Jim’s Quote of the Day:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks he’s a fool.
He laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The shivering grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. – Aesop (620BC – 560BC)

Letter Re: How to Store All Those Saved Nickels

Mr. Rawles:
I diligently read your “nickels”article and archived follow-ups, but nowhere do you mention which size ammo can it is that cubes rolled nickels for storage most efficiently?

I have cleaned out my children’s bank accounts slowly over the last few weeks and am walking into random banks and grocery stores converting the cash into rolled nickels. ”Havin’ a yard sale, don’t ya know.”.Wink. It keeps the Stepford bank weenies from asking unnecessary questions.
– Laura C.; Hiding in Plain Sight, Somewhere Deep In The People’s Republic of Northern Virginia

JWR Replies: In my experience, the USGI .30 caliber ammo cans work perfectly for storing rolls of nickels. Each will hold $180 face value (90 rolls of $2 each) of nickels. The larger .50 caliber cans also work, but when full of nickels are too heavy to carry easily. Speaking of weight, several bags of “junk” silver coins or ammo cans full of nickels coins make great “ballast” for the bottom of a gun vault. This makes it more difficult for a burglar to haul away a vault intact. (But of course gun vaults also need to be securely bolted to a floor, for the same reason.)

Letter Re: New High Performance .410 Shotgun Slugs for Self Defense?

Dear SurvivalBlog Editor,
Anyone considering the 410/.22 long rifle combo or any other 410 bore shotgun for survival use should take a look at the new state of the 410 slug. It is far more powerful than before and has potential as a defensive weapon against dangerous animals, human attack or as a big game getter. Those interested in details may find it at Hoening Big Bore South.
You may want to check this out occasionally as work continues on new loads for smooth bores and barrel offerings. – James Hoening

JWR Replies: In my estimation the standard factory .410 slug has been a poor choice for self defense. It is just barely capable of taking deer reliably at short range, and is certainly not to be trusted to reliably stop a two-legged varmint that is shooting back at you. The standard 1/5th ounce (87.5 grain) .410 slug used by Winchester and Remington has a muzzle velocity of 1,815 fps, and generates just 640 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy. For comparison,.commercial .44 Magnum handgun ammunition uses a 240 grain bullet at 1,350 fps and generates 971 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy (from a 6″ revolver barrel!) Centerfire deer rifles such as .308 Winchester are in another class altogether . The Federal Fusion 150 grain .308 soft nose spitzer load, for example, has a muzzle velocity of 2,820 fps and produces a muzzle energy of 2,650 ft. lbs. Mr. Hoening’s semi-custom .410 heavy slug load is impressive. It uses an un-crimped 375 grain slug at 1,500 fps that generates 1,873 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy. Not bad for a little .410! I will definitely buy some to experiment with and to keep on hand in the event that our .410 shotgun ever gets pressed into service above and beyond its usual pest shooting tasks.

If readers want to use a shotgun for self defense, I still generally recommend that they use a 12 gauge, or a 20 gauge for smaller-statured shooters. The Brenneke 12 gauge (3″ shell) 1 ounce (437 grain) sabot slug has a muzzle velocity of 1,673 fps, and a muzzle energy of 2,686 ft. lbs. That is more than four times the energy of the standard .410 slug. The Hoening .410 slug heavy load (with a whompin’ 1,873 ft. lbs muzzle energy) is captivating, but unfortunately because of its non-standard overall length it cannot be cycled through pump or semi-auto shotguns. Unless someone were to practice extensively for rapid reloading with a .410 short-barrel double-barreled ejector shotgun (coach gun style), then this limits the Hoening heavy slugs to use as a hunting load, rather than a self-defense load. The less powerful standard length Hoening roll-crimped .410 slug load can be cycled through a repeating shotgun, and has a velocity of 1,200 fps and a muzzle energy of 1,199 ft. lbs. This might suffice as a deer hunting load, but in my opinion it stills falls short of what is needed for self defense.

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Werewolf (our correspondent in Brazil) mentioned a free web site with 883,542 downloadable manuals on 3,627 brands of products.

   o o o

Frequent contributor Cheryl N. spotted this: Sharp US money supply contraction points to Wall Street crunch ahead. As I’ve been warning for nearly a year, the global credit collapse is going to have some profound and long-lasting effects, and thusfar we are nowhere near the bottom.

   o o o

Ogre sent us a link to an article about Fannie and Freddie’s Uncertain Future

   o o o

And from Eric, comes this expected news: Food prices to post biggest rise since 1990: USDA

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." – John Adams, 1814

Note from JWR:

Get your entries in for Round 18 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Starting with this round, the contest prize list has been expanded. The prizes now include:

First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article in the next 60 days will be awarded two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!

Second Prize: A 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 18 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Letter Re: Energy Bars as a Storage Food

James;

This might interest your readers. I am considering buying compact, high-calorie emergency food bars for long term storage of food. I know they are not “real” [nutritionally complete] food but they easily moved and taken along, they have a great storage life and taste pretty good. The problem is that no pizzas and no cereal might make for a dull year, but having some of these on hand might be good. I was wondering if the ‘food bars’ are a good storage product. I would not stop storing real food, but would rely on the ‘bars’ for [short term] major calories. The ones I am looking at are in the Emergency Essentials catalog and I am sure you are aware of them. I would continue to add to my stores but the ‘bars’ would be a fairly expedient way to store a fast year’s supply, so your thoughts are? Just guessing at about 100 bars to start in case you wonder where I might go with this. Thanks for your consideration. – “SSB”

JWR Replies: The commercially made “energy bars”, “emergency ration” bars, and “sports bars” can provide a useful adjunct to a storage food program. In terms of their calories per cubic inch of storage space, they are just about at the opposite end of the scale from ramen noodles, which we recently discussed. Because they are so compact, these bars can easily be packed in ZipLoc bags (or better yet, vacuum packed with a Tilia FoodSaver sealer) and stored in a chest freezer. This will greatly extend their shelf life, especially in hot climates. Just don’t forget to pin a prominent note on your “Get Out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) kit rucksack, reminding yourself to retrieve them from the freezer before you head out the door.

Nutritionally, food storage bars just by themselves are in adequate, just as you mentioned. But they do make a useful supplement to your food storage program, both to provide variety and and flavor in a bland diet, and to serve as a very compact short term food supply for your G.O.O.D. kit.

As with any other item in a food storage program, relying too heavily on one sort of food can lead to digestive problems. When storing foods, moderation is the key. Include plenty of foods that you can use in greater or lesser quantities, to keep your bowels moving properly. I’m not joking Constipation that progresses to fecal impaction can be lethal, particularly in situations where strong physical exertion is required. Books on wilderness medicine and medicine for mountaineering often stress this fact.

Nearly all of the energy bars on the market are fairly expensive. On my budget, I consider them prohibitively expensive. One good alternative is making traditional jerky and pemmican at home. The cost per ounce can be very low, especially if you hunt or if you raise livestock. OBTW, I recently received samples of Hickory Blend Jerky Seasoning and Jerky Cure from the folks at Hi-Mountain Jerky, in Riverton, Wyoming. I probably won’t have the chance to try them until the upcoming deer and elk season, but these look promising for a budget conscious do-it-yourselfer like me. (I’ll post a review after I make my next batches of jerky and pemmican.) But, keep in mind that just like with energy bars, if you store dried meat you will also need to store a good source of dietary fiber.

Letter Re: Preparing for Pole Shift?

Mr. Rawles,
I have been trying to find out more about the consequences of a polar shift, particularly the effects it will have on the Great Lakes Region. I know that no one really knows what will happen, but everything I’ve seen points to something really really bad. If possible could you post what knowledge you may have on the subject on SurvivalBlog?
Thank you, – Scott from Michigan

JWR Replies: Rapid pole shift is a little more than an unsupported theory, touted mainly by the Art Bell crowd. In my opinion it should be one of the least of your worries. Even if rapid magnetic pole reversal does happen (and there is far more evidence that very gradual pole movement is what actually occurs), it might be a “once in 100,000 years” event. Instead of concentrating on that, you should get ready for a major economic depression, which is demonstrably a “once-every-few-generations” event. And, BTW, a depression seems to be unfolding now, right before our eyes. Also consider what you’ll need to do to be ready for a pandemic influenza. Such pandemics are more likely “once-every-few-generations” events.

Two Letters Re: Questions About FRS Radio Capabilities

Sir:
I’ll establish my bona fides by stating that I am a General class Amateur Radio licensee with extensive experience in the VHF and UHF radio bands. While I applaud your promotion of the MURS radio for general use, it is not the best choice for the gentleman residing in the concrete condos in Florida. Penetration of concrete and steel structures is significantly better (by approximately 30%) at UHF frequencies (as used by FRS/GMRS radios) than at the VHF frequencies as used by MURS. Though free air range favors VHF, UHF penetrates obstacles better, assuming the effective radiated power (ERP) is the same. There is a significant amount of literature on this topic in the amateur radio community, should anyone care to research it for themselves.

In the case in question, the gentleman would be better served by a GMRS radio, operating in the UHF band and radiating up to 5 watts, than with a MURS VHF unit limited to 2 watts of output. He would have the significant advantage of both the better obstacle penetration of the UHF band, and the dramatic increase in allowable output power. In a concrete and steel structure, the combination would easily outperform any MURS radio by a significant margin.

Since these are to be used as emergency communication devices in hurricane country, it is worth noting that most Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) are equipped with FRS radios for inter-unit communications. Since most GMRS radios include FRS channels as well, it would give the residents of the building an extra (and direct) way to contact help should the need arise.

In this case the GMRS/FRS combination is a far better choice for the conditions described. Regards, – Grant C.

 

Jim,
I recently bought TriSquare’s eXRS radios. I highly recommend them. I chose the TSX300 model.

They use frequency hopping technology with 1 billion frequencies (up to 10 numbers long: you choose the frequency). The best part is that it is license-free (no $80 FCC GMRS license needed).

It may not be the best choice for everyone, but it is more secure than FRS. Regards, – David M.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Norman in England found a web page with some useful information on assembling outdoor survival kits.

   o o o

Reader Bill T. asked me: “I’m a denture wearer. Do you know a formula for home-made denture adhesive?” I have no idea, but given SurvivalBlog’s large worldwide audience, perhaps there is a reader that can chime in with a formula.

   o o o

Cheryl N. spotted this interesting piece: ‘Liar loans’ threaten to prolong mortgage crisis. She also found this one: The Endgame Nears for Fannie and Freddie

   o o o

Rich at CGW has created a page just for SurvivalBlog readers, where he has hand-picked some nice products and created a 10% off coupon.

   o o o

The movie, “I.O.U.S.A.” that I described earlier this month is showing in selected theaters, starting tonight. The grand opening on August 21st will feature a follow-up live video conference with Warren Buffett, Pete Peterson, and David Walker. A movie trailer is available on their web site.

Letter Re: Ramen Noodles as a Food Storage Supplement

Mr. Rawles,
First off, thanks for your fine web site! I was proud to become a 10 Cent Challenge subscriber.

For those looking to increase their food storage supply in a cost-effective manner, I would recommend stopping by Wal-Mart and picking up their 12-pack containers of Ramen noodles (in various flavors). They’re currently $1.73 per package, which comes out to just 14.5 cents per single pack.

Nutritionally, a single pack of Ramen noodles contains:
380 calories
14 grams of fat
52 grams of carbohydrates
2 grams of fiber
10 grams of protein
and 16% of your daily requirement of iron

We ate a lot of Ramen noodles in the field while I was on active duty, you could boil up a single pack in a canteen cup and add a can of mushroom soup to it for a hot meal that was a break from C Rations. It would actually feed two guys most of the time.

Ten cases would cost you $17.30 to add 120 servings of a filling and easy to prepare base to stretch out your food storage dollars. This is worth the money, in my opinion! Yours, – Will from Florida

JWR Replies: The nutritive value of ramen is marginal, so it should not be considered a primary storage food. But I can see the wisdom of having some on hand as a food storage supplement, especially in lean times when hunger pangs will be a distinct possibility. There are lots of interesting ramen recipe web sites on the Internet, like this one with 430 recipes. Coincidentally, instant ramen is nearing its 50th anniversary.

In my experience, ramen, like other bulk pasta, is particularly vulnerable to vermin. I strongly recommend storing it in 6 gallon food grade buckets with gasketed lids. If you are short on buckets, One alternative–albeit providing a shorter shelf life–is finding metal cabinets (such as military wall lockers) with tight-fitting doors. These will at least keep your pasta safe from mice and rats. (But not necessarily safe from insects.)

Letter Re: Will the War in Georgia Trigger a Russian Ammo Import Ban?

Hello James,
I have been an avid reader of your novel and SurvivalBlog for about six months now, and I have to echo the sentiment of many other readers–that it has given me a desperately needed focus and sense of purpose. The increased threat of TEOTWAWKI was clear in my mind, and prior to finding your blog, I just had anxiety and was confused over what actions I should be taking t protect my family. I was like a deer in the headlights. Now it is a whole different story. I have stopped wasting money on non-essential items (sodas at restaurants, for example – my kids even request water now.). I have started to gather tangibles. Bullets, Beans and soon Band-Aids.

My comment for this email is based on a rumor I heard at a gun show this weekend. The gentleman who was selling me ammo (from a very large ammo wholesaler) stated that Wolf brand ammo and all other Russian ammo like Brown Bear, may be threatened by a Bush embargo as a political protest to the Russia’s Georgian War.

I hesitated to mention this as it is best to have an orderly flow in the market place and not panic, but as with the Iraq war I & II, I watched ammo prices almost double. Another war, especially involving an ammo producing country like Russia, will only make prices increase more, IMHO.

As I type this I have already seen .223 go over $240 per 1,000 and 7.62×39 is quickly approaching $200 per 1,000. Wal-Mart just raised prices last weekend on 12 gauge and .22 caliber. What was priced at $11.50 is now $13.50. Best Regards, – Robert D.

Letter Re: Questions About FRS Radio Capabilities

Dear SurvivalBlog:
At my condo complex in Florida, we’ve been wondering if we could use consumer two-way radios–such as Motorola Talkabout two-way radios–to communicate successfully between (from inside) condo units. We would do this during scenarios such as a severe hurricane.

The question is whether those radios (which, of course, come in several models with different specs) use the right frequency band and and have adequate power to penetrate the multiple concrete walls that would be line-of-sight between the communicating radios. We assume–in planning for worst possible case–that both line telephone and cell phone service would be down, and are looking for ways to directly communicate with each other during the height of a storm when we couldn’t safely walk from unit to unit.

Does anyone with relevant expertise have any ideas on this? Thanks for your assistance. Best Regards, – Gregg T.

JWR Replies: The key question is: How much reinforced concrete? As I recently noted in the blog, reliable communication in a cluttered urban environment is “iffy” for the typical FRS and GMRS hand-held transceivers on the consumer market. My preference is for the MURS band hand-helds. Not only will you get better range, but you will also be operating in a less commonly used frequency band. This will give you marginally better communications security. (But with the oft-repeated proviso: no radio transmission should be considered 100% “secure.”) I recommend the MURS Radios company (one of our advertisers) as a reputable source of transceivers. They also do custom frequency programming, and sell both accessories and MURS-compatible perimeter intrusion detection systems.