Letter Re: Switching to AR-10 Rifles

James:
I happened to notice that in a recent posting you’d mentioned transitioning at your ranch from a FAL platform to a Stoner-designed AR-10. I imagine that a number of your readers would be interested in how this decision came about. I’ll I bet a number of other readers would be interested to hear why. – P. Z. in Arizona

JWR Replies: The decision to switch to AR-10s was based upon the following factors:

1.) Training compatibility. Since my kids all did their transitional training to high power shooting using M4geries, and some of them might end up serving in the U.S. military.

2.) Parts shortages and expense. The supply of L1A1 (and FAL) parts is definitely drying up.  So there is the question of long term sustainability for our firearms battery. A nice British L1A1 parts set (sans receiver) now sells for $500 or more. As of 2005, military rifle parts sets could no longer be imported with barrels because of a BATF dictate. Meanwhile, AR-10 parts are getting more and more common, and falling in price, since there are now more than 15 AR-10 makers in the States

3.) Magazine commonality with HK91s. Since we have a couple of HK91 clones here at the ranch, it will be nice to be able to share magazines.

4.) Weight. AR-10s weigh more than a pound less than a FAL, L1A1, BM-59, HK91, or M1A. So for the same weight as an iron-sighted L1A1, we can carry an AR-10 with an Trijicon ACOG scope.

5.) Magazine availability. I’m the sort that likes to have a dozen or more spare magazines on hand for each rifle. L1A1 magazines are now selling for more than $30 each, new in the wrapper. Metric FAL magazines cost just a bit less. But because a huge quantity of magazines was released by the German government scrap metal prices HK G3 alloy magazines now sell for less than $6 each in new or like-new condition, and can often be found for under $3 each, used. Steel ones are just a couple dollars more. The U.S. is now awash in G3 magazines, since the German government apparently sold off even their large war reserve of magazines. The folks at KeepShooting.com even have some that are still brand new in the German Ordnance 5-packs, even though they were made in the 1960s.

For anyone who is considering buying an AR-10, I strongly recommend buying one that is made by CMMG or SI Defense. Both of these companies offer AR-10 variants that use the inexpensive HK G3 magazines. (Be sure to specify the “G3 magazine compatible” lower receiver when look for a rifle) And do yourself a favor: Buy 50 spare HK magazines per rifle. That will insure a multi-generational supply of magazines for your family. I expect several other AR-10 makers to soon begin producing rifles that can accept the ubiquitous G3 magazine. Someday, you grandchildren will thank you for your foresight.

Letter Re: Hidden Entrances, and Secret Rooms

If you do a web search for “hidden entrances” or “secret room” you’ll see some photos and video of various novelties like bookcases on hinges and stairways that open up to reveal hidden rooms behind/under them. While these can be a lot of fun before SHTF, especially for kids, I just wanted to put out a warning that these types of entrances aren’t really concealed at all in a TEOTWAWKI situation. For starters, if you found these solutions on the Internet, then bad guys can find them too.

Even if they didn’t do their online research beforehand, you can bet that looters going through nice neighborhoods are going to figure out very quickly that some of them have safe rooms, and bookcases are the most common type of hidden entrance. Trapdoors under area rugs and safes behind picture frames on the wall are pretty easy to find, too.

You also need to factor in what your house is going to look like after a fire. If your hidden entrance is made of wood, i.e. a bookshelf, it’s not going to be there after a fire, and looters are going to see the metal door behind it and wonder what’s in there. You’re not planning for a fire, you say? But you are planning for TEOTWAWKI, right?

There’s no reason to rely on ineffective entrance concealment, because for little or no additional expense, you can create a hidden entrance that nobody’s going to find. I will briefly describe one type of hidden entrance that’s a vast improvement on the bookshelf door, make a general suggestion about hidden entrances, and then hint at what I’m putting into the house I’m building without giving the bad guys any details they could use.

Turning a basement entrance into a closet with a trapdoor in the floor is a solution that has been described before, but I would like to suggest a few measures to make it truly concealed:
1. Build the closet walls, ceiling and floor out of durable, fire-retardant materials, like concrete. You can retrofit an existing home this way, but the closet won’t stick out after a fire if the whole house is built out of said materials. 
2. Make the entire closet floor into a trapdoor, so that nobody can make out the outline of the door. This requires some precise construction, as the edges of the door need to be flush with the walls of the closet. Watch out for scratch/rub marks left on the walls when you open the door. Durable, fire-retardant carpet can be used to fudge the edges a little, and having walls made of a durable material can help. Think long and hard about what two materials you want to be rubbing up against each other when you open the trapdoor.
3. Whatever material you use for the floor of the closet, make sure it matches the flooring of the hallway immediately outside the door. You can be sure that a looter standing on a tile floor in your hallway and looking at a plywood floor in your closet is going to investigate further.
4. Make sure your trap door is every bit as solid as the floor in the hallway. If someone steps inside, there should be no give in the floor or unusual creaks. This part is tough because it works against another consideration, that you need to be able to open the door. Ideally, if you have a floor that’s 8-inch-thick concrete, then you want a trapdoor that’s also 8 inches of concrete, poured into a steel frame. The only problem with this type of door is that most people won’t be able to lift it.
5. Don’t have any visible handles on your trapdoor. This can be accomplished either by designing it so that a handle is not necessary, or using some sort of temporary handle that you can bring with you into the basement, so that it’s no longer usable for people outside.
6. If your trapdoor is going to be on hinges, then make sure that the hinges are concealed by the door when it’s in the closed position. Seeing hinges on the far wall when the closet door is opened is going to be a dead giveaway.
7. Finally, you should seriously consider a non-traditional trapdoor design that doesn’t lift to open. Instead, have a heavy concrete floor poured into a steel frame that is mounted on wheels that run on sturdy tracks underneath. Think garage door, only much sturdier and a single piece, not reticulated. When your basement is not in use, the door just rests in place, and doesn’t open when people step on it, because it’s too heavy to move easily. But when you need to open it, you just get inside the closet, plant your feet on the floor (use sneakers or bare feet for traction) and push your hands in the opposite direction against the doorframe. The floor then slowly slides back, revealing the staircase underneath. Once you and your loved ones are safely inside, you lock the door in the closed position from the inside in such a way that it’s held tight and doesn’t slide or rattle. One advantage of this design is that you can leave shoes or other items on the floor toward the front of the closet, as long as you don’t open it completely, and they’ll still be there when you close it.
8. For realism, go ahead and keep some shelves or a dresser in the closet. But bolt them to the wall so that they stay in place when you slide the floor, and make sure they’re not so wide that they block you from entering.

If you build an effective trapdoor entrance that resembles a closet floor in every possible way even to a determined investigator, then it’s extremely unlikely that a bad guy will find it. Or more precisely, if the bad guys find your basement, they will find it in some other way, for example finding out from your neighbors (you didn’t tell them, did you?), or by spotting your ventilation pipes.

The closet trapdoor entrance to the basement described above is what I’m building into my next house, but the basement is for friends/extended family. For the living quarters for myself and my immediate family, I’m going a whole order of magnitude better on the concealment front. I’m not going to describe the actual design of the entrance because I don’t want bad guys to read about it, but I will throw out a few general ideas to help fellow readers of SurvivalBlog.com think about their own designs.

1. The entrance to the secret bunker is from inside my safe room. This means that after entering the safe room, I have time to consider options, monitor the situation through video cameras, and make decisions. The bad guys won’t be able to get into the safe room for at least five minutes, probably much longer, so I can calm down and think about whether I want to call the police, surrender the house to the bad guys and retreat to the bunker, or even come out and fight. Another advantage is that bad guys are likely to stop looking for secret rooms once they get into my safe room. The general recommendation here is to give the bad guys a decoy, something to let them think they’ve figured it out. Yet another advantage is that I can tell trusted friends about the safe room and tell them that’s where I’m sleeping without letting them know about the existence of the bunker. I can also access the bunker at any time without anyone having a chance to see me doing so, if I keep the safe room locked.
2. My safe room has a semi-secret emergency exit separate from the entrance to the bunker. If the bad guys manage to use a cutting torch to get into the safe room, they will find the emergency exit quickly, and note that it’s open. That’s where they think I went. If I didn’t have an emergency exit, they would wonder where I am, and keep looking.
3. My bunker is outside the outline of my house. A bad guy can look at any house and think, “is there a basement under there or just a crawlspace?” Once they find a basement that matches the dimensions of the first floor, then they’re likely to stop looking.
4. The entrance to my bunker is concealed in such a way that bad guys would have to destroy some very durable materials to even be able to see that it’s there. However, I do not have to destroy anything to be able to open it.
5. I’m having contractors build the basic structure, but I’m building the hidden entrance and some other architectural elements myself, after they leave.

To sum up:
1. Use decoys. Give smart bad guys something that makes them think they’ve found everything. 
2. Don’t use hidden entrance designs that you’ve read about on the Internet. Come up with your own.
3. Don’t make a choice between concealment and ability to resist a brute force attack. Use both.
4. Better concealment is not necessarily more expensive. “Secret” doors that a kid can find can be more expensive than a truly secret door.

There’s a lot more that I could add, but I’m going to stop there for OPSEC reasons. I hope this is a useful starting point for readers to think of their own designs. Remember: if you invent, design and build the secret entrance yourself, then it can remain a secret. If you rely on commonly available templates or employ others to build it, then by definition it’s not a true secret. – With Regards, – Dale T.

Economics and Investing:

Several SurvivalBlog readers sent this: Euro zone finance ministers agreed a 130-billion-euro ($172 billion) rescue for Greece on Tuesday to avert an imminent chaotic default after forcing Athens to commit to unpopular cuts and private bondholders to take bigger losses.

G.G. flagged this: Congrats, US Government: You’re Scaring Web Businesses Into Moving Out Of The US. (SurvivalBlog’s recent server migration to Sweden is just one small example.)

Over at Whiskey & Gunpowder: Gather ye nickels while ye may…

Steve in Georgia sent this: Iranians desperate as dark economic clouds gather

Items from The Economatrix:

Editorial:  A Sand-Castle Recovery

Preparing For The Collapse Of The Petro-Dollar System

How The Fed Steals Your Life

US Economy Still Raising Questions

Odds ‘n Sods:

JRH Enterprises is celebrating their 20th year in business with a big sale on Third Generation Pinnacle Autogated night vision devices. New true mil-spec AN/PVS-14 monocular/weapon sights with a 5-year warranty available as low as $2,695, and upgraded Gen 3+ versions available as low as $2,995. JRH also has the AN/PVS-7B Goggle sets new and available in third generation Pinnacle autogated on sale for $3,095. The sale ends soon, so don’t dawdle.

   o o o

My recent interviews on The Alex Jones Show have now been archived. I was the guest in the second hour on Wednesday, February 15th, and I was also interviewed at length in their News Hour on Friday, February 17th.

   o o o

My friend Rex in the Redoubt lamented that S&W has enthusiastically jumped on the Taurus Bandwagon of Shotgun Wheelgun Absurdity and introduced The .410 Governor. The next step up in the arms race came from Taurus, in a prototype 28 gauge revolver that they dubbed the “Raging Judge XXVIII”. (I’m not making this up, folks!) So Rex jokingly suggested that S&W “…ought to introduce what he proposed calling “The Governator“: A 12 gauge NFA revolver: guaranteed to put the bad guy down, and to put your wrist in a plaster cast.

   o o o

Some great news from Canada: Conservatives and enthusiasts cheer the end of the long-gun registry. (A hat tip to Paulette W. for the link.)

   o o o

Long before the Clone Wars will come Drone Wars. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) And speaking of drones, Kevin S. recommended this piece over at Global Guerillas: Build yourself a Drone NOW (before they become illegal)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We’re on the threshold of disaster. We need to increase food production by 50 to 70 percent on less land with less resources, less water and, frankly, not enough technology.”- Dr. Nancy Irlbec, Associate Dean of academic affairs for Colorado State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, describing global food production and the demographics of the 21st Century.

Note From JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

All You Need to G.O.O.D. You Can Carry on Your Back, by Charles M.

In 2000 my wife and I decided we would do a through hike of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  The distance traveled would be 2,168.5 miles of foot trails through the wildernesses of the eastern United States.   We climbed more than 250 mountains.  Our elevation change was equal to climbing Mount Everest from sea level to the summit and back nineteen (19) times. The trail is very challenging and can be dangerous (two people died on the trail the year we hiked).  The trail follows the crest of the Appalachian Mountain through fourteen states.  Although this was a long “backpacking trip” it required us to have everything we needed to survive the outdoors for an extended time while living and walking through all weather conditions.  Rain, sleet, snow, hail storms, 100 degree weather, in it all we walked an average of 14.7 miles a day, seven days a week for months.  The lessons learned are very valuable when it comes to surviving extended periods of having to “make it” on your own.  I’ve read many books, articles and heard many conversations about what is needed to survive natural disasters, terrorist attacks or bad economic times, but until you’ve spent weeks and weeks in the wilderness with just what you can carry, that information at times is valuable but very often overstated and dangerous.

Our adventure began on the 3rd day of March 2002 and ended September 26th 2002.  The first night out it was 0 degrees with a 15 below zero wind chill.  The first two weeks on the trail were not much better with most days not getting above freezing.  We had to hike with our water bottles next to our bodies to keep them from freezing.   When it became uncomfortable during the day we could put them in our packs in an outside pocket but turned them upside down so the freezing would occur in the bottom (now the top) and we could remove the bottle and turn it upright and remove the lid and drink.  At night we would put our water bottles and water filter inside our sleeping bags at the foot of the bag to keep them from freezing.  In the mornings we would turn our tent wrong side out and shake the frozen moisture out of the tent.  The amount of water given off by the body’s respiration and perspiration during sleep is amazing and a problem when it is 20 degrees in your tent.  During the summer months there was a record drought for most of the eastern U.S.  We had days in access of 100 degrees and very little water.  At times we collected water from ditches, cattle ponds and once from a deep tire track in the forest service road we crossed. In the White Mountains it took 2 hours to collect just 2 liters of water.   We found a rock crevice that had a small trickle of water.  We would collect it in our spoon and put it in our bottles.  By the end of the trail we had walked from winter in the Georgia mountains to summer in Pennsylvania to winter on Mount Katahdin in Maine.

What allowed two people over the age of 50 to complete this hike was preparation and knowledge of personnel abilities and skills and equipment. By the time we started our hike we had our pack base weight down to 12 lbs plus food and water.  We could hike for 10 days and not have our packs weigh over 45 lbs. and have over 4,000 calories per day in our meals.  We only carried what we used and every item had multiple uses.  If we didn’t use it at least once a week we didn’t take it.  We saw early on that carrying things for “just-in-case” created more problems than the advantage of having it “just-in-case.”   We realized that carrying too much, too fast and too many miles, people got hurt too soon and went home too soon.

Preparation
Planning is one of the most important factors in accomplishing such a daunting task of surviving in the outdoors for an extended time. It appears to be difficult for a lot of people to understand the importance of preparation when it comes to difficult task.  We like most people read as much material as possible on long distance hiking and specifically the Appalachian Trail.   We read every journal we could find on the Internet and garnered as much information as possible.   We took notes, studied maps, made list of materials, explored where we could get food supplies and the more we knew the more confidence we had in completing the task.  The benefit of all our planning became evident very quickly on our trip.  As we made our approach to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail on Springer Mountain in Georgia we met several other hikers starting their “through hike.”   The first thing we noticed were the large packs.  One young man was carrying a 108lb pack and when I asked him what he had in it he said, “only the necessities.”   Another hiker had a pack that he had weighted at the ranger station that was 78lbs.  Of the eight people we met that first day on the trail only one finished the hike and actually climbed Mt. Katahdin (the northern terminus) the same day we did.  Then there were the Boy Scout troops with their 50 lb packs and the scout leaders with their 75lb packs full of “necessities.”.  They would look at our packs and ask the question, “how long are you out for?”  When we said “six months” they had a very puzzled look on their face and would ask the next question, “why are your packs so small?”  When we answered we just carry what is “necessary” they would give us a curious look and walk on by.

Some of the things we did to check out our equipment was just common sense.  Every time it would rain or snow we would put on our gear and head out on an all day hike through our neighborhood.  I expected the white van from Bellview Sanitarium to show up any minute with the jackets to carry us away. We live in the historical district of our hometown and the area is very hilly, so, it was a good starting point to practice. We got some strange looks from our neighbors. A lady one morning asked if we were going mountain climbing?! We said “Yes, 250 of them”. She smiled and went back into her house and probably dialed the phone.  

At other times we would pitch our tent in a downpour in our backyard and spent the night cooking and eating our meals in the rain (you cannot eat in your tent because of animals, from bears to mice will invade your sleeping quarters) and it paid off, we never slept in wet bags or tent in six months.  When it was below freezing we hiked and learned how to layer our clothes.  We learned what to take off and when to take it off.  We knew we would be alone, sometime days from the nearest town or road and we had to get it right the first time.  In the first month alone on our hike over 25% of the hikers we knew quit because of poor preparedness for the drastic changes in weather.   The struggles became very depressing and they stated, “this is no fun.”  Preparation made it fun and rewarding.  I’ll never forget the beauty of the ice storm we had in the Great Smoky Mountains and we were 35 miles from the nearest road.  I’m glad we took it seriously, during our hike a fellow hiker we knew died of hypothermia in the White Mountains in New Hampshire.  Not only were we prepared with the right clothes and equipment we were prepared physically.   By the time we were at the half way mark in Pennsylvania, over 75% of the hikers had left the trail.  A considerable number had left because of physical problems the majority of which were either feet or knee issues.  Walking in pain is part of the hike. We lost all of our toenails and had some sore knees and foot problems but “no blisters.”   Two thousand feet downhill walks with a heavy pack are a killer on knees and feet.  “Toe bang” is what they call it when your shoes are not large enough and your toes hit the end of your boot.  In a day or two you have black toes with a lot of pain.  Preparation avoided this and all of the other issues that we faced.

By the end of the first week on the trail we came to an outfitter in Georgia that sits on the trail.  (Literally, the Appalachian Trail goes through the building.  It is a little of the trivia on the Appalachian Trail).  The outfitter was going through individual packs and sending “stuff” home.  He said on an average day at the peak of the starting days (end of March through April) he ships out over 500 lbs of gear he has taken out of hiker packs.  The conversation around campsites each night covered only a few things; food, miles, next water source and pack weight. With over 1,000 miles of hiking experience before our hike, we were still tweaking the contents of our pack the entire hike.  The only thing we added to our packs on the entire hike was Thermarest micro pads (we shipped the closed cell pads home in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia).  They were awesome!  Sleeping on the ground for six months got a lot better when we swapped  12 oz pads for 1 lb., 2 oz pads.  I carried three Band-Aids for 2,168.5 miles.   I don’t carry band-aids now.   If I need one, I’ll use a piece of duct tape with Toilet Paper and triple ointment over the wound.  Everything must have multi-use abilities or you don’t need it.

You will never know what will happen around the next ridge or over the next mountain but you can develop the skills and habits that will enable you to deal with what ever happens; good or bad.  It will take more than a few weekend trips.  Weekend trips will not give you enough situations to correct your gear nor will it give you the fatigue you will encounter on 100 to 200 mile hikes.  You can run, jog, ride bikes and do 10k runs but 100 miles in the woods carry a pack will indicate very loudly what is wrong with your set up.  And trust me it will show up… you will end up cutting the labels out of your shirts and the unused pockets out of your pants.   You will get rid of the “stuff” you just couldn’t do with out.  You will need to spend extended periods in what ever the predicted situation may be.   Weeks of consistent “practice” will hone your skills and purge your equipment into a workable tool set. 

Basic gear list:

First, what you carry depends on how far you’re going, where, and when. Camping and backpacking magazines may make it seem as if you’re doomed unless you have the latest gear. But, new equipment for even an overnight hike can easily run $1,000 to $2,000 or more. Don’t worry. You can plan a hike on the Appalachian Trail without bankrupting yourself in the backpacking store.  Most of our gear we collected over years and less than 25% came from a name brand or a known outfitter (i.e., REI).  
What should I carry?

Packing for a day-hike is relatively simple:

    * Map and a good small compass (learn to use them first!)
    * Water (at least 1 quart, and 2–3 on longer hikes in hot weather)
    * Warm clothing and rain gear and hat
    * Food (including extra high-energy snacks)
    * Tent peg (used as a pick to dig a “cat hole” to bury human waste)
    * First-aid kit, with duct tape for blister treatments
    * Whistle (three blasts is the international signal for help)
    * Garbage bag (to carry out trash you find on the trail, some people are slobs!)
    * Sunglasses and sunscreen (especially when leaf cover is gone)
    * Blaze-orange vest or hat (in hunting season)
    * Toilet paper (take out the paper center and flatten your half roll and put it in a Ziploc bag)

On longer hikes, especially in remote or rugged terrain, add:

    * Small LED head lamp
    * Heavy-duty garbage bag pack liner (water proofs gear, an emergency tarp or to insulate a hypothermia victim)
    * Sharp small pocket knife (In 50 years in the backwoods hunting everything from bear to wild boar or hiking wilderness areas in high desert in Utah I’ve never needed a Rambo survival knife.)  I have field dress probably a 100 large game animals with nothing but a three inch bladed folding knife.
    * Fire starter (a few birthday candles, for instance) and waterproof matches or butane lighter (I have carried real flint and a small piece of file steel, but I have to admit I do it just to impress the younger hikers!)

Overnight and extended trips:

If you’re planning to spend weeks out in the wild, I suggest you go to the Internet and read the trail journals of thru-hikers (Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail) and use their “knowledge by fire.”  After 2,000 miles you pretty much know what works and what don’t.  Most Appalachian Trail backpackers carry the following items, in addition to the day-hike checklist and some method of treating water. Some items can be shared with a partner to lighten the load:

    * Shelter (a tent or tarp) 3 lbs or under.
    * One lightweight pot, one medium size spoon (Lexan works great)
    * Stove (a small ultra lite backpacking model [about 6 to 10 oz], with fuel) we use a tuna can with denatured alcohol.  In an emergency you can build a small fire.
    * Medium-sized backpack (big “expedition–size” packs are usually overkill and are heavy)  Try to get a pack that weighs under 4 lbs.
    * A pack cover or plastic bag for rainy weather
    * Sleeping pad (to insulate you from the cold ground)
    * Sleeping bag of appropriate warmth for the season (usually 2.5 lbs or under, depends on how cold you sleep)
    * Food and clothing
    * Rope or cord (to hang your food at night and many other uses in camp) (1/4 in or smaller braided nylon)
    * Water filter or another method of treating water (I now use drops of household bleach when out alone)
    * Ultra light stuff-sacks for sorting packing clothes, food (sack is used with cord to hang at night to keep it away from varmints, I’ve had raccoons to chew holes in tent to get to a pack of chewing gum!), and other items.
    * Zip-Loc bags (put everything in them, they are awesome and can serve as water carriers)

Remember that renting gear or buying used equipment are low-cost options when you’re first starting out.   Test and try out expensive equipment before you buy.  Make sure it fits and you are comfortable.

Do I have the right clothing?

Hope for the best weather; pack for the worst. Clothing to protect you from cold and rain is a must—even in midsummer and especially at higher elevations. Avoid cotton clothes, particularly in chilly, rainy weather, which can strike the mountains at any time of year. Wet cotton can be worse than nothing and can contribute to hypothermia, a potentially fatal threat.  A hiker slogan you should remember and adhere to,  “Cotton Kills.”  Synthetic fabrics such as polypropylene and various acrylic blends will help protect you against the dangers of hypothermia.  Layer your clothes—a “polypro” shirt, synthetic fleece, and a coated nylon or “breathable” light weight waterproof outer shell will keep you both warmer and drier than a single heavy overcoat in cold, damp weather.

Remember, hiking will make you sweat, no matter the weather.  We’ve hiked in 20 degree weather in shorts and one long-sleeved poly shirt.   Shedding thin layers enables you to regulate your body temperature more effectively than choosing between keeping a heavy jacket on or taking it off.

Is my footwear adequate?

Hiking boots are optional for day-hikes but recommended for overnight and long distance hikes over rough terrain. Old-style heavyweight mountain boots are usually unnecessary now that good-quality lightweight boots are widely available. The most important thing is that boots or shoes fit well and are well broken-in before you hit the Trail: Nothing ends a hike quicker than blistered feet, and even minor blisters can become infected and cause serious trouble. Backpackers can expect their feet to swell; long-distance hikers should buy boots half a size to a full size larger, to allow room for this.  My feet grew a full size in six months on the Appalachian Trail.   After trying on your boots or shoes, bang your toe on the floor behind you.  If you toe touches the end of the shoe then they are too small.  You will get black toe real fast on the downhills.  Boots do not last forever.  I wore out three pairs of very good boots and was on my fourth pair when we finished our through hike.

Buy good equipment.

My backpack is 15 years old and has over 4,000 miles on it and still going.  Our water filters will last about 500 gallons before replacing the cartridge and weighs less than a 16 oz.  Our two-man tent has over 300 nights in the mountains and is still as good as new and weighs only 3.5 lbs.   

Being prepared.

My wife and I keep our backpacks packed and ready to go.  If we need to bug out quick I just sling them over my shoulder and grab my .22 rifle and I’m ready for at least 10 days without concern for anything.  If a longer time “out” is required I can procure what is needed for food and fuel.  We lived in the woods for 6 months with lightweight packs and had everything we needed and were very well prepared for everything the weather and terrain had to offer.  All you need you can carry on your back.

“Only to the white man was nature a ‘wilderness’, to us it was tame”, Chief Luther Standing Bear.

You can follow our preparation and hike by reading our journals and seeing our photos at: TrailJournals.com/papasmurf.

Firearms Training/Exercise #1, by Sparky

I have been a “gun nut” for some time now and I think that everyone should own a firearm of some sort whether it for personal carry or just home protection.  With everything that has been going on in today’s world, I can see no better time to own a firearm. There comes a big responsibility with owning a weapon of any kind and you must make sure that you are up to taking on that task.

I believe that good shooting skills are going to be needed very soon to come.  We are set in the front seat to possibly see a major change in life, as we know it.  When the less fortunate have nowhere to go they are going to come for you. Buy a firearm and learn to use it.  You can already see this happening every day, from people with handguns robbing convenience stores to home invasions. Buy a firearm and learn to use it.    There are approximately 14 million people (at least that is the number that the Government is putting out) out work in the US.  Desperate people will do desperate things in times of need especially when there is a family involved, Buy a firearm and learn to use it.  I think I said that earlier somewhere?  Here is where I step in and hopefully help you learn for use it.

I would like to start something here at SurvivalBlog that I hope everyone will find helpful in their firearms training.  I would like to pass on my training and experience to everyone in this community.  I would like to start making a post at the first of every month with firearms training exercises for beginner, intermediate and advanced shooters. I know that I will/should be under scrutiny from Mr. Cascio, since he teaches firearms training.  I would expect nothing but the best for the people here!  It will start off slow because I don’t know any of the ability levels of any of the readers here.  I DO NOT want anyone getting hurt trying to push too hard to fast.  Hang in there.  By posting every two weeks, it will give people ample time to work on the exercises with whatever time they have set aside for weapons training (hoping that everyone has this time set aside on a regular basis.)

Of course, I cannot tailor the training exercises to everyone’s specific weapon but the core fundamentals are still the same – proper breathing, trigger squeeze, trigger control, barrel action, sights (fixed/iron or optics), etc.  Most of the exercises that I will post will be more focused around iron sights.  Optics makes things easier but what if there was an EMP or your batteries die and your EO-Tech won’t turn on?  Do you have the same confidence to make that shot with iron sights?

I could think of no better time to begin than right now to start! 

Here are some basic fundamentals to remember when shooting:

 Take your time and work the fundamentals so that you do not start making bad habits that are going to be hard to break later on.  Repetition is your best friend when shooting and can be your worst enemy.  This is why it is key to work on the proper ways to do things.  I recommend dry firing your firearm on a daily basis (check with your manufacturer to see if it will harm your firearm first.) For the most part, centerfire weapons are okay to dry fire.  The most affected by dry firing are .22 rimfire guns.  The reason or that is the firing pin will actually hit the back of the chamber, which will flatten the tip of the firing pin or in some cases, even break it. [JWR Adds: See the many safety warnings about the clearing procedures, ammunition separation discipline, and use of a safe backstop for dry practice! Limited dry practice with a rimfire can be accomplished without damaging the gun if you insert a piece of fired brass in the chamber. But generally, you should do your dry practice only with centerfire guns.]

  • Holding a pistol is like shaking someone’s hand.  If you squeeze too hard then you will harm what you are trying to accomplish.  The hand that you are holding the grip with (considered your strong hand) should be light and your supporting hand should do most of the squeezing (strong hand ~30/40% and your supporting hand ~60/70%).  Be sure not to over squeeze because you will hurt your result. See: Travis Haley on Proper Grip Technique.
  • Trigger control or Resetting the trigger is key to being able to place multiple rounds on target with better speed.  What is resetting the trigger? When you fire a round keep the trigger back.  Slowly let up on the trigger (after the slide has cycled) until you hear it “click”.  At this point your trigger is reset and ready to fire again. (If you are dry firing you will have to rack the slide for the trigger to reset).  If you are firing rounds downrange, concentrate on your front sight and keep it on target while you are resetting the trigger.  Your next squeeze will be shorter than the first one.  For dry firing, rack the slide and put you sight back on target and start resetting your trigger.  Every shot should be made in this way! See: Resetting The Trigger.
  • You have to have a good strong base to manage the recoil and get back on target for multiple shots.  A good stance will also help your steadiness when aiming.  Your feet should be approximately shoulder-width apart, with the right foot (lets assume everyone is right handed) slightly back.  The ball of your right foot should be should be lined up somewhere in between the arch and the back of your left heel.  Your right foot should be pointed slight out. (Lefties: your stance will be the exact opposite).  You should have a slight bend in the knees and slightly at the waist. You want to have your weight over the balls of your feet.  This will give you the ability to move in all directions quickly and be able to maintain sight picture.  Your chest should be squared up to the target so that you maintain a “modified” triangle with your arms and the point being the pistol.  Your elbows should be slightly bent outwards, not downward and your shoulders rolled forward.   When you shoot the weapon will be pushed more straight back than up.
  • When you present your pistol to the target make sure that you are pushing it straight out and you are not raising it up with your arms locked out.  When you draw your pistol from its holster make sure that you keep it tight to your body keeping your wrist and forearm inline until you get to your chest and then you pick up your supporting hand and press straight out.  While you are pressing out slowly take out the trigger slack so that when you are at full presentation your next squeeze goes bang! See: Draw from holster and present Pistol
  • Breathing is another key to accurate shooting.  You have to control your breathing if you want to make accurate shots on target.  It doesn’t matter what position you are in, if you are winded then your sight is moving up and down as you inhale and exhale.  The best time to make an accurate shot is at the bottom of your exhale.  There have been people that have argued with me on this point saying that they shot better at the top of their inhale.  Try it out for yourself.  I have been taught to shoot at the bottom of your exhale and here is what I was told:  When you inhale your body naturally tightens up, your chest moves and can slightly raise your arms up pushing your weapon up or push against your butt stock, all causing you sights to move.  When you exhale, there is a natural pause before you inhale.  At that very point your body is at its most relaxed position where there is no movement. 

There are a couple of things that, in my opinion, everyone should have to help assist in his or her shooting with any weapon:

  • A good sling.  If you are going to have a sling on your weapon then why not make it a multi purpose tool?  I currently have Viking Tactics slings on all if my rifles.  Knights Armament makes small blocks that mount on a Picatinny rail system that has a swivel and a push button quick release loop to detach the sling (Push-Button Swivel & MWS Forend Rail Mount). See: V-TAC Sling Instruction & Part 2
  • Good Optics.  There is a plethora of different optics to choose from.  You should find one that is comfortable and you shoot well with it.  Most are expensive but if your life depended on it would yours to fog up or not work?  For my battle rifles I have went with EO-Tech since they are AR-15s.  An M4/AR-15 is really only a 200 meter gun (I will cover later because I know that this comment kicks a hornets nest).  An EO-Tech is made so that if it is mounted (without a detachable mount) directly to a flat top and the center of the sight window will be inline with your Iron sights.  So if your batteries die, you can still have a clear line of sight to use your iron sights.  I can use my EO-Tech just fine at 200 meters but not as effectively at 300 meters.
  • Setting your sights.  For pistols I like to zero them at 25 yards.  Depending on what you are shooting you might hit slightly higher at 5 yards but it is not even enough to worry about.  For an battle rifle (lets look at the M4/AR-15) I like to set my zero for the event that might occur.  I bounce between a 50m and 100m zero.  I always use a 62gr. round with a penetrating core, so I know how may clicks to move my sights to get to each setting.

Side Note: With an M4/AR-15 if you set your zero at 25m your POA (Point of Aim) and POI are the same (minus wind of course) as 300m.  Zero at 50m and your POA and POI is again the same at 200m (with a 5.56mm 62gr. Bullet).  In a combat situation would I take a 200 to 300m shot with an M4 if there were no sniper around. YES, only if the situation called for the shot(s) to be taken.  In a collapse/grid down of the US would I take that same shot? NO!  Why is there a difference you might ask?  In a collapse/grid down situation, I would want to remain as hidden as possible even if I had my sniper rifle.  I would want to stay as hidden as possible not to bring attention my way unless I could not help it.

  • A timer of some sort.  I recommend a digital one from Competition Electronics.  They are pricey at $129.95 USD but they are well worth it to improve your shooting.  The way they work is when you push the start button there is a buzzer that sounds at random intervals so you don’t know when it will go off.  Once the buzzer is sounded, the timer will record the times of your shots.  That way you can see how long it takes you from shot to shot.  You can learn so much from these timers.  I know that many people will/can not buy one of these timers so as long as you can use a stop watch or something to time your draw to last shot.

Lets keep it simple to start off.
Exercise #1

  • Beginners
    • Pistol: Dry fire for at least one hour every day and work on the fundamentals of breathing, front sight post on target, your grip and trigger control.  When your setting there on your porch aim at something 5 yards away or why your watching television or whatever, aim at a stationary spot and practice good habits.  It doesn’t matter whether you are sitting and standing.  If you can practice more then that is better.
    • Pistol and Battle Rifle: At the range, work only from the 5 yard line.  Work on the same fundamentals as dry firing but with live rounds.  TAKE YOUR TIME!  Make accurate shots!  Run your gun dry.  Learn to know what it feels and sounds like when your firearm is empty (more for the battle rifle because you can’t immediately see if the bolt locks back).  Practice your reload without taking your eyes off of your target or be looking at your next. Watch as Travis Haley demonstrates just what I am talking about.
    • Work on getting tight groups.  Don’t worry about speed–it will come.  Stick with the fundamentals.  Muscle memory is what you are working on right now.
  • Intermediate
    • Pistol: Dry fire at least one hour every day.
      • Set up 2 bullseye targets roughly two feet apart.  At 5 yards from the ready, draw your weapon and fire 3 rounds at each target.  Complete within 6 seconds with all rounds inside the 8-ring.
      • If you do not have silhouette targets just used bullseye targets.  Place 4 targets (2 targets one on top of the other and same for the other 2.  Preferably 2 different sizes with the lower one the bigger) two feet apart.  At 5 yards from the ready, Failure Drill: 2 rounds to the chest (bottom target) and 1 to the head (top target).  Complete within 7 seconds with all rounds in the 7-ring.
      • Run each drill each drill at least 5 times so that you have to at least reload during shooting.
    • Battle Rifle
      • With your current zero, shoot from 5, 15, and 25 yards to get a point of aim (POA) and point of impact (POI).  Write it down for later review.  Write down all of your POA and POI for future review to be put in the memory bank.
      • Same as above drills at 5 yards and then from 15 yards.  Using iron sights, account for the POA and POI and place all rounds inside the 8-ring.  Complete within 5 seconds from 5 yards and 8 seconds from 15 yards.
      • If you do not have silhouette targets just used bullseye targets.  Place 4 targets (2 targets one on top of the other and same for the other 2.  Preferably 2 different sizes with the lower one the bigger) three to four feet apart.  At 5 yards from the ready, “Z” Drill: 3 rounds center mass/lower target, right to left and then place a single round in the head/top target of each target starting with the right.  Keep all rounds in the 8-ring for time.
      • Run each drill each drill at least 5 times so that you have to at least reload during shooting.
  • Advanced
    • Pistol: Dry fire at least 30 minutes everyday.
      • Set up 2 bullseye targets roughly two feet apart.  At 5 yards with your back to the target, turn and draw your weapon and fire 3 rounds at each target.  Complete within 6 seconds with all rounds inside the 8-ring.
      • Set up 2 bullseye targets roughly three feet apart.  Load 8 rounds in 2 magazines.  At 15 yards, start walking to the targets.  Fire 5 rounds at one target, take a knee, reload and fire 5 rounds at the other target.  Shoot for time.
    • Battle Rifle
      • Same as above pistol drills.
      • Set up 5 bullseye targets roughly 3 feet apart.  At 15 yards from the ready, fire 3 rounds per target while moving laterally from both, right to left and left to right.  Keep all rounds in the 8-ring for time.

Happy shooting, everyone!

Letter Re: .22 Handguns and Other Options For Self Defense

James,
I’m writing to follow up on the recent SurvivalBlog article “.22 Handguns and Other Options For Self Defense”. Another consideration to keep in mind when discussing the .22 rimfire: In a TEOTWAWKI situation the need for stealth will be paramount. The .22 LR cartridge lends itself to silencing better than any other caliber. [JWR Adds: Most of the “Target”-designated .22 LR loads are subsonic.] I think the legal purchase of a suppressor in the U.S. (“All NFA rules apply”) should be very high on the “to do” list of every “prepper”. The ability to silently eliminate pests, and to take game (in extremis) could go a long way in keeping you under the radar.
  
I’ve heard the old argument about being put on a Government “list” by buying a $200 transfer tax NFA item (suppressor, full auto weapon, short barreled rifle or shotgun) but the truth is that if you have bought any type of firearm, been on Internet sites such as this, or bought any number of items with a credit card or over the Internet you are already on one or more likely many “lists”. – Regards, – R.A.S.

Economics and Investing:

Michael W. sent: Alan Simpson: Financial markets will turn on U.S. – Freeland File (This is Part 4 of a longer interview–all worth watching.)

Does the Fed Print Money? Of Course! Jim Bianco Calls It “Fraud, Counterfeiting”

Items from The Economatrix:

Oil Set For Biggest 2012 Weekly Gain

Credit Suisse The Sequel:  “Probability Of The Largest Disorderly Default Loss In History On March 20 Has Increased

Gold Demand Hits New Records As Europeans Stockpile

Harvey Organ: MF Global Customers will not receive their money

Odds ‘n Sods:

Don’t Just Survive, Thrive. (In a recent podcast, Lew Rockwell talks with Tess Pennington about how to make the most of your survival resources.)

   o o o

Rick B. sent the link to this very useful set of charts, over at The How Do Gardener: Freeze and Frost Dates

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Russ S. sent this: Lehmann Aviation’s LFPV UAV . (Apparently the cool Landrover 109 is not included.)

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Commentary from JohnGaltFla: I am a Patrioterrorist

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Keith K. mentioned some lessons from a Mexican vehicle ambush: A Standard Feature Is Proving Deadly On Armored SUVs

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

The entire TSA paradigm is flawed. It requires an impossibility for it to succeed. For the TSA model to work, every single possible means of causing danger to an aircraft or its passengers must be eliminated. This is an impossibility. While passengers are being frisked and digitally strip-searched a few dozen yards away [inside the ostensibly ‘secure’ area], cooks and dish washers at the local concourse “Chili’s” [restaurant] are using and cleaning butcher knives.” – Former FBI Agent Steve Moore, writing in his G-Man’s Cafe blog

Note From JWR:

My #1 Daughter has launched The M16 Rock ‘n Roll Store at Cafe Press, to raise money for her “college and ammo fund.” Her T-shirts, mouse pads, mugs, phone covers, iPad covers, and other products all include the slogan: “Long Live Rock n’ Roll” and a photo of an M16 / M4 lower receiver with the customized selector switch markings: “Silence”, “Classical”, and “Rock n’ Roll”. This design was inspired by a description in my novel “Patriots”.

Could America’s Farmers and Ranchers Face a Rhodesian Future?

I envision one possible future for America that is fairly bleak, at least in the short term. If the economy deteriorates the way that I anticipate, and if the power grids ever collapse, then it could trigger that dreaded “worst case” situation. Such a socioeconomic collapse could precipitate a large population die-off in metropolitan regions, a bit less in the suburbs, and even less in the countryside. But an extended period of lawlessness would still cause considerable loss of life and property in rural areas. There will surely be a lot of refugees from urban areas, and some of them will turn to looting, in order to survive. The new paradigm for American farmers and ranchers might resemble the security situation faced by farmers during Rhodesian Bush War of the 1970s.

Life for farmers in Rhodesia in the 1970s was nerve-wracking. Starting in the late 1960s, communist guerillas, trained and armed by Cuban and Chinese “advisors”, had been slipping into the country to wreak havoc and terror on the civilian populace. While most of their victims were black, the communist terrorists (or “terrs” as they were called in Rhodesian slang) began attacking isolated farms owned by whites. Early on in the war, they were literally able to catch the farmers sleeping. Later, as defenses were raised, the terrs adopted the tactic of burying pressure-activated land mines on farm roads.

Since phone lines could be cut, a radio network was established in Rhodesia, called the Agric-Alert system. With it, there would be a chance to call for help if a farm came under attack.

Rhodesian farmers had to be constantly armed, and constantly vigilant. To carry just a pistol was considered foolhardy. Intrusion detection systems in those days were rudimentary. They were limited to trip wire-activated and a few photocell-activated bells or buzzers. (These days, of course there are more sophisticated infrared (IR) sensor systems, like Dakota Alerts.)

There was substantial reliance on dogs to give a warning if strangers approached a farm house. The Rhodesian Ridgeback proved to be a breed well-suited to this task. A few farmers also raised Guinea Fowl, specifically for their “watchdog” nature.

“Protective Works” became the norm at Rhodesian farms. Grilles to stop hand grenades were fitted outside of house windows. Floodlights were set up that could be used to daze attackers. Elaborate perimeter fences topped with barbed wire became de rigueur. Often these were constructed in depth, with two fences (or more) around a house, sometimes with tanglefoot wire in between. Traditional cow bells were sought after, for attaching to trip wires. At least one fence–typically the inner-most fence–would be constructed of chain link material, to pre-detonate rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

Farmers resorted to constructing lethal electrified fences. Most of these were left on all night and were full current 220 volts, AC! They also set up remotely-fired shotguns and command-detonated directional mines. These were essentially ersatz Claymore mines. The farmer’s Claymore-like mines were positioned to cover the most likely crossing points for fences, and at other choke points that could be seen from a farm house. Assuming that terrs might climb up fence posts, some remotely-fired shotguns were buried and fired upward, parallel to fence posts. (Ouch.) Late in the war, some of the terrorist’s own contact land mines that had been recovered by demolitions specialists were re-purposed into command detonated perimeter security mines. There was also quite a cottage industry in mine-proofing vehicles.

Infrared and light amplification night vision equipment was very scarce and expensive in the 1970s, so it was out of reach for all but a handful of Rhodesian farmers. And light amplification gear (such as Starlight scopes) was–and still is–export restricted by western nations, as a military equipment, under the ITAR treaties. Furthermore, Rhodesia was explicitly under an arms embargo, so there was just a trickle of gear coming in from any nations other than South Africa, Mozambique, and Israel. Furthermore, of that gear, civilian farmers were “Third in line”, behind the Rhodesian Army, and the British South African Police (BSAP.) By the way, the BSAP didn’t change its name after Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration on Independence (UDI) in November of 1965.

The Watchful Daily Grind

Life on Rhodesian farms was largely routine, but farmers did their best to not fall into predictable patterns or lapse into inattentiveness. Each morning, farmers carefully examined their dirt roads, looking for signs that land mines had been planted. They kept in close contact with their resident farm workers, neighbors, and people living at nearby native kraals, to check on reports of any suspicious activities or any sightings of roaming terrorists. (By the standards of Rhodesian farmers, anyone living within five miles was a “neighbor.”)

All through the daily tasks of tending crops and caring for livestock, every adult and most older children went everywhere, armed. Many farm tractors were fitted with gun racks, to keep a rifle close at hand, at all times. A surprising number of the guns owned by the farmers were fully automatic. The selective fire Belgian FN-FAL battle rifle was widely used, and almost reverently cherished. Some HK G3 rifles (by way of Mozambique) were used in smaller numbers. Many folks, especially the ladies, carried Uzi submachineguns, or the Commando LDP (in later years the Sanna 77 variant) submachineguns. The latter were locally produced in Rhodesia and South Africa. Some farmers were also able to acquire hand grenades and rifle grenades.

At dusk, unless under the urgency of harvest season, farms “buttoned up” for the night by SOP, and no one ventured outside of the farm house’s perimeter fence unless there were exceptional circumstances. Dairy farmers felt particularly apprehensive, since at least one of their twice-daily milking sessions would be during hours of darkness, at least in winter months. So some security precautions were also set up outside of the outer doors of milking parlors.

Here is a quote from the book The Farmer At War by Trevor Grundy and Bernard Miller (Salisbury, 1979):

“In many of the sensitive commercial farming areas — and these now cover the majority of farms — homesteads have taken on the appearance of fortresses containing their own arsenal of arms that would not discredit military establishments elsewhere in the world. The chain-link security fences are usually wired to alarms designed to indicate exactly what sector of the fence has been interfered with or breached. In addition some are fitted with highly sensitive microphones to identify and pinpoint potentially hostile sounds from long distances — footsteps on gravel, movement through grass — and monitor these through a receiver installed near the farmer’s bed. Alerted, the farmer can at the press of a button, switch on blinding searchlights or phosphorus flares strategically placed in the garden, and fire sets of grenades usually concealed in the bush outside his security fence. Again instant and massive retaliation has beaten off many attacks.”

The Aftermath: Hyperinflation and Ruin

What was once Rhodesia is sadly now Zimbabwe, a nation that has been thoroughly pillaged by Comrade Mugabe and his cronies. This former breadbasket of Africa now has frequent starvation, is thoroughly bankrupt, its currency was destroyed by hyperinflation, and it has a crumbling infrastructure. The country is nearly in ruins. The grid power is on only sporadically. The water systems have been fouled, hunger is constant, and the life expectancy has dropped precipitously–although some of that is attributable to the advent of HIV-AIDS. Ironically, after UDI, Rhodesia had been snubbed by the international community in an effort to get them to institute universal suffrage. But now, following the predicted “one man, one vote, once” (installing a “President for life”), the former terrorists that took over instituted a quasi-dictatorship government so vile and corrupt that now it too is under severe diplomatic sanctions and military sanctions by the west. (The sanctions were imposed because of flagrant “electoral fraud and human rights abuses”.) In fact, a dozen people in the key leadership of Zimbabwe’s perpetual ZANU-PF government including Robert Mugabe are still banned from travel to most First World nations.

Following the war, the farmers have not fared well. Many were forced to surrender their guns, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Nearly all of them have lost their life savings, due to the combined effects of currency export controls and the hyperinflation. And many of those that continued to own and operate farms under Mugabe’s government were forcibly evicted, and a few were raped, tortured, or killed.

I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers take the time to study low level insurgencies in general, and the Rhodesian Bush War, in particular. History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes.

Some good insights on the Rhodesian experience can be found in these books:

For further reading, I recommend the reference web page titled Rhodesian Farmers Defensive Arrangements at the Small Wars Journal web site, and the book The Farmer At War, now available online.

Remember Rhodesia!

Pat’s Product Review: Century Arms R1A1 (Inch Pattern FAL Clone)

1

I’ve been a huge fan of the FN/FAL style of battle rifle for many years. I first carried one when I was in Rhodesia, back in 1976. I’ve owned a few FAL-style rifles over the years, and I reviewed the Springfield Armory version on SurvivalBlog last year. Too bad, Springfield Armory doesn’t make their version any longer, it was an outstanding rifle in all respects.
 
About 10 tears ago, I purchased a used Century Arms (L1A1-model “inch pattern” FAL style rifle from a gun shop in Boise, Idaho – it was an outstanding shooter. However in a moment of weakness, I later sold it – one of those decisions I regretted the moment I did it. Last I heard, the gun had passed hands several times.
 
Yes, I know the reputation that Century Arms has when it comes to assembling some of their rifles from parts kits, onto new receivers and new barrels. However, I’ve been extremely lucky in this respect, and I’ve had outstanding luck with most guns from Century Arms – their CETME being the exception – I’ve owned several and they were junk. There is lots of chatter on the ‘net about how poorly the Century Arms AK-47s are made. I’ve owned at least half a dozen, or more, versions of Century’s AKs and loved them all. Some people say it’s a crap shoot to purchase any Century Arms products,but I have to disagree.
 
My local gun shop knows my fondness for anything AK, AR, FAL and other similar types of rifles. At a gun show in Portland, Oregon they traded into a Century Arms R1A1, and they knew they had it sold to me as soon as I walked in the door following the gun show. The FALs that Century Arms manufactures are what a lot of folks call “FrankenFALs” because they are assembled using both metric and inch parts from various guns. I won’t go into all the details of the differences between an inch and a metric FAL (and, “FAL” is a generic term for the purpose of this article.) However, many parts interchange between the guns – not all parts, but many do. My Century Arms R1A1 is a combination of inch and metric parts on a brand-new metric receiver and new American-made barrel.—
 
Quite frankly, the folks at Century Arms did an outstanding job on this particular rifle, as it is fitted nicely and the finish is great – a nice, gray Parkerizing over all the metal parts. The lower receiver is inch pattern, and near as I can determine in my research, the lower is from an Australian-made L1A1 rifle (inch pattern). The stock, pistol grip, gas piston and forearm are all US made, in order to meet the stupid FedGov regulations pertaining to the number of foreign made parts, versus US made parts in these types of firearms. The bolt and bolt carrier in the upper receiver are inch pattern – you can interchange inch and metric bolts and bolt carriers. The lower fire-control group is a mixed bag of original Australian, British and US made parts.(The latter are for Section 922(r) compliance. The left-side mounted charging handle is the folding type – inch pattern – which I prefer. The sights are inch pattern as well.
 
Now, one would be led to believe, that such a mixed bag of original military inch versus original military metric versus US-made commercial parts simply wouldn’t work properly. Well, the folks at Century Arms did an outstanding job on this particular sample, and I well-pleased for the most part. Everything works as it should.
 
The rear sight is a peep-style, and it can be adjusted between 200 yards all the way up to 600 yards, but the .308 Winchester caliber can shoot accurately beyond 600 yards. The gun also shoots 7.62×51 NATO round, and be advised that these cartridges are not the same specification as .308 Winchester. The commercial .308 Winchester round is a bit hotter than the NATO round. And, the NATO rounds usually have harder primers. I’ve fired both through this gun without any problems.
 
The trigger pull on my R1A1 is outstanding for a military-style rifle and breaks at an even five pounds, with just a little take-up. The R1A1 weighs in at 9.5 ponds, not the lightest, nor the heaviest of the 7.62mm NATO battle rifle breed. There is a 21″ US-made brand-new barrel on the gun, with a muzzle brake/flash suppressor on the end of it – it really helps tame recoil, too.
 
One thing I really appreciate about FAL style of rifles is the adjustable gas regulator. There are various adjustments on the regulator, so you can adjust it to fit the ammo you are using. You can close the gas regulator down, if you need more gas, to make the gun operate properly, or open the gas regulator up as well. You can even shut the gas regulator completely off for firing grenade launching blanks. There is such a wide variety of 7.62 NATO and .308 Win. ammo out there, that the idea of being able to tailor the gun to function at it’s best with whatever ammo you’re shooting is a real plus in my book – especially in a survival situation. Some folks, who aren’t familiar with the FAL type of guns, and don’t know about the gas regulator, foolishly sell or trade their guns when they don’t operate properly. It’s a very simply matter and only takes a minute to adjust the gas regulator in order for the gun to properly function with whatever ammo you might lay your hands on. You can find instructions for this all over the Internet, so I won’t go into it here.
 
I have fired my R1A1 with a variety of different ammo, from Russian-made Brown Bear, to Radway from Great Britain, to include Pakistani-made 7.62 NATO to all manner of ammo, and haven’t had any problems. For the most part, my particular Century Arms R1A1 sample operates best with military-grade ammo when the gas regulator is in the #3 – #4 position. And, with commercially-made .308 Winchester ammo, it works best in the #4 – #5 positions. Some folks simply aren’t aware that there is an adjustable gas system on the FAL style of rifles, and when they change ammo, and the gun starts to malfunction, and not kick out the empty brass, or feed the next round – they get rid of their guns. And, many gun shop owners aren’t aware of the adjustable gas system on FALs – sad to say. This is an outstanding gas system, that allows you to use hot, medium and mild ammo through it, and it only takes a minute or two to adjust the gun to function with whatever ammo you might be using or run across.
 
The FAL, at one time, was adopted for military service by approximately 90-countries. That says a lot in my book. The FAL is well-known throughout much of Africa, and was the dominate battle rifle at one time on that continent. It has since be replaced by the AK-47 in many African countries. However, if you watched the uprising in Libya last year, you surely noticed more than a few of the rebels were carrying and using the FAL. Many countries still rely on the FAL as their main battle rifle, and for good reason, the gun works and works very well.
 
After playing around with my Century Arms R1A1 for a week, and blasting away with all manner of .308 Winchester and 7.62 NATO ammo, I decided to get serious and see just what kind of accuracy I could get out of this hummer. As usual, I turn to Black Hills Ammunition and Buffalo Bore Ammunition for some of the absolute best shooting .308 Winchester ammo. From Buffalo Bore, I got their 175 grain Sniper Load, and from Black Hills, I requested their 168 grain Match Load. I had 100 rounds of .308 Winchester ammo from each maker, and really had a ball dialing in my R1A1 for optimum accuracy.
 
The Buffalo Bore and Black Hills Ammunition ammo kicked differently than standard 147 grain ball. . Now, out to 600-yards, it might be a big difference. Black Hills Ammunition also makes a 175 grain match a little bit more than the military surplus 7.62 mm NATO ammo did for a couple of reason. First of all, I was firing heavier grain bullets in the Buffalo Bore and Black Hills Ammunition ammo compared to the lighter 147-to-150 grain bullets in the military surplus and Brown Bear ammo. Even with the gas system adjusted properly, I could still feel a bit more kick – nothing to complain about, as I believe the .308 Winchester is a fairly easy round to shoot.
 
At 100-yards, and with iron sights , I was getting groups of 2″ – 2.5″ with both the Buffalo Bore and the Black Hills Ammunition. It was a virtual tie when it came to accuracy between these two loads. The Black Hills Ammunition 168 grain load shot an itty-bit lower than the Buffalo Bore 175 grain load – which was to be expected, but honestly, the difference wasn’t anything worth load, too. I didn’t do all my accuracy testing in one session, it was spread out over several days.
 
One shooting session would find the Buffalo Bore load beating out the Black Hills Ammunition load. The next session would find the Black Hills Ammunition beating out the Buffalo Bore load. Like I said, both are outstanding loads, and they are capable of better accuracy than what I was getting out of my R1A1. I believe I can consistently get 2″ groups or better out of this gun – and that’s mighty good shooting for a military-style, run-of-the-mill battle rifle. I’ve gotten sub-inch groups out of the Buffalo Bore and the Black Hills Ammunition ammo in other rifles, so I know it’s great shooting ammo, and capable of better accuracy than I can wring out of it these days.
 
My shooting for accuracy with the Buffalo Bore and the Black Hills Ammunition loads was done over the hood of my car, using a rest. I think if I were to go prone, and used a sling to steady the gun, I could got more accuracy out of the gun. The Brown Bear .308 Winchester ammo I used – it was getting about 3″ – 3.5″ groups. Again, I think the gun is capable of better accuracy.

The Black Hills Ammunition .308 Winchester load is being used by our military snipers, as well as high-powered rifle competitors and they are taking down bad guys and winning matches with this load. The Buffalo Bore load is being used by high-powered rifle competitors as well, and they are winning matches with it. If anyone is making a more accurate .308 Winchester load than Buffalo Bore and Black Hills, I’d like to know who it is. Yeah, I know, the so-called “Gold” Standard in .308 Winchester has been the Federal Match load – I’ve shot it, and the Buffalo Bore and the Black Hills Ammunition shoot more accurately in my humble opinion.
 
A note on magazines, the Century Arms upper receiver will accept either the inch or the more plentiful metric magazines. I ordered some brand-new South Korean-made FAL metric mags – they wouldn’t function! The locking tab on the back of the magazines were all a tad too long, and when locked into the mag well, it caused the rear of the magazine to be higher than the front – rounds stripped from the magazine all nose-dived and wouldn’t feed. I ordered a good supply of military surplus FAL magazines from J&G Sales for $19.95 each. They were all like brand-new – they had Israeli markings on them. Every mag worked without a hitch. I had read that a lot of folks were having problems with the brand-new South Korean-made FAL mags, but I thought I’d take a chance, seeing as how they were only $14.99 each, but they didn’t work. I probably could have gotten out the ol’ Dremel Tool and ground down the rear locking tab a bit, but I found it easier to just return them and go with genuine military surplus FAL mags for a few bucks more. [JWR Adds: I concur about avoiding the South Korean-made FAL magazines. From all reports, the only after-market FAL box magazines that work as well as the original military contract mags made on Belgian or UK Commonwealth tooling are those made by DS Arms. They invested a lot of engineering hours into making magazines that feed flawlessly. DS Arms nows make 20, 25, and 30 round magazines. DSA will also be making SCAR “Heavy” .308 Caliber 25 round magazines.]
 
Now for the bad news. Century Arms doesn’t make the R1A1 all the time. It’s time consuming assembling this particular type of rifle and the availability of parts kits is spotty, so Century doesn’t always have this rifle available. When they do, you need to snap one up, ASAP. I’ve surfed the web, and GunBroker.com and GunsAmerica.com, as well as some Cabela’s stores have the Century Arms R1A1 available. Prices vary quite a bit from $699 upwards to $1,000. I paid $640 for my sample at my local gun shop, but I wouldn’t part with it for $1,000 if someone offered me cash money for it today. I like it “that” much.
 
When you really want to reach out there and touch someone, or if forced to shoot through heavy cover, it’s hard to beat the good ol’ .308 Winchester caliber. I will be buying a spare firing pin and spare extractor – just to have on hand. Other than that, this baby is ready for combat or survival purposes. I’ve got mine, and if you are in the market for a great shooting FAL clone, then take a close look at the Century Arms R1A1. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

JWR Adds: I’m also a big believer in L1A1 clone rifles. We have four of them here at the Rawles Ranch. They are all inch pattern, and all were built before the import ban or were rebuilt using pre-ban receivers. (FWIW, I explained my preference for the inch pattern rifles in a 2007 SurvivalBlog post.) Although I’m planning to gradually switch to AR-10 rifles (built on the SI Defense receivers that can accept very inexpensive HK G3 magazines), the L1A1 is still the primary “battle rifle” for our family.

An excellent resource for both FAL beginners and experts is The FAL Files. I’ve been a member for more than a decade. (I’m member #133, and there are now more than 55,000 members.)