Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week I kept busy berry picking with Lily, and catching up on projects around the Rawles Ranch. One of those was hanging a new tube gate on our main corral. I finally found a suitably heavy-duty tube gate. It is built to the same specifications as the panels for our bullpen. So the new gate is truly “Bull Strong.”  (Our bull had destroyed the previous one, made of lighter-gauge steel.) The gate came with some huge threaded hinge support bolts. But they were about an inch shorter than the diameter of the existing cedar gate post, so I countersank the washers and nuts. That was a fairly quick and easy job.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.

And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.

Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.

And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you.

And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.

And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also.

And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.” – Deuteronomy 9:9-21 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — August 2, 2024

On August 2nd, 1973, American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas and starring Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howard premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland.

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August 2, 1909, the Army Air Corps was formed as Army took first delivery from the Wright Brothers.

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August 2nd was the birthday of Peter O’Toole (1932–2013). When his name is mentioned, Lawrence of Arabia immediately comes to mind. But one of my favorites was his 1971 film titled Murphy’s War. That film had some very memorable seaplane flying scenes.

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August 2, 1972: Gold hit a record $70 per Troy ounce in London.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.

Handloading to Getting Top Performance from Classic Rifles

For the same reasons that the military has developed high-performance ammunition, I’ve worked hard to find this load in a common cartridge that is the .30-06 and 6.5×55 for my personal rifles.  It is competitive or superior at mid range to extreme long ranges out to 1,200 yards with .300 Winchester Magnum commercial hunting loads, because the bullets used have extremely high ballistic coefficients.  Like the .300 Win Mag, 7mm Magnum, .30-06, and others in this class, they are good all-around cartridges for any task at hand.

The online Hodgdon Reloading Center lists a maximum load using 59.7 grains of Superformance behind a standard 180 grain lead core bullet that can produce as much as 2,840 fps with only 57,600 psi.  The maximum pressure for .3006 is 60,000 psi, so there is room to tune the load to your rifle for best accuracy.  Given the data at the Hodgdon Reload Center, IMR 4955 is another slow-burning powder that will produce similar velocities in the .30-06.  While H4350 will produce the best accuracy and nearly 2,800fps for this bullet weight in most .30-06 rifles and is very temperature stable, Superformance produces a tad higher velocity at lower pressures and that is exactly what I need for ranges under 600 yards. However,  if I am looking for a precision load for the .30-06 then H4350 is the power for 180-grain bullets, but just try to find some for sale.  H4350 is the magic powder for many rifles such as .30-06 and 6.5CM and in high demand.
Continue reading“Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the decline of the Canadian Standard of Living. (See the Economy & Finance section.)

Precious Metals:

Those dastardly COMEX Silver Shorts have been up to their mischief again, pushing down the price of silver contracts. When I checked on Thursday morning, spot silver was at $28.75, while spot gold was at $2,460.10 per Troy ounce. That equates to a silver-to-gold price ratio of 85.56-to 1.  So, I consider this a good time to either buy physical silver, or to ratio trade out of some of your gold into silver.

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Chris Powell: Suppressing Silver Prices Has Been Official US Policy Since 1965.

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Reader H.L. suggested this piece by Daniel Lacalle: Central Banks Purchase Gold to Offset Their Own Money Destruction.

Economy & Finance:

Mid-Day Update: The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down more than 950 points, on Friday morning.  Buckle up!

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Study: Canadians Experiencing Worst Standard of Living in 40 Years.

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Credit card delinquency rates hit worst level since 2012 in new Fed study.

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Ten Points About Post-Lockdown Economics. Here is a key quote:

“Stimulus was wiped out by inflation. When the checks started arriving directly in bank accounts, people were doing absolutely nothing at home, and business was getting revenue from government even when their doors were closed, it seemed like some Nirvana had dawned. Riches were flowing from heaven. That lasted about 18 months. Once inflation came along, the purchasing power of those dollars was zapped away. Money creation had been on a level never before seen in modern times; some $6 trillion was created out of thin air to buy stunning amounts of debt. It was all taxed away in the most ancient scheme of tricking the public.”

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Young adults living with parents hit 1940s levels, driven by high costs. Economic disparity grows, with 1% holding 49% of stocks.

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At Zero Hedge: 134-Year-Old American Furniture Chain Files For Bankruptcy, Closes All 553 Stores.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — August 1, 2024

I’m pleased to announce that a new prize has been added to the First Prize package, for the SurvivalBlog writing contest. The good folks at HSM Ammunition in Stevensville, Montana are now providing a $250 gift certificate, starting with this latest writing contest round that begins today (Round 114.)  The certificate can be used for any of their products. If you haven’t tried their ammo, take a look at their website and check out their broad line of top-quality newly-manufactured cartridges.  They even make mild “Cowboy” loads that are suitable for antique revolvers.

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August 1st is celebrated as Swiss Independence Day, in recognition of the signing of the Federal Charter of 1291, which united Switzerland’s first three cantons. As of 2024, Switzerland has been free and independent for 733 years. Having a well-armed populace has assured that.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

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But first, we are posting the results of the judging for Round 113.

Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced: Round 113

We’ve completed the judging for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  Round 113 began on June 1, 2024, and ended on July 31, 2024. (The contest runs in rounds that each last two months.) The prize-winning writers for Round 113 are:

First Prize

First Prize goes to A.F., for: Stocking Up: OTC Medications Part 1 and Part 2. It was posted on July 9 &10, 2024.

He will receive the following prizes:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $359 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson
SECOND Prize

Second Prize goes to A Grateful Mechanic for Unexpected Homelessness: An AAR. It was posted on July 25, 2024. He will receive the following prizes:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!
Third Prize

Third Prize goes to Lodge Pole for Building a Utility Trailer, by (Part 1 and Part 2), posted July 26 & 27, 2024). He will receive the following prizes:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.
Honorable Mention

Each Honorable Mention Prize winner has been awarded a transferable and accruable $100 FRN purchase credit toward the purchase of any antique or percussion replica gun from Elk Creek Company.

Honorable Mention Prizes go to the writers of these 10 articles:

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More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 is now underway and will end on July 31, 2024.

Please 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.

Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction

I would argue that if Donald Trump’s would-be-assassin on July 13, 2024 had used a bullet with a higher ballistic coefficient, or if the wind had changed, regardless of the cartridge actually used, then Trump would have been killed or gravely injured.  How is it that Trump turned his head just before the bullet passed by?  This attempt on Trump’s life is a clear indication of the lateness of the hour.  Only by an act of God do we have more time to prepare.  Like many other SurvivalBlog readers, I was an admirer of the late Bob Griswold who often advised only half-jokingly:  “Panic early and beat the rush.”  There is always one last thing that can be done to better prepare ourselves.

JWR Adds: I am sure that most would agree, that we are glad that the would-be-assassin was an ignorant klutz.

Use the opportunity to get it done now.  And if we can not afford to buy more stuff, then we can use the opportunity and time to learn a valuable skill.  As the defense of our lives and home will be job number one, rifle marksmanship skills are at the top of the list.  Most own guns, yet do not know how to shoot them.  Fix that. The Swiss have a shooting culture that is different than America’s gun culture. The Swiss know how to shoot well at long range.  It is a national pastime.  Gotta ask why?  Because it works as a mainstay for their country’s defense.  In stark contrast, we own lots and lots of guns and ammo, yet do not know how to shoot like the average Swiss.  I say, use it or lose it.

The military has developed special ammunition for longer ranges for good reason. The attempt on Trump’s life goes to show us why choosing 75/77 grain OTM ammunition versus ammunition with 55 grain bullets in .223/5.56 NATO cartridges is important. Wind deflection is the most important factor that will cause us to miss targets inside of 200 yards, and more so as the target is well beyond 200 yards. Hits count, misses do not.  The shooter was reportedly only 140 yards from Trump, but he still only grazed an ear.  While standing, I can reliably hit a 6″x 6″ target with a horribly inaccurate AK-47 off hand with iron sights at 100 yards, yet the shooter missed with a rifle capable of 3 MOA or much less!Continue reading“Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit”

July, 2024 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance and silver’s performance and examine the factors that affected the metal prices.

WHAT DID GOLD AND SILVER DO IN JULY?

Silver had another fairly volatile month, much as it has for the better part of 2024. The swings back and forth for prices have become increasingly frequent since the second quarter of the year began.

During July silver futures traded as low as $27.75/oz and as high as $31.43/oz, a significant spread of over 13%. Spot silver opened the month around $29.50/oz and concluded it 55 cents lower at $28.95.

In between, the argent metal rallied to its high point on July 11th. It held above $30/oz for a week before major price corrections for both silver and gold from July 17th–19th. Year-to-date silver is still up an impressive 31.2%.

Gold sank more than $100 over the course of the following week of trading after peaking around $2,480/oz. The gold price had climbed from its low point on July 1st of $2,327/oz and never fell below the $2,360 level even after the sharp sell-off, closing the month 5.2% higher at $2,448/oz.Continue reading“July, 2024 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we examine the new threat of de-orbiting space debris.

The Deadly Era of Space Junk

Tam suggested this piece, over at Scientific American: A New, Deadly Era of Space Junk Is Dawning, and No One Is Ready. (Editor’s Note: The photo above shows a contrail from either a piece of space debris or a meteor. It is a Creative Commons photo by Tony Netone.)

Federal Judge Upholds Chicago’s Ban on Gun Laser Sights

A news report over at The Epoch Times: Federal Judge Rejects Challenge to Chicago Ban on Gun Laser Sights.

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20 Universities Still Require Students to Get COVID Vaccine

A piece by Madelynn McLaughlin, first posted at The College Fix: “Unreasonable”: These 20 Universities Still Require Students Get COVID Vaccine.

2024 Paris Olympics: A Satanic Opening Ceremony

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Olympics Attempts To Hide Satanic Opening Ceremony After Massive Backlash. JWR’s Comment:  “And behold, a pale horse…”

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For the Christian there can be no social or political panaceas, no easy escapes from personal responsibility achieved by collectivising guilt or virtue. The true ends of temporal life lie beyond it, and, though the tyrannical State may diminish virtue, the benevolent State cannot procure it.” – Margaret Thatcher

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — July 31, 2024

The first ascent of K2 was made by an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio on July 31, 1954.

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And on July 31, 1958, the Anti-Chinese uprising began in Tibet.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece by fellow blogger Mrs. Alaska. Because it will also be posted to her blog, it will not be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

We are now seeking entries for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 begins tomorrow, August 1st. You can 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.

Two Inexpensive and Easy Food/Pollinator Crops, by Mrs. Alaska

In the past, people who migrated from one country or region to another invariably brought seeds with them. This is prudent. But many times, the plants of one ecosystem cannot grow in another, due to temperature or soil conditions. Imagine the problems (hunger) that ensued.

The most valuable seeds at the end of a journey, I imagine, were those that could grow the fastest to some edible stage in a variety of new locations, proliferate, set seeds, and repeat.

Here, I would like to sing the praises of two modest plants, wild and domesticated in a broad range of USDA planting zones, that grow fast, and are edible (flowers, leaves, stalks, in one case root, and in both, seeds).
Applause, please: Radish and mustard. (See nutritional data, below,)Continue reading“Two Inexpensive and Easy Food/Pollinator Crops, by Mrs. Alaska”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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An astute video essay from The Patriot Nurse: How To Prepare For Civil War.

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How a Perfect Storm Sent Church Insurance Rates Skyrocketing.

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An inspiring essay: The Value of an Aged Human Being.

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Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”