the trigger assembly. To clean the innards, your aim should be to remove any dirt you can see using a water flush or cleaning patches, followed by a light oil coating. (Folding a cleaning patch over a stick is helpful to get into small places.) You should only need to flush with water if you drop the gun in the mud. Again, if you see beads of gun oil, you put too much on. Too much oil is bad inside the gun because it can seep into your bullets and cause them to malfunction. Therefore, be especially light when oiling around the magazine. For the magazine itself, you want to be sure you clean those as well. You should not feel or hear any scratching as you slide bullets into and out of the magazines. Dirt in your magazine can cause the gun to jam up or not feed correctly.

22 Long Rifle

The 22 has a “push button” safety. The safety is “on” when you push the cylinder located adjacent to the trigger from the left side. When you push this cylinder from the right, you will see a small red band on it sticking out from the left side. This means the safety is “off”.

The magazine release is located directly above where the magazine is fed. Simply push it along the long axis of the gun to remove a magazine.

After a fresh magazine is placed into the gun, you must pull back on the “charging” lever and let it slam forward. Now the gun is ready to fire. After you have emptied a magazine, the action will stay open. You need to put in a new magazine and then pull back on the “charging” lever and let it slam forward.

Sometimes you will pull the trigger and nothing will happen; this is because the bullet was a dud, which is not uncommon with the 22 LR ammo. Simply pull back on the “charging” lever and the bad bullet will get ejected and a new one inserted into the chamber.

The gun can jam. The most common way is a failed feeding/ejecting attempt, meaning a bullet may or may not have been successfully ejected, and the new bullet failed do go into the chamber. When this happens, you must “jimmy” the “charging” lever back until the lever is free to slide forward and a fresh round is chambered.

To get into the “innards” of this gun, you must remove two screws that connect the receiver to the stock. After the stock is off, you need to push out a pin that is located on the side near the back of the receiver. Now you have access to pretty much everything you need to clean the gun for the amount of training you can glean from a few sentences. Refer to the full manual for more complete take down instructions.

12 Gauge Shot Gun

The 12 gauge has a “thumb slide“ safety. It is located on the back top of the gun, where your thumb can easily move it. When it is pushed forward, you will see a red dot and this means the safety is “off”.

To load the gun (from being totally empty): (1) slide the pump towards the trigger (2) insert a round into the action (3) slide the pump forward and the round should be fed into the chamber/barrel (4) now you can push rounds into the feeding tube located under the barrel.

To simply add more rounds while there is a round already chambered, simply push rounds into the feeding tube located under the barrel.

Unlike the 22, I have never had this gun jam nor had a misfire.

To get to the “innards”, unscrew the bolt that is located on the end of the feed tube (where the pump slides on). Then you will be able to “wiggle” the barrel free from the receiver by rotating it back and forth and pulling on it (in the direction away from the butt of the stock). You can wipe away any dirt and spray oil into the gun from this state pretty easily. This really does not get you into the “innards”, so refer to the owner’s manual with photos; it is with the supplies and has pictures!

9 mm Pistol

The 9 mm is a little confusing. On the left side of the gun there are three knobs of metal. This first (from the barrel end to the grip end) is a take down knob, the second is a slide release, and the third is the safety. The safety is engaged when it is pushed “up”. When it is down you will see some red paint.

To take the gun apart, you need to push down on the first knob. You kind of have to wiggle it back and forth until you get it into a sweet spot. The idea here is that this knob holds in a pin that you need to remove, so we need to push this knob down and out of the way. Try with your finger; if you cannot do it with your finger, use a screw driver to force it down. Once you get this knob pushed down, you need to go to the other side of the gun and push on the small pin that is located directly over the trigger. In order to see the pin, you need to push back on the slide until the pin comes into view. So you need to apply pressure to the slide and be pushing the pin out while simultaneously pushing on the pin from the right side of the gun. Once the pin pops out, the top of the gun will slide off. You can now clean the outside of the barrel, the big springs by the barrel, and every other exposed part of the inside of the gun. Make sure to clean the tracks where the top part of the gun slides.

To operate the 9 mm, you simply insert a loaded magazine and pull back on the slide. The gun will automatically load a round into the chamber and be ready to fire. You have done this before! The gun will fire until it jams or runs out of ammunition. After the last shot, the slide will stay in the back position. This lets you know you need to reload. You simply put a new magazine in and pull back on the slide and release; it will fly forward.

If this gun jams, you need to get the jammed bullet out of the way. I have never had this happen (unlike with the 22), so I assume you just “jimmy” the slide until the bullet pops out. The important thing is to somehow get the jammed bullet out of the way. Causes for jamming can be dirt in the gun itself, or on the bullets (dirty magazine). Clean it often!

45-caliber Pistol

The safety on the 45 is on the left side of the gun. It is a little lever that moves up and down. In the down position the gun’s safety is not engaged and you will see some red paint.

To disassemble the 45, you need to push back the slide until the two small indents on the slide and the bottom part of the gun match up. Then, and only then will you be able to push out the pin that holds the slide onto the bottom part of the gun. Essentially, you are doing the same thing you did for the 9 mm, but there is not a knob you need to push down first. The pin in this case is attached to something named a “slide step”. It is a lever connected to a pin. You simply pull on the lever while simultaneously pushing back on the slide.

To operate the 45, you simply insert a loaded magazine and pull back on the slide. The gun will automatically load a round into the chamber and be ready to fire. You have done this before! The gun will fire until it jams or runs out of ammunition. After the last shot, the slide will stay in the back position. This lets you know you need to reload. You simply put a new magazine in and pull back on the slide and release; it will fly forward.

If this gun jams, you need to get the jammed bullet out of the way. I have never had this happen (unlike with the 22), so I assume you just “jimmy” the slide until the bullet pops out. The important thing is to somehow get the jammed bullet out of the way. Causes for jamming can be dirt in the gun itself, or on the bullets (dirty magazine). Clean it often!

General Defensive Attitude

  1. When in doubt, do not “borrow” anything from anyone. Some communities/individuals will most likely be killing looters on site or worse.
  2. Even for trained individuals fire fights are very, very dangerous. With no operating emergency services, even getting “nicked” by a bullet could kill you. Try to avoid as much human contact as possible.
  3. Put more trust in people you find that still have their family unit intact. A group of four men is much more likely to have the Lord of the Flies mentality than a man and his wife with their kids. That still does not mean they will not take what they need from you if they can.
  4. Rely on your own EXCELLENT judgment when it comes to joining forces with anyone you meet.

Staying Put

If you deem it is impossible to travel by foot or car for whatever reason, you need to radically change life at our home. Basically, you need to adapt each of the sections in this article to life at home. Below I will give some recommendations on doing so.

Supply Cache

First off, you do not want all of your supplies located (1) within plain sight within the house, or (2) within the house. You should both hide/camouflage your supplies and split them up between a cache located outside the house (preferably buried in the yard) and a cache hidden somewhere in the house. The idea here is to treat your caches like grocery store visits. Visit them rarely, and only keep a small amount of supples out of the cache at any given moment. This limits the chance anything will be stolen or burned in the event of a fire. For the outside cache, you need to make it water- and animal-proof. I recommend digging a hole large enough for the galvanized trash can in the back yard. This will keep out rodents and should be pretty water tight. Place all supplies in plastic within the cache and camouflage the top to look like a garden. For the inside cache, we already have one built, and you know where it is. If you leave by foot, you cannot carry both long guns. Leave the 12 gauge behind in the buried cache with extra ammo as well.

Water at Home

For water, obviously you do not want to be leaving the property to go down to the retention ponds by the highway. This leaves the house unguarded and you exposed. Instead, you must try to collect and store water.

  1. While the city water is still running, fill every container you can find with water! Do not forget about all of the wine making equipment and the kegs in the shed!
  2. Pull the trash bins around to the back of the house (within the fence line) and place them under the gutter down spouts. You will have to “rip” the down spouts free from the house to get them to feed directly into the trash cans. Those cans will hold hundreds of gallons of water. Treat this water as described in the section on water.
  3. Remember there will be water in the hot water tank and in the tank on top of the toilet.
  4. You can make little “ponds” by digging holes in the yard where you know we already have run off issues and lining them with plastic sheeting (tarps, garbage bags, etc.).

Home Heating and Cooking

For heating the house, we do not have a wood stove nor propane. As we have a very limited supply of wood in our neighborhood, I do not think a heating stove is worth the effort to construct. As we lack stove piping, it would be quite unsafe, too. Instead, focus on making small cooking fires OUTSIDE of the house. Most “preppers” seem to agree that the majority of well-populated city areas will burn. I also agree, but perhaps not so much due to looting as to people trying to make fires for warmth or cooking.

Home Fortifying

The doors on our home will not withstand a few kicks. In addition, the doors have glass panels near the locks which make breaking into our house child’s play. You should begin fortifying our home by nailing boards across the glass portions of the doors. Then, nail a piece of wood across the short axis of the door about half way up. Next, nail another board into the floor parallel to the door. Next, measure and cut two or three boards to get jammed under the board you nailed to the door and resting on the board you nailed onto the floor. Draw this out on a scrap of paper and it will become obvious what I am having you build. Since this will now keep our doors from being easily kicked in, you will have more time to escape or defend yourself if someone is breaking down the door.

In addition to blockading the doors, I would also cover the windows in plywood. There are plywood sheets in the shed. (They actually are being used currently as a shelf in the shed). You can use interior doors to cover windows as well!

For home defense, I would pick two places on our property to “fortify”. We have sandbags in the attic and a shovel in the shed. The goal would be to have one place within the house you sleep in that also has a good view of the front door/front of the house. You must knock small holes in our walls to get a better view (use the stud finder in the garage). Similarity, I would construct a bunker at the highest point in the backyard near the fence. Dig deep enough that you can sit comfortably and only the top of you head is above the ground. I do not recommend actually using these bunkers to defend the house. You have no tactical training. Your best bet to avoid getting injured is to stay alert and avoid threats. If you have properly cached your supplies, no one should find the bulk of your supplies, if they enter our home. This means, however, you need somewhere to go when they are in our house. That is why the outside bunker was dug. You should try to camouflage this bunker as you did the outside cache. consider putting the wheel barrow over it. Even better would be to construct it such that it looks like a pile of leaves with only an opening for you to see and potentially shoot out of. Inside the bunker, you will have the advantage. Your bullets will rip right through our house. Any bad guy taking cover below the windows or around the side of our house will get hit, if you simply aim where you see them hiding.

Home Modus Operandi

At night and during the day, you want to keep as low a profile as possible.

  1. Pull the van into the garage.
  2. Keep cooking fires as small as possible. Put them out with water, if you can spare it, so you save wood and reduce smoke.
  3. Try not to use ANY light at night. It will ruin your night vision and make our house a beacon for people outside, although, after the windows have been boarded, it will be hard to see any light.
  4. Try to minimize both the amount of time you spend outside and contact with our neighbors. I would consider getting into the back yard through a window rather then the gate in order to reduce the amount of time you spend outside of our fence and therefore in the “open”.
  5. DRILL! DRILL! DRILL! Practice moving from inside to your outside “bunker”. Practice reloading the guns as fast as you can. Basically always be asking yourself “what if” types of questions and then coming up with a solution. Then, practice that solution!

For gardening at home, read Carla Emery’s “Encyclopedia of Country Living,” especially the section of the book on growing vegetables. Then read, “The Seed to Seed” book by Ashworth. We have more seeds saved than space on our lot. Keep our seeds cool and dry; store them in the outdoor cache underground in an airtight container. I will say no more here regarding gardening other than use the 22 to get the rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons ASAP!

Purchase Plan

In the event stores are still open, please consult the book by Rawles called “How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It”. He has chapters on what to buy and how to buy it. Focus on buying (1) salt (get 50-lb blocks from the farm supply store), (2) rice, (3) wheat berries (or flour, but we have a flour mill!), (4) corn (preferably whole corn; try the animal supply company near our home first, and buy as much as you can get into the van), (5) oats (try the animal supply company near our home first, and buy as much as you can get into the van), (6) fat and oils (peanut butter, cooking oils, and such), (7) powdered milk (gets lots of baby formula, if possible, for the kids), (8) canned meat, (9) sugar, and (10) canned fruit and vegetables.

Discussion and Conclusion

This article is meant to give you a sense of preparedness. However, there is a reason astronauts have PhD’s and must be great problem-solvers; you can never be prepared for everything! Inevitably, you will need to improvise when some of your gear breaks or gets lost or stolen. This is the fun part; how can you manipulate the objects around you to improve your chance at survival. Keep a good open imagination and a positive attitude, and with luck you will be fine!

[1] United Nations entity for gender equality, the empowerment of women: Fast facts: statistics on violence against women and girls. URL http://www.endvawnow.org/en/articles/299-fast-facts-statistics-on-violence-against-women-and-girls-.html.

Letter: Good Find at Aldis / Carrying Blankets

Hugh,

I found Aldis tuna and chicken salad packs for $1.19. It comes with a small can of chicken or tuna salad and crackers to eat it on. It’s not the lightest most calorie-packed food you can buy to walk and carry, but it has a descent taste and us good for the car/day trips or short-term power outage at home.

When I lived in the South I once broke down and had to take a taxi home. I emptied my trunk of emergency supplies, including six army wool blankets I had bought from the thrift store. The taxi driver was saying how it doesn’t get “that” cold! I saw the report about the traffic jam in Atlanta due to the mass exodus and remembered his reaction. These folks living in the suburbs and commuting have money and can afford blankets from the thrift store and dry food like granola bars or peanut butter crackers for their vehicle. When I hear about the mothers not having food for their toddlers, I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t have a little water, food, and blankets in their cars. – L.E.

Letter: Battery Charger

Dear SurvivalBlog,

This is the best charger I have ever used:

Powerex MH-C800S Eight Cell Smart Charger has eight independent slots for AA/AAA batteries. It’s like having eight chargers! It has a deep-cycle conditioning worldwide power supply, a smaller light weight power adapter, and both soft and rapid charging speeds. BATTERIES ARE NOT INCLUDED!

The MH-C800S features eight independent slots that can charge one to eight AA or AAA batteries in any combination in around one to two hours! The unit also incorporates a large, easy-to-read LCD screen featuring the charging status of each battery. This new charger uses the same precision microprocessor as its professional sister, model MH-C801D. The user can choose between a soft and a fast charge mode. The soft charge delivers the highest battery life and allows 100% compatibility with older, lower capacity batteries. The fast charge allows eight batteries to be fully charged to their maximum capacity in as little as one to two hours. The eight-cell charger is embedded with a high-rate battery conditioner that will charge, deep-discharge and recharge batteries automatically for maximum performance. The cycle restores the batteries to their optimal performance level minimizing the memory effect. Batteries that were previously thought ready for the recycle bin can be brought back to life. The MH-C800S can be used anywhere around the world using the included switching AC power supply– perfect for home, office, and travel. – C.G.