Letter Re: A Prescribed Burn in North Carolina to Find a Fugitive’s Weapons and Ammo

Howdy James,
I thought that this article was interesting in the fact that the US Forest Service is calling for a prescribed burn [in order] to locate weapons, ammo, and explosives (sounds like reloading powder) that a fugitive may have stashed around his camp site.

This got me to thinking, how safe are your caches? You will want to make sure any caches you have are buried well if they come looking for your cache and burn the area. Also consider that those landmarks/trees that were there may be gone after a burn, so locating it again may be difficult if you are basing it on ‘sight’ only! Be sure to have other methods to recover your cache. Later, – Mark in North Carolina

Two Letters Re: Comparing the Big Three Battle Rifle Chamberings in the United States

Jim:

The recent article [by Kyrottimus] that stated that at 50 yards a typical 45 ACP and 9mm [Parabellum] will have the same energy is wrong.

.45 ACP 230 gr ~390 ft/lbs (528 joules) @ 875 fps (JHP)
9x19mm Luger/Parabellum 115 gr ~385 ft/lbs (521 joules) @ 1,225 fps (JHP)

His additional assumption, that bullets will slow equally in an air mass, is also wrong.

I noticed that he listed the fps for a 9mm cartridge at 1,225 fps. This is the energy for a 9mm +p+ range cartridge, while comparing it to the 45 ACP ball cartridge, not a +p rated bullet. How convenient for the crowd that believes 9mm and 45 to be “equivalent”. The Winchester Ranger +p 230 gr ball is rated at 985 fps out of my barrel and it’s ballistic coefficient makes it retain more energy at 50 yards than the lightweight 9mm 115 gr cartridge. So while not trying to get into the age-old 9mm versus 45 ACP fight, he’s perhaps unintentionally dishonest in his comparison. I would hazard a guess that the data itself was simple cut and pasted, and the writer is unused to vetting his writing.

I also found a big error, where the writer says: “Note that grains in bullet mass differ from from the “grains” of smokeless powder (nitro-cellulose) propellant, which is not used in this article.” He couldn’t be more wrong. I thought there was something up when he equated grain weight to carats and then to grams – I don’t think this is a reloader or someone more conversant with ammunition – no reloader I know could ever make this mistake. [JWR Adds: I think that what he meant write was that a physical grain of powder does not necessarily weigh one grain. But you are correct that powder is weighed in the same “grains” scale as bullets.]

When he talks of the destabilization of a typical rifle round, he also describes what actually happens erroneously, when referring to the centrifugal force of the cartridge “failing”, and “the laws of inertia, resistance, velocity and mass” being the deciding factors after the “spin fails”. He uses big words, but I’m positive he doesn’t know what the interactions of those forces are. Using words like ‘critically destabilizes’ sounds like he was quoting something again, and not instructing the reader. You know, as do I, that [Col. Martin] Fackler [the lead author of the NATO Emergency War Surgery manual and numerous ballistics studies] explained all of this stuff very simply and very succinctly – and rotational forces are a primary reason for jacket and bullet fragmentation, they do not “usually fail” as he writes. – Jim H. in Colorado

 

Jim:
“Point blank” is not just vaguely “… a few yards from the muzzle” as Kyrottimus stated.

Here is the official definition:
In external ballistics, point-blank range is the distance between a firearm and a target of a given size such that the bullet in flight is expected to strike the target without adjusting the elevation of the firearm (see also gun). The point-blank range will vary with the firearm and its particular ballistic characteristics, as well as the target chosen. A firearm with a flatter trajectory will permit a nearer minimum and further maximum point blank range for a given target size, while a larger target will allow for a longer point blank range for a given firearm.

We need to teach the correct usage of terms, not colloquialisms. – Beach

Odds ‘n Sods:

Eric sent us this: Amish homeowners: Religion trumps building codes

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Michael H. flagged this: Fed Refuses to Disclose Recipients of $2 Trillion

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I’m overwhelmed! More than 300 SurvivalBlog readers have bought Foodsaver vacuum packers at the special December sale price.This a is a great way to save money and to support SurvivalBlog! (We get a small commission on each sale, if you follow our link.) You can buy a FoodSaver v2830 for $59.99 (originally $169.99) with free Standard Shipping for orders over $100, directly from FoodSaver.com.Use code L8FAV28 at checkout. This offer is valid during the month of December, or while supplies last. By buying foods in bulk and re-packaging them in more handy (single meal size) vacuum bags, you can save a lot of money on your grocery bill. And of course vacuum-packed foods have greatly extended shelf lives. Buy a FoodSavers, and you’ll be glad that you did!

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Not surprisingly, the bad economic news keeps coming: I spotted this article linked at Drudge: Third of Hedge Funds Face ‘Wipe Out’ After Slump, Godden Says. Terry in Cornwall, England sent this: Supermarkets’ emergency plans to keep shelves full. Bill N. endorsed a tongue in cheek look by Fred Thompson concerning the MOAB. Michael M. heard an NPR Marketplace news story and sent us the link: Quantitative Easing = “Let’s just print the money”. Reader “Bigbird” flagged this: Gross Domestic Product: 40 Percent of the United States GDP comes from 5 States; California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois. And Eric sent all these: Ponzi Nation — Just a sign of troubled times, or has the Fed lost it? — Treasury bonds have reached bubble stage — Deflation has become inevitable — Household Net Worth in U.S. Declines Most on Record — SF feels pain of real estate meltdown. And to round out the day’s links, here is the latest batch from The Economatrix: Radical Fed Reserve Rate Cut to .05% — Dollar Staggers as US Unleashes Cash Flood — UK Royal Mail Pension in $14 Billion Hole — Ireland Joins Wave of Bailouts — Ecuador Default: Fears Others Will Follow — Alternative Currencies Grow in US — Bankers Privately Talk of the End of Days (A key quote: “I have spoken to a couple of pretty senior bankers in the past couple of weeks and their story is rather different. They don’t refer to the looming problems as being like 1992 or even 1929. They talk about a total financial meltdown. They talk about the End of Days.”) — Goldman Sachs Faces $2 Billion Loss, its First Since 1929 — “Already Bankrupt” GM Won’t be Rescued By Loan — Collapse of Pension Funds: End of Retirement? — Homes Lose $2 Trillion in Value in 2008 — Grave Worries About Automaker Failure — Gold Rises to $823, Dollar Sinks

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Let them fail; let everybody fail! I made my fortune when I had nothing to start with, by myself and my own ideas. Let other people do the same thing. If I lose everything in the collapse of our financial structure, I will start in at the beginning and build it up again." – Henry Ford. February 11, 1934

Notes from JWR:

The SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction ends at midnight (eastern time) tonight!

The high bid is now at $1,085. The auction is for a large mixed lot that includes:

A.) 15 brand new 30 round M16/M4/AR-15 magazines from JWR‘s personal collection. These include four scarce and desirable brand new HK steel “Maritime Finish” magazines, and 11 new USGI alloy magazines made by Center Industries. (Note that most of these were made during the 1994-2004 Federal ban, so most of them have restriction markings, but those became null and void after the ban sunsetted.) Even if you don’t own an AR-15, these magazines are great to keep on hand for barter. (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.) In today’s frenzied market, these magazines have a retail value of at least $460..

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

C.) An assortment of loose leaf teas, a box of Bellagio hot chocolate (25 individual packs), and your choice of $50 worth of ground or whole bean roasted coffee. (A combined retail value of more than $150), all courtesy of CMeBrew.com.

D.) A case of 24 cans of canned storage butter, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $110 retail value).

E.) A carton of 10 rolls of Hydrion fuel test strips, (with a retail value of $85), donated by UR-2B-Prepared.com.

F.) “Alone in the Wilderness” book and 2 DVD Value Set on the life of Richard Proenneke (a retail value of $51.95) courtesy of Camping Survival.com

G.) An EVAC Easy Roll Stretcher kit, (a retail value of $49.95), donated by FrostCPR.com.

This auction ends on December 15th. Please e-mail us your bid for the entire mixed lot.

 

Today we present another entry for Round 20 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article will be awarded 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 20 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Comparing the Big Three Battle Rifle Chamberings in the United States, by Kyrottimus

Since there are probably many folks new to firearms in the recent months, it may help to convey a sense of awe and respect for the power which they possess. I intend to use practical examples to give the average person a relative understanding of firearm ballistics; dealing primarily in the overall energy they are capable of unleashing at varying ranges.

I will focus on the three most common military-spec cartridge calibers found in semi-automatic battle rifles in the U.S.: 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Win), 7.62x39mm Soviet/Russian and 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Rem). I will also address some comparisons with handgun ammunition and even the .30 Carbine round.

Note: This article make fair use quotes and cites data from a variety of references. See the References list at the end of the article for links. The author thanks the writers of these fine references for their many hours of research.

It is my hope that people who read this will not only further their knowledge about firearms, but find that it may aid them in their quest for wisdom when it comes to knowing the limitations of their weapons.

The statistics used herein are averaged and aggregated from various sources, primarily focusing on military-spec ammunition (what most civilians wind up buying as “military surplus” ammunition from various nations). Since most NATO nations comply with similar cartridge standards, comparing their attributes is easy.

When it comes to the 7.62x39mm Soviet cartridge, I averaged Tula, Vympel and Barnaul munitions factories from Russia, since Russia is the home where the 7.62x39mm cartridge was born and standardized. While most of us know these brands by their commercial names: Wolf Military Classic, Golden Tiger and Brown Bear, the ammunition itself is made to Russian military specifications.

.30 Caliber Carbine (aka US .30 Carbine) is added to the analysis of modern military cartridges to give those people who use it a realistic idea of its limitations. Not to detract from the merits of a compact, lightweight, easy-to-carry carbine or its light ammunition, but to compare it apples-to-apples when it comes to net power.

All rifle cartridges used in these statistics were Full-Metal Jacket (FMJ–meaning the entire lead bullet is encased in a cupronickel metal covering). The .30 Carbine ammunition statistics can be applied to either FMJ or JSP because both projectile types are the same mass, with the same velocity and with almost identical sectional density.

As we all know, mass x velocity = energy. But it’s not so simple. Let’s visit some popular mathematic formulas:

F = ma
Force equals mass times acceleration.

P = Fv
Power equals force times the constant velocity.

KE = 1/2m v2
Kinetic energy equals one half of mass times velocity squared.

So a bullet’s speed (velocity) means nothing to us unless we know its mass. Coupled together we get:

Caliber, Bullet Weight, Muzzle Energy and Muzzle Velocity

7.62x51mm NATO 147 grain (gr)~2,550 ft/lbs (3,457 joules) @ 2,700 fps (FMJ)
7.62x39mm Soviet 123 gr ~1,525 ft/lbs (2,067 joules) @ 2,360 fps (FMJ)
5.56x45mm NATO 62 gr ~1,250 ft/lbs (1,694 joules) @ 3,050 fps (FMJ)
.30 Caliber Carbine 110gr ~965 ft/lbs (1,308 joules) @ 1,995 fps (FMJ and JSP)
.45 ACP 230 gr ~390 ft/lbs (528 joules) @ 875 fps (JHP)
9x19mm Luger/Parabellum 115 gr ~385 ft/lbs (521 joules) @ 1,225 fps (JHP)

The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) and 9x19mm pistol cartridges were added as a comparison for those familiar with handguns and their energy at point-blank range. At 50 yards, both standard .45 ACP and 9x19mm defense loads are roughly equal in net energy (~350 ft/lbs or 475 joules each).

When measuring both energy and velocity at the “muzzle” of a firearm, it is basically “point-blank range” which when describing firearms [versus artillery] means within a few yards of the muzzle.

Now these figures are measured within a few feet of the muzzle (hence the term “muzzle energy” or “muzzle velocity”), which is the most powerful the projectiles will be throughout their ballistic path. Because of wind resistance, they will decelerate (and thus lose energy) at varying distances. This is why we get the term “effective range,” as beyond a certain point the energy is too low to be expected to be nominally effective. Also, keep in mind some projectiles will drop rapidly as their ballistic arc terminates (and is pulled down by gravity). The energy and velocity at ranges listed below are assuming the shooter is holding the sights high enough to get the projectile there before it hits the ground…at a certain point this practice becomes futile and borders on indirect fire, going back to the concept of “effective range.”

Remember; so long as the air resistance remains constant, so too will the rate of deceleration of the projectile.

Also, bear in mind that while some bullets travel slower than others, if they are heavier they can have a net force which is more than the other (e.g. 7.62×39 has a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2,360 fps and the 5.56 NATO has a MV of 3,050. While the 5.56 NATO is roughly 700 fps faster at the muzzle than the 7.62×39 projectile, the 7.62×39 is almost exactly twice the mass of the 5.56 NATO).

The statistics shown here of muzzle velocity and energy are all given through 20″ rifle barrels (though not certain on the .30 Carbine figures, though since there is primarily only one common firearm which fires the cartridge, the M1 Carbine which has an 18″ barrel, it is assumed all statistics for that cartridge are applied for a 18″ barrel). The shorter a rifle barrel is, the less time the expanding gasses from the compressed burning powder have to accelerate the projectile before it exits the barrel (which ends acceleration and begins deceleration due to air resistance). A 20″ barreled AR-15 will generate faster projectile velocity and higher net bullet energy (using identical ammunition) than a 16″ barreled AR-15 Carbine [such as an M4gery or a typical civilian CAR-15].

To compare accordingly, an AK rifle and a civilian AR-15 carbine both have 16.25″ barrels and thus would have roughly the same ratio of velocity and energy (though at lower values). If one wanted to compare 20″ to 20″ inch, maybe a standard length AR-15 and a Russian SKS (or even Romanian RPK) would be a fair comparison (either may be slightly over 20″ but would be a closer comparison than a full-length AR-15 to a 16″ bbl AK).

Probably the fairest means of comparison using statistics below is to assume the cartridges were fired from the following 20″ barreled rifles:

7.62x51mm NATO : FN-FAL (most have 21″ barrels but many can be found with ~20″ barrels)
7.62x39mm Soviet : SKS (most have ~20″ barrels)
5.56x45mm NATO : AR-15 (standard size has ~20″ barrel)

The measure of mass used for firearm projectiles (bullets) is grains. A grain is a unit of lead mass measurement, roughly equal to 1/3 of a carat or 65mg. 16 grains is roughly equal to 1 gram. Note that grains in bullet mass differ from from ” grains” of smokeless powder (nitro-cellulose) propellant, which is not used in this article.

A hard baseball is about 5-1/8 ounces or 149 grams. This equates to 2,300 grains in mass.

The energy being used is in foot-pounds of force and in joules. The best way to describe a single foot-pound of force, “is the amount of energy expended when a force of one pound acts through a distance of 1 foot along the direction of the force.” While not scientifically “correct,” the terms “force” and “energy” are used interchangeably in this article.

Also, keep in mind that if a bullet does not release all of its energy into a single target, it will go through it while retaining the remainder of its force while coming out the other side. This is why most modern handgun projectiles are Jacketed-Hollow Points (JHPs), so they mushroom in deformation to a larger diameter (usually ~0.72″ regardless of what caliber it started out as), thus increasing surface area and resistance in the target medium and will then release more energy over shorter distance (basically to prevent over-penetration at close range). Over penetration of a target means that not all of the kinetic energy in the projectile winds up being released in that target. From the target’s perspective, that means less overall damage.

Rifle cartridges are also designed to deposit as much energy as possible in a target in a relatively short distance. The 5.56mm NATO projectile, if within 200 yards, will often critically destabilize while acutely decelerating in a soft target medium and fragment into many pieces; releasing its energy all at once in a very small distance. The 7.62x39mm Soviet will usually tumble a few times (yaw/pitch) in a soft target medium and in doing so release a spike of its remaining energy in each tumble (and if it stops in the medium, will wind up facing backwards). The 7.62mm NATO projectile will usually tumble once and if it does not exit the other side of the target medium (which it usually does at closer ranges), it will expend all of its energy into the target and end up facing backwards–this is due to the projectile’s point of balance being closer to the rear, as the back half of most rifle projectiles are heavier than the front. Once any of the Big Three cartridge projectiles begin rapid deceleration in a target medium, their centrifugal spin-stabilization (caused by the rifling in the rifle barrel–similar to a nicely thrown “spiral” pass of an American football) usually fails and the laws of physics continue with inertia, resistance, velocity and mass in the target medium.

Now, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of mass, velocity and energy:

A 90 mph (132 feet per second, or fps) fastball (major league baseball is 149 grams, 1/3 of a pound or 2,300 grains) exerts approximately 60 ft/lbs of force as the pitcher releases it:

Baseball (Fastball) 2,300 grains ~60 ft/lbs (81 joules) @ 132 fps (90mph)

This may not be really easy to envision in any practical sense of energy when thinking of foot-pounds of force, so joules are also included.

1 joule of energy is equal to the force required for an average adult human to pick up an apple from the ground to their waist (~1m). Conversely, 1 joule is the amount of force released when that same human drops that same apple from that height. Since an apple weighs about the same as a baseball, a person must exert 81 times the force needed to pick up an apple to pitch a 90mph fastball.

Now that a few rough practical examples of applied force have been given, let us now examine the Big Three military-surplus cartridge calibers’ energy at varying distances (.30 Caliber Carbine and two pistol calibers are thrown in as a comparison to more modern military cartridges):

Caliber, Bullet Weight, Muzzle Energy and Muzzle Velocity

7.62x51mm NATO 147 gr ~2,550 ft/lbs (3,457 joules) @ 2,700 fps (FMJ)
7.62x39mm Soviet 123 gr ~1,525 ft/lbs (2,067 joules) @ 2,360 fps (FMJ)
5.56x45mm NATO 62 gr ~1,250 ft/lbs (1,694 joules) @ 3,050 fps (FMJ)
.30 Caliber Carbine 110 gr ~965 ft/lbs (1,308 joules) @ 1,995 fps (FMJ and JSP)
.45 ACP 230 gr ~390 ft/lbs (528 joules) @ 875 fps (JHP)
9x19mm Luger/Parabellum 115 gr ~385 ft/lbs (521 joules) @ 1,225 fps (JHP)

Energy at 100 yards

7.62x51mm NATO ~2,100 ft/lbs (2,847 joules) @ 2,550 fps
7.62x39mm Soviet ~1,200 ft/lbs (1,626 joules) @ 2,104 fps
5.56x45mm NATO ~970 ft/lbs (1,315 joules) @ 2,650 fps
.30 Caliber Carbine ~600 ft/lbs (813 joules) @ 1,570 fps

Energy at 200 yards

7.62x51mm NATO ~1,750 ft/lbs (2,374 joules) @ 2,331 fps (now moving faster than 62 gr 5.56NATO)
7.62x39mm Soviet ~915 ft/lbs (1,240 joules) @ 1,825 fps
5.56x45mm NATO ~735 ft/lbs (995 joules) @ 2,310 fps
.30 Caliber Carbine ~375 ft/lbs (508 joules) @ 1,240 fps (equal in force to 230 gr .45ACP @ ~10 yards)

Energy at 300 yards

7.62x51mm NATO ~1,450 ft/lbs (1,965 joules) @ 2,125 fps
7.62x39mm Soviet ~690 ft/lbs (935 joules) @ 1,585 fps
5.56x45mm NATO ~550 ft/lbs (745 joules) @ 2,000 fps
.30 Caliber Carbine ~265 ft/lbs (359 joules) @ 1,040 fps

Energy at 400 yards

7.62x51mm NATO ~1,200 ft/lbs (1,625 joules) @ 1,931 fps (equal in force to 5.56NATO @ ~15 yards)
7.62x39mm Soviet ~515 ft/lbs (700 joules) @ 1,370 fps
5.56x45mm NATO ~405 ft/lbs (550 joules) @ 1,718 fps
.30 Caliber Carbine ~210 ft/lbs (284 joules) @ 930 fps

Energy at 500 yards

7.62x51mm NATO ~1,000 ft/lbs (1,355 joules) @ 1,750 fps
7.62x39mm Soviet ~395 ft/lbs (535 joules) @ 1,200 fps (equal in force to 230gr .45ACP @ ~2 yards)
5.56x45mm NATO ~290 ft/lbs (393 joules) @ 1,460 fps
.30 Caliber Carbine ~175 ft/lbs (237 joules) @ 850 fps

Energy at 600 yards

7.62x51mm NATO ~810 ft/lbs (1,100 joules) @ 1,560 fps (equal in force to 5.56NATO @ ~150 yards)
7.62x39mm Soviet ~280 ft/lbs (379 joules) @ 1,030 fps
5.56x45mm NATO ~172 ft/lbs (233 joules) @ 1,122 fps
.30 Caliber Carbine ~135 ft/lbs (183 joules) @ 760 fps

It is plainly obvious why so many recommend a 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Win) chambered rifle as a primary defense rifle. It clearly overpowers all other modern, common military battle rifle calibers at all ranges and maintains a further effective range. The few negative aspects are the relatively higher recoil, louder report and heavier cartridge weight.

Keeping in mind the power of the aforementioned rifle calibers, and that the more powerful cartridges weigh more, and thus the shooter would be able to carry less ammunition when comparing a like weight (e.g. 25lbs) of ammunition. An average adult human male can only comfortably carry about a 65 lb load on their shoulders. An average adult human female can only comfortably carry about a 40 lb load on their shoulders. Keep that in mind when selecting a primary defense rifle.

Penetration is another important thing to consider. So is effective range and accuracy. Determine which pros outweigh the cons and pick your rifle(s) accordingly. By comparing the Big Three military calibers most commonly found in semi-automatic “battle” rifles in the U.S., I hope you have expanded your understanding a little bit on the amount of power they each bring to bear. If possible, I recommend getting at least one rifle in 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Win) and another in either 7.62x39mm Soviet or 5.56x45mm NATO (or both if you can afford it). Heck, two of each is good too.

When it comes to the .30 Carbine cartridge and the M1 Carbine which fires it, many will pooh-pooh its lack of “stopping” power. Many of these same individuals will champion the .45 ACP as a great handgun cartridge. I know one is a pistol and one is a carbine, but the M1 Carbine more or less bridges the gap between a handgun and a battle rifle. At 200 yards, the M1 Carbine hits with the same power as the .45ACP does at nearly point-blank range. While the .30 Carbine cartridge in military configuration is FMJ (to abide to the Hague Convention of War [that restricts military use of expanding bullets], which at closer ranges can over penetrate a target and thus not release all of its kinetic energy, there are many commercially available sources which are loaded with JSP (Jacketed Soft Point) projectiles. These deforming bullets are essentially the same as most hunting bullets, though would be better as a personal defense weapon than a hunting one. Within the effective range, they will deform and ensure that most or all of the energy of the bullet is released in the target.

For defensive purposes, an M1 Carbine is still viable as a PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) in your battery–especially for small-statured women and adolescent children. A Ruger 10/22 (or Marlin 60/795) with Tech-Sights installed has a very similar length of pull, sight picture, and balance as an M1 Carbine. It can easily be used to train a person unfamiliar with firearms using the inexpensive .22LR cartridge until they prove proficient enough to graduate to a centerfire weapon–the M1 Carbine is the perfect transition weapon from the 10/22. It is more powerful and easier to control and has a greater effective range than most modern semi-auto handguns. While both the .30 Carbine cartridge and the M1 Carbine firearm are both fairly outdated, and there are better choices for a defensive rifle and cartridge, they are still better and more versatile than any semi-auto handgun, in my opinion. If you wind up seeing a WWII or Korean War era M1 Carbine from the CMP, at a gun show, pawn shop or from a personal seller and it is a reasonable price, I suggest looking into getting one. Also, a few modern reproductions are floating around out there by IAI (Israeli Aerospace Industries) and Auto-Ordnance (Both are good quality and American made). [JWR Adds: The Plainfield and Iver Johnson clones were also quite well made. The M1 Carbine reproductions to avoid were those made by Universal Industries. Few of their parts interchange with original GI M1 Carbine parts, and their trigger groups could best be descibed as “pot metal”. They were in fact more “look-alikes” than they were M1 Carbine clones.]

But when building your survival battery, make certain you can afford the necessary accoutrements for each rifle; such as magazines, spare parts, web gear/LBE, ammunition, lubricant/rust preventative, cleaning accessories, and most of all–training. Get familiar with safety first and foremost, and move your way into nomenclature and eventually to close, intermediate and long range shooting with each caliber in various shooting positions to broaden your horizons further. I also suggest that you pick up some grocery-store throw-away produce and line them up at varying ranges to see what kind of hydrostatic shock your rifle can produce at 400+ yards. Melons, pumpkins and coconuts are fun to shoot. They also put all the numbers above in perspective to what 1,000+ joules of force can do to soft tissue.

Let is all hope and pray that no one reading this will ever need to use any firearm in their battery against another human being. But if one day we find ourselves forced to defend our lives, family and property, then let us be prepared to stand and fight!

References:
Chuck Hawks’ Ballistics Page (Rifle Shooter magazine)
.308 Winchester Ballistics (Rifle Shooter magazine)
 7.62×39 Ballistics (Rifle Shooter magazine)
.223 Ballistics (Rifle Shooter magazine)
.30 US Carbine Ballistics (Rifle Shooter magazine)
Wikipedia Page: Joule
Answers.com: Foot/Pounds
Baseball Pitching Facts and Fallacies
Rifle Shooter Magazine’s Ballistics Page
TKD Tutor: The Concept of Force
The cited energy and mass conversions done using Microsoft “Convert” utility program

Letter Re: Speeding Coyote Hunters Arrested in Illinois

Mr. Rawles,
I came across this today, and thought you’d be interested: Police: WIU students arrested with cache of weapons.

The key points are:
1.) They were stopped for speeding and their truck searched
2.) Both men had gun permits
3.) They were arrested for possession of firearms and ones’ home searched
4.) Both are now facing legal battles – [even though] no laws [other than the speed limit] have apparently been broken

Blessings & Good Health, – Christine

JWR Replies: A few of my observations:

Did you notice the box for the FN FS2000? It looks like they had a big gun-buying budget.

If they were indeed just out hunting, then why were they wearing body armor? That seems a bit odd, but they were certainly in their rights to do so.

I have my doubts about the article’s mention of a “silencer.” Odds are that either a. ) It wasn’t really a suppressor–just a misidentified muzzle brake, or flash hider, or b.) It was an NFA-registered suppressor. The bottom line is that they may not have been doing anything illegal, other than exceeding the posted speed limit. (Although I have no idea if it legal to carry a loaded firearm in a private automobile in Illinois like in The Unnamed Western State (TUWS), where I live. Knowing Illinois, I suspect that they’ve restricted that right.)

It is curious that the illinois journalist mischaracterized the four guns (one rifle and one pistol per man) as a “weapons cache”. That is a pretty modest quantity for a “cache”. In Texas, in fact, that would be considered traveling “lightly armed.”

And on the lighter side, here is a bit of conjecture, from your friendly Editor: Can you imagine if this had happened in Wyoming instead of Illinois? The exchange probably would have gone something like this:

Deputy: “Do you know why I pulled you over?

Student: “I think it was because I was going 70 in a 55 zone.The 70 zones are so much more common, so that’s what feels like a normal speed to me.”

Deputy: “You boys need to slow down, especially after dark. Consider this a warning.

Student: “My apologies, officer. I’ll do my best to keep a closer eye on the speedometer.”

Deputy: “Whatcha boys doing out here with those NVGs?

Student: “Huntin’ coyotes.”

Deputy: “Had any luck? I hear the price of pelts is was up this year. Oh, you should watch for bobcats, too. I hear those pelts are fetching $800 apiece for nice ones. Now don’t forget to slow down. Good luck with your hunt, boys.”

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Del R. sent word that because of new EPA regulations, this may be your last month to buy large-mouth steel Jerry-type fuel cans.

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Rob at MURS Radio (who also does business as Affordable Shortwaves) mentioned this in an e-mail: “For a limited time I am offering a free earbud microphone with the purchase of a Dakota Alert MURS handheld transceiver. The Dakota Alert Motion Alert Transmitters (MATs) are still at the special low price of $89 each (plus shipping).Also, if you plan on purchasing four or more items (you can mix and match), just mention that you are a SurvivalBlog reader and I can offer you an additional discount on your order. I have plenty of inventory in stock and can get your items shipped ASAP for Christmas delivery if ordered this week.” JWR Adds: We use Dakota Alerts in conjunction with matching frequency Kenwood MURS band hand-helds here at the Rawles Ranch on a daily basis. We have been very satisfied with their quality and reliability. In our experience, this combination makes the ideal “low key, low cost” retreat security solution for detecting intruders on likely avenues of approach.

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Just as I predicted, the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) continues to grow, and knows no limits. The latest word: Obama stimulus could reach $1 trillion.

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Barry in Upstate New York fund this site: I thought that your readers would enjoy CD3WD. It is a Third World Development private-sector initiative, mastered by software developer Alex Weir. Barry’s comments: “I’ve never seen so many survival downloads in one place. Farming, livestock, harvesting, renewable energy, health, and woodworking just to name a few categories.” There’s 13 gigabytes of free information available there. Check it out.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We goldbugs will get our wish: the explosive price rise we have all drooled about for nearly a quarter century. The bad news it will be in the context of social anarchy and collapse. I have somewhat sardonically mentioned that I have been investing in lead, as in ammo, the other precious metal. If people think the urban mob members in evidence at the Long Island Wal-Mart on Black Friday were unusual or even particularly decadent in their behavior, they need to get out more. The rot is everywhere now. There is no hiding from it anymore. Nowhere; Nohow. My illusions died a long time ago. I write to you in the light of cold, cruel reality. If you can’t take it, then go watch American Idol or whatever you do to shield your eyes from the ongoing chaos.” – Doug McIntosh

Notes from JWR:

The SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction ends at midnight tomorrow night. (Monday, December 15th.)

The high bid is now at $1,085. The auction is for a large mixed lot that includes:

A.) 15 brand new 30 round M16/M4/AR-15 magazines from JWR‘s personal collection. These include four scarce and desirable brand new HK steel “Maritime Finish” magazines, and 11 new USGI alloy magazines made by Center Industries. (Note that most of these were made during the 1994-2004 Federal ban, so most of them have restriction markings, but those became null and void after the ban sunsetted.) Even if you don’t own an AR-15, these magazines are great to keep on hand for barter. (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.) In today’s frenzied market, these magazines have a retail value of at least $460..

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

C.) An assortment of loose leaf teas, a box of Bellagio hot chocolate (25 individual packs), and your choice of $50 worth of ground or whole bean roasted coffee. (A combined retail value of more than $150), all courtesy of CMeBrew.com.

D.) A case of 24 cans of canned storage butter, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $110 retail value).

E.) A carton of 10 rolls of Hydrion fuel test strips, (with a retail value of $85), donated by UR-2B-Prepared.com.

F.) “Alone in the Wilderness” book and 2 DVD Value Set on the life of Richard Proenneke (a retail value of $51.95) courtesy of Camping Survival.com

G.) An EVAC Easy Roll Stretcher kit, (a retail value of $49.95), donated by FrostCPR.com.

This auction ends on December 15th. Please e-mail us your bid for the entire mixed lot.

 

Today we present another entry for Round 20 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article will be awarded 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 20 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Mobile Choices for Survival Retreats by T.D.

Our family lives full time in our camping trailer and have found out there would be many advantages to keeping one in any situation. I am not talking the big 5th wheel or the ones with a motor, just a plain travel trailer [with a traditional vehicle hitch].

Our trailer is 27 feet long and weighs in at 9,500 lbs empty and almost 11,000 lbs full. It is a bunkhouse model and can sleep up to 11 people. It has a 40 gallon fresh water tank, 40 gallon black water tank (waste) and a 40 gallon gray water tank (drain off water from tub and sinks). It has 12 volt battery backup which power lights and the water pump when power is unavailable. The stove and hot water heater run on propane, with the fridge working on both.

Storage can be short, but there is some – under the bottom bunk, the full size bed in the bedroom, under the seats in the kitchen, 2 closets (very small) and cabinets in the living area and bedroom.

Our heater will heat up enough hot water for an eight minute shower and the tub is the size of a 10 gallon bucket. When we are parked in an RV park with power included in the lot fees, we heat our trailer with electric heaters. This saves us money on propane. If we just cook and shower using the propane, then we will go through two 35 pound tanks in just under one year.

We have been buying or having a friend collect empty older propane tanks and then we have been trading them in at Wal-Mart for under $18.00 each. Small solar panels were purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for under $40.00 each, they will [slowly] recharge a 12 volt battery. We will be purchasing more panels as we go so that our entire trailer could be run off them.

We have inline water filters and portable ones, we have potable aqua tablets and shock. Our water tank can be filled by hose or in a pinch by bucket and funnel. After Gustav most of the water here was very bad (boil water order for all of our parish, even for bathing in some areas). When some of our neighbors had no hot water for their special needs family member they came to us and we hauled hot water for them (we were they only ones in an RV to come right back within 72 hours of the passage of Hurricane Gustav). We also have an external shower.

We do have a propane burner for outside, most people here use those for crawfish. We have one very cheap charcoal grill and a good supply of charcoal. We can make our own if need be.

After Hurricane Gustav we were without power for two weeks and used our interior 12 volt DC lights for night time only and for about 20 minutes at a time. Our battery gauge didn’t indicate any voltage drop.

When we do our shows and are in practice we can be ready to move out within 1 hour and we are still working to par that time down even further. What this means for us is that here we could drive out quickly with our home or even put it on a platform on numerous pontoons making our trailer into a riverboat. We live near a very rural area and large uninhabited waterways, where you can go out all day and not see of hear anyone at all.

Our retreat will have a home and a large barn that will house our RV, keeping prying eyes away from it and also giving us a place to go to if heating ever becomes an issue. When the SHTF we can camouflage the RV in another location for a further retreat position, still have shelter and a way to keep everyone fed.
Our trailer is a 1995 and we bought it for under 5,000. You can get them very cheap further north during the off season and move them fairly cheap now that gas has come down a lot. We went smaller because of the towing needs. No matter what you still need to haul it, even if it’s to your retreat.

Granted, it would be more difficult, but not impossible, to utilize in colder climates. Good windbreaks and insulation in the under compartments helps tremendously. Plastic on the windows with the exception of the vents also helps.

In some states that get a lot of hurricanes also are places a lot of people actually live in trailers year round. What sometimes happens when they are lived all the time is they get stripped out to the bare walls and customized. They are cheaper and easier to reinforce that way. A 40 foot trailer stripped out can run you about $1,500 to $2,000 dollars. Most people here take out the kitchen area which I wouldn’t do. They also remove the fresh water tank and if anything I would make the fresh water tank larger than 40 gallons, leaving in the electric pump. With full solar capability you can leave the power system intact and go from there.

In our closets we added small shelves that will hold two weeks of clothing for each of us, four all together. The fridge and freezer will hold 1 gallon of milk, a weeks worth of leftovers, four dozen eggs, one 2-quart juice pitcher (from Camping World, made for trailer size fridges), condiments and the freezer will hold more than one week’s worth of meat. The cabinets will hold three weeks of canned goods, spices and what we need for baking for six months. Under the little counter extension we have flour, sugar and rice (large storage containers from Wall-Mart), those last us about three months. We also have food stored under one bed and under both seats in the kitchen. By the garbage can we keep a one month supply of dog food for our 90 pound German Shepherd cross.

To keep our space requirements smaller, we went small flat screen television, a cheap and tiny DVD player and low profile PC tower. Movies are not kept in single cases, they are kept in DVD folders with zippers. Our children are limited to what toys they can have and it must all fit in toy hammocks or collapsible toy boxes at the end of their beds. Our guns are easy to stow in the trailer and are always within reach. On hand we also keep quite a bit of ammo and buy more weekly. We do maintain an inexpensive storage unit elsewhere, and we keep the bulk of our SHTF supplies there for under $80 a month.

There are a lot of extras you can buy for your RV, including wheeled containers to drain black and gray water into for disposal. Pots and pans made for smaller areas, heavier dishes that will last through everything including travel. RV size washers and dryers or the all in ones, which are no bigger than an RV stove. Shower organizers can be installed easily to increase your bathroom storage.

One of the biggest things to like about an older trailer is that no one even looks twice at it, people who don’t own one have no clue how self sufficient you can be in one. It’s not new enough or dressed up enough to get a second look from a trouble makers and family never wants to come stay, none of them can figure out why you would want to trade down and live in something so small. It also makes it easier if you have others that will join you when the SHTF and you are running out of places to put people.

Letter Re: The Recent Storm in New England–A Ready and Able Family

Hi Jim.
I have been a long time reader of your blog and have spent quite a bit of money with many of your terrific advertisers. I am writing to tell you about the serenity of my day in the midst of the hard hitting ice storm up here in New England. Thanks to the information you present in your blog and the preparation that I have taken over the last few years, all I had to do to prepare for this storm the day before was two things – fill the fire wood box and fill the bath tub for toilet flushing water.
I already had food stocked up. I had drinking water available. I had heat via a wood stove. I had a generator. I had plenty of fuel for the generator. (I was even able to loan a spare generator and fuel out to a friend.) I had fresh batteries for the flashlight and radios. I had a scanner to listen to all the emergency calls in the area. (You will realize how under-prepared your neighbors are by all the assistance calls.) I had plenty of alternative lighting (candles and LED lights). I had sufficient quantities of ice melt and sand on hand.

The great thing was that I wasn’t stressed out before, during or after the storm. My family mentioned over and over how terrific it was to be prepped. I was fortunate that they were on the “let’s get prepped” band wagon with me over the last few years. I got to enjoy the ice sculptures of the day and was able to help out someone else, too. The simple fact of all this is that by being prepared you get to relax a bit during a potentially stressful time. This wasn’t an end of the world scenario but nonetheless the preparation was almost the same. Being prepped for any emergency isn’t that hard to do and the resources you collect over time are useful in nearly any condition. It was actually a bit fun to see all this preparation fall nicely into place. Thanks for all you do! – Relaxed in New England

“Little House” Books–A Great Homeschooling and Preparedness Mindset Resource

Sir,
I just found a bunch of excellent books, some of which are found on the classics lists for obvious reasons. The Internet dealer Walnut Grove was the only place I could find online that had the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder “Little House on the Prairie” nine-book series in hard cover. They also have the box set in paperback for a reasonable price.

I also received an insert with one of my purchases from them for another book listed there titled “The Prairie Girls’ Guide to Life“ that includes “49 pioneer projects for the modern girl.” This should be a really good book for young girls to learn skills needed all to soon. Only $15 USD.

The Walnut Grove web site is not very good for going back and forth so here is the homepage. Click on “SHOPPING Cart” in order to enter their online store.

If anyone is interested in purchasing books or other items from them for Christmas, I can tell you that I placed an order only three days ago, and it arrived today in a Priority Mail box. Regards, – Dan S.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Nick at BulletProoofME.com will be running a SurvivalBlog-only special from Dec.15th through Dec. 22nd. The 30%-off special is for the mil-spec Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest. The similar sale that they ran last year for SurvivalBlog readers had an exceedingly large response. This special pricing is only available because of a military contract overrun. Note that they are running low on inventory this time around. (e.g., no size Medium on sale this time.) All items will be first come, first served.

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Reader T.H.Y. wrote to ask me: “Why do you bother putting flash hiders on your bolt actions? It’s a big expense for not much practical gain.” JWR begs to differ. This YouTube video clearly shows the difference on a .308–both with and without a flash hider.

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Economic news and commentary, from our ever-reliavle Economic Editor: Ecuador Goes Into Default — Iceland’s Meltdown — Retail Sales Drop For Fifth Straight Month — Chrysler Suppliers Demand Cash Over Bankruptcy Fears — GM May Lose 40% of US Dealers — Hyperinflation and Then the Second Great Depression — Bailout Talks Collapse, GM Consults on Bankruptcy — Asian Stocks, US Futures, Dollar Tumble as Auto Bailouts Fail

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And more news items, courtesy of Manky: White-Collar Unemployment Spreading, and Housing foreclosures draw protesters to Bank of America

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics." – Thomas Sowell