Odds ‘n Sods:

J. McC. highlighted this article with some fascinating demographic statistics: Rural US disappearing? Population share hits low.

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The folks at Survival Logic recently posted a fairly comprehensive list of outdoor survival schools in the United States.

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Storing Water for a Dry Day Leads to Suits. (Thanks to Ian for the link.)

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Our Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson wrote to tell me that he has writings in four sci-fi book releases that are all scheduled for August. The first is: Exiled: Clan of the Claw. Mike describes this as “an alternate Bronze Age timeline where the Chicxulub meteorite never impacted, sentient saurians and felines must fight for territory, as the Mediterranean Basin infills.  A shared universe with Harry Turtledove, S.M. Stirling, Jody Lynn Nye, John Ringo and myself.” Next is fanciful book, titled Lawyers in Hell. It was edited by Janet Morris. Mike describes it: “In Hell, airborne lawyers including Joseph McCarthy and S.V. Benet must seek the head of the most honest man in Hell, to be deposed by Satan himself.  Also catch my friend Leo’s story, “Revolutionary Justice,” wherein Che Guevara is condemned to be recognized as, ‘That guy off the T shirt.'” Next is an anthology titled Citizens, which I’ve mentioned once before in SurvivalBlog. It is a collection of stories written by military veterans, including several classic works and some new ones. Mike’s favorite story in this anthology is “Alamagoosa”, by Eric Frank Russell. The last book on the list is a paperback reprint of Mike’s Ripple Creek mercenary story Do Unto Others. In this tale, a family that owns an entire system of resources hires Ripple Creek’s best team to keep them safe from hostile agents in a domed mining colony.

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More Gunwalker fallout: Guns from U.S. sting found at Mexican crime scenes. Meanwhile, we read: ATF Manager says he shared Fast and Furious Info with White House and Worse Than Gunwalker? State Department Allegedly Sold Guns to Zetas

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle [that was] against me: for there were many with me.

God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

[The words] of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war [was] in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet [were] they drawn swords.

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.” – Psalm 55:16-23 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

Production will end temporarily on Monday, August 1st for the SurvivalBlog 5-Year Archive CD-ROM. (Since Lulu.com is leaving the CD-ROM production business.) The good news is that it has been reduced to just $14.95. We hope to have new production available from a different vendor within a couple of weeks, hopefully at the same price. Thanks for your patience.

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Today we present another two entries for Round 35 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 35 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

TEOTWAWKI Planning From the Perspective of a Former SF Operator, by SAV

When starting the process of preparation for TEOTWAWKI we must first plan for the most likely scenario that will cause the survival situation you are prepping for.

When contemplating the TEOTWAWKI scenarios, one is confronted by a plethora of daunting challenges and theories from Magnetic pole reversal, getting hit by a rouge asteroid (don’t worry about this one Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis will save us) to solar flares knocking out technology, and the list continues.  My fear is that the end will not come from a major event but from a minor event that triggers a chain reaction of panic, that causes a societal collapse.

In my former life I have been to areas of the world that have suffered from just this type of situation a relatively small event that causes a panic that quickly spreads like a wildfire until it causes destabilization.  Some critics would argue that this could not happen in a technologically advanced society, because of the quick access of mass information. I feel this quick access to mass information is going to actually cause any panic to spread faster. Please do not conclude from this that I am anti-technology, I in fact love my computers, Internet, I-phones, GPS, and television. I am purely expressing, this flow of information that is unfiltered by logic and fact could potentially cause a problem.

If you Google December 21, 2012 you will get 25.4 Million results, some against a possible TEOTWAWKI situation but most are for it.  I am not worried about a major event ripping the planet apart and destroying all life on the planet, I do not plan on building or buying a long-range spacecraft to whisk me off to another world; I will just sit back and enjoy the ride to oblivion. What does worry me is that with all of the 12/21/2012 hype from television to the Net is that the seed of panic has been planted in the minds of a large population of the planet. If on 12/21/ 2012 a relatively small event dose happen (i.e. California earthquake, a solar flare knocks out a power grid, or even a Terrorist attack) happens it could cause a mass panic with global implications.  Though these events would not normally cause any permanent damage the groundwork has been laid on this day to cause mass physiological damage.

The situation I will prepare for is a small event that causes panic, which leads to society’s collapse.  When a society collapses human nature forces new societies to immediately emerge, some of these societies will survive and some will die out as quickly as they started.  These societies can consist of small bands of people to large groups, predictably with time some societies will merge creating new larger societies and eventually civilizations.  Through out time humans have survived by banding together for a common goal wither that goal is to rob, pillage and plunder other groups or to work together to cover the basics of survival and form a community, these new societies will inevitably emerge.               

After traveling the globe, I have come to the realization that there is no such thing as a big problem only a bunch of small problems lumped together, solved the small problems one at a time and the “Big problem” goes away, this is the methodology I take for my preparation. 

Before I started my family the concept of survival was not a complicated one, I have the gear and skills to basically become a “ghost”.  Simply put, I’d grab my gear, head for the hills, and survive off the land until I was ready to find a stable group to join.  Now that I have my family to protect, survival has become more complicated and has required more planning and preparation, my planning and preparation is based on a flexible timeline (because in survival flexibility is key)  In this scenario society has collapsed  what to do:

Getting home

Because a majority of us work a normal job to support our families the first challenge we face is getting to our homes or safe spot where our families and gear are, thus the preparation of a Get Home Bag (GHB).  There is “no one size fits all” GHB as the gear you need to get home will vary from person to person and location to location, so I will just touch on the items I have for my situation.  I normally wear a suit and tie to work everyday, my office is located in a suburban area, not far from a city center and only 10-to 15 miles from my home, in a moderate climate area. 

While suit, ties, and dress shoes are great for power meetings in a survival situation they do me little good, so the first item I have is a change of clothes that consist of jeans, a long leave shirt, a lightweight jacket, riggers belt, a nondescript hat (with no logos), socks and hiking boots.  I know there are you out there that love your 5.11s and BDUs but camouflage or tactical look in an urban environment in crisis is equivalent to holding a sign that says “Shoot me, I’m an authority figure” I selected this outfit strictly to get home to my family and gear, think about it as “urban camouflage”.

Next, I have my defensive tools, a Glock pistol and Kel-Tec Sub 2000 chambered for the .40 S&W caliber, I selected these weapons for their lightweight and concealment properties rather that any ability to get into a long range, sustained gunfights.  I have 200 rounds of ammo, a sturdy folding knife, ASP baton and a can of pepper spray foam and all of these items can be concealed on my person.

My bag is a nondescript backpack that would not look out of place in any urban setting, in my pack I have water containers, an MRE, Fire starting supplies, 550 cord, duct tape, Flashlight, batteries, space blanket, multi-tool, pen/ paper, and first aid kit. I normally carry my cell phone and have a land line in my office no guarantee they will work but try the simple things first. 

In the event I can drive home, I have four different routes by vehicle and four on foot, most of these routes can be interchanged with each other to account for variables along the way. 

We have a family plan in place, once the crisis begins, I have 72 hours to get to my family before they will bug-out and follow their emergency plan.  If all goes well I would make it home before they bug-out, if not I will make my way to our Bug-Out Location (BOL).

The First 72 hours

At our house, we have preparations for two possible scenarios “Bug-in” or “Bug-out” we have enough food and water to support our family plus four for 30 days, our food stores are a mixture of canned and dry foods that are easy to prepare and are shelf stable for a bug-in situation.  We also have a 14-day supply of portable survival rations that can be pack for transport for our bug-out.  In our home supplies, we have enough food, water, weapons, ammo, and other survival gear to last our family plus four for 30 days.  Based our preparation on 30 days based on the natural lull after a major crisis before that 30 days is up we will either have moved to our BOL or worst case if we were un-able to move we would have started the “scout and scavenge” patrols in our area.

Once we are home the real work begins, in our plan the first order of business to fortify our location, (this is more than just the normal security precautions we have in place already) This includes but is not limited to reinforcing the entry points against brute force attacks. Making the house blend in, if the neighbors’ have fled in panic and the other houses in the area look disheveled with random clothing or items in the yard, throw some non-necessity items in the yard to insure your house look just like the other houses (hiding in plain sight).  Bring your Bug out vehicle (BOV) into the garage (if possible) and get it loaded with your bug out gear if not already packed.

Monitor the situation as best as possible, we keep a survival radio in the house as well as a ham [multi-band] and CB radio on hand with an alternative power source just for this purpose.

After the first 72 hours, you must make the decision to attempt to get to your BOL or to stay in place. If you think, it is not safe to move wait another 72 hours and reassess.                 

The Bug-Out

Our BOBs include everything we need to make it to and establish our BOL, which is at a higher elevation; in a wilderness area approximately 2.5 hour drive on a good day, (which is not the case in this scenario) as with the “GHB” everyone’s “BOB” needs will be different.  You can find hundreds of articles on what to have in you BOB take some time to research and test then make a list and put your Bob together with the supplies that will fit your plans.  Our bags are military style large MOLLE packs and my pack supplies are different from my wife’s, but contain the same basic elements for survival in the case that one or the other packs is lost or destroyed in the bug out process.

Here is where all you tactical and camo guys and gals can get interested, for our bug out we have our more tactical clothing and gear because we are going to do the majority of our movement at nighttime. 

We have not set this up as a combat operation, but more like a survival plan with combat tactics, it is simply moving as un-noticed as possible and using as many force multipliers to assist us as possible, in this case the cover of darkness. Like our “get home plan”, we have several routes established for both vehicle and foot and all of these routes have multiple areas of possible resupply, established waypoints, and rest /regroup areas.  We will attempt to use our BOV (mid 1980s Dodge Ram Charger, with some modifications) to get as far as possible, for this phase my wife will drive, I know insert woman driver joke, but I can confidently say she could out drive most of the readers here.   I have her driving in the event there is a questionable area we have to traverse through, along our route, my training has afforded me the skills to slip ahead and scout the route or shoot from a moving vehicle effectively.  

When setting up your Bug out plans you must make sure they are commiserate with your skills and ability’s.  Don’t make your BOL on top of a ridge that the only way in is a 100 foot vertical climb if you can barley make it up a flight of stairs with out getting winded. If you choose a location like that, make sure you train yourself to be able to make it to your BOL. Do not attempt nighttime movements if you do not have the land navigation skills not to get lost.

The Bug-Out Location 
                
We selected our BOL for several reasons first of them was its remoteness as stated before it in located a higher elevation in a wilderness area, it is not on the path of least resistance, and it is highly unlikely that someone would just happen upon it.  The area is abundant with natural resources like a fresh water source, wildlife and fertile soil.  Only a handful of trusted people know where our BOL is, and these people are welcome there.

As with the supplies it takes to get here our BOL is stocked with what we need to live not just survive, and everybody’s supplies for their BOL will be different.  Some irregular items we have stocked ours with is salt licks for wildlife, shelf stable seeds for vegetables, solar panels & wind turbines, for energy generation, and we build a smokehouse for food preservation, and extra building supplies and tools in case we need to add or build a new structure.

Our BOL has approximately a 25 yard stand off  from any surrounding cover for defense purposes as well as established hidden escape & evasion routes, the location it sits on has great visibility out to see approaching threats.   

In conclusion, your greatest survival tool is having a flexible plan that allows room for ever-changing variables it keeps you focused on the mission and help to keep you calm facing the stress of TEOTWAWKI until you get to your BOL and start establishing your new society.

Choosing a MBR: The M1 Garand or the M14/M1A?, by Zorro






I am getting along in my years but, I recognize that I may need a high power Main Battle Rifle  (MBR) in the future if significant issues surrounding our standard of living within the US remain unresolved. So, what rifle should I choose Let me start by saying that a 5.56/.223 in a AR-15 or any other light caliber rifle does not qualify as a MBR with me. The 5.56/.223 55 grain round requires 2,800 fps at impact to produce a large wound cavity. When shot from a  20″ barreled  AR-15 the round is below that impact velocity at about 150 yards and from a 16″ barrel at 75 yards.(1). I own a AR-15 and I like it but, I limit it to defense and close quarters use mostly. My wife and daughter can shoot it comfortably but, it is more a ‘multipurpose utility’ type weapon. Because you can kill game efficiently, shoot through large cover (12″ diameter tree), and drop the enemy well beyond 600 yards I choose a MBR that shoots the 7.62/.308/.30-06 round. As Boston T. Party says, “Boys, give up your carbine toys for a real man’s weapon-a .308 battle rifle” (2). Murphy’s law of combat applies: INCOMING FIRE HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY (3) . The AR-15 debate can rage elsewhere.

Many rifle designs are available using the .308/7.62 x 51 round , even the venerable M1 Garand. DPMS and Armalite make AR style rifles in the .308 ( the bolt locks into the barrel chamber instead of into the receiver like the M1/M14) and, they are very accurate. Also, DSA makes FAL type rifles which are very good as are the HK91s. But, I want an American forged and assembled  rifle capable of shooting an American caliber bullet. Okay, I am biased. Consequently, the FAL and HK were not considered. As for the .308 AR style rifles – they have too many serious negatives with the direct gas impingement system, the design complexity, and  parts availability. The AR-10 (et al) is just not rugged enough for a prolonged unsupported survival situation. Besides, I have shot the Garand and M14 many times in the military. I know and I like them- familiarity means quite a bit. Also, the Garand and the M14 are rated as the best two MBRs available today-  ahead of the FAL, HK, and the AR-10 (4) ( DPMS was not rated and if their customer service rapport is any indication of their product then I can see why !)  It is the Garand and the M14 (called the M1A by Springfield of Illinois) that I will discuss, compare, and from them make a selection.

KEEP IT SIMPLE
I learned the Garand during my ROTC days and could disassemble and reassemble it quickly and do this blindfolded. Owning one for many years I have shot the rifle and admire its’ simple design. My experience with the M14/M1A  is less than that with the Garand but, I have shot  hundreds of rounds through this rifle on several occasions over the years. I really like it’s handling and smooth recoil. The two rifles are very comparable in weight with the M14 being around a pound lighter than the Garand (unloaded with wood stocks) but about the same when loaded . Both have the fewest parts of any MBR out there – 62 for the Garand and 61 for the M1A/M14. Incidentally, the AR-15 has about a 119 parts (5). This is significant! I have always examined mean time between failure (MTBF) for components my life depended on – the more parts the more failures-an easily understood and an important fact. Parts for all MBRs  are abundantly available now but, will they be should “The End Of The World As We Know It”  (TEOTWAWKI) occurs? Probably not!

Further consideration of the Garand and its’ son the M14 brings us to another controversial issue. The military Garand  receiver ( not to be confused with the commercial variety  receiver serial # 7,000,0000 and above) was made to mil spec which means # 8620 steel forged and heat treated to a hardness of 60 on the Rockwell scale at the US National Armory in Springfield, MA – (not the corporate armory at Springfield Armory, Inc. of IL.) (6). As one writer states: “After July, 1942, receivers used WD Steel No. 8620 Modified, the same as for the bolt. The receivers were then heat treated. They were carburized 0.012″ to 0.018″ at 1600EF followed by an oil quench temper for one hour at 480E. The resulting hardness was Rockwell D 59 to D 67″ ( 7 ).       

In metallurgy, hardness is defined as the ability of a material to resist indentation by an applied load and within limits the strength of a metal increases in proportion to hardness (8). This Rockwell hardness scale was used for the military M14 also but, very few civilian M1A/M14  manufacturers ever made forged receivers – most are cast. We know the story: military Garands are readily available; military M14s are not. However, forged M14s are currently made by LRB, and the James River Armory (using the old TRW US contract M14 specifications). As I recall details from structural engineering I know that cast steel is not forged steel. “Forged Metals tend to be harder, stronger and more durable than cast forms or machined parts. The reason why is simple: pressure alone forms the steel into the right shape, and the metal’s response to such overwhelming force tends to align the grain. That means you get more cogent internal structure and a far greater ability to withstand warping and wearing”. (9) Smith Enterprises – probably by others too- reheat M14 cast receivers to Rockwell scale 55 readings (10). This process can encase ‘Beachmarks’  which are clamshell marks seen in fatigue failures of materials. Overtime these marks shorten fatigue life which is defined as the number of cycles required for a material to fail at a certain stress (11). Furthermore : Pre hardened and tempered (uncarburized) 8620 can be further surface hardened by nitriding but will not respond satisfactorily to flame or induction hardening due to its low carbon content (12 ).  The process of carburizing steel is applied to increase the carbon content of the surface, so that by suitable heat treatment the carburized surface will be substantially harder than the core (13 ). Reheating these cast receivers makes a hard surface but, a defective core remains unchanged.

Caveat Emptor-  the M1A cast receivers and  parts from the modern Springfield  Armory, Illinois (SAI) are not unanimously recommended. Their M1As are not made with forged steel nor, are those parts reheated to milspec standards.  Some complain that the parts are rough and that some bolts stamped TRW are fake (14 ). Other reports state that SAI  used Chinese made parts in their rifles recently- the Chinese often do not use # 8620 steel. Nonetheless, many strongly recommend the M1A and consider it an accurate and reliable MBR (15 ). Some reports of  failures in the M1A receivers are cursory. In 2001, a report clarified what was believed to be another report of a  M1A receiver problem when the failure was actually induced by the barrel threads ( 16 ). Regardless, forged steel has greater laminar cohesion than cast steel and because of this it is stronger and  harder. Should you have a choice for a MBR then, make that choice after analyzing the facts as well as the costs. A forged  James River Armory M14 costs $2,295 and the LRB M14 costs  $ 2,495 ; a similar configured SAI  M1A costs around  $1,700.  Also, do not forget the Garand.  A excellent  8620  mil-spec made  M1 Garand will cost around $1.400-$1.500 from the Garand Guy with excellent used milspec GI parts and a  new barrel (17 ). “Get the best battle rifle for you, cost be damned”.“If you are truly serious about battle rifles then you should eventually get into a forged receiver which will last you at least 75,000 rounds  (just like a real M14)”(18). I agree.

Of course, the venerable Garand wins the cost / milspec contest  hands down. When you need parts to work hardness means greater MTBF and, that is what I want in TEOTWAWKI  when the ‘Bad Guys’ show up. A soldier’s adage:  “Works good lasts a long time”. To me that means a military Garand serial number at or  below 6,099,905 which was the highest and last milspec Garand serial number). But, if I get richer quickly then a James River or a LRB semi automatic M14 would be a outstanding choice and for some even a better one. Since my MBR will be used in austere circumstances (post SHTF) I want it forged.

The Garand is restricted to a 8 round en bloc clip and, the clips are inexpensive. Many clips can be purchased for a hundred dollars and, they can be stored loaded without weakening anything. Conversely, the M1A/M14 has a detachable 20 round magazine which is expensive (around $25 to $40 each). Besides, the magazines need to be rocked into place and, this can be fussy for the unpracticed. Though the fire power from the M14/M1A is greater than that of the Garand I  tend to believe that the Garand clips are more reliable than M14/M1A magazines so, I regard this as only a small to moderate advantage in favor of the M1A/M14. Consider this: 5 loaded  8  round en bloc clips weigh less than 2 twenty (20)  round M14 magazines (types of magazines weighed is unknown) (19) . As one expert reminds us “A calm and focused M1 Rifleman can get the job done just about as well as with a M14.”(20 ).

The real problem with the Garand is the gas system and it is a serious one if ignored. The Garand has a fixed gas system which ports enough gas to the op rod to cycle the mechanism that  ejects the spent brass and that loads another round into the chamber. The .30 US  caliber (.30-06) military ball ammunition for the M1 is made with fast burning powder to keep the ported gas pressure on the op rod head at a level that will cycle the rod without unduly over stressing it (early produced op rods did fail at times ) . Nonetheless, this action tends to be somewhat violent. Most commercial .30-06 ammunition on the other hand is made with slow burning powders that will port too much gas to the op rod causing it to bend or even break during firing and possibly damaging the receiver too. The heavier the commercial bullet the stronger the ported pressure. The Garand was made for 30 Caliber M2 Ball and AP. Their ballistic characteristics were detailed in Hatcher’s Notebook pages 29-30 excerpted in the following table:(21)

Comparison of Various Military .30-06 Bullet Types
 

Bullet

Weight

 Muzzle velocity Velocity
@53 Feet		 Velocity
@78 Feet

Muzzle

Energy

(ft. lbs.)
Cal. .30 M2 152 2,805 2,755 2,740 2,556
Cal. .30 A.P. M2 168.5 2,775 2,730 2,715 2,780

 

So, ammunition for the Garand should be restricted to the bullet performances stated in this chart. Hornady is a commercial producer that makes specific M1 Garand ammunition- 168 grain A-Max match. Federal American Eagle also makes a 150 grain .30-06 round that works well as does PMC. But remember this as one blogger asked: 
“Hmmm… I didn’t realize you couldn’t use just any .30-06 ammo in a Garand. So, I can’t just pick a popular hunting round to use for hunting, target shooting, etc. without checking to see if it can safely be fired in it? Short answer….. NO!” (22).

However, a fix for the M1 gas plug is available so most commercial rounds can be fired safely. The Shuster (a set screw allows settings to be adjusted) and the McCann ( must install 1 of 5 independent jets) gas plugs are available for less than $50. These are adjustable and useful especially in austere conditions when any ammo available may have to be used . An M14/M1A does not need these devices since the M14M1A gas system is highly refined, self adjusting and one of the best made. This is a very important feature which at this point makes the M14 a better TEOTWAWKI choice. But wait, not so fast!

The nice aspect about the M1’s .30-06 chambering is that the M2 ball ammo is a specific application of the .30-06 round. This means that the cartridges have the same head spacing specifications.(23). Fix the gas problem in the Garand and you are ready to go with most ammunition available. This is not true for the .308 and the 7.62 x 51 rounds which are different (beware some Garands shoot this too). Clint McKee of Fulton Armory, has a very good discussion on the differences between these cartridges on web site.  His companion Walter Kuleck says :”Most of the time it’s a distinction without a difference. But if you intend to shoot .308 commercial in a military arm chambered for 7.62MM, first check the headspace with .308 commercial gauges first. You may get a surprise” (24). In another discussion in these same paragraphs  Clint further states : I completely agree with Jerry that if you have a chamber with headspace much in excess of 1.636 (say, 1.638, SAAMI field reject), you must use only U.S. or NATO Mil Spec Ammo (always marked 7.62mm & with a cross enclosed by a circle) since the NATO mil spec calls for a far more “robust” brass case than often found in commercial  (read .308 Winchester) cartridges”(24 ) . So, if you are having a .308  made or buying a MBR made for the .308)  then remember ,“ that 1.631-1.632 is a near perfect headspace for an M14/M1A or M1 Garands chambered in .308 Winchester. But I think that it also near perfect for 7.62mm NATO!” (24). Any reputable gunsmith can check head space. One more caveat- the Garand when fitted or refitted to the .308 / 7.62 x 51 cartridge may also require the Shuster gas plug or the McCann gas plug adapter depending on the brand of ammunition you are shooting. The .308 (oddly) at times produces more chamber pressure than the .30-06 (25)  and, op rods respond only to the ported  pressure so, I recommend the gas plug adapter with this modification especially if you are going to shoot enhanced commercial .308 rounds. The  M14/M1A, of course, does not require this modification.

THE SIMPLE THINGS ARE ALWAYS HARD
The overall length of the Garand  is 43.6″ while the M14/M1A is about 44.3″.  The standard Garand is equipped with a  24″ barrel without a flash suppressor while the standard  M14/M1A has a  22″ barrel to which you must add 3 – 4″ for the specific type flash suppressor attached to  your gun – resulting in a barrel length of about 25″. This is an important consideration in a tactical environment. As one author states, “the lack of a muzzle flash is much more tactically important on a semi-auto than a muzzle brake”(26).( I will add that this is true for standard weapons). But, before we press- on  know that the T-37 pronged flash suppressor is available for the Garand at the Fulton Armory for about $36 without installation . The T-37 is about 2.5″ in length and making the Garand 46.1″ (2 inches longer than the M1) in overall length when added (27).

This information is about the standard model rifles but, not all Garands or M14/M1A’s are of standard length. The venerable M1 does have a variant known as the “Tanker” model. This weapon sports a 18.5″ barrel as does the LRB M14 which is called the same name too. Also, not all Garands have to shoot the 30 US caliber (.30-06) which is hard to find and relatively expensive. Modern means optimum length. “If  it’s going to have a .308 barrel, why choose a 24″ when something closer to 19″ is better ? All in all, a .308 “Tanker” Garand is precisely the flavor of  M1 best suited for the 21st Century rifleman”(28 ).

The loss of energy from a 19″ barrel is not significant for the .308.  Many have said  that if you cannot do it with a .308  then a .30-06 will not make any difference. This line of reasoning holds true for the M1/ M14 debate . The “Tanker” Garand  , however, does have a muzzle blast issue and a muzzle brake is recommended. This device can be purchased for about $150 from Smith Enterprises. Remember, it is a brake not a flash suppressor. Nonetheless, if  I were to choose the Garand – it would be the .308 Tanker model.        

Yes, the simple things are hard. This is true when justifying optics for rifles that were made to be shot with iron sights. All of us fall into this consumer oriented trap. We buy expensive optics to bypass what we really need to learn; that is- ‘ how to use iron sights’! The Garand  and the M14/M1A have excellent iron sights. The former are calibrated in yards while the latter are in meters. Both have front sight posts that transverse about  20″ at 250 yards so, if the bad guy is no thinner than your front sight post ‘shoot’  him. However, a Battle Sight Zero discussion shall be left for another time.

All this is not to diminish the value of enhanced optics when the iron sights are mastered for these weapons. The M1 has some ability to accommodate scopes although limited and , several manufacturers make a scout rail for the Garand and the M14. The M14 has a better ability to mount optics. In  fact, LRB makes a M14 receiver (M25) with a built in rail for a scope, or a red dot device. SAI also has a scout version for their  M1A. The scout rails designed for the Garand require a barrel that has a military taper (contour) for an easy fit although a non standard Garand barrel can be fitted with a scout rail it will be at added cost. Because the “Tanker” barrel follows a GI taper to a point before it changes shape costly modifications are required for a scout rail (29).  The point is check the  rifle barrel taper before buying a scout rail. Garand scout rails can accommodate Extended Eye Relief scopes, and lights. Remember however, that this discussion is about use in TEOTWAWKI . If you believe that, “Two weeks after the Balloon goes up, iron sights will rule the world ”(30) then a scout rail is redundant. Save the money and buy  night vision equipment. You should consider ruling the night too.

If the enemy is in range, SO ARE YOU       
This statement is not necessarily true for the M1/M14/M1A shooters. The Taliban can confirm this. If getting a  MBR is important to you then most lightweight calibers should be unattractive. The choice for me is between the Garand and the M14. Manufacturers and sellers of these weapons are numerous. The CMP, the Fulton Armory, the Garand Guy, Orion, the James River Armory, plus a few others make or refurbish milspec forged receiver Garands and, they do a great job. Forged M14s are currently made by LRB, and the James River Armory as discussed.

After considering all and because I am not getting younger I must say my choice maybe  different from yours. The milspec M1 receivers are easy to get, but the .30 US caliber ammunition is drying up fast. The .308 Garands are really nice but, by the time you add accessories then the price is around $1,700- 2,000 dollars ( 17). Also, we are talking about receivers that were last forged in 1957. So, because of the age of the milspec receivers, the fact that we do not know how close to the fatigue life we are with these refurbished receivers, that a M1 scout rail modification is subject to barrel contour, that a muzzle brake and magazine adapter are needed, that a gas plug may be required and because we will be operating in a non-support environment the .308 Garand is my second choice. The LRB M14 is my first choice with a  M25 receiver in the scout version with a 18.5 barrel. With this choice I get a new forged receiver, a scope or enhanced optics ready weapon, and no worries about the remaining fatigue life of the receiver. Costs will be around $2,700. Note that the cost of a  SAI  squad scout M1A is ($1,900). With the LRB choice I can, without reservation, pass this weapon down to my kin knowing that the receiver service life started with me and should be good to 75,000 rounds because it was forged.

ANYTHING YOU DO CAN GET YOU SHOT INCLUDING DOING NOTHING        
Not  all of the available MBR choices were examined. I restricted the field to the weapons that I thought were the best. If you have a FAL, HK, Galil  or whatever and, you can use it well, then nothing I stated should change a thing. I also cannot emphasize enough that when you buy a MBR especially a M1/M14/M1A  you must check the headspacing, the throat erosion and, the muzzle wear particularly, if it is used. A bright and shiny bore means nothing but, it is so often advertised as a standard by those who are unaware of what makes a gas gun work. A gun that can hurt you or, those around you if the tolerances are worn beyond limits. This discussion also was for a TEOTWAWKI era.  In this period simplicity, durability, and quality equal reliability and those facets weigh heavier than they would during normal times. So does caliber choice which is why I want a .308. Although I choose the expensive MBR your choice can be the “Tanker Garand” and little will be sacrificed. Regardless, the choice means little if you do not practice with it. Practice using the iron sights until proficient, store up some spare parts and ammunition, and then get some optics if you need them.

FOOTNOTES:
1& 2. Party, Boston T.Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed. (2002 -2009)  p. 9/5 & p 10/3

3.”Murphy’s Laws of Combat”. From the Fulton Armory web site, www.Fulton-Armory.com  M1 Garand FAQ;M1 Garand Information Place-bottom of page.
4. Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed.(2002 -2009) , p 10/34  and chapter 11.
5. ibid., p10/9

6. ibid., p 11/36

7. The History of the M1 Garand — Springfield Armory and World War II Production , www.m1-garand-rifle.com.

8. The definition of Hardness., www.Scribd ENG1108 -L3- HARDNESS- IMPACT-CREEP _ FATIGUE- OH”S.
9. Forged metals. Metal Tidbits, Forge. Forge Group, www.steelforge.com.
10. Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed.(2002 -2009),p 11/37.

11. Beachmarks and Striations. Reed-Hill, Robert E,and Reza Abbaschian. Physical Metallurgy Principles. 3rd ed. Boston: PWS Publishing Company,1994.

12. 8620 case hardening steel. www.interlloy.com/au.

13. The Process of Carburization for 8620 steel., www.crucibleservice.com

14. Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed.(2002 -2009),p 11/38.

15. Pat’s Product Review: Springfield Armory M1A., survivalblog.com, July 18, 2011

16. Most Horrendous M1A/M14 kB! Ever. A comprehensive metallurgical report courtesy of Fulton Armory. Dr. William J. Bruchey, 509 Tome Highway, Port Deposit, MD 21904. www.thegunzone.com, April 5, 2001.

17.Tanker Garand.” Tony Giacobbe”. gman366@comcast.net., Monday, July 11, 2011 4:49 PM,
To:  author.”The tanker with a standard Criterion barrel (they do not make a chrome-lined
tanker) is $1300 after the $100 rebate, and the scout rail, muzzle brake & adjustable plug would be an additional $450″. 

18. Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed.(2002 -2009), Affordability p10/25. “How good is the cast M1A. made by Springfield Armory”? p11/38.

19. ibid., M1/M14 mag to gun.  p 11/8.

20. ibid., M1. p 10/26

21. Hatcher’s Notebook,  Julian S. Hatcher, Major General, U.S. Army, retired, The Telegraph Press,1947. p 29-30. www.m1-garand-rifle.com.

22.”.30-06 ammo for a Garand”. www.thehighroad.org. tools and technologies, rifle country, Swampy’s reply to SteveW13. Oct 1, 2003.

23. “Headspace for a M1 Garand”. javelinpress@yahoo.com., email to Boston asking about .30-06/30 US caliber headspacing. June 9, 2011, 8:35 PM.

24.”What’s the Difference between .308 Winchester & 7.62x51mm NATO?”. Clint McKee and Walt Kuleck, www.fulton-armory.com, M14 frequently asked questions.

25. “What’s better in an M1 Garand: .308 Winchester or .30-’06?. Clint McKee. www.fulton-armory.com, M1 frequently asked questions.

26. Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed.(2002 -2009). p 11/12 (top).

27. M1 .30 Caliber Rifle www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/M1_garand.html.Nov 21, 2004 – Length, M1: 43.6 in (1107 mm) M1C, M1D: 46.125 in (1172 mm).

28. Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed.(2002 -2009). p 11/14.

29. “Tanker Scout Rail Question” . Tony Giacobbe ( Garand Guy).  gman366@comcast.net., Monday, July 11, 2011 4:49 PM.. reply to author. “If you want the scout rail for a scope, an Installment would be cheaper (about $150 , compared to $150, + $100 fitting for the scout rail).

30.Party, Boston T. Boston’s Gun Bible,  USA ; Javelin Press, ed. (2002 -2009). iron sights.  quote from Clint Smith. p 8/11.

Letter Re: Plan B–Call Them Your Hobbies

JWR:
Some of us don’t always have a spouse that is 100% on board with prepping.  So I thought I’d send a list of some hobbies that help with prepping in a SHFT situation, and have a non-SHTF function too.  Most have worked out well for me, some my wife has become more avid than I, the remaining she tolerates.

Flower Gardening – Allows for purchase of gardening tools, composting, development of good growing beds, fertilizer, books on growing and seeding, and pest control products. You will have to pay attention to vegetable safe products, but in SHTF you will have what you need for the next planting season. I also replaced a number of evergreen bushes around my house with Rosemary. Might as well let as much of the decoration plants have a second use too. 

Coin Collecting – Focus on silver coins. As a side note, keep in mind if you collect silver proof sets from the U.S. Mint, you may have to trade the whole set, to keep that plastic packaged ‘silver’ stamp on it and to instill trade confidence. Pre-‘1965 dimes, quarters, halves and silver dollars – including the modern One Dollar Eagle Silver coins may have a premium compared to buying junk silver, but it gets me fewer strange looks from my wife.

Wine Collecting – It’s a great way to have both barter items, and antioxidants/vitamins.  One word of caution: think French bordeaux. The higher tannic levels can allow for 20+ year storage, where California wines will usually not last that long. The downside?  Guess who brings the wine to the family get-togethers.

Birdwatching – Specifically having bird feeders. This brings small game into your area, especially  pigeons, doves , squirrels, and other goodies.  In addition to having surplus bird-feeder seed to attract small game, binoculars are easily justifiable.  My wife looks at the yellow finches, I look at the pigeons and doves under the feeder.

Attracting wildlife – Well, that’s what I told my wife when I bought salt licks. When the deer started eating the roses, I just stored the salt licks in the basement. Yep, that went over well.

Grilling – Since propane based grills will probably be out of fuel a few days into SHTF, I recommend becoming skilled with charcoal based grilling.  The grill should be able to smoke meat too.  They are adaptable for wood based cooking, and since coal – hardwood coal – burns hotter and quicker, you can buy in bulk without much convincing.  Hardwood charcoal also (usually) does not have embedded lighter fluid, and can be used to pre-filter water when ground down – buyer beware.

Cooking – Learning how to cook well, can justify iron skillets, heavy duty pots and pans, and general items like mills, manual food processors, and cooking books – one that I recommend is called: The Silver Spoon. It is a Italian cook book, that has instructions including pigeons and doves, pheasant, wild game, and how to butcher the animal -, it’s $35-to-$50 dollars depending on where you buy (Phaidon Press, ISBN-13: 9780714844671; ISBN-10: 0714844675), It is thick as a brick; but for me it’s worth it. Downside? Now I’m the primary cook in the house.  Thankfully, I didn’t have to justify extra plain bleach by doing the laundry.

Target Shooting – When I left Massachusetts and moved to America a few years back, I bought a M1A almost immediately after moving in and getting a new couch. Once my wife saw the cost of .308 ammunition, saving money by buying it cheaper in bulk was easy.   Later I didn’t have to argue too much to get a good .22 LR: $9 for 100 rounds versus $18 for 20 rounds. We still buy in bulk to save on both.  Since my wife is a little gun-phobic, she did not have any background with firearms. For safety reasons I was able to get her to take some classes on handling a rifle, and teach her how to shoot. I know, not as good as tactical training, but she is down to 1.5-2″ groups at 100M on my rifles that can do it. For me, the key here is not to talk ‘tactical’, but to talk about firearms as collections, and stress release at the local range. Also, synchronizing when I to to the range, with her prime ‘phone time’ helps. Ladies, think Monday night Football for getting to the range.

Food Storage – canning as a hobby helped me. But anything beyond a 30 day supply is very hard to justify in ‘non-prepping’ terms. Personally, I was get up to about 90 day supply  before the ‘comments’ started. I just point to my grandparents having easily twice that amount, and there weren’t ‘prepping’; just normal Depression era people.  I still get a hard time about this, but it’s worth it.

Medical – Couldn’t find a hobby for this one. I just do my best not to call my medical equipment a med-kit, and stick with the term first-aid.  Oh, and I never say that quick-clot is for gunshot wounds, I just remind her how many times she has dropped a knife.  Your mileage will vary.

I’m looking forward to your latest book. Best Wishes, – Robert B.

Economics and Investing:

More Shrugging: Alabama coal mine owner Ronnie Bryant became so exasperated by over-regulation that he declared: I’m quitting.” (BTW, I just added this article link to my American Redoubt page.)

Here’s a dip in spot silver, just like I mentioned. Buy on the dip days!

Jeff B. sent this: Proposed road rules for farmers anger some. Note that this newspaper article comes from Montana, where in 2009 they enacted a gun law that amplifies the 10 Amendment. Predictably, Federal legislators want to deem purely intrastate commerce somehow interstate. That is utter nonsense. It is high time for the Supreme Court to overturn the absurd 1942 Wickard v. Filburn decision–an example of war-time statism run amok.

Mark in Cyberia mentioned the fascinating Deep Capture blog, edited by the CEO of Overstock.com. His latest series, “The Global Miscreants’ Bust Out,” shows how various criminal and jihadist organizations are combining to take down our system. This is in Chapter 20 of 24. Mark mentioned that the previous articles are similarly mind-bending.

Video clip: Ron Paul’s Urgent Warning of Credit Crisis, Dollar Collapse, and Social Unrest, and Loss of Liberty.

Items from The Economatrix:

A Nervous New World

Financial Suicide

Default?  Don’t Put it Past Them

Fed Survey:  Growth Slows Across Much Of The U.S.

Durable Goods Orders Fall 2.1% in June

Odds ‘n Sods:

Prepping goes gourmet! Reader Steve O. was watching a Food Network cooking show and spotted this: Wheat Berry Salad.

   o o o

B.H. sent this: As Criminal Laws Proliferate, More Are Ensnared

   o o o

The first hint of real release date for the remake of Red Dawn came recently when it was announced that it would be released on September 8th in Denmark. Could that be the global release date? Things have been up in the air, ever since MGM transformed the villains in Red Dawn from Chinese to North Korean, after the film was already “in the can.”

   o o o

Reader R.D.C. spotted this: Top 10 Reasons America Depends on Survivalists and Preppers

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 35 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 35 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

OPSEC When Traveling Abroad, by Picaro Actual

After reading Some Safety Advice for the U.S. Military (an Atlantic article linked from Odds ‘n Sods in the July 22, 2011 SurvivalBlog posts), I was compelled to finish part of something that I’ve written on for some time. While Jeffrey Goldberg’s piece specifically addresses military personnel and contractors, personal OPSEC is an absolute must for civilian travel abroad as well. On that note, I would also draw attention to Survival Blog reader O.P.’s SurvivalBlog article “Emergency Prep for Travelers” from June 27, 2011. 

In brief, I’ve lived and worked outside the US for the past six years in several countries in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Prior to this, I’ve also had the opportunity to travel extensively with the military and as a civilian. During this time I’ve observed quite a few instances that could have or did end in difficulties for the parties involved as a result of seemingly benign decisions. The majority of such difficulties can easily be avoided or mitigated through maintaining a solid sense of situational awareness and practicing basic OPSEC.

Know Before You Go

At face value, this might appear to be stating the obvious. But taking the time to put a fine point on the following well before purchasing a ticket is the type of common sense that has become alarmingly uncommon. In short: do the research.  

Current Social/Political Climate: The US Department of State web site is a solid starting point; be fully aware of travel advisories for your area and the surrounding areas as well as the location of the nearest US embassy. Stay on top of both international and local news for your destination: what is the current threat level at and en route to your destination? Are there political/labour disputes in the area? Is a public transit strike eminent? Be aware of everything that might have bearing on your mobility and personal security prior to departure.

Medical Concerns: Consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information regarding health concerns for every area that you’ll be traveling through. A lot of inoculations are given in series and take time to complete. Ensure that you have time to complete the appropriate courses. As you would at home, ensure that you have an ample supply of personal medication and spare glasses/contacts.

Local Info: While nothing social can be predicted with 100% certainty, do your recon and find out what recent visitors to the specific area of your destination experienced first-hand. Whenever possible, speak with people and follow up by checking relevant online sources. As with the first point, the goal is to develop the most complete picture of your intended environment prior to departure.

While a multitude of subcategories for each of these could be laid out in greater detail, this is intended as a basic starting point.

Basic Conduct

Central to personal OPSEC is being inconspicuous: you do not want to stand out from the crowd. Generally, “smart casual” clothing is the way to go while in transit, adjusted for climate, of course. Avoid military style clothing, especially during transit. While utility trousers might be your every-day apparel or perhaps appropriate for your destination and activity, they draw attention. On that note, congrats on winning your local IPSC event and completing a course at Thunder Ranch – leave the hats and T-shirts at home.  The same goes for your favourite old 3rd Mar Div T-shirt. These are V-ring bullseyes for those who seek to spread hate and discontent. 

The same goes for the gear or luggage that you’re carrying. Walking through customs, passport control and out of a terminal wearing overtly tactical clothing and carrying an olive drab pack covered with MOLLE webbing draws immediate attention from law enforcement as well as elements of the populace that you’d rather not be marked by. In fact, you are likely to draw as much attention from the authorities as that scruffy, spaced-out 19 year-old kid with dreadlocks. Always remember that you are a foreigner and therefore the subject of increased scrutiny.       

Behaviours differ by location – watch and learn. As a specific example, I once observed a group of children throwing stones at a seemingly affable dog, making a concerted effort to drive it away. While this seemed cruel, I refrained from commenting or intervening. A bit later, a gentleman explained that rabies was a serious issue in the area and medical attention was limited at best. Given the remote location and lack of medical care, the children had been taught to avoid dogs at all costs and to drive them away immediately. Again, what initially appeared cruel was literally the response to a potential life or death situation for the locals.

Death by Misadventure

Unfortunately, the bulk of problems experienced abroad are not a result of natural or man-made disasters. Rather, they are most frequently the direct result of what might be referred to as pilot error. In the interest of avoiding digression, I will keep this simple. If one partakes of the grape or grain, do so in true moderation. As for controlled substances and vice-related activities, they are quick if not immediate vehicles for disaster. Despite their prevalence in any given environment, consider them illegal and grounds for imprisonment. While I take it for granted that this would be SOP for SurvivalBlog readers, the actions of normally savvy individuals never cease to amaze.  

Avoid engaging in political or religious debates. Either is a quick way to put oneself in an extremely bad situation. At the very least, you’ve publicly identified yourself in a potentially negative light in the eyes of the locals. Do not rise to negative commentary about the US. While I am very proud of the fact that I am a US citizen and take pride in having had the privilege of serving in the military, I do not express this by engaging in defensive conversation about US politics or foreign policy. Further, I do not volunteer that I served in the US armed forces. Even if the party you are chatting with appears simpatico to your beliefs, keep your contribution to the conversation casual and know when to politely excuse yourself.

Personal Items

I’ll not go into personal carry items in depth at the moment, as this is a spiraling topic worthy of its own post. Further, the location and purpose of travel – a business trip, mission or charity work, a sport vacation – will dictate varying lists of necessities. Very briefly, I would suggest the following items and practices in addition to the standard copies of relevant documents:

  • A tourist map of the area; know where you are at all times as well as the location of the US embassy or consulate as well as the most direct routes to transportation points
  • A small phrase book; in the event that you aren’t fluent in the local language, the value of this item speaks for itself (pardon the pun); furthermore, it’s helpful to keep a list of often used phrases on an index card in one’s back pocket
  • Good footwear; even if you are required to wear “dress” shoes, have appropriate footwear immediately accessible – no one wants to be stumbling about looking for their shoes when an alarm goes off in the middle of the night or the when the walls begin to shake
  • Money; as with the standard BOB, have an appropriate amount of the local currency in appropriate denominations as well as a reserve of US dollars and credit cards on hand before you land – while one might save a few dollars on the exchange rate by using an ATM to withdraw local currency upon arrival, one might also find machines out of order, the bank/bureau de change closed or any other number of difficulties resulting in lack of funds
  • Encrypt/protect all personal electronics; phone, thumb drive, laptop/iPad, etc.

A brief word on self-defence items: be extremely careful in ensuring that you are in compliance with local law, most notably in the case of knives. Speaking specifically of the UK, Ireland and France, locking blade knives of any description are illegal in an urban setting and at the discretion of any LEO you might come into contact with in any other environment. A diver with a dive knife, a fisherman or someone engaging in bushcraft away from the city is generally okay. That said, “personal protection” is not grounds for carrying any “offensive weapon” in these countries. Again, regardless of what is posted on various forums or in purposefully ambiguous legal documents, regardless of length of blade or make of knife, carry in public is not permitted. In addition to researching this very thoroughly, I further base this on personal conversation with LEOs in each of these countries. Bear this in mind and make decisions accordingly.

Final Words

With all of this in mind, be polite if not friendly. It’s important to note that – contrary to what the mass media would propagate – people of other nations generally do not hate Americans. I have personally found this to be the case world-wide. Dress casual and be casual. Maintain accurate situational awareness at all times. Make it a point to be a gracious, nondescript guest in foreign lands and look out for your fellow travelers.

Best wishes and safe travels!

Bicycles for Bug Out Drayage, by Light Dragoon

There have been plenty of essays written on the art of “Bugging Out”, many of them concerning the various vehicles which the authors are fond of for every specific condition which one might face.  In particular, there are several good essays on the use of bicycles as “bug out” vehicles.  This note is going to be a bit different, for I’m not going to even consider the use of a bike as a mode of personal transportation, but rather as a “mule” for transporting one’s kit instead.

There are plenty of bike options out there, and plenty of experts more than happy to discuss with you the pro’s and con’s of each particular style, but from my perspective (at least the one I’m presenting here) such things don’t really matter.  It’s the fact that you have a reliable two-wheeled vehicle which can easily support the weight of several hundred pounds and be pushed with relative ease along paths and trails which would otherwise be available only to the people using their feet as their sole mode of transport.

To really get a feel for just how much weight and what varied cargo can be carried on a bike, I would like to give a few short history lessons.  To begin with, when the bicycle first began to be mass-produced in the later decades of the 19th Century, it gave the working class an enormous boost in personal mobility.  Remember the old song “Bicycle Built for Two”?  Carriages (and more importantly the horses to pull it) were expensive luxuries which only the rich, and those posing as the rich, could afford.  Mass-produced automobiles were just a dream in Karl Benz’s mind, but the bicycle became the affordable transportation for millions, and has continued in that venue for a 125 years.  Even though countries like China and Vietnam have begun to abandon their bicycles for automobiles as their economies improve, they are still a primary mode of transportation in many Third World countries such as India.

During the course of the French wars in Indochina to keep their colonial possessions in the post-World War II period, they came up against the very, very determined forces of the Viet Minh (the direct antecedents of the equally determined Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army which gave us such grief in our own attempts to subdue the area).  They were a very low-tech army, in complete juxtaposition to the French who were for the time quite high-tech (using primarily American equipment).  In order to remain unseen by the French Army and Air Force which patrolled the main roads, the Viet Minh responded by using the most common vehicle in Vietnam at the time, the bicycle, as their primary mode of transportation.  However, since the established  roads were well patrolled by both French Air and Ground forces, the Viet Minh responded by taking to the jungle trails which crisscrossed the countryside.  They didn’t use the common bicycles to ride, but rather to transport an enormous amount of food and materiel from their safe havens in China to the battlefields of Vietnam.  The best example of this is that during the Siege of Dien Bin Phu in 1954, the Viet Minh managed to transport and supply an entire battery of artillery which was sited in a position which the French military engineers had concluded was impossible to either transport or supply. They did this by using bicycle power to provide 100% of their needs.  Cannon barrels, carriages, wheels, engineer’s tools and an enormous amount of ammunition was moved completely by bicycle, much to the dismay of the embattled French forces in Dien Bin Phu, who suffered mightily from the accurate fire from these guns.  In point of fact, this specific battery was one of the causes of the ultimate defeat of the French forces at Dien Bin Phu, which led to the ultimate defeat of the French Union forces in Indochina, which led to the American involvement in Vietnam.  “For want of a nail”, etc.

The successors to the Viet Minh, the Viet Cong, also were quite adept at using the bicycle as a mode of transporting military equipment, and did so quite successfully throughout the years of war between North and South Vietnam between the partition of Vietnam in 1955 and the conquest of South Vietnam by the North in 1975, though they were able to make use to a greater degree of powered transport vehicles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  Nevertheless, the lowly bicycle remained a standard mode of transporting equipment and food though areas with difficult terrain.

What this means for 21st Century Americans is that there is an available, affordable and very low-tech method of moving fairly large amounts of gear over fairly long distances, through fairly rough terrain at a minimum of cost and effort.  If a bike will carry a 200 pound person and 100 pounds of gear, it will carry 300 pounds of gear if you are pushing it.  (This is not to imply that you can in fact push that heavy a bike over all terrain, but it ought to be able to carry it.)  Even if it is only carrying 200 pounds of gear, that’s a good four times what you can be expected to carry on your back, and as much as a good mule can be expected to haul for you over the same sorts of ground.

(Speaking of which, here’s another history lesson. During the 19th Century, the British Army in India expected an Elephant to carry some 800 pounds of baggage, while in the US Army at the same time, General George Crook in his experiments with packing mules while chasing the Apache in Arizona managed to get his mules to carry 300 pounds of gear.  That’s a lot of baggage!  And having spent the past 25 years researching and playing Cavalry in reenactments and films, I have a pretty good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of equines.  This is one reason why I recommend a bicycle!)

 

One of the very nice things about using a bicycle as a mode of transporting your gear rather than yourself is that you can get away with a much lower tech bike than you might otherwise find acceptable.  Most folks these days in looking for a bicycle for transportation would look for the latest mountain bike, complete with shocks and every bell and whistle and titanium sprocket on the market.  However, it’s not necessary in the least.  If you can’t find a good bike at the local Goodwill [thrift store], you can always just go to Wal-Mart and pick up their old-fashioned one-speed bike for all of about a hundred bucks.   The only modification you should make is to fit an extension to the handle bars so that you don’t have to walk too close to it and bang the back of your calf against the pedal every step of the way.  Make sure that you make it adjustable, so that you can change sides of the bike that you’re walking on depending upon your trail, but other than that, it’s pretty simple.  In a pinch, a shovel handle and some duct tape will do. [ JWR Adds: Installing folding pedals–such as those used on some collapsible bikes–would also help considerably.]

Of course, you’ll probably also want to make up some sort of pannier arrangement of bags to fill with your “BOB” gear, but that can be extraordinarily flexible.  Just strapping a couple of back-packs on either side will do, and you have the option then of ditching the bike and humping one of the back-packs yourself if need be.  On the other hand, if you chose to you can become quite imaginative in how you are going to organize and fit your kit on to a bicycle due to the fact that you’re not intending to actually ride the thing. This gives you a lot more places to carry things, and the ability to stow a lot more of it besides.  You can also somewhat more inconspicuously carry a long-arm (or two) near at hand, but still ready for action.

Among the advantages of using a bike for transporting gear rather than people is that when pushing a bike you can follow trails (or even non-trails) that someone trying to ride a bike isn’t likely to want to traverse with a heavy load.  Likewise, if accosted by malcontents during your travels, it’s significantly easier to drop the bike and go to a defensive mode while standing on your own two feet than it is to do so while mounted on a moving bicycle.  Besides this, you can always use the bike as a temporary cover/concealment if need be (though I don’t recommend it, as your gear probably isn’t going to make very good cover in the long run, but it beats thin air).  Furthermore, if you find that you have to abandon your bicycle for whatever reason, well, then you do so.  Load up the absolute necessities (just grab the BOB and whatever else you can carry from it’s resting place) and it goes from being a bike-borne kit to a back-borne kit.  At least you got whatever other supplies you’re carrying further down the road than you would have just on your back, and probably at a lower cost to your body as well.

An added bonus to this of course is that you can use routes otherwise not available to your road-bound fellow travelers. Overgrown railroad right-of-way, dirt tracks and even game trails are your rightful highways, and though you’re likely going to take up a bit more space going over a trail than a person hoofing it is, it’s not by much. This is one of the arguments against using a single-axle two-wheeled cart with the same carrying capacity as a bike, in that they take up too much room on the trail.  By taking “the road less traveled” you will there-by be able to avoid most of the issues of dealing with your fellow man, a.k.a. “The Golden Horde”.  There are always “issues” that can arise, but the more you can avoid them, the better off you are.  By being off the beaten track (in other words not on the main roads) you are right away avoiding most of the issues of a mass exit from the cities.  There will likely still be plenty of people on foot to deal with, but the chances of them being dangerous (and operating in a pack) is at leased somewhat lessened. 

Last but not least, having a bicycle when you get to your final destination is going to just be a handy thing to have, be it for transportation, setting up a generator, or what have you.  A bike is a pretty darned fancy “low-tech” vehicle, and when they came out 100+ years ago in mass-production, they changed the face of the world.  They still have the capacity to do the same work today and tomorrow, for that matter.

All in all, for someone expecting to have to Get Out Of Dodge on a shoe-string, or is anticipating driving as far as they can and then going on foot the rest of the way to whatever haven they have in mind, using a bike as either a primary or auxiliary mode of transporting their gear can make an enormous amount of sense.  While you are not gaining any speed whatsoever over the other foot traffic, you are gaining a significant amount of carrying capacity.  The difference between 50 and 200+ pounds of kit is enormous, and can mean literally life and death, especially if you’re expecting to be burdened with someone who is otherwise unable to help out with “carrying their own weight” (such as an aging parent/grandparent, or small children).  If they can provide their own locomotion, you can provide the “horsepower” to carry not only your own equipment, but theirs, too.  If you have no such burdens, you can simply carry more and carry it further than you would otherwise be expected to do, and do it over some pretty intimidating terrain as well.   After all, if the Viet Minh could transport and supply an entire Artillery Battery by using nothing but bicycles for the task, then you should be able to use one to get yourself well on your way to your destination.

The use of the simple, old-fashioned bicycle as a mode of carrying your gear is an option which, in my humble opinion, makes an enormous amount of sense. If I’m caught in an urban area in a SHTF scenario, the first thing I’m going to do is plop down a check  (always carry a few spares.  Even if they do cash it eventually, it’s still worth your while to purchase whatever you may need on the spot) on a bike at whatever store I happen to be closest to, and head for home, in the sublime knowledge that if nothing else, my back and feet won’t hurt nearly as much after the first 20 or so miles as they otherwise would if I were carrying my kit all on my person.

Letter Re: Body Armor Bans in Australia and Canada

Dear James:
There is a nasty trend to require a government permit to possess body armor.  This is very disturbing because the right to protect yourself is the most basic of human rights – the right to life.  It is  a slap in the face to deny law-abiding people protection that is [in itself] purely passive and harmless.

Australia has “led the way” in telling citizens that they need state  permission to protect themselves – armor is illegal to import without permission, and illegal to own “without authorization” in several Australian states.

Now this evil idea has caught on with Canadian politicians – in 2009 the province of British Columbia made it illegal to possess body armor without a permit.  To get a permit you must “prove a reasonable need”.

 Exceptions are made for law enforcement, licensed security workers and  “Individuals who possess a valid firearms licence”. Otherwise, no permit means your armor can be seized, up to a $10,000 fine and six months in jail.

If you believe you are “at imminent risk” you can apply for a 90 day exemption and hope that the bureaucracy approves it before you are attacked. Good luck with that!

Manitoba has passed a ban with NO exemption for firearms license holders.
Alberta’s ban is currently awaiting final proclamation.

and Nova Scotia is now proposing a ban.

This legislation is evil because it will cause the death of innocent folks who, because of  all the bureaucratic hassles, cannot (or will not) buy a vest ahead of time.  Then they will not be able to get a vest fast enough when the need arises.

The argument given is to keep criminals from using armor but this is naive, as serious criminals will have little problem buying armor via the black market.  Do criminals have too much of a problem getting illegal guns or drugs?  Should we ban cell phones, because they are so useful in carrying out a crime?

Over the years I have helped many people who needed protection in a hurry: victims of criminal attacks, fearing further attacks, and witnesses to court cases, to name just a few examples.

 In the US a felony conviction bars you from using Body Armor, but law-abiding citizens are perfectly free to protect themselves.  Right now the only notable exception is Connecticut that has a ban on mail order sales. (But you can still buy locally).  We hope this odious legislation does not spread, but advise folks to be on the lookout, especially in the “Nanny states”.  Be ready to call your Representative vote at the ballot box. And be ready to vote with your feet, if need be.

Yours truly, – Nick at BulletProofME.com Body Armor

Three Letters Re: COMSEC: One Time Pad Generation

Sir:
I agree with the response posted, and your reply. While older versions of Perl used relatively poor pseudo-random number seeds, the original author’s use of a time (at runtime) index as a pseudo random number (PRN) generator seed is a reasonably “secure” method of generating a series of PRNs. That was the first thing I looked for in his code, and such a method would be secure given the caveats you suggest. (That is, it won’t be up against true high-power cryptanalysis). If applied with random letters instead of words as suggested, (like a “real” one time pad), it would be a better implementation.

As a note, true hardware-based random number generators are available at much lower costs these days. That would dramatically improve the cryptographic security of a generated one time pad.

Thanks for the great blog. – Marc X.

 

Good morning Mr. Rawles,  
Reader need to be very careful with encrypted communications. It is illegal for amateur radio operators to broadcast encrypted signals. This should be treated as other illegal activities that we would implement only during a true SHTF situation [where there is no longer a rule of law]. Anonymity in the mass of global communications will provide some protection but Ham operators should be extra vigilant as they are holding a Federal license and they should know better.  – G.B.

 

James Wesley:
I am sure you realize this but the principal weakness of a one time pad does not lie in ones ability to break it by brute force but rather by ones ability to simply kick down your door and confiscate the pad. The police confiscated firearms during Katrina and could easily confiscate one time pads, computers, radio equipment, etc as well.  

A secure system requires that the key (one time pad or other) also be protected using something like a password based encryption process for example.  Ultimately, the human is always the weak spot in any crypto system and is the weakness most often exploited by crackers. If your objective is to prevent local law enforcement or government from reading your messages you’re going to need to protect your keys/pads from searches and confiscations. – F.C.

 

JWR,
Thanks for posting my article. I wasn’t sure if it was a little too geeky for the blog, but with all the radio communications articles on the site, I felt that I’d be in good company

I’ve just read Mike D.’s comments on my one time pad (OTP).  From what I see, I think all of his points are valid.  One of the biggest challenges in writing this was identifying what computer skill set to write to.  The Perl programmer in me wants to use all the latest modules, and make the code as cryptic as possible.  But developing code that way would greatly reduce the audience that could use it.  The reason that I chose to use a simpler method was to provide a solution that did not require a computer science degree to implement, or to ask the readers to trust me completely by writing far more complex code.

To me, this breaks down as follows:

  1. By using words and adding your own keywords instead of pages of letter/character generation, communications are kept short reducing the probability of direction finding – it’s a tradeoff between air time and code complexity.  Note that in a SHTF condition, a force-decode would require special hardware, software, and analysis. Code breaking teams would probably be prioritized on bigger fish.
  2. Using a dictionary as a base, then adding in your own terms, saves a lot of typing; and if you prefer your own word list, I tried to make the code clear where to reference your own source word list.
  3. A smaller code base also allows for ‘open’  and readable code.
  4. By keeping it simple we allow for a larger audience base to use the OTP,  while still needing significant computer resources to force-decode the content – classic 80/20 rule. 
  5. And last, I’ve learned to never let the perfect prevent the good from being implemented. Implement good first, then improve.  

Hopefully those that have a programming background are inspired to create their own version, and those that do not know programming are able to use this solution without too much trouble. – B.R.

Letter Re: Physical Fitness for TEOTWAWKI Preparedness

James:
After reading the BYU Kid’s excellent article on physical fitness for TEOTWAWKI, I had to respond.  I had to take exception to his statement that Crossfit wasn’t recommended because it’s “Metabolic conditioning is not conducive to the ultimate goal of being useful, functional and simple.”

The heart of Crossfit is in fact functional fitness for Law Enforcement and our Military.  I’ve been involved in fitness all my life due to my chosen occupation as a police officer (now retired) and my current occupation as a protection specialist which is what most people refer to as a bodyguard.  I’ve been a competitive long distance runner, power lifter, triathlete etc.  You name the fitness activity and I’ve tried it.  I am now 56 years old and discovered Crossfit about two years ago.  I’ve never been so fit, strong and lean as Crossfit has made me.  Crossfit would work well for any prepper searching for a better level of fitness.  All of the exercises described in BYU Kid’s article are either recommended as Crossfit exercises or are very close to a version Crossfit recommends.   Crossfit is completely scaleable to your current fitness level so that you can work at your pace to improve yourself.  I would urge any SurvivalBlog readers interested in making huge strides in improving their fitness level take a look at the Crossfit web site.  You’ll find drop down menus listing all of the crossfit exercises complete with videos to demonstrate their simplicity.  I’m not a crossfit gym owner, I don’t even belong to a crossfit gym.  I viewed their videos and tried the workouts and got results.  That is what’s important to me, results.  It is not even necessary to purchase expensive equipment.  Most of what’s needed involves dumbells, barbells, pullup bar and a place to run.  You can spend as much or as little as you like to build your own home gym.  Try it you’ll like it! – Carl L.