SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

—

Blizzard traps nearly 1,000 hikers on slopes of Mount Everest.  (The Creative Commons photo above is by Göran Höglund.)

Update: Mount Everest rescuers battle heavy snow with hundreds still stranded — BBC News.

o  o  o

Reader Richard T. was the first of several readers to mention this video: After 5 Years, I Found The Only Fuel Stabilizer That Works!

o  o  o

The current precious metals bull market has prompted me to increase our silver coinage divisor at Elk Creek Company to an unprecedented 35.3. So, if you’d like to diversify from one tangible investment into another, this is a great time to make your purchases from your stockpile of pre-1965 U.S. “junk” silver coins.  At checkout, you will see the message:  “Do you want to pay in Pre-1965 silver coinage? If so, then divide the price by 35.3.”  Just select “cash or check” at checkout and then send me an e-mail, telling me that you will be paying with 90% silver dimes, quarters, or half-dollars.  You may round down to the nearest 10 cents.  Here is an example:  Say that the total (with postage) for your order is $280.  Divide that by 35.3 and you get $7.93.  Rounding down, you would mail just $7.90 face value in pre-1965 U.S. silver coins, in a small, well-padded rattle-free package. It is quite simple to do. – JWR

o  o  o

My e-mail inbox is often populated with the same sorts of questions from newbie preppers.  Most of those are answered in our Quick Start Guide static page. I coincidentally had two new SurvivalBlog readers ask the same question on the same day: They both wanted to know my criteria for selecting a survival retreat property.  That question is answered in this 2022 blog article:  A Retreat Locale Selection Criteria Update. – JWR

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 7, 2025

On October 7, 1826, the Granite Railway began operations. It was the first chartered railway in the United States. It was built to carry granite from a quarry in Quincy, Massachusetts, to a dock on the Neponset River in Milton. From there, boats carried the heavy stone to Charlestown, for construction of the Bunker Hill Monument. The railway ran three miles (4.8 km) from quarries to the Neponset River. Its wagons had wheels 6 ft (1.83 m) in diameter and were pulled by horses. Pictured is the railway’s incline section, photographed in 1934.

—

On October 7, 1909, the British Security Service, commonly known as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5), was formed as part of the Secret Service Bureau. The agency is tasked with domestic counter-intelligence and security. It is now headquartered at Thames House, in London. The service is sometimes jokingly called “Box” or “Box 500″, in reference to its wartime address at P.O. Box 500, London.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

The Three Stages of TEOTWAWKI – Part 1, by St. Funogas

This article discusses some of the thoughts I’ve had about the different stages of post-SHTF life while writing my upcoming article, “A Realistic Top-10 Prepping List.” Consider this a preface to that article.

Everything presented here is my opinion of course. As I’ve prepped and worked towards living a self-reliant lifestyle, I’ve thought a lot about things over the years. Many of my conclusions are based on history, ideas presented in some of the post-apocalyptic novels and movies, reading daily SurvivalBlog articles for the past seven years, and concerns about my current situation if the Schumer hits the fan next Thursday. Some of the possibilities presented here may come to pass if we were to end up in a long-term grid-down world.Continue reading“The Three Stages of TEOTWAWKI – Part 1, by St. Funogas”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news about some CH-47 Chinook firefighting helicopters based in Montana.  (See the Montana and Wyoming sections. The photo above is courtesy of Billings Fyling Service and Lost In The Woods Photography.)

Idaho

Idaho’s small arms market anticipates more growth.

o  o  o

Reader C.B.  flagged this one: Protests Erupt as School Board Stands by Decision to Suspend Football Players over Airsoft Photo.

o  o  o

Primary Weapons Systems in Boise is ramping up to meet the expected demand for their 3D-printed suppressors in 2026. JWR’s Comment: With the $200 suppressor transfer tax scheduled to be dropped to zero in January, the demand will surely be tremendous.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 6, 2025

On October 6, 1889: The first recorded ascent of the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, by German climber Hans Meyer and Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller.

—

October 6, 1890: The General Conference of the Latter-day Saints belatedly outlawed polygamy. Their foot-dragging delayed Utah’s admission as a state until 1896.

—

Today is the birthday of science fiction author David Brin (born, 1950.) He wrote The Postman, which was very loosely the foundation of a movie of the same name by Kevin Costner.

—

Today’s feature is a review by Field Gear Editor Tom Christainson.

 

Christensen Arms Ranger in .22LR, by Thomas Christianson

Every gun cabinet should contain at least one rifle chambered in .22LR. The .22LR rimfire ammo is available in a wide variety of loads at reasonable prices. There is minimal recoil, minimal noise, and .22LR is a whole lot of fun to shoot. For training, for pest control, and for an all-around good time, there are few chamberings to match .22LR.

Weighing in at just 5.1 pounds, the Christensen Arms Ranger in .22LR is an amazingly light and well-balanced bolt-action tack-driver with an excellent trigger.

The threaded, 18-inch, hand-lapped, carbon-fiber-tension-over-stainless-steel-core barrel is well matched with a carbon-fiber stock with a black-with-gray-webbing finish. The muzzle is threaded with the ubiquitous ½×28 — the same that is used on most small-bore ARs — so it can accommodate a suppressor, a linear muzzle brake, or a wide range of other muzzle devices.

It comes standard with a Ruger BX-1 magazine, which opens the possibility of using the compatible, higher-capacity BX-15, BX-25, or clone magazines, as well.

The rifle was a pleasure to shoot.

With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $849.99 at the time of this writing, the Ranger is more expensive than budget .22s and less expensive than most high-end .22s, while offering premium performance. If you are looking for a mid-range-priced .22 rimfire that gives high-end results, you would be hard-pressed to find a better choice than the Ranger.Continue reading“Christensen Arms Ranger in .22LR, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week:

The following brief recipe for End of Season Vegetable Broth is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs Alaska.

She writes:  “I make broth from end-of-season greens that aren’t great for fresh eating.

The peas that burst.  The hairy squash and cucumber leaves.  The celery that is great now but will not winter well.   Avoid any leaves that you should NOT eat, like tomatoes, rhubarb, and (flowers: sweet peas).

When the temperatures drop to the low 40s, I clean the gardens of vegetable leaves that will not overwinter and plop them in a 5-gallon pot of water, along with garlic and onion.

The recipe from Ball’s Blue Book of Canning is to boil gently for 2 hours with a lid on, and 2 hours with the lid off (to concentrate the flavor) and then pressure can for about 30 minutes (check your own books and resources).

I just canned 12 quarts of End of Season Vegetable Broth to flavor rice, noodles, and sauces throughout the winter.  More for a future day.”

—

About the Author:  “Mrs. Alaska” and her husband live at a very remote Alaska homestead.  She blogs at Alaska Bush Life, Off-Road, Off-Grid, and she is the author of Log Cabin Reflections, available as an E-book on Kindle for $5.)  She can be contacted at Alaskauu1@gmail.com

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: Map of United States Oil and Gas Wells, 2017 — U.S. Geological Survey. (Public domain USGS graphic.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

—

Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

 

 

 

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 5, 2025

October 5, 1968: A civil rights march in Derry was stopped by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC ) and the resulting clashes led to two days of serious rioting. This date is often considered the start of ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland.

—

October 5, 1703 was the birthday of Jonathan Edwards. He died on March 22, 1758. Edwards was a prolific Calvinist theological writer. Many of his writings were later collected in the multi-volume book The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards, edited by John Gerstner.

—

Today’s feature piece is a letter from JWR.

—

We are seeking entries for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Profound Deafness, and Profound Sadness

This is an open letter to the members of the U.S. House and Senate. I am writing to encourage you to pass the Hearing Protection Act (HPA).  This legislation would remove most of the restrictions on firearms suppressors — devices commonly but erroneously called silencers.  (They do not completely silence guns.)

I recently turned 65 years old. Because of my service in the U.S. Army and my many years as a target shooter and hunter, I have developed progressive nerve deafness. My hearing loss is rated at “Profound” by audiologists.  I have spent thousands of dollars on hearing aids in the past  20 years, but as my hearing loss has progressed, even the most sophisticated ones don’t provide me with adequate hearing.

My condition would not have developed if I had consistently used guns equipped with suppressors. But since the passage of the National Firearms Act in 1934, buying suppressors has been heavily taxed and requires background checks, fingerprinting, et cetera. In contrast, in most European countries, suppressors are completely unregulated. They are just considered a gun accessory like a scope or a bipod.

Here are just a few examples of how my deafness has degraded my life:

  • I can no longer understand what women with high-pitched voices are saying.
  • I cannot enjoy eating at restaurants, because with the high background noise, I can’t understand what anyone is saying. My deafness makes conversations in restaurants or in a moving automobile just about impossible.
  • I cannot watch movies without subtitles, because I can no longer understand the audio dialogue.
  • I can no longer be a radio or podcast interview guest unless the interviewers send me written lists of questions in advance.
  • I cannot understand what many people are saying, and sometimes I don’t even realize that they are speaking, and I unintentionally interrupt them. So they think that I’m being rude.
  • I cannot understand almost anything said by my grandchildren, because of their high-pitched voices.
  • I can no longer enjoy listerning to music because I cannot hear the upper octaves, or make out most of the song lyrics.
  • I no longer do much shooting — even when wearing both earplugs and earmuffs — for fear of losing my hearing entirely.
  • I cannot hear songbirds or even the sound of my own footsteps.
  • My wife has to repeat sentences two, three, or even four times before I can get the gist of her meaning. Thankfully, I have a very patient wife!

My nerve deafness has frustrated everyone around me, and essentially ruined my life in what are supposed to be my Golden Years. In some ways, I feel like I’m living underwater: I can see your lips move, but I cannot understand what you are saying, even if you shout. I am profoundly saddened by this situation.

The Bottom Line: It is too late for me and for many other sportshooters in my generation. My hearing is already “shot”, and hence the quality of my life has been greatly diminished. But it is not too late for the next generation. Please, please pass the Hearing Protection Act, and save the hearing of the next generation and future generations of shooters.

Sincerely,

James Wesley, Rawles — Novelist and Blogger

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Senator Chuck Schumer Says That Because of The Government Shutdown, All National Parks Must Be Closed…

No View For You!

News Link:

What Happens To National Parks When The Federal Government Shuts Down?

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.” – 2 Corinthians 11:1-6 (KJV)