Three Letters Re: Meet The Saiga Family

James Wesley:
I absolutely love my Saiga-12. With the 20 round drum it is a walking talking claymore. I have tried the 30 round magazine and it is just too bulky. Unless you plan to deploy the Shotgun with some type of shooting sticks then 20 is the way to go. Much more manageable. As to the magazines: I prefer the 10 rounders. While having two more shells in the magazine is nice, the added length (an additional 3 inches) is a little comical. Not to mention the problem of finding some tactical pouches that accommodate the longer magazines. TheVestGuy.com makes those pouches, but then you still have to find a vest/rig to hold the pouches and they seem very cumbersome to me. The ten rounders are still big, but you can setup your battle rig around the 10-rounders without sacrificing mobility. Nice write-up though. For the record, I don’t have an iron in fire but MD Arms presently has their 20 round drum on sale for $100. They have been in a pitched marketing war with the Wraithmaker drum maker over whose drum is better. I don’t have a favorite, but I will say that competition makes for a happier consumer. The drums used to sell for over $300 each, from both sites. – A.J.K.

Jim:
Readers should do some research before joining the “family.” I’m not here to bash the Saigas but there are better choices out there especially when it comes to the Saiga 12. A magazine fed 12 gauge semi-auto is a great idea but if you do even cursory research you will find that the Saiga 12 is far from the most reliable semi-auto shotgun. It does not have a bolt hold open feature after the final shot which will nullify, to a certain extent the magazine advantage. (I believe it can be retro-fitted to a last shot bolt hold open) With the right magazine, aftermarket springs, and polishing/finishing of the gas port the Saiga 12 can be dependable but there are two clear choices when it comes to a self defense semi-auto shotgun – i.e. the FN SLP and Benelli M4. You can shoot these and reload as you go – I believe the tube feed is superior in this regard but everyone has an opinion. Yes both are a grand or more but worth every penny and are as reliable as a semi-auto shotgun can get. For home defense many, myself included, feel that a 12 gauge is the ne plus ultra when it comes to firearms. Good from zero to 100 yards with slugs and even if the bad guy is wearing body armor it will incapacitate him so he is either dead or out of the fight. If money is an issue, and it is for me, (I’m saving up for an FN SLP) get a H&R Pardner Protector Pump for $200 which has a reputation for reliability and is a clone of the Remington 870 so all parts can be interchanged – including the barrel with a spacer. I had a $200 credit and my Gun Shop guy recommended the Pardner – said they had sold hundreds and never had one returned for any reason. I got it based on trust and then researched it (not best way to do things) and it is hard to believe how much gun you get for $200. As for capacity, many home defense shotguns will hold 9 rounds which is plenty and can easily be reloaded as you go. In the end practice makes perfect. The fastest handgun shooters in the world use revolvers. A dedicated cowboy action shooter will prevail with “primitive” firearms over the latest and greatest if the latter does not practice. I agree with the writer that the Saiga guns are worth considering – just do some homework first. – John M.

Hi,
I wanted to make a couple comments re: the recent article on Saigas by Brett G. First, I am a Saiga fan, own and shoot Saiga-12 shotguns, and used to own a couple Saiga .308 rifles. That said, advising someone to focus only on the Saiga family for their weapons needs is, in my opinion, very ill-advised.

The first reason is simple: spare parts and magazines. All of the magazines for the Saiga family are expensive and relatively hard to find. The relatively low expensive cost of the rifle itself is quickly outweighed by magazines costing $50 each. Take the Saiga .308 for example: $500 for the rifle and 10 magazines costs you $1,000. For the same price you can get a PTR-91 [a HK91 clone] and 100 of the 20 round capacity [alloy G3] magazines. I recently stocked up on HK G3 20-rounders (that work in a PTR-91) for just $1 each.

The second reason is utility. The author recommends the Saiga-223. The consideration that is ignored here, of course, is the modular nature of the AR-15 platform. For example, the author mentions that while .308 is a good all-around cartridge, a rifle in .50 BMG might be desirable, then goes on to state that the cost might be prohibitive. However, there’s no reason to have a dedicated rifle for .50 BMG when an upper for an existing AR-15 works just as well and is cheaper. Also, [in the US] barreled AR-15 upper receivers have no paperwork required, for those who are concerned about such things. Further, other options exist such as the .458 SOCOM or the .50 Beowulf both of which are also available as AR uppers and utilize commonly-available M16 magazines. And regarding magazines, why wait to find Saiga-223 mags on sale at one of the few vendors that sells them when you can get AR mags for $10 less anywhere, every day?

I’m a fan of my Saiga-12 shotguns, but when it comes to rifles I think there are better options out there for someone assembling a collection that will be used for defense and survival. – J.T. in Michigan

JWR Replies: I concur with you in general. However, I suspect that magazines for Saigas will become a commodity within a few years. (That is, barring another full capacity magazine production and importation ban, here in the US.) I’ve recently seen Saiga magazines drop to under $35 each, and they will probably be under $25 each within another year. The law of supply and demand in a free market can be a good thing!

I actively discourage you from buying .458 SOCOM, .50 Beowulf, or 6.8mm uppers unless or until you already have a full complement of ammo, spare parts and magazines for your rifle in the standard 5.56mm chambering. Don’t make the mistake of depending on guns in oddball chamberings, at least not for la fine del mondo come lo conosciamo. (Or, since this is in the context of Russian Saigas, perhaps I should say: “konéts svéta”.

Economics and Investing:

Leland suggested this blog series by Kellene Bishop: Hard-Core Financial Preparedness

B&T sent us this from Shadowstats: Actual March unemployment 21.7%. (“March Employment Gain of 162,000 Was 114,000 Net Result of Temporary Census Hiring.”)

Carla sent this scary bit of news: Petrol $9.00 a gallon in UK. Thankfully that is per Imperial gallon (1.2 US gallons) but that still works out to $7.67 per gallon.

Items from The Economatrix:

Santelli: $4 Gas, $150 Oil Coming this Summer

Unemployment Benefits Expire for Thousands

The Line Of Doom (The Mogambo Guru)

What Does it Mean to be Middle Class in 2010?

UK: High Earners Hit As 50% Tax Goes Ahead

Initial Jobless Claims Increase Unexpectedly

Oil Down to Near $85 as Two-Month Rally Stalls

Broke Icelanders Opt for Exile

Odds ‘n Sods:

Neal spotted a web site for an interesting camping stove that has an integrated thermoelectric generator (TEG), to provide a draft. Given its design and the materials used, I have my doubts about its useful working life, but the overall concept is captivating.

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Israel distributes biochemical war protection kits to civilians.

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An expensive lesson on Big Bears and Big Government: Alaska man who fed wild bears pleads guilty. (A hat tip to RBS for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Ask the first man you meet what he means by defending freedom, and he’ll tell you privately he means defending the standard of living.” – Reverend Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984) German Lutheran pastor, was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Dachau in 1938. He was freed by the allied forces in 1945.

Note from JWR:

I will be a guest on Lan Lamphere’s Overnight A.M. talk radio show this evening, for the first hour of the show (10-to-11 p.m. Eastern time.) If you have the time, please listen in.

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Today we present another entry for Round 28 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Federal 5.56mm XM193 55 Grain FMJ ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $199 value, and includes free UPS shipping.

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 28 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.

Lessons Learned on Standardizing the Home Firearms Battery, by Thomas N.

In the last few months I started the process of better preparing my family for emergencies. Like many SurvivalBlog readers I was more prepared than most but could be better prepared. I had already laid in some provisions and equipment. When I started volunteering for the Sheriff’s Department, we were all encouraged to obtain Red Cross 72 hour bags for all family members and to make a family G.O.O.D. kit. My wife and I realized after reading “Patriots” that we had much more work to do. The focus of this article is my efforts at standardizing my home battery applying lessons learned from my readings and to share some personal lessons learned.

My wife knows that we have to spend time and money to prepare but is concerned (rightly so) about the cost. I purchased the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course and “Boston’s Gun Bible” to help us focus our efforts. Boston makes a compelling case for the selections he laid out in his book. I took the lessons from Boston’s book and was able to winnow down our battery to what was truly essential and to obtain items that made sense for the family. I can only paraphrase what he said in explaining my choices so you really ought to buy the book so you can get a better understanding of the choices I made.

I extensively used Gunbroker.com. Ideally you want to do a face to face transfer where you don’t involve an FFL holder. In this economy I figured that I needed national exposure to get the best possible price and to sell as quickly as possible. I will explain my Gunbroker strategies later in this article.

Applying the precepts that Boston laid out in his book I liquidated five pistols and five rifles. They were either the wrong caliber (goodbye 9mm), not mil-spec (sorry Colt), not industry supported (goodbye .45 ACP Beretta Cougar), not left handed (everyone in my family is a left-handed shooter, so goodbye right handed bolt action rifles), and no longer really “fit” (goodbye Beretta .45 ACP Storm).

Some of you may be thinking why not keep them for barter? My primary goal was to standardize my battery without breaking the bank. I figured that right now I need to get my family properly kitted out. Then I can acquire additional inexpensive weapons for barter later. To paraphrase Boston, why have one high dollar weapon when you can have numerous less expensive weapons? In a SHTF scenario the recipient isn’t going to care if the pistol is a Sphinx (made in Switzerland) or a Taurus (made in Brazil). Besides, I didn’t liquidate everything!

I kept ten pistols, eleven rifles, and two shotguns. In this mix are built in what I call a “reserve for barter/arm additional group members” and primary weapons. The cash I got from the sale of the ten items from the battery purchased additional weapons meeting my new standards plus additional kit.

I purchased the following items with that cash.
– An additional 1911 so now everyone in my house has a .45ACP pistol (either Glock or 1911).
– Two “bargain bin” ARs from Black Rifle in Columbia, Missouri to complement the two ARs that I kept.
– A DSA FAL to both complement the left hand Savage Model 10 Tactical I have owned for eleven years and the Century Arms FAL my father bought a few years ago. (He owns the retreat property). I really needed a main battle rifle anyway. (I can now tell Boston that I saw the light).
– A high powered Burris scope for the Savage (plus new Talley rings) and will move the Burris currently on the Savage to the FAL (as soon as the new rail comes in).
– Two Ceiner .22LR conversion kits for the ARs so my kids won’t bankrupt me through ammo costs.
– Items for the Ruger 10/22 to turn it into a Liberty Rifle [per Appleseed specifications] .
– An economy family emergency kit from St. Paul Mercantile (I already had radios so they kindly swapped out the radios for two extra water filter candles).
– Bianchi M12 holsters, G2 flashlights with Viking brackets, tritium front sights for primary weapons, assault vests, and more ammo.

The amazing thing is that I still have cash left over! For now I will probably direct some of that cash to either junk silver or food storage equipment. It took about three months of selling and buying through Gunbroker and local shops to get where I am at now. There are a couple of items that I could have gotten a higher price and a couple of items that were harder to sell than I originally thought. What follows are lessons learned selling and buying.

Before listing your item on Gunbroker it pays to watch similar items and see what they are selling for. I found out that what the “Blue Book of Firearms” says and what the market says are not necessarily the same. Search for similar items and then click on the “Watch This” button. After a week watching you will get a good sense of what your firearm will sell for. The only item I didn’t sell through Gunbroker was the Colt AR Lightweight Sporter. The specific model I had was not selling at all. After two weeks of watching I elected to try to sell it locally and was able to get a decent price for it.

When you place an item for sale, you specify a starting bid. You can specify an undisclosed reserve price and you can set a “Buy It Now” price. I found that setting a realistic starting bid is better than using the reserve price option. One of the bolt action rifles took two weeks to sell. I set the starting bid at $400, a reserve price of $700, and a “Buy It Now” price of $1,000. It only took a couple of bids that didn’t meet the reserve price. In the second week, I set the starting bid at $700, no reserve, and a “Buy It Now” at $1,000. I also added “with Leupold Scope” in the title. The bidding got so hot on it that the “Buy It Now” option was exercised. The bad thing with “Buy It Now” is that no bids can go higher than the “Buy It Now” price. I probably could have gotten $300 more for that rifle if I had set the “Buy It Now” price higher!

Don’t get wrapped up in what you paid for an item. The market is the market and if the market says your item is worth less than what you paid for it than that is what you will get. I wanted to unload the Beretta Storm. No one was bidding on the Storms that were starting at $675 and higher. To sweeten the deal I was throwing in extra mags and other accessories I bought for the Storm (I wasn’t going to need them anymore), plus this Storm had a top rail and an additional side rail installed. All told I had about $750 tied up in this Storm. I sold it for $644. I took a hit but when I factor in the Cougar which I got for a song and sold for $700 then the pain went away. Just like a stock mutual fund, some will be winners and some will be losers.

Buying through Gunbroker can save you a lot of money. Use the “Watch This” feature to get a sense of the going rate for the item you want to buy. Ask the seller questions via the “ask the seller a question” link. The geographical location of the seller is listed so if you want to avoid the use of an FFL, find a seller within your state and offer to pick it up. The seller will usually forego asking for the delivery fee. If the item didn’t sell and it didn’t get re-listed, e-mail the seller and offer him something in cash or trade (or both). The seller may be willing to deal. [JWR Adds: Consult your state an local laws before making gun purchases. Not all states allow private party sales. But if that is legal where you live, then I highly recommend minimizing your paper trail!]

If you elect to sell a firearm to a pawnshop, you absolutely have to know the value of your firearm ahead of time. Gunbroker can tell you the true market value and the “Blue Book of Firearms” will give the “ideal” market value. Go to at least three pawn shops and be prepared to sell for less than what you think you can sell it for. A pawn shop has to make a profit on everything it takes in (I learned that from watching “Pawn Stars” on the History Channel). I got a decent price for the Colt AR I sold to a pawn shop. Could I have gotten a better price? Maybe, but that would have meant re-listing the thing on Gunbroker for weeks or maybe months. The Colt was “valued” at somewhere between $900 and $1,000. I asked for $800. Two shops offered me $600 and one offered me $700. I took the $700 offer.

Why didn’t I use gun shows? I didn’t have the time for gun shows. My family is a busy family. It was more efficient for me to stay up past bedtime to snap a few pictures and to create a listing on Gunbroker. Besides, some of the items I sold were a bit esoteric and I was only going to get a good price by trying to sell to a national audience.

A final note: I started acquiring firearms since I was a young man. I was able to take advantage of the appreciation in value in the firearms I sold. Most people are not in a position to do what I did. That is why you absolutely need to buy the book “Boston’s Gun Bible“. It will lay out a roadmap to help you acquire a battery that will not break you financially and that will direct your efforts towards buying what you truly need. I wish that I had read Boston’s book sooner!

Keep your powder dry and keep ’em in the black! – Cascinus

Letter Re: The S-250 Vehicle Shelter

Letter Re: The S-250 Vehicle Shelter

Dear Editor:
Now available from your local Federal Government through GovLiquidation.com is what is commonly known as the S-250 shelter. In essence, this is a highly sought after, well constructed, insulated truck shelter used by the military as a radio shack or electronics shelter.  [They were designed to be mounted in pickup beds, but more recently have been mounted on Humvees.] When looking online you’ll find most of those seeking these shelters at auction are either military vehicle collectors or those seeking a super heavy duty slide in truck camper.  Thirdly you’ll find some hams wanting a mobile radio shack.

What is overlooked for the most part is that these shelters are RF-shielded and therefore EMP shielded as well. Whether it’s the coming of the solar storms in 2012 or the real world threat of an EMP detonation in the USA, having a S-250 loaded and sealed could be a survivalist’s dream come true.
In essence this is a big Faraday box!

Last march I picked up an S-250 at auction for $800 with the intention of converting it to a heavy duty camper.   After getting it home and looking at the layout, it became clear that the best use would be in keeping the shielding.  My S-250 will be used an outpost at our retreat complete with a bunk, and outfitted with appropriate survival equipment.  It will also be a storage location for nearly any electronic device I can afford to stock here. Spare 12VDC power inverters, shortwave radios, spare vehicle electronic control modules (ECMs), extra solar panels, multiple CB radios, and anything else I can afford to stash protected from the effects of EMP.
 
When looking at these at auction, look for the newest models with the fewest box accessories mounted through the walls. If possible, look for the one with the fewest internal accessories as well. This will prove to be a great time saver.  As it turned out for me, I ended up with a 2001 model fully loaded inside. Of the original equipment I kept a few switch panels, rifle rack (which holds two M16s or AR-15s), and the overhead lighting. The 24 volt power inverter was missing so I am going with the commonly available 12 volt system.

Having only weekends to work on this project it took me several weeks to unbolt all the aluminum rails and mounting hardware stuffed into the shelter.  The one I ended up with was indeed a radio shack and had miles of wire routed for the 12 or more radios that it once housed.  Once I basically had the shelter gutted, I was able to better see how much room I was going to have to do the conversion. Where once there was a radio/com desk I now placed a bunk. The power supply corner was going to remain at the same location as well as the rifle rack.

I am using the original switch panel having rewired the unit for my 12v system. Using the original vented battery box holding two 12V deep cycles, I have employed an 800 watt 12VDC inverter. I picked this up on sale at a Love’s Truck stop for $40. Most shelters will already have a power supply source and internal lighting.

Preserving the integrity of the shielding means installing no windows but as a camper or retreat outpost it really does not need one [and this has advantages in maintaining light discipline]. There is an exhaust fan already installed and they all have a unique door system that would prevent anyone ever being locked inside the box while clearly locking others out.

The only thing I had not yet decided is whether or not to put this on a trailer, for extra mobility. – F.J.B.

Economics and Investing:

Hugh D. suggested this, by the ever-cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: Sovereign debt crisis at ‘boiling point’, warns Bank for International Settlements

Brett G. suggested this: Report: Panicky Investors Pull Cash Out of Greek Banks

Also from Brett G.: California’s $500-billion pension time bomb.

D.S. sent this on: World stocks drop as Greek debt crisis intensifies. A comment from D.S.: “I had always thought the “Greek Solvency” issue had never been solved, and this article shows that I was correct. This is another example to add to the folder of Main Stream Media (MSM) using cheap plaster to hide things from the citizens of this country.”

Items from The Economatrix:

Concern About Greece, US Jobs Holds Stocks Down

More CEOs See More Job Increases Than Losses

Iceland’s Credit Rating Outlook Downgraded

Greek Banks Hit By Wealthy Citizens Moving Money Offshore

Brits Leaving Cars at Home as Petrol Hits New Highs

US Job Openings Decrease to 2.72 Million

Fed Saw Recovery Curbed By Unemployment

Gold Manipulation Officially Confirmed

Odds ‘n Sods:

GG sent this: Ham Radio Growing In The Age Of Twitter

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Greg C. liked this piece by Dr. Gary North: Oldspapers and the Crisis of the Establishment

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These surveillance videos illustrate the enormity of the illegal immigration problem in the US: Border Invasion Pics. (Thanks to reader D.V.D. for the link.)

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I heard that Freeze Dry Guy has extended their freeze dried fruit special for the entire month of April. They are selling a 108-Day Fruit Unit for $170, with a free Sparkie and free shipping in CONUS. If you buy two cases, your cost would be just $330. With each case unit you will get six #10 cans:

3 cans of Freeze Dried Strawberries = 48 ½ cup servings
3 cans of Freeze Dried Banana Slices = 60 ½ cup servings
(108 servings of ½ cup each = 3-½ months of fruit servings)

To order, call: (866) 404-3663 or visit their online web store.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 28 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Federal 5.56mm XM193 55 Grain FMJ ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $199 value, and includes free UPS shipping.

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 28 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.

How to Do More than Survive at the Different Stages of Societal Collapse, by Tamara W.

Dmitry Orlov wrote about the five stages of social collapse. In descending order, these stages are: financial, commercial, political, social and – last and certainly worst – cultural. In the face of a collapsing society, what can be done to lessen the immediate and local impact at each of these stages? How can we lessen the personal impact of societal collapse? Preparedness is key in any disaster, and societal collapse is certainly a disaster on epic scale. The question then is what to do at each stage of societal collapse.
Here is how to do more than survive at each stage of societal collapse, and what one can do to prepare in advance of each stage.

  1. In the financial collapse, currency hyper-inflates or becomes unavailable. If currency becomes unavailable, either due to hoarding or restrictions on allowed cash withdrawals, money becomes scarce. If currency hyper-inflates, the theoretical cost of paying off a loan frequently shrinks. However, in hyperinflation, wages rarely keep up with the devaluation of currency, leaving workers with a shrinking plate on which to pay their existing bills. It is preferable to pay off all debts before this stage, so that lack of money in either scenario does not make it impossible to pay payments and lead to your physical possessions being repossessed. When cash is scarce or worthless, crime frequently goes up. Don’t look like a target. Where possible, lower your profile now so that collective memory will also change; “he used to have all the flashy stuff that’s gone, probably trying to look poor.”

What to do before then: Own your home and property. If applicable, own your business location. If possible, own usable real estate that can be rented out to others in exchange for barter. For example, own outright a plot of land near high density homes that can be rented for gardening in exchange for produce.  

  1. In commercial collapse, there is a business slow down. Lack of currency or lack of value of cash on hand causes business slow down. Inability to buy goods or pay for their transport creates shortages. To manage this stage, have your own supply source. For example, have a garden for food so that empty shelves at the grocery store do not leave your family hungry. Have a stand of trees that can be harvested for wood so that propane gas lines don’t leave you cold at night.

What to do before then: If possible, become a distributor or seller of these necessities, ensuring your own supply as well. However, this requires building up the business connections and likely getting into the business before a collapse so that you have an established customer base. This requires inventory, storage and protection for inventory, and the means to purchase these products now, but it can create a means of livelihood for the long term.  

  1. In a political collapse, public order becomes chaos. Police don’t bother policing the streets unless it is their own. Judges don’t see many cases unless it is for the ruling elite or to silence an angry mob outside. In this situation, it is essential to have at least one means of personal protection. If calling 911 is jokingly called government sponsored dial a prayer when we have a functioning society, what will it be called when the police rarely bother to come at all? Own at least one gun, and know how to use it. Teach your neighbors how to use a gun properly, so that their response to a home invasion is less likely to result in stray bullets hitting your home or even yourself. Consider having a family member join private security services. Or set one up yourself.

What to do before then: Organize a local neighborhood watch that actually packs heat, so that violent crimes by armed criminals can be dealt with immediately. An existing organized group can easily ramp up its number of patrols and extend its range. An active group also benefits from knowing the people and the area, thus will not be mistaken for a new gang as it starts to patrol or make contact.

  1. In social collapse, the national institutions start to fail. Colleges close. Landmarks shut down. Communication across even intermediate distances becomes difficult and unreliable. In this stage of collapse, local institutions are the only ones left standing – if they are helped to stand. Bolster local institutions like churches and temples by volunteering. Keep food banks open by donating food – thus preventing begging on the streets. When state schools close, support private schools to fill in the gap. At this stage of collapse, strong local social connections become even more important.

What to do before then: Know teachers, lawyers, and supportive personnel that are within a safe commuting distance and who can be there when you need them. If possible, organize home-schooling groups now that can evolve into private schools for children within walking distance. Set up mediation center now with trained mediators and retired judges that can evolve into a local community court when the municipality ceases doing its job or becomes too corrupt to be trusted.

  1. In cultural collapse, local institutions fall. This is best described as total anarchy or social collapse. When the Maya abandoned their cities, they were in cultural collapse. When the local institutions fail, the only fall back is family and clan. There is no prospering at this stage, only survival and hope for more than survival later. If society is in a stage of collapse, it is essential to take the right actions long before it falls this far. Move close to family, such as within walking distance.

What do to now: Repair family ties. If the world falls apart and one can only rely upon family, have strong relationships so that they are willing to support you. Build up family members into those you can rely upon Encourage financial responsibility among family members, so that they do not need desperate help when money is in short supply. Encourage strong personal responsibility in the next generation, so that they can be there to rely upon instead of needing help. Help them break addictions now, because that will only be an even greater temptation when the world seems to be falling apart. If your younger family members are looking for mates, encourage them to select spouses who are compatible and in for the long haul.

You may want to consider networking now nationally or internationally with like minded individuals, so that you could join a rising culture that is still strong. Whether it immigrating abroad to another nation or building anew regionally will depend on circumstances of the time and place. However, having the social infrastructure and connections in place now are essential to avoiding becoming a refugee. Whether it is knowing someone you could move in with after your home is destroyed in a disaster or after forced relocation, having family or friends that are like family can give you a destination ready and able to take you in. Also have the means in your own home, such as space and supplies, to help incoming relatives and close friends, in case you are the refuge to which they flee.

Two Letters Re: G.O.O.D. Vehicle Preparation and Maintenance–Is Your Vehicle Up to the Task?

Sir,
I am replying to the recent post on G.O.O.D. Vehicle Preparation and Maintenance. It had almost all excellent information, except the part about coolant, the “reddish eco-friendly” is the only long life coolant that causes problems, it is either DEX-COOL, or a licensed replacement that would be the same color. GM has been having legal problems with it for over a decade. As a former dealer tech I saw the damage it caused, and would also never use it in a car. The long life coolants, as well as the universal type with long life attributes are fine to use and will not corrode, or clog a cooling system, even when mixed, I have first hand experience with this. I would highly recommend the premixed ones also, due to their use of de-ionized, purified water. Why add contaminants from your well or city water when you can have it already done for you. BTW the chlorine, or chloramine in city water is not good for your vehicle’s cooling system or your car’s 12 volt DC battery. As a side note: long ago I tried sales to fleet vehicle companies and every make was represented. I learned that all of them sold the vehicles when they hit 300,000 miles. So it is not rocket science to make your vehicles last, it’s simply maintenance, fluids, filters, belts and hoses. Read the most unread book in the world, your owner’s manual, it can save you thousands of dollars. – Wayne in Wyoming (an ASE Master Mechanic)

JWR,
Regarding the excellent post on G.O.O.D. vehicles, I wholehearted agree. I just want to clarify and add a few points on tires and wheels.

First, in a G.O.O.D. situation you are going to be running heavily loaded and/or towing a loaded trailer. Because of this, you should be running load range E tires on your truck filled to the max, 80psi. Load range E or 10 ply (on the tread) tires are meant to absorb more abuse because of the extra weight. These extra plies add layers of protection. This site has good description of what is on the sidewalls of your tires. If you are planning to take your truck and trailer off paved roads often, then I would recommend looking for tires with an extra ply in the sidewalls. While Barry was correct about getting more traction by lowering the tire pressure, if you are towing a loaded trailer or are heavily loaded, you should NEVER lower the pressure in your tires below 40psi. The lack of air pressure could allow the tire to be pinched between the ground and wheel causing a blowout. It also allows the tire to become to spongy causing excessive roll and increases your chance of blowing the tire bead off of the wheel. That causes an instantaneous flat that may not be field repairable.

Secondly, the larger your tires are, the harder they are to spin balance. Knobbier tread also makes it harder to spin balance, causes an increase in road noise and almost always wears down faster and more unevenly even with good rotation habits.

We often talk about training; when was the last time you practiced changing a tire on your rig? A flat tire is the most likely issue to happen on a well maintained vehicle. Will your stock jack lift your fully loaded vehicle? If you are running larger tires, will your stock jack have the reach to lift the vehicle high enough? Get a good hydraulic bottle jack and a Hi-lift jack. Carry a couple chunks of 4×8 to set your bottle jack on and to chock a wheel with. If your G.O.O.D. is an SUV, is your current packing plan on top of your spare? As a safety note, early cans of Fix-A-Flat are very flammable as they used butane and other fuels for propellant. I use and recommend Slime; they now have an inflating kit, which I have no experience with, called Quick Spair which is non-flammable.

Finally, I never see anyone have an extra, full set of lug nuts on their list. Losing a couple of these could make a 10-20 minute job into a really bad day. Carrying a full set of lug nut spares is small, cheap insurance. – Travis H.

Letter Re: True Self Sufficiency Requires Multi-Generational Teamwork

To The Editor,
I am an outdoorsman. I love camping, hiking, and biking. To enjoy these things, I must be in decent shape. I have to work at physical health because I have a desk job. So I exercise regularly. Keeping oneself reasonably healthy is part of being prepared. But I am not so young anymore. I am not old, mind you, in my early 50s, but I don’t consider myself young either. Yet, I am reminded of my physical limitations more often the older I get. I thought of this the other day when I was working in the garden getting ready for spring planting. My monster rototiller can be a beast sometimes, and after 45 minutes of running the heavy machine I was getting tired. I find myself getting tired more now that I am past the 50 year milestone. But I knew I needed to finish that section of the garden so I pushed on. I wonder how much longer I will physically be able to push on.

I figure I have at least 20 more years of physical health, hopefully much longer. But I also realize that I need help with some things. The older I get the more things I will need help with. I cut down a tree the other day, but I needed the help of my two youngest children, both teenagers. I couldn’t have done it without them. It is great to have big strong young people around. Which brings me to my point. If you are preparing for when the ‘stuff hits the fan’, part of your preparation needs to be to find people of all ages with whom to connect. My neighbor is a 30-something man and we help each other with jobs we can’t do ourselves… occasionally. Keep these kind of friendships. Work on being a good neighbor. Make friends with your neighbors. Even if you don’t mention preparedness, at least be friendly. The truth is the younger folks can learn from the older guys and us older guys need the younger folk to help us out. Having adult children is a blessing not to be underestimated. However, it is not always possible to have your adult children living nearby.

Although we would all like to say we have prepared sufficiently and we are prepared, I would suggest you look at how long you can survive without the help of others. Self-sufficiency… with the emphasis on self, works only for a while. You can survive for a month, three months, maybe even a year without the help of others. But this is not a sustainable lifestyle. Eventually all of us get older. Eventually all of us need help with the big projects. Eventually all of us need our neighbors. – Chuck G.

Economics and Investing:

LTD sent a link to an article at Mish Shedlock’s site: L.A. Controller Says City Could Run Out of Cash by May 5th

Reader M.S.B. flagged this: Mighty America’s five stages of rapid decline; Jim Collins’ danger signals: But can we halt the collapse of capitalism?

Items from The Economatrix:

Fed Keeps Eyes Out for Speculative Bubbles

Job Openings Rise in Several Sectors in February

Stocks Trade in Tight Range After Financials Rise

Business Software Maker CA to Cut 1,000 Jobs