Letter Re: Are Mexican Drug Cartels a Threat in the U.S.?

Hi James et al.,  
I’ve slowly got around to reading most survivalist novels and blogs, but one thing I see never being considered (at least not to a great extent) is the threat from Mexican drug cartels. While threats from foreign governments and biker gangs would surely exist a post-collapse world, I worry about the discipline, ruthlessness, and resourcefulness of the cartels (see article about seized cartel tank). I could be wrong here, but it seems they already operate quite capably in a post-collapse scenario of sorts, so it would be nothing to them to transition to operating in a post-collapse United States. Maybe they’re not as dangerous as they are portrayed to be by the media, but I can’t help but wonder what survivalist group or town could withstand such a well-equipped army with ruthless determination? They seem to already be more prepared and organized than any group could hope to be. Am I overreacting to the idea of a threat from such cartels? Am I underestimating the ability of the people to band together and form a defensive militia? – Peregrin Took

JWR Replies: Rather than “cross border”, I believe that the greater and more immediate gang-related threats are domestic. These include:

Meth cooking and distribution gangs.
Because of law enforcement crackdowns, many methamphetamine (“meth”, “speed”, “crank”, “crystal”, …) distribution gangs have moved their cooking operations in very out-of-the way rural locations. Although the chances are small, you might have the very bad luck to live quite near one. Learn the telltale signs of meth labs and meth users.

MS-13.
Many people don’t realize that the international and ostensibly “El Salvadoran” MS-13 gang got it start within the United States. It was founded by a pair of misfit El Salvadoran immigrants who were living in the U.S. It was not until so many of the expanding gang got deported to El Salvador (to serve time in prison there), that the gang became international. It is an utterly ruthless gang that is still growing.

Assorted street gangs.
These gangs, many of them ethnic, are growing geographically and growing in sophistication. In many states they’ve moved to the suburbs and even to the boonies. Don’t be surprised if these gangs have contingency plans to start raiding in lightly-populated regions, in the event of a societal collapse.

“One Percenter” biker gangs.

Yes, its that outlaw 1% that give law-abiding bikers a bad name. Many of the outlaw biker gangs are involved in drug distribution. It is well known that many outlaw biker gangs have long-standing plans to raid lightly-populated regions, in the event of a societal collapse. Some gangs have even established rural caches, to facilitate this.

Conclusion
The good news is that all of these gangs will be lopsidedly out-numbered by the righteous citizenry, out in the boonies. The gangs will do some damage, however, before they are thinned out. So pick retreat properties that are off of the highways, and be mindful of OPSEC. (You don’t want to end up on an outlaw biker gangs TEOTWAWKI hit list.)

Letter Re: Dressing for Self Defense

Mr Rawles,
I found A.Y.’s suggestions to be very astute and workable, and wish to add a few of my own.

Underclothes: fencers over the years have pressed the bounds of stab- and slash-proof clothing. There are a number of SPECTRA fencing undershirts, that are of the same quality, if not better, as LEO anti-knife gloves. They also have the added bonus of being made with the express purpose of being stab proof. That said, still hurts like the dickens when one really gets gut stabbed. Having worn one in 90 degree sun, I can attest that not only are they comfortable but do a decent job keeping one cool.

Shoes: I wholeheartedly endorse his suggestion that on wearing steel-toed sneakers. I have worn these exclusively for about 12 years, and they have saved me more than once. Sears carries them, usually in the $30-40 range. They generally last me around 2 years, and I do a lot of hiking and running in them.

Jackets: motorcycle jackets do wonders for basic protection. Often either full leather (think motorcycle gangs) or leather-kevlar combination, most rated in the range of 100 feet of abrasion resistance. That’s sliding on asphalt at 50+ mph. Many combo jackets come standard with padding in the spine and elbow areas, as well as have special pockets for more protection. Great for protests and random street brawls as well. Caveat: when purchasing leather only, make sure it is not fashion weight leather. eBay is especially bad for listings of motorcycle style jackets that offer minimal protection.

Motorcycle gear is especially useful for personal protection. I was once the victim of an attempted robbery while fully geared (helmet, gloves, jacket, 511 tactical pants and steel-toed sneakers) on my bike. I was blind-sided and knocked off the bike, and the attackers proceeded to kick and hit me with sticks. While bruised, the above gear kept me from suffering more than minimal damage, and allowed me to fend them off.

In closing, I hope these personal anecdotes and suggestion help expand this often overlooked but extremely important aspect of self defense. – R.I.

Economics and Investing:

Mobius Says Financial Crisis ‘Around The Corner’ (Not surprisingly, Templeton says that it is derivatives that are to blame.)

Over at The Daily Bell: The Aden Sisters on Money Metals, Where the Market Is Headed and Why Gold Is Going Up

Thanks to William B. for sending this: Ireland may need more EU/IMF cash

Reader Paul B. spotted this commentary: Gold signaling hyperinflation?

Neal E. sent links to a pair of great articles over at Zero Hedge: Chart Of The Day: Currency Devaluation, Old School Style and Charting The Non-Linearity Of Hyperinflation, And Predicting America’s Future Courtesy Of Ancient History.

Two articles from the Canadian press, courtesy of E.B.:

An article on ‘hidden inflation’ at the grocery store: Incredible shrinking food packages Don’t be fooled by size. Shop wisely and check per-unit

A Canadian start-up silver producer having trouble in South America: Protests against Canadian silver mine continue in Peru

Odds ‘n Sods:

Pedal powered farms and factories: the forgotten future of the stationary bicycle. (A hat tip to my old friend Charley S. for the link.)

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L.V.C. flagged this item: Survivalists Eyed as Key Market for Central Florida Horse Farm

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Andrew B. sent a link to an excellent video presentation on using malting to improve the digestibility of starchy grains for nursing babies who have lost their mother, or the malnourished and sick.

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Ian in England wrote to mention that in Europe there is currently have an E. Coli outbreak in cucumbers; grown in Spain and shipped via Germany. He notes: “We have outbreaks here in the UK, possibly from imported items, now thought to also include tomatoes.   

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There is but one kind of discipline, the best. It has to be taught. Those who are not used to it in times of peace will not learn it in times of danger." – The Swiss Army System, by Remy Faesch, 1916, p. 21

Note from JWR:

Today we present the final entry for Round 34 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 34 ends on May 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.

Dressing for Self Defense, by A.Y.

This is a review of considerations for civilian dress for basic self defense in most areas. Be advised some of these suggestions may be illegal where you live, follow all laws when dressing defensively.

The goal of this article is to re-think basic aspects of normal street clothes and minimize any possible negative aspects of normal street clothes for purposes of self defense.

An important consideration to this task is understanding your own personal Threat Matrix.  A Threat Matrix is the likely risks you personally have to face in your day to day life.  Are you an ordinary citizen in a middle income neighborhood?  Are you a working man or women in a rougher part of town?  A high profile business or media personality?  You will all have slightly different most likely threatening scenarios and you need to plan your wardrobe (notice the beginning of the word, it says war!) accordingly.  With the knowledge that a violent incident is likely to be launched within two seconds time, you need to build up a plan of action from that first second onwards that gives you the highest probability of survival.

A related development in this discussion in the marketplace of products catering to those interested in self-defense is the commercialization of “combat sports,” there has been a slew of clothing and other products marketed to fans of sports like “mixed martial arts.” These products have features such as short pants with special seams and moisture-wicking material designed to enhance comfort while performing these activities.   Like most “fadish” fashion accessories, most of these products have more bark then bite and brands like Tap Out and Bad Boy cater to a certain demographic that James Wesley, Rawles would surely refer to in jest as “mall ninjas.”  

Full disclaimer, the author trains in “mixed martial arts” and can wholeheartedly recommend a previous Survival Blog post on the subject.

This article is focused on non-sport clothing and gear for everyday carry.  What my fellow martial artists and I use to train and sweat in at the gym doesn’t correspond to what we would like to dress in every day.

Let’s start from the bottom:

1) Socks.  Some combat veterans would argue that comfortable socks are your second most important clothing (ask your local Vietnam vet!).  These days short sports socks designed to wick moisture away are a good bet. Keeping your feet comfortable and dry aids in minimizing distractions or possible discomfort.  For those of us “very good” at cooling our bodies down with sweat black socks tend to keep the best color for the longest period of time.

2) Wear gel foot insoles in your shoes.  Gel insoles are not just for grandpa, they aid in protecting your feet and joints when walking or running long distances and can cushion the impact in the event of needing to make a large jump.  Be sure they do not slip excessively in the shoes you wear while running.

3) Shoes.  There are tons of options available for shoes but in light of needs for self-defense, I suggest the lightest non-boot steel toed shoes you can find.  Not only does this protect your foot from heavy objects, it makes a formidable self defense tool capable of stopping the largest of attackers with a minimum of effort.

4) Wear pants that provide as much leg range of motion as possible. God knows I love skinny jeans but I can’t kick or knee strike in those for the life of me.  Make sure the hips have a wide range of motion. Optional pants are BDU style such as made by Blackhawk that have extra pockets, built-in tourniquets for each leg, and ultra secure waist and pockets.  Non-camouflage versions of these pants are to be preferred over military style pants in the interests of attracting the least amount of attention from onlookers in your day to day activities.

5) Just as important as your pants is your belt.  I recommend trainer or rappelling capable belts made out of strong nylon material with metal belt buckles.  I find it highly unlikely that you may have to use the belt for rappelling purposes, however if you are trained in how to safely use it the functionality is there and in an emergency the belt can be removed and the heavy metal buckles can be used as a self-defense weapon.

6) Belt mounted horizontal knife sheaf.  In this wear a legal sized foldable knife with a quick release button.  Knives with a slight serrated edge are to be preferred over simply straight knives. Depending on the type of area that you live you may want to get a carbon steel blade over a stainless steel blade.  With a magnesium based fire tool, carbon steel blades can make sparks to light kindling whereas a stainless steel blade cannot.  There are compelling reasons to consider a fixed-blade knife for this purpose, just be aware that state and local laws for the length of the blade can vary considerably or in some draconian places be outlawed completely.  

7) Keychain tools.  A bare minimum of keychain tools is a) a multitool, b) an LED flashlight.  Others may wish to add a “rape whistle.”  These whistles are not just suitable in signifying an emergency, they can also initiate a signal to action or get someone’s attention. A Kubotan pen or even more devious since it is not normally considered capable of being used as a weapon, the ubiquitous sharpie pen marker is made with a hard and indestructible plastic that would suit this purpose well.

8) Shirts / Hoodies.  Some of the best new technology include shirts that are “slash proof” against knives and other sharp objects. Although these products mainly protect against a slashing motion and not a stabbing attack, the level of protection this offers is better then nothing and can be instrumental in saving your life in a life and death situation. Look at Bladerunner.tv for products.  I am also fond of the Condor hoodie jacket with multiple arm pockets, rear back pockets, and moisture resistant material.

9) Jacket’s with lots of pockets.  The more stuff you can carry on your self without a backpack the better. This will help help you carry other items such as a) ear plugs, essential for hearing protection in a CCW or firearm situation, b) comfort items such as a power bar, eye drops, lip balm, c) Swedish fire starters, d) larger flashlight such as a Surefire Defender with the ability to temporarily blind or hurt assailants, e) a few condoms wouldn’t be a bad idea, especially since they have outdoor survival potential for holding water and are highly elastic. I also like having a few essential first aid items on my person at all times.  This includes a few Tylenol or Ibuprofen, sterile gloves, antibiotic ointment, and gauze. 

10) Gloves.  Protecting your hands is extremely important.  I don’t know about you but I can only watch newsreels of WWII or Vietnam combat troops without any hand protection whatsoever with trepidation!  Slash, fire, and cut resistant gloves are essential for the modern day war fighter and those concerned with personal safety.  Consider motorcycle or Wiley gloves with plastic or carbon knuckle protectors to give your punch the extra oomph.

11) Large frame shock proof sunglasses.  Protecting your eyes in a violent situation is not optional.  When I was assaulted last year by hoodlums they started it with a mace attack to my eyes.  Wearing eye protection allowed me to continue to see and react to the situation. The brand military users seem to prefer to protect their eyes from IED blasts are by Wiley.  I wore those when I was attacked too.

12) Hat.  A good hat protects your eyes from the glare of the sun and can deflect strikes to the head.  I suggest styles a) help you blend into your local area such as sport team hats, b) aid in inconspicuously camouflaging you in the local environment.  To be inconspicuous might mean they are not in an obvious military style camouflage pattern but olive green, black, or coyote tan.

As mentioned earlier, dressing for self defense means being inconspicuous about it.  When I see someone I don’t know wearing a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu or Muay Thai branded t-shirt, advertising to the world what they likely train in, I shake my head in disbelief at the bad OPSEC.  Although some would argue wearing a “Tae Kwon Do Champion” T-shirt might dissuade would be attackers from an assault the truth is all too often just the opposite of such an assumption.  An example of this is if you have ever attended a Halloween party where the kids (or adults, it’s a thin line these days!) dress as a karate kid or ninja they are certain to be messed with by someone who thinks they are bigger or badder then the Karate Kid.  

This concludes my article on “rethinking” how to use everyday clothing to help you rather then hamper you, for self-defense.

Avalanche Lily’s Bedside Book Pile

June 7th (one week from today) is the Book Bomb Day for the new book The Simplicity Primer, by Patrice Lewis. You’ll probably recognize Patrice’s name from either her excellent Rural Revolution blog, or from her WorldNet Daily columns. Please wait until June 7th to order the book, to create the maximum media buzz. I got an early review copy of the book, and I’m about halfway through reading it. It is set up in a 365-day format, but only someone with extreme self discipline will be able to resist reading through the book in just a few sittings. It is as wonderful book chock full of common sense, practical ideas and actions to take to make and keep our lives simple! This is a book where you will want to get yourself a cup a tea, a notebook and pencil, and curl up on the couch for an hour or so. Often as I read it, I would think,”This is a great idea, Patrice.” or while reading of her words of wisdom, “Yes, Patrice, I’ve often thought that way, it is so refreshing to finally see someone express it. You go, woman!” The main thrust of Patrice’s book is: to make right choices. In America we take pride in the fact that we have the Freedom to choose as we wish. Most everything in life that comes our way gives us a choice on how we could act: attitudes, work ethic, finances and relationships. Our choices can empower us for a productive, contented life or can drag us down into a life full of heartache, financial and relational difficulties and complexity. Patrice’s book gives many examples of how to choose wisely each of these areas of life which in turn will keep our lives simple and at peace. This book is a great reminder for many adults on how to reevaluate and simplify our lives. I especially, recommend it for your older high schoolers and college students, because they are in the process of choosing their life’s path and many of their decisions will affect their whole life. They would benefit greatly from Patrice’s wisdom. The Simplicity Primer would be a great high school graduation gift. Please mark you calendar for June 7th. We will post a link for ordering, a few hours before the big event.

I recently read two of the Crispin Trilogy books out loud to our young’uns as a supplement of our World History Studies: Crispin: The Cross of Lead and Crispin: At the Edge of The World third book in the trilogy: Crispin: The End of Time. We are awaiting its arrival from Amazon. Though these books are not exactly SurvivalBlog material, there is much information to be gleaned from them. As a homeschooling mom, I also wish to promote some very good reads for other moms to investigate. The books take place around 1358 A.D. in England during the Hundred Years War–about 15 years after the Black Plague killed one out of three people throughout Europe. This is approximately 150 years before the Reformation so there is a lot of reference to the Catholic church, which I found to be very interesting in learning more about its practices and its control that it had on the lives of the people in the Feudalistic society that Crispin lived in. This story gave a very good lesson on the economics of that day which demonstrated how though “free” the peasants were truly enslaved and impoverished by their lords. In actuality, the lords were enriched through the peasants’ starvation. The story is about a 14 year old boy, whose mother dies. He finds himself, without understanding why, being labeled as a Wolf’s head, which means anyone can kill him at any time. He escapes death in many adventures and searches for the reason of why he was labeled as such. In the process, he meets a wild man who takes him under his care and teaches him some survival skills: music by which he can earn money, knife and sword fighting, archery, use of snares to catch the King’s hares for food. What amazed me was how little they needed to survive: one set of clothes, a knife and sword and the recorder for music. They often went two to three days without eating and then they only had maybe one meal per day. I highly recommend this book for your fifth grader on up. This is a book to read out loud to your older Elementary school age children so that you know what is in the story and so that you can foster conversation. There are a few ugly scenes of fighting and death, but it is reality. I’m big on reality as long as its explained and put into proper perspective and discussed so the children know our family values. I highly recommend these books as a supplement for your medieval history studies. Adults will also enjoy these books. You are not too old to read them.

Economics and Investing:

Markets Fret About Euro ‘Slow-Motion Car Crash’

U.S. Debt Ceiling Is Like ‘Playing With a Tactical Nuclear Weapon’: Former Comptroller General

L.M.W. sent this: Why a Hedge Fund Comprised of Junior Congressional Democrats Should Outperform the Market By 9%. L.M.W.’s comment: “I’ll bet you didn’t know that it’s legal for Congresscritters and Senators to use inside information to play the stock market. Did you? Yes, indeed, acting on inside information, which would get anyone else caught doing it arrested and charged with a felony, is perfectly legal for the people who write the rules. Interestingly, junior Democrats seem to be doing the best at milking this scam.”

Mary F. forwarded this link: Utah Law Makes Coins Worth Their Weight in Gold (or Silver)

Items from The Economatrix:

Contracts to Buy Homes Falls to 7-Month Low

Gas Prices Dip Before Holiday, But Above a Year Ago

Global Economic Rebound Weakens On Quake, Oil Price, European Debt Crisis

Continue reading“Economics and Investing:”

Odds ‘n Sods:

F.G. mentioned this news article about institutionalized school test cheating from New York City: Teachers hostage to ‘success’

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Several readers sent this bit of Nanny State news: Albemarle Road church fined $100 per branch for excessive tree pruning

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Married Couples Are No Longer a Majority, Census Finds. (SurvivalBlog’s G.G. sent the link.)

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J.D.D. flagged this bit of news: Five People Arrested in D.C. for Dancing At U.S. Monument

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 34 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 34 ends on May 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.

Suggestions From a 2 for 1 Prepper, by M.M.

I especially liked the February, 2001 SurvivalBlog article about Forever Preps. I now have enough salt to last me forever in Mylar lined buckets. That includes regular salt for salt curing. I need saltpeter. I have dry bleach, hand tools, skills, and Jesus. I’m working on the rest. As a matter of fact, within my extended family we have four medical people, a fireman, a teacher, a banker, an accountant, HVAC technician, mechanic, farmer, baker, trucker, engineers—we don’t exactly have a butcher or candlestick maker, but my son tends to his own deer and fish and I have made plenty of candles!  What works for me may not appeal to you but I’m on a tight budget now so here goes.

I have several health issues, so I have plenty of prepping to do. I think I finally have a handle on the high blood pressure, cholesterol, gout, diabetes, and GERD. I’ve lost 5 pounds in the past five months, blood pressure-perfect, A1C is 6.4—waiting on cholesterol and gout results. The doctor wanted to know if I’d been exercising so I told her yes.

The truth is, I’ve been working long hours at the store and have been raising chickens for meat, eggs and feathers. That means building a coop and run. I got my ideas from here and here, and here My framework is all PVC—3 pieces 1 ½” for base and 5 pieces of ½” for ribs . I used 2 pieces of ¾” plywood, hardware cloth, screws, hardware, lath, 2” x 2”s, clear and aluminum building panels for the 4’ x 8’ x 4’ coop and chicken wire for the 8’ x 10’ x 2’ covered run again PVC framing-8 pieces of ½”. I can easily expand this run for more birds.  I used a skill saw, drill, hand tools, and a borrowed jig saw. I had three pairs of hands to help. Since my latest batch of Buff Orpingtons are only three months old, I haven’t installed nesting boxes yet. I plan to install in the area below the roost. There’s plenty of room in the 4’ x 4’ roost for more birds so I can raise more in my bathtub on newspaper and flaked pine shavings. They are covered by aluminum screening anchored with scrap boards and warmed by a 100 watt light bulb. The screen keeps them from flying out when they get six weeks old or older and keeps the inquisitive cats out if the door gets left open. My work at the store allows me to get a few dollars worth of nickels a week and recycle all the newspapers I care to. (To use for mulch or TP in hard times because Sears doesn’t publish a Big Book any more.)

I’ve been gardening, canning, drying and freezing for years. I have plans to raise rabbits for meat and fur. Right now, we only have a pet rabbit for learning.  We catch and use rainwater when possible. My son and I ask friends and clients for used barrels. We have a spring and ponds. I need to get an alternate way to pump water. My son and a friend of mine are the fishermen. My son and I hunt. I think we should learn to trap also. If I could talk my son and daughter into letting me have sheep for meat, wool and cheese and goats for meat, milk and cheese, I’d be happy—besides, they would mow the grass instead of a gas guzzler or even a reel mower. (Boy, was that fun growing up!) My daughter helped me get my son on board with a root cellar. She has agreed to supply the labor this summer. I did manage to talk my son into a raised bed for carrots and potatoes. He even suggested silt fence from a home center instead of boards. You will need additional stakes to fit your area, heavy duty stapler, and a sledge hammer to pound the stakes into the ground.  I was lucky and got all the peat moss I needed on clearance. I had compost and also added vermiculite. 

See the book Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre by Brett L. Markham. The potatoes are growing berserk. If I could talk my dad into letting me farm his land, I’d have self-sufficiency in sight. I want sheep, goats, llamas, ducks, geese, horses and cows. We had chickens, pigs, ducks, horses and cows when I was growing up. We raised most of our own vegetables and grain also. I could raise enough food for the livestock and the family too. Yes, I learned how to plow with a horse and a tractor. My 25 year old Troy Bilt tiller needs another engine. So, in other words, I’d have the ‘beans’ covered. 

For the ‘bullets’, I buy cases of ammunition on sale from big box stores or online with tax returns. As long as that lasts…I have a .22 LR (with 3,000+ rounds), a 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun with interchangeable chokes that takes 2 ¾” – 3 ½” shells (I’ve accumulated 575+ shells of assorted types), a  .32 Special revolver (150 rounds), 35# right hand and 40# left hand recurve bows, edged weapons from 2 ¼” folders to a 40” fencing foil, slingshots, and have plans to buy a crossbow. I need to stockpile arrows and bolts. I’m also growing bamboo arrows. Bamboo is very invasive. There is a good Instructables article on making arrows out of bamboo. I prefer to grow my own feathers [for arrow fletching] instead of buy them. My son also has a 75# compound bow, guns including a black powder pistol and .243 Winchester rifle. He also has blades that range from large folders to a 2-handed claymore. I know how to reload shot shells and my son wants to learn rifle reloading. We are saving brass and shells to that end.  Before leaving ‘Bullets’ I’d like to add a few words about security. I really appreciated Chino’s Retreat Security article. My budget does not include razor wire topped chain link fencing. I plan to use rocks in aluminum cans but they may be suspended by waxed dental floss. Cans would be painted on the away side. My son has planted holly bushes. We also have wild blackberries.

For barter, I sew and have a treadle ready to convert my machines. I bought one at an antique shop and got tubing, connectors and shaft collars from McMaster. I also found the instructions for that project. I couldn’t bring myself to sand a plastic hand wheel.  I have fabric stockpiles from before Wal-Mart’s closing of the fabric department at $1 and $2 per yard. Don’t forget sewing needles, machine needles, and thread. I also do many types of needlecraft—you’ll need yarn or roving to spin. I could also barter chickens, eggs, feathers and so on. I was a math teacher. My son is strong and can do many types of labor. Right now he’s a landscaper. He can also weld, do auto repair, body work, masonry, and carpentry. My daughter is a cosmetologist but since I’ve taught my kids all they would pay attention to. She can install flooring, plumbing, cook, clean, and do most of her own auto repair as well! Their dad, a Navy SEAL, has passed away.  He served in Vietnam and was the only one of us not in Scouting. We are teaching my grandchildren everything they can understand also.

Now for the Band-Aids: I grow many of my own herbs but triple antibiotic ointment does not grow on trees. However, there are plenty of dollar type stores that can supply gauze, alcohol, peroxide, adhesive bandages, etc. $5 dollars a week can buy a lot at those places. When I run out of a bottle of cinnamon for metabolism support, I buy two. At the end of 5 years I’ll have enough for another 5 years, if I don’t forget to buy two when I run out of the first bottle. Same for all the other OTC meds my doctor has me on for various conditions. Go for the twin packs at the big box store. If your goal is to be ready in less than five years for five years of lean times, then you’ll have to adjust your plan accordingly. Don’t forget to rotate! I wish I had the budget to buy it all up front, but I don’t so I do the best I can and try not to worry about the rest. I cannot grow my prescription medications so I’m trying to reduce the need for them.

Getting Out of Dodge: High Time to Relocate to a Rural Area

This post will be brief, and pointed. I’ve written on this topic before, but I feel convicted to repeat the warning: The time to relocate to a lightly-populated rural region is now.

SurvivalBlog reader Larry C. recently sent this web page link: Congressman Roscoe Bartlett Warns: ‘Those Who Can, Should Move Their Families Out of the City. That article includes a link the excellent two-hour Urban Danger documentary. It correctly identifies the nation’s power grids as the lynchpin. Please watch that documentary, and pray about relocating to the American Redoubt.

If you feel convicted to move, then don’t hesitate. Move soon, so that you will have time to settle in and develop a large garden, livestock, orchards, and other key resources for self-sufficiency. Trust in God’s providence.

Pat’s Product Reviews: Rossi Rio Grande .30-30

Those of you old enough, like myself, who grew-up in the 1950s and 1960s, saw a lot of television Westerns. Today’s youth call guys who play sports “heroes” and many, not all, of them, give sports a bad name, for their behavior off the field.

Two of the things I liked about television Westerns, and Westerns on the silver screen, were the ol’ fashion Single Action Army revolvers, and the lever-action rifles most gunfighters and good guys carried and used. I still remember my first lever-action rifle – it was a Daisy Red Rider BB gun, and I’m sure I put tens of thousands of BBs through that little gun. And, even today, I have a Red Rider BB gun – just for fun.

Over the years, I’ve owned Winchester and Marlin, lever-action .30-30 rifles, and they were solid performers. I’ve taken deer with lever-action .30-30 rifles. There are a lot of makers who produce .30-30 lever-action rifles these days. One in particular, that I really like is the Rossi Rio Grande .30-30 rifle. First of all, if you’ve followed my articles over the years, and on Survivalblog, you know I enjoy a good deal on a gun – but the gun has to be a solid performer, as well as being easy on the pocket book.

The Rossi Rio Grande offers accuracy, performance and practicality for a lifetime of fast, lever-action shooting. The Rio Grande has a tubular magazine that holds 6 rounds of .30-30 ammo, and one in the chamber. My sample was in blue with a hardwood stock and forearm. They also offer a stainless steel version with a camoflage stock. The Rio Grande weighs in a 7 pounds but it felt lighter than that and it balanced extremely well. A nice rubber recoil pad is on the butt of the stock – I have never found the .30-30 round to “kick” very much, however, the recoil pad is there to help absorb any perceived recoil.

Topped with a buckhorn rear sight and bead front sight, it allowed for a fast sight picture for up-close and personal hunting in thick brush. There’s also a sliding button safety. The lever-action was as smooth as any lever guns I’ve owned over the years. It takes some practice to be able to operate the lever while keeping the rifle shoulder – anyone can get the hang of it, with a little bit of practice. [JWR Adds: Youths should be trained to operate a lever action rifle from the shoulder from the very first time they shoot it. If you lower the butt to your waist during target practice then you will develop a bad habit that will likely recur in the stress of hunting or in combat. Perfect practice makes perfect!] Empty brass was ejected cleanly to the right, and I had no malfunctions of any type during my test and evaluation.

Some lever-action .30-30 rifles don’t come with, or allow use of a scope. The Rio Grande came with a Weaver-style sight base installed on the top of the receiver, should you elect to mount a scope. Personally, given the limited distance you’d want to use a .30-30 round, I’ve never mounted a scope on any lever-action .30-30 rifle.

The only .30-30 ammo I had on-hand to test in the Rio Grande, was the Buffalo Bore “heavy” 190 grain jacketed flat nose bullet. This round is not designed for deer hunting, as are other .30-30 rounds. Tim Sundles, who owns and operates Buffalo Bore Ammo, designed this round to reliably kill elk or moose-sized game. A .30-30 can now be carried as a defensive tool in grizzly country and will be much more effective in stopping a grizzly attack than any other .30-30 round in the world. Even though the BB .30-30 round is not designed to kill a deer – it will – it will kill three or four of ’em with one shot, if you line ’em up just right – we’re talking serious penetration.

What makes the Buffalo Bore round so potent is the 190 grain Hawk bullet, that is designed with a harder core and thicker than normal jacket, so the expansion is minimal, thus insuring very deep penetration, which is needed to break large bones and destroy organs deep inside big game. This load generates an impressive 2,100 FPS from a 20-inch barrel – which is the length of the Rio Grande’s barrel. Buffalo Bore has added a new dimension to the old .30-30 round with this potent offering.

Personally, I wouldn’t go out looking to hunt the big brown bears with a .30-30 lever-action rifle. However, if that’s all I had, and the gun was loaded with the BB round, I wouldn’t feel under-gunned. I don’t see any problems using the Rossi Rio Grande and the BB round, if you want to hunt moose and elk – at close range – and we’re talking 150-yards or less – and closer is better.

I had problems zeroing the rear sight for elevation on the Rio Grande. Using the BB ammo, the rounds were hitting too high. I lowered the rear sight elevator as low as it would go, but it was still hitting too high for a 150-yd zero. I removed the rear sight elevator and the gun was hitting dead-on for me. Now, don’t take this as a bad sign against the Rio Grande. I’ve had numerous .30-30 rifles that had to have the rear sight elevator removed to get them to hit to point-of-aim at 150-yds. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re in a gun shop, take a look at some of the used .30-30s they have, bet you’ll see a lot of ’em with the rear sight elevator missing.

I also had to remove the Weaver-style scope mount in order to see the rear sight, with it lowered. Rossi obviously used Loc-Tite on the screws of the sight base, I buggered-up one of the screws trying to remove it – tight, real tight! Again, don’t deduct any points from the Rossi Rio Grande because of this, I’ve had the same thing happen on other makes of rifles when the rear sight elevator was removed – I couldn’t clearly see the rear sight in total. It’s just one of those “things.”

If you elect to shooting lighter, regular .30-30 ammo, in either 150 grain or 170 grain you probably won’t have to remove the rear sight elevator in order to zero the gun. The Buffalo Bore ..30-30 load is heavier and thus is shoot higher. Just make sure that you zero your gun with whatever load you decide to carry. For most small to medium sized deer, the 150 grain jacketed round nose soft point loads from most makers will suffice. If you need a little bit more knock-down power for larger deer, then go with a heavier bullet.

Remember I said that the Rio Grande came with a nice rubber butt pad? Well, I’m glad it did. The Buffalo Bore 190-gr rounds were screaming out of the barrel, and there was a bit more recoil than I thought there would be. I guess Rossi knew what they were doing when they added a recoil pad.

I carried the Rio Grande and and off during deer season last year. However, I didn’t get out and hunt hard, and I didn’t hunt often. All I ever saw were Does. Of course, the weeks leading up to deer season, I saw all kinds of bucks out there. Never fails – come opening day of deer season and all the bucks disappear. I usually have some bucks in my front yard before deer season, but this past deer season, non came in, and neither did any Does. I never fired a shot during deer season.

Now, I’m not advocating that you go out and purchase any type of lever-action .30-30 rifle as your one and only survival rifle. A lever-action gun is slow to reload, and they carry a limited amount of ammo. However, if you want to supplement your arsenal, with a close-range, .30-30 lever-action rifle for filling the stew pot, then the Rossi Rio Grande is a gun you should take a look at. And, like all Rossi products, they are usually discounted. My local gun shop was selling the Rio Grande for $350. That’s far below the retail price of $549 – I’m not saying all gun shops will sell the Rio Grande this low, but check around. I’m a sucker for a good shooting gun, and one at a good price. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio