Letter Re: Selecting a Retreat Location in Australia, by Mike McD.

Jim,
To answer your key question: “Are there some particular towns that are well-removed from the major population centers on the east coast –perhaps up in The Wet– that would be well-suited as safe havens?” You would need to define what constituted a major population center.
There are five cities/regions with a population over a million [people]: Sydney (due to their close proximity to Sydney I would include the cities of Newcastle [pop 510,000] and Wollongong [pop 275,000] as part of Sydney), Melbourne (including the city of Geelong [pop 165,000]), Brisbane (including the Gold Coast/Tweed region [pop 485,000], the Sunshine Coast region [pop 215,000], and Toowoomba [120,000]), Adelaide, and Perth.
Once you put these aside we are left with the following cities with a population of greater than 100,000:
Canberra [pop 325,000]
Hobart [pop 203,000]
Townsville [pop 150,000]
Cairns [pop 125,000]
Darwin [pop 111,000]
Launceston [pop 105,000]
Albury-Wodonga [pop 100,000]
Of these Canberra and Albury-Wodonga are out as they are within 300 miles of Sydney and Melbourne as well as on the main line of likely advance for the respective Golden Hordes.
Launceston and Hobart are on the island of Tasmania.
Townsville is home to 3 Brigade (light infantry) and RAAF base Townsville (home of the Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment).
Darwin is home to 1 Brigade (mechanised) and RAAF base Darwin (which is a major air base used by Australian and US aircraft – including B-52s and B-2s).
Places up in The Wet (such as Townsville, Cairns, and Darwin) are cyclone prone. Retreats in these areas need to be able to withstand the worst category 5 cyclones.
On balance if I was looking for a place on the east coast of the mainland, I would be inclined to look at the coastal hinterland of Queensland north from Rockhampton up to Cairns (600 miles {1000km} north) . It is far enough north of Brisbane’s population cluster and far enough south of the Torres Strait to avoid a potential influx of people from Papua New Guinea. It has good rainfall and soil fertility. The people tend to be more independently minded, pro-gun, conservative and Christian. Think of the Bible Belt of the US with the relaxed Aussie attitude. (See map.)

The distances to get to even Rockhampton from Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne are huge (400 miles {650km}, 750 miles {1200km}, and 1250 miles {2000km} respectively). Living in in those cities (or on the coast between them) my first choice of G.O.O.D. vehicle would be sailing boat (which could also open up other retreat areas such as Tasmania or New Zealand).
Being in the Navy with access to (and having helped written a few) classified studies into mass illegal immigration scenarios I’m limited in exactly what I can say. I will say this: if I was looking at a retreat in the north or north-west of Australia I would locate my retreat at least 60 miles from the coastline. – Mike McD

Letter Re: Stocking Up on AR-15 Lower Receivers?

James,
I have been reading SurvivalBlog for a few months now, and I have to say that you are doing a great job! I have taken your Ten Cent Challenge, and look forward to renewing for next year. I have been following [the U.S. Congress] bill H.R. 1022 and your advice to stock up on “assault weapons” and/or high capacity magazines. If one cannot afford multiple weapons would you recommend buying a quantity of [AR-15] lower receivers in the hopes of building them up to full guns at a later date? – Kevin

JWR Replies: That is a good idea. AR-15 receivers can be used not only to build an AR-15 or M4gery, but also a variety of other guns that share the common lower such as the BRP Guns “XMG” MG-34 semi-auto and Spider Firearms Ferret .50 (a very accurate .50 BMG bolt action single shot rifle), and even the “it would be absurd if they didn’t have to make it” DPMS pump-action .223 (for use in states like California and New Jersey that ban most detachable magazine semi-autos.) You can currently get Stag Arms AR-15 lower receivers for as little as $89 each if you buy two or more. For your privacy, the best way to buy would be from a fellow private party at gun show. (Assuming that this doesn’t run afoul of your state and local laws.) Unfortunately, stripped receivers very rarely make it to the “secondary market.” Scour all of the gun shows in you area for the next few months. You never know, you might find someone that bought a stripped lower and never completed a planned “build” project. Of course if you live in a state that has outlawed private party sales–where all transfers must be processed with FFL paperwork–then this is a moot point. Go ahead and buy several through your local FFL. You might even be able to get the dealer to waive part or all of the transfer fee if he wants to buy a few for his own inventory and you can get a lower “quantity” price from a manufacturer or distributor. One final proviso: Any new ban legislation might specify that a firearm must be completed before the law goes into effect in order to be “grandfathered.”

Odds ‘n Sods:

Investment Guru Jim Rogers Sees U.S. Property Crash

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Any SurvivalBlog readers that are considering relocating to northern Idaho should contact Todd Savage of Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. He specializes in what he calls “tactical real estate.” At any given time, he has several “off the beaten track” properties available with either spring water or shallow wells. Properties with contiguous U.S. Forest Service or state land are also fairly common in the region. Todd is a SurvivalBlog reader, so he understands the unique requirements of survival retreats. He won’t waste your time showing you properties that aren’t suitable, since he researches, previews, and evaluates specific parcels and only those that meet his stringent requirements are filtered down to potential buyers. Tell him that Jim Rawles sent you. You can contact him via e-mail: toddsavage47@gmail.com or cellular phone: 208-946-1151

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Keith mentioned that he found the Dietz #DHL2000 lantern at www.lanternnet.com, selling for just $18.95–a real bargain. Keith’s comment: “I’ve owned Dietz lanterns for a while and they work well. This DHL2000 lantern can perform dual functions of lighting and heating and burns both kerosene and lamp oil. It’s worth a look.”

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Nations and peoples who forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and freedoms." – Robert A. Heinlein

Note from JWR:

The high bid is now up to $200 in the current SurvivalBlog benefit auction for several items that are being auctioned together as a lot: 1.) A late-1940s-vintage Airline brand all vacuum tube (highly EMP resistant) AM tabletop radio in a attractive bakelite cabinet. It works very well. and, 2.) A special five book package including: one autographed copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, one autographed copy of Rawles on Retreats and Relocation , one autographed copy of SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog – Volume 1, one autographed copy of my novel Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse, and one copy of The Encyclopedia of Country Living by the late Carla Emery. These items have a combined retail value of around $370. The auction ends on April 15th. Just e-mail me your bid. Thanks!

From #1 Son: Update on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)

The USDA‘s NAIS program is now in the “convince the angry crowds that there is no problem” stage. They are constantly spouting phrases like, “We’ve made it clear, and I can’t stress this too often or too much that NAIS is a voluntary system.” That’s a voluntary system at the federal level, with a capital “V.'” However, no matter how often they say that it is voluntary, it will not prevent it from becoming mandatory at a later date. States can still make it mandatory, and if all do, it would still be “a voluntary system at the federal level”. Further, there are already groups, such as the National Pork Producers Council that are having packing plants require Premises ID numbers from producers. If their plan continues, all pork producers will have to be in the “voluntary” system. How long will it be before it will be impossible to buy, sell, or even own animals without being in the system?
Despite their claims, the USDA still wants full participation in the NAIS. The original set of benchmarks included having every animal identified by January 2008, and the movements of all animals in commerce tracked by January 2009. Bruce Knight, the USDA Under-secretary, says those goals haven’t been abandoned.” I haven’t moved away from those objectives as far as having NAIS up and operational, but I tend to refer to it as a critical mass of participation by 2009,” he says. “Even under a mandatory system, you wouldn’t get 100% premises registration, so we’re shooting for that critical mass, and I’m still working with the professionals in the agency to really get a feel for what that would be by species. I think we can get there.” The NAIS is not dead, and is in fact now even more dangerous because of the USDA’s misinformation and weasel words. It has become much harder to convince the average citizen of the USDA and Agro-biz’s intentions. The NoNAIS.org site and the StopAnimalID.org forum are both good NAIS opposition resources. We will be posting occasional updates, but can not keep up with all of the news. Also keep an eye on the USDA’s NAIS web site.
Please continue to spread the word about NAIS and write to your state and Federal representatives. Be sure to explain the problem of the “voluntary” system, and have quotes from the USDA ready. If you take the time to look though the USDA’s web site and do web searches you can pick up some very interesting facts.

Three Letters Re: Comments on High Capacity .45 ACP Pistols

James,
In the late 1990s I bought a Para Ordnance P-14 [double column magazine M1911 variant], without first test shooting one. I never could get it to shoot well, the sights sucked and the grip turned out to be too fat (this was before somebody invented the slimming grip panels.) Anyway I sold it after about 1,000 rounds. The good news was I sold it just before the California magazine ban went in[to effect in January, 2000) and I just about tripled my money on that gun and all the magazines that I had.

There is not really any group standard at my place save for S&W .357 and .44 Magnum revolvers. I have various M1911s, a SIG, and a Browning–in .22, 9mm, 10mm and .45 ACP. A lot of my friends shoot Glocks but the .45 [Model 21] and 10[mm Model 20] seem too fat, much like the Para Ord and the 9mm seems interesting but in California I can no longer legally buy 11+ round magazines. So I’m back to single stack .45 or a slightly curtailed 10 rd mag .40 mid-size (SIG 229?) I’d like to get a .40 but can’t seem to bring myself to [logistically] supporting one more caliber.
I don’t think I’ll be moving before the ’08 elections (assuming [that they will mean] the worst for gun rights) so I’m kinda stuck. – Tim. L. in California

 

Mr. Rawles,
I’ll be brief. I think the Glock 21 is the best fighting pistol ever made. I used to feel that way about my [Model] 1911, but it is no where near as dependable. Glocks in general set the standard. Yes, they are ugly and have polymer parts, but dependability is my criteria. They wear out eventually, but not as quickly as anything else I have ever owned. Natchez Shooters Supply (great people to buy from) has Glock factory magazines for less than $16. I ordered your new expanded edition of “Patriots”, and look forward to reading it again. – Clark G.

 

Hey Jim:
I forwarded the [Springfield Armory] XD post to a fellow instructor who has developed an affinity for the XD series. He had concerns about the parts issue and addressed the concern with Springfield. Here is the reply he got back:
“Our certified armorers with law enforcement agencies can purchase any part without delay except the frame and slide.”

She referred me to their training provider, who offers a three-day class which includes the [Colt Model 1911], M1A [rifle], and XD pistols. You can choose to attend all three days or any combination you need for the weapons you work on.

She understands how civilians are frustrated about the parts issue, but it is not a concern for cops. I was impressed with her knowledge of the weapon–she is an armorer instructor. She also mentioned that they expedite law enforcement guns in for repair or replacement.”

This actually falls in line with Glock and their ordering process. In Glock armorer courses I have attended, they stressed that liability drove the limiting of the parts (non-armorers installing parts, gun fails, Glock gets sued for defective parts, etc.). However, places like Lone Wolf Distributors, Glockmeister, etc. buy in batches and are willing to sell to [non-law enforcement/non-gunsmith] folks. And good for them!

I am annoyed with the use of the word “civilian” and that cops can get parts faster than the “lowly” citizen can. Despite being a cop, I find the use of the term “civilian” to refer to my employers annoying.

Sorry, Springfield [Armory], I’ll stay with Glock for now until you improve things. – MP in Seattle

Letter Re: Stocking Up On Full Capacity Magazines

Jim,
I took your advice and recently purchased some more full capacity mags for my Glock. Glockmeister has new mags for $20.00 a piece right now as well as +2 extensions for $15.50-to $18.00, Glock 33rd(!) 9mm mags for $39.00 and rebuild kits for $20.00. Another great deal is at Dillon Precision. They sell Arredondo’s [Glock magazine base pad] extenders that increase the capacity of smaller calibre mags by 5-6 rds and larger calibers by 3-4 rds. These aren’t cheap at $39.95 each but quality is reportedly very good and really adds firepower to your pistol. If the socialistas have there way we will again be paying much higher prices (soon) on these mags. My advice, spend what you can now (tax returns come to mind) and load up! Thanks, – Jason in North Idaho

JWR Replies: I’ve heard from a couple of my friends that are serious Titans of Tupperware (a.k.a. Glockophiles) that some of the best prices on new factory-made spare Glock magazines can be found at Natchez Shooter’s Supply. Most of their factory Glock magazines are just $15.99 each, and the 33 rounders are $29. And, no offense to the fine folks at Dillon, but if you buy the extended base pad kits directly from Arredondo, they are bit less expensive. I’m just one of those penny-pinching bargain shoppers.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Someone over at The Claire Files mentioned a thread on one of the BlackRifles forums about how to make soap. It might be a good idea to print out a hard copy of that one. There is also a lot of useful soap making information in “The Encyclopedia of Country Living” by the late Carla Emery

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Activity discovered at Yellowstone supervolcano

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Interfaith group braves snow storm in global warming march. I think that they’d better schedule their next event for August, just to be on the safe side.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The notion that you can somehow defeat violence by submitting to it is simply a flight from fact. As I have said, it is only possible to people who have money and guns between themselves and reality." – George Orwell, 1941

Notes from JWR:

I just received another case (10 copies) of “The Encyclopedia of Country Living” by the late Carla Emery. This book is a “must” for the bookshelf of every well-prepared family. For any of you that would like to buy several copies for gifts, for the next 10 days I’m offering special discounts on quantity purchases. See my mail order catalog for details.

Today we present another article submitted for Round 9 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This one is from a certified Glock Armorer. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $1,600.) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. If you want a chance to win the contest, start writing and e-mail us your article. Round 9 will end on March 31st. Remember that the articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Ensuring Glock Pistol Reliability, by Frank Hawkins

Failure to go “bang” when you need it is a frustrating experience that could produce a sinking feeling in your stomach if the situation is desperate enough. For the Glock pistol, this failure is rare, but it does happen. If you keep your Glock clean, then debris won’t be the problem. With a clean Glock, failure to fire is because of the failure of one (or both) of two different springs: the Trigger Spring or the Firing Pin Spring.
Original Equipment Manufactured (OEM) Glock parts seldom fail. Such failure usually has one of several antecedents: (1) someone has replaced the OEM parts with other parts of lighter “competition” tolerances, or (2) someone has disassembled the Glock and reassembled the OEM parts incorrectly, or (3) someone has reassembled the Glock minus a critical part.
Glock pistols are popular among IDPA and USPSA competitors. Many of them have internally modified their handguns to some extent. Months or years later, if the gun is sold or traded, the modified parts usually stay with it. There are, also, many home “gunsmiths” – and even a few commercial ones – who do work on Glocks. Sometimes, a mistake will be made and failures to fire will happen on down the line.
If you are the original owner of your Glock pistol and have never had it modified for competitive shooting, you probably have little to worry about. But if you are a subsequent owner and are not certain of its history, you may want to change these two springs and assure yourself that they are OEM compliant. By the end of this article, you will be able to change those two springs.
Parts Needed:
1. OEM Firing Pin Spring
2. OEM Trigger Spring
Each of these are currently selling on the Internet for as little as $2.49 each. Both springs fit all Glocks. [JWR Adds: I recommend that all Glock owners buy two or three spares of each, in addition to the generically advised “spare firing pin and extractor.”]
Tools Needed:
1. One 3/32″ pin punch

Necessary Terminology:
The left side of the handgun is the side which in on your left as the weapon’s muzzle points toward the target.
Disassembly (General):
1. Remove the magazine and ensure that the weapon is empty.
2. Following the Owner’s Manual instructions, remove the slide and barrel from the grip/frame.
3. Set the barrel and the recoil spring assembly aside. You won’t be needing to deal with them.
1/4
Replacing the Trigger Spring
Disassembly of the Receiver Group:
Look at the left side of the receiver. Are there two pins above the trigger? Or is there one pin above the trigger? If there are two pins, remove the top pin first (this is the Locking Block Pin), the Locking Block Pin is the first pin out and the first pin in when you reassemble). If there is only one pin above the trigger, skip to step #2.
1. Place the receiver group in it’s right side and, using your 3/32nd pin punch, drift-out the Locking Block Pin from left to right. If your weapon has never been disassembled before, this may take some strong pressure on your part, but do not use a hammer to assist your pin punch. Keep pushing it and it will eventually start to come out. Push it all the way through the right side of the receiver and set the pin aside.
2. Remove the Trigger Pin. Hold the receiver in your left hand with the muscle end toward your body. With your left thumb, jiggle the Slide Stop Lever up, down forward and back while (using the pin punch held in your right hand) you begin pushing the Trigger Pin from left-to-right through the receiver. Do not use a hammer to assist the pin punch.
If the Trigger Pin gets stuck only part of the way out of the right side, Stop! With the pin punch, gently push it back in from the right side of the receiver and begin Step #2 over. Keep doing this over until you learn your Trigger Pin’s “sweet spot”.
When the Trigger Pin has been pushed through, remove it and set it aside.
3. Grasp the Slide Stop Lever with your fingers and lift it out of the receiver. Set it aside.
4. Remove the Locking Block: From the left side of the receiver, place the tip of your pin punch under the rear edge of the Locking Block and rest the shank of your pin punch on the left side of the receiver. Using the receiver as a fulcrum, lift the Locking Block out of the receiver and set it aside.
5. Remove the Trigger Mechanism Housing: Using the pin punch, push the Trigger Mechanism Housing Pin out of the rear part of the grip. Then, place the tip of the pin punch under the Ejector and rest the shank of the pin punch on the left side of the receiver and pry out the Trigger Mechanism Housing
6. Remove the Trigger Spring: Hold the Trigger Assembly with its right side facing you. Pull forward on the Trigger Bar while rotating the Trigger Bar counter-clockwise. Now, pull the Trigger Bar free of its housing. The little spring that connects the Trigger Bar to the Trigger Housing is the Trigger Spring. Remove the Trigger Spring by working the hooked end of the spring out of its hole in the Trigger Bar. Work the Trigger Spring out of the Housing Mechanism by removing the lower spring hook from the hole.

Replacing the Trigger Spring:
Place the Housing Mechanism so that you are looking at its right side. Position your new Trigger Spring in your hand so that its two hooks form an “S” as you look at it. Hook the lower end of the “S” into the hole in the Housing Mechanism. Hook the upper end of the
“ S” into the hole in the Trigger Bar.
Reassembly of the Receiver Group:
This is accomplished in reverse order of disassembly
If you have a Locking Block Pin, remember that if it was the first pin that comes out, then it’s the first pin you put back in.
When you get to the re-installation of the Slide Stop Lever, remember the wiggling and jiggling you did to get it out. As you are inserting the Trigger Pin, move the Slide Stop Lever forward and backward while giving pressure to the Trigger Pin. The Trigger Pin should be inserted from right to left.
Replacing the Firing Pin Spring
Removing the Firing Pin and Firing Pin Spring:
Place the Slide, muzzle end down, of a flat surface with the Slide’s underside facing you. You will see a silver protrusion toward the back end of the Slide on the side that’s facing you; this is the tang of the Firing Pin. The Spacer Sleeve is just under that tang.
1. Grip the Slide in your left hand. Hold the pin punch in your right hand. With the tip of the pin punch, press downward on the Spacer Sleeve. At the same time, use your left thumb to slide the Slide Cover Plate off of the Slide. (Note: If your weapon has never been disassembled before, you may need a thin-bladed screwdriver to get the Slide Cover Plate started) As the Slide Cover Plate slides off, keep your left thumb over the vacant area … or else springs will go flying.
2. Remove the Firing Pin by grasping the Spacer Sleeve and pulling it out of the Slide. Clean off any lubrication that someone may have squirted in there.
3. Take the Spacer Sleeve off of the Firing Pin (but, before you do, look at how one fits into the other for purposes of reassembly). Place the Firing Pin in reverse position in its hole in the Slide to that its tang is resting either to the right or left of the Firing Pin hole.
4. Pull down on the Firing Pin Spring and remove the Spring Cups. Set the Spring Cups aside.
5. Remove the Firing Pin Spring and replace it with your new one.
Note #1: there is a black plastic part inside the Firing Pin channel called the Channel Liner. If this falls out during your work, simply put it back in.
Note #2: When reassembling the Firing Pin and Firing Pin Spring, be very careful with the Spring Cups, if you make a mistake, they can go flying. You may want to do the Spring Cup reassembly part inside of a 1 gallon plastic bag. Also, be certain that the small end of the Spring Cups are inside the Firing Pin Spring.
Reassembly of the Slide Group: This is done in reverse order.

Letter Re: Stocking Up on Augmentin–the Antibiotic of Choice

Jim:
I’m somewhat reluctant to offer blanket medical advice to non-patients, but after reading SF in Hawaii’s comments about Augmentin (Amoxicillin-clavulanate) bears comment.
There is no ‘one best antibiotic’ for all purposes. Antibiotics have to be administered based on the specific type of bacteria causing an infection. Administering the wrong antibiotic doesn’t just not work, it causes bacteria that are not killed outright to become resistant to it – which can cause problems down the road. People have pathogenic bacteria in and on them all the time, when something causes them to go out of balance and cause disease. At the very basic level, antibiotics are based on the cell wall of the bacteria (which determines if it will stain pink or blue with the Gram microscopic stain process). Once that determination is made, certain bacteria are sensitive to certain drugs.
If I were to recommend a basic armamentarium of oral antibiotics, I’d have to pick at least 5 different ones. I actually carry these, plus another drug, gatifloxacin that is no longer available in the US, plus 4 or 5 intravenous/intramuscular (IV/IM) [injectable] drugs, and pick the best drug for the problem at hand:
1. Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) 500mg twice a day for infectious (bacterial) diarrhea (5 days max), anthrax prophylaxis (x60 days), uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) (7 days max), gonorrhea (1-2 tabs, once)
Given the incidence of certain bacteria that are resistant to ciprofloxacin, it is also wise now to also carry azithromycin
2. Azithromycin 250mg Comes in packs of 6 for 5 days dosage, take 2 the first day, then 1 a day until gone, for bronchitis, pneumonia, or serious throat infection.
3. Ampicillin 500 mg 4 times a day for , or amoxicillin-clavulanate 875 mg twice a day (Augmentin, very expensive) for sinus infection, skin infection, or ear infection, gastro-intestinal (GI), or genitourinary (GU)
4. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 160/800mg (double strength) twice a day, 7-10 days or doxycycline 100 mg twice a day, for 7 days for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, UTI, otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis
Doxycycline is also a chloroquine-resistant malaria prophylaxis, take 1 daily starting 2 days before travel until 4 weeks (28 days) after return from endemic area, effective against Rickettsials (Rocky Mountain spotted fever)
5. Metronidazole 500mg 4 times a day for 7-14 days effective against Giardia lamblia and for dental infections, trichomoniasis

Augmentin is very good for animal (especially cat) bites, but it is quite expensive. Amoxicillin is a synthetic penicillin, the clavulinic acid (clavulanate) contributes penicillinase (an enzyme some bacteria produce that inhibits penicillin effectiveness) resistance.
This list is in no way comprehensive, nor are the indications the only possible uses for the drug, or the only drug for a condition.
Take care, and keep up the good work. – Flighter, MD

Odds ‘n Sods:

Jon H. forwarded an article that indicates that the mainstream media may be catching a clue on food storage preparedness: The emergency fund you can eat

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Matt B. sent a link to this video on how to escape from handcuffs, using a bobby pin. (The chances of being handcuffed by looters or home invasion robbers is small, but you never know what might happen.)

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Feds say Family has No Rightful Claim to 1933 ‘Double Eagle’ Gold Coins. What ever happened to our legal system’s foundational presumption of innocence?