Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 23, 2024

On September 23, 1779 John Paul Jones aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard defeated the British frigate HMS Serepis and became the first well-known naval hero of the United States.  He answered a call to surrender from his English counterpart with the famous quotation, “I have not yet begun to fight!”

—

We are running a 3-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 11th, 2024, all of our Pietta brand blackpowder revolvers and all of our M1891 Argentine Mauser rifles have their prices deeply discounted.  Take a look!

—

Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

Stoeger STR-9F, by Thomas Christianson

If I had to describe the Stoeger STR-9F in as few words as possible, I would say that it reminds me of a Glock 17 with a good trigger.

It is roughly the same general shape as a Glock 17, holds 17 rounds like a Glock 17, weighs about the same as a Glock 17, and field strips in the same way as a Glock 17 into the same component parts as a Glock 17.

I found the trigger to be better than any Glock 17 I have ever fired, and I was able to shoot it more accurately than any Glock 17 that I have ever fired.Continue reading“Stoeger STR-9F, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Callie’s Baked Ham and Cheese

The following recipe for Callie’s Baked Ham and Cheese is from SurvivalBlog reader Callie B.

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 6 cups of bread cubes
  • 1 cup deli ham, shredded
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1½ cups of milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add in the butter to melt, and then add the onions and coat them in the butter. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon of water, and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. Set aside.
  5. Mix the bread cubes in a bowl with the ham and cheese. Add the onions.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, mustard powder, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  7. Pour over the bread mixture, and stir gently.
  8. Pour mixture into a greased 9” x 9” baking dish, and bake for 45 minutes, or until set and lightly browned.
SERVING

Let this dish sit for 10 minutes before serving.

—

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!

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 22, 2024

On this day in 1499, Switzerland became an independent state.  Here is a quote from a scholarly paper on the 1499 Swabian War:

“At the end of the fifteenth century, Emperor Maximilian I of the Germany Empire was trying to unite his country. He also tried to force the Swiss Confederation to become closer members of the empire. This led to the Swabian War of 1499. In a series of battles and campaigns, the Swiss were successful in defeating the famous Swabian Landsknechte who had learned to fight in the Swiss manner. As an outcome of the war, the Swiss Confederation was even more independent of the German Empire.”

—

September 22, 1598, Playwright and poet Ben Jonson was arrested and jailed for manslaughter as the result of a duel where he killed actor Gabriel Spenser.

—

September 22, 1735, Robert Walpole became the first British “Prime Minister” (actually First Lord of the Treasury) to live at 10 Downing Street.

—

September 22nd is the birthday of survivalist writer Joel Skousen. (Born, 1946.) Skousen authored the excellent books Strategic Relocation and The High Security Shelter – How to Implement a Multi-Purpose Safe Room in the Home.

—

September 22nd is the birthday of the late Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Reid-Daly, who founded and commanded the Rhodesian Selous Scouts. He was born 1928, and he died August 9, 2010. His history of the Selous Scouts, titled Pamwe Chete, is fascinating to read, but it is a very hard-to-find book.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present the final installment of a six-part article for Round 114 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 $240 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 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.

—

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 30th, 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.

A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 6, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.)

The AKM Rifle

If the rifleman is not well trained or is in no way mechanically inclined, this my favorite rifle that I know very well and will use exclusively in extreme cold weather. It is a rifle I can recommend to any one who would not be able to maintain the AR-15 rifle or any rifle. It is representative of the Cold War weapons and mentality.

Again, the military spends about a week to train new recruits about how to maintain the AR-15 platform. The AKM (a modernized, stamped receiver AK-47) should only require perhaps one day, or just a few hours to train a new shooter to maintain. It is that simple and easy to keep this rifle reliable, a veritable battle axe that can run when rusty and can use rusty steel-cased ammunition.Continue reading“A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 6, by Tunnel Rabbit”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

A Safety Tip for Kackling Kamala: You Can Accept Dick Cheney’s Election Endorsement

But Don’t Accept His Pheasant Hunting Trip Invitation

News Links:

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” – Matthew 9:1-15 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 21, 2024

On September 21, 1931, Britain abandoned the gold standard. The Pound — henceforth a paper currency — was immediately devalued by 20%.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 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 $240 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 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.

—

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 30th, 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.

A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4.)

Barrel Length and Effectiveness

The M4 Carbine with military 14.5-inch barrels and civilian 16-inch barrels were practical for the kind of police action tactics used in the Middle East where troops regularly deployed out of vehicles and in an environment where clearing buildings was necessary. And so their gear and weapons evolved to better suit those tactics. They did however discover that when in the open in the deserts of Iraq or shooting across canyons in Afghanistan their carbines were woefully inadequate. I will justify this opinion further and later in this article.

The 20-inch barrel makes the AR-15 much more lethal at all ranges as compared to the 16-inch (or less) barrel. Using a 20-inch barrel in CQB is perhaps less than optimal, But the higher velocities produced will make it possible for a 55-grain FMJ to penetrate Level 3 body armor. The higher velocity produced is more significant as a mechanism for killing in small caliber cartridges as higher velocities are needed to impart hydrostatic shock and to improve penetration.Continue reading“A Rifle is Not Enough – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

We’re back home! The project that we mentioned in our column three weeks ago was helping our eldest daughter move to the East Coast. Our part in this was transporting her car with a rental tow dolly, behind our full-size SUV. The car was stuffed full of her household goods. We took advantage of this trip to visit several relatives and to do some hiking and a bit of shopping. As usual for any road trips to the northeast, we bought/rustled up a lot of 1-gallon and half-gallon jugs of maple syrup to bring home—both for our own use at the ranch, and for gifts.

Most of the trip went smoothly. We had just one mishap: A nighttime deer collision in western South Dakota. A full-grown Mule Deer doe darted out of the darkness in front of our vehicle. We were traveling nearly 70 miles an hour. The driver’s side of our bumper hit her solidly across the hips, and then the deer went under our wheels. I didn’t even get the chance to hit the brake pedal, before the impact.

Thankfully, our SUV is equipped with a 600+ pound steel deer bumper. These bumpers are considered almost standard equipment, here in the American Redoubt. (Deer collisions are quite commonplace here.) That bumper turned what would have been major damage — and possibly even a “total loss” — into just some minor damage to the driver’s side quarter panel. Our deer bumper was built by a company called Reunel, now defunct. (Their company name, designs, and phone number were bought out by Buckstop Truckware, of Prineville, Oregon.) There are several other competing brands with quality deer bumpers on the market, including Ranch Hand, ARB, and Thunder Struck. If you live in deer country, I recommend opting for a heavy, full-size bumper that wraps around the headlights

We had some fun and educational stops, on our trip home. Lily will give you the details:Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 20, 2024

On this day in 1873, triggered by a bond default and a bank scandal, a panic swept the New York Stock Exchange. This railroad bond default and resultant bank failure shut New York banks for 10 days.

—

On this day in 1519, Magellan left Europe on his voyage of discovery.

—

We’ve just started a 3-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 11th, 2024, all of our Pietta brand blackpowder revolvers and all of our M1891 Argentine Mauser rifles have their prices deeply discounted.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 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 $240 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 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.

—

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 30th, 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.