Weapons Maintenance — A Missing Element, by Odd Questioner

Over the years, as I’ve been perusing the pages of SurvivalBlog and various other sites, one thing had been missing the whole time, and to my own mind, I completely missed it too.

It wasn’t until this weekend that the point was driven home quite clearly. You see, I was out shooting with friends, and taking in a glorious day. In the course of plinking cans and putting various sheets of paper out of their misery, my favorite M1911 light-framed .45 ACP jammed. The slide was nearly locked solid, and after finally clearing out the cartridge and the magazine, I realized that the pistol was in horrible need of cleaning. And yes, I was neglectful of that, as, I suspect, are most folks who use guns a lot are – bad habits do creep in, after all. Sometimes it just never gets done, no matter how many mental notes are made to do it.

Okay, so it’s time to clean the little beastie. I get out the tools, the kit, set it all down on the table, and… the solvent bottle was empty. No solvent. Anywhere. No idea why, but there was no solvent to be found anywhere in the house. Not in the gun closet, nor the safe. Not in the preps, and basically nowhere at all. Well, okay, I know full well why, and I bet a lot of you out there have the same problem – just that I found out this weekend, but you don’t know it yet. I’ll explain…

You have a huge cache of firearms. You have mountains of ammunition. You may even have enough reloading equipment and materials to be your own local arsenal. However, take a quick peek: How much do you have in the way of cleaning equipment? How many spare brushes, swabs, patches, and spare rods do you have? How much spare oil, tools, and solvent are on hand at home right now? Do you have enough to handle every firearm you own, including the stuff you’ve recently bought? My particular little problem was solved with a quick trip to the nearest sporting goods store (and I made sure to buy four large bottles of the stuff this time – just to be sure). Now how easily could I have solved this little problem if civilization happened to have collapsed before I found out I didn’t have any solvent? I can answer that – not at all without improvising, and improvisation is never as good as having the very thing you need.

My little tale (yes, a true story), highlighted two big problems that I bet most preppers don’t even bother with: regular weapons maintenance, and having enough stuff to actually perform it for months to years after that stuff can no longer be obtained at a store.

Let’s tackle the fact that hey – keep your weapons clean! I was completely blasé about doing it (a bad habit gained from years of playing around in local shooting events, where I routinely ran 600+ rounds through the barrel in any given event, without bothering to clean until every other event, or it saw 1,200 rounds). However, thinking further, imagine if that pistol jammed at a moment where my life really, really relied on having my weapon work perfectly. It’s one thing to endure a couple of friendly insults and jibes from friends at a gravel bank, but another thing entirely if I’m facing an intruder, my first shot didn’t do the job, and now I’m standing there with a half-open slide while the now-wounded (and now rather angry!) intruder raises his own weapon. The thought is enough to scare the crap out of any sane prepper, and once I realized it, it scared me rather straight as well. I spent three hours cleaning every last nook and cranny this morning, and a quick drive back out into the countryside with 100 rounds confirmed that everything worked flawlessly again. Once home, I cleaned everything again, just to be sure.

I even learned again how a perfectly clean gun operates a whole lot smoother (yes, you tend to forget), and that over time I just stupidly got used to the slowly degrading performance. It is far easier, and safer, to get into the habit of never considering your shooting day done until after you clean every weapon you used. It’s easy to think that you’re good to go with waiting until x number of rounds have been shot, but it’s a very bad habit, and one I’m glad that I caught and learned from – before that lesson came the hard way. Very simply put, always clean your weapon after you’re done using it. In a post-collapse world, clean it every chance you get, because you may not get the time to do it when you think you will.

Second item on the agenda – check your stores. No, not your guns, not your cartridges, and not your neat-o accessories. As a prepper, you should check into, and stock up on, the following items:

  • Cleaning solvent (the good stuff. Don’t go cheap here.)
  • Light gun oil (again, don’t even think of skimping.)
  • Spare wire bore brushes (because they wear down quickly when you actually use them.)
  • Spare small wire brushes (because using a bore brush to clean out the inside of a slide assembly is foolish.)
  • Spare bore and magazine swabs (because they get dirty in a hurry, and you can only clean them so many times before they become useless).
  • Spare patches (as many as you can lay hands on), and spare patch-holders.
  • Spare rods of sufficient length (those things are notoriously fragile when you don’t want them to be.)
  • A big pile of clean/unused rags, set aside especially for cleaning your guns. Make completely sure that they’re lint-free.
  • Spare tools specific to assemble/disassemble your firearms (the funny-looking wrench you use to take apart the muzzle of an M1911 .45 ACP, for example, because pliers will work but really, not right.)
  • Spare consumables for your firearm (examples? No problem: My .45, over time, will eat slide-return spring bushings, slide springs, an extra grip, spare screws for the grip, magazine springs and followers, an extra barrel or two, etc.)

So what if you only have a few firearms and have to do it on the cheap? Well, you can still get by with buying up and storing at least a half-dozen of those small rifle and pistol cleaning kits you normally find in the average department store’s sporting goods section. Each is usually self-contained with everything needed to clean your rifle or pistol, are sold by caliber, and each is enough to last about 5 cleanings (10 if you’re careful with it). They’re also cheap – averaging $10-15 per kit. I figure that by the time you crack open that last kit, you’ll likely be almost out of ammunition in your stores anyway. Just stick with a reputable brand, and avoid the absolute cheapest stuff.

But let’s get back to keeping these things clean in a post-collapse situation. Hopefully you now have everything you need to do that with. But hey, not everything is perfect in this world, so…

Let’s say you’re out of supplies to keep your favorite firearm clean, or you found a good weapon with a ton of ammo (Hypothetically, let’s say you’ve been a good little prepper, survived the collapse of civilization, and as a reward the SHTF-fairy drops off a pristine M16A1 and a can of ammo? Oh, but she didn’t think to include a cleaning kit. Go figure.) Or, let’s say you had to bug out in a hurry, and a pistol cleaning kit doesn’t make much sense in that bag of yours. So, now what? The need to keep that gun clean hasn’t gone away.  You’ll want to make sure it does what you want it to do, especially when you need it to do so. Well, good news! You can improvise. At the low-end, if the firearm is truly Mil-Spec, you can get away with as little as using soap and near-boiling water to literally scrub and rinse the thing (the heat insures that things dry off quickly afterward), only needing a light coat of oil when you’re done. If you can find/scrounge up some brake-cleaner (or even clean brake fluid, come to think of it), you can use that in place of typical gun solvent. For oil, you can use a rag and (very little!) clean machine oil, hydraulic fluid, or automatic transmission fluid (but use it sparingly! Too much oil attracts dirt and dust.) There are lots of options in a pinch, but use them intelligently, and don’t use it as an excuse to skip cleaning your firearms.

By the way, when it comes to cleaning your weapons, get to know the things deeply. Know to always make sure not only that the weapon is unloaded, but that no bullets are anywhere near the table you’re working on, period. I always make it a habit to move all the bullets to a bag on the floor, and double-check everything to make sure no bullets can be found in, on, or around the weapon. Know how to field-strip your weapons, clean them and put them back together in perfect working order. Know where all those nooks and crannies are, and how to get the goop, burn-marks, lead/copper build-up, and all that other crud out of them. Get into the habit of giving every square millimeter a close eye, looking for signs of a failing part: minute cracks, worn edges or lips, curling metal, odd discolorations, pitting, and any bulges or warping where there shouldn’t be. Replace those parts ASAP (you remembered to store spare parts, right?) Be aggressive about even the slightest sign of surface rust, scrubbing it completely off with solvent and a rag, wiping off the solvent, then scrubbing it again with a lightly-oiled rag.

Even if you don’t use it very often (or at all), get into the habit of taking out each weapon you own at least once every year (once every six months in a wetter climate), and cleaning it anyway, searching carefully for rust, cleaning out any dust, and working everything on it until it feels perfectly smooth and natural.

Yes we’ve been talking about firearms all this time, but let’s take a few moments to get into your knives, swords, bows, arrows, crossbows, or maybe the spare trebuchet you may have stashed in the garage. Just because it doesn’t spit fire doesn’t mean that you can leave it dirty.

Compound bow cams can clog up and the bearings filled with grit. Knives and edged weapons can pit and rust in a surprisingly short amount of time. That crossbow trigger needs to be kept clean and perfectly functional, because you’ll never know when your life will depend on it functioning perfectly. You would be amazed at how quickly that something as simple as a recurve bow can get dirty, causing grit to become sandpaper in the string notches, slowly weakening the bow overall.

If you’ve ever field dressed an animal with a knife, you already know how quickly it (and your hands) can get greasy, hairy, and smeared with gore. Now think about gripping that greasy, gory handle and defending yourself with it. Anything with an edge that gets used at all will get nicks in the blade, and any blade will dull after even the most careful use. To that end, learn how to truly sharpen a knife. Have the right oils, stones, files, and stropping tools on hand – lots of them. Contrary to popular belief, it takes a lot of practice and skill to learn how to do it right, but once you do, you can not only keep your edged weapons sharp, but can actually create an edged weapon out of almost any sufficiently-shaped piece of metal.

So let’s sum it all up here, and hopefully, you get the idea by now – you have two things to help make your prepping complete: One, get in the habit of cleaning your weapons every time you use them, and periodically if you don’t use them. No exceptions, no excuses. Two, make sure you have enough bits, bobs, and supplies in your stores to help keep those weapons clean (and maintained) for at least 2-to-3 years (or more!) beyond the point where civilization goes splat.

Do this, do it faithfully, and you will find yourself leagues ahead of the prepper crowd. You will be better able to survive. You will be able to hold out long after the wannabe commando types got killed off due to their own jammed, dull, dirty, and broken weapons. That is, long-neglected weapons which failed them at the wrong time: precisely when they were needed the most.

Letter Re: Storage Life of Brown Rice

Hello,
First, thank you for all that you do. You have made a huge positive impact on a lot of people in my life. Second, I have been doing some pretty careful observation of our long term brown rice supplies. This started with me doing quite a bit of reading in books and on the internet about long term storage of brown rice. Most sources say that brown rice starts to go rancid around 6 months. I was disapointed with this number and so I decided to test it out for myself. In February of 2010, I put brown basmati rice into two food grade five gallon buckets lined with mylar bags, sublimated some dry ice in the buckets, and sealed the mylar bags. Then I put them under the house (which never gets above 70 degrees) and one year later I rotated one of the buckets into use. No problems. The rice seemed as fresh as day one. Move ahead another year and four months to June 2012 and I pulled the other bucket out because we were finally down to the end of the rice from the first bucket. So now I have three different rice samples to scrutinize. The rice from the first bucket which was under the house for a year and then in my garage (which gets hot in the summer) for another year and four months, the rice from the bucket that has been under the house for two years four months, and brand new rice that I just bought to rotate back under the house.  I could not tell the difference between any of these samples. My wife, who is very sensitive to rancidity, said that she could smell a very slight difference, but that none of them smelled rancid. We have been eating the first bucket regularly and have not noticed any problems yet.

I would love to know the science behind my findings. Mostly I want to know how much the dry ice fumigation in mylar bags impacts the storability of brown rice. It seems like the carbon dioxide displacing the air in the mylar bag would cut down the oxidation process significantly. It sure would be nice if someone with the scientific resources could do some in depth research on this topic. I am going to start pulling buckets out after three years this next time to see if they will make it that long or longer. Hopefully I won’t be pulling them out before that due to the collision of some Schumer and a fan. Thanks again, – Jesse C.

Letter Re: A Home Purchasing Guide for Rookies

Mr Rawles,
I read the article “A Home Purchasing Guide for Rookies” and the response to it. A few additional points occurred to me:

Taxes:

“Almost all counties publish their tax rates on their public web sites.” In fact, while they do publish their rates, and their rates can be taken as accurate, those rates do not reflect the whole picture.

Buyer beware. Research carefully and thoroughly. Follow through on due diligence. While looking in a place where I’m now no longer looking — for this very reason — I found that the property taxing authority first decides how much money it will spend, then decides the tax rates needed to meet that requirement. In that region without some legal limit imposed on them they assess values for the properties that have no basis in the market for those properties except in their fevered imaginations. Such assessments ensure that the taxing region obtains what they have decided are their spending requirements. Imagine a retailer first raising prices 200% then offering a 25%-off sale and that nobody else sells those products to get the flavor of this.

This is precisely counter to a fiscally responsible approach that assesses according to the market value of the property based on what it actually could or did sell for, using its last sell price as a base then cutting costs in the taxing region so that their expenses can be paid for with the taxed revenue actually acquired. Without a more fiscally responsible approach properties are overassessed, people are priced out of their homes, which leads to the taxing region losing its tax base and trashing its economy. Yet, they continue the practice.

When evaluating the region’s taxes, do not depend solely on the published tax rates. You may have paid $X for the property, but those responsible to the taxing authority for assessment claim the value is $Y and will apply the published tax rate accordingly. Find out more about the region’s tax rate decisions, the kinds of spending it tries to do, the way properties are assessed, and how closely properties’ prices match their assessed values.

Finance:

“…I have chosen to place this mortgage with the small community bank in the rural city we are moving to.”

Mortgages are typically sold by the initial mortgage lender to other investors or companies to service. There may be several such sales during the lifetime of the mortgage. While the small community bank gets some benefit, and good for them, they are not likely getting the effect of all the interest money paid on the loan. Selecting the local bank may not accomplish as much for the local community as you think.

Budget – Down Payment:

“…and 30 years of monthly payments (that should be small enough to pay off long before 30 years by making extra principal payments).”

Use a loan calculator. Given that your 30-year loan allows you to pay extra to the principal with each month’s regular payment without any early payoff penalty and without any limit to the extra principal payment, figure the monthly payment by calculating an annual payment then divide by 12 to get the monthly. For example, financing $100,000 at 4% for 30 years gives an annual payment of about $5,783. After 30 years you have paid about $173,000. Dividing that annual payment by 12 makes a monthly payment of about $482. Recalculate by adding only one month extra payment to the annual ($5,783 + $482 = $6,265) changes the payoff period from 30 years to about 26 years (about $6,257 per year, or about $521 per month). By shaving off about 4 years, that $6,257 annual payment amounts to about $163,000 for the payoff period or over $10,000 savings (about 5.78%) for the life of the loan. If you can afford to pay more to pay it off sooner, recalculate the loan with a shorter period, such as 10, 15, or 20 years, and pay the extra to the principal to meet that payment amount. But because the loan is a 30-year contract, when times get rougher you can fall back on the 30-year payment amount. – Larry R.

Economics and Investing:

Jim Rogers’ Most Dire Warning, “Please Get Worried”. (Thanks to David B. for the link.)

C.D.V. sent this: Don Coxe – Emergency Fed Meeting & Gold Backed Bonds

Also from C.D.V. : Germany Resists Proposals to Aid Spain’s Banks

The Banker’s New Greek Strategy: Starve them into Compliance. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Shenandoah:  The Banker’s New Greek Strategy:  Starve Them Into Compliance

Oil Price Little Changed As Investors Track Europe

Gold Eases, Focus Shifting To Key Economic Events

Odds ‘n Sods:

Soldiers Could Go Reptilian With New Camo

   o o o

The often-referenced book “Primary Surgery” is now available at the University of Bonn, Germany web site (presumably with the publisher’s permission.)

   o o o

SurvivalBlog reader KAF asks: A little too green?

   o o o

V.T.P. sent this news from Norway: Gently used submarine base yours for $17.5 Million (sub not included)

   o o o

More Nanny Statism: New Jersey Residents Can Be Fined $1,000 for Driving With ‘Unrestrained’ Animals in the Car. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

Note From JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 41 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), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

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

10 Lessons Learned from the DoS Attack on SurvivalBlog, by The Orange Jeep Dad

On May 26, 2012 the SurvivalBlog.com server was attacked and knocked offline.  The method of attack used is commonly referred to as a Denial of Service or DoS attack. I won’t delve into who might have sprung the attack nor how it was done. Both topics have been covered.(1)  What will be discussed are the 10 lessons learned from the attack as it pertains to preparedness and survival.

Lesson #1: We don’t know what we don’t know.

We can’t all be experts in everything. Regardless of where you are in the preparedness journey, we’ve all realized at some point that we have a lot to learn in the realm of getting prepared for: TEOTWAWKI, hyperinflation, grid down scenarios, tactical strikes, supply chain disruption, natural disasters, government hostiles, and the list goes on and on.

We knew that SurvivalBlog could go down but we certainly didn’t know when or why it might happen.  Any web site can go down for any number of reasons: web site/server gets hacked, electrical failure at the site of the server, government censorship, domain name hijacked, database failure, programmer uploads some mistyped code, etc, etc. But when SurvivalBlog went silent, it was like the Encyclopedia Britannica of Survivalism went away.

What to remember from this lesson: learn what you can while you can but always try to secure a hard (paper) copy of the topic you are studying in case your source disappears (hard drive, thumb drive, SD cards, printed copy, CD, etc). You won’t regret it and you can always pass your library down to your children.

Lesson #2: Know thy enemy (Sun Tzu – The Art of War).

Prior to the attack on SurvivalBlog, an anonymous and threatening e-mail was sent to JWR.  Among other things, this person used the term “we hack good” indicating a potential to hack the web site.  I would be more than ignorant if I attempted to armchair quarterback JWR on what he could’ve or should’ve done to prepare. But I digress.

FWIW, I have been using SolutionsGrove since October, 2010 for instant notification of my server crashing. With a free account, they will search for a specific page (that you designate) every 15 minutes.  If they do not receive a response, you will be instantly notified.  They will continue to check your site and notify you when it is back online. For a donation, they will check your site every 2 or 5 minutes. I’ve had terrific success with this. I am not affiliated or compensated by this company in any way.

The point is to gather information on your opponent.  Read between the lines. Google their name, phone number, email address, avatar, tag line, meme, even quoted lines from text they’ve written. The more you deduce, the more advantage you have in preparations. To quote a translation of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: “It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.”(2)

What to remember from this lesson: regarding any topic your are studying, investigate what you see…and don’t see. Not just the physical nature, but the source, where it came from, how did it get there, it’s history.  The more you know, the more prepared you will become.

Lesson #3: Redundancy is your friend.

As I’ve said numerous times on my blog, redundancy is the key to serenity. “Three is two, two is one, one is none”.(3)  If you only have one gun and it gets stolen, then you have none. If you have two guns and one is stolen, you have one left…but what if neighbors show up to help fight off the Golden Horde but have no weapons? My point is, the more you have, the better off you will be in an emergency situation.

In JWR’s case, he has a server in Sweden and the U.S. Both were attacked leaving him dead in the water but even before that he was actively seeking additional off–shore mirror sites.  The more mirrors that he eventually has of SurvivalBlog, then the harder it will be to take it down simultaneously.  He has also added the redundancy protection of an additional URL: “SurvivalBlog.se”. Should iCANN or any other entity take control of his SurvivalBlog.com URL, fans of SurvivalBlog can still reach the site by typing “SurvivalBlog.se” [or one of the two the dotted quad addresses.]

You can be redundant with everything. Here’s is a list of a few things on my redundancy list to give you some basic ideas:

Income- (1) My main job (Sonography, Radiography). (2) My part time job (See #1, different hospital). (3) My wife is nationally certified in Radiology and can work if necessary.

Income skills- (1) Trained in Sonography. (2) Trained in Computed Tomography. (3) Trained in Radiography.

Transportation- (1) The family Suburban. (2) The family Jeep. (3) My auto insurance includes rental car coverage should one of my cars becomes disabled.

Food- (1) Our bi-weekly grocery run. (2) Our garden and short term food storage. (3) Our long term (25+ years) food storage.

Water- (1) House/city water. (2) 55 gallon drums x 12 in backyard. (3) Bottled water in garage.

Shelter- (1) Our house. (2) Our family retreat 2+ hours north of town (3) a retreat property with no shelter but we have tents, sleeping bags, etc for now.

Entertainment- (1) Electronic/card/board games. (2) A ton of music/books/movies/cartoons stored on a hard drive. (3)MacBook with solar panel recharger.

Water filtration- (1) Berkey water filter with 2 black berkey ceramic filters + pf2 x 2 filters. Filters 3 gallons per hour. (2) Sand filter. (3) Boiling water or plastic bottle in the sun sterilizing.

Cooking- (1) Indoor stove & microwave. (2) Outdoor propane barbeque grill x 2. (3) Dutch ovens to cook on charcoal/wood fires.

What to remember from this lesson: think about what could happen and prepare for it. Then have at least three backups in case something fails. If your electricity fails (and you have an electric stove) , cook outdoor on your barbeque grill. If you run out of propane, cook over coals or embers with your dutch ovens.

Lesson #4: Communication is king.

While SurvivalBlog was only able to communicate the attack with a few sentences on a blank white html page, word was still traveling at the speed of type across the globe.  As soon as I noticed the attack, I posted a quick blog post to let folks in my circle know what was going on and how to help. JWR had asked folks not to keep refreshing the homepage as it adds to the chaos during a DoS attack. I explained the request and was picked up by Google within the hour. As the internet lit up with Google searches such as “survival blog attack” and “survival blog down”, folks were pointed to my post and quickly learned of the attack in progress.

Aside from spreading the word via blogs, RSS feeds, news sites and other static/dynamic portals, JWR still had the option of using email, cell, land line, MURS, and ham radio. I wouldn’t be surprised if he even had some carrier pigeons stashed away. More likely a hawk 😉

What to remember from this lesson: secure several lines of communications because “If you don’t have Com, you don’t have jaaack.”(4) -Jeff Trasel, from “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse”

Lesson #5: Consider your trigger points.

Consider establishing trigger points that put you into action.  This thought came to me as I traced back where visitors were coming from to view my SurvivalBlog attack post.  Using a free stat counter, I traced a visitor to a survival forum where a long conversation was underway regarding the possible causes of the disappearance of SurvivalBlog.

As I read through the posts, I came to one that stated (I’m paraphrasing from memory) “I always figured when SurvivalBlog was taken down by the government, it was time to Bug Out.”  Now, this may be rational, to a certain degree, but nobody had established that SurvivalBlog was taken out by the government.  Perhaps this person was simply saying IF the government took down SB, THEN it would be a good time to consider moving to the Redoubt. Regardless, it made me start to consider my trigger points.

Would it take a mushroom cloud to motivate me to bug out or are there more sublime triggers? Joel M. Skousen, author of Strategic Relocation–North American Guide to Safe Places , said in a recent youtube interview that he believes the next major trigger points will be if 1) North Korea nukes South Korea, and/or 2) Russia begins pulling troops home to protect the motherland and he believes these triggers could lead to America getting nuked.(5)  Once you set trigger points, consider how quickly you can leave your home.  Are your BOB’s ready? Do you have food cached outside of town? Do you have multiple escape routes mapped out in case of a traffic jam? Do you have enough gas? Or are you completely ready to Bug In?

What to remember from this lesson: Don’t wait until it is too late to establish your trigger points. Pray to our Heavenly Father about them, discuss them with those important to you, and be prepared to act upon them. Heck, I’d even recommend a few practice runs!

Lesson #6: Be active in your community.

Since JWR gives so much to the survival community, I didn’t hesitate to write my post attempting to help him slow down the page reloads on the day of the DoS attack.  Patrice Lewis over at Rural Revolution wrote something as well and the survival community was clued in to the attack within hours. Service to others isn’t just Biblically mandated, it insures that we as a community survive together.

Reach out to your local community and participate in whatever way you can.  I recently went to a grand opening of our brand new local fire department.  Two of my daughters, along with other Young Women from our church, raised and donated 200 teddy bears for the firefighters to give to children when they lose their belongings in a fire. Go to the local parades, or better yet be in the local parades. Go to Town Hall meetings and get to know your local business owners and politicians.

What to remember from this lesson: no man is an island.  To quote JWR: “The underlying theme to my writings is to be part of an integrated team.  That team might be just a few families living on a cul-de-sac, or it might be a small town. By being competent and confident with firearms, your group will avoid confrontations.  Very few bad guys will mess with someone with a capability to immediately drop them at up to 400 yards.  And if you don’t have the willingness to do so yourself, then team up with someone that does.  You can provide other forms of useful and valued support to a group or small community effort. (Agriculture, advanced first aid, mechanics, et cetera.)  Not everyone has to be a warrior.”(6)

Lesson #7: Build your library.

Survivalblog offers an incredible wealth of knowledge for free.  It is easily accessible and therefore easy to get in a habit of visiting daily to absorb knowledge and then walk away. With the DoS attack, now we know SurvivalBlog may not always be so convenient to access.  However, with the purchase of an Archive CD, everyone can have an archive of the entire web site (up to 2011) to view at any time on their personal device.

Contained within this archive will be all the posts where folks have recommended other survival or preparedness minded texts such as the terrific SurvivalBlog post by Greg Ellifritz titled: The Best Free Medical References for Preppers which lists nine online texts and 12 hard copy books.  Use the Search feature on SurvivalBlog to find many other recommended archives, texts, guides and manuals.

What to remember from this lesson: whether you store your library in digital format or print it out, don’t wait until the information starts to disappear before you start to grab it all.  With one-terabyte hard drives now at the $99 mark, you can easily store volumes of information.

Lesson #8: Don’t forget there IS evil in the world.

It is easy to get caught up in the daily routines: going to work, taking kids to school, doing chores, helping with homework, church, sports, and hobbies.  You have to remember not to let your guard down because evil does not rest. Keep your skills and gear up-to-date. Teach those you love the same.  Sure, not everything is avoidable but…we can fight it.  As Ted Nugent said in January 2011, “Be prepared for evil. Rather than trying to fathom it, just be ready to stop it.”(7)

What to remember from this lesson: Don’t let your guard down…there is too much at stake.

Lesson #9: There will always be doubters.

As simple and straightforward as our posts on the DoS attack were, there were still doubters on survival forums questioning whether or not SurvivalBlog was down simply to increase the sales of archive cds.  Seriously?!?  There will always be doubters, or “scoffers” as the Bible calls them.  “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water” (2 Peter 3:3-6).

Doubters will tell you it is pointless to prepare.  They will distract you from your mission and perhaps even impede you.  How do you deal with a doubter in your life?  “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; yes, strife and reproach will cease” (Proverbs 22:10). Show them the door and perhaps even let it tap their behind on the way out.  Might make you feel better. It would me.  I’m just sayin’…

What to remember from this lesson: doubters do not care about solving a problem or learning, they feed on promoting doubt.  Walk away and leave them hungry.

Lesson #10: Do what you can, leave the rest to Him.

It was around 2130 (MST) when I received a reply from Avalanche Lily regarding the ongoing DoS attack. She casually mentioned that she was reading my e-mail to JWR as he was heading off to bed. He wasn’t staying up, around the clock, fretting what to do about his very popular web site.  No doubt the e-mails were beginning to pour into his in box.  His expertise told him to get some rest.  He knew the problem would still be waiting for him in the morning.

What to remember from this lesson: Do what you can, when you can but always know that through Him all things are possible.

In summation, these are some of the lessons I gleaned from the cause and effect of SurvivalBlog being down.  I didn’t intend on it to end so “churchy” but I won’t apologize for it either.   If this post helps one person out there then I will consider my contribution to SurvivalBlog a success.  Thank you to the Rawles family and all that you do for this community.  And thank you to the advertisers as well.

Works Cited:

1. Update on the Recent Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack on SurvivalBlog, May 29, 2012.

2. Sun Tzu – The Art of War translated by Lionel Giles, available for free download here (60 kb text only version).

3. Two is One, One is None…Be Redundant; The Orange Jeep Dad blog, Feb. 22, 2011.

4. “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse” by James W. Rawles; Ulysses Press, 2009.

5. Joel Skousen: The Origins of May Day and the Commies, YouTube Video, May 1, 2012

6. Letter Re: A Non-Warrior Surviving Traumatic Times;

7. Nugent: Be prepared for evil. The Washington Times, Jan 11, 2011.

Two Letters Re: Evaluating Military Surplus Generator Sets Before Bidding at Auction

James:
In response to buying military gensets, I wouldn’t. I have owned quite a few of them and my view is they take a really good genset and make it so complex its hard to work on let alone get parts for it. The wiring is usually the problem, very complex.

I purchased a [commercial] 6.5 Kubota last year and it is a super gen set. I run it on Bio Diesel and it cost about 10 cents per hr to run. One good place to look for these is the Light Towers web site. Check tool rental places for sales. Remove the gen set and use the trailer for tools or a Bug Out Trailer.

Here in the Midwest, the Purple Wave auction site has them fairly often. Recently a Kubota 6.5 sold for under $500. Stay simple when it comes to gensets. I have owned two of the Chinese Diesel gen sets and I do not recommended them. I have a 20 KW Detroit Diesel genset I run my sawmill with. These are excellent, very robust and inexpensive to work on and operate. The prices on these are going up though. I paid $2,000 for mine and it may be the best generator I have owned. I currently have seven gensets. For small ones, I recommend that folks go with the Kubota. – Surplus Jim

Hello Sir;
In response to today’s advice on surplus generators I’d like to share my experience with them to warn others. Over four months ago I purchased a surplus diesel 1986 3 KW Onan generator from GovLiquidation.com for emergency use in my house. I spent $500 and five hours of my time to get it but since the thing only had 120 hours on the meter and was built like a tank, I thought that it was worth the investment. I bought it fully expecting to spend couple of hundred dollars on a tune up to get it in working shape. But the thing is over 20 years old and did not start the way it was supposed to.
 
My local small engine repair place that constantly repairs similar civilian devices started having trouble with it from the beginning. They told me that there is a short somewhere in the wiring but since all the wires are white, the manual that I downloaded and printed off the web was no help. They said that they would have to rewire the entire thing and it would cost over $1,000.
 
Next I tried the “local” Onan service center (100 miles away). They had no clue about it. Apparently Onan keeps their military and civilian models quite different by design and model numbers so the rep couldn’t even accept it for service or give me any parts information.
 
After that I took it to an auto repair shop that specializes in electric repairs. So far they have been able to identify that one of the panels had burned out and needs replacement but they have been having trouble finding the replacement panel. Currently they are trying to figure out a way to adapt a part from a different generator to make it work. The good news was that I knew I was in a friendly place when I recognized a guy from my rifle range and another guy who got excited when he saw a mil surplus generator and asked if it can be buried. Now I have a good feeling about the guys working on it.
 
Overall I would not recommend buying similar items unless you have the knowledge to do all the repairs yourself or unless you know a local repair shop that is accustomed to unusual projects. It has been four months and it is still a work in progress with no official estimate on the cost of repair or even if the repair is possible. Sincerely, – B.G.

Economics and Investing:

Dimitri Orlov: Prepare Yourself – America will collapse

Reader C.D.V. sent this: More and More Chances of Quantitative Easing, QE3 Dreams Live On

Reader L.M.W. suggested this sobering essay by Karl Denninger: Time is Running Out

Market rumor: Pimco and JP Morgan halt vacations to prepare for economic crash

Debate: JPMorgan prop trading or hedging?

Items from The Economatrix:

Schiff:  America Is Already Bankrupt

Obama Stimulus May Have Cost $4.1 Million Per Job

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader F.M.W. mentioned a new portable generator “that can be powered by MOGAS, diesel, JP8, isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, propane or even booze”: Power Forward Trinity Systems

   o o o

Louisiana’s bold bid to privatize schools.

   o o o

AVOW has announced that the new 2012 15th Anniversary Edition of the LDS Preparedness Manual, Version 8 is now available in both hardbound and free PDF versions.

   o o o

R.B.S. forwarded the link to this CNN segment that briefly profiles Oregon Freeze Dried, the maker of Mountain House freeze dried foods: The company making food to last forever.

   o o o

Pro-gun blogger Tamara K. (of the popular View From the Porch blog) just got her 30 seconds of fame over at Day By Day.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"During the Second World War, the Germans took four years to build the Atlantic Wall. On four beaches it held up the Allies for about an hour; at Omaha it held up the U.S. for less than one day. The Atlantic Wall must therefore be regarded as one of the greatest blunders in military history." – Stephen Ambrose, D-Day, page 577

Note From JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 41 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), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

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

Preparing for a Bug-Out by Motor Vehicle, by N.P.B.

“One must Hope for the Best, but Prepare for the Worst.” – Book of English Proverbs

We’ve all rehearsed it many times. A newsflash report comes on, reporting widespread chaos what appears to be the total, spectacular collapse of society. Food stores are empty. Gas station pumps are dry. All remnants of any social order have toppled, and panic has ensued. The next-second response to survivalists is second nature. Grab the kids, the AR-15, the Bug-Out-Bags, and head for the hills! To most survivalists, the most effective bug-out is clean and simple, requiring no transportation and just the pack on your back. Yet a very large number of us live in areas that are considered urban or suburban, meaning that a true unraveling of civilization would make such a short range or prolonged bug-out dangerous given the large number of unprepared occupants.  

The solution, as many see it is a Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV), which can dramatically extend range and speed in reaching secure retreat.  On a full tank of gas, a BOV can reach a destination hundreds of miles away in a matter of hours, whereas the same retreat would take days to reach on foot. Few would disagree with the logic that less time spent on the road to retreat means less danger.  Natural or man-made obstacles, such as bad weather or nomadic marauders, can be better managed given the protection of an enclosed vehicle.  Yet, I cannot overemphasize this:  While Bug-Out vehicles dramatically increase both your mobility and chances of bugging out safely, they are absolutely no substitute for the traditional bug-out on foot. Vehicles will often be destroyed in certain disasters, and an EMP will render almost all vehicles unusable. You and your family should always be prepared to walk to your Bug-Out-Location- or a secondary one- with your Bug-Out kits. A BOV should be seen as an option and expediency in bugging-out, rather than a critical part of your plan.

I am aware that many will disagree with me as to the wisdom of prepping a vehicle.  Hard-core, elemental survivalists preach the simplicity, reliability, and safety of a walking bug-out with only the supplies on your back. This breed of survivalists adheres solely to the “Prepare for the Worst” half of the prepping mantra. That is an invaluable attitude that should be instilled in every person, no doubt. But what about the other half- “Hope for the Best?”  What if, by a stroke of luck, vehicles are around? There is nothing wrong with capitalizing on advantages given to you by your environment or situation.  In many scenarios, your BOV will survive the initial aspects of a TEOTWAWKI situation.  More importantly, circumstances can arise which make a walking bug-out not possible. What if a family member breaks both of their legs, or is badly burned by a nuclear detonation? It is undoubtedly within the spirit of contingency planning to prep a vehicle. You may have heard the saying, “A good man makes his own luck.” By investing a portion of time and money into a bug-out-vehicle, you increase the chances that your BOV will be of use to you come TEOTWAWKI. When all is said and done, we don’t know what the conclusion of civilization will look like. Roads might be patrolled with tanks, or they could be empty. Your BOV could be incapacitated from an EMP, or it might be in showroom condition. Prudence, however, demands that a survivalist prepare for any number of scenarios, thus boosting his or her chances of surviving a TEOTWAWKI situation.

When I first thought about it, the ideal bug-out vehicle seemed to be that dream, roaring Jeep, loaded with tough accessories and modifications to make it the equivalent of a military Humvee.  Big wheels, big engines, and a tank-like chassis should be combined to yield the ultimate doomsday limousine, I reasoned.  Look like and become the toughest cat on the road and nothing can or will touch you. That can be true to some extent, but it’s important not to focus solely on a vehicle’s extreme capabilities. Rather, you take into consideration what the fundamental purpose of a vehicle is: to increase the speed, mobility, and range of a person. Sure, having that Wrangler with a 7-inch lift will give you more capabilities than sticking with your station wagon. But truck-like vehicles would have little advantages over normal cars should we experience a cataclysmic event- if all roads are shut down or covered in 6 feet of snow, guess what? Nobody’s going anywhere. More importantly, the fuel economy of your vehicle will be awful when compared to normal vehicles, which reduces your range and forces you to store large amounts of fuel (and, in day-to-day driving, cost you a significant amount more money at the pump, leaving you with less funds to prep with). Don’t feel like a bug-out vehicle has to be a multi-thousand dollar truck full of modifications.  
Rather, remember that any car, be it a Honda Civic to a Bentley, can function as a BOV. When all is said and done, all a BOV has to do is get you from point A to point B faster than walking speed. Try to balance efficiency and practicality with capability, based on your own personal scenario. The most important aspect of a vehicle is it can get you out fast and get out far. If you happen to be eyeing that monster truck capable of fording 5 feet of water, remember that you’re going to take a significant hit in fuel range. Plus, trying to “blend in” and navigate dangerous urban centers will be much more difficult with a large, tank-like truck. You’ll attract unwanted attention, and also increase the chances of a roll-over trying to maneuver around street corners.  At the same time, if you live in the mountains of Colorado, it’s probably not advisable to put a Prius to the test of unforgiving weather and terrain. The type of vehicle you choose is dependent on your environment. Urban residents will likely want to have a quick and maneuverable vehicle with as far a range as possible to escape rioting and chaos, while many rural preppers will desire a more adaptive vehicle to combat bad conditions. There are blends of the two. Next time you go car shopping, give thought to a crossover or all-wheel drive sedan.  Subaru makes a fleet of cars each equipped with all-wheel drive, without the usual gas guzzling and impracticality that come with it- and based on my own personal experiences, their vehicles have a long lifespan.  The Jeep Compass is also designed to be a fuel-efficient SUV.  I won’t spend any more time debating between the many species of BOVs, and won’t attest to any one’s success. It’s completely up to you if you want to purchase one dedicated for a bug-out, or if you just want to prepare your daily driver for TEOTWAWKI. 

How does one go about preparing the selected Bug Out Vehicle? For starters, let’s take a peek at the biggest limiting factor of many vehicles: fuel range. Most cars can travel a couple hundred miles on a single tank of gas, anywhere from two to eight hundred miles between fill-ups. There is, of course, a relatively clear solution to the “Fuel Problem”, which is to store fuel in anticipation of a gas pumps running dry. I advise to do so with NATO-classified “Jerry” Cans, often seen bolted to the rump of a Humvee or Willys Jeep. Jerry Cans can be easily installed on a roof rack or rear of a vehicle, giving them the strong prominence they have attained amongst military vehicles.  They also protect fuel against permeability better than plastic cans, and give the needed durability against punctures. I have had one case in my shed with a where a rodent of some kind took a chunk out of a 2.5 gallon plastic gas jug, presumably for a nest given that he took home the detached plastic.
 
When storing fuel- regardless whether you opt to use a plastic container or Jerry can- be sure to follow all the necessary guidelines to prevent an explosion.  Note that older, metal cans are not designed to vent expanding fumes like newer gas cans do. Most importantly, keep vehicle fuel far from your house.  When deciding on storage placement, think to yourself, “If I dropped a match in each of these cans right now, would I feel like my home is secure?” If you neglect basic flammables safety, you have already violated the Code of Prepping. Safe storage of fuel is a concept that has been drilled into our heads for years, and yet individuals still choose to ignore it. Please, think not only of yourself, but of the entire culture of Survivalists when choosing how to store your fuel. When your house blows up, killing you and your next door neighbor, the media will have a field day declaring that “thousands of so-called ‘preppers’ have infiltrated our society, storing ticking time bombs of gasoline in the midst of their paranoia.” Don’t jeopardize yourself or our reputation by doing something stupid- and that goes for not only safe storage of gas, but ammunition, firearms, et cetera, all things that some people are salivating for an excuse to go outlaw.

You’re also going to want to ensure that the fuel quality is of good standing. Most chemists agree that using premium fuel in an engine intended for 87 octane gasoline won’t increase performance. Even so, premium fuel contains better quality detergents and additives than its regular counterpart, which can help prevent deterioration. Some trials have determined that premium fuel leaves less gum deposits behind than lower octane gasolines  (See: VetteNet.org). Personally, if I am looking to fill up on the best quality gasoline available, I go for the Sunoco Ultra-93, 2 octane points higher than traditional Premium. Shell has a fairly good reputation for their V-Power, too. The gas station brand you choose for your storage fuel is extremely important! Don’t go for the no-name brand selling 20 cents cheaper unless you have reason to trust the owner. A large number of stations skimp on fuel quality, water contamination, and tank maintenance which can mean short shelf life. If you happen to live in the southern United States or a region where ethanol has not contaminated gas stations yet, try to take advantage of pure high octane gasoline. If you look at most American pumps, you’ll notice a disclaimer saying that the fuel contains 10 percent ethanol, derived from corn. There are only a handful of stations per state that don’t sell ethanol. Ethanol has two carbon bonds, but traditional gasoline has eight. It doesn’t take much science, although plenty of tests already exist, to show how engines’ durability and efficiency have been hit hard by Ethanol (EPA mileage ratings for older cars have already been lowered a few miles per gallon due to the increase in Ethanol treatments). So, if you can, try to find some gasoline without ethanol, as it enriches the quality and performance of your engine. Don’t stress out about it- it’s impossible to avoid ethanol- but if you are lucky to have the opportunity to, try to stick to pure gasoline [for your stored fuel.]

MOST IMPORTANTLY, add fuel stabilizer to your stored fuel. Brands like STA-BIL can be found at your local hardware store. What stabilizer does is prevent corrosion and gums from forming in the fuel. Running some through your BOV is recommended, too, to help protect injectors and fuel delivery lines against corrosion or gumming.  Gas has remarkably fallen in quality over the past decade due to environmental regulating and companies cutting corners on refinement, additives, and detergents. Leave untreated gasoline sitting for a few years, especially in a vehicle, and you run a very high risk of permanently damaging your engine with the gums and moisture of old gasoline. Even if you use fuel stabilizer, rotate the gas every year into your vehicle to ensure that any bug-out gas will be safe to use.

But what if you live in area where you can’t store fuel- say, in an apartment complex in the city? Take the correct preparations, and your location won’t hinder you.  Those unable to store fuel at their residence are advised to create a cache en route to a BOL.  Try to make it as close to your residence as possible in a wooded or unused plot of land. As you move along your route, the chances increase of having to take a detour, separating you from your fuel.   It’s best to either bury your cache inside of a metal or plastic drum, covered with a tarp or board. It is essential to ensure that water doesn’t enter the fuel can. Be sure to add plenty of extra Stabilizer, too (all stabilizers are gasoline derivations, and the makers assert that an almost unlimited amount can be added to fuel). Make a trip to your cache every 6 months to rotate the fuel, as it will likely deteriorate faster exposed to conditions.  If you have any access to outside property, keep a small portion of fuel on-site. 2.5 gallon galvanized gas cans are durable and good at locking in fumes. They are usually round and can be snugly tucked into a gardening pot or bucket. This will give you at least 20 to 30 miles on most trucks or SUVs (assuming a conservative estimate of 10 mpg), and much more if your BOV is more fuel efficient.  Caches are an excellent method to store fuel for everyone because they build redundancy. If for some unexpected reason you are low on fuel en route to your destination- due to an issue such as theft- then having the security of supply points is invaluable.  Though not essential, storing some fuel at your BOL can be of value if you want to use your vehicle once settled in.

How much fuel is enough? That’s for you to decide. The magic number of gallons comes down to two factors: your vehicle’s gas mileage and the road range you want to have for your vehicle. For instance, I have decided to store 20 gallons of fuel for my car. This is based off my mileage and desired range. We want a range of at least 300 miles, which will get us far away from urban centers. The car gets about 17 MPG mixed driving and 22 MPG on the highway, but I have decided to be extremely conservative in my miles-per-gallon estimation and put it at 15. The extremely conservative mileage estimate gives exactly a 300 mile range assuming that fuel economy goes down the toilet. Estimate your own fuel economy very, very conservatively. If your BOV has a roof-rack, is carrying excess weight, or faces bad conditions like snow or damaged roads, then your efficiency will be dramatically affected. Additionally, stop-and-go traffic takes a heavy toll on efficiency. Although you will make every effort to evade them, there may be areas where roadways congest with vehicles. Always plan for the unexpected and give yourself breathing room.

As a rule, always assume your tank will be empty when an emergency hits.  By being dependent on average gas mileage and gasoline levels, you defy the entire spirit of prepping! Prepare for the worst, not the best!  Even so, try to keep a watchful eye on your gas tank. Always fill it up when the needle hits ¼ full, ensuring that you’ll have a small reserve in addition to the fuel stored. You should also make sure that you have adequate gas tanks to carry in your car if your fuel tank isn’t big enough for your fuel stores- this is only necessary if you choose to purchase a stationary, high-capacity gas tank instead of the traditional red portable ones. Invest in a wide funnel, too- you’d be surprised at how difficult it is to pour a heavy, 40-pound 6 gallon tank into a car.

Before I go on, I would like to briefly discuss alternative fuels for BOVs.  Diesel vehicles are more efficient than gasoline powered ones, and also pull more torque. Since diesel engines run on compression as opposed to gasoline’s combustion, the fuel is less flammable and safer to store. Use dedicated diesel fuel storage additives if you have a diesel BOV. Many preppers have also constructed gasifiers for their vehicles. The SurvivalBlog archives have a gushing trove of articles on alternative fuels, which would ultimately allow you to burn wood or other natural fuels to power a vehicle.  Additionally, diesel cars can run on vegetable oil or biodiesel, which is easy to obtain from restaurants (although I don’t know how many diners will be operating during Armageddon). There is a world of its own of fuels to replace oil-based ones, from trucks that run on used motor oil to hydrogen fuel cell hybrids.  Given the complexity and time consumption associated with these alternative fuels, most preppers- myself included- choose not to use them. But, they are definitely worthy of mention and I encourage everyone willing to dedicate the time and money to give alternative fuels consideration.

If you’re serious about wanting dependable vehicle, consider the other accessories or things you’ll need on the road or at your bug-out location. The first check on the list should be safety. The chances of an accident occurring are increased if we have seen our entire civilization crash and burn. There won’t be a highway patrol or state police to try to prevent or manage accidents. Keep a fire extinguisher in all your vehicles! It may seem unnecessary to extinguish a burning vehicle if TEOTWAWKI has occurred- a lot of us would just walk away, not wanting to loiter- but consider the possibility that a loved one could be inside. Additionally, all BOVs should contain a strong, hammer-like object accessible to the driver. They can be used to smash windows or pick through metal should one become entrapped in an inverted, flooded, or crushed vehicle. If snow is a prevalent weather concern for your region, purchase some tire chains for the rear/front wheels (depending on if the BOV is rear wheel drive, front wheel drive, or four wheel drive).

Stock your BOV with a complete auxiliary supply of motor oil on hand, to either replenish or change oil. Leave the oil drain pan behind.  I’ll hazard to guess that you won’t be concerned about the EPA coming after you for illegal oil disposal if society has collapsed. Be sure to have other fluids along for the ride, too, like power steering fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, and brake lubricants. You’re not going to be able to make these unless your BOL is a chemical refinery.  Perhaps, however, the best way to combat a stoppage of fuel or liquid is by way of a siphon. This will allow you to do a few things. For one, you can take fuel from abandoned vehicles (though hopefully you’ll already have the fuel needed stored).  If you own other cars, you can also transfer the fuel from one tank to the other before you leave.  A siphon, provided it is cleaned, will allow you to take other fluids from abandoned cars, such as motor oil. Remember that most engines on motorboats or propeller-driven planes use octane, too (100 octane aviation gas, or Avgas, is actually quite coveted given its excellent quality). You can take fuel out of abandoned boats or planes or and use it for your vehicle- just double-check and make sure the boat isn’t diesel powered. Fuel is the most restricting component of any engine. If you want to have the option of bugging out by vehicle, you might as well put up a small investment into making sure that vehicle can have fuel.  

I also advise investing in a full size spare tire for a BOV. If your BOV is a truck or SUV, this is likely already covered. But most sedans or crossovers carry only a small “donut” tire, if any at all, that is unstable and lacks the tread needed for a long road trip. Flat tires could be much more likely if there is an excessive amount of debris on roads. You can help reduce the chance of a flat by adding tire sealant to your tires (basically just liquid goo that swishes around and plugs a hole if one develops). Be prepared for a flat tire where you can’t limp to the nearest tire shop for tire repair- this means buying another rim and tire. Because this would only be for a few hundred miles, there’s no requirement to spend a lot of money on a brand new tire- either buy a cheap, used one with at least a quarter of a tread left, or save the one with some tread left next time you get your tires changed. A tire isn’t anything without air, too, so have on hand an air compressor for your BOV (also allowing you to deflate your tires temporarily if you need better traction, and re-fill them later on. )If indeed your vehicle is your only chance of bugging out safely given your environment, I strongly recommend you take precautions against vehicle emergencies, as it will be more of a lifeline to yourself and any companions.

Routes, too, should be altered when bugging out by vehicle in order to maximize the chances that open roads will be available. You might have planned to hike or drive 100 miles up the interstate to your location, but take into consideration the sheer number of people that will be using these routes before their last tank of fuel runs out. That’s why it’s not so much the most direct route, but rather the least populated route when using a BOV. Highways will often be the first to be shut down in a crisis, while more localized roads should survive longer. At all costs, avoid congested and populated areas! This is a rule of thumb that must be followed for any bug-out situation. Modify your routes to make every attempt to circumvent population centers. Be sure to adjust your fuel stores accordingly.

Now, we have at last arrived at the actual execution of the bug-out. The vehicle is packed and ready to go, and awaits your call to bug-out. This is where decision making and luck mate. Depending on when you hit the road, you could either be fighting off masses of unprepared civilians or safely at your BOL.  Your decision should be primarily based on consideration of being first or being last. Keep in mind that if your vehicle is usable, so is everyone else’s. If you live in an urban center, there will be hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of cars trying to flee. It is best to be the first to get out, once you recognize that the Schumer has hit the fan.  But, if you believe that roads are going to be too clogged (guaranteed after at least an hour or two), then hold out as long as you can in your own residence. Protect your vehicle and bug-out supplies, and hide your fuel. Lay low. You will not have to wait long. Within a few days, nearly all gasoline stores will have been depleted and shipments will be non-existent. Now is when you pull the trigger and turn the ignition. Only a few cars will be on the road by this time, as the majority of car owners will have panicked and used up any remaining gas in their tank (in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this occurred at a very rapid pace.) NEVER gamble on the chance of getting caught in a mob of cars on a freeway! Clogged roads will quickly turn into a full-on war zone as marauders loot and plunder for fuel, food, and other supplies. When in doubt, wait it out.  

Driving at TEOTWAWKI will be nothing like driving to work. It is imperative that safety is your primary concern. Anyone who has been smart enough to store food and fuel will quickly become a high-profile target on roadways. You should try to travel in groups, in as few vehicles as possible, to allow for easier defense your BOV.  Instruct other occupants to scan the roadside for threats with the firearms you have chosen to take with you. An opened sunroof works great as a tactical turret for a rifleman. The rifleman has a high-up vantage point and 360 degrees of view- it also makes dealing with oncoming cars or pedestrians easier.  I won’t delve into the subject of defensive weapons, but a vehicle demands certain requirements. A high-powered rifle is essential to deter or eliminate incoming threats before they are within striking distance of the vehicle. For mobs, a shotgun loaded with wide-spray shells will provide a wide spray of lead pellets to disperse a surrounding group of people. Having multiple riflemen in the vehicle is invaluable. Think of your BOV as a World War II bomber. The position analogous to a rotating turret (the sunroof or front-seat gunner) should locate potential adversaries while clearing a path ahead. The “turret” is supplemented by riflemen on each side window (like waist gunners on a bomber) to guard your flanks. Finally, a “tail gunner” is responsible for protecting the rear of the vehicle. Be extremely conscious of the feeble protection provided by glass windows, and use the bottom of a door for slightly better ballistic protection in a firefight. If you’re really serious about making a dedicated BOV, then replace side windows with metal sheets, leaving a small hole for a rifle barrel.  You could supplement rear and front windshields with plexiglas.

When in high-threat urban areas, drive as fast as possible as your vehicle may become a target for others who have exhausted their own fuel.  Once on the highway or less populated roads, slow down to increase fuel range. High-speeds above 65 m.p.h. require high RPM rates. Most cars will be able to shift into a low-consumption overdrive at slower speeds. This is why speed limits were reduced during the 1970s gas crisis. Each vehicle’s optimal speed is different. It’s easy to find the niche, though. All you need to do is find the the slowest speed possible for your highest gear, which should be between 40 and 60 mph. Use cruise control if possible to hold a steady speed. Avoid turning on the air conditioning. Running the heater is okay , as it does not sap engine power.  More food for thought when considering your bug out: slower, constant speeds on the highway result in extended range. Driving in panic mode at 80 miles per hour up the highway will dramatically reduce mileage. Keep this in mind if you are ever bugging out by vehicle.  

Cars aren’t the only kinds of BOVs around that you should give thought to.  ATVs, motorcycles, and scooters are excellent when it comes to maneuverability, storage, and fuel consumption. If you happen to live in a very congested environment- like the city, give a smaller vehicle a look. Most have a range of at least a hundred miles to get you out of town on full tank of gas. If you can devise a way to carry more fuel, them more power to you. (It’s worth mentioning that many bikers carry spare fuel in small , 1-2 liter stove fuel bottles, like the red MSR fuel bottles used by backpackers). There are also 1-gallon plastic tanks available designed to slip into a saddle bag- for ATVs, gas cans can be lashed to the front or rear of the ATV. BOVs of this nature can be bought for less than cars, and often give more capabilities to the rider off-road or on narrow streets.

Even though I’m ready to dump 20 gallons of gas into my car and head for the hills if I have the opportunity to, there’s an alternative that doesn’t need any. That’s because it’s powered by good old human strength, fueled by just food, air, and water. A bicycle, in my opinion, is one of the best transportation systems ever devised and is one of the best BOVs a prepper can choose. No need to worry about EMPs, gas mileage, or roadblocks. If a human body can walk there, chances are a bike can ride there. Plus, it costs very little to maintain and the equivalent of a few tanks of gas to buy. I strongly encourage everyone to have a bicycle on hand in the event of an EMP, allowing them a much quicker bug-out while carrying their BOB.  If you can fit them in your gas-powered BOV, then take advantage of it.  I advise taking off the front wheel to make packing easier, or bolting racks to the side of a truck bed or trailer. For those who have a need for speed post-EMP, bikes can offer an often overlooked solution.  I have a friend who purchased a gas engine kit that he installed on his bike, for about $250. A multitude of companies make these kits that can propel a bike many times faster than a rider can (the one I rode got up to about 40 m.p.h., and the ¾ gallon fuel tank allows for about 100 miles before refilling is needed).  

There’s one other thing should most certainly be said for preparing  – these preparations into a bugging-out car go beyond trying to be ready for a complete collapse of society. They should translate into your every-day life, too. It’s always advisable to have certain items in your car so you can be prepared for any everyday emergency that could arise. After all, isn’t that what the culture of survivalism is all about?  Being ready for everything from a flat tire to widespread rioting? You never know when your provisions or knowledge about vehicles could be useful in your daily life. If you’ve ever had to add oil to your car,then you’ve probably been thankful you had some on hand.  If you want to have a car in working order for doomsday, then you may as well prepare for everyday obstacles. And helping others goes a long way! Many of us have been stimulated to prep because we’ve come in contact with serious survivalists, inspiring us to spread survivalism and try to prepare our world better for a catastrophe.

Man and machine have always had an inseparable bond. But come TEOTWAWKI, the bond will be tested, and humanity’s present-day “faithful steed” will fade away. When that day comes, when carburetors no longer breathe and tires no longer turn, there will be only one bug-out-vehicle that’s left. This remarkable, durable, reliable BOV isn’t powered by gasoline, and it doesn’t need four-wheel drive. It can’t be stopped by flat tires, or clogged filters. And it comes standard with a factory-installed fortitude that can withstand any opposition. There’s over 7 billion of these particular BOVs manufactured, but each one is unique, and only a few of them will remain when the dust settles. That bug-out vehicle is yourself. Remember that you run on good old ingenuity, resourcefulness, and willpower. You have a gas tank that seems to always have a little bit left, even when the road starts to disappear and the parts start to rattle. This drive train, this humanity, sets a survivalist miles ahead of even the scrappiest V-8. When the chips are down, it won’t matter who’s got the bigger truck. What will matter is something that has set humans apart from each other since the dawn of days, and something that will separate them at the end of days. That one thing is self-reliance, the cornerstone of survivalism! Bearing those integral principles in mind, I hope that this will invigorate thought on supplementing TEOTWAWKI plans with a vehicle.  Good luck to all of you, and as always, “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best!”

Letter Re: Finding Virtue in Potatoes

Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the letter Finding Virtue in Potatoes, by Anatoly, after reading the book, One Second After by W. R. Forstchen, in which the State of Florida sustains 100% casualties, with the inability to grow sustainable food as a major cause, I began researching viable crops to prevent such a catastrophe.

After talking to locals, Ag Agents, and gardeners, the most recommended staple crops for Florida were corn, potatoes, and Seminole Pumpkins, in addition to the regular garden crops. But, it was also recommended to store as much wheat as possible, now, while the opportunity is there.

Historically, corn has sustained the populations of Florida over the centuries. A lot of corn is produced commercially and just about every garden you see has at least one row of corn in it. However, given the huge population increases since the 1960s and the fact the corn production uses a lot of mechanization and fuel, it may not sustain the population as in past years. Most folks that grow a row or two of corn admit that it wouldn’t sustain them for very long. As for back yard production, I have tried to grow corn using the square foot gardening methodology, but have yet to harvest any. That methodology seems to be susceptible to thunderstorms and tropical storms, which knock the corn flat, but, I have high hopes.

Potatoes are grown commercially in the State of Florida, but back yard production is what has the potential to make the state sustainable. This article, Grow 100 lbs. Of Potatoes In 4 Square Feet: {How To},http://tipnut.com/grow-potatoes/, describes how to grow enough food to sustain a person for a whole year in a small space. With most of the population living in urban and suburban areas, the ability to produce 100 pounds of potatoes in a 4×4 space, four times a year, is very important. I do know of at least three locals that have done this, but it takes dedication and diligence. The local Ag Agents could be more help, but they seem to concentrate on the commercial production of potatoes. I used to eat potatoes with every meal, but now only eat them about three or four times a week, as recommended. However, if I had to, I could go back to eating them every day, I miss them.

A Master Gardener in Tallahassee, recommended the Seminole Pumpkin, which was named after the Seminole Indians. The Seminoles were able to get the pumpkins to grow in trees, which enabled them to hide their villages from U.S. Army scouts and patrols during the Seminole Wars, and other Indian tribes before that. The pumpkins are climbers, have a high nutritional value, and will keep for up to a year after harvesting, even in Florida’s harsh environment. There are two kinds of pumpkins, a green striped and a tan, but I am not sure what the difference is.

As stated before in SurvivalBlog, this concept of storing seeds to plant if the need arises is not viable. There are a lot of issues that need to be worked out beforehand, so it is best to start now and gather the knowledge needed for growing sustainable crops.