Odds ‘n Sods:

Kamie sent a link to a great 8 minute long chicken slaughtering and butchering video.

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Hooray! The U.S. has done away with the black beret. I always thought it was absurd to give everyone (the entire “Big Army”) an “elite” beret. That struck me as Lake Wobegon grandstanding. (“…and where all the kids are above average.”)

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Norm G. spotted this Nanny State news: EPA Bans Many Household Rat and Mouse Poisons. Stock up on d-CON, pronto!

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Steven M. forwarded this one: ‘Doomsday Plane’ Would Save President and Joint Chiefs in Apocalypse Scenario

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A friend of mine in Afghanistan sent this news article link: FBI expands agents’ investigative power. Well, gee, let’s all just go on a great big fishing expedition, and not bother to keep any records… Do you feel safer, now?

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it’s marked by the blood of those who died defending it.” – Senator John Thune

Note from JWR:

A couple of SurvivalBlog readers have written me to mention that they’ve been getting error messages when they first try a search using SurvivalBlog’s “Search” box.This box is located at the top of the blog’s right-hand bar. I recommend re-trying the same search, using the same text in the same browser session. For some reason the second (and subsequent) attempts works fine. We are tracking down the problem, which seems to be with our Movable Type configuration. (Since the problem exists with several browsers and operating systems.) My apologies! In the meantime, please just repeat your searches, as a work-around. Thanks!

Pat’s Product Reviews: Ruger SR1911 .45 ACP Pistol

There had been quiet rumors for a while. I even asked my contacts at Ruger if they were going to make a M1911 pistol – I was met with silence, it said a lot. With 2011 being the 100th anniversary of the M1911 pistol, I was happy to see Ruger jump on the bandwagon with their own version of this grand old pistol. Many gun companies are producing limited edition 1911 pistols this year, some are only producing their standard line-up of 1911s. You can say what you want about the 1911, but it has endured – I can’t think of many firearm designs that have been around for a hundred years – maybe a handful – at best.

My Ruger SR1911 was slow in coming. Many gun writers got their sample SR1911 in the middle of April – I didn’t get mine until the middle of May. Grrrr!!! I suspect Ruger sold out of their first production run in short order – there seems to be no end to the thirst for quality 1911s in just about any variation. With today’s manufacturing techniques, I think the 1911 pistol is made better than it has ever been made. With modern CNC milling machines, that hold tolerances much tighter, we are now seeing high-quality 1911s with custom touches, that would have easily cost thousands of dollars just a few short years ago.

I like Ruger firearms because they give you outstanding firearms at more-than-fair prices. I also believe that Ruger over-engineers a lot of their guns. This is a good thing. They are built stronger, to withstand a lot of use – the consumer benefits! If memory serves me correctly, I believe that Ruger is the largest producer of handguns in the USA. And, to be sure, all of Ruger’s firearms are proudly made in the USA.

My SR1911 sample is made out of stainless steel – at least the major components – the slide, frame and barrel. Some smaller parts, like the magazine release, mainspring housing, grip safety, thumb safety and slide stop are made out of carbon steel and finished in a nice subdued black finish. The sights on the SR1911 are Novak’s – with three-dots, two on the rear sight and one on the front sight. I have liked Novak’s sights since I first saw them on some S&W pistols.

I understand that, the stainless steel barrel and bushing are made at the same time, from the same piece of steel, and these two parts stay together during the assembly process – again, this is a good thing. My sample’s barrel and bushing have a “just right” tight fit together, which contributes to great accuracy. BTW, the SR1911 comes with a non-marring plastic bushing wrench, to help with disassembly – a nice touch! The barrel is throated to easily feed any and all types of JHP ammo, too. The feed ramp on the frame is nicely polished to an almost mirror finish, too. Again, this aids in feeding the rounds into the chamber.

The ejection port is lowered and flared, for sure and positive ejection. The slide has cocking serrations that are angled, on the back of the slide, where they belong. Many 1911 makers are putting serrations on the front end of the slide these days. While I can take or leave ’em, I believe it only adds to the overall cost of a 1911 by adding these serrations on the front of the slide. The front sight is dove-tailed into the slide, too. Novak’s sights give a very fast and sharp sight picture, and my ol’ eyes appreciate this.

The barrel and bushing were expertly fitted to the slide. There was just a hint of movement when I pressed down on the barrel’s hood. I knew this was gonna be a good shooter. There was also just a hint of play between the slide and the frame, again, I knew the tightness would contribute to better than average accuracy, and still allow the SR1911 to function under any circumstances. There simply wasn’t any “slop” between the frame and slide – the CNC process really keeps the tolerances close. Way to go, Ruger!

The hammer is a spurred design for faster lock-time. And, the slide is stamped “Ruger Made In USA” on one side, and the other side of the slide has the Ruger logo – that’s all that’s on the slide in the way of markings. As we move further onto the frame, we see that there is the beaver-tail grip safety, that is fitted nicely – just the right amount of play side-to-side. The grip safety also has a “bump” on the bottom of it, to help ensure that it is fully depressed when gripped properly. The grip safety was also expertly designed, too – just the right amount of movement to disengage it for firing. The mainspring housing is made out of steel – this is a nice touch, in a day when many 1911 makers are providing plastic mainspring housings. Nothing “wrong” with the plastic housings, and I’ve never heard of one breaking. However, given my druthers, I’ll take a steel mainspring housing.

The plunger tube is also integral with the frame. I’s not a separate piece, that is staked on, as it is on so many other 1911s – so no worries about the plunger tube coming loose. The magazine release is slightly extended for faster and easier mag changes, too. The mainspring housing is also checkered – I like that – for a very secure grip. The trigger is a match-grade affair made out of aluminum, and my trigger pull broke at 4.5 pounds, just about right for a gun carried for self-defense. There was a hint of backlash when the trigger was pulled, and a minute or two corrected that by adjusting the over-travel screw in the trigger – and I Loc-Tited it in place after I had the trigger adjusted to my liking.

The thumb safety is of the combat variety – extended – and it snicked on and off with authority – with no play. The slide release is standard and not extended. FWIW, I don’t care for some of the overly extended slide releases – they can lock the gun open during firing – not a good thing. Nice hardwood grips adorn the SR1911, they are of the double-diamond checkered pattern with the Ruger logo emblem in the center of the grips. The magazine well is also slightly beveled for faster magazine changes. the SR1911 comes with two magazines, one is a 7-rounder that fits flush and the other is an 8-round mag that extends below the frame. I found both mags had very stout springs, that will insure reliably feeding rounds into the barrel.

The SR1911 is a full-sized, Government Model 1911, with a 5″ match-grade barrel, and it weighs in at 40-oz empty. It has a good heft to it, and balances nicely. Then again, I don’t think there is a better handgun design than a 1911, in just about any configuration. The front strap on the frame was left smooth – I would like to see Ruger finely checker the front strap in 25-LPI for a more secure grip. What I usually do is add a piece of skate board tape to the front strap of 1911s that have a smooth front strap – it’s a cheap fix – and I only have to replace the friction tape about once a year. This takes only about 3 or 4 minutes to do.

I make no apologies when it comes to the 1911 – it’s my all-time favorite semi-auto pistol, bar none. So, I have some prejudices when it comes to 1911s – I like ’em – period! Also, when doing a Test and evaluation on any 1911 pistol, I’m a hard person to please – they’ve gotta be done right. I’ve built a number of 1911s over the years, and customized – well, more than I can remember, 1911s. It’s not that I’m hard to please, it’s just that I think I can improve on just about any 1911 that comes into my hands. With the SR1911 – there was only one “improvement” I made – I removed the nice hardwood checkered grips, and put on a pair of (my design) “Code Zero” 1911 grips – that are manufactured by Mil-Tac Knives & Tools. I just prefer my design over all others, and everyone I’ve talked to who has tried my design agrees.

I collected an assortment of .45ACP ammo for testing in the SR1911. I had 230-gr FMJ and JHP from Black Hills Ammunition as well as their 185-gr JHP. From Winchester Ammunition I had white box, USA brand, 230 grain FMJ ammo. From Buffalo Bore Ammunition I had 230-gr and 185-gr JHP which is +P rated, as well as their 230-gr FMJ, again, +P rated.

When breaking-in a new 1911, I like to run some FMJ through the gun first, it helps take some of the burrs off the action. I used the Winchester USA 230gr- FMJ ammo for this. On my second magazine, I had a malfunction – which surprised me. The 3-rd round from the magazine jumped in front of the extractor, instead of sliding up under it. After that, I didn’t have any further malfunctions with any of the ammo I tested. I’m sure it was just a fluke of some type.

The SR1911 fed all the JHP ammo from Black Hills and Buffalo Bore without any problems – never once did the gun hesitate when feeding JHP ammo.  In all, I’ve put just slightly over 350-rds of ammo through the SR1911 and I’ve only had the gun for a few short days. As to accuracy, the Winchester 230-gr FMJ was giving me groups in the 3″ range – and this is more than combat accurate at 25-yards. The Black Hills 230-gr JHP ammo was giving me groups in the 2″ range if I did my part. Same goes for the Black Hills 185-gr JHP ammo. The Buffalo Bore 230-gr JHP +P ammo was giving me groups in the 2.5″ range and their FMJ ammo was giving me groups slightly larger than that. I was shooting over a rolled-up sleeping bag, on the hood of my SUV – in the rain! I believe, the SR1911 can do better, when I get out there in better weather conditions.

I’m presently carrying the SR1911 is a Blackhawk Products leather cut-away belt holster, and it rides high on the belt and it easily conceals the big SR1911. I also adjusted my Blackhawk Serpa tactical thigh holster to fit the SR1911 – and this is a popular rig with our military and law enforcement personnel. It keeps the gun secure and on the thigh – away from your other gear. Personally, I think the Blackhawk Serpa tactical thigh holster is the absolute best of it’s breed on the market! I also have two spare magazine carriers on the Serpa tactical thigh rig – again, from Blackhawk products.

That lone malfunction, is the only malfunction I had with the Ruger SR1911, and I’m sure it was just a breaking-in period, and that’s why I recommend that people fire at least 100-rds or 200-rds of ammo through their pistols, before they carry ’em for self-defense. If anything is going to go wrong, it will usually happen within those first couple hundred rounds. I know, the price of ammo these days is sky high, and it’s not gonna get any cheaper. So, if all you can afford is to run a couple a 50 round boxes of ammo through your new gun – then that should give you an idea if there are any problems…of course, 200 rounds is better!

Changes to the SR1911? Well, I’d like to see Ruger offer the night sight option, and I’m betting good money, they will. Also, the front strap should be checkered – this is my personal preference, though. I already changed the grips, and as I said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the outstanding hardwood checkered grips that come on the Ruger SR1911 – they are much nicer looking than the cheap rubber grips that come on some other 1911s, like the Kimber Custom model. Some people like a rail on the frame of their 1911s for attaching lights – I can live without that rail, it upsets the balance of a 1911 if you ask me.

I’m hard on 1911s when I get ’em for test and evaluation, as I already mentioned. But I honestly couldn’t find anything to fault with the Ruger SR1911 – it’s good to go right out of the box – there’s really nothing you have to do with the gun, except clean it, oil it and take it out to the range and bang away with it. I like that Ruger supplies you with two magazines, too. (So many gun companies these days are only giving you one magazine.) And, I like that Ruger’s second magazine is a 7-rounder, if you want to more easily conceal the butt of the gun–because the 7 round mag fits flush in the frame.

I like to save the best for last, and that is suggested retail price. On the SR1911, the full-retail is $799 – and remember, you can usually find Ruger’s discounted in most gun shows, gun shops and sporting goods stores. However, right now, demand for the SR1911 exceeds supply – so expect to pay full retail on the SR1911 for a few more months. Ruger’s entry into the crowded 1911 field is a most welcome addition, and if you ask me, it’s a lot more gun, than you get from other 1911 makers, Furthermore, the price is less and it’s made in the USA. All gun makers like to claim that they make the best guns. I know that Kimber makes some outstanding 1911s. However, I’ll put my Ruger SR1911 side-by-side against the Kimber Custom model any day of the week. I think the Ruger is a better gun, and the price is lower.

How much did I like my SR1911 sample? Well, it won’t be going back to Ruger, and I went out and purchased a second SR911, out of my own pocket, and I hate parting with my hard-earned dollars – that says a lot. Ruger, you did the SR1911 up right. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: The Yellowstone Super-Volcano and the American Redoubt States

Dear Mr. Rawles,  
I am heeding your advice about looking at Idaho Montana, Eastern Washington, and Eastern Oregon for my retreat.  But I am very concerned about the potential super volcano beneath Yellowstone National Park. I have researched the past eruptions and their ash falls.  I see from those maps that these areas are very much in that zone.  I’m concerned not so much for my generation but for my children and my children’s children.  I want my retreat to be viable for generations to come.  What is your thoughts regarding this threat?   Thank you! – Guy

JWR Replies: There have been a lot of sensationalistic news reports about Yellowstone supervolcano caldera in recent years. Most of these exaggerate the risk. More realistically, volcanologists tell us: “It could still be tens of thousands of years before the next eruption”. And, the “rapid uplift” that was widely reported in 2004 in 2005 has slowed, significantly.

Because of the prevailing winds, the anticipated volcanic ash fall is primarily a threat to eastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, the Dakotas and the Plains states. There is just a negligible threat to west of Yellowstone. If you consider it a threat in the next few generations, then simply buy property that is at least 100 miles UPWIND of Yellowstone. If there ever is an eruption at Yellowstone, anyone in northern Idaho or Northwestern Montana will only get ash fall that first circles the globe. It it will be people the Plains states that would get buried by several feet of ash.

As a bonus, locating UPWIND of Yellowstone will also put you upwind of Montana’s missile fields. It is noteworthy that Malmstrom AFB (which, BTW, is a locale in the second sequel to my novel “Patriots“, that I’m completing next month) has dozens of strategic nuclear targets. If we are ever engaged in “nuclear combat toe to toe with the Rooskies”, each silo could be targeted for a nuclear ground burst. (It is ground bursts rather than air bursts that create significant fallout.) Again, I wouldn’t want to live downwind.

And as a further bonus, the climate is also much more livable west of the Great Divide. East of the Great Divide, the winters can be bitterly cold, but west of the Great Divide it is more mild.

Letter Re: Another Instructables Reader

Hi Mr. Rawles,
Instructables.com is one of five web sites I visit on a daily basis (second to yours, of course), and I love seeing links to it from your blog. 

I don’t know if you’ve seen the following entries, but they’re certainly handy in a pinch:

Of course purpose-built stretchers, slings, and bandoleers would serve one best; but once the Schumer hits the fan, the next best thing might just be made from stockpiled duct tape and parachute cord!

Best Regards, – Skip H.

Letter Re: EMP Protection for Photovoltaics

Mr Rawles,
I have been reading survivalblog.com for about eight months now and have been considering trying to go off the grid so to speak. I have been reading many, many very helpful and interesting articles about “how to” setup and or make your own solar panel system. There is one question that I hope that you can field to your contributors of this subject. How you you protect your solar panels and system from a HEMP should one occur? I have not found info on how to protect against this kind of attack. It does not seem practical if you mount a system on your roof to take it down and shield it in a Faraday cage. There would just not be enough time for that exercise to happen nor would anyone get any “heads up” type of notice. Thanks, – Greg in Salt Lake City

JWR Replies: The silicon panels themselves as well as their blocking diodes are inherently fairly “hard” against EMP.  It is the charge controller and the inverter in your system that are most at risk.   Buy spares and store them in static protective bags inside Faraday boxes/cans.

Letter Re: Moving to The American Redoubt

Hi James,
We read SurvivalBlog often and stumbled across your article about the American Redoubt and found it very interesting, especially after watching the movie “Atlas Shrugged.” I wasn’t sure what it meant to us or what we could do with the info you provided. We decided to randomly search for jobs. We live in Arizona and have always wanted to move out of state, summers here are brutally hot. After reading your article about relocating we decided we really didn’t want to be in Arizona when it all goes down, with the lack of water and you know the rest. We have tried to move to Texas and Colorado before but never found jobs, so it fell through.

We are now moving to Idaho in two weeks. We left it it up to God to provide the job, the house, and all the details. He has completely amazed us! In just three short weeks he has provided all of the these things and more! I won’t take up to much more of your time with the details but I wanted to tell you that it started with you and the article that you wrote.

Thank you so much for risking it all and putting this stuff out there. We are reading and taking action. We are encouraging our friends and family who are also Christian believers to think about relocating as well. God knows our needs and the future and I can’t help but think he’s gathering us together for a good reason. Anyway, thanks for planting the seed and I continue to pray for you and your family.

God Bless, – Jessica

Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this bit of government spending orgy news: Federal budget deficit on track to eclipse $1 trillion for third year. How long do they think they can continue to do this without destroying the U.S. Dollar?

L.M.W. sent this: Why We Are Facing an Inflationary Depression

Hathaway Confirms Gold to Trade in the Five Digits

An interesting piece over at FOREX Crunch: We Have A Volunteer For Greek Losses

Items from The Economatrix:

Example How Gold Can be a Debt Protection

China Warns US Debt-default Idea Is Playing With Fire

US Hurtles Toward System Failure

Death By Debt

Global Economic Crisis Deepening

Odds ‘n Sods:

NASA Internal memo: Family/Personal Preparedness Plan

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I heard from CPA Mara Helland that now that tax season is over, she now has the bandwidth to accept just a few more clients. I have been very satisfied with her work on my taxes for the past three years, and I highly recommend her. She is based up in Montana, but has clients in many states. I can vouch that she handles long-distance clients wonderfully.

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Carolina Readiness Supply is hosting the “Sensible Mountain Preparedness Seminar” on June 18th in Clyde, North Carolina. (Near Asheville in the Western North Carolina Mountains.)  For details, see: CarolinaReadiness.com.  This is a full day of preparedness information and tips.  The keynote speaker is William Forstchen, the author of the post-EMP novel “One Second After“.

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My sincere thanks to the SurvivalBlog readers who have made their 10 Cent Challenge voluntary subscription payments via Bitcoin. (Our Bitcoin address is: 1K7Gk6kqX6psSWDJaRV6pyDH7dwZuvqtUB.) Please support the Bitcoin movement. If we can use mechanisms like Bitcoin and traditional barter instead of the banking system, then we will starve the banksters, encourage a reversion to sound currency, and regain some of our economic freedom.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry 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. 

Bug In, or Bug Out?, by H.C.

I am a double transplant recipient who is 50 years old and in fairly good health but with restrictions as to what I am physically able to do. 

My household consist of myself, my wife, and our 8 year old son. I also have a grown daughter that lives three hours drive to the west but she is not a major factor in emergency plans. I don’t say this to be heartless or imply I love my daughter less but,  from my standpoint, she is now on the periphery of my planning as is any other family member who is outside my immediate area of influence or impact. My wife would no doubt be more inclined to react to emotion than to the reality of our circumstances but, that is why God has made women look at things differently than we men do. Lest you get the wrong impression of my wife she is very detail oriented and can come to a logical versus totally emotional conclusion and I am sure if the worst set of circumstances were to present themselves she would no doubt support any decision I/We would make.

I have been retired now for a little more than 10 years because I am the recipient of a  double transplant and as a result I have restrictions on what I can do. 

My transplant was truly a God send for keeping me alive 10 years ago but as I look around at what is going on in our Country and on a bigger scale Globally, now I have the uneasy realization that in a SHTF situation or God forbid or maybe a God-ordained moment  other wise referred to as a TEOTWAWKI I will literally be on the clock. The clock will start ticking for me the moment there is an interruption in my ability to procure the 2 or 3 life extending drugs I depend on at 12 hour intervals to fight off organ rejection.

There are two drugs associated with anti-rejection that especially concern me because they are so expensive that our local pharmacy’s  here in the town nearest to where I live do not stock them. I get these two medications from a pharmacy located 35 miles from where I live or we order them on the Internet. The third drug I depend on is a low dose of steroid. The steroid is cheap and probably readily available with a prescription at any pharmacy, I do have a maintain certain buffer with these steroid as well as I can. The other medications I take while serving a health or quality of life purpose are in my view secondary to the supply of the three above mentions drugs serve. 

One of my anti-rejection drugs dosages is based upon a blood test that I take about four times a year and the dosage could be considered variable. I have a prescription for “x” number of pills twice a day. About 6 months ago the latest literature available to the doctor indicated that the pancreas could survive with a certain level of this medication in the blood that was lower than my current levels. The doctor verbally lowered the number of pills for that particular medication but did not alter the prescription. I now have a couple of months buffer on that medication but not on the other.  I have some extra money available currently and after consulting my wife we have decided to ask the Doctor for a three month prescription to try and keep a at least a 90 day buffer for that medication. In the event of a regional or national emergency I have on my checklist to immediately contact my doctor to ask that she make a request that all prescriptions have at least 90 days worth of medications. My doctor did this after 9/11 and I can’t see her giving me any problems in the face of an emergency in the future.

It is these types of concerns that keep me awake at night.  Will I be able to recognize an untenable situation in the making near home? Will I have any better chances for my family if I “Bug Out” instead of just hunkering down and “Bugging In” ?

There are some factors other than my medications that I feel start me off in the “Bug In” column at least initially. I live a few miles outside of a small east Texas town. There are numerous creeks  and ponds within easy walking distance for water, we also live within a quarter of a mile of our community water tower. I recently spotted two or three ponds very close by that I was unaware of until looking at my property on Google Earth. For the most part I have friendly neighbors and we have members of both sides of our family that are anywhere from .3 of a mile to 5 miles away. Even though the family members are not what could be termed preppers they are country folk and probably slightly better of than say apartment dwellers when it comes to food stocks and tools. Though we have not specifically talked about SHTF situations all the family members members that live within that five mile radius have FRS walkie talkies that we might be able to use to communicate during an emergency. Another factor I consider is, I have three acres of land and a good rear tine rototiller. I have planted  a small garden by country standards but probably huge by city standards. I also have dogs and about a dozen laying hens and three Guinea Fowl to consider if the “Bug Out” option is chosen.

My wife and I have been trying to prepare for hard times by having a few months worth of food on hand and in storage containers that are easily transportable. We continue to try and increase our food stocks each payday. We have a fairly rounded out supply of  first-aid supplies and first-aid information. My wife worked as a lab tech in a hospital the for 25 years before changing careers and from personal experience I can testify that medically speaking, she is one good cookie. We have multiple methods of storing, Collecting, and making water potable. I have bottled water in storage in both of my vehicles as well as a Katadyn Base Camp Water Filter behind the back seat of my truck.

I have ample stores and variety of weapons and ammo barring a bona fide war. We have “Bug Out Bags” for the three of us that could sustain us in the worst of circumstances for at least 10 days if we all three have our Bug Out Bags (BOBs) and five days if all we could grab was mine.  We have Get Home Bags (GHBs), walking sticks, and at least one pistol or survival rifle available in both vehicles in the event some serious personal protection is needed. The GHBs have some supplies and food that could be combined with the BOBs supplies if bugging out by vehicle and not by foot. We have an emergency generator that I have put four rubber tires and two collapsible handles on the generator to make it more portable it can be rolled up in the back of the truck or the utility trailer using ATV ramps. I am currently researching options for making the generator a lot less noisy. a couple of weeks of gas that is rotated through the lawn mowers. We have a fair supply of batteries, candles, lamp oil and wicks. But it is not so much these things that bother me, it is my daily maintenance drugs that I must have to keep organ rejection at bay.

I have a checklist on the wall where we store our BOBs with instructions that I have tried to  tune to the perceived amount of time available to make an exit. The checklist tries to cover items to grab from the basic instruction of, grab the BOB and get out, to a situation of having an hour or two that we can use to fill our covered utility trailer that stays packed and ready for camping at all times with food stocks. In my checklist and instructions I try to mention places to go grab items that are currently available here at home or are in use but available. These things may otherwise be overlooked in a hurry up situation, for example the GHBs, weapons, water, toilet paper, blankets etc. stored in each vehicle that might be overlooked as we go about the business of hooking up our utility trailer to our truck. I have an extra 20 lb. propane tank under the grill, just make sure the valve is closed unhook it and it’s ready to go in the utility trailer. There is an old refrigerator in the back part of my shed that I have stored large bags of staples  like rice, beans, and flour not to mention a fairly large supply of  batteries this could easily be overlooked if not mentioned in a checklist. Water barrels and hand pumps stored in another shed are likely suspects to be overlooked at crunch time simply because they are stored in a shed that for the most part stores Christmas items and summer time pools and toys for our child. All of these items mentioned though in some cases  may be a larger version of something I already have and therefore could be labeled redundant, they could still fall into the “need” category not the “want” category. Items included on my checklist are the things that could be easily missed in situation where speed of your exit is condensed and these particular items because of limited storage space in one shed have been split up and stored in another. Those things I feel are most important for survival will naturally be first on my checklist or in the BOBs if possible. My checklist runs the spectrum from basic needs to the items that make having the basic needs easier to use or last longer.  

I have one advantage that some other preppers may not, that advantage is my wife, She is in total harmonious agreement on the need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  Even though she does not read the suggestions, the blogs, or the news articles as frequently as I do, she still supports purchases that would illicit a fair amount of eye rolling from other wives.

I am sure many Preppers and Survivalist have pondered on the questions of what to do, if in fact you have elderly parents that are homebound or in nursing facilities, special needs children, or family members that are oblivious to the dangers that may be closing in around them. There maybe circumstances beyond anyone’s control that are going to eliminate any movement of these family members except to your home. If or when these predicaments arise there is going to be some serious heart wrenching soul searching decisions to be made if your plans were to “Bug Out”. How far out can you realistically cast your web of protection? Ask yourself: do survival odds go up for anyone or do mortality rates go up for everyone?  I guess the inverse question that I must ask before deciding to “Bug Out” with my loved one is, does my dependence on daily maintenance drugs or my physical restrictions pose any unwanted stress for those I wish to take out of harms way?  How long can I survive on what medications we have available? Can I realistically hope to stay supplied with these life sustaining drugs if I and my family relocate for an extended period of time? All of these questions and many more like them may one day not only have to be asked about some of my family members but would rightly have to be asked about me. In a TEOTWAWKI could I talk my wife into Bugging Out without me if the odds looked better for her to take our child and evacuate or would everyone be temporarily better off  having me there but having to watch as I become weaker and sicker from organ rejection and then organ shutdown? These are some sometimes disturbing and yet sobering thoughts. Being the eldest child and the child living nearest my mother who is now a widow  I have seriously pondered the question: Could I leave Mom if my wife and child were in a perceived danger as opposed to a de-facto in the moment danger?  Could I at least get my Mom to relocate to my home that is a few miles outside the city limits? Getting my mother to relocate to my house for a short or extended stay would be a great deal easier than getting her to commit to leaving either the town  or the state, Of this I am sure.

Are these factors in the “Bug Out” versus “Bug In” debate? You bet.  Could this cloud my judgment or place some sort of limit on my options?  I say probably.

Not because of News items of the day but, more because of the economic situations my mother endured as a child on a small farm, my mother is a prepper of sorts. Preparing with a little extra food is not exactly preparing for large scale disaster, a SHTF moment, or TEOTWAWKI  but, If we should ever come to a point in time where it is prudent to speedily get my mother and to take only what is essential and relocate to my house, her supplies will improve the outlook for everyone involved. One thing that I have done for awhile now is to discuss some of the preparations my wife and I have made in the event of hard times. Mom being the farm girl she was, is very supportive. It is my estimation that the discussions we have had about hard times and preparations will pay off if the time comes to put planning into action. I occasionally mention some of my preps and changes that I have made to my “Bug Out Bag” just to illicit discussion on what my BOB is and when it might be used.

The only real options are  going to be to sit down with your loved ones when you come to that “Y” in the road and lay out the options, take stock of your inventory and your situation, pray, and then  consider the consequences of  your available choices. Don’t let emotion drive you away from the cold hard realities that may present themselves upon close review. The coldest hardest fact for me is that in a “Bug Out” situation the clock may actually be a timer that has started and there just may not a reset button. With no reset available my tangible preparations such as food, water, and those items will no doubt be important but, the instructions I’ve collected and printed out or any head knowledge I may have tried to pass on may ultimately be as valuable if not more valuable than the physical supplies we have tried to lay up, Kind of the “teach a man to fish” thing.

I hope the timer never starts without that reset button being an available option but, if it does start my decisions will necessarily be weighted on the side of my families safety first with mine becoming secondary. – H.C., in God’s Country, East Texas

Letter Re: Extreme Coupon Prepping

Jim,
I’d like to share my recent experience with grocery discounts using the controversial discount cards that stores issue. First of all, I’ve never filled out a customer-information form for any such card, and since I pay cash nobody knows who I am. So since my name is not connected with the discount cards, I gladly use them to take advantage of every possible discount.

There are three Kroger stores in my area, and one day recently I was on the canned vegetable aisle and noticed a tag that said that a certain brand of diced tomatoes was priced at 97 cents, but with the Kroger discount card and if 10 or more cans were purchased, the tomatoes were only 47 cents a can! So with anonymity and cash in hand, I went to all three Kroger stores in town late in the evening (when far fewer other shoppers were around) and bought every can of that brand of diced tomatoes, scoring more than 300 cans at just 47 cents each. I did the same thing the following week when certain types of dry beans were on sale with the discount card for 74 cents per pound. I bought every bag in all three stores, taking home 150 pounds of beans for just under $112. There is no sales tax on food items in my state.

I realize that a lot of preppers would rather grow their own food than stock up on canned goods, especially vegetables, but why do these two conditions have to be mutually exclusive? I think of my stock of canned goods as the “bridge” that will help sustain me and my family until I am able to grow enough food to feed my family on my own. Since when is having hundreds of cans of items you eat anyway ever a bad thing?

Now, as far as what canned goods I buy, I’m a bit picky, wanting to get the maximum nutrition for my money. So about the only canned vegetables I buy are the ones with the highest nutritional content for the money, primarily tomatoes and other tomato products, carrots, and spinach or other greens. Green beans and corn are popular with most people, but they provide little more than “bulk” and don’t really give you much nutritional bang for your buck. It would be wise to consider not just taste but nutrition as well in what you’re stocking up. – Chad S.

Letter Re: Beyond Outdoor Survival

James,    
As someone who has taken multiple week-long backpacking trips in the Rocky Mountains, I noticed a couple of things in this article that I would like to address.  The first is the author’s advice on mountain shelters.  First of all, if you do decide to pick a cave for shelter please be aware that mountain lions are plentiful in the mountains and one may have already decided to make that cave its home.  I have literally walked within feet of a mountain line that was laying in its den in the middle of the day, a very unnerving experience.  Additionally, Sarah also advises descending to a valley to build shelter.  While it is advise-able to shelter below tree line, valleys are not good.  Cold air sinks and warm air rises.  The creeks that often flow through mountain valleys are fed by snow runoff and are literally ice cold.  Therefore, the valley floor is going to  be substantially cooler than the areas above them.  My wife and I camped at the  bottom of a valley one night in mid-July and awoke in the morning with and ice-covered tent.  Make your shelter on a hillside and pay attention to where the sun will strike as it rises in the morning, you want to be in that early morning sunshine, you will be substantially warmer.    

Next I would like to address the food issue.  Sarah recommended Meals Ready to Eat (MREs).  While they may be good for around the house, I would not recommend caring too many MREs on your back.  They are heavy and bulky compared to other options.  If you want to be prepared for a couple of days, trail mix and chocolate will suffice.  If you want to be prepared for a week or better of walking, I would recommend freeze-dried meals, (I prefer Mountain House).  They are much lighter and more compact than MREs.  All you would need to prepare and eat is something to boil water in and a spoon or spork.  Water can be boiled over a fire or you could bring a small camp stove and a canister of pre-mixed fuel. You would still be carrying less weight than with all of those MREs, and when caring a backpack through the mountains, every ounce counts, both for comfort and speed.    

Lastly, all of the methods of water purification suggested by the author have one major drawback, time.  Iodine tablets take hours to work, and the other methods take a full day to provide anything substantial.  Ultraviolet (UV) light water sterilizers are small, lightweight, and can be had for around $70.  It takes about two minutes to sterilize a liter of fairly clear water.  I suggest carrying one as a primary means of water purification.  I also carry iodine tablets as a backup should my UV sterilizer ever fail.  Steri-Pen and MSR (Miox) both make a quality product.    

On the subject of tinder, the best tender that I have found is a cotton ball that has been rolled in petroleum jelly (Vaseline).  It is not waterproof, so I carry mine in a Ziploc bag.  They are easy to light and will burn for about 5 minutes, giving you plenty of time to start a fire. – Jason M.