Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 42 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 $300 value), F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. 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 42 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Where are You in Your Preparedness? , by B.L. the Texican

I hope that what I have to say will help someone that is just getting started with their survival preparedness situation, SurvivalBlog has helped me in streamlining our preparations, and I believe in giving back some of what I have received.  I have read many different blogs and forums, and come away with the impression that most of the blogs are for the arm chair survivalist that do not try anything for themselves, but only go on what they have read or heard.  SurvivalBlog.com is one of the few that have individuals that seem to have tried what they say they have done and shared their experiences.

My experience with a survival mind set started almost a decade ago, but only limited for a few weeks or month at most.  That all changed several years ago when I started really looking at the way our country was headed.   I will admit that I still have a long ways to go, but with God’s help, and if the world will hold together long enough, I will get to where I desire to be.  If not, then my family and I will survive with what we have on hand for a long time.

FOOD

We do have enough for me and my family for at least a year, longer if we just go to two meals a day.  My youngest daughter is almost 17, and I have 4 boys that range in ages from 19 to 33, then two older daughters and their families.  You can imagine the appetite of young men so I have taken that into account.  Only one son is married and has two small children.  I have endeavored to teach my children to always be prepared for as much as possible, if only for a short time.  Again, that has changed over the last couple of years.  We live in a hurricane prone area, so it is imperative that we always have plenty of food on hand that can be eaten with little or no cooking.  I am not talking about MRE’s.  I do have two cases of MRE’s that I obtained during the last hurricane that was not eaten, but I like to store what we usually eat daily, and eat what we store. I read that on a blog and it made sense to me.

It was very difficult to get my wife onboard, but during the last hurricane a few years ago, she and my daughter went to my sister’s house because it was further away from the coast than our old house (built in 1925).  My sister and her husband had nothing to eat but a few bags of chips and some crackers, and two bottles of soda.  They did not even have matches to light the one decorative candle that was in their house.  My brother-in-law had unplugged the refrigerator before the hurricane hit so it would not be damaged from power surges.  Hence, all the food that was in the refrigerator and their freezer was ruined before it was truly needed.  When communications was restored about two days later, my wife called and talked to one of our sons.  He told her that we still had cold milk, and were eating fine.  At the time, we only kept about two months’ worth of food on hand.  It was two days later before she and my daughter were able to come home, and a month before we had electricity restored.

It was at that point that my wife fully came on board with storing extra food.  There are times that she will say “I think we have enough”, but we are still building our “lauder” as she sometimes calls it.

There have been times that we were only able to add one or two cans or a bag of rice and beans every two weeks or so, but every little bit helps.  There have even been a few times that we could not add anything, but had to use what we had stored just to make it for the week or two before we could buy something.  In those cases, we were very glad we had something to fall back on.

It doesn’t matter if you have very little at this point.  The time to start is now.  Even if you have to do as we did during our lean times with just a few cans of something or a bag of rice and/or beans.  You need to get something to hold you over during a natural disaster or the eventual TEOTWAWKI.

FIREARMS

I have been an avid hunter all my life until the last decade or so.  Hunting leases just became too expensive for my budget.  I did try hunting the National Forest for a few years, but they are a dangerous place.  You think you are alone, and then a bullet hits a tree just above your head.  I decided that was enough of the National Forest for me.  My sons’ still hunt the National Forest on occasion, but they too are not having very good success.

Because of where we live, I had built a range in my pasture years ago.  I have taught all my children how to shoot firearms from the time they were about 4 years old.  At that age, they do not have the concept of how to aim, but they enjoyed shooting with their dad.  In my opinion, you can never be too young to learn gun safety.  As they grew, their marksmanship also improved, and the enjoyment of just shooting.  I still have the Chipmunk and the youth .22lr rifles that they learned with.  My granddaughter that is now 3 years old has been shooting with her mom, dad, and papa using that same Chipmunk.  That is the first thing she wants to do when they come to visit.

All my children now have their own .45 ACP Glock or XD .45 handguns, a 12ga. Mossberg pump shotgun, a .22 lever action rifle, and a main larger caliber rifle (MBR).  My wife can handle the .45 ACP, but prefers her 9mm Glock, and a 20 gauge youth 870 pump shotgun.  She is not into rifles yet, but I am still hoping that one day she will ask me for one.  I do have a few extra rifles that have been in the family for a long time that she might be able to handle, but I would like to get her something she will enjoy and not be afraid to shoot.  We also have several .22 LR handguns that we use for just plinking on occasion.  We try to train with the handguns and rifles at least once a month depending on the funds available for ammunition.  Ammunition can get expensive with that many shooters at one time.  I do reload all our handgun ammunition only, and replace all that we use during our practices. 

I was striving for everyone to shoot the same make/caliber/ga. to cut down on the different types of ammunition that I would have to have on hand.  I would interject here that it doesn’t matter what you decide for your family.  It is what you and your family are comfortable with.  My daughter, who is almost 17 likes the Glock, but the XD45 fits her hands better.  It is all in your size, training, desire, finances, and ability.  Do not buy cheap, since cheap will get you hurt, or killed, or will break down when you need it the most.  If you do not have the funds to get everyone their own firearm, buy quality, and each learn to use that quality firearm until you are able to purchase another.

At this point, I would like to say that you cannot go wrong by storing factory ammo for all your firearms.  I trust my reloads but do not count it as part of my stored ammunition.  I have not had a malfunction with any of the reloads that I have made, but that is not to say it will never happen.  I am only human, and could make a mistake.  I have read about various amounts of ammunition that should be stored for each firearm, but your comfort level may be different from mine.  Personally, I am trying to store at least a thousand rounds of factory ammo for each firearm that we have.  I am not quite there yet, but getting closer.  At this time I have switched my priorities again.  I am trying to build our food supply to a much larger level.  That is my number one priority so the ammunition storing will be a little less for now.  I am comfortable with what I have on hand, but not so much with our food supply.  I believe that it could be over a year to years before everything settles down again, if ever.  We also have lots of seeds for the garden.

MEDICAL/PERSONAL HYGIENE

My family has been truly blessed in that none of us have to take any type of medications.  Therefore, it has been relative easy to stock what we think we might need.  We have stocked Band-Aids and bandages of various sizes.  Antibiotic creams and anti-itch creams, and large quantities of various types of aspirin are in our stores.  I just recently purchased a blood pressure kit and a stethoscope.  You just never know when you might need this.  Along with the various salves and creams, we have items for stomach problems and for dry eyes.  We are not as far along in this area as I would like, but we need so little (right now) in this area.  We have lots of tooth brushes and tooth paste, dental floss, oral jell, emergency dental repair kits, and some mouth wash.  Not to be left out, a lot of TP, and personal things for my wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law.  Also we have some preventives.  That is all I will say about that.  Soap and shampoo will be at a premium, so we have quite a bit of that along with alcohol, peroxide, and disinfectant washes.  We have also saved any prescription antibiotics and pain killers from the past.  Most of these were for tooth ailments, and from my daughter-in-law.  Babies are always taking medications for something, so she has saved them for me.

All my family’s teeth have been taken care of, and kept up with regular cleanings and any minor dental decays have been fixed.

We also have some medications and things for small children, including dozens of cloth diapers.  The cloth diapers can be used for almost anything. 

Needless to say, we do have other things for medical and personal hygiene, but this is just to give you a rough estimate to what we have on hand for a healthy large family.  We didn’t collect all of these preparations overnight.  Everything takes time.  Just remember that you can only take one step at a time.

There are other areas that we could talk about having on hand, such as alternate power sources, heat sources, clothing, tools, retreats, children’s games, bug or ant solutions, or etc., but you may be able to only concentrate on one specific area at this time.  Start there.  Start where you are now, and do not get frustrated that it is going so slow, and you feel that you may only have a short time.  Something now for your family is better than nothing while waiting for a government that doesn’t have the resources to take care of the millions that depend on it now as proven by the Hurricane Katrina.   Your family is depending on you.

Three Letters Re: Adapting Preps as We Age

Hi Jim,
You were spot on in your response to he article by “Retread”.
 
However, for anyone who does choose to use .22 LR for self defense, like the writer of the article, I would go with the Mexican Aguila brand ammo. Due to necessity, they’ve had to invent some man-killer .22 LR (It’s legal for people there to own .22 LR, but not anything else. Not that people down there don’t own AR’s and AK’s, anyway).
 
My favorite solution for this man is the Aguila 60-grain rd., marketed under the name “Sniper Sub-Sonic” (SSS).I think the only reason they market it that way is simply because they couldn’t get a .22 Short shell crammed full of powder to move a 60-grain slug any faster than 900 fps.
 
This unjacketed 60-grain lead slug is just plain mean, and all of Aguila’s .22 ammo is Eley primed, which are some of the best primed rimfires (The primers are British, hence Aguila is actually owned by them). Also, the SSS round only loses approx. 100 fps at 100 yards, which means it doesn’t leave the barrel very fast, but it’s still moving at 100 yards (out of a 16-inch barrel).
 
Also, their “Supermaximum” cartridges (both solid and hollowpoint) move at about 1,750 fps, roughly 130 fps faster than US made Stinger .22 LR. Since I don’t like putting a rifle cartridge into a pistol (particularly .22 Magnum), I wouldn’t recommend putting Supermax into a pistol, since the excess energy makes it very inaccurate. – Joe Snuffy

JWR:
I applaud Retread in recognizing that each of us needs to assess our own circumstances as we age. From arranging the garden to minimize issues with “questionable” knees and backs to financial realities as we move into our later years. Firearms and ammunition can put a pretty good strain on the budget when trying to maintain skills over the long haul. However, I strongly agree with your assessment of [the unsuitability of] .22 LR as a defensive round. It definitely has a place in the survival battery but not in that capacity. I believe that handguns are a practical compromise when out and about working or otherwise conducting business that makes toting a long gun impractical. With that in mind I believe most of us subscribe to the bigger we can handle the better when we are away from our long guns. I have heard it said  the best we can hope for is to be half as good in a violent confrontation as we are at the range. To me that precludes depending so heavily on the accuracy required to be effective with a .22. My research and minimal experience leads me to believe the .38 or 9 mm are the smallest handgun rounds suitable for the task. Yes, I would want a .45, .357 or .40 S&W on my hip all the time but the cost of proficiency climbs as you work your way up the caliber chain. I have all of these stocked up but my mainstay for a potential SHTF scenario is the 9mm. I don’t know which model’s Retread experienced but a polymer  compact or full size pistol is easy to carry on the hip all day and a breeze to shoot (not most sub-compacts though). The ammo cost is more than the .22 but in bulk it is by far the cheapest of any other weapon you can carry. Besides your stockpile its common enough to supplement/barter after the flag goes up too. One more thing, an extra weapon in the configuration of your “full” caliber weapon but chambered for .22 is an excellent idea. Sight alignment, sight picture, grip and trigger pull are identical and differences in recoil between the .22 and 9 mm are negligible. – William J.

Mr Rawles,
One thing I’d suggest for someone looking for a firearm with less weight or recoil then a .22 rimfire would be to look at calibers smaller than 9mm. .380 ACP, .327 Federal Magnum, 7.62 x 25mm, or 9×17 Makarov would be (marginally) better choices than a .22 rimfire, simply because the bullets’ weights and velocities would make them more forgiving of less-than-perfect shots on either the head or center of mass against a threat target.

I generally tell people to shy away from these calibers, but they’re better than nothing.

If the shooter can get past the price and marginal trigger, a really decent alternative to .22 rimfire is the FN FiveseveN (5.7x28mm centerfire).

Cheers, – Kent C.

Economics and Investing:

The Commodities Survival Kit Guide: Gold, Silver, Timber, Farmland, Stamps, & Antique Guns

Why Investors Are Hoarding Silver

U.S. 2012 budget deficit $1.1 trillion: CBO (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

K.P. sent this: Heard the rumour China is buying 6,000 tonnes of gold? It may not be as crazy as it sounds

Items from The Economatrix:

Shhh…It’s Even Worse Than The Great Depression

Germany May Be The Country That Brings The Euro Crashing Down

Odds ‘n Sods:

In the market for a nuke-proof bunker? Try eBay

   o o o

Geoff S. spotted this: The airvent wall cache.

   o o o

A presentation at DEFCON: Safe to Armed in Seconds: A Study of Epic Fails of Popular Gun Lock and Gun Safes. (Warning: Includes some foul language.) At the same convention: Defcon 19: DIY Non-Destructive-Entry.

   o o o

Dennis X. sent the link to this informative web page: Sea, Shipping Container Cabin, Shelter, Home

   o o o

I found this linked at The Woodpile Report (one of my favorite weekly reads): Mass grave in London reveals how volcano caused global catastrophe: Scientists search for the explosive source of a disaster that wiped out almost a third of Londoners in 1258

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"La deficit" triggered the French Revolution.  Government debt tripled between 1774 and 1789, much of it incurred by supporting the American Revolution." – From a National Geographic article on France, July 1989, p. 24

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 42 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 $300 value), F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. 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 42 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

When Your Prepping Plan Falls Apart – Picking Up the Pieces, by M.J.W.

I previously wrote about Leaving Suburbia.  I was so excited to be moving out of the city and into the country towards a more self-sufficient lifestyle, but I spoke too soon.  We were in contract on a piece of property, and at the last minute, the sellers backed out of the transaction.  We were left wondering where we were going to live.  We immediately began looking for another piece of property.  Meanwhile the home we had leased for almost four years, in preparation for this move, was sold out from under us and we had to move on short order.  Move where?  
We moved our belongings into temporary storage and moved in with friends who graciously offered us the upstairs of their home.  Yet, we felt like a couple of 2×4’s had hit us.  At the same time, a very close friend had two major heart attacks in quick succession and he was in cardiac intensive care on life support for a week.  He made it, but the emotional toll was heavy.  Additionally, my employer announced a global layoff of staggering proportions.  Another couple of whacks with a 2×4.  
Whack, whack, whack, whack… deep breath.  No place to live, in fear of being subject to a layoff, being the primary breadwinner, the prepper plan up in smoke…  What next?  Time to take a step back and re-evaluate our circumstances.  What are the facts that determine the direction we must take?
1.        I own a local business and it is not time to fold up and move out of State.
2.        I work full time from home for my employer – flexibility is good.
3.        If I lose my job, we will be in a world of hurt – risk acknowledged.
4.        There are no available properties that meet the prepper plan within reach geographically.
5.        We must live close enough to a major hospital due to health concerns.
6.        The real estate market is in a state of flux, but interest rates are low.
7.        The economy is about to go off a cliff or will continue at a slow, painful, bleed.
8.        Congress has no idea how to solve our problems and an election is pending.
9.        We are getting old – mid 50s – we need to build a realistic plan for our future.

Uncertainty prevails.
Anxiety is high.

I write to you because I think that there may be many of you who are encountering the same dilemmas.  Maybe walking through my decision-making process will help you with yours, or alternatively, help you avoid certain decisions based on flaws in my logic.  Net-net:  I chose to shelter in rather than move to the country.  I will tell you why.
The business – The advantages to the prepper of having a local business are many: active involvement in the community, a large number of friends who are like-minded (in relationship to your type of business), a large network of resources (we help one another).  The business has a good-sized warehouse perfect for storage and under extreme measures, an alternate “shelter in” facility.  There is low overhead associated with running the business.  Decision:  Keep the business and focus on reducing cost, increasing loyalty, and expanding low cost services.  

The job – I tend to freeze when I am under lots of stress, but my antennae are up.  I am now paying attention to exactly how my employer is working to solve its problems.  Will it go under or will it reinvent itself?  I am determined to meet my objectives and then some.  I have taken on more work, working longer hours, keeping my ear to the ground, ensuring that I add real value to the division, and endeavoring to be politically aware so another 2×4 does not hit me upside the head.  I am keeping an eye on the job market in my field to ensure my skills are sharp and in demand.  What else can I do?
What about property?  After much research, and emotional depression, I determined that now is a good time to buy, but choosing the property is critical.  Let me be clear.  Choosing the property to purchase is based more on future financial security now than my previous prepper plans.  I do not wish to be homeless in my old age with stockpiles of food and supplies and nowhere to put them.  Practicality and precaution will be my guides.  

Let me give you a little background on the property situation in Nevada.  We have an extremely contracted real estate market in Nevada with a significant number of homes in foreclosure resulting in very limited inventory – i.e., not much for sale.  It takes over 400 days for a home to make its way back onto the market after foreclosure in Nevada.  This is in addition to a one to two year foreclosure process.  The lack of inventory has caused a bit of a bidding war on available properties, which leads to false valuations, which we know will not hold.  Do not get caught in a bidding war unless you have done the long-term math.  I heard that the same thing is happening in California.

The fact that across the United States, “10 million properties with underwater mortgages, and a shadow inventory of 1.5 million” (6/26/12, Forbes ) makes one wonder if now is the time to buy at all.  It also makes one wonder what will happen if, and when, the banks start releasing properties, i.e., flood the market with properties for sale.  I believe that the banks will continue to dribble properties out into the market for sale at a controlled rate in order to avoid insolvency and to control the downward spiral in housing values.  

If I buy now, will I be able to sell out of necessity in the future?  This is the question on every potential homeowner’s mind.  Recent homeowners (within the last 2 years) are most likely underwater in Nevada already.  Have we hit bottom?  Probably not.  Is there a long-term advantage to buying property now?  Maybe.  Each individual must decide, according to his or her own financial situation, if it makes sense to buy property now or rent.  I am not a financial advisor, nor do I know anything about financial planning – it is not what I do for a living.  I am just a mid – 50s woman with a lot at stake and have done my own research.  I made the decision to buy because it makes financial sense for tax reasons.  After deducting the interest on the loan, property taxes, repairs, etc., my cost for shelter is about half of what it is to rent a comparable property.  It makes financial sense for me.  Will congress keep the tax deductions intact for years to come?  Probably.  My financial plan includes paying off a 30 yr mortgage in 15 with room to prep in the budget – and that’s a really aggressive goal that requires discipline.

The price of the property I am currently purchasing is low for the area and the home is a “fixer-upper”.  The area has historically held property values – relatively speaking – and doing much better than other areas.  It is an older, established neighborhood, with lots of mature trees and landscaping, custom homes on large lots, and a bit removed from the downtown areas.  Our friend calls it the “high rent district”, but I would call it a great deal in a great neighborhood with longtime residents who value their properties.  Nevadans are an interesting breed – primarily conservative, supporters of the right to bear arms, stubborn, opinionated, and with little tolerance for Bravo Sierra.  Most folks out here know how to shoot and own weapons.  If you can generalize about any group of people, I would say that I would rather be nestled in, sheltered in, with a group of longtime Nevadans than out in the wilderness on my own.  I believe this choice makes financial sense in the event that the balloon does not go up – practicality.

However, I have not given up entirely on my prepper plans.  The location of this non-HOA home allows for some views of what is going on below “in the city” because it is located in the foothills.  It is on over a third an acre and the soil is good – enough room to grow a sizeable, private garden.  It has a unique crawlspace under the home that could be a small bunker with slight modifications.  It is large, over 3,000 sq. ft., allowing room for the extended family to shelter in.  Behind the home is a “ditch”.  Ditches were built many years ago in order to provide irrigation for pastures, and they remain fully functional interwoven throughout residences in the foothills.  The runoff from the major streams and lakes run through these ditches.  It is not the perfect plan, but it is something.  One cannot count on the ditch being a stable water source, but with the right filtration system, one could move water from the ditch into containers if need be.  I consider the ditch to be on par with a well.  In parched Nevada, wells dry up, as do ditches and streams, but having one close is still a good back up to the backup plan.  The home has two wood burning fireplaces in perfect condition, providing an alternate heating source for our cold winters.  If I take my prepper blinders off for a moment, I can see how this property will work.

This decision did not come easily – to shelter in place rather than move into the country.  My plan was several years in the making and it went up in smoke.  My only other option was to uproot and move to Idaho and I am just not ready to do that.  I cannot express to you how difficult it has been emotionally to choose to stay local to the community.  However, it is practical and sometimes we just have to be practical.  I can turn this home into my prepper palace with the right effort and planning.

The disadvantage of purchasing a home not far from the city is the potential onslaught of city dwellers and the “Golden Horde” from California.  This home is nestled within a community of windy roads and not directly in the path of the major freeways or major traffic veins.  Is it vulnerable?  Yes, absolutely.  Will it be the first target?  No.  There will be some time to prepare for an onslaught once the full preparation plan is in place for holding ground if the SHTF.  Since the decision to buy has been made and the decision to shelter in is in play, how can the home be fortified in such a way as to not call attention to preparation efforts and not violate any neighborhood norms?  

Planned preps for the shelter in place strategy include fortifying the exterior.  Currently, Masonite siding is in place.  I am researching replacing it with a cement fiber siding.  I am thinking “bulletproof”.  There are a number of “view windows” and other windows that I would like to replace with a bulletproof glass or modify them per J.W.R.’s instructions.  I will replace the sliding glass doors completely by reducing the exposure area, building out the walls, and inserting oh so innocent looking French doors that are bulletproof.  I wanted to do solar, but I am thinking of strategizing around the fireplaces, which can be a source of heating, cooking, and light.  While the home is large, there is not enough storage spaces built in.  I am thinking about building in storage that doubles as built-in furniture with false doors and hidden spaces.  The crawl space can be fortified further, especially with a heavy locked door and will serve as a bunker retreat and good for storage.  Yes, there are lots to this and I have not scratched the surface.  No more planning around goats, chickens, rabbits, and acres.  Now it is all about being secure in an un-secure area.  Water storage is a prime concern, but isn’t that what hot tubs are for?  If I can make myself laugh, I can enjoy this process rather than panic about it.

Parting advice – if you can’t move to the country, “shelter in” with your eyes wide open.  Everything I do now is through the lens of prepping.  SurvivalBlog has been and will be my “go to“ place for advice and ideas of other preppers.

The Snowball Effect, by Sarah B.

There is a certain amount of “snowball effect” when someone decides to invest in survivalist, TEOTWAWKI, or prepper knowledge.  The initial decision is not a light one, nor is a “set it and forget it” for the type that bounces from one fad to the next.  There are many different types of survivalists.  But all survivalists have one thing in common – a beginning.  Whether it is your views on the ever changing political arenas or natural disasters that have piqued your interest or even steered your choice to the survivalist lifestyle, the initial influx of information can be a bit overwhelming.

First off, TEOTWAWKI?  The End Of The World As We Know It.  It sounds simple, but your everyday life is filled to the brim with simple things you normally take for granted.  If your power goes out, you usually can count on it being restored before your freezer defrosts.  But what if it doesn’t?  Sure, candles around the house are great, but if a widespread, long-term power outage occurred, you’d be stuck trying to get anything you could just to warm up a can of beans.  That is, if you can get into your can of beans because your electric opener isn’t working either.  And your car is low on gas trying to find any kind of supplies, so you can’t get yourself to the hospital because you impaled your thumb trying to open the “stupid” can of beans.  Even if it was a TEOTWAWKI on a smaller scale, like a corrupted water system, you need to be prepared to provide for yourself and your family as others scramble around trying to find even a 12 ounce bottle.

You know your own personality and know how far down the rabbit hole this decision will take you.  Prepare in moderation.  You already have responsibilities in your life, albeit work, children, and maybe hobbies.  If you are thinking that becoming a survivalist is going to be a new “hobby” along the lines of hunting or snow skiing or scuba diving, there is some truth.  The truth to that statement is that you will spend a decent chunk of change committing to this.  If you choose to devote your time and effort to learning a new way of thinking, you will learn that survivalist gear is like good hobby equipment; some will buy the cheap stuff and come to find out later that cheap doesn’t equal good.  Along with this decision to survivalist, you’ll need to learn a lot and then disregard what you don’t need, want or will use. As stated above, you know yourself best and will need to weed out the useless-to-you information.

Prepare for situations that would be likely, but keep the worst-case scenario in mind.  Natural disasters happen frequently, whether it is a hurricane, tsunami wave, earthquakes or fires.  Hurricane Katrina and the recent droughts show how hundreds of thousands, even millions, can be brought to their knees.  Man-made disasters also occur along the lines of a bombing, terrorists or political corruption that can shut down governments that trickle down to public sector jobs and then to private sectors.  The tsunami triggered nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan was mostly glossed over in the United States of America, with the exception of the chance of sensationalism.  The natural disaster occurred in the dead of winter.  If you were in a similar situation and survived the initial onslaught, would you be able to survive the repercussions? If the weather conditions were survivable, would you be able to protect yourself from looters?

You will never see me, nor know my real name.  To me, my survivalist choices are best kept to my family and a few other families that we are close with.  Each family is responsible for their own level of skills, supplies and knowledge, but we encourage each other and pass on useful knowledge and places to buy or barter for good supplies.  Being involved with a group may not be for you.  I take pleasure in knowing that I will have friends to be with should we have to leave most everything behind.  However, we all take great pains in not being the ones to discuss it openly with others.  It’s not that we hoard our skills or knowledge.  I’d rather not have 15 friends knowing that I have a cache of ammo or a supply of food, because if my 15 friends know and TEOTWAWKI happens, I’ll have 15 people asking me to help them out.  My first responsibility is my family.  Lack of planning on their part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part.  So, gather your supplies, skills and knowledge quietly.  Don’t sign up for a reality show unless you want trouble. 

There are as many different camps on where and how to start as there are name brands for toilet paper.  Being practical has to play into your launching point.  My personal preference is basic necessity.  You cannot build a sturdy house without a good foundation (although I’m sure some would argue that point) and the same is true for beginning preppers and survivalists.  Water is essential for life.  You can buy cases of small bottles, one gallon jugs, or water containers from canteen size to 5 gallons to 50 gallons.  If you are leaning towards “bugging out” or “heading for the hills,” then a 50 gallon drum probably wouldn’t be the wisest choice.  But quality should play a role in your decision.  A cheap 5 gallon jug with a flimsy handle could break and any loss of water in a TEOTWAWKI could be a point of life or death.  There are water purification tablets, water hydration packs, knowledge on how to find water in the wilderness, the list is practically endless.  Never forget, though, that your body will fail without water.

Food follows a second close to water.  Being able to feed your family during a prolonged disaster is essential.  Not one of you reading this would care to see a child or loved one die of starvation, but it is a real possibility in a TEOTWAWKI situation.  Again, the choices on food storage are plentiful.  There are the classic MRE’s (meals ready to eat), which could be useful in a “bug out” situation.   If the scenario calls for staying put in your own home, however, food storage could be a lot more feasible and, to be frank, a lot more tasty.  There are many articles on life expectancy of home canned food, store bought cans and storage of dry ingredients to make meals.  Be sure to figure in how your storage is affected by weather, i.e. if you live where the summers are regularly over 90 degrees and how it influences the stored food.  Garden seeds could be useful for long term crops.

It may sound contradictory, but cash will speak in a broken society.  If you have studied, stored and mastered skills, there may be something you missed.  It is the one tiny thing that will pop up and send your “plan” sideways.  This is where cash comes in.  If there is a lack of electricity, banks won’t have computers to tell them how much is in your account and they certainly won’t let you “borrow” it.  Bartering could also prove useful in this type of circumstance, but cash is king with most people.  The amount you decide to keep on hand will be something that you find reasonable, but a good jump off point is $500, in bills that are 20’s and smaller.  Why so much to start out with?  If you think gasoline prices are unreasonable now, just wait until there is no electricity to automate the pumps. 

Lastly, for a brand new survivalist, consider your own medical needs.  Are you one daily, weekly or monthly medications?  If you are, you may need to consider getting a month more and then rotating it so that you have at least a month’s supply.  Do you have allergies that need an over the counter or even a prescription for?  Buying a box or two and rotating the stock is wise and easy.  Women need supplies for their “lady days,” and that may include special medications.  You can take a basic first aid kit and expand it with more supplies to start out with.  If you have any unused elastic bandage wraps, arm slings or splits, make sure that you include them with the medical supplies.  You will be able to gauge what you need for your family in your own medical kit.  Consider keeping your supplies in a red storage tote or bin to signify that it is for medical supplies.  In a panic, it is a lot easier to yell to someone to “Grab the red bin!” than it would be for someone to read the labels. 

For a beginner, sometimes you just want someone to spell out exactly what you need and which order to buy it in.  Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.  What is good for my family may or may not be good for you, but it can give you a general idea of which direction to go.  Checklists are abundant on the internet, but can either be missing something you need or want or the list can be bogged down with advanced supplies to be collected once the essentials are there.  As you advance past the beginning stages and gather your basic needs, you will branch out into a plethora of different areas.  But the basics will have you covered in case TEOTWAWKI happens much sooner than you expect.

Letter Re: Grain Mill Comparisons

Hi Jim
One thing that our family is fond of is bread – especially whole wheat bread.  I read Pat’s review of the Family Grain Mill from the perspective of someone who’s been-there done-that.  Our grain mill journey began with an attachment to the Champion Juicer – it does grind wheat but the flour is fairly coarse and the resulting bread is not what I had come to expect from the bread that typical (store bought) whole wheat flour yielded.

We wanted a mill that offered the user the ability to grind flour by hand if needed.  After a long search we opted for the economically attractive Family Grain Mill.  It was a marked improvement as far as the consistency of the flour on its finest setting, but still fell short of the store bought flour.  Additionally, our Kitchen-Aid mixer was at the minimum power requirement and although it was able to grind wheat, the mixer did warm up considerably.  Grinding by hand is certainly do-able, but it will be a family task to grind enough (fine) flour for a couple of standard sized loaves.  Most of the Family Grain Mill is plastic, everything fits well and the burrs are well-machined, but again, most of the mill is plastic – I don’t know if this mill will make it through generations.  However, one real positive feature of this mill is its ability to make rolled oats (with an optional attachment) – no comparison to store bought rolled oats.

We definitely wanted a mill that could stand up to our family’s needs for many years – our search continued.  Our search thus far had yielded adequate mills, each better than its predecessor, but still had us making flour that was substandard to store bought.  We found two that looked promising and neither was inexpensive.  The GrainMaker mill and the Country Living Grain Mill were the two that rose to the top – either, when reviewed, had accolades and some issues. 

We opted for the GrainMaker and have not regretted it for a moment.  The flour is just as fine as that in the store.  We have motorized it – deciding to use our time more productively until the power fails.  We have made everything from cornmeal to grits, cracked wheat beans, – whatever – easily.

Here are several reviews that helped push us over the edge to spend more than we ever thought we would.  (However when we compare what we spent leading up to the GrainMaker purchase, we would have been far better off saving our money to get this workhorse first.)

http://www.goodbadanduglycomparisons.com/page/2/

http://www.grainmaker.com/independent-reviews.html  – the grain mill comparison – this document is a very good reference for someone considering a high-end mill.

Also, I’m on a personal quest to make an excellent loaf of bread from only what we have stored for whatever comes.  No yeast (sour dough starter instead) and no white flour.  An appeal to your readers for a proven recipe would be very, very much appreciated.

As always – thank you for all that you do! – John T.

Economics and Investing:

Jim Willie: Capital is Dying! Game Over!

Do not be lulled by the siren call of inflation – The slow decline in living standards. Gas is up 100 percent over last 8 years while income has fallen.

‘Zero Inflation’ In The United States = Hyperinflation Warning?

“Yea, though I walk in the shadow of the foreclosure inventory…” ‘Shadow REO’: As Many as 90% of Foreclosed Properties Held Off the Market, Estimates Suggest

Items from The Economatrix:

41 Years After the Death of the Gold Standard, a Look at “How We Ended Up In This Economic Purgatory”

Index of Leading US Indicators Rises More than Forecast

Gerald Celente: My Bones Tell Me this Thing is Coming Down Fast

Analysis:  US Corporate Earnings Point to Further Gloom

Odds ‘n Sods:

Six months ago, one of my consulting clients bought a newly-manufactured Amish-made Blizzard brand propane upright freezer. He reports that the freezer (which has 18 cubic foot capacity) works quite reliably, with the temperature always staying within two degrees from where he first set it: 10 degrees, Fahrenheit. (The freezer came with an Accu-Rite wireless digital thermometer–something by the way that I recommend for all freezers. You simply leave the “outdoor” sensor-transmitter inside the freezer.) He noted, however, that since the freezer is equipped with two burners, it does consume a substantial amount of propane. These freezers are perfect for off-grid houses, or to prepare your on-grid house for grid-down situations.

   o o o

It was interesting to see that Camping Survival has added canned green coffee beans to their product line. As discussed at length in SurvivalBlog back in 2006, it is better to store the beans green, and roast them in small batches, as needed.

   o o o

Matt Bracken: Night Fighting 101. (Thanks to Jim W. for the link.)

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Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) sent a link to a fascinating article on mammalian instincts on mineral nutrition. This might also explain the old-time Southern (and Asian) practice of dirt eating.

   o o o

Chris G. was the first of a dozen readers to send this news item: The survivalist: Roscoe Bartlett prepares for a threatened future.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 42 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 $300 value), F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. 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 42 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Adapting Preps as We Age, by Retread

Soon after the Hurricane Katrina disaster we discovered Survivalblog and have since read thousands of (for us) Heaven sent articles. These last seven years has changed our lives for the better. We are dedicated preppers, now living on our new-to-us farm/retreat. We are busy setting it up properly for SHTF, and making good progress. We cannot thank you enough Mr. Rawles. 

Prepping is preparing for the day things change for the worse. In all our planning, it never occurred to me that it might be me that changed. I seem to have hit that spot where I was forced to recognize that I simply cannot do (as well) all the things I used to do. I am in good shape and pay attention to my intake, nevertheless a few of my body components are not up to spec anymore. I am 60+ years young and I work hard six days a week on our little farm/retreat. But somehow those hay bales seem to be heavier this year. My smart alec doctor suggested my aches and pains are the price I must pay for the indiscretions of my youth (skiing accidents, etc). 

There is little I can do about this, other than to (finally) pay attention to my body and plan for being a bit less able. With that in mind, I soon realized that shooting my pistol had become a bit of a chore rather than the weekly fun shoot of 50 rounds, and once a month, 100. My marksmanship was really not what it should be either. 

I offer the following as a different viewpoint, not as a recommendation per say. I’ve been carrying a pistol all day, every day, for almost two years. For serious full time concealed carry these factors are crucial: Pistol size, weight, recoil, and accuracy with that weapon in an adrenaline-rushed shooting situation. 

When we first realized the time for us to carry full time had come, I already owned a big ol’ .45 semi-auto. So I strapped it on and went about my business. I could hardly wait to take the darn thing off by the end of that 16 hour day. So I searched the Internet and found a small and light weight 9mm, bought one locally and carried it on my hip for almost two years. It was so comfortable to carry, sometimes I simply forgot I had it on. Our local Post Office lady reminded me that if she can’t carry in there, then I can’t either. Oops.

However, as with all firearms, the lighter it is, the less mass it has to counter recoil. That little 21 ounce 9mm kicks like a mule. Its not fun to shoot anymore after just a few rounds, not nearly enough for the weekly stay-in-shooting-shape routine I found myself avoiding. 

What I needed was a pistol for full time carry that had a balance between size, weight, and my ability to use it expertly. So I searched the internet looking for input from professional gun folks. I was looking for thoughtful consideration of easy-to-carry-all-day (16 hours or so) and easy-to-shoot-well pistols for each of us, as opposed to “bigger is better”. I was surprised to find quite a few good quality articles addressing my concerns written by well qualified professionals. They often pointed out that shot placement is, 100% of the time, the most important factor in any shooting, not the caliber of the bullet nor the power of the cartridge, though these are important factors. They also pointed out some facts in favor of (believe it or not) the humble .22 LR (Long Rifle)… for some folks, in particular those that cannot handle something bigger. The .22 LR can be effective if the shooter does his/her part, which means a lot of practice, no matter the caliber. 

In the time I’ve been carrying full time I learned a thing or two. For all day carry, size makes a huge difference. A large pistol gets in my way frequently (working on my farm or sitting at my desk), and it is quite difficult to conceal. A small pistol is much, much easier to conceal on my person. The weight of the pistol is a big deal too, the lighter it is the less of a problem it is (like keeping one’s pants where they belong). Way to many folks go to all the expense, hassle and time to get their CCW, only to wind up not carrying because of the discomfort and inconvenience of carrying their chosen weapon. 

Another important factor for me is the monthly cost of replacement ammunition, not to mention ammo availability from time to time (remember 2008?). I believe in having quite a bit of ammo stored for the time it is not easily available, if at all. Having 1,000 rounds sounds pretty good till you do the math. For me, that is only a four month supply. I once read that 5,000 rounds per weapon, per person, is an absolute minimum. Prices are not going down, so this makes sense on several fronts. At about $240 per case of 1,000, five cases is $1,200. Add my wife to the equation, and we double that. To be absolutely honest though, having twice that much ammo is where we are comfortable. That is $4,800 for just pistol ammo (20,000 rounds, is a three+ year supply for the two of us). 

Ammo for our rifles was a whopper too. But prepping is not only about defense of course, we all need to plan for, get and store properly, our beans, band aids and bullets, plus train and practice with that same food, water, gear, etc – it never seems to end. We budget, plan and apply what we’ve learned, but we still have to make tough choices, often. Stocking 20,000 the rounds of .22 LR for our pistols was less than $750. Add to that spare magazines (five per weapon, bare minimum), cleaning supplies, spare parts, etc, it is still expensive, but less than 20% that of our previous pistols. Now that we have light, good quality .22 LR pistols (Ruger SR22), we both actually shoot like we should, in terms of marksmanship and frequency. Plus shooting the .22s is still fun and doesn’t hurt. We are not getting any younger, it is only going to get tougher as we continue to age.

At 4 cents a round, together we spend about $20 a month on replacement .22 LR, and we are much better shooters. After shooting 100 rounds insequence, the only thing that hurts is my face, from grinning. Also, with my vastly improved shooting skill, my confidence in all things pistol has greatly improved. 

Now for the effectiveness of the .22 LR in self defense. A few years ago I read a study written for the FBI on the wounding characteristics of just about every pistol caliber (see this web page for the full study). Briefly, the study included several thousand real life shootings over a number of years. The end result is that no caliber stops a crazed criminal instantly. A hit to the heart will kill for sure, but a crazed person (or someone loaded with drugs) can function for up to 10 seconds before death. That is a very long time if that crazy person is still shooting at you. 

The single exception to this finding is when the bullet disrupts the central nervous system: either a hit to the upper spine, brain stem, or brain. The study went on to point out that a hit to the central nervous system from any caliber of pistol, from the .44 Magnum all the way down to the lowly .22 LR will have the same result: instantly stopping the aggressor. Shot placement is, 100% of the time, the most important factor in any shooting. 

Training classes in self defense teach us to aim for center-of-mass, the chest of your attacker. Our self defense shooting will be aimed for the center-of-head. [The “ocular window.”] There are a lot of good counter arguments to this, especially the difficulty of aiming well while under the very high stress of a shooting situation. I am not discounting the tried and true of the experts, I am trying to make the .22 LR work for our aging bodies. Center of mass for a .22 LR is more than likely not going to be effective, thus the brain is our only logical choice.

One police officer I interviewed told me about the one time he was in a gun battle. Rather than the Weaver stance, he hid behind the fender of his patrol car to return fire. He told me that from that day forward he practiced two more methods of hitting his target. The first is point shooting (not aiming per say, but pointing the pistol), the other is flash aiming. 

Whatever the method of aiming a .22 LR in a self defense scenario, my intent is to triple-tap the aggressor’s face. It will be what I’m looking at anyway, that could save me a microsecond or two over shifting my sight to center of mass. The brain is much bigger than the heart, and it is not covered with heavy clothing (a factor with most pistol calibers). But a glancing hit to the skull will not work, one must make a direct hit.

Of course I wish our bodies and budget would allow us to carry something bigger. What we’ve done is figured out a way we can still defend ourselves. A .22 LR pistol for self defense is nearly worthless without constant and thorough practice, including moving targets and moving through various as-real-as-I-can-make-them scenarios.

Well there you have it, my thinking on practical all-day-carry and self defense with a pistol for us. Knowing that shot placement is, 100% of the time, the most important factor in any shooting, we had better be excellent pistol marksmen above all other pistol shooting factors. 

You and your family will remain in our prayers Mr. Rawles. Thanks again for your hard work and devotion to preparedness and survivalism.

JWR Adds: While I do not recommend any .22 rimfire for self defense, if you feel you must, then make it one with a large magazine capacity, such as a Kel-Tec PMR-30. It weighs just 13.6 ounces, unloaded, which makes it suitable for all-day carry. With 30 rounds of .22 Magnum available, you’ll at least have a fighting chance. And BTW, the point shooting approach that you mentioned is not compatible with your goal of getting central nervous system hits with a .22. That requires deliberate, aimed fire. Carrying a .22 rimfire for self defense will take a tremendous amount of practice. (Many thousands of rounds.) I suggest that you do nearly all of it from 3 to 30 yards using human silhouette targets, taking exclusively head shots. Train like you’ll fight! Thankfully, your training ammo costs will be relatively low.

Also, keep in mind that if you do any dry practice, you will need to keep a fired piece of brass in the chamber. (Unlike centerfire guns, any rimfire can quickly have its chamber galled by dry practice with an empty chamber.)