Notes from JWR:

I’ve just signed a publishing contract with Penguin Books to complete a manuscript for a non-fiction paperback that will be titled “How to Survive The End of the World as We Know It.” Rather than the 12- to 18-month production cycle that is typical for most books from major New York publishing houses, this book will be a “instant book” with a release date possibly as early as August of Aught Nine. There are also now two big New York publishers that have expressed interest in publishing a mass-market edition of “Patriots“. I’ll post more details as they become available.

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $1,160. This auction ends on April 15th. It is for a large mixed lot, which includes::

1.) A Warrior Aid and Litter Kit, donated by Ready Made Resources. This is an advanced medic kit package that includes a Talon II 90C folding handle collapsible litter, which normally retails for $560, just by itself. This truly a “full up” tactical trauma kit! This sophisticated medic kit normally retails for $1,500.

2.) A “be ready to barter” box of 26 full-capacity firearms magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 4 – Brand new “smoke gray” polymer original Bulgarian 40 rd. AK-47 magazines, 10 – brand new AR-15/M16 USGI black Teflon coated alloy 30 round magazines with stainless steel springs and the latest gray anti-tilt followers, 6 – new condition original USGI M14/M1A 20 round parkerized steel magazines, from CMI (the current military prime contractor) 6 – new condition original Glock Model 20 (10mm) 15 round pistol magazines–the latest production type with “SF” front magazine catch notch . All of these magazines are of recent manufacture (and hence are NOT legal to possess in New York.) These magazines have a combined value of approximately $750, in today’s market. Note: If you live in a state where full capacity magazines are banned, then you must choose to: refrain from bidding, or designate a recipient in an unrestricted state, or re-donate the magazines for a subsequent auction.

3.) A large Bury ‘Em Tube (# 6L, 43″ x 6″ with a 5.1 gallon capacity), donated by Safecastle. (a $199.95 retail value)

4.) A NukAlert compact radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value). 

5.) An OPTIMUS Terra Cookset for backpacking, tent camping or even WTSHTF, donated by Safecastle. It includes the ultra-compact Crux stove, plus a special small cookset–all very portable and lightweight. (Fuel canister not included.) (a $95 retail value)

6.) A fresh, sealed case of full mil-spec MRE rations with ration heaters, courtesy of CampingSurvival.com. (a $94.95 value)

Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $2,800. This auction ends on April 15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot.

Letter Re: Home-Made Super Cat Alcohol Stoves

Dear Mr. Rawles,

First, I would like to commend you on your “Patriots” novel. It is a “must read” for any American who believes in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. I bought the book a few months ago and have read it twice so far. The “crunch” scenario outlined is self-evident today, and a very real possibility.

I have never been of the “survivalist” mindset, however with the NWO now upon us – and my becoming ‘awake” as to the threat of the NWO and TEOTWAWKI – I am starting my preparations in earnest. Your book, and others, are now quickly becoming part of my reading in order to catch up on what I have to do to protect my family and myself when the Schumer hits the fan.

I have read many articles on your blog and the internet regarding what the contents of a G.O.O.D. bag should carry. Of interest is the subject of portable cooking stoves. I have found a quick and free option for a lightweight and portable “camp stove” that I would like to share. It is called the “Super Cat” Alcohol Stove found at the Jim Woods Base Camp web site. This “stove” is simply a cat food can that can easily be transformed into an denatured alcohol (or similar) fueled cooking stove that is a simple to make, takes up minimum space, and is fueled by easily carried and procured denatured alcohol. I find that carrying one or two of these stoves in a zip-loc bag takes up minimal space in a backpack. Denatured alcohol is readily available, and can be cached for future use in large quantity. The downloadable PDF file for the “Super Cat also shows the various ways that that the fuel can be carried in small containers for a backpack. There are also downloadable files on a windscreen and stove stand that are also easily self-fabricated.

I know that most of the folks that read your blog are more prepared than I am at this point, but I feel that all options should be presented for evaluation and testing in order to find out what best suits their needs. And the best thing about the “Super-Cat” is that it is free!

Thanks for your Patriotism and everything you do. – W.M.

Two Letters Re: Knob Creek Report on Ammunition, Magazines, and Parts

Jim, I also have been a regular attendee of the Knob Creek gun show in Fort Knox, Kentucky for the past 8 years and would like to add a little more insight. I always attend the October show and occasionally attend the April show. Times being as they are I made an extra effort to attend last week and bring some first timers with me. The shock started Friday morning when the booths opened at 9:00am. My first encounter was Hi-Tech Ammunition (St. Louis) table. They were already out of all rifle and pistol powder. Only remaining was some military surplus machine gun powder. The I went to a Wolf ammo supplier to only to find 7.62×39 was now $375/1,000. Their 9mm Federal was $325/1,000. I was not going to buy more since I already had an ample supply from the October show. ($185/1,000 for 7.62×39 and $175/1,000 for 9mm). In six months did the price really double? Yes it did and where will it be next month. I already new and expected .223 to be over $400/1,000 and was right. .223 is easy to reload for under $200/1,000 so its back to my basement married to my Dillon 550B.

Rifle and pistol prices are also hair raising issues. I have been tracking the costs of AK-47s extensively for the past two years. Since the October 2008 show AK-47s went up 50%. What used to be $375 for a Romanian WASR-10 is now $600. Any Hungarian or Bulgarian varieties that were $500 to $650 are now $700 to $950 and I did not see one Yugo AK in the three days at the show. SKSes were selling for $300 and up.

Your earlier Knob Creek reporter summed up the magazine market perfectly. Mags were available but the prices were all over the place, but mostly up. Once fired brass was very hard to find. I also heard that the dealers bought everything up on Thursday before the show started. Everything I wanted was gone, extremely limited or twice the price. What a depressing show. I had to the same conclusion to start shooting the AK-74 round (5.45 mm) but when everybody catches on its going to be the same problem we have right now. – John at the Trading Post

Dear James,
Yesterday you included a note from a reader who had attended the Knob Creek Shoot. In it he wrote: “On the whole, the current situation seems to favor those moving into the AK-74 realm. AK-74 [parts] kits were $495, receiver flats were $12, transferable receivers were $60 and the ammo was $300 per 1,300 rounds (in sealed tins). There never seems to be much competition for that ammo. I am thinking about getting a 5.45mm AK.”

If you have standardized with the AR-15 platform, you can still use the 5.45×39 ammo which is still relatively cheap these days. Smith & Wesson makes both a full carbine and an upper in 5.45×39. AIM Surplus has the upper only available for $569. They also have the Russian 53 grain FMJ available for $149 per 1080-round can. This is where I bought my S&W flat-top upper.
I know there are other companies which make uppers in 5.45×39. If you already have an AR lower and want to take advantage of the price differential, this may be the way to go. – John R. in North Carolina

JWR Replies: That is a good point. For someone that does a lot of .223 target shooting, this os presently a good option. Let’s do the math: Typical 5.56mm NATO ball (such as Winchester white box was $5 a box three years ago. It is now $15 per box. Suppose that you were to buy three 1,080-round cans of 5.45×39 ammo for $450. The equivalent quantity of 5.56 ball would cost a whopping $2,430. That is almost a $2,000 difference! Even after the expense of buying a dedicated 5.45×39 upper receiver assembly (around $800 for a nice one, presently), you’d still be nearly $1,200 ahead and would significantly reduce wear to your original 5.56.barrel.. It is also just the trick for that Red Dawn scenario.

It won’t be long until folks catch on, and the supply of 5.45mm ammo dries up, so don’t dawdle. If you currently own an AR-15 or M4, buy several cans of 5.45 ammo now. Just be willing to be on the back order list for a 5.45×39 upper receiver assembly for several months. Come next Fall, you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank shooting range

Economics and Investing:

From reader H.P.D. Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis: Treasury to Delay Reporting Bank Stress Test Results

G.G. sent this: Businesses Gird for Depression

Also from G.G.: IMF gold sale may push down prices below $800

Items from The Economatrix:

Wed. Stocks End With Modest Gain

CEOs Expect More Job Cuts Through End of Year

Coupons.com Sees 190% Increase Over Last Year Cereal and baby food top the list

Few US Cities Escape Recession’s Reach

Treasury to Offer Limited Aid to Certain Insurers (Only if the insurers own banks or savings & loans)

New Jobless Claims Fall More Than Expected to 654,000

Stocks Surge as Profits at Well Fargo Jump “The fact that Wells Fargo can have record profits despite the troubles facing the banking system tells you something…” Yes, it certainly does.

As Home Values Fall, Property Tax Revolt Brews

The Recession Has Gotten So Bad, Even the Repo Man’s Singing the Blues

The Penny Drops (The Mogambo Guru)

GM Pensions May Be “Garbage” With $16 Billion at Risk

Odds ‘n Sods:

For the past month, I’ve been monitoring a great new open-source intelligence blog that is available to the public. Be sure to bookmark it!

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Dale Williams, the host of a popular conservative talk radio show in Salt Lake City has started to put his show archives online at Free West Radio. (One of JWR’s interviews is archived there.)

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Cheryl sent this: TWIC–A Backdoor Real ID Card

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Reader MMJ recommended this article on solar ovens

Note from JWR:

I am pleased to report that yesterday’s Book Bomb Day (April 8th) for “Patriots: A Novel Survival in the Coming Collapse” resulted in more than 2,000 book orders from Amazon.com, and drove the novel’s Amazon sales Bestsellers rank up to #6 (overall), #1 in Thrillers, and #1 in Contemporary Fiction. BTW, the #6 rank is respectable, considering that 3 of the 5 books ranked higher than “Patriots” are mega-sellers that are being driven by the very popular Twilight movie. It even edged out Oprah’s current touchy-feely favorite. Oh, and speaking of timely books, The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide: Protect Your Savings, Boost Your Income, and Grow Wealthy Even in the Worst of Times by Marty Weiss was also in Amazon’s Top Ten on Wednesday. I’d say that this is evidence that people are getting very concerned about the recession turning into a depression.

My sincere thanks for making the Book Bomb day such a great success. Please continue to spread the word about “Patriots”. Many Thanks!

Letter Re: Mining Claims as Retreat Locales

Dear Jim,
My closest neighbor works in our local Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office. He told me that the lady in the cubical next to his handles mining claims. She has told him that there has been a significant increase in new mining claims. What she is confused about is that where many of the claims have been made, there is no evidence of any minerals. She told my neighbor that she researched to law and there is no requirement to prove that there are minerals to be mined at a claim site.

My neighbor feels that people who are filing these claims, are getting locations set up where they can go to if the Schumer Hits the Fan (SHTF). It is very cheap to file a claim and the fees have not gone up in decades. Living here in the west ,there are plenty of old mines that are not being worked, that have gated roads and no trespassing signs. It is my understanding that the owners of the claim just need to do the yearly assessment work to keep it.

I am sure there are readers with a lot more knowledge of mining law than me that may be able to verify that this might be a viable way to obtain an inexpensive retreat.

Here is some more information on mining claims. It looks pretty good for those getting started on a small budget.

From eHow: How to File a Mining Claim

From a BLM office n Arizona

A Mining Claim Book Review

Regards, – P.D.

Two Letters Re: Backpackers of the Apocalypse: Selecting and Ultra-Lighting Your Bug-Out Bag

Hello Mr. Rawles,
Thanks again for this blog; it’s my nightly reading before bedtime. Regarding the letter from John the Midwestern Hiker, here are some other possibilities/opinions about bug-out bags. Naturally, edit as you see fit, should any of this merit mentioning….

Because I live in a large metropolitan area in the eastern US, I try to remain prepared for just such a bug-out event. I know approximately how much time I would need and how much fuel I would need in order to arrive in “Free America”–my fuel tank is never less than 3/4ths full. I have at least two places along the way where I have a stash of related items for addition and/or replenishment (at friends/relatives places) and I also now keep a few MREs in my vehicle, no longer only as part of the winter travel kit. I am familiar enough with the middle third of the USA that I would not really need even a map. In a bug-situation, my hardest decision would be the first decision: leave immediately or wait?

Although I try to keep active year ’round, I do most of my hiking and backpacking in the 6 months that are not winter. In my opinion the most important items in my packs are (listed in order of importance) 1) water filtration and/or purification 2) non-folding hunting knife 3) rain gear, including water-proof and insulated gloves and clothing items 4) basic compass 5) basic First Aid kit 6) food items with a good mix of high carbohydrates, fat and protein 7) finally, a good sleeping bag. Some down bags now have waterproof material; non-down bags (such as Wiggy’s) will have insulating function, dry or wet. The investment in a good, well-fitted pair of hiking boots is a given.

In addition to the above, I do carry a tent for the appropriate season/elevation and MSR gas stove with the familiar red fuel canister and other odd miscellany, like a drinking bottle and a spork. While the small canister stoves are light and convenient, if one were to do much backpacking at all, a small fortune will be spent on fuel, in addition to finding a place to properly discard the empties. If I were ever to get into the ultra-light mindset, I wouldn’t even bother—use fuel tablets such as Esbit. Probably not even have much of a tent either.

I have two packs that are always packed–one for early-/late-season/winter conditions, the other for normal summer. As a precaution I always plan for winter conditions and wet weather when in the mountains–elevation is everything! I’ve been in below sub-freezing conditions at high elevations in August, not to mention the usual monsoon season in the Rockies in the fall. Upon returning I take care of all cleaning, washing, repairs and re-packing of items, including freeze-dried foods, which usually have a long shelf life. With everything pre-packed, it is possible for me to grab two packs, toss ’em into my vehicle and bug out. A Google search [on “ultra-light backpacking”] will come up with many sites providing lots of information. However, I highly recommend the wonderful, good ol’ standard “The Complete Walker” by the late Colin Fletcher (may his Welsh hiking soul now hike in peace!) and the still-very-much-alive Chip Rawlins. This book is at least in it’s fourth version by now, and makes for wonderful reading, especially by the fireplace in winter! Everything you’ll need to know about having your “house on your back” is covered in great detail in this book.

While I don’t expect to be faced with a bug-out situation any time soon, I do believe that backpacking, in addition to being a fun way to see the world, is also a good physical and mental preparation if such an event were to happen. History is full of “unexpected” events! Cheers, – Mark S.

 

Mr. Rawles;
I agree with John about the ultralight camping equipment. A Sil-Nylon Cat Tarp, sleeping quilt from Jack’s R Better, Pad, Food, Water, personal hygiene, and cooking gear for 3 or 4 days can easily be put together under 16 pounds, including the pack. The days of the 50 pound (or heavier) one week pack are, thankfully, long gone.

Now, if you want to talk Super Ultralight, like my nine pound three-day load, (which includes my clothes and boots on my feet), you have to be willing to make much of your gear…but there are patterns all over the S/UL blogs and sites on the net. – Mike on the Res.

Letter Re: Where to Find Quality-Made Hand Tools?

Hello,
Let me tell you about an experience I had the other day and my frustration. I recently purchased some tools from Sears and got the “higher quality” Craftsman brand. One of the items purchases was a bow saw. I did not look closely at the quality of the item purchased because I thought to myself, “It is a Craftsman, they have a life time warranty.” Well, a few months later
the saw broke because of bad construction. Some little nubs that were punched through the very thin sheet metal that held the saw blade in place. It does not take an expert to see that they broke soon after I started to do some hard work. Very disappointing. Sears exchanged it, and I see that they have a new model with a rivet instead of a nub. But I am not sure that it will las very long. I asked the clerk if all of their stuff was Made in China. She said “No,” and stated it surprised her that the saw was made in China.

On the way out I looked at a vacuum cleaner, it was a wet-dry “shop vac”. Craftsman and Made in Mexico. I guess that “Mexico” is not China so she was technically right. I purchased a Kenmore about two years ago because it was rated the highest in Consumers’ Reports. It is all plastic and does not work that well. The suction is pretty low. My grandmother has a vacuum cleaner that she purchased over fifty years ago. My brother and I call it “The Pig” because it looks like a pig (complete with a snout) from behind. I can not seem to find a vacuum cleaner that will last. They are all cheap and made as disposable items. I would rather purchase one good vacuum cleaner to last me 50 years instead of one cheap one every 3-to-5 years.

Where does someone buy Made in the USA products that are made out of good metal? I know a place must exist somewhere. Thanks, – Brent

JWR Replies: This topic has been raised before in SurvivalBlog. In my opinion, the best quality for your dollar can often be found in used American and European-made tools. For details, see this post from late 2008: Letter Re: Recommended Sources for Gardening Hand Tools.

Economics and Investing:

Matt B. suggested this video clip of Argentinean economist Adrian Salbuchi: Global Financial Collapse

Greg C. sent this item from McPaper: Communities print their own currency to keep cash flowing

D.G. suggested this from Eric Margolis at The Toronto Sun: Wall Street Ticks Off the World

From G.G.: A Night with the Bears: Meredith Whitney, Nouriel Roubini, Ian Gordon and Eric Sprott put on quite a show this evening in Toronto.

Items from The Economatrix:

Derivatives, the New Ticking Time Bomb

Politicized Accounting: No End to the Scams

Soros: “Zombie” Banks Could Suck Lifeblood Out of Economy

The Question that Flummoxed The Great Orator

Wholesale Inventories Drop to Lowest in 17 Years Note that it is not that sales are up so much, but that inventories are down: “Wholesalers cut their inventories in February by the steepest amount in more than 17 years, while sales rose for the first time since the summer, encouraging signs that companies may be getting their inventories under control.”

Derivatives Trading Crackdown Begins

Japan’s Goods and Services Fall By Half

Soros Warns Shares Will Fall Further

Gold Sold for Scrap Outstrips New Purchases

Is Silver the New Gold?

Irish Hike Tax and Cut Spending

World Bank Sees China Recovery from Recession this Year (Hmmmm… Do they also see World Peace and personal jet cars in the near future?)

GM Close to Bankruptcy

UK Store Food Prices Soar

Americans Feel 15.6% Unemployment as Underemployment Surges

Consumers Fall Behind on Loans at Record Rate

Credit Card Companies Shut Down 8 Million Credit Card Accounts in February

Stress Takes its Tolls on Banks

The IMF Rules the World

Odds ‘n Sods:

M.R.L. sent us a link to some fascinating details on the 1859 Carrington Solar Storm event, and some dire predictions for future similar events.

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Rob B. was the first of several SurvivalBlog readers that sent us this: [Low path] Bird flu found on Kentucky poultry farm Expert says strain poses little risk to humans; 20,000 chickens euthanized

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Greg and Kat were the first readers (of more than a dozen) that sent this Wall Street Journal article link: Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated by Spies

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Feld sent us this: Pelosi pledges compromise on assault weapons ban. Translation from the Inside-The-Beltway Lingo: “Compromise = For now, we only plan to take away some of your God-given rights.” I can only ask: What part of “…shall not be infringed” don’t the congresscritters understand?

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"It is sometimes said that some complicated task is as difficult as herding cats. Actually, that’s not necessarily all that hard, if you’ve got a laser pointer to give the cats a mischievous little red dot to chase after." – H. J. Halterman, Along the Way, March 2009

Notes from JWR:

Today is the “Patriots” Book Bomb Day!!! If you have a blog, then please mention this one-day event, and if not, then please send a brief e-mail to friends and relatives on your e-mail list, today, to let folks know about “Patriots: A Novel Survival in the Coming Collapse”. The new edition features both an index and a glossary. This is the day to place an order. Please consider buying any copies for birthday and Christmas gifts early. This new edition of “Patriots”. is priced at just $10.17. UPDATE: When I last checked, it was ranked #7 on Amazon! Many, many thanks!

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Today we present another entry for Round 22 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: Two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 22 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.