How Many Magazines is Enough?, by Cowboy

It’s nice to know how many guns you have to share amongst those mags, or better yet how many magazines do you have to share amongst multiple like model rifles or pistols for that matter. That’s how I count them to see if I feel like I have enough or not. Plus, I like to count in the possibility of adding another gun or two into that particular category at a later date since buying extra mags is always cheaper than adding a new gun. If nothing else, extra mags are a great investment for later sale or barter especially if the current snake oil salesman in charge signs a new assault weapons ban into law.

As an example, I got caught with just a couple of AK and AR mags when the Assault weapons Ban (AWB) took effect in 1994. This was before the “preparedness mindset” for me which came later in 1996 when I found JWR’s novel draft “The Gray Nineties” [–an early draft edition of “Patriots” ]. I was not nearly so gun market savvy as I am today. I was the typical gun owner/collector with one each of several guns without any thought to caliber consolidation or commonality of magazines for logistics purposes. In the same vein I may have had a couple 20 round boxes of 223 or 762×39 ammo laying around with really no thought of having anymore than what I needed to go to the range one time for about an hour’s worth of shooting. In hindsight it was absolutely shameful–like 99% of the sleeping gun owning public.

Then the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was signed into law and there was a run on certain guns, ammunition, and magazines–much like we are seeing now–that swept the country overnight. Back then, I was way behind the curve on that and I got caught off guard. At the time $6 for a nice but used USGI M16 magazine was common and a new mag might set you back $10. Overnight if you could even find some for sale you had to pay double or triple that. Same with Glock magazines as another example. They went from +/- $15 for a new one to $40-$45. [JWR Adds: In 1999, I saw gun show dealers asking and getting $75 each for 13 round Glock 21 magazines, and $150 each for 33 round Glock 17/18/19 magazines!] This market environment went on for the 10 year life span of the AWB until it “sunsetted” in 2004. Prices went down and availability went back to normal until just before the 2008 election. Since 2004 I have been eagerly buying all the magazines I needed, or thought I might ever need in a lifetime. I learned my lesson. In anticipation of the election I was counting on the ignorance and gullibility of the general populace so I made a last bulk purchase of magazines. Good thing too! Just this past summer (2008), I bought a little over $1,000 worth of various magazines, and in particular Glock 17 magazines from my favorite place. At that time they were $16.99 all day long. The election came and now they are $24.99 from the same place, and even so they are still the cheapest I can find among my many regular sources. More recently, SIG magazines for have gone up at most places for instance. Pre-election they usually went for right at $30. One of my regular places has gone up a little bit to $33, but I’ve seen that most other places have jacked them up to $40. It was and is the old “short supply and high demand” syndrome, due in part to all the panic buying that could have been avoided if done a little bit at a time like I’ve done over the past five years.

As bad as the prices got then, what’s going on now is far worse in terms of availability. Having lived and financially suffered through the ’94 AWB, I still can say I’ve never seen anything like this before. This is easily twice as bad as the ’94 AWB, and no legislation is even close to being signed into law yet. I lived and paid dearly through the ’94 AWB and I feel like I can speak on the topic of what’s happening in the gun market right now with some authority. In other words if you find a deal where they haven’t gouged the prices, then I recommend buying extra beyond your immediate needs. Knowing what you know about your arsenal of freedom, I’d say stop buying guns and concentrate on ammunition and a few more magazines as a priority. You can’t drive a Corvette if you can’t afford the gas, so to speak. The mistake they made in 1994 was not going after the ammunition and they realize that now. If the majority of gun owning America is still anything like I was back in 1994, any possible self defense in a civil unrest situation would be short lived without adequate ammunition supplies already in place. And who’s got time to reload the one or two magazines they got with the rifle in the middle of a fire fight? When it comes to magazines, more is better. I suspect this mood has improved among gun owners in general and that the lesson of the ’94 AWB still smells fresh to some. As evidenced by my coworkers who come to me for ‘gun advise”, I still believe the majority are gun rich, but magazine and ammunition poor so to speak.

Now that I’ve gone on entirely too long you should have noticed the theme: Buy more magazines where you need them and even if you don’t as long as the prices aren’t gouge level. Buy more ammunition for your major battle rifle caliber at every opportunity because it certainly isn’t getting any cheaper and availability is scarce. Look at Ammoman.com and AIMSurplus.com. They are just plain out of all the common caliber ammunition. That is very telling, but it also concerns me the most. In case you feel overwhelmed at the very expense of it all, I give the example of a co-worker who recently got on the same page via my Christmas gift of JWR’s novel “Patriots” .. On pay day this coworker without fail goes to the local Horse Tack & Gun Shop and buys two or three twenty round boxes of commercial .223. Whatever he can afford that pay day. Although he was quite behind the 8 Ball in the beginning, he has over 500 rounds now and he just picked up three extra M16 magazines. His little bit at a time strategy is working nicely, and I have seen his overall mood improve as his supply grows along with his confidence. He has also has been using the “copy can” method at the grocery store and his progression in that department has really improved his state as well.

As a general recommendation I advise the following with the caveat that you add the same minimum amount of used generic (cheaper) magazines for range use. I know it’s extra money but you can’t go wrong by then adding a second batch of new factory magazines as you can locate and afford them until you’ve doubled that original minimum. I can assure you they will make a nice investment later down the road. Keep those brand new magazines back in the “break glass in case of emergency” box. That will be your long term storage box that you don’t touch until TSHTF. Buy .50 caliber ammo cans for a safe place to store magazines, with a bag of desiccant thrown in for good measure. I’ve actually vacuum packed mine for long term rust free storage. Keep the used but reliable generic mags about for immediate availability and for range use. [Some snipped, for brevity.]

As a absolute minimum I recommend the following. Hopefully you are in or can get into a position to consolidate caliber and like model firearms if for nothing other than a logistics standpoint. Having to find, purchase, and store several different calibers, and multiple types of magazines can make an already expensive proposition downright discouraging.

(10) Ten brand new magazines per main battle rifle (This under most circumstances should equate to basic load + spares)
(7) Seven brand new magazines per pistol (This also under most circumstances should equate to basic load + spares)

and,

(1) Main Battle Rifle per adult or responsible teenager
(1) Main Sidearm per adult or responsible teenager

And of course, in my opinion one of the most often neglected items: professional training, and appropriate web gear to carry those magazines and your sidearm.

Three Letters Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter?

Hi –
I just read your comments regarding not holding jewelry for precious metals holdings. As one who makes his living (and has done so for decades) in jewelry, coins and guns, I fully agree with your comments. I have had many customers in over the years that had decided that jewelry was a good place to invest in precious metals, and after I went over it with them, they have all switched to good products.
There are some very good fake jewelry out there these days that will fool many, even with the use of a stone and acid. I learned the old fashioned way, using straight nitric acid rather that the acid mixes used today, which are much more fool-able and can tell much closer the karat and whether or not an items is solid, filled or totally phony. I also learned diamonds using just a loupe rather than with an electronic probe. And I agree with your comments about gemstones as well – they look great in the bottom of an aquarium but unless I know I can sell it to someone, I would never put my own money out for them.
You might go over (or you may have already in the archives) some of the other good silver and gold products to buy and hold, or I would be happy to write something up for you. I give this advice out daily in my shop, where I do guns and coins. Many of my customers are buying both, and food storage is increasingly a topic of discussion as well. I do a lot of digging and searching for ammo, so I am one of the very few places in town with ammo on the shelf and guns on the rack. – G. in Las Vegas

 

Dear Mr Rawles,
I just read the letter about using jewelry for barter on your web site and think your answer is right on. I am a jeweler in the Midwest and would like to add to your comments.
If someone wanted to sell jewelry now and buy items that would be easier to barter with during a post-dollar society here are some tips and insights.

1. Never send your jewelry away to a company advertising cash for gold on television. These people are crooks and you will get next to nothing for your gold.

2. The next worse place to take your jewelry for sale would be a pawn shop.

3. A jeweler or coin dealer is a better bet and will generally give you more money for what you have. Go to an independent jeweler, not a nationwide chain. Check with a couple of jewelers if you don’t have one you trust.

4. To get top dollar for your jewelry try selling it yourself. This has some drawbacks, it will take time and is a serious breech of OPSEC. Some jewelers may be willing to sell nicer pieces on consignment, this eliminates most of the OPSEC issues.

I can tell people how much they should get from a jeweler and why. Expect to get 50-65% of the actual market value of gold for your jewelry. Why so low you ask? There are a couple of reasons.
First the jeweler isn’t buying your gold, he’s buying your gold’s future. He doesn’t send the gold in to the refiner the day you sell it, he sends it in when he has several ounces to send at once. If the market falls between the time you get your money and when the gold is sent in the jeweler could loose money.
Refining gold isn’t free. First the package must be insured and shipped to the refiner. The refiner charges a fee to assay the gold, to determine its precious metal content. Then the refiner takes a cut off the top. The price varies from refiner to refiner but they generally get between 7-10%.
And finally the jeweler has to make a profit to keep his doors open.
A better bet for old, unused jewelry might be to have it melted down and made into something you will use.
Some things that will come in handy if you want to take in jewelry as payment in a post-collapse setting. Get an acid test kit and learn how to use it. These kits will give an approximate karat quality for 10-14-18k gold. Below is a list of how much gold is in each quality of gold.

10k = 41.66% gold (sometimes stamped 416)
14k = 58.5% gold (sometimes stamped 585)
18k = 75% gold (sometimes stamped 750)

It is illegal to put a quality mark on anything less than 10K gold in the USA. If you run across anything stamped 8K or 9K it probably came from Mexico and should be considered suspect. Always file the piece to be tested in an inconspicuous place, removing just a bit of metal, and put the acid on that spot. This will cut through any possible plating and give a test on the metal underneath. Get a scale, I’m sure most of you have a grain scale for measuring out powder charges, this works fine for weighing gold, just convert to ounces and remember that precious metals are weighed in Troy ounces not Avoirdupois ounces. [14 versus 16 ounces per pound.] A gram or pennyweight scale isn’t expensive and every house should have one. After weighing its just a matter of figuring out how much gold is really worth. Also get a good, strong magnet and check everything with it. There are lots of frauds out there, anything that sticks to a magnet is gold plated and should be considered junk.

A word of caution about gemstones, don’t give any money for gems unless you know exactly what you’re dealing with, and never trust an appraisal. Tell the seller that you aren’t interested in the stones and they can remove them from the setting if they want them. Don’t remove them yourself. Also don’t expect to get much for stones in jewelry you are selling unless they are exceptionally rare and valuable. Jewelers usually have many carats of diamonds on hand, they don’t need yours, and if they do buy them the stones will sit in inventory for months before being used.

Be careful dealing with jewelry after TEOTWAWKI. I know what I’m doing around jewelry and I’d much rather deal in coins or other forms of wealth. Its easier and faster and I could use the coins to trade with almost anyone. Remember, just because you are willing to trade for jewelry doesn’t mean that someone will [later] want to take it from you in trade. Take note of what my old boss used to say, “Gold is a wonderful thing, but you can’t eat it and it doesn’t keep you warm at night.
Keep your powder dry, – Kestrel

 

Hi Jim,
I have recently started a business buying and selling unused/unwanted jewelry, coins and PMs (precious metals). One thing that I have learned through the start-up process, is that in a TEOTWAWKI situation, being able to identify PM coins or jewelry’s value will be a skill that could really come in handy. Having scales, acid testing kits, and electronic testing equipment such as the ones I bought from igem.com, could really give you an edge when the balloon goes up. I bought the GLR-24 tester that can determining the karat content of a piece from 6-24 karat gold, and can also detect the presence of platinum and silver. My acid kit (which only runs about $20), can identify gold as well, but the process is bit more time-consuming, however the advantage is that I will not be entirely reliant on a battery-operated electronic device when/if it breaks later on down the road. Using an acid testing kit takes practice, and you would be wise to learn how to do it now, and not try to figure it out under more stressful times that are sure to come.

I also acquired a gem tester in the kit (that detects diamonds, moissants, and zirconium gems), although the value of these items would be suspect at best, as not many would trust their authenticity, and thus, they would be hard to utilize as a form of currency (but having the ability to test them can’t hurt either as an opportunity could present itself I suppose). In the kit I also received an electronic scale that weighs in ounces, grams, and grains and a lighted loop for reading the stampings.

Keep in mind that people can stamp whatever they want on metals or jewelry, but that does not make it authentic! Coins are even forged a lot (read: China) in today’s world. The only way to truly determine something’s worth is to have the means to test it!!! I would also recommend that all survivalbloggers have a print-out of weight and measure conversion charts, and that you become familiar with the process of calculating the worth of 10K, 14K, 18K and 24K gold. It is also important to know how to calculate the value of coinage and know their purity content for their respective years they were minted. Remember, fiat currency will probably become a thing of the past, and bartering skills as well as the ability to identify what the other guys stuff is worth will be key to fair trade. – Jeff in Michigan

JWR Replies: Thanks for that info. Here is some additional data from one of my early FAQs that folks should keep on hand both in electronic form, and in hard copy. Pack those pages with your touchstone, scale, Fisch calipers,and acid test kit:

Silver dollar bags ($1,000 face value) contain approximately 765 ounces of silver
Thus, if the “spot” price is $5.20/oz., a $1,000 bag would be worth $3,978, wholesale. (Or think of it as 3.97 times the face value of any single coin.) Small quantity purchases (less than $10 face value) get the buyer the worst rate (currently roughly 5.5 times face value.) Large purchases (multiple $1,000 bags) allow the best rate–roughly only 4 or 5% over the melt value

90% .50/.25/.10 bags ($1,000 face value) contain approximately 715 ounces of silver

40% half dollar bags ($1,000 face value) contain approximately 296 ounces of silver

Conversion Formulas:
Grams to pennyweights, multiply grams by .643
Pennyweights to grams, multiply pennyweights by 1.555
Grams to troy ounces, multiply grams by 0.32
Troy ounces to grams, multiply troy ounces by 31.103
Pennyweights to troy ounces, divide pennyweights by 20
Troy ounces to pennyweights, multiply troy ounces by 20
Grains to grams, multiply grains by .0648
Grams to grains, multiply grams by 15.432
Pennyweights to grains, multiply pennyweights by 24
Avoirdupois ounces to troy ounces, multiply avoirdupois ounces by .912
Troy ounces to avoirdupois ounces, multiply troy ounces by 1.097
Avoirdupois ounces to grams, multiply avoirdupois ounces by 28.35
Grams to Avoirdupois ounces, multiply grams by .035

Gold Purity Standards (by Karat):
24 K = 99.9% fine Pure Gold. Too weak for jewelry, but ideal for industrial use
23.5K = 97.92% fine
23 K = 95.83% fine
22.5K = 93.75% fine
22 K = 92.67% fine Some coin gold, though not that of the U.S., is 22K
21.6K = 90.00% fine The approximate purity of U.S. gold coins
21.5K = 89.58% fine
21 K = 87.50% fine
20.5K = 85.42% fine
20 K = 83.33% fine
19.5K = 81.25% fine
19 K = 79.17% fine
18.5K = 77.08% fine
18 K = 75.00% fine The highest grade of gold normally used in jewelry.
17.5K = 72.92% fine
17 K = 70.83% fine
16.5K = 68.75% fine
16 K = 66.67% fine 1/3 copper. This grade is commonly used in dental work.
15.5K = 64.58% fine
15 K = 62.50% fine
14.5K = 60.42% fine
14 K = 58.33% fine
13.5K = 56.25% fine
13 K = 54.17% fine
12.5K = 52.08% fine
12 K = 50.00% fine Half gold, half copper. Used extensively in low priced jewelry. (Will show brownish tinge in reaction to Nitric Acid.)
11.5K = 47.92% fine The percentage of copper now exceeds that of gold.
11 K = 45.83% fine
10.5K = 43.75% fine
10 K = 41.67% fine Used in some low-grade jewelry such as class rings. Shows a marked reaction to Nitric Acid.
9.5 K = 39.58% fine
9 K = 37.50% fine Not much more than one-third gold.

Silver Purity Standards:
.9999 fine “Pure Silver”
.9584 fine “Britannia Silver” Often used in manufacturing.
.9250 fine “Sterling Silver” Normally stamped “Sterling” or “.925”
.9000 fine “Coin Silver” Some antique items are marked “Dollar” or ” D” or “.900” or “Coin Silver” to indicate they were made from melted coins.
” German Silver” is +/- 97% base metal and only +/- 3% silver, and thus has no bullion value.

Exactly what silver or gold coins will bring you in barter will depend on the times. Immediately after a collapse, coins may not be worth much. As law and order is gradually restored, they will probably be worth more and more. The bottom line is the old legal maxim: “The value of a thing is what that thing will bring.”

Economics and Investing:

I was interviewed again briefly by the folks at the Fox Business News “Happy Hour” television show. The topic was, of all things, “buying off grid rural property.” Folks are waking up!

From H.P.D.: 8,000 Earmarks.

Kevin A. spotted this: Freddie Mac Lost $265 Million Per Day. “The main skill required to run Freddie Mac seems to be the ability to light three one thousand dollar bills on fire every second of every day. If these guys keep it up, they may even be able to get a job at AIG one day.”

The Other Chris sent this Rise in foreclosures ‘a shock’, February saw an unexpected jump in foreclosure filings as the weak economy puts more pressure on borrowers.

From GG: UBS suggests gold has potential US$2,500 per ounce upside

Luddite Jean in England sent this charming news: House prices ‘could drop another 55%’ and leave Britain bankrupt

Items from The Economatrix:

The International Financial Institutions are Overwhelmed

Fed Reports Record Fall in Household Net Worth

US Mint Gold Eagle Gold Proof and Uncirculated Coins Temporarily Suspended (Again)

Half of Americans Just Two Paychecks Away from Hardship

Jim Rogers: Let AIG Go Bankrupt, Not America

Crime, Corruption, Collapse On Wall Street

Dow Chemical to Sell Assets, Cut 3,500 Jobs

India Can’t Afford Junk Rating

G20 Deal at Risk as US-Europe Rift Grows

Dollar Defies Recipe For Currency Collapse

The 283 US Firms Most Likely to Fail

Debt And Taxes are Killing Landlords

LIBOR’s Creep Shows Credit Markets at Risk of Seizure

Odds ‘n Sods:

Rob C. sent us a bit of good news: Vehicular open-carry expanded in Utah.

   o o o

HPD forwarded this item from Police State Britannia: Revealed: police databank on thousands of protesters

   o o o

Appleseed shoots are ramping up! There are a huge number of “shoots” scheduled all around the nation, with many on our around Patriot’s Day weekend (the weekend of April 19th). For example, Southern Arizona will be hosting its first ever Appleseed Shoot and Rifle Clinic.on April 25th and 26th, in Sierra Vista. The cost is $70 (pre-registered) for a two day rifle clinic and free for all children under 21, women, and active duty military.

   o o o

Two recent news stories: Multiple deaths reported in Alabama shooting spree and After attacks, Europe hurries to tighten gun laws. Hmmm… why is it that when there is a “lone gunman on anti-depressants, run amok”, the shooter so often ends up conveniently dead? Cui bono? Any bets on whether or not these events will be used will be used as a pretext to renew the 1994-to-2004 Federal “Assault” weapons and magazine ban?

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"It is good to keep in mind that the screw that tightens the mechanism is also the one that loosens it." – From a Japanese air rifle manual, circa 1971

Note from JWR:

The new Ulysses Press edition of my novel “Patriots” .will be released in early April. Amazon will be selling it for just $10.14. I’d like to make a special request of SurvivalBlog readers: If you plan to buy any copies, please wait until our planned “Patriots Book Bomb” day – April 8th. By forestalling orders and having hundreds of them all placed on the same day, we hope to drive the novels’s Amazon.com sales rank into the Top Ten. Please mark your calendar for April 8th. Many thanks!

Selecting Retreat Properties–Pros and Cons of Buying Remote and Off Grid

I recently had a consulting client that hired me to do a search on his behalf for a rural retreat property in southwestern Oregon. In the early stages of the search, he asked about the pros and cons of buying undeveloped “off grid” properties that do not have utility power poles nearby. This summarizes my reply:

From the standpoint of setting up a rural, self-sufficient retreat, an off-grid parcel is actually advantageous, for two reasons:

1.) They are generally more remote and away from natural “lines of drift” and hence are far less likely to be in the path of the Golden Horde.

2.) Off-grid properties sell at up to a 30% discount versus comparable properties that have grid power. On a large acreage, this savings is often enough to pay for installing a photovoltaic power system

The downsides:

1.) Off-grid properties tend to be at higher elevation, since it is just the “way out in the hills” properties that don’t have power poles nearby. Most of the low river valleys have long hence had grid power. There are a few exception that I’ve encountered

2.) The property is unlikely to have line of sight to neighboring residences. That can raise the risk of burglary if your retreat house is left unoccupied for extended periods of time.

3.) There is remote (30+ minute drive to the nearest town), and then there is very remote–a one hour+ drive to the nearest town, part of which might be on either US Forest Service road or a road that you have to maintain yourself. This could isolate you from commerce and social interaction especially in an era of fuel scarcity.

Letter Re: Pack a Property Tax Receipt in Your G.O.O.D. Kit, to Get Through Checkpoints

Dear Mr. Rawles:
It might prove worthwhile to put a copy of your latest property tax bill receipt as (proof of ownership of your retreat property) in your “Get Out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) ready kit. For example the county in which your retreat property is located might form road blocks to keep out the Golden Horde. If you are late getting out of town how is someone manning a rural roadblock, such as a deputy, to know that you are a tax paying member of the community and not just part of the Golden Horde? For that matter how are they to know that your cousin really does have permission to retreat with you? You can bet when TSHTF that few will take your word for it. Would you?

Many counties provide the tax information on-line, so even if you don’t have last year’s you can get it. All of the tax rural tax receipts I have only list the tax-key not an address which is why I favor them as a means to proving ownership. if you have the address on yours you may want to white it out and then recopy it for OPSEC. Between the tax receipt and you driver’s license you should be able to distinguish yourself from a member of the Golden Horde.

Even if all the members of your retreat party have the same last name you will want to have separate “Retreat Permission Affidavits” especially if you are not all getting out of Dodge together. The basic idea is to have a notarized document which states that the author is the owner of the property (tax receipt attached), and that such and such person has permission from the owner of the property to reside at the property, you might want to include a description of the person who has permission (think: no computerized identification checks), and would the reader of the “Retreat Permission Affidavit” kindly assist the bearer in continuing on their way. At a minimum one set of permissions would be necessary for every vehicle in your convoy, whether or not the property owner is in your convoy.

There is nothing that says you have to have a legal-looking notarized document, but there would be no “rule of law” at TEOTWAWKI, so if you are going to have a prop, it should be the most convincing prop you can get. I know that some states allow excessive charges for notary services, in Wisconsin, for example, the limit per notorial act is fifty cents. At that rate there is no reason not to have a professional attest that the author of the Retreat Permission Affidavit is indeed the owner of the retreat. If the fee is an issue in your area, you might consider asking an attorney to notarize the documents when you are having one do other work for you such as drafting a will. If you are an existing, active client many attorneys will not charge for notary services.

JWR Replies: One step better is to have your G.O.O.D. vehicle registered (or dual-registered) in the county where you have your retreat. Especially in states that have county tag number prefixes or the county names imprinted on their license plates, it will make it very simple for folks manning checkpoints to sort the “sheep from the goats”, and send you safely on your way.

Six Letters Re: Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle

Jim –
Read the article [by OddShot] about the BOV and wanted to add a ranching note. Some of us ranchers have pickups with a trailer hitch mounted in the front as well as the back. This makes pulling trailers out of awkward situations easier without having to turn the truck around. Added to a substantial front bumper, it makes front ramming an interesting proposition, as that hitch – with a draw-bar but no ball – would do some serious damage. Kind of like the bronze prow on a Greek warship. Just an idea. – Geoff in ND

JWR Replies: While I’m not an advocate of playing “Road Warrior”–(I’m more of a “hunker down” in place kinda guy)–in my dealings with consulting clients I’ve witnessed quite a few “specialized” custom-fabricated bumper accessories. Most of these were variations of crash bars. (My old friend “Jeff Trasel”, for example, many years ago owned a camouflage-painted Volkswagen festooned with various Marine Corps bumper stickers and equipped with a very stout crash bar.) I’ve also seen all manner of nefarious devices designed to fit into standard 2-inch square receiver hitch channels. The biggest advantage of these is that they can be quick-detachable, allowing them to be kept out of sight in normal (pre-Schumeresque) times. One of these was a clever pair of “radiator killer” spikes. The 1-1/2″ diameter spikes on this were both nearly three feet long. and tapered for just their last eight inches. The bottom one projected directly out from the receiver, at just below “trailer ball” height. The other half of the forked pair was parallel to the first, but about 15 inches higher. If ramming another vehicle, at least one of these two spikes would likely puncture the radiators of 90% of the cars and trucks that anyone might encounter on the highways and byways. When installed in a rear hitch mount, the barbs are a primarily defensive weapon. But when installed in a pickup’s front receiver, they can act as a fearsome offensive anti-radiator weapon.

Hello Jim,
I would like to add one thing to the article by Oddshot. Fix-A-Flat type [aerosol tire sealant] products can freeze and not flow in cold weather, rendering it useless. I learned this the hard way during a recent cold snap here in Ohio. Although I disagree with his comments on diesels it was an informative article. Thanks, – Jeff in Ohio.

Mr. Rawles,
I rarely contribute an opinion here because my expertise pales in comparison to many who are listed in here. The gentleman who recommended the Ford F150 as a base unit for a survival vehicle is spot on. I would go one stop further and recommend a early to mid eighties F150 or F250 with a 300 straight six engine coupled with Fords famous “three speed with granny low” standard transmission. Used to sell trucks to horse and other farmers in the early nineties at a very large new Ford lot. The young guys (me included) bought the big diesels for their stock trailers and the old guys would buy the straight six. Guess who never needed to come into the shop. You got it, the old guys. That straight six will pull almost as good as the diesel including up and down hills with the only sacrifice being a little lower top speed. It is a very simple engine to work on (if you ever have to-very reliable). I still own and use my 1991 Ford diesel but in retrospect would have spent much less and gotten the 300 straight six if I had it to do over again.

From a construction stand point the Fords of that era were built and designed much better than it’s competition. The beds were bolted on instead of welded etc. Their only weakness is a tendency to rust out over the wheel wells.

I am a MOPAR guy who comes from a MOPAR family. But when you take emotion, and prejudice out of the equation, the light Ford pickup of the eighties was indeed the best of its contemporaries for durability and simplicity for your dollar. – GSJ

Sir James,
Tires rot. There is a five year expected useful safe design life. The valving on shock absorbers wear, and their chrome shafts also rust. Replace tires when truck is purchased and once every five years even if tread depth measures (US penny Lincoln’s head = 1/16″ tread depth remains).

I have been driving 1 ton pickups ever since I was 16 years old (in 1964). Over the [intervening 45] years, I have used bias tube type, tubeless, with and without tubes, and radials. While aluminum lug holes can wear and rims can break, their beads don’t rust air leaks as steel rims eventually do [in regions where road salt is used].

My ’72 3/4 ton , owned since new, “3 door” Suburban project now has 17″x7″ as backspacing on more common 16″s mismatched with OEM 16.5″ steel rims. They rusted leaks after 25+ years. The 17″ wheels allow for larger front disk brake upgrades. I use 265-70Rx17″ LR E = 235-85Rx16″ LR E tire diameter nominal 32″ tall, the latter being the most common skinny tire on 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks.

I advise replacing all moving/flexing rubber, such as belts, every three years and rubber hoses every five years. Yes, I have had family members get 20 plus years, but that takes pure Grace to miss anything in between inconvenient to catastrophic failure.

Replace the mindsets of “can you get by until the lease has run out” or “trade as soon as you’re no longer upside down”. These paid-for bug-out buggies are your best means of not carrying your kit on your back for a decade or more, if you can keep it fed.

My plan is to have a 110 mph-capable, 400 horsepower and 400 pound ft. + 5 speed with overdrive and a gear splitting overdrive (unit gearing) truck capable of towing and stopping five ton trailer loads, firewood, and the like

This truck shall never again be a painted lady or look as fast as it truly is. – Tom K.

Mr. Editor;
See the Expeditions West web site and the vehicles they are testing and past vehicles they recommend for the purpose of traversing cross country in all terrain. These folks could be consider ‘experts’ on the subject. Choosing a vehicle should be like choosing a firearm, where personal experience with the equipment and the users physical attributes can be major considerations in the choice. As apart of an intended hobby, I had hoped to build a vehicle for the purpose and get involved with the sport. As an example I’ll discuss my primary vehicle for the purpose. Because of my extensive experience and knowledge of the vehicle, not so much cost considerations, I chose a 1985 Toyota 4WD fuel injected pickup and spent a fair amount to thoroughly restore it. It is #4 on Expedition West’s most recommended list along with more modern vehicles. They state the major reasons for the choice. Fortunately there are other and more modern vehicles on their list, so there’s something there for everyone.

A quick and incomplete mention of the Pro’s and Con’s of some my vehicle’s attributes. The drive train is essentially a scaled down and lighter version of the Toyota FJ40, and like the FJ40, exceptionally tough. Chevy trucks have been known to bend frames on trails these Toyota’s climb like goats. Albeit a light truck, it can can handle a useful and relatively heavy payload for it’s size, passenger capacity and fuel economy. It offers one of the highest payload to fuel economy ratio found in any gasoline powered 4WD truck.

The 1985 [model year] is the only Toyota pickup with the durable straight front axle and more powerful and modern, yet simple fuel injected motor. A separate computer is not needed to help with diagnostics. Any reasonable mechanic or intelligent young person can handle the job. A small trailer can be towed and navigate tight Forest Service roads, and a larger trailer with electric brakes can safely handle fair amount weight. The truck’s towing capacity is a reasonable 3,500 pounds, exceptionally high for it’s class. In light of a possible EMP attack, it’s major weakness is the computer controlled fuel injection and ignition. The upside to a modern EFI motor is the availability of emission control devices which may need replacement and these parts can be had at lower cost than the latest models. Out here in boonies, we’re lucky that Emission Certification is not required. With some modification, this 1985 model can use the injection system from a 1995 models. Fortunately I happen to have several spare and complete sets of replacement parts for the fuel and secondary ignition systems for 1985 to 1990 models. I also have plenty of spare parts for the rest of vehicle stored in boxes and extra and operational vehicles that can be used as parts cars. The vehicle is common in this sparsely populated neck of the woods and spare parts are plentiful, but not as plentiful as the old Chevys. The key to utilizing the parts of different years and related models vehicles is to have intimate knowledge of the subtle changes made from year to year. A mechanic with such knowledge could be invaluable. I’m not a mechanic by trade, but a passion for these trucks during my youth led me to research and discover the vast technical support and knowledge available on the internet from other enthusiasts of this once very popular truck. To be sure, my parts pile is considerable and includes spare gear sets, transmissions, suspension, and axles, to the now difficult to obtain distributors, cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds and so forth. A complete and spare, yet still running 4WD Toyota truck can be stripped of it’s carburetor and accessories if needed or simply driven as is. This un-restored “spare” 4WD truck is still serviceable and equipped with a flat bed, a good wood getter that can squeeze and navigate though narrow openings and roads. Because of it’s high mileage and other attributes, I do not consider it a primary vehicle. Another complete low mileage and running 2wd of the same year could donate it it’s EFI. It is essentially a copy of my primary vehicle without the 4WD.

Spare and complete sets of stock and oversized tires on rims allow these vehicles to operate on any terrain or road conditions from sand dunes to deeper mud and snow. With only stock sized tires, which are adequate for most trails and roads, these trucks do surprisingly well. Letting the air out of the tires to no less than 15 psi greatly improves there performance in sand. Tall and narrow tires are recommended over tall and wide usually seen as the foot print is actually greater ‘aired down’. The rolling resistance is less on the highway and it ‘bites’ into dirt and snow far better. It is a well balanced choice in off road tires. This is a topic of it’s own and I’ll leave it with a recommendation that 23575R16 tires are the best all around for many 4WD vehicles, including Toyota trucks. No suspension modification is required for most.

Regardless of your choice, a good ‘yard car’ or well used and still running spare vehicle, is wonderful source of parts. Rust buckets are cheap.
New and used carburetors for many full sized and light foreign and domestic trucks are becoming difficult to find.

Rebuild kits for carburetors are a good idea. Although the older Toyota’s are my personal favorite, we also have fleet of Chevy’s, model years from 1964 into the 1980s: a 1 ton, flatbed, dump bed, standard and 4WD Suburbans. Not only do these all run, but: “Hey, parts is parts!” We also have a “Toyolet”, a Toyota FJ40 [that has been retrofitted] with a powerful V8 Chevy motor and heavy duty Turbo 400 transmission, with air lockers and other serious off road features. Even with all it’s fancy stuff, my 1985 Toyota does well off road in comparison while getting 24 mpg on the highway. Although not a practical daily driver, it would fun in the sun and useful in a high speed Mad Max world, yet one would need plenty of stored fuel.

Well, it looks like I’ve ramble on anyway, so it time to quit. Hopefully some of areas covered provide helpful tips and considerations. With all the factors one may consider, a big clue on what to buy could found while driving around the neighborhood. Consider using the tool the natives have found to be the most useful. If old Chevy’s are plentiful, get a Chevy. Then again perhaps it is Ford or Toyota as the popular choice. The local junkyard is likely loaded with parts. Even if an older Toyota is your ‘thing’, be sure to have a full sized carbureted Pickup on hand, preferable a 3/4 ton, and make sure one of those truck is 4WD, preferably the Toyota, especially if you intend to live in a heavily forested area. It may mean taking two trips to get the wood, yet it can go where the wood is and usually a pickup is driven mostly empty. As bug out vehicle or wood getter, no full sized can follow it down those very narrow jeep trails or traverse soft deep sand. A Toyota could get between 19 and 24 mpg loaded/unloaded, and a full-sized would get between 8 and 12 mpg whether or not, it is loaded. A full size 3/4 ton should be used and is needed to handle the very heavy work. As always, use the right tool for the job. A 2WD full sized pickup can often be found in better condition and at a cheaper price. A 3/4 ton 4WD Chevy Suburban can be a very inexpensive all around family and farm rig. A late model and nearly new high tech Chevy or Ford might be the worst choice, but always have a low tech truck on hand if one needs or already has such a vehicle. As a retired fleet manager, I suggest keeping it simple. – E.L

James,
Upon reading the recommendations about a “survival vehicle” by OddShot, I see you posted about turning off airbags. I believe that the author was speaking about supplemental airbags for the rear suspension in pickup trucks, not the vehicle passenger protection-type airbags.

He had mostly sound advice, but I’m not sure an automatic is really a liability, a properly maintained automatic is trouble free and will last a long, long time. With an automatic you’re pretty much guaranteed that someone can hop in your rig and drive it effectively. In contrast, with a manual transmission (especially truck transmissions), a person has to have manual transmission experience in order to use it. Things like this most likely would never come into play, but an automatic is a lot easier for an injured or inexperienced person to use. – A. Friendly

 

Economics and Investing:

Jon sent this sobering news story: 45 percent of world’s wealth destroyed: Blackstone CEO. “Between 40 and 45 percent of the world’s wealth has been destroyed in little less than a year and a half,” Schwarzman told an audience at the Japan Society. ‘This is absolutely unprecedented in our lifetime'”

J.W.P. mentioned this video interview of Dimitri Orlov. J.W.P.’s comment: “I continue to be amazed at how people actually believe that the current U.S. government will “find a way to get us out of this mess.” It can’t, and it won’t. We’ve seen how recent and current this administrations have attempted to spend their way out of this crisis. It’s like trying to dig oneself out of a pit. The pit just keeps getting deeper and wider. It just doesn’t work!” JWR Adds: Don’t miss Orlov’s advice on getting the tools together to start a small home-based business.

Kevin A. sent this: Get Long Torches & Pitchforks: Bailouts “Absolutely Asinine,” Ritholtz Says

Reader D.B. says: “The MOAB is going global!”, in response to this piece in Forbes: A Developing World Bailout? Here are a few snippets:

“Clearly, fiscal resources do have to be injected in rich countries that are at the epicenter of the crisis,” said World Bank Chief Economist Justin Yifu Lin in a message to summit attendees.

“Channeling infrastructure investment to the developing world where it can release bottlenecks to growth and quickly restore demand can have an even bigger bang for the buck and should be a key element to recovery.”
.
“In response, the World Bank proposes a Vulnerability Fund. They’re asking developed countries to contribute .7% of their economic stimulus spending to the fund. (So for the United States’ $787 billion bailout that’d be $5.5 billion.) The fund would focus on infrastructure projects, safety net programs to keep children in schools with adequate nutrition and health care, and financing for small businesses.”

From FloridaGuy: Pontiac, Michigan lays off all 622 employees

Items from The Economatrix:

Outstanding Derivatives: 1.28 Quadrillion–95% On Margin ” …the actual totals are even bigger because this number does not include derivatives related to the commodity markets (which the BIS says it can’t track because values aren’t available).”

Four States See Double Digit Joblessness

Into The Financial Abyss

Do I Have Enough Gold?

Number One Reason to Own Gold

Gold is Ready to Go Very High Very Fast

Western Military Forces Turning Inward in Anticipation of Domestic Unrest ” …the CIA has added an economic situation report to its threat assessment for the White House.”

Wall Street Struggles to Extend Big Rally

Rasmussen Reports: 53% Think We are Headed for a 1930s Depression

Companies Cut Pricey Older Workers

Extreme Cheapskates: Tightwads Revel in Frugality

Union Workers OK Cuts to Help Ford Survive

The Economy Prompting a New Modesty

Hard Times Net More Citations for Illegal Fishing

Odds ‘n Sods:

Utah, Hawaii, Wyoming top ‘happiness’ poll (a hat tip to Michael H. for the link.)

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The folks that operate CampingSurvival,com also host an amazing collection of first-hand survival narratives. I found that the one from Hurricane Rita provided a useful glimpse into human nature, en extremis.

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OSOM mentioned a very good podcast on home defense at LewRockwell.com.

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Thanks to GG for sending this: Seed companies have a bumper crop of customers

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“No one was psychologically prepared for hard times when they hit, because, according to the tenets of positive thinking, even to think of trouble is to bring it on. Americans did not start out as deluded optimists. The original ethos, at least of white Protestant settlers and their descendants, was a grim Calvinism that offered wealth only through hard work and savings, and even then made no promises at all. You might work hard and still fail; you certainly wouldn’t get anywhere by adjusting your attitude or dreamily ‘visualizing’ success.” – Barbara Ehrenreich

Note from JWR:

I’ve just completely revamped The SurvivalBlog Bookshelf page. By shopping using the provided links, with any title that is sold by Amazon.com you’ll help support SurvivalBlog, with sales commissions. OBTW, please do not order the new edition of my novel “Patriots” until April 8th–the planned “Book Bomb” day. This event is designed to boost the book’s Amazon sales rank. Thanks!

Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle, by OddShot

I recently had the opportunity to read JWR’s novel “Patriots” . As a former professional automobile mechanic with 25+ years of experience and having a similar history building, restoring and racing British sports cars (MGBs), I became intrigued with a certain aspect of his book: the preparation of a “survival vehicle.” This is intended to be a vehicle rugged enough, durable enough, and simple enough to be an important part of anyone’s survival program.

My first consideration was to define this vehicle. Next, I set out to list a number of modifications to this vehicle that would increase it’s simplicity, strength, and usefulness of this vehicle as a survival tool. The following that I listed a number of tools and spares important to the operation of this vehicle.

Survival Vehicle Selection and Modification
For reasons of strength, durability and utility the vehicle needs to be a truck. For load carrying considerations I would recommend a Pickup Truck over a SUV type, such as a Blazer or Bronco.
I think the truck should be of American manufacture. Although some foreign makes might be suitable in terms of ruggedness and durability, the parts availability—both used and new–for American made trucks makes them the winner, hands-down. Also parts for “high-survivability” modifications are plentiful and cheap for American vehicles.

There is a reason that America’s largest selling vehicle for the last 50+ years has been the Ford F150 pickup truck. They may be low on creature comforts and fuel economy, but they more then make up for those sacrifices with ruggedness, dependability, ease of repair, and parts availability. Chevy and Dodge make great trucks, but there are millions more Ford Pick-up trucks out there. Parts are still available and junkyards and rural back yards are filled with them.

Older vehicles (1970 or 1980s vintage cars and trucks) with older technology are better in the survival situations than newer, lighter, hi-tech vehicles. Carburetors, distributors with breaker points, and generator charging systems may not be the most fuel efficient…but they are simple, rugged and reliable. They can be rebuilt and maintained very easily. Fuel Injection and High Energy Ignitions systems have very limited life spans, are difficult to diagnose and dead without spare parts.

One drawback is that NOS parts for really old vehicles (1960-1975 +/-) are getting somewhat harder to find, even finding used stuff is getting tough. You don’t need much…but if you can’t get it now…you won’t be able to get it later. If you can stick with an 1980s vintage +/- American pickup. As I said before, parts are still available and junkyards and rural back yards are filled with them.
Choose one with a 302 V8 (minimum), with a [traditional] carburetor! Backdate the engine by installing a distributor with ignition breaker points and condenser. No electronic ignition. The electronic ignition is a [reliability] weak link of all Ford V8s. Just look in the glove box or under the seat of most of them and you’ll find a spare “spark box” or Ignition module. Ford used points and condensers on their V8s through 1974. A little digging through Craig’s List or most junk yards should yield a good useable distributor. New ones are available at most speed shops.

Make sure you get a truck with a manual transmission, and try to get four wheel drive. Avoid automatic transmissions. If for no other reason:cars with automatic transmissions can not be push-started. Also, with a manual transmission …if you can get two gears to mesh…you can keep rolling. Once an automatic transmission starts to slip, the party is over.

With a manual transmission you can adjust a clutch unless you’ve burned it up. In the middle of nowhere you can replace a burned clutch (and even reline the disc if you really had to), but the rebuild of an automatic transmission requires an expert with lots of spares and spotlessly clean working conditions. Also, with a manual transmission, were the clutch linkage give up, there are techniques you can learn to take off and shift without using the clutch pedal.

Because this vehicle should be multi-terrain and multi-use Do not put great big tires or lift kits on it. I would beef up the rear springs to carry more weight but would not raise the height of the rear. Don’t use air shocks or air bags either. These are just something else that will break and “let you down”. [JWR Adds: As is taught at executive protection driving schools, airbags should be disabled if anticipating inimical situations where you might have to play “bumper cars”.]

I’m thinking of lowering my Ford a couple of inches to make it easier and faster to get into and out of. Lowering the truck will also make it handle better on asphalt…and maybe even make it a bit more aerodynamic for some fuel savings. The extra road clearance is nice but how many times are you going to use that advantage? Not as often as you might need to get in and get going as fast as possible.
You’ll want the ruggedness of 6 ply truck tires. Choose ones that have a “mildly aggressive” tread pattern allowing a good mix of on-road and off-road use. Unless you are considering moving way out in the woods then avoid strictly off-road tires. They will not give you the wear and handling needed for use on asphalt [and they are quite noisy at highway speeds].

Up grade the charging system to a 65 Amp. alternator, minimum. You’ll want the amps to power other electrical devices. Install two batteries wired in parallel (for 12 VDC, many amp. output). One battery should be a “Deep Cycle” type. This battery can power 12 VDC lights, radios, tools etc. Also, if the alternator dies while on a long drive, this battery set up can power a V8 ignition system for a long time. The batteries should have their ground wires connected with “marine” type terminals. Simply disconnecting (unscrewing the wing nut on the Marine Terminal) the ground side of the batteries [or installing a battery disconnect switch from JC Whitney] can prevent them being discharged by shorts or [unexpected] draws. It can also somewhat reduce the risk of vehicle theft.

Consider removing the ignition/steering column lock switch. If you don’t…you could loose your keys…and “hot wire” the ignition/starter circuits and get the truck running….but imagine your chagrin when you realize that the steering is locked! A heavy duty DC toggle switch will take care of the ignition and a [momentary] pushbutton [DC switch] will handle the starter. Mount them in a hidden, out of the way place.
Remove the very complicated emission control carburetor and replace it with the simplest Holley 2 or 4 barrel that you can find.

I prefer gasoline engines. Diesels are okay, but I don’t think there will be a lot of diesel fuel around. You may not always be able to get diesel or even cooking oil. Consider converting your truck to a multiple fuel vehicle using both gasoline and propane. LPG is still very easy to get and easy to store at home. A conversion to propane is very doable …and not real expensive, especially on an engine equipped with a carburetor. There are number of sites on the web that discuss this.

A good number of pickup trucks have two fuel tanks…if yours doesn’t, consider installing another tank. There is a lot of room under most trucks. Build in onboard storage for 20 gallons minimum…or and extra 250 mile range.

Remove all emissions control equipment, at least the catalytic converter. [Of course, first consult your state laws before doing so.] Remove the metal cooling fan and install electric fan for engine cooling. If you take a hard front hit, then those metal bladed fans will destroy a radiator. You can do this with a junk yard fan unit…or find something in the JC Whitney catalog, or any auto parts store. As a side benefit, you may see some improvement in fuel economy, due to the reduction of parasitic drag. Wire this electric fan with sensor and a manual override switch on dash.

Consider installing an oversized radiator and coolant overflow tank. Trucks that came with air conditioning generally have the biggest radiator. The more coolant you have in the cooling system is the further you can go if the radiator gets a hole in it and you just can’t stop to fix it right away.

Install a Class 3 towing hitch. Its good for both towing and for ramming [– with the ball removed from the hitch extension plate, to back up and pierce another vehicle’s radiator]. Make sure you carry both popular sized hitch balls. Remove the chrome piece of garbage that passes for a front bumper and install a heavy duty store bought or home built. Again, the front bumper should be sufficient for towing or ramming. Install hooks for towing on both the front and rear bumpers.

A cap or bed cover should be in place over the truck’s bed to allow space for sleeping, shelter and dry, secure storage. This can be as elaborate or as simple as you’d like but due to rearward visibility concerns, make sure that its not higher or wider than the roof of the cab. Due to weight and height considerations [adversely affecting center of gravity] I would avoid campers that install in the bed of a pickup.
You might consider finding a used tool box like the ones you see on the back of pickups used by plumbers and electricians…this would be the ones that replace the entire pickup bed and have 5 or 6 compartments on each side. The Reading brand tool bodies are well-made. These have tremendous utility, secure and dry storage and are all very strongly built. With a little ingenuity you could configure a knock down tent over the top of one of these giving you dry off-the –ground shelter. Again, the deep cycle battery can provide 12 VDC for lights and heat in this area.

Install commo [and communications scanning] gear as appropriate to your mission. At least be sure to have a good, strong basic AM & FM radio. [JWR Adds: At wrecking yards, you can sometimes find a Becker or Blaupunkt brand “Europa”, “Mexico” or similar model AM/FM/Shortwave radio pulled from a European car such as a Mercedes Benz, for under $50. These are not only very reliable radios, but will also give you the opportunity to get WWV time signals and some international broadcasts.]

Install quartz halogen headlights in the front. I wouldn’t bother with driving lights but I would install fog lights…mounted in a way as to light to the immediate front and to the sides for cornering. In the rear, I would mount driving lamps or fog lamps as back up lights, work lamps or rearward spot lights. Wire all auxiliary lighting with switches on dash.

Remove all electrical systems not necessary to mission. No power windows or door locks. Remove the air conditioning system. Electric windows, door locks, fancy [add-on] heating systems and other fancy electric doo-dads are to be avoided at all costs. As I said before, automatic transmissions should be considered a liability.

Put in Bucket seats, especially in a pickup. They are easier/faster to get into and out of…and will create more storage space in the cab. Gun racks? If desired, make them solidly mounted and as far out of sight as possible.

Onboard tools will be important to keep your survival vehicle operational. All should be secure and hard-mounted.

Carry an appropriate workshop manual with wiring diagrams. Study it carefully and know how to reference its various sections.

Complete Automotive hand tool kit.
Heavy duty jack, jack stands and wheel chocks.
An onboard portable compressor, even a small 12 VDC model has a lot of usefulness. If you can afford a larger one, then you can run pneumatic tools with it.
Portable generator. As much and as good as you can afford. Its just plain worth it.
Tow Chain, shackles and tow hooks, various rope and line.
1-1?2 ton power winch or chain hoist or block and fall. I would consider something that is not hard mounted so you can use it from the front or rear of the vehicle…or not even need the vehicle at all.
Propane torches and solder/rosin for soldering wires and radiator repair. Learn how to solder!
Electric wiring, electrical crimp connectors, electrical tape, spare switches, heat shrink tubing, nylon wire (cable) ties.
Onboard Axe, shovel, pry bar.
12 VDC mechanic’s drop lamp.
Additional fuel, lubricants, brake fluid, silicon sealant, adhesives (especially, JB-Weld and Goop), duct tape, grease gun, thread tape, emery paper (2) spare tires, potable water, fan belts, Radiator hoses, heater hoses, hose clamps and tune up parts

One properly inflated spare in good condition is good, but having two spares is even better.

Keep tire repair equipment! Six cans of Fix-a-Flat, a radial tire plug kit and about 50 plugs. Find or make tools for breaking down and mounting tires.
Fuel transfer pump for getting fuel [from one vehicle to another or from] out of in-ground tanks. A hand-operated barrel pump with extensions for both the suction side and the discharge side.
Spot light (hand held)
A volt/ohm meter and mechanics test light.

Very Important: Drive your survival vehicle regularly. Use it. Go get plywood and shrubs and groceries in it. Work it. Houses and vehicles need people using them. When either is not used they deteriorate very quickly. Hard use will keep you thinking about repairs or modifications you might want to make. By date and mileage keep good repair and maintenance records.
A rugged dependable vehicle should be part of your survival gear. As long as you can get fuel there is freedom in mobility. The above is not a definitive list or the “end all to be all” one size fits all solution.

Consider this article a starting point and add your own ideas. – The OddShot

Letter Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter?

Hello Jim,
Been learning a lot from Survival Blog, thanks for the great work. I’m just wondering if sterling silver and 14 karat [gold] jewelry (plain [rings or chains], or gemstones would make good bartering items? Have been thinking of selling them and using the money for preparedness, etc but wondered about this.

Thanks very much for all the useful information. – Mrs. H.

JWR Replies: Although at first blush keeping jewelry on hand might seem practical, in actuality its drawbacks outweigh its benefits. Perhaps metals, but gemstones are a definite no. Gemstones–either diamonds or colored stones–will not be trusted by 99% of your potential bartering partners. Gold or silver chains might be trusted by some trading partners, but only if they were clearly marked for their purity, and if you were to carry a compact pennyweight scale, to establish the weight of the chain (or a chiseled-off length of chain).

Parenthetically, I should mention that as first popularized by the “Flying Tigers” (AVG) in China, early in World War II, some military aviators, Special Forces soldiers, and mercenaries have habitually worn heavy gold bracelets. They have worn these with the intention of being able to trade links from these chains for assistance from villagers, if they should become stranded in Third World countries. This is a sort of a “Get Me Home” insurance policy. These chains are often flaunted at VFW halls and have been touted by a few armchair survival writers, but I have my doubts about them working well in post-TEOTWAWKI First World countries. Ironically, your average First World urbanite or suburbanite is actually far more ignorant about precious metals and testing their purity than the average “ignorant” Third World peasant. (Many peasants know how to use a touchstone and even and more sophisticated merchants would know how to do an acid test, while the average American would be clueless about any of that!)

In my estimation the “precious metals chains” approach to barter will have very limited utility in most anticipated post-collapse situations, The biggest problem will be convincing your bartering partner that the gold or silver that you are offer is genuine, confirming its purity to the nearest half-karat value, and establishing its weight and hence its value. It is far far easier to have a pocketful of widely recognizable pre-1965 mint date circulated “junk” 90% silver US dimes, quarters and half dollars. And of course there is always “Ballistic Wampum.” Someday soon, common caliber ammunition may become the coin of the realm.

My advice to anyone that has set aside any “extra” (non-heirloom) jewelry, earmarked for barter: Sell it, and use the funds generated to buy pre-1965 90% silver US dimes, quarters and half dollars,.