Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 27, 2024

On October 27, 1787, the Federalist Papers started appearing in New York newspapers under the pseudonym “Publius”. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

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October 27, 1858 was the birthday of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. (He died January 6, 1919.)

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Just One Day Left! We are running a 2-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 28th, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns have their prices deeply discounted. Most of these can fire modern 12 gauge 2-1/2″ or 2-3/4″ shotgun shells. No FFL paperwork is required. In most states, we can mail them right to your door. Order yours, soon!

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Today’s feature article was too short to qualify as a writing contest entry.

We are seeking entries for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

A Home-Made Water Filter, by Richard T.

I recently made my own water filter, using commonly available parts.  It is essentially a low-cost clone of one of the popular Berkey Water Filters. (Those are pictured above.)

The material list and sources for the parts for this water filter are below the description of its construction and use.

The base for this water filter construction is a 4-inch (inside diameter) Schedule 40 white PVC DWV pipe, cut  24 inches long. It is capped top and bottom but only the bottom cap is cemented on. Both caps have a ½” hole in the center. The hole in the bottom cap is for the filter outlet. The hole on the removable top is to prevent suction, a piece of cloth would do, in its place. The filter element is a white candle-style gravity-fed filter, such as used in the popular Berkey water filter. I use a British Berkefield Doulton filter, which is the same diameter and length. The stem goes through the bottom PVC cap and the unit is set on any container of sufficient size that can capture the filtered water.  If you click on the photo of my prototype (at left), it will zoom up in size.

The simplest method is to put a gallon wide mouth jar inside of a 5 gallon bucket with a hole in the lid for the filter to pass. The size of the PVC pipe and the size of the filter are the correct sizes so that it holds one gallon of water at a time. A 2-quart pitcher is a convenient way of accurately filling it up.

The 4” diameter is large enough to get an arm in there to hold the filter in place when installing or removing it and narrow enough so that more of the surface of the filter is in the water. A larger diameter base would spread out the water so that the bottom section of the filter would be getting more use than the upper section. Every so often the filter can be removed and the surface scrubbed clean with a green scrub pad and reinstalled. They can last for years.

Material list with costs, as of October 2024:

1.   4 in. x 2 ft. PVC DWV Sch. 40 Pipe $17.86 (Home Depot)
2.   PVC S&D Cap, 4 in. $3.67 (Home Depot)
3.   8 oz. Regular Clear PVC Cement $7.96 (For potable water) (Home Depot)
4.   Wadoy Water filter compatible with Berkey gravity filter is $49.97 for 4 filters. (Amazon)

About the safety of PVC for use with drinking water:

The Architect Wisdom website asks: “Are PVC pipes safe for drinking water? Answer: PVC pipe has been proven by many European research labs to have excellent resistance to migration (when chemicals are leeched from the pipe into the water or vice versa) which means that it is excellent at preventing microbial growth and therefore low in risk of abnormal smell or taste.”

For Greater Capture Capacity

A five-gallon food-grade HDPE bucket can be used to store water for utilitarian usage. For drinking water, a food-grade material must be used. Such buckets will be marked “NSF” or “Food Grade”. Do not use 5-gallon paint or utility buckets, such as those sold by Home Depot and Lowes. A commonly-available water spigot can be attached by drilling a hole near the bottom of the bucket. The hole in the Gamma Seal spinner lid prevents a vacuum and also allows the filter bucket can be placed on top. A black bucket can be left out in the sun to help attain hot water, but it might take several days for that to happen.

JWR Adds:

For anyone that is not handy with tools, several of our advertisers and one of our writing contest prize donors sell British Berkefeld (“Berkey”) filters, constructed of stainless steel. Though they are fairly expensive, they are built to last a lifetime.

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

JWR’s latest meme:

Meme Text:

The U.S. Minimum Wage in 1965 Was $1.25 Per Hour
The Silver in Five Pre-1965 Quarters ($1.25 Face Value) is Now Worth $32.95.
We Have Been Robbed of Purchasing Power. Make Our Money Silver Again!

News Link:

Silver Prices Rise: A Look at the Current Market Trends

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;” – Hebrews 3:1-14 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 26, 2024

40 years ago today, the action thriller The Terminator was released in the United States. The movie was hugely successful. It made actor Arnold Schwarzenegger a star and established director James Cameron as a bankable filmmaker.

On October 26, 1881, a feud between the Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan) and an outlaw gang led by Ike Clanton escalated into a celebrated gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

And today is the birthday of Henry Deringer (October 26, 1786 – February 28, 1868). He was an American gunsmith, best known for inventing and giving his name to the very compact Deringer pistol.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

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

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

Relationships, Communities, and Resources, by 3AD Scout

Multiple relationships equals a community and a community equals resources. This sounds so simplistic but many Preppers do not work on developing relationships which means they do not have a SHTF community. Not having a community means that they are missing out on vital resources they may need during and after a widespread disaster or a societal collapse. I saw this concept in action for myself in the past few weeks.

Making a relationship

Amish buggies and wagons are a common sight on our road. A keen eye will sometimes allow you to get to know the locals versus those who are just passing by. I was out by the road contemplating the possibility of a future project when two Amish gentlemen that I did not recognize, rode by me and entered the business across the road. The shop was closed but it is not uncommon to see people come by after hours. I went inside my house and then noticed the Amish men coming up my driveway in their wagon. I went outside and greeted them. They said they thought I “might have something they could use”. My Amish neighbor knows I have a hardware/sporting goods store in my pole barn. I told him it was okay to tell his family and friends about it. As far as my neighbor knows, I buy stuff at auction, and what I do not need I re-sell. I just do not try very hard to sell it. So, I just thought that the word had gotten around. I asked what they needed and they pointed to my backhoe. The relationship was established.

Notes to Myself

My first thought was that I need to hide my backhoe from street view when not in use. I have a love-hate relationship with my back-hoe. I may only use the backhoe once a year but attaching it to my tractor is a major pain. But like anything else, each time I do it, it gets a little easier. I do love the time and effort it saves me. Hence, I do not advertise my backhoe. The two gentlemen explained they were from New York, in the area helping family and they needed to install a water line and drain pipe and the trench only needed to be about 25 feet long. I knew I would not want to dig a trench like that by hand and I had a lot of empathy for them, so I agreed to dig the trench. They then asked how much it would cost. I told them I was not a professional and had only used the back-hoe a few times since I bought it. I said I did not even have a clue as to what a reasonable price was. They threw out a number and I said that something in that neighborhood would be fine. So I got the location and time and the gentlemen left.

Witnessing a community

I showed up before many of the other Amish who were going to help did. The few that were there showed me where the trench was needed and where the current water line and drain pipe were, that they needed to tap into. I started to work and the ground was rock solid since it has not really rained going on three weeks. The next thing I knew, it was pouring rain. The Amish invited me in out of the rain into the building that they were working on. They brought me out a cup of coffee and we chatted. I came to find out these were relatives of my Amish neighbor. The rain stopped and more Amish showed up, including my neighbor and his wife. I told them I was not a expert with the back-hoe and that I only used it a few times and my neighbor said: “Yeah we know, the paint is still on the bucket”, to which we all laughed.Continue reading“Relationships, Communities, and Resources, by 3AD Scout”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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

Jim Reports:

My broken toe is gradually healing. I’m still hobbling around a bit, but I’m back to ‘light duty” here at the ranch. That included lighting slash piles, and then standing by with a shovel and a 4-gallon water fire extinguisher, as they burned down. That was a fairly easy project, as I can get to most places on the ranch on our UATV quad.

One smaller project was at our greenhouse. I used our air compressor walk-around tank to blow out the last of our shallow water lines. I do that each Autumn in anticipation of sub-freezing weather.

I installed a few replacement curtain rods, for Lily.

I cataloged another shotgun for Elk Creek Company. It is a particularly nice Parker Brothers 12 gauge made in 1891, with two barrel sets including a re-sleeved fluid steel set, that can shoot modern 2-3/4″ shotgun shells!

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord‘s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.

And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.

If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.

And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.

Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.” – 1 Samuel 14:1-23 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — October 25, 2024

October 25, 1415: Battle of Agincourt: Henry V‘s forces defeated the larger French army, proving that massed English longbows could defeat armored knights.

This is the birthday of explorer and pilot Admiral Richard Byrd (1888–1957). His autobiography titled Alone is a must-read.

On October 25, 1983, the U.S. military, under President Ronald Reagan, invaded the tiny island country of Grenada.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

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

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

Hurricane Milton After Action Review – Part 3, by Soyez Ferme

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.)

Aftermath

Awake before dawn to survey the damage, we found that two thirds of the barn roof lay in various pastures within a quarter-mile radius. The radio antenna that was attached to the barn was bent in a C-shape. A sheet of roofing must have hit it. A massive live oak tree had toppled over on its side, roots exposed. Many branches had snapped off other oak trees, some as big around as my waist. Leaves were gone from the tops of all the trees. Lower branches seemed to fare much better.

Thursday was a bit of a daze. We walked around picking up stuff everywhere. Neighbors all checked in with each other to see if anyone suffered physical injury. Everyone suffered property damage, and some worse than others. Our house came through fine.

Time to fire up Genny. Opening the electrical panel and disconnecting the grid power breaker, I then slid the “lock out” protector and connected the generator breaker. I quickly checked the oil and fuel levels, connected the batteries and hit the starter. It always brings a smile to my face when Genny comes alive. After letting her get up to operating temperature, all there was to do was close the circuit and “Let there be light!” We were up on full backup power. Everything that would work on grid power was working on backup power. Even with the AC, dryer, and everything else running, we were using only about 35% of the generator capacity.Continue reading“Hurricane Milton After Action Review – Part 3, by Soyez Ferme”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, another look at the roaring precious metals markets. (See the Precious Metals section.)

Precious Metals:

The precious metals bull market is continuing.  The week started with a bang, as spot gold jumped to $2,742.20 (up .47%) and spot silver to $34.28 per Troy ounce (up 3.02%) in Monday morning Asian trading. (That is Sunday evening, here in the States.). By Tuesday afternoon, gold was up to $2,762.50 (another all-time high) and silver was at $35.10. There was some expected profit-taking starting at mid-week — down to $2,745 gold and $33.73 silver on Friday morning — but I doubt we will ever see spot silver below $30.50 per Troy ounce again. And I must mention that I still expect silver and platinum to outperform gold, as the current metals rally continues. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see silver break out above $50 per ounce. That would bring the silver-to-gold ratio closer to reality. – JWR

o  o  o

Five Reasons Why The Gold Rally Is Not Over Yet.

o  o  o

Gold and silver prices surge to new records as haven demand mounts. An excerpt:

“The European Central Bank (ECB) also implemented its widely expected third rate cut of the year last month. Investors have been piling up safe-haven assets, especially gold, as a means of preserving value amid rising geopolitical tensions. Silver typically follows gold’s trend, albeit with more volatility.”

Economy & Finance:

The Consumer Confidence Index fell in September.

o  o  o

Over at Zero Hedge: “Consumers Running Out Of Money”: Former Target Exec Offers Dire Warning Ahead Of Christmas.

o  o  o

Saxo: Global Market Quick Take: Europe – 21 October 2024.

o  o  o

The Conference Board LEI for the US Declined in September.

o  o  o

The 2025 Tax Brackets Are Here. See Where You Land.

o  o  o

‘A new day’: Tupperware cancels asset auction, agrees to lender takeover.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — October 24, 2024

October 24, 1836: The earliest American patent for a phosphorus friction match by Alonzo Dwight Phillips of Springfield, Massachusetts. Originally, these matches were made quite large — essentially a small torch. In England phosphorus matches were called “Congreves” after Sir William Congreve. But they went by the name loco foco in the United States. The Loco Focos became the name of a radical Democrat faction in the U.S. Congress. They earned that name because they brought some of the newly-invented loco foco matches with them to one of their meetings after hearing that their adversaries had plotted to disrupt the meeting by extinguishing the gas lights. The room did indeed go dark but was soon relit with loco focos.

—

October 24th is also the anniversary of the firing squad execution of Norwegian traitor Vidkun Quisling, in 1945.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

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

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

Hurricane Milton After Action Review – Part 2, by Soyez Ferme

(Continued from Part 1.)

Five days prior to landfall

Sunday it was time to check the gas in all vehicles and 5-gallon jugs. I had 15 gallons of ethanol free gas for equipment, and I needed to fill up three empty jugs of regular gas for vehicle and farm truck use. I also filled up my truck and my wife’s SUV. This was Sunday before the storm and before panic fuel buying began. My tractor and generator run on diesel. On Sunday I assessed that there was 70 gallons of diesel on hand and that would be enough for getting through hurricane recovery.

A check of the 250-gallon propane tank showed we were at 70% capacity. Propane tanks are only filled to 80% capacity, so it was pretty much full. I usually fill it once a year when it is at about 40%. The stove and water heater run on propane. That way we can cook and wash when the grid is down. While neighbors are cooking on their camp stoves, we cook as we always do, on the kitchen range.

On Sunday I received the message that school had been called off in preparation for the hurricane. Monday, I took care of securing things around the house and barn that might get blown away or damaged.

By Tuesday most of my mandatory preparation work was completed. This is when we began running “what if” scenarios. Do I really have enough diesel fuel? What if we are without power for more than 7 days? I decided to refill another 55-gallon drum with fuel. At 9:00 AM Tuesday most gas stations were out of all octane levels of gasoline. I am about 20 miles east of I-75 so there are lots of gas stations. No gas. My favorite station carries off-road gas and off-road diesel. They were out of both. Most stations still had diesel. In fact, I do not think very many stations ever ran out of diesel. Good to know.Continue reading“Hurricane Milton After Action Review – Part 2, by Soyez Ferme”