Pat’s Product Review: Windham Weaponry M4 Clone

I hear from SurvivalBlog readers daily. I enjoy hearing from you all, and many of you want me to do test and evaluation on “Whatever” firearms, knives or other survival gear. I wish I could test everything you all want me to test, but it is impossible for a number of reasons. First of all is the expense involved, and secondly, the time involved in doing a round of test and evaluation – there’s not enough hours in the day. I constantly get SurvivalBlog readers asking me to test various AR-15 style rifles on the market. Honestly, there are so many different manufacturers and makes of guns, it’s impossible. If I have first-hand experience with a certain gun, I’ll certainly let the readers know if they have some questions. However, I can’t test all the various ARs on the market.
 
Now, if you’re like me, you probably never heard about a “new” company called Windham Weaponry. I wasn’t aware of them until the manager at my local gun shop told me about them. I use the term “new” only because the name of the company as an entity is new, but the folks who run it aren’t new. Several years ago, Bushmaster Firearms was bought out, and the previous owner had to sign a non-competition agreement for five years. This meant that he couldn’t make any AR-15 style rifles.
 
I don’t know about some of you, but in my humble opinion, and based on some of the recent Bushmaster ARs I’ve run across, I’m not very happy with the way the guns are turning out. I had a polymer Bushmaster AR, and it wouldn’t group – it “patterned” like a shotgun at 25 yards. And, once again, in my humble opinion, the overall quality of Bushmaster ARs have gone down, and it’s not just me – the manager at my local gun shop, and some of the employees feel the same way that I do.
 
Enter Windham Weaponry. This is the old Bushmaster AR maker, except they are making the guns even better than they were originally mad. These guns are a lot better than the old Bushmaster ARs were. A large number of those involved in Windham Weaponry are prior Bushmaster staff– including the owner — who used to own Bushmaster. I’m here to tell you, these folks are putting a lot of pride in their new ARs. Their new web site says their goal is to build finest AR type rifle in the country – a lofty goal, to be sure.
 
I traded into a Windham Weaponry Model R16M4A4T “MPC” – don’t even ask what all the numbers mean, I don’t have a clue. Basically what I have is an M4-type AR, with a removable carry handle, and standard front sight/gas block. Okay, so I’m a bit ol’ fashioned, I have a soft spot for a plain ol’ M4 style of AR. I can remove the carry handle, should I desire to put a scope or red dot sight on the upper receiver – it’s there if I want to do it. We also have the M4 style oval handguards, with excellent double heat shields.
 
The “MPC” is in 5.56mm NATO and, of course, it will also handle standard .223 Remington rounds up to 62 grain bullet weight.  The barrel is 16″ long, with a 1 turn in 9″ right hand twist, pretty standard on this type of civilian AR. The barrel is also 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium steel, and the barrel is chrome-line for easy care and extra long life, too. The bolt is Carpenter 158 Steel – MP/HP tested – another nice touch. There is also a 6-position telescoping butt stock. The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation – once you set the front sight post during zeroing – and the adjustments on the rear sight go from 300 to 600 meters. There is the standard flash suppressor on the end of the M4-style barrel, too.
 
The “MPC” has a very rich, dark black anodized coating on the upper and lower receivers – much nicer than is seen on most ARs, and much nicer than the old Bushmaster ARs had, too. The barrel coating almost perfectly matches the coating on the upper and lower receivers, too – again, a nice touch. The upper and lower receivers are anodized – the barrel is parkerized. The rifle weighs in at only 6.9-lbs – just about perfect for an M4 style AR. The gun comes in a hard plastic carrying case, with one magazine, instruction manual and sling. There is also a lifetime warranty on all Windham Weaponry firearms – the the warranty can be transferred to a new owner, should you sell or trade the gun.
 
Any more, I’m not impressed with many of the new ARs that come on the market. Sure, some are better built than others, some shoot a tad more accurate than others, some have more accessories and features than other similar guns have. Some ARs cost an arm and a leg, some are dirt cheap – and paying a lot more doesn’t always mean you are getting a lot more, either. The Windham Weaponry AR I have, is one of the best built ARs I’ve ever run across – bar none! And, I will tell you that this is probably the most accurate AR I’ve ever shot, and it is also the most consistently accurate AR I’ve shot with all the various ammo I tested in it – and I tested a lot of rounds in a month through this baby. I know, many firearms will be more accurate with certain brands of ammo than others – that’s usually the way it is with most firearms. However, the sample Windham Weaponry AR I have, had very consistent accuracy with all the loads I tested – there simply wasn’t a stand out – and that, my friends, is very rare. If I did my part, I was getting 100 yard groups in the 1.25″ range – with open sights. I’m sure I can do better with a scope mounted on this gun.
 
Okay, speaking of ammo, I tested the Buffalo Bore Ammunition 69 grain Sniper load – which has proven very accurate in my testing over the past year or so. Buffalo Bore also produces three other bullet weights in their Sniper load, too. I highly recommend you test their Sniper loads, and find one that shoots to your liking. Tim Sundles, who owns and operates Buffalo Bore takes a lot of pride in developing his various loads, and it shows. I also tested Winchester‘s USA brand .223 55 grain FMJ load – which is always a good shooting round for me – and I use this load a lot for function testing. Winchester also sent me their new PDX1 Defender 60 grain HP load – which was designed for personal defense, as well as law enforcement use. I only had two boxes of this new ammo, so I couldn’t do a lot of testing with it – but I was impressed with the accuracy as well as the destructive power when fired into water-filled milk jugs. Long-time buddy, Jeff Hoffman, who runs Black Hills Ammunition sent me a variety of .223 Remington loads for testing. Jeff always manages to bury me in ammo when I ask for it for testing in various firearms – he’s kept my ammo locker full for 20+ years now.  From Black Hills I had their 55 grain FMJ load – in both new, first quality and factory seconds. I also had their 55 grain soft point, as well as their 60 grain soft point loads. The really new 62 grain Barnes TSX bullet – all copper hollow point, was a real eye opener in the “destroying” department and penetration testing. I also had Black Hills 60 grain Hornady V-MAX load – great varmint round – and I’m gonna nail that coyote across the road from my place one of these days. I also had the 68 grain Heavy Match HP and 69 grain Sierra Match King loads from Black Hills. Like I said, Jeff Hoffman keeps me well-supplied…and this isn’t all the loads that Black Hills produces for the .223 Remington caliber – check out their web site.
 
I wish I could report that one load shot worse, or better, than another. However, as I mentioned, this Windham Weaponry “MPC” is the most consistently accurate AR I’ve ever fired. There were no bad loads – they were all outstanding loads, with most printing groups in the 1.25″ neighborhood. Of course, some loads shot higher than others, and other loads shot lower – but they all grouped in a nice little three-shot cluster if I did my part. I fired more than 1,000 rounds in my testing – very little of the testing was in the functioning area – the gun always went “bang” when I pulled the trigger – no hiccups of any type. Most of my shooting was in the accuracy area – I just kept going out and doing more and more shooting because I didn’t believe this AR could shoot groups like it was shooting. Maybe I’m just getting to be a better shot in my old age, or maybe it’s the gun making me a better shot.
 
Right now, Windham Weaponry firearms are a bit hard to come by. (But for that matter, most AR and AK style rifles are hard to come by). My local gun shop sells ARs and AKs as fast as they come in the door – ditto for their respective ammo. Folks see the handwriting on the wall, and know that the President is gonna lower the hammer on guns and ammo in very short order – gun and ammo sales are soaring these days. However, Windham Weaponry ARs are even a bit harder to find – they are just getting up and running. They are now producing nine different models – when I got my sample a little over a month ago, they only listed four different models. So, they are already expanding and growing.
 
I like the “forever” warranty – that says a lot in my book, when a gun company is so sure of their products, that they are willing to back them up forever against defects in materials and workmanship. I also like that they have taken the old Bushmaster AR, and made it even better than it was before. Full retail on the sample I have is $1,086, and it would be a bargain at that price if you ask me – considering the high-quality of the parts and care in fitting – not to mention  the accuracy. My local gun shop had my sample marked at $829 – and I didn’t complain one bit about their asking price. They have since received several more Windham Weaponry rifles, and sold ’em right away. I was standing in the gun shop one morning, when a fellow was looking at a Windham Weaponry AR – and the manager was pointing out all the nice features – the manager asked me to tell this customer my findings and opinion. I flat out told him that my sample is the most consistently accurate AR I’ve ever owned. He soon bought the sample he was holding. And, no I don’t get a commission when I help sell a gun.
 
I certainly hope that Windham Weaponry keeps up the high-quality build, and continue using the best materials possible to build their ARs – if they do, they are gonna have a hard time keeping up with supply and demand. I like to see a company rise from the ashes, and the old Bushmaster Firearms is back, and better than ever in my humble opinion. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Sneaky Places to Store More Stuff, by Jessica Hooley

You’re a prepper and you’ve got tons of “stuff”. Food storage, fuel, first aid kits, bug out bags, the list seems to go on and on. And regardless of a prepper’s dream of unlimited storage space, there never seems to be enough room. At least not for me.

Most living accommodations make storage the final priority; putting style above all else. Regardless of your living situation, I’m here to tell you there is more space! We’ve just got to get a little sneaky and creative.

Just as a disclaimer: Some of this stuff might sound crazy. But aren’t you used to that by now… doing stuff people think is crazy. J Another note to add, when storing food it is best to keep it in the coolest place possible. If any of these rooms are in a place that gets a considerable amount of heat, use these sneaky storage places for your non-foods items.

The Bedroom

Under the Bed – This one’s the obvious one here but still commonly forgotten. Raise up that bed and get a pretty bed skirt to hide your bounty of emergency preparedness goods. With WaterBrick’s you can store upwards of an additional 50 gallons of water under your bed.

Top of the Closet – Almost every closet has that top level that never gets used. Reach up there and get stacking.

In Your Pillows – Let the craziness begin. While I don’t expect you to store food in the pillow you actually sleep on, how many of us have a hand full of useless throw pillows accompanying our bed spreads? Stuff them with freeze dried food, boxes of matches, garbage bags, medicine, etc.

In Your Box-Springs – Most box-springs use a lightweight cloth as a cover so you’ll have to store lighter emergency supplies in your box-spring. Box-springs are usually so open that you’ll only need a few cuts in the cloth to access the entire area for storage.

The Living Room

Coffee Table – If you are short on storage space, please don’t waste your money on a coffee table that offers no storage. As beautiful as some of those glass topped, claw-footed tables are, they are equally useless. Instead, buy an ottoman coffee table with deep storage containers. These are available in many attractive styles while still giving you the storage space you need.

In Your Couch – It’s not such a weird idea when you think about hide-a-bed couches. If they can conceal a mattress, you can make a couch conceal some emergency supplies. While this one might take a little craftiness, there’s some great tutorials out there for making your own storage couch.

The Entertainment Center – Your DVD Player will look fine on top next to the television. Save the unseen space for supplies. I’ve seen some entertainment centers big enough to store a month’s worth of food. Make the space count.

The Kitchen/Dining Room

Above the Cabinets – In most newer homes, the cabinets are kept several inches from the ceiling. Simply store your supplies in boxes that are aesthetically pleasing and put them on top of your cabinets. You’d be surprised at the amount of space available in these little nooks and crannies.

Seating – If you have the option, replace your dining room chairs with benches for seating. These benches can be built similarly to the storage couches I referred to above and have plenty of room for additional supplies.

The Rest of the House

In The Walls – As long as there’s no wires or vents going through any given space in your wall, you can use that area to store stuff. You can add cupboard doors for easy access, or leave the walls open with shelving. Either way, your walls can be the jackpot of overlooked storage space.

The Backyard – Don’t be afraid to dig a few holes if it means making space for your necessities. In your backyard you can make a root cellar. Or how about burying water tanks or other containers that store food?

I’m sure there are plenty of other sneaky places many of you have utilized for your storage purposes. – Jessica Hooley is the author of Salt n’ Prepper and contributor to the Army Navy Store Blog, PX Supply.

Seeking Input – Drafting My Next Novel: “Expatriates”

I am now writing the first draft my follow-on novel in the “Patriots-Survivors-Founders” series, under the working title “Expatriates.” Tentatively, this novel will be set primarily in three locales:

A.) Darwin, Australia,

B.) Tavares, Florida, and

C.) Borongan, Samar Island, Philippines.

There will also be some mention of Bella Coola, British Columbia. If any SurvivalBlog readers have lived in or near any of those locales , I’d appreciate your input, via e-mail. I’d also appreciate hearing from anyone with experience and seismic oilfield exploration.

OBTW, my novel “Founders” should be released in October 2012, in hardback, as an audiobook, and as a Kindle e-book.

Letter Re: Risk of Corruption Rankings–Redoubt States are Unfairly Slammed

James Wesley:
Did you see this article: Study ranks Wyoming’s corruption risk as high, and this map? How is it that states like Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming could be so corrupt? That doesn’t seem possible, and it contradicts all my prior research about The American Redoubt. What is you take on this? Thanks, – Kevin L.

JWR Replies: The study that they cited was on a perceived potential for corruption (a hypothetically calculated “risk of corruption”). The ratings were skewed, because they were in part based upon the willingness of state governments to report to the Federal government.  Some states rightly see that as kowtowing and a violation of their state sovereignty.

In essence, searching for corruption by searching for states with lax anti-corruption laws is illogical. Did it ever occur to the researchers that anti-corruption “sunshine” laws could be lax in some states simply because there has never been a problem with systematic corruption in those states? For Wyoming to rank higher than New Jersey, Michigan, and Illinois for risk of corruption is absolutely absurd.

If you do a web search on “Wyoming corruption”, you will see that the top 10 hits are nearly all to that same same hypothetical study.  That is because there are hardly any real incidents of systematic corruption in the state. 

Look at the states that got the lowest ratings: Georgia, Michigan, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia and Wyoming. Now I find it credible that there is systemic corruption in Michigan and perhaps in Virginia. But as for the rest on the list with “F” grades ,widespread corruption not very likely. If you look at the states where there have actually been corruption problems, New Jersey seems to dominate the news. But according to this ostensibly neutral study, New Jersey is far less “at risk” than Maine and Wyoming. In fact, based on their skewed metrics, New Jersey gets a “B” grade, while Idaho gets a “D-“, and Wyoming gets an “F.” That is absurd, on its very face. And how does Illinois get a “C” grade? The bottom line is this: Unless you ask the right questions, you are going to get the wrong answers. This is classic case of a study made with skewed metrics. Because of its flawed premise, the study was a waste of $1.5 million, part of which indirectly came from U.S. taxpayers. (Since NPR financially supports Public Radio International.)

We should also question who conducted the study: The Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity, and Public Radio International. They all have considerable bias. The Center for Public Integrity has a clear statist “big government” bias. One of their biggest supporters is George Soros. That alone spells volumes. Global Integrity is also statist and has a globalist “supranational” agenda. And Public Radio International has a bias that is clearly both statist and leftist/collectivist. When you come down to it, what result could you expect from these three organizations? I suspect that they covertly despise the so-called “Red States” and small government conservatism. Take a few minutes to read this: Fuhgeddaboutit! NJ top state for fighting corruption. And that, mind you, comes from left-of-center MSNBC.

The only recent claims of corruption in Wyoming that popped up came from an anonymous ex-convict oilfield worker with an apparent axe to grind, so his credibility is suspect.

This is not to say that there aren’t some corruption problems at the county level, inside The American Redoubt. For example, there was recently a case that was well-publicized, in Lake County, Montana. But there, five brave sheriff’s deputies blew the whistle on the corrupt practices, in righteous indignation. And that, by the way wasn’t a case of a politician taking fat envelopes of cash as a bribe for awarding some garbage hauling contract or sewage treatment plant contract. Rather, the key charge in this case was about a County Sheriff who thought he had some special right to jacklight deer and elk, and who had the temerity to brag about it.

Now I don’t claim that politics in the Redoubt States are as pure as the driven snow. But please recognize that these states were unfairly slammed by this biased study.

Letter Re: Canada’s Upcoming Body Armor Bans

Dear James:
The body armor ban in Alberta, Canada comes into effect June 15th, 2012.    To summarize, unless you are using Body Armor in your exempted profession, e.g., police, security, etc., etc., you have to get approval to buy, or own Body Armor.  FAQs see:  Body Armour Control

Fortunately, there is an exemption for “an individual who has been issued a valid licence under the Firearms Act (Canada)”, and – contrary to the FAQ page above – my reading of the actual law indicates that this exemption for Firearms License holders is not restricted to the scope of your profession.   See:  Exemptions, Section 4 (f) of the BODY ARMOUR CONTROL ACT

Nova Scotia’s upcoming ban does not have an exemption for Firearms License holders (like Manitoba.) 

These are very odious laws.  Innocent folks will die, or be injured because it did not seem worth the extra expense or hassle to proactively get Body Armor.  And do you think the gang members will be overly concerned about a getting a permit for their illegal Body Armor, to go along with their illegal guns, or illegal drugs? 

Free persons (who respect the rights of others) should not have to beg a bureaucrat to get permission to protect themselves.  If you have to get permission to protect your life, well… exactly what rights do you have? Yours Truly, – Nick  at BulletProofME.com Body Armor

Recipe of the Week:

Lin H. wrote: “Don’t buy spaghetti sauce in jars or cans since it is easy, thrifty and adaptable to make your own. You know what’s going into it, you can do many different meals with the one basic homemade recipe, and the ingredients are easily kept in your home (and preparedness ) pantry.”
 
Lin H.’s Easy Red Spaghetti Sauce
 
1-2 tbs. olive oil (optional, depending on your meat choice)
1/2 lb. meat (ground beef or pork or venison, bulk sausage, diced smoked sausage, cut bacon, Vienna sausage dices, cut pepperoni slices, diced canned ham; the possibilities are wonderfully various)
1/2 c. diced onions (or 2 tbs. dried onion flakes)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp. dried garlic, rehydrated; or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
1 can (14-16 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 heaping tbs. Italian seasoning (or 2 tsp. each basil and oregano)
1/2 tsp. ea. salt and pepper, or to taste
1 tbs. butter or margarine (optional)
 
In a large skillet or saucepan crumble and brown meat with onion and garlic till done (if using pre-cooked meats, heat oil then stir-fry meat, onion and garlic till onion is translucent, 5 minutes or so). Drain grease. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to just-boiling at high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings if desired. Makes roughly 4 servings.
 
Now you’re ready for (plan on 12-16 oz. pasta for most of the meals below, to serve 4):
– Spaghetti, of course. Serve over cooked spaghetti or other pasta.
– Lasagne. Layer sauce with lasagne noodles and a cheese mixture and bake.
– Have you tried Cabbage Lasagne? Substitute steamed cabbage shreds for the pasta layer in lasagne. It’s delicious.
– Baked ziti/penne. Toss sauce with cooked ziti or penne tubes in a casserole, top with cheese, and bake.
– Stuff manicotti or giant shells with a cheese mixture, pour sauce over and bake.
– You can add vegetable nutrition to any of these dishes. Zucchini rounds, chopped spinach, and peppers (sweet red, green bell, or hot varieties to taste) all adapt well.
– Italian soup. When sauce is done add 2 cans (14-16 oz. ea.) beef broth, 2 c. water, a can of drained beans and diced veggies of choice (zucchini or any squash, peppers, celery, carrots, peas, spinach and cabbage are all good). Simmer till veggies are almost tender and add 1/2 c. uncooked pasta the last 10 minutes.
– Add a cup of half-&-half to your sauce, simmer 10 minutes, and stir in cooked pasta for a creamy “Hamburger Helper type” stovetop dish.
– Spread sauce on unbaked pizza crusts (will make 2-to-3 pizzas), top with diced veggies, sprinkle cheese over and bake.

Chef’s Notes:

I hope this can be helpful. Sharing good food with family or friends is a blessing, in good times and bad.

Reader Matt R. Adds: “The only thing I can possibly add to Lin H.’s delicious sounding spaghetti sauce contribution is something I learned from my half-Italian cousin:  Canned tomatoes and sauce are acidified for safety and can be pretty ‘twangy’…  To cut the acid, add very finely chopped carrots to the sauce – about a half cup to Lin’s basic recipe should be about right.  You can chop them so finely nobody will ever know they are there.  Added early and simmered for 15-20 minutes, they add no carrot-y taste but their mild sweetness goes a long way to eliminating the acid and canned taste of the tomatoes.  The beta carotene can’t hurt either…  Once you do this you’ll never consider making spaghetti sauce without them.”
 

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Mrs. G. suggested Cooks.com

Cousin Al mentioned that Faith and Survival has a useful collection of dehydrated food recipes.

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have tested extensively? Then please e-mail it to us for posting. Thanks!

Economics and Investing:

Tom. H. sent this bit of CNBC punditry: Silver: Poor Man’s Gold Turning to Fool’s Gold? [JWR’s Comment: It is actually U.S. Dollar-denominated investments that are for fools. The Dollar is doomed. Silver and gold are merely a couple of the best hedges on that inevitability.]

Don’t Call Them ‘Extreme Couponers’: Meet the Coupon Enthusiasts

Over at Seeking Alpha: A Run On Guns Is Making Investors Happy

G.G. sent this: Obama’s Budget: ‘Interest Payments Will Exceed Defense Budget’ in 2019. [JWR’s Comment: Or much sooner, if interest rates jump.]

B.B. sent this: World food prices rise further, raising fears of unrest

Items from The Economatrix:

Americans Brace For Next Foreclosure Wave

Stocks: Worries About Europe Resurface

Payroll Gain in US “Probably” Exceeded 200,000 for Fourth Month

Jobs Recovery Suffers Setback In March

Odds ‘n Sods:

Count your blessings, all you pampered middle class First Worlders, after you watch this five-minute slice of life: The Dentist of Jaipur. By the way, don’t miss how they seem to be re-using a syringe (that made me shudder) and the same pink “anesthetic” liquid is later used as an antiseptic. <Sarcasm On:> Well, hey, “anesthetic” and “antiseptic” sort of sound the same, so they should work the same, right? <Sarcasm Off.> (Thanks to K.T. for sending us the link.)

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Carolina Readiness Supply is having their 2nd Annual Preparedness Seminar May 4th and 5th in Black Mountain, North Carolina.  This is the town where the novel One Second After was set. The Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain seats 2,000+.  Dr. William Forstchen (the author of One Second After) will be a guest speaker.

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The ultimate slingshot?

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For those that have asked about a portable PV power system that they can easily move back and forth between their homes and retreats: Goal Zero Yeti 1250. Ready Made Resources offers these with free shipping. (Which is substantial, given the weight of the battery box.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution – taking from the federal government their power of borrowing." – Thomas Jefferson

Notes from JWR:

May God Bless You and Yours, as we honor the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 40 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 $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and F.) 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 FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 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.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 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.

Doomsday Glocker, by G.B.A.

Contrary to the title of this article, I am not a hardcore Glock enthusiast, but I have carried them and used them extensively.  While you may not agree with my thoughts on the Glock, I provide them to you based upon my personal experience with the Glock.  I may be wrong, but I am sure of what I know.

So, you are prepping for a WTSHTF scenario and are contemplating what handgun to choose.  You’ve already settled on your rifle, but now you want something else.  You want something that can be: conveniently carried, is concealable, is of a respectable caliber, is reliable under harsh conditions, and requires very little maintenance to keep it running.

Your choices are limited to either a revolver or a autopistol.  Now, I started out shooting revolvers and have a fondness in my heart for them.  However, while a revolver fits the above criteria just fine, I would not consider anyone who chooses a revolver as being under armed. For me, I would lean towards the autopistol. Unless of course your main threat comes from a rather large and furry four legged animal, then I would lean towards favoring a large caliber revolver starting with the number 4.

My reasons for this choice are simple, thought out, and borne from experience.  Autopistols generally have a higher capacity than revolvers and can be reloaded rather rapidly with some practice.  Revolvers, for most of us, are slower to re-load and do not have the firepower of an autopistol.  A malfunction in a autopistol is relatively easy to clear and can be done quickly.  Although a malfunction in a revolver is rare, it does happen and may require tools to get it back into action.  Not a challenge one wants to take on in the middle of a self defense situation.  Keep in mind though, that there is a reason that virtually all police departments have made the switch from revolvers to autopistols.  While revolvers are extremely reliable, modern autopistols produced from major manufactures have also achieved enviable reliability.  Yes, I know that autopistols can be prone to a malfunction if you do not have a solid grip and “limp wrist”.  And for the novice shooter, revolvers are safer to use.  I’ve used autopistols that were so extremely reliable that the presentation of a malfunction left one in a state of almost utter disbelief.  Just remember, that the heart of a autopistol is the magazine.  Purchase only top quality spare magazines for your autopistol.  Don’t skimp on this.

Become well acquainted with your pistol and practice with it as often as possible.  Dry firing is a good and cheap way to practice.  Concentrate on the front sight and trigger press.  The trigger press is one of the hardest things to master on a autopistol, but absolutely essential to shooting a handgun well.  Remember however, that while dry firing is a good way to practice, you still need to hit the range and go live.  After all, you can’t learn to swim if you don’t go in the water.       

Caliber selection is always a topic of debate.  Some people are more comfortable with the ubiquitous 9mm round, while others lean towards the uniquely American .45 ACP.  You can’t argue with history, and personally I’m a .45 ACP fan.  Yes, I know that with modern hollow point ammunition the best 9mm round can be almost as effective as the best hollow point 45 ACP round.  However, if there is ever a WTSHTF scenario, ammunition may be difficult to come by and you may not be able to obtain hollow point ammunition, only the hardball ammunition.  So ask yourself, would you rather have a FMJ 9mm round or a FMJ .45 ACP round?  Bigger bullets equal bigger holes.  Yes, we can talk about shot placement, recoil and all that stuff, but there is a reason that the .45 ACP is preferred by some elite military and law enforcement units as their caliber of choice in a crisis situation.  Enough said on this topic.  This is a personal choice.  Just learn how to shoot correctly and to hit what you are shooting at!  9mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W, 10mm, 357 Magnum, etc, will all get the job done if you do yours.  That brings us back to practice, practice, practice!   

As for me, I chose the Glock 23.  This is Glock’s compact size 40 caliber version.  My choices for choosing this caliber are personal, but thought out.  While the 40 caliber is a snappy round, it is controllable with the proper technique and can be shot rapidly and accurately.  It is a uniquely American round, and the best of the breed nips at the heels or equals that of the best 45 ACP bullet.  Moreover, it is the round that is carried by a large percentage of the law enforcement agencies in this country which may make the round more accessible in a WTSHTF scenario.  While it does not have the cross sectional density of the 45 ACP it is still much larger than the 9mm (.355) as opposed to .400 for the 40 caliber.

The Glock 23 has a 13 round capacity and will accept the magazine of its larger sibling, the Glock 22 with a 15 round magazine.  As an additional bonus, you can purchase a 9mm barrel for the Glock 23 along with some 9mm Glock magazines and you now have two calibers on one frame.  You can also purchase a 357 SIG barrel and have three calibers on one frame.  This gives the user versatility when the ammunition supply begins to dwindle.  There are also 22 caliber conversion kits that you can order to convert your Glock 23 into a 22 LR shooter.  So, with a little expense, you can have four calibers in one autopistol.

The Glock, right out of the box, comes with an extremely tough finish that resists rust like nobody’s business, and it requires very little lubrication or maintenance to keep it functioning.  Thus, one of the reasons it is favored by law enforcement.

Simplicity of use?  It’s a point and shoot gun.  While it does have three safeties (a trigger safety, firing pin safety and drop safety), there are no external safeties to click off.  Pull the trigger and it will go bang, just like a revolver.  It’s just that simple.  The trigger pull is the same for each round so there is no need to acclimate to two different trigger pulls as one would find with a traditional DA/SA autopistol.

While I would admit that the Glock is a very easy pistol to learn to shoot, it is not as easy to learn to shoot it well, as the trigger takes a bit of getting used to.  But with proper training and familiarization, you can shoot this pistol competently, quickly, and accurately under combat conditions.  Remember, the Glock was not developed as a target pistol but rather as a military autopistol for the Austrian army.

If you read the various published gun magazine articles and internet blogs, they claim that the reliability/durability of the Glock almost reaches legendary proportions.  However, my experience has been to the contrary.  It does go bang when you pull the trigger, but it can break.   Now, I primarily use the .40 caliber round which is a high pressure round.  Folks using the 9mm round may have a different take on the durability of the Glock.  From my personal experience, the Glock 23 will break on you with lots of use.  I have had a number of broken parts on a Glock 23.  All the breakages occurred somewhere within approximately 17,000 rounds down range.  The good news however, is that the Glock is a “plug and play” gun.  It does not require you to be an armorer (but I would advise that you invest in a complete Glock guide) to get the pistol back into action within minutes.  Just pop out the broken part and plug in the replacement part and you’re ready to go.  All you need is a pin punch tool, maybe a pair of needle nose pliers and small flathead screwdriver for all of your repair needs.  Remember, the Glock has a high level of parts interchangeability with other Glocks, so if you don’t have the spare part, there is a fair chance that you can cannibalize it from another Glock, even if it is not the same caliber or model as yours.  The Glock only has 34 parts.  That is fewer than any other autopistol that I know of.

The Glock 23 weighs only 21.16 ounces (unloaded) and has a height of 5 inches, so it is relatively easy to conceal and light enough to carry all day, but packs a wallop when you need it.  The pistol’s low bore axis makes recoil relatively easy to control despite its light weight.

The Glock does not require a break-in period.  It will come out shooting right from the box.  However, I would definitely change out those cheap plastic sights and replace them with night sights that have a cocking shelf to allow for one hand racking of the slide.  For me, I would also replace the factory slide stop lever with an extended one from Glock.  This type of lever just fits my style of shooting better. 

While the Glock is not my favorite autopistol it has a lot going for it in a Mad Max scenario or a Get Out of Dodge event.  It has a tough as nails finish, it is dependable under harsh environmental conditions, low maintenance, low weight, easy to shoot, easy to fix, and ubiquitous.  What more can you ask for in a WTSHTF autopistol?        

Just my opinion folks, nothing more, nothing less.

JWR Adds: I cringe whenever I see cannibalization mentioned vis-a-vis home gunsmithing . It takes just a few minutes of Internet research to determine which are the high breakage and high loss parts for any particular gun. By high loss, I mean small parts that are under spring tension such as various detents, extractors, and ejectors that tend to go flying across a room and getting lost in the Great Dacron Forest of deep pile carpeting, never to be seen again. Do the research, and stock up on the requisite spare parts. After all, a complete spare gun is a mighty expensive source of a few spare parts, and once you start cannibalizing, you of course lose the use of a functional weapon.

Economics and Investing:

R.C. sent this: Higher Rates End Obama’s Borrowing Cost Holiday.

Speaking of interest issues: Interest on Federal Debt Hit $104B in First Half of FY2012—Despite Low Interest Rates

Owe The IRS? Bill Would Suspend Passport Rights For Delinquent Taxpayers. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)

The latest from Silver Shield: The Myth of Silver Confiscation

Items from The Economatrix:

Iran, Oil, Europe Pose Risk To Economy:  Geithner

Stanford’s Lazear:  US Suffering Worst Economic Recovery In History

Iran, Oil Prices, And Gambling With The World Economy

Gasoline Prices May be Getting Close to a Peak

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader B.B. sent this news from Canada: Gun owners alarmed by ammunition rule- Confusion over storage requirements. But meanwhile, some good news: Senate kills long-gun registry. (Thanks to N.L. for the latter link.)

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Our friend Commander Zero recently commented on: Gender issues in preparedness

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G.G. mentioned that Lisa Bedford (“Survival Mom”) was just interviewed by Lew Rockwell

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Mac Slavo of the SHTFPlan blog recently posted a link to this trucking industry warning from 2006: When Trucks Stop, America Stops

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An American Redoubt Job Opening: The ultimate high tech backcountry job? Radio Repeater Maintenance Support (Idaho & Wyoming)

How to Navigate by the Sun. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)

Letter Re: Small Unit Tactics in a Post Collapse Environment

Captain Rawles,
In addition to the points you made in reference to stealth and scarce ammunition supplies post collapse, in your commentary on the named article, I would make a second point:

While the squad level tactics described have proven to be rather effective for active duty military in offense;  the average Joe and his family unit will most likely not have those kinds of numbers.  The average familial size seems to be right around four, these days.  So unless one is lucky enough to have found/joined/founded a group for this purpose, when it gets to be Schumer time the average Joe will find themselves with a fire team at best, in most cases.  Do not mistake me, here, if you got a thirteen man squad, or more, great.  But most won’t, so other tactics are perhaps more appropriate.

I would frankly be more inclined, speaking as a veteran myself, to highly recommend the average family/small group employ an adaptation of ST:A (Scout Team: Advanced), fire team recon, or LRRP doctrines.  Which is to say concentrate on detection over engagement, stealth over owning ground, and strict employment of the sound/light/motion/trace “disciplines”.  For those who aren’t familiar, trace discipline can also be called trash discipline or “policing your line of advance”.  It simply means don’t leave any trace that you were there; burn, bury, or carry with you any trash or spent brass.  In short, get in-do your business-get out, preferably without having to engage, especially if the other side is physically entrenched.  If you must engage at assault ranges, then somebody goofed and goofed badly, in my experience. Of course, if one must engage, do so authoritatively, and with prejudice; in other words don’t just hit your target, drop them, so they don’t get back up. Then break off the engagement as quickly as is possible.  Obviously, further adaptation will be needed for such things as movement connected with resource gathering, and so forth.  Cutting firewood in quantity leaves a lot of trace and will have a huge sound signature, for example.

I would also very highly advise these small groups to train all their members as designated marksmen, on top of whatever other skills are possessed, in order to foster the habit of observation at distance.  This allows for long range engagement from behind cover, followed by a break contact movement while starting from that same cover. (Assuming there’s cover to be had.)   This is in keeping with what I’ve written previously concerning keeping a low profile.  Simply put, the average family unit will just not possess, most likely, the numerical assets to engage at squad level or higher, with much degree of success.  Huge families and so forth are more an exception these days than they were when I was a child.

When it comes to family, there’s no such animal as “acceptable losses.”

Just my two cents, here.  And Easter blessings to all. – J.H.