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:

We had a mostly rainy week here at the Rawles Ranch. Three of our four grandsons came for a four-night visit. That was mostly fun. While they were here, we assembled outdoor survival bug-out bags for them, and taught them how to use most of that gear. (The compass training, of course, will come when they are older, with some solid math skills.)

I replaced a post-mounted electrical outlet and light switch near the middle of our barn. They had been bashed by tumbling hay bales so many times over the past 17 years that they were becoming a hazard.  I replaced the cracked blue plastic (interior construction style) boxes with galvanized steel ones.  And now the outlets and the switch have proper heavy-duty outdoor covers.

I also kept busy packing and mailing Elk Creek Company orders.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.

Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.” – Joel 2:21-32 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — May 24, 2024

On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge—spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan Island in New York City— officially opened. It was designed by civil engineer John Augustus Roebling.

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The Sporter Sale Continues!  All 16 of the remaining sporterized Pre-1899 rifles in my inventory are on sale, at Elk Creek Company. By request from several readers, I’ve extended this sale for a full week, to end on Friday, May 31st.  When I last checked, we still had sporters available chambered in: .22-250, .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, 6.5×55 Mauser, 7×57 Mauser, .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO,  7.62x39mm, 7.65mm Argentine Mauser, and .45 ACP.

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Today’s feature article is an essay by Brandon Smith, Editor of Alt-Market.us. It is reposted with permission.

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We are in need  of entries for Round 112 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $875,000 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 112 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Unifying Principle: Why The Political Divisions In The US Today Cannot Be Mended, by Brandon Smith

Recently, I was watching a short documentary about the history of political discourse and division in the US and it got me thinking about how the internal conflicts of the past might relate to the rampant social battles Americans are dealing with today. From early disagreements between various Founding Fathers on hot-button issues like the Sedition Act, central banking, and standing armies, to epic and disastrous conflagrations like the Civil War, America has never been “of one mind” on everything.

Overall, though, the longstanding assumption is that even when we slip and fall into disarray Americans will find common ground and move on towards the future together. It’s a nice sentiment, but what if this ideal no longer applies?

There are some people that argue there was never a golden era for the US; that we’ve always been destructive, or exploitative, or “imperialist.” Of course, it’s very easy to examine any given time period through the lens of modern sensibilities and pass judgment. How we would do things today is not necessarily how we would do things yesterday. We can’t easily condemn the men and women of the past without at least recognizing that we will probably never see the issues of their day from their perspective.

The political left is the most egregious violator of this principle. They have a bad habit of trying to rewrite history according to their current ideological cultism and applying their taboos to time periods when civilization had very different views on how to function. The progressive philosophy is partially rooted in “futurism”; the idea that all old ideas and ways of doing things must be abandoned to make way for new methods. In other words, they think everything “new” is better and must be embraced.Continue reading“The Unifying Principle: Why The Political Divisions In The US Today Cannot Be Mended, by Brandon Smith”

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 market prospects for gold.

Precious Metals:

The new floor for spot silver seems to be around $30 USD per Troy ounce. Any time it drops lower in Western trading, the Asian traders quickly run it back up, with strong buying.

o  o  o

Jim Rickards: $27,000 Gold. A quote:

“This analysis begins with a simple question: What’s the implied non-deflationary price of gold under a new gold standard?

No central banker in the world wants a gold standard. Why would they? Right now, they control the machinery of global currencies (also called fiat money).

They have no interest in a form of money they can’t control. It took about 60 years from 1914–1974 to drive gold out of the monetary system. No central banker wants to let it back in.”

o  o  o

With Momentum In Its Favor, Gold Has Potential To Head Higher.

Economy & Finance:

A video essay from a familiar face with a quite sound Big Picture view of the global monetary milieu, pointing to an upcoming Dollar Collapse: Something Huge Is Unfolding in the Financial World. She summed it up with this: “The day of the Dollar’s reckoning is here.”

o  o  o

House Releases $1.5 Trillion Farm Bill, Teeing Up Duel With Senate.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site:

o  o  o

Martin W. Armstrong: US Consumer Sentiment Reaches 6-Month Low.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“You can always create a fraction by putting one variable upstairs and another variable downstairs, but that does not establish any causal relationship between them, nor does the resulting quotient have any necessary relationship to anything in the real world.” – Thomas Sowell

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — May 23, 2024

May 23, 1824 was birthday of Ambrose Burnside. He served as the Governor of Rhode Island from 1866 to 1869. During the American Civil War he was a general in the Union Army, where he led successful campaigns in North Carolina and Tennessee, but suffered defeats at the Battle of Fredericksburg and Battle of the Crater.

After his period as a governor, he served as a US Senator for Rhode Island from 1875 until his death in 1881, and also had a number of industrial directorships, most prominently on the country’s railroad networks.

His distinctive style of facial hair gave birth to the name “sideburns”, derived from his last name.

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The Sporter Sale Continues!  All 20 of the remaining sporterized rifles in my inventory are on sale, at Elk Creek Company. By request from several readers, I’ve extended this sale for a full week, to end on Friday, May 31st. When I last checked, we still had milsurp sporters available chambered in .22-250, .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, 6.5×55 Mauser, 7×57 Mauser,  .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO,  7.62x39mm, 7.65mm Argentine Mauser, and .45 ACP.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 112 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 $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:

  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. 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. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $875,000 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 112 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A Common Man’s Commo Plan, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction

Once our cell phones become unusable or useless, only then we’ll we fully appreciate the need for radio communications. I am writing this because I am painfully aware of how vulnerable we are. Please get “radioed-up” ASAP and use your equipment now and regularly to attain a baseline of proficiency. Satellite phones are not a good substitute for reliable old analog radios that are not dependent upon third-party infrastructure.

The Plan

The commo plan that I lay out in this article is simple, affordable, flexible (adaptable), and provides redundant capabilities and interoperability for the least amount of money.  It also requires the least amount of expertise, and no license to operate. Any plan should be well-rounded and cover as many possible contingencies as possible, within our budgets.

As security will be “Job One”, and because without comms you can not adequately coordinate a defense, and because few have a commo plan of any kind, and because most of us can not afford to buy everything we might need, I have some suggestions: I suggest these low cost and simple to operate handheld transceivers  as a first purchase to be used for a security operation and substitute for a local telephone system, and for general use, as the situation dictates.Continue reading“A Common Man’s Commo Plan, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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.

Warrantless Searches by Game Wardens: Unconstitutional

Blog reader R.W. suggested this article at Outdoor Life: Tennessee Judges Rein in Game Wardens, Declaring Warrantless Searches on Private Land Unconstitutional.

BLM Makes Major Policy Shift

More Chevron Deference “rulemaking”, expanding Federal bureaucratic power: BLM Adopts Rule Described as a ‘Generation-Defining’ Shift for America’s Largest Land Manager. Here is a quote:

“The Bureau of Land Management on Thursday adopted a long-awaited rule that aims to put conservation initiatives “on equal footing” with oil and gas leasing, grazing and other commercial uses of federal land.

The rule “combines our ongoing work with a vision for conservation to help us manage lands into the 21st century,” BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said in a video announcing the rule. “It ensures that the BLM can carry out its multiple-use and sustained-yield mission now and into the future — a mission that includes providing minerals, energy, forage, timber and recreational opportunities, and now a renewed commitment to conservation.”

This shift by the country’s largest land manager has been applauded by conservation and environmental organizations and criticized by oil and gas and agricultural groups.

It will, among other things, allow the BLM to lease land for “restoration” and “mitigation.” The agency said these leases will help it meet water security, biodiversity and climate objectives.”

Russian Rocket Tests 300 Miles from California Coast

B.G. sent this: Russian Rocket Booster, Not Military Exercise, Prompts Airspace Warning Off California.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship of followers; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy of thinkers; it moved to Italy and became the institution of an Empire; it moved to Europe and became a cultural ethos; and it came to America and became a business enterprise.” – Pastor Sam Pascoe

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — May 22, 2024

On May 22, 334 BC, the Macedonian army of Alexander the Great defeated Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus.

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The War of the Roses began on May 22, 1455. From History.com’s description: “In the opening battle of England’s War of the Roses, the Yorkists defeat King Henry VI’s Lancastrian forces at St. Albans, 20 miles northwest of London. Many Lancastrian nobles perished, including Edmund Beaufort, the Duke of Somerset, and the king was forced to submit to the rule of his cousin, Richard of York. The dynastic struggle between the House of York, whose badge was a white rose, and the House of Lancaster, later associated with a red rose, would stretch on for 30 years.”

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May 22, 1859 is also the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 112 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 $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:

  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. 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. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $875,000 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 112 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Mental Preparedness for a Free Life, by Mrs. M.

What does this sound like, to you?

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (2 Tim 3:1-5)

To me, this sounds like a description of the present day. There are so many places that one could take an article about these verses. I want to focus on the last part: having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. The truth has great power and being able to live in and tell the truth to ourselves and others is one of our most powerful weapons.

This comes up in so many places in our lives. How many times have we been afraid to speak up about something that would be deemed “phobic” – transphobic, homophobic, xenophobic, about something that was actually not based in fear but in truth? One does not need to be afraid of those identifying as transexual to not want children to be allowed to make decisions that change their bodies, hormones, and core self-concept when they are not considered old enough to be allowed to vote, marry, or fight in wars; yet doctors and mental health professionals encourage their autonomy in this. As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), I have seen colleagues write letters for elementary school children to start the transformation process. It is something I stand against for the obvious reasons above and medical reasons such as the increased depression, suicidal ideation, and permanent physical illness that these processes can cause. So, the question is, as Judeo-Christian people, why are we denying the power of the truth and stating the obvious? It is like the story where the emperor was not wearing any clothes, but no one wanted to say so.Continue reading“Mental Preparedness for a Free Life, by Mrs. M.”

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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Some great news! GOA, GOF Help Secure Temporary Restraining Order Against Biden’s Universal Background Check Rule.  Here is a quote:

“Today, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) helped secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Biden ATF’s new Universal Registration Check rule, which could require any person who sells just one gun in a year to obtain a Federal Firearms License and conduct background checks.

The rule was slated to take effect on May 20th, but under the TRO, it may not be enforced against the individual plaintiff, the citizens of the State of Texas, and members of GOA, GOF, the Tennessee Firearms Association, and the Virginia Citizens Defense League.”

JWR’s Comment:  This legal protection is another good reason to join the GOA!

o  o  o

Reader Mike M. sent this suggestion:

“I think as prepared citizens we purchase supplies in stages. After the initial stage of defense we begin stocking up on food related items or ways to secure food for the depression era that is coming. Luckily my grandparents and parents told me countless stories of the depression era and what they could not get. One story told to me was about fishing in a small creek during the dry months when the water was basically still or flowing very little. They would take green walnuts, hulls and all, place them in a burlap bag and beat them to a pulp. They then took them to a creek and “sloused ” them around in the water where it was pooled several feet deep. This reaction, as i was told, took the oxygen from the water and the fish would float to the surface to be picked up.

I live near water of all types. I have prepared for fishing for a long time and have recently purchased extra supplies. I have put back a turtle trap, gill nets, catfish hoops/traps, bream traps, and trot lines. There is an outlet called Nets and More located in Jonesville, Louisiana. They build nets or anything associated with fishing. They have remnants of gill net that is as cheap as you can get. About $5 and up, depending on what you need. Did you know you can catch birds and other animals in nets?  Just place them near a feed area. Use small netting sizes for this. Good luck.”

o  o  o

How Many Gun Owners are in America? (2024 Statistics).

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 21, 2024

On May 21, 1871, French regular troops began their attack on the Commune de Paris — an attempted French revolutionary government that seized power and barricaded streets in Paris from 18 March to 28 May, 1871. By July 28th, 17,000 had died.

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On May 21, 32, after flying for 17 hours from Newfoundland, Amelia Earhart landed near Londonderry, Northern Ireland, becoming the first transatlantic solo flight by a woman.

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Today is the birthday of English poet Alexander Pope.  (Born May 21, 1688, died May 30, 1744.) In addition to his own poetical works and essays, he translated the Iliad and then the Odyssey. He also issued a new edition of Shakespeare‘s works.

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May 21st is also the birthday of weapons designer John Douglas Pedersen. (Born 1881, died 1951.) His name is almost synonymous with the short-lived Pedersen Device — a conversion kit that turned a Model 1903 Springfield bolt action rifle into a semi-automatic “trench broom.”

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The Sporter Sale is On!  For just the next four days, all of the sporterized rifles in my inventory are on sale, at Elk Creek Company. This sale ends at midnight Pacific Time, Friday, May 24th, so order soon.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 112 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 $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:

  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. 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. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $875,000 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 112 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.