Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 24 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

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.) and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $345 value.)

Second Prize: 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 $350.

Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing.

Round 24 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.

Inventory Control for Retreat Logistics, by Rob C.

There is often a good deal of attention paid to the accumulation, storage and usage of critical supplies performed in the process of preparation, but one thing I rarely see discussed is proper management of your carefully gathered inventory before, during or after a critical event comes into being. 

It’s important to consider viewing your family or team as a quasi business entity and recognize that one of the top cited reasons for small business failure is poor inventory management.  Inventory issues can cause nightmarish headaches for any business, and the consequences for your family will only be magnified if you do not begin to view you group, and their supplies, as important assets that necessitate careful management.

Throughout the article I’ll refer to the inventory concepts using canned food as examples, but the procedures could be applied to anything you stock: from ammunition, to clothes, to cleaning supplies. 

First in, first out (FIFO) rotation of inventor should be used.  Generally you want to apply this concept to your food storage and consume the items you acquire first as soon as possible. It makes sense to mark dates on cans when you acquire the food, but do you relish the idea of staring at a huge shelf or bin of cans, buckets or jars and trying to determine which one to consume first?  The following control systems can make life much easier:

1) Split your items into color dated ‘blocks’. 
For example, if you have canned goods you plan on consuming over the course of the coming year, mark six months worth of the oldest cans with a green marker and then mark the rest of your cans with a red marker.  Items carrying the green mark get first used. 

This will create a quick and easy visual trigger every time you dip into your inventory.  When you begin to break into your red inventory, it’s time to pull up another six months worth of cans and mark those with your green marker.  A note or sign indicating which color is currently being consumed should be posted near by so all members who have the ability to draw on your resources are sure to take the proper goods. A bit of time spent once a month saves countless hours digging through supplies looking for the oldest items to consume first. 

2) Implement a simplified Kanban-esque system.
This is a process where a small amount of stock is kept on hand and is replaced as it nears depletion.  This process is mostly beneficial for helping you consume and replace inventory prior to a critical event. 

    – Have a portion of your supplies in a convenient location to the kitchen (again, ideally using the oldest first) and attach a small card to the last item of the ‘lot’ which lists the good being consumed, and the quantity that needs be replaced from your long term storage. 

    – When you reach the last item that has the card attached, you need to replenish your on hand stock with inventory from the long term location. The card should be placed in a re-order folder to ensure that your long-term storage has been re-supplied for the same amount you just pulled into normal, day-to-day usage. 

    – Upon re-supply, the card is attached once again to the last item of the lot and the process repeated, as needed, ensuring your replenishment process is accurate, timely and efficient. 

At a glance, you can look in your order folder and determine how much and what you need to be on the look out for in order to restore your long-term inventory to its pre-determined levels.  In this manner, you only re-order what you’ve used, and you ensure you’re constantly rotating inventory to reduce the risk of spoilage.

As a quick example: you use one can of beans a day, keeping seven in your kitchen cabinet.  In your pantry you toss a card under can #7 that simply reads: Beans: 7.  When you get to the can of beans that sit atop this card, retrieve seven more from your storage and place the tracking card in your re-supply location.  At any time a review of this location would tell you every consumed item you need to replace for your long-term location.

3) Security and control. 
Ideally your inventory would be kept behind a gated barrier. While you’d like to assume that friends, family and your team would not stoop to theft, you never know what circumstances you may find yourself in that provides an exposure to your resources you never intended others to have.  In addition to the possibility of theft, you run the risk of children or others who are normally used to grabbing a snack whenever they like simply helping themselves, not through an act of maliciousness, but simply not realizing how the situation has changed.  To prevent this accidental (or otherwise) over consumption of supplies you should store inventory in a location not commonly accessed.  Keep your daily and generally consumed inventory readily accessible in a kitchen pantry, keep your long term supplies in a separate, locked facility.  This can be something as simple as a basement door where the knob has been replaced with a device that locks from the outside. 

I can’t stress this point enough: The more casually you allow people to treat your long-term inventory, the more your errors will multiply. 

4) Visual inspection and count. 
How can your trade or use what you don’t know you have?  You should conduct a full inventory count inventory twice a year.  Material should be counted and a general visual inspection conducted in order to identify any items or containers that might have visible damage.  If a container has become damaged, you may want to accelerate its usage or consider trading it to avoid wasting the contents inside.  If you identify a large container of goods early on that has become damaged that you have no hope of repairing or re-sealing, early detection will allow you to trade this off while it still holds some intrinsic value.  If you had waited a year and only discovered it when the decay was too far advanced, you could be forced to take an unsavory loss.  Value considerations aside, it’s important to know what you believe you have is actually usable.  If you’re depending on supply XXX and upon time of usage you discover it’s a waste, not only do you find yourself at a loss for whatever you paid or traded for the item, you may now be short a critically important item. 

If you have a large group of people and supplies, you may want to increase this twice a year count to once a quarter. It’s crucial you identify errors or missing items early only to keep small issues from snowballing to huge ones.  Quantity and quality inspections should have a primary counter and a second person verifying accuracy.

5) Record keeping. 
I’d suggest use computers while you can but print your records out, every time, so you have a hard copy.  A simple spreadsheet will do to start and if you don’t have access to Microsoft Excel, you can utilize Google Docs to get started.  Your inventory records should include the item, the quantity, the date acquired and the use by date if applicable. 

This data allows you to track over time what you’re using, and how often, and allows you to better prepare for not only your requirements, but also to identify what you may have that’s not being fully utilized and trade it before you run the risk of spoilage.  When planning your food needs or trade possibilities, knowing you have 100 cans if item X is good; however, knowing half of those are 1 year past their use date and your consumption has dropped by a third would allow you to keep an eye open for possible barter opportunities in advance.

Try to keep your records in pencil.  Speaking from accounting experience, it’s much easier to correct a mistake in pencil that it is in ink.  With a pen, over time, your records simply get sloppy from crossed out figures and attempted error corrections.

6) Second review on scrap or waste. 
Before any item is trashed or written off as a loss, obtain a second opinion.  One man’s trash is another’s treasure and one of your group members may have knowledge of the item that allows you to squeeze the last few drops of value from something before your dispose of it.  Any value you can recover is better than 0.

It’s good to have stuff, be it ammunition, food or barter items. 

It’s better to have a lot of that stuff. 

It’s best to know exactly what you have, and when it’s approaching the end of its life, so you can use it in a timely fashion or trade it to someone who can. The topics above only touch on the very, rudimentary basics of inventory control but it’s important to consider proper management of your assets and realize the benefits you can obtain through accurate tracking, control and utilization of your material resources. 

JWR Adds: Keep in mind that cooking oil that has gone rancid is often still quite suitable for stretching your diesel supply. (In effect, formulating your own biodiesel, up to 10 percent, by volume, in hot weather. This is not recommended for cold weather unless you have a fuel tank heater, or a fully-capable biodiesel making system and a vehicle that is rigged with two tanks–one for biodiesel and the other with dinodiesel, that is used when starting up and shutting down your vehicle.) And food that is no longer palatable for humans because of taste issues (rather than rancidity) are often still safe to feed to poultry or swine.

Letter Re: Laser Protective Goggles

Sir:
When I was a young Marine in the first gulf war I heard that it was quite common for tank crews to blind the enemy with the tanks laser. Do you know of any protective glasses/goggles that would prevent retina damage from lasers? Thanks, – Keith

JWR Replies: The problem is that you need a separate filter for each ranges of wavelengths (measured in nanometers). By the time that you stack enough filters to stop all of the non-eye safe laser threats, you end up with something about as opaque as welder’s goggles. I guess this explains why the Stormtroopers in Star Wars were such bad shots. 😉

There may be some practical countermeasures. My best guess is that it would be Alexandrite lasers that would be used for intentional blinding, as I described in “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse”. Do a web search on “Dazer and Stingray.” You will find some scary stuff. I discussed both eye safe and non-eye safe lasers in a series of articles that I wrote when I was a full time associate editor for Defense Electronics magazine, back in the late 1980s. These articles concerned the U.S. Army’s now defunct Dazer (hand held) and Stingray (tactical vehicle and aircraft-mounted) laser weapon programs. Both had been intended to counter enemy EO sensors, but were unfortunately indiscriminate in damaging the Mark I human eyeball. (They used high power Alexandrite lasers, which have a wavelength that is not eye safe.) As I recall, the Dazer program was cancelled around 1992, and the larger Stingray system development was de-funded in 1996, right around the time of ratification of the UN Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons. (Main reference: Rawles, James W. “Directed Energy Weapons: Battlefield Beams.” Defense Electronics, August 1989. v. 21, no. 8, p. 47-54.) If you buy a pair of goggles or sunglasses designed to protect against Alexandrite lasers (+/- 755 nanometers), they would also have some effectiveness against lasers in adjacent wavelengths.

Letter Re: Advice on Water Barrel Pumps

Hello,
I am in Houston, Texas, and I just purchased two 55-gallon plastic drinking water drums here semi-locally, but my problem is that the pumps were not included! I am wondering if you have some you are selling, or you could tell me where to get several of them. The threaded openings are 2 inches in diameter, and the drums are just short of three feet deep. I’m looking for hand-operated pumps, of course, not electric! Could you please get back with me on this? Thank you! – Donna C/

JWR Replies: I’ve had good experiences with Pacer drum pumps. BTW, I’ve heard that the less expensive pumps that are widely available are not nearly as sturdy, and are far more likely to crack and fail.

Letter Re: The Usefulness of the AK-47 as a Survival Rifle

Dear Jim,
I have multiple ARs and AKs, and enjoy both. I would definitely recommend the AK for a truck gun, or for less experienced shooters. I’d like to debunk the “clean an AR several times a day” myth.

I have 24 years of service, USAF and US Army, active and Guard, two combat deployments, have served as armorer, weapons courier, PMI instructor and range safety NCO, and have 24 years of unbroken Expert ratings with the M16, M16A1, M16A2, M4 and GUU5P (an M4A1 with a USAF accent), including 15 perfect scores (three of them while wearing a gas mask). I have competed for the Guard in National Match. I test and review firearms for this site and others, and several manufacturers trust me to offer feedback.

A big part of the problem with AR type weapons is the fault of the US Army. I became very aware of this when my wife went through Basic Combat Training at age 36 in 2005–I already had 19 years of service. I taught her what she needed to know before she departed.

To say the current state of Army Basic Marksmanship Instruction is disgraceful is complimentary. She was handed a weapon without being instructed on how to clear and check the chamber first (luckily, she knew this. She was the only person in her platoon to check the chamber upon issue). Then, she was handed a “cleaning kit” that contained only a toothbrush, no rod or jag sections.

When I mentioned this on my forum, I had an infantry officer (Major, Ranger and Airborne qualified, masters degree) argue with me that this was unavoidable, parts unobtainable, etc. It was hard to gently inform a friend that he was making excuses for an unacceptable state of affairs.

Cleaning solvent is now considered HAZMAT, so cleaning is performed only with [Break Free] CLP. They were not issued CLP. Her Drill Sergeant was thrilled when I mailed a package containing a complete cleaning kit and two bottles of CLP. He’d been demonstrating the last ditch method of using shaving cream as a cleaner.

So, this starts with troops who are not taught how to operate or maintain the weapon properly, using weapons that have been beat to death for decades without proper maintenance. Take a look at this photo. (Ionic action between barrel nut and receiver caused failure of joint. Photo by Ranger Instructor, summer 2009).

After demob, I fired an M4 for annual qualification that had not been cleaned its entire time in Afghanistan (it was not my weapon). I shot 39/39 and tied the state champion, who was using his civilian Bushmaster match carbine. Lack of cleaning is not the entirety of the problem.

The biggest mistake I saw in the Sandbox was troops drenching their weapons with oil. Especially in the 2 billion year old Arabian desert, where the “sand” is fine as clay and dusty, this is an invitation for mud. A mostly dry weapon (dry teflon is preferred) will function very well, and will blow itself clean of sand with each shot–one time the direct gas impingement is very useful. Oil should be used as a repair step after extensive firing if malfunctions occur. Oily weapons will clog up, and repeated cleaning will not solve the problem, and, as many Vietnam vets will attest, can make things worse, as well as wearing out the weapon. Once you start oiling it, you will have to keep oiling it to sluice the crud out. The hot gas will also bake the oil into gum.

In temperate environments, either dry teflon or the prescribed lubrication from the manual should be adhered to, and, if possible, I highly recommend a swap to a hard chrome bolt carrier group, as was originally designed for the weapon. It’s more consistent in lockup, more reliable, has much higher lubricity and is easier to clean. Using original USAF issue M16s (not M16A1s) with the hard chrome bolt carrier group (BCG) and no forward assist, my experience as Opposing Forces (OPFOR) Aggressor was that I could easily run 1,000 rounds of blanks through in a couple of hours with no problems, and we cleaned the weapons by dumping components into a solvent tank, and pulling out parts until we had a complete rifle, without nitpicking about who had which upper or bolt–which every expert will insist is impossible. I and my teammates were buried in piles of fill sand as blinds and crawled through muck, and our weapons did not have any significant issues (we kept the ejection port covers closed). Bad magazines are an issue from time to time, so be sure to check them.

Since then, I’ve done the same 1,000 rounds of live ammo on a dusty range using cheap Wolf ammo, and had zero malfunctions while deployed (In fairness, most were on a training range, but it was shortly after a 35 day sandstorm). There is nothing wrong with the M16 family if it is cleaned right the first time, and treated properly.

Given the above, I do reiterate that as a weapon to be left in a vehicle for an extended period (“trunk gun”) or for less experienced shooters, the AK is a better choice. Its accuracy is “good enough” for 90% of shooters. Its stopping power is adequate. Ammunition, parts and upgrades are readily available. The side- and underfolder variants are very compact and convenient for carry and storage. It’s easy to maintain and field stripping involves no small parts. It is very cost effective.

However, a look at which armies carry AKs and which armies carry AR variants (including the G36 and L85 based on the AR18), it’s clear that modern, well trained forces do much better with a Stoner design over a Kalashnikov.

Ideally, of course, one should own several of both. – Michael Z. Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large

Economics and Investing:

Analyst Bove sees 150-200 more U.S. bank failures (Kudos to Krys in Idaho for the link.)

Jeff D. flagged this: Remember me? Wall Street repackages toxic debt

From DD: There’s No Will to Fight Inflation

Also from DD: Housing crisis set to enter new stage

Nouriel Roubini warns: The risk of a double-dip recession is rising

Items from The Economatrix:

Fed to Steal State Pension Funds

Insurers’ Biggest Writedowns May Be Yet to Come

Celente: 2.5 Million Jobs Lost Since Obama’s Presidency

The Travails of Small Business Dooms the Economy

By the always insightful Charles Hugh Smith: So Long, California

Pens and Notebooks Put on Layaway People just don’t have money

The Dollar: Soon to Swoon?

Feds, 10 States Join to Fight Mortgage Fraud

Pyongyang’s Booming Trade in Fake US Currency A fascinating article!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." – James Madison

Two Letters Re: Canning Your Own Butter

I’ve made several jars of canned butter using the recipe at the End Times Report web site and they turn out just fine and will keep for three years or more. This is very economical to do. Here is also another resource for purchasing canned butter – but making it is so easy and very good. My prayers go to you and your beloved wife as our Lord and Savior prepares her way into His presence. He holds you both very close in this time. – Pat B. in California

Mr. Rawles:
Now you can purchase canned butter from The Internet Grocer or make it yourself using the directions below. [JWR Adds: Be sure to use the appropriate safety measures including wearing long sleeves, gloves, an apron, and goggles. Boiling hot butter can cause very serious burns. To stay safe, just think of it as napalm.]

1. Use any butter that is on sale. Lesser quality butter requires more shaking (see #5 below), but the results are the same as with the expensive brands.

2. Heat pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar, so if you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12 pint jars. A roasting pan works well for holding the pint jars while in the oven.

3. While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least: a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required (see #5 below). Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil, leaving the lids in simmering water until needed.

4. Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pot with a handle, pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4″ of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.

5. Carefully wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water, add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool. Once a few lids “ping,” shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily, because the butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom. In a few minutes, shake again, and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.

6. At this point, while still slightly warm, put the jars into a refrigerator. While cooling and hardening, shake again, and the melted butter will then look like butter and become firm. This final shaking is very important! Check every 5 minutes and give the jars a little shake until they are hardened in the jar! Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

7. Canned butter should store for three years or longer on a cool, dark shelf. [It does last a long time. We have just used up the last of the butter we canned in 1999, and it was fine after five years.] Canned butter does not “melt” again when opened, so it does not need to be refrigerated upon opening, provided it is used within a reasonable length of time.

Best Regards, – Jane S.

Eight Letters Re: The Usefulness of the AK-47 as a Survival Rifle

James
In reply to the 20 Aug 09 letter on the AK series rifles, I feel I should add my experiences. I recently returned from Afghanistan where I worked as a security contractor. When I got there our guard force was armed with the AK but many of the rifles were in poor condition. An initial inspection showed at least 30% of them weren’t worth having and the initial range training proved things to be much worse. I won’t bore you with the details but in the end we had to go through 56 rifles to find 19 that would pass muster for the static guards. Even then we had to be very generous in the standards we would accept. Ultimately we were forced to accept any rifle that functioned properly (safe, full auto and semi auto), could hold a group no larger than 3 inches at 25 yards (yep, that bad) and could adjust the sights to the point where 3 of the 5 round group would hit the 3 inch center of our locally produced zero target.

I say this to stress that maintenance is still vitally important to ensuring the proper function of the rifle. Much of the so called evidence of the durability of the AK is anecdotal evidence. [Colonel] Hackworth’s book About Face: Odyssey of an American Warrior mentions pulling a rifle out of the mud and it running through a full magazine without fail and some tout that as the ultimate accomplishment of small arms. What is not covered is if the rifle could hit a man sized target when it did so. Ultimately making noise is no guarantee of success, stopping people is and that is best done by actually hitting the target. You can not abuse and/or ignore a rifle, even the AK, and expect it to function indefinitely.

There are also questions as to the wound ballistics of the 7.62×39 ammunition. Trauma surgeons in Vietnam said that ‘clinical experience showed many wounds from the weapon (AK-47) resemble those of much lower velocity handguns’. Just being a .30 caliber round does not make it somehow superior. Once again going back to our Vietnam era surgeons they tell us the 5.56 round of the day were far worse to the health and well being of people hit by them. This does not always have meaning to the survivor as we are not limited to the military loadings. Zak Smith has an informative article on maximizing the potential of the 7.62×39 but it is no longer on his site, I believe it has been included in a recent compilation book on the AK. For those who have the AK as their go to gun and who can load for it it is probably worth reading. There are tradeoffs to be made with any decision and while the wound ballistics (both science and the surgeons who treated the wounds tell us) may not be the most impressive my experience shows me they do a number on cars while still allowing the shooter to stay on target through a long burst.

The AK is a fully capable choice if the shooter understands the limitations of the gun and cartridge. Unfortunately I think far too many people allow emotion to take over and they shut out logic and the repeatable results of scientific testing. While on leave from Afghanistan I attended a training course where I used the AK and I learned a lot. Many of it’s limitations can be countered with decent training and hands on experience and while I now have a more favorable view of the gun but it still isn’t my first choice.

One last note, the Saiga can be adapted to use the cheaper surplus magazines with just a little time and effort so I don’t view that as a reason not to get the Saiga over the WASR. Converting to the military configuration is far more complex but still relatively simple for anyone reasonably handy. That information is easy to find online so I won’t add to the length of this note to cover it. Most parts that you find commercially available in the US can be used on either the WASR or the Saiga (and the Saiga is a better- built gun). Ultimately it will cost a little more than the WASR if you convert it to the military configuration so cost may yet be the deciding factor for some. – Jake (No longer vacationing in Kabul)

Jim-
Thanks for posting the well balanced piece on the AK and it’s potential and pitfalls. The chief shortcoming I find in the AK is indeed the public perception and Pavlovian reaction to it’s distinctive profile and reputation.

On the plus side, and not mentioned in the piece, if you live in the heavily wooded and brushy South, the AK is the perfect rifle for the 40 to 100 yard shots you are likely to see. The AK is very easy to sling or carry in the thick woods.

Also, it doubles as a great Whitetail gun in the kind of country some of us live in and I’ve had good results using it in tree stands.

Two to four MOA is about right in the accuracy department.

Thanks, and God’s peace, – Palmetto

Hey Jim,
I was happy to see the AK getting a nice write up on your blog the other day. I have trained with the AK for a number of years now and really appreciate not only how durable it is, but also how easy it is to teach others to use and maintain.

Maybe I am just lucky, but out of the score of AK’s that I have used all but 2 (Built by a questionable shop) where very combat accurate! Many folks get hung up on their gear being super accurate when they can’t even come close to utilizing even the tenth part of that accuracy in the field.

From someone who spends at least some part of most days out and about with a long gun as a truck/farm/ranch gun the AK has many attractive qualities and I find it complimenting my .30-30 very well when I want to be better armed and don’t have to worry about keeping a low profile.

As far as running the AK learn to run it as an AK don’t try to run it as an AR, FAL, M1A or any other system! Yea there is cross over, but many of the things I have heard folks “complain” about are things that when used properly either don’t matter or are advantages when run as an AK should be run.

Don’t think of the AK as a poor alternative for those who can not afford better! It is a easy to live with system that most anyone can learn to shoot and maintain in short order. I have many other choices and I find the AK to be a very useful tool that many would find a valuable addition to their tool box!

There are some good AK schools out there that can teach you how an AK should be run! Go out and get the knowledge while you can.

You and your family continue to be in our prayers! – SD in West Virginia

Sir,
The article about AK type rifles had some great points about the usefulness of the AK platform. I personally believe that the AK is preferable to the AR for most people. I do find myself in the minority of people that isn’t true for however. Those of us with military or law enforcement backgrounds that have spent years training with the AR have to relearn several concepts to run the AK as well as we already run an AR. In the civilian world it would take me years to unlearn the AR basics, so I sadly traded my AK rifles for other supplies.

However, there was one AK that I loved. It was, in fact, a Saiga. It had taken a trip to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to Tromix Lead Delivery Systems. It was reworked into a conventional AK platform with a side folder stock. It was the most accurate and reliable of the AK rifles I’ve owned or shot. The process isn’t overly difficult, you can find do it yourself instructions in several different locations. It takes just a basic amount of skill and some basic tools and the Saiga can be reworked into the conventional format with pistol grip that easily accepts surplus magazines. – JB

Sir,
I agree with the author on most points and would add that the rifle and it’s ammunition are common in these parts. I would disagree about it’s accuracy and find most of the variants of the rifle can only be expected to shoot 5-6″ groups. Although this might seem lousy, I believe it would good enough for snap shooting within 150 yards. Given heavily wooded terrain, I might expect most encounters would be less than 100 yards. Using silhouettes, my groups with the AR-15 during training were not significantly better. Zeroing the AK properly by centering the pattern it sprays is important. Saying the AK ‘groups’ is generous. Many more shots than the 3 to 5 rounds required for a much more accurate rifle are needed to find it’s pattern. Zeroing it’s pattern can be a frustrating process, yet it proves to be worthwhile.

Perhaps another little known secret is the fragmenting 8M3 bullet found on Wolf’s Military Classic ammunition and famed Sapsan brand. A recent Guns and Ammo publication featured the AK and it’s ammunition. This is the next best in performance to [American commercial] soft point ammunition. A less expensive alternative isn’t found. Try it on a gallon sized milk jug filled with water and the difference between FMJ and the 8M3 is instantly noticeable. Ballistic gelatin shows 3 inches of penetration before it violently fragments and penetrates about 14 inches. – E. L.

James
I agree with the article on the AK. When the boy king was elected I was forced by circumstances to get a battle rifle and couldn’t find a decent AK in my area that was worth having, so I ended up with a shorty AR. I’m back to thinking of an AK for my third rifle, after my that and my SKS.

For those folks who don’t know much about the Kalashnikov, I encourage them to go to Gabe Suarez’s forum. He has several subforums about the AK and has also written several books on the gun. He also offers training classes through Suarez International as well as DVDs on various AK related subjects. Gabe also offers AK parts and furniture through his forum store.

Folks on warrior talk are also willing to answer questions from people wanting to learn the AK too. They are good people and like to help get people up and ready for whatever is coming in the future. – LK in West Virginia

 

JWR,
I’ve been reading your site for a while now and want to thank you very much for it. The post regarding AK 47s was interesting and useful. I’ll add my two Lincoln’s worth.

The Primary accuracy problem inherent with AKs (and with SKSs) is not so much internal, it’s the short sight radius. There is now a relatively cheap fix for this. Tech Sights (tech-sights.com) now sells an aperture sight for both. It’s a vast improvement over the factory sight. It also fits the Saiga. I’ve got one on an SKS (I had Williams [sight] on it before) and I really like it. The only drawback to it is that it now takes a screwdriver to strip the rifle.

I’m an Instructor In Training with Appleseed, and we regularly have folks who shoot Rifleman with AKs (Expert on the Army Qualification Test).

During the mid-1980s to early-1990s, I spent a fair amount of time in a few garden spots in Africa (involved in the aid business) and occasionally toted a rifle. It was invariably an AK, unless I was lucky enough to find an FN. My favorites were the South Africans and the Galil.

Thanks for the work you’re doing. God Bless. And our prayers go out for the Memsahib. – Capt. G. in Texas

 

Mr. Rawles,
I’m writing in regard to the article ZM wrote about the usefulness of the AK-47 as a survival weapon. In his article he sings the praises of the M4/AR15 over the AK due to the inherent accuracy of the M4 over the AK. While he does note the AK platform is more dependable than the M4/AR15, I think he under estimates just how important that aspect is in the comparison of the two platforms.

Frankly, unless you’re a trained infantryman who has spent considerable time with the M4 and are prepared to clean the weapon numerous times a day, the M4 is one of the least ideal weapons to rely upon in a survival situation. On the other hand, the ruggedness and dependability of the AK, with adequate accuracy, is the ideal firearm for the survivalist who has more to worry about than cleaning his weapon numerous times a day.

Just how important is dependability? On March 23rd, 2003, a convoy of the 507th Maintenance was ambushed at Nasiriyah, Iraq. Aside from the fact that 11 American soldiers were killed and 6 taken POW, the US Army’s after action report found that every single American firearm had been rendered inoperable by the desert conditions. M2s, M4s, M16s, and the SAW-all of them were found to be nothing more than good-looking clubs during the battle. Of course, the Iraqi Kalashnikov didn’t have the problems the American firearms had, and they held the field after the remnants of the 507th high-tailed it out of Nasiriyah. There have been other noted incidents of M4s and SAWs failing in the desert conditions of Afghanistan and Iraq. One has to wonder how many Americans have paid the ultimate price over the last 40+ years dealing with such an unreliable weapon.

In conclusion, the M4/AR15 is a excellent range rifle or SWAT weapon, but unless you intend on cleaning the firearm numerous times a day, which is doubtful in a SHTF situation, it is best to go with an AK or other dependable rifle and take a pass on the finicky M4 platform. – Rusty in New Mexico

Influenza Pandemic Update:

WHO predicts ‘explosion’ of swine flu cases

JHB sent us a link to an updated H1N1 interactive map.

Swine Flu Threat to Business Prompts a Call for Readiness

Government Enlists Employers’ Help To Contain Flu

Swine Flu Pandemic Paradox Kills Few, Overwhelms Hospital ICUs

New Swine-Flu Vaccination to Be Ready in US By Mid-October

Swine Flu Shots May Be Too Little, Too Late to Stop Outbreaks

Most UK Companies Already Hit by Swine Flu

Plans Drawn Up for Mass Swine Flu Graves

Ill-Prepared Africa Braces as Swine Flu Hits

Economics and Investing:

The other shoe has finally dropped: China reduces holdings in US debt. Expect more of the same in the months to come. (Thanks to Dave S. for the link.)

From GG: Mounting joblessness fuels US housing crisis

Noah was the first of several readers to mention this article about the failure of the second largest US bank of the year: Bank Failure #81: Down Goes Guaranty

Items from The Economatrix:

The Mother of all Bank Runs

Unemployment: The Worst Hit States in July

US Stocks Rise, Sending S&P to Highest Level in 10 Months

Bank Failures in the US

Even Warren Buffett is Now Saying US Treasury Bonds Could Crack
US Helps Spanish Company Buy Failured Texas Bank by Putting $9.7 Billion Loss on Taxpayers

Seller, Beware: Feds Cracking Down on Yard Sales

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader G.D.T. sent us a story that recently appeared in The Wall Street Journal. G.D.T. wrote: “I saw the link about cattle rustling in Pennsylvania. Now folks are stealing hay in Texas.”

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Tamara posted this bit of levity that has a serious lesson attached: A more dangerous breed of junkie. The point is that there was no Matrix-esque bullet-dodging going on. This was just an all-too common case of a poorly trained cop that unloaded in the general direction of his intended target–and he didn’t hit score any hits. Only hits count!

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Inmate Uprising in Kentucky Destroys Prison

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Workplace Suicides Surge by 28%