Letter Re: Why We Chose the Springfield Armory XD .45 Pistol

Mr. Rawles,
May I first say that my firearms experience is extensive, but not conclusive. I have owned many firearms, and have simply found what works the best for myself and probably our group, considering current budgetary constraints.

We have adopted the Springfield Armory XD45 as our group standard sidearm. While a personal firearm choice can vary much like boots to an individual, the “Extreme Duty” (XD) line of pistols has overwhelming pros and minimal cons. To begin with, I would like to say that when it first came out I scoffed at it and blew it off as a “Glock wannabe”. After field-stripping it and doing my homework, I have come to appreciate the engineering marvel and old fashioned design behind it.

To begin, the XD has a history I will not get into, [starting] as the HS2000. Suffice it to say, Springfield found it, loved it, and decided to import it. It follows a Browning type design, much like the SIG P226, and its internals look more like the SIG or Browning Hi-Power, than the Glock. It does differ however in that it is striker fired instead of the traditional hammer falling on a firing pin. Pressing the trigger to the rear actually moves the firing pin block safety (drop safety), and releases the firing pin, thus making it a double action trigger. But it should be mentioned that the trigger feels more like a single action trigger with about a 5-6 pound press.

There are three safeties on the standard XD. A trigger (scissor safety, – your finger off the trigger is primary safety!), a drop safety, and a 1911 style grip safety. Unless you are gripping the weapon and pressing the trigger, it won’t fire. There is no slide mounted external manual safety like the M1911 or M9 service pistols. IMHO external safeties are dangerous and time consuming when my trigger finger is my safety. There is a loaded chamber indicator and cocked striker indicator that will tell you in pitch blackness what condition my weapon is in.

The grip angle of the XD 45 is the same as that of the 1911, and much more point able than the sharper grip angle on the Glock. The XD’s perceived recoil is closer to that of a 9mm due to a heavy recoil spring and 1911 grip angle. The grip fits most medium to large hands perfectly, and may only be enhanced with a Hogue overmold grip.

The XD has also passed the Glock torture test with flying colors. I should also mention that a similar H&K USP compact failed the torture test and costs hundreds of dollars more. My XD has happily ate everything I have put through it. It simply works every time.

The last thing I would like to mention is magazine capacity. The XD45 takes 13+1 rounds of .45 ACP. Essentially it is a 3:2 ratio against the standard 7+1 rounds of the single-stacked 1911 magazines. It would take three 1911 magazines to equal two XD45 magazines.

I have no experience with the new XDMs (for comparisons). I shoot fist-sized groups at 15 yards and am of the opinion that the standard XD is better than my skills are. No need to mess with what I think is nearly perfect. – “Jeremiah Johnson” in Florida

JWR Replies: I am also an admirer of the XD design. Back around 2007, my only reluctance about the pistols was the unavailability of spare parts. But since 2008, a company called PistolGear.com has made a panoply of spares available at fairly reasonable prices.



Letter Re: What I Learned on My Summer Vacation

Dear Sir:
I believe I represent the younger group of your readers. I’m 28 years old, third year medical student. I have no wife, kids or major responsibilities beyond school at the moment. I have a Facebook account which I mainly use for socializing with classmates of friends back home. Also as a relatively young adult/student I enjoy the long summer vacations many of my contemporaries do not due to work or other obligations. However unlike many of my classmates and friends I was born and raised up to the age of 14 in the former Soviet Union and have seen social collapse at its best. That is the reason I look with a wary eye to the future.

This summer (mid July-mid August) my girlfriend and I flew to Spain and explored it the way many people our age do. We rented a car and drove close to 7,000 kilometers, all over the country. We slept in hostels with no hot water but plenty of bed bugs. We ate sandwiches on the go in order to save a buck. Most of the hostels we stayed in had little in the way of conveniences beyond a bed and a shower. The ones with a computer were a treat since it allowed us to check e-mail and allowed me to read the latest posts on your blog. Well August 3rd found us in Barcelona, one of Spain’s largest cities. Thankfully the hostel we were staying in was a decent one with a computer and internet access. While my girlfriend was in the bathroom doing whatever girls do there for an hour, I logged on SurvivalBlog to read the day’s post… and my heart dropped. The first paragraph on the page was your post about the possibility of a solar flare. There I am, a foreigner, barely able to communicate in Spanglish, 3,000 miles away from home with a girl to take care of and a possibility of re-living “One Second After”. After analyzing the situation I realized that the only chance I would have in case of something serious happening was to make it to the US embassy in Madrid, 600 kilometers away.

Traveling in a foreign country, I always kept the tank at least half full. Even with the diesel car we had that would not be enough even without factoring in the chaos that would most likely ensue. I drove to the nearest gas station a block away and to my surprise found old fashioned 20L jerry cans for sale. I filled the car and bought 2 jerry cans of diesel. Next was food and water. At the time Spain was very much like an oven with daytime temperatures reaching 44C (110 F). We always had couple of bottles of water in the car, but we needed more. Thankfully the supermarket nearby had a sale and I bought three 6-packs of 1.5L bottles. Food was less of a concern since we had plenty of snacks and canned food that we ate for lunch. My next stop was the bank. The ATM would only allow me to withdraw a maximum of 300 Euros per day. Thankfully I have two bank accounts, so with the cash I already had I was able to collect over $1,000. The only thing left to do was wait and hope.

Thankfully that solar flare turned out to be a non event and we were able to continue with our vacation in a car slightly overloaded with water and fuel. My girlfriend complained that there was not enough space for her things but I did not see that as a problem especially since we had another 2 weeks left and by then would use up all the supplies.

A little more than a week later we were traveling on the other side of Spain, taking a shortcut to get to the town of Guadalupe over some mountain passes. The road we were on was not on any map and was shown to us by a local who said it would save us a hour of time. It was slightly wider than a one lane road but it was designed for 2 way traffic. The road also had deep drainage ditches on both sides with no barriers and was snaking its way through the mountains so much that you could only see 2-3 car lengths ahead. To make a long story short, I sneezed at the wrong time and at dazzling speeds of 20 km/h drove into the ditch. The car was not damaged but it bottomed out and I couldn’t back up. At that point I had two choices: wait in 100-some degree heat until a somebody would drive by and ask them to pull me out or walk 10 km to the nearest village on the map and get help there. Since in the more than an hour that we drove on the road we had not seen an any cars, we decided to go with option 2. I grabbed a backpack with three bottles of water and we set out.

I was wearing comfortable hiking sandals. My girlfriend on the other hand was wearing something pretty and fashionable. By the middle of mile one going uphill and downhill time and time again she was in pain. Thankfully she had couple of band aids in her purse so she was able to continue, but just barely. It took us just over three hours walking in 105F degree heat to reach the 20-house village and ask somebody for help. By that time I barely had a quarter of a bottle of water left. An hour later our car was pulled out and we were on our way.

Lessons learned? Emergencies can happen anywhere and anytime. You cannot expect to know in advance when something will happen but have to be ready to react once it does. Having extra supplies doesn’t hurt either. We drank 4 liters of water because of the heat. How would we have dealt with the heat if I didn’t make that large water purchase a week before? We would have had a maximum of 2-3 bottles in the car which would not have been enough. My girlfriend hopefully learned that pretty and fashionable does not mean comfortable. I learned to keep a small first aid kit with me everywhere we go. As an added bonus in addition to the overall experience I ended up with twp brand new jerry cans which I brought back to US.

Thank you for all you are doing. – B.K.



Letter Re: Bug Out Vehicle – Re-Inventing the Car Trunk

Hi SurvivalBloggers,
I just watched this video: Bug Out Vehicle – Re-Inventing the Car Trunk (more of a slide show) that was mentioned in SurvivalBlog. I see a couple of obvious problems.

Firstly; If he is going through all of this trouble to provide space for emergency/survival gear in case of emergency, why is he leaving the small donut spare tire in there? They are not rated for high speed, heavy loads, or extended distances. Go pick up a spare rim and tire! Yes, a full size spare weighs more, and takes up a bit more room… but in my experience, it is worth it! And you can pack items into the ‘void’ of the rim, so you won’t be losing all that space.

Secondly; That looks glaringly obvious to anyone who opens the trunk! Why cut the carpet material? Why put a handle and hinges on it? Why not build up the floor, build a removable panel (or several for easier access to side areas), but leave the carpet in one piece. Fasten it down with velcro. If you need access to items stored in the floor (like the spare tire), you’re going to have to empty out the trunk anyway. If you leave the carpet in one piece, you significantly improve your OPSEC!

And a side-note for the spare tire issue; Where I live, we have two sets of tires. One set of “all-seasons” for spring/summer/fall, one set of [dedicated studded] snow tires for winter driving. Both sets are on their own rims. Whatever set isn’t on the car, one of those tires is in the car as the spare. An all-season spare tire is much better in the winter than an essentially bald ‘donut’ spare tire! Cheers, – D.T.



Economics and Investing:

After a two week interlude (including a Holiday weekend), the FDIC Friday Follies have resumed, with the announced closure of Horizon Bank, Bradenton, Florida.

OBTW, have you noticed how bank failures have become so commonplace that they are hardly even mentioned by the mainstream media?

Treasurys Tumble Following Weak 30-Year Sale. The rate of return on Treasury paper are bound to rise, and that will push up prevailing interest rates, and that in turn will further slow the economy, including home sales. We are poised to enter a death spiral, folks. Watch interest rates and the US Dollar Index (USDI) closely! If rates spike or the USDI drops below 72, consider those big red flags!

Dollar struggles, hovers near 15-year low versus yen. (Thanks to Sue C. for the link.)

Reader M.E.W. sent us this “uh oh” news item that was ignored by the mainstream media in the U.S.: Fears rise as EU nations aim to raise borrowing

Items from The Economatrix:

So Broke We Can’t Pay Attention

Obama’s Economic Plan Not a Hit With Economists

Greek Prime Minister Shuffles Cabinet as New Economic Fears Loom

Dr. Gary North: Federal Reserve’s Digital Bullets Kept an Reserve to Fight Inflation Hedging Mentality

Darryl Schoon: Gold, and the Future Way Through Economic Collapse

Today’s Most Important Price Points in Gold Update

Trade Deficit Narrows to $42.8 Billion in July





Odds ‘n Sods:

Marie K. flagged this: Nine Years After 9/11, Public Safety Radio Not Ready

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Reader Matt R. wrote to mention that sites like ft.com (frequently cited in our Economics and Investing column) require user registration. For the sake of privacy, there are free sites like BugMeNot.com that provide login usernames/passwords to these newspaper sites that would otherwise require registration.

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“Kron” spotted this useful item at Low Tech magazine: How to tie the world together: online knotting reference books

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The military and firearms manuals formerly housed at the Survival Bound site have been removed and now are on the Survival Bus web site. This informative site is primarily about a VW Bus being converted to “Bug Out Bus”. Note: So that you don’t blow their bandwidth budget, please download manuals selectively and sparingly. If you do download a bunch of them, then please do the right thing and send them a donation.





Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) 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 $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 30 ends on September 30th, 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.



Advice on a One Man Git Kit, by J.S.I.

Growing up in a family which camped a lot, the family slang for what is now usually called the B.O.B. was “the Git Kit.”  As I am now an ossified old coot, I reserve the right to keep calling it just that.

Something I have noticed in most written descriptions of BOBs/Git Kits is a generality of speech bordering on the uselessly vague.  No weights, no measures, no manufacturers, no clues!  It’s enough to give  Horace Kephart’s ghost a ripping case of hives.

With that in mind, I dug into my gear with the goal of providing a more detailed, quantitative analysis of what I have settled on.  Herewith are the results:

Parameters

Geographical area of operations:  Western Washington State, specifically the Olympic Peninsula (I reside along the Northern shore, a mile inland from the Strait of Juan de Fuca).  However, one can find this sort of terrain and climate West of the Cascades anywhere from Northern California to Southern Alaska.

Climate:  Northwestern Coastal Temperate.  The Kit is tuned for four-season capability in this climate.  It is not tuned for extended stays – especially in winter – in high alpine/glacier country.

Usefulness:  The Git Kit can be used indiscriminately (i.e., unmodified) for camping/backpacking, natural disasters, bugging out or in, or being stranded way the heck back on an overgrown forest service road I probably shouldn’t have driven up in the first place.  As with any good tool, skill in using it is 90% of the battle, which is why using it for everyday camping and hiking in remote areas is a good thing.  And, as my departed Dad was mighty fond of saying, “It’s a poor workman as blames his tools.”

The Beast of Burden:  Me.  Very nearly 60 years of age, with all the aches and pains and scars of an active physical life, and a titanium hip.  Height 6’1”, weight 175 lbs.  In middling physical shape, but nothing you might call top-notch.

The Burden:  A medium sized (2,950 cu. in.) waterproof internal frame backpack with padded waistband.  Beside the main compartment, the pack has 3 exterior elastic mesh  pockets and another zippered pocket built into the top flap.  I load the main compartment with 4 stuff bags (also waterproof) which contain, respectively, a sleeping bag, additional clothing, food supplies and “hard” survival gear.  The bags go in with the heaviest at the bottom of the pack and the lightest at the top.  This does wonders for your center of gravity, and minimizes energy used in carrying the load.  A ¾ length goretex parka is packed loose at the top of the main compartment.  In addition to the exterior pockets, a folding closed cell foam sleeping pad wrapped in an 8’x10’ lightweight tarp/tent is strapped to the back of the pack.

The details of the pack, 4 stuff bags, contents of external pockets, and other external gear are as follows:

The Pack:  Gregory “G” Pack, 2,950 cu. inches volume.
Weight: 3 lbs. 1 oz.

Bag I – Sleeping bag, North Face Blue Kazoo, 3 season.
Weight with bag: 2 lbs. 11 oz.

Bag II – Additional clothing, consisting of 1 set Merino wool long johns, 2 pair medium weight over the calf (OTC) wool socks, 1 pair silk sock liners, 1 boxer shorts, 1 pair waterproof gaiters, 1 medium heavy long sleeve Polartec overshirt.
Weight with bag: 3 lbs. 2 oz.

Bag III – “Hard” survival gear, consisting of  basic first aid kit (to which I added 1 quick-clot compress, 4 alcohol wipes, and a pair of hemostats), 12 salt tabs, 100’ 550 paracord, 2” glass magnifying glass with cover, signaling mirror, whistle, small (4 AAA battery) flashlight, spare AAA batteries, 1 roll supertape, 4 boxes (20 count) waterproof matches, 12 Esbit cubes, magnesium fire starter block, 10 4” splits of Georgia fatwood, fishing kit, sewing kit (with 12’ duct tape wrapped around the Coleman powdered mustard tin it lives in), 6” mill file, small medium grit Arkansas whetstone, space blanket style bivvy sack, spare Ziploc bags, folded square of heavy duty tinfoil.  Note:  As an example of the multiple uses to which items may be put, I have a couple curved needles in the sewing kit which, combined with monofilament line from the fishing kit and alcohol disinfectant wipes from the first aid kit, create an effective suturing kit.
Weight with bag: 4 lbs. 6 oz.

Bag IV –  Food supplies, consisting of 5 one pound (2,400 calories per) foil sealed packages of MainStay food rations, 16 bags double bergamot Earl Grey tea, 16 packets EmergenC, a plastic film can of salt, medium sized tin mug with folding wire handles, spork.
Weight with bag: 5 lbs. 14 oz.

¾ Length Parka – North Face, full hood, Goretex.
Weight: 2 lbs. 1 oz.

Left (side) exterior mesh pocket –  1 liter water bottle, Japanese “trenching tool” in sheath.
Weight (with water): 3 lbs. 6 oz.

Right (side) exterior mesh pocket – 1 liter water bottle.  Note: water bottle cap threads fit water filter unit in center mesh pocket.
Weight (with water): 2 lbs. 11 oz.

Center exterior mesh pocket – 58” x 80” Survival tarp/space blanket (groundsheet for tent), Katadyn Miniworks ex pump style water filtration unit, wire tent stakes and guylines, Norlund Hudson bay pattern hatchet with sheath.
Weight: 3 lbs. 2 oz.

Top pack flap pocket –  A nice area map (USFS/USGS of the entire Olympic Peninsula.), State map (highway), Silva Ranger compass, LED headlamp, toilet kit (TP, soap, toothbrush/paste), Merino wool headsock, pair utility “thermal” gloves, spare glasses in hard case.
Weight:  1 lb. 5 oz.

Strapped to back of pack – Thermarest folding sleeping pad, 8’X10’ Etowah tarp/tent (these fold into a 2 ½” X 16” X 21” packet which fits neatly within the profile of the pack and doesn’t catch on brush.
Weight: 2 lbs.

Summary – The weight of the entire kit, including rations and water, is just under 34 pounds.

Notes, in no particular order

  • Calculated caloric intake is based on 1,200 calories per day, thus giving me 10 days rations.   Yes, this is the classic definition of “half rations”, but survival usually doesn’t include living high off the hog.  Foraged (wild) food, when available, adds to the daily intake. Drinking water.  As fresh water is plentiful in my area of operation, two liters is enough to get me from source to source.
  • What I normally wear (or the missing pieces from the list above) – over the calf medium weight wool socks, Boxer shorts, 10” leather work/hiking boots (no moccasin toes – they will surely leak), jeans in summer, wool pants in winter, medium weight wool long sleeve shirt with 2 full sized breast pockets, multipocket vest (either Columbia or Duluth Trading Co.), stout leather belt.  What I normally carry is a Benchmark knife (locking folder with 3 ½” blade), Leatherman Wave in sheath on belt, waterproof watch, waterproof notebook and mechanical pencil, cotton bandanna, glasses, cash, wallet, keys,  and a Lee Oskar diatonic harmonica in C major.  Also an oiled canvas hat with 3” brim.
  • What’s with the waterproof bags?  Other than a very handy storage/organization system, they give my gear a second layer of protection from the elements.  Hypothermia is a stone cold, very quick killer; dry clothing and bedding is a primary antidote for same.  The bags also see service for carrying water and foraged food and materials.  Last, but not least, they are great compression bags (these are the kayak type bags with the folding rubber strip seal).  My spare clothing takes up a lot of volume even when stuffed tight,  I kneel and lean down with one knee on the bag to expel most of the air, then roll up and clip the closure, which reduces the stuffed volume by a good third.  It is then literally vacuum packed.
  • “Cold Camping”, i.e. no stove or fuel.  I can build a fire if I want.  However, in a survival situation in which two- legged predators may be about, a fire, with its light and smoke and smells of cooking might as well be a brass band announcing your presence.  I have no psychological problem with eating cold rations or drinking cold tea (which brews just as well cold as hot – just takes longer – I put a bag in one of the liter bottles before sleep and its good to go in the morning).
  • Over the calf socks.  Most people wear boot socks which end just under the calf muscles, and whose elastic tops neatly hinder circulation to the ankles and feet at that critical point.  Over the calf socks eliminate this problem almost entirely.  Your feet will thank you at the end of each day.
  • Why the hatchet (18 oz.) and the Japanese “trenching knife” (11 oz.), two relatively heavy items?  The short answer is that for me they are both indispensable “third hands.”  The hatchet, beyond cutting and splitting wood, is also a weapon and a hammer and a carving tool.  It is remarkably versatile for shaping wooden objects, disjointing game (especially if larger game) and constructing semi permanent shelter, just to name a few.  The trenching knife is a shovel, a hoe, a pick, a pry bar, and again a weapon.  I use it for cat scrapes for defecation, trenching around the tent for rainwater runoff (it can get astonishingly wet in a temperate rainforest) and a dozen other things. From the rock bottom survival side, you would be amazed at how much food and material needs be dug from the ground.  Notes: Norlund was an American manufacturer – long out of business – which made axes and hatchets of exceptional quality.  I found the hatchet I now own many years ago at a yard sale for the princely sum of 50 cents.  I didn’t even know who Norlund was, then, only knew that the hatchet had a fine balance and was forged of really good steel.  The Japanese trenching knife (which has a very stout 6 ½” double edged blade with one edge serrated) was a weeding knife given me as a Christmas present one year.  It quickly became my #1 “go to” gardening tool.  One day I was packing up for a longish camping trip – took a look at said tool – and said “hmmm, I wonder…..”.  The rest is history.  You can find it under the innocent name of “the gardener’s friend” at japanwoodworker.com.
  • Other appendages – Trekking poles, binoculars, firearms.  I used to think trekking poles were a bunch of foofaraw until I spent nine months working full time out on the production floor, up stairs and down, etc. etc. with my hip just screaming at me while I waited for the date of the hip replacement operation.  I bought a pair of poles out of desperation so I could get around, and they pulled me through.  Latterly, I have found that they are a great aid to balance when traversing rough ground, and anecdotally leave me feeling much fresher after a day’s hiking.  I bought ones which telescope, so when, for example, faced with going through heavy brush, I collapse them and slip them under the straps which hold the sleeping pad/tarp to the pack.  Another nifty use for them is when fording creeks or streams.  By the way, a much safer way of fording heavy water is to leave your pack on the bank, tie your 550 line to it, tie a loose loop in the other end of your line and slip it over your arm, then ford the stream using the poles for stability.  When you reach the other bank, draw the pack over to you using the line (another reason for that waterproof bag system of mine).  Beats falling down midstream and being drowned under the weight/awkwardness of your pack.                                                                      
  • Firearms.  I won’t even begin to tangle with the myriad of opinions and gesticulations re firearms.  Suffice it to say that I do on occasion carry a Czech-made compact 9mm semiautomatic service pistol in a shoulder rig which also carries two spare magazines on the off side, for a total of 42 rounds available.  The shoulder rig fits very nicely under my pack rigging with no interference, awkwardness or chafing, and allows immediate access to both the weapon and spare mags.  If I have to ditch the pack, the weapon stays with me.  The weight penalty for this is 4 lbs. 6 oz..     
                                                                                                                              
  • Binoculars.  One of my strategic principles is “see or be seen.” Seeing a threat before it sees you, and taking steps to avoid it is a whole lot more survivable than a firefight or some other potentially deadly confrontation. In my opinion, choosing roads (the more traveled the worse) as a primary route for either ingress or egress during a calamity makes you into one big fat target.  Learning how to travel well over roadless/trail-less territory, though it is difficult and takes much practice is well worth it. For this reason I carry a pair of 9 x 36 Bushnell “Featherlight” binoculars (1 lb. 10 oz.).  You can get much lighter ones these days for a price – I purchased my old pair in 1968, when they were the best and lightest I could afford.
  • Sleeping Pad.  When I was young and immortal and bulletproof I didn’t need no stinkin’ pad to cushion me from the ground.  Now, every knob or stob underneath me, no matter how insignificant seems to have an undivided evil intent to render me crippled by dawn.  As I don’t like waking up sore and sleepless, I carry the pad and put up with the weight.
  • Georgia Fatwood.  The Southern Longleaf Pine has the interesting characteristic of growing in such a manner that some of its wood is completely impregnated with highly flammable pitch or resin.  The logs are usually cut into 8” lengths and split into approx. ½” x ¾” splints for kindling.  I cut a few splints in half (to 4”) and keep a handful in my kit.  For starting a fire in really ugly weather, a piece of fatwood can’t be beat.
  • Electronic Gear.  I avoid it like the plague.  The one thing I do carry is a Casio GZ One Type S cellphone, which is highly water, shock, dust and temperature resistant.  Doesn’t change the fact that reception is spotty to nonexistent in most of the back country and some of the main highways where I live.

A final note.  The present configuration of my Git Kit came from trial, error, hard knocks, some really awful mistakes, and the wisdom of my elders from a very early age.  It is most important to tune the kit to your own capabilities and intentions, and your area of operation: one size does not fit all.  Lastly, as Henry D. Thoreau wrote a long, long time ago: “Simplify, simplify, simplify.”

Disclaimer: I do not represent nor am I an agent for the companies that make or sell anything I have identified by make or model.  It is just stuff that works for me.



Product Review: Choate Machine and Tool AR-15 Hook Stock

The Choate Machine and Tool AR-15 Hook Stock (see photo) is another well-designed piece of hardware from Choate. The hook at the bottom works very well for supported fire, and isn’t in the way otherwise. The internal compartment is large enough for a full cleaning kit, spare bolt and some other sundries. The length is the same as the A2 stock, with a slight cant forward at the bottom. For tall shooters, this makes for a very comfortable stance, especially when prone.

I would rather the bottom was cut for a mil spec sling mount, rather than having a standard sling swivel included, but that’s a matter of personal taste. I was easily able to file it to fit the standard mount. There was a very little casting flash. I found that this was easily scraped off with a steel edge. The stock I received was a little squashed, probably from storage by the retailer (it was a display model), but reverted to proper shape after a few days with the buttplate in place. It’s served admirably for a decade since then. Choate’s materials and workmanship are always first class. These are American made and reasonably priced.

I recommend these stocks for a durable, budget AR for taller shooters who want the option of accurate supported fire without sacrificing the standard ergonomics. – SurvivalBlog Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson, author of the recently-released science fiction novel Do Unto Others.



Letter Re: Learning from Living History Interpretors

Jim,
D.R.W.’s essay titled “Learning from Living History Interpretors” describes a very clever and practical way to learn to do things as our ancestors did. He has hit on a great plan.

In a TEOTWAWKI situation, we may not be starting from scratch–i.e. with only a rock and a sharp stick–but we will need to have skills that are foreign to almost all of us today. Those skills will restore a sense of community and division of labor. What better way to restore civilization, therefore, than to learn useful skills that will be beneficial to ourselves and others? Learning to do blacksmith work, farming, tanning and leatherwork, canning, soap & candle making, and a myriad other tasks will keep people busy with constructive work. There will be no room for able-bodied freeloaders – work or step aside.

His essay was one of the most practical and thoughtful entries in the writing contests that I’ve read. This is information people can use and build upon. This isn’t an outrageous scheme that will never work nor is it a costly endeavor. It’s smart. Kudos to D.R.W. Regards, – Wry Catcher in California



Economics and Investing:

Over at the View From the Porch blog, Tamara posted this gem on the recoveryless housing market: Missing the point. The comments that follow are also worth reading.

Reader Sue C. highlighted this article: OECD Says Slowdown ‘More Pronounced’ Than Anticipated

KAF sent this: Stimulus? Who Said Anything About a Stimulus?

Items from The Economatrix:

Stocks Resume Rally as European Debt Worries Ease.

Consumers Cut Back on Credit Card Use Once Again

Job Openings Rise for First Time Since April

Hopes Rise as Jobless Claims Fall, Trade Gap Eases

Stocks Extend Gains After Drop In Jobless Claims

Mortgage Rates Edge Up; Housing Market Still Slow





Odds ‘n Sods:

Today is the big day for Mayor Eddie Perez–his scheduled felony sentencing day. Perez is one of the many members of Mayor Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns that are criminals. This so-called “law and order” group has had an inordinately large number of member-mayors that have been felony indicted or convicted including Sheila Dixon, Kwame Kilpatrick, Gary Becker, Larry Langford, Samuel Rivera, Jerramiah Healy, the late Frank Melton, Will Wynn, and David Della Donna.) Perez faces up to 60 years in prison after conviction on five corruption charges.

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More than a dozen readers recommended this Stratfor Report: Gauging the Threat of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack

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An interesting piece found over at another survivalist blog: Chad Person Builds Backyard Bunker, Makes Himself a Target and Targets Others

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Here is a television news story, to follow up on this previously-mentioned article: Long Island Man Arrested For Defending Home With AK-47. And here’s another follow-up article that mentioned that the defendant, George Grier, is a church deacon. I plan to mail him a note of support and the gift of a pre-ban 40 round AK magazine, with my compliments. (Magazines with 11+ round capacity are banned in People’s Republic New York unless they were manufactured before September of 1994.) With 25 gang members confronting him, it sounds like someday he might need a lot of ammo. OBTW, I’m also interested in publicizing his legal defense fund. Please let me know if you hear if one is established. I’ll pray that Mr. Grier is exonerated, and his AK is rightfully returned to him.