Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — March 12, 2025

On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam in San Francisquito Canyon in northern Los Angeles County, California failed. The resulting flood killed more than 600 people.

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Today is the birthday of science fiction author Harry Harrison, who is best known for his Deathworld trilogy. (He was born in 1920 and died in 2012.)

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On March 12, 1850 the first US $20 gold piece was issued.

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We are pleased to welcome our latest affiliate advertiser: Scheels, an outdoors outfitter online store that is headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota.  For a limited time, you can get free shipping on orders $75+ at Scheels.  

By the way, you can see links to all of our affiliate advertisers at our Affiliates Page.  If you place any orders starting with any of those links, we’ll earn a little piece of the action.

Note:  Because of Amazon’s censorship, we quit the Amazon Associates program in January of 2021. This blog piece explains why. Please order books through your local bookstore. If that isn’t practical, then please use an online bookstore OTHER THAN Amazon.

Again, by shopping with any of our affiliate advertisers, you’ll help support SurvivalBlog. Thanks! – JWR

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 2 by M.B.

(Continued from Part 1.)

“The price of freedom is everyone gets it, but some people will misuse it.
…is that a reason to prohibit everyone from having it?” – Ian McCollum

GETTING STARTED WITHOUT A PRINTER!

If you’re not sure if 3D printing is for you, then you may be able to try it without owning a printer! Start by finding a fairly small and simple object you’d like to print in a database like Thingiverse. Download it, along with a free slicer program, like Cura, or Prusa Slicer.

Now contact your local public library. Some libraries offer 3D printing—often at no charge—to their customers. If your library doesn’t offer this service, they may know someone who does. You could also try asking around your circle of friends, to see if any of them has a 3D printer and would work with you to show you the process and to print a small item. A lot of us would be happy to help someone else get started in this activity.

In any case, however, the library or the printer owner will probably want to do the slicing and create the G-code with you, either on your laptop or on their computer. This is because: [a] printer settings make a big difference in how much filament is used and how long the printer will be tied up, [b] the settings and object orientation and position can make a big difference in successful printing, and [c] some settings (nozzle height in particular) can cause damage to the print bed.Continue reading“3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 2 by M.B.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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An Important Safety Note: As are approaching Spring slash-burning season, I assume that some of your slash piles are still fairly wet. Please don’t be tempted to use anything more flammable than diesel fuel, as “woof” for fire-starting. DO NOT EVER use gasoline! – JWR

o  o  o

The recent presidential address before a joint session of congress was a travesty.  Many of the Democrat party attendees wore matching-color clothing, in protest. Many of them carried round paddle protest signs. Some of them staged walkouts. One House Democrat had to be removed, for repeated outbursts. This all felt reminiscent of the party politics antics often seen in South Africa’s Parliament.  In a night show monologue, leftist humorist Stephen Colbert mocked them. Some pundits on the far left claim that the recent protests did not go far enough. Both the U.S. House and Senate have displayed great restraint and decorum since the 1870s. It is sad to see them descend into Third World theatrics, hystrionics, and idiocracy. – JWR

o  o  o

Reader Tim J. suggested this: New Scout Unit That Heavily Leverages Drones, Electronic Warfare Tested By U.S. Army.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 11, 2025

On March 11, 1963, US Defense Secretary Robert MacNamara ordered the adoption of the M16 rifle by the US military. It was designed by Eugene Stoner. It was a scaled-down and improved version of Stoner’s AR-10 (pictured, in prototype form) that was already in service in Portugal and Sudan.

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Also on this day, the Great Blizzard of ’88 struck the northeastern United States (1888).

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 1, by M.B.

Disclaimer

This article covers information and activities that are legal under U.S. federal law and in the author’s state of residence. It is the reader’s responsibility to know and comply with applicable laws in their jurisdiction. Neither the author, nor SurvivalBlog, have any control over readers of this article. This article is therefore for informational purposes only.

INTRODUCTION

“Whether or not you live in England, the right of Free Speech is a universally treasured right, but sadly, a right that is still denied to millions of people around the world.” – Philip A. Luty, as quoted in L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise, April 3, 2005

The title of this article mentions printing firearm components, not complete firearms. This is because all designs we will examine utilize some 3D-printed parts, but no firearm that the author is aware of is 100% 3D-printed. All designs use some metal parts, such as springs, pins, screws, firing pins, barrels, bolts, et cetera.

The 3D printing technology that this article will focus on is known as Fused Deposition Modeling, or FDM. It consists of using a computer-controlled “squirter” to lay down layers of molten plastic—building up layer after layer to create a three-dimensional object—starting from a three-dimensional image.

I will not be making recommendations on specific printers, as the available models change frequently as the technology evolves. Rather, I will recommend features to look for in a printer suitable for creating precise, durable parts for firearms, as well as tips for successful printing. I know that the array of printers is daunting. So I’ll suggest a very good website that does recommend specific printers for printing firearm parts.Continue reading“3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 1, by M.B.”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news about Idaho’s big income tax cut.  (See the Idaho section.)

Region-Wide

Movement to break off part of Oregon to join with Idaho has legs again.

o  o  o

Frontier Airlines adds new routes to Spokane and Boise.

Idaho

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed the largest income tax cut in Idaho history. It will reduce the tax rate from 5.7% to 5.3%. This consequently cuts an estimated $240 million in state revenue, but that makes sense, since the state government has been running surplusses.

o  o  o

Senate passes bill to make the firing squad Idaho’s primary form of execution.

o  o  o

Judge in University of Idaho murder case argues for more transparency.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 10, 2025

Today is the birthday of the artist Willem Roelofs (10 March 1822 – 12 May 1897.)  According to the Infogalactidc Wiki: He was a “…Dutch painter, water-colorist, etcher, lithographer, and draftsman. Roelofs was one of the forerunners of the Dutch Revival art, after the Romantic Classicism of the beginning of the 19th century, which led to the formation of The Hague school. His landscapes, especially the early ones with their dominating cloudy skies, demure bodies of water, and populated with cattle, are typical for the School of Barbizon. He unmistakably provided the spiritual impulse for the painters of nature that would later dominate The Hague school. In addition to painting, he also occupied himself with entomology, where he specialized in beetles.”

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On March 10, 1783, USS Alliance under the helm of Captain John Barry fought and won the last naval battle of the War of Independence, off Cape Canaveral.

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Today’s feature article was penned by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson.

Motor City Axe Splitting Maul, by Thomas Christianson

The Motor City Axe Splitting Maul is a highly effective tool for firewood processing. It is also a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. It has a forged, tool-steel, hand-sharpened, tapered bit that is coated with boiled lindseed oil over the forged finish. It also has a beautifully-finished, 36-inch, curved, American-hickory handle. The handle has a Motor City Axe logo branded into the wood near the bit, engraved pine trees near the middle, and a hand-dipped “Up-North-Pattern” paint job in red, blue and green with a yellow stripe on the end.

In my testing, I found the maul to be among the most effective tools for splitting firewood that I have ever used. It is hard to believe that Motor City Axe was able to put so much handwork into a quality, American-made maul at such a reasonable the price. At the time of this writing the maul cost $152 at www.motorcityaxe.com .

If you are looking for a firewood processing tool that is both highly functional and beautifully ornamental, I doubt that you will find another to equal this one. I highly recommend it.Continue reading“Motor City Axe Splitting Maul, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Ground Beef & Tomato Pasta

The following simple recipe for Ground Beef & Tomato Pasta is from SurvivalBlog reader J.P.V..

Ingredients
  • 3 cups of uncooked dried pasta of your choice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or less, if you are on a low-salt diet)
  • 1/8 teaspoon minced garlic (optional, or less, to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper (optional, or less, to taste)
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1-1/2 cups meatless canned or jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg, and mix in salt, garlic, and pepper (to taste)
  3. Add beef and mix well.
  4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; mix gently.
  5. Crumble beef mixture into a large skillet.
  6. Cook over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
  7. Stir in the spaghetti sauce.
  8. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-4 minutes — or until heated through.
  9. Drain pasta; place in a serving bowl.
  10. Add beef mixture; sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
  11. Toss until pasta is well coated and cheese is melted.
SERVING

Serve it hot. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella just before serving, or on each serving.

STORAGE

Stores well overnight, if it is then re-heated.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: Death By Starvation: A simulation estimates the proportion of the population to die from starvation following nuclear war. (A Times of London/Sunday Times graphic, courtesy of Reddit.)

JWR’s Comment:  This is a simulation that assumes a worst-case full nuclear exchange, an interruption of most commerce, and the death of most livestock. This underscores the importance of having a deep larder!

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

 

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Politicians of both parties told us that free trade with Asia and Latin America would spur economic growth, and maybe it did somewhere else. In our towns, though, factories continue shutting down or moving overseas.” – J. D. Vance

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — March 9, 2025

On March 9, 141 BC, Liu Che, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumed the throne of the Han Dynasty in China and ruled for 54 years.

March 9, 1776: Adam Smith published the influential economics book “The Wealth of Nations”.

March 9th was the birthday of Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin – the first man to ever travel in space. He was born in 1934 and died in the crash of a MiG-15-UTI fighter on March 27, 1968.

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Today we present the last installment of a guest article from a SurvivalBlog reader that is not part of the writing contest judging.

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We are seeking entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.