Letter From Rourke Re: Insulated Concrete Forms for Home/Retreat Construction

This is in response to a letter from B.V. (posted 1/12/06) on Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and http://www.polysteel.com. As I said in my 1/7/05 letter, the major shortfall of this type of construction is the roof. Otherwise, this a good idea, in particular to insulate the concrete wall from the elements so it acts as helpful thermal mass for heating and cooling efficiency. Also, reinforced poured concrete is far superior to block, just try drilling through each sometime. There are several companies that make these systems. I happen like the hanger system (for joists and trusses, etc.), and the system of attachment for drywall and exterior siding of Nudra: http://www.nudura.com Still, building a home or retreat this way still begs the question: Why invest in walls that can sustain a hurricane or tornado and then put on a conventional roof that can’t? My personal favorite solution to this problem is using a span-crete (pre-cast steel reinforced concrete) to do the roof span, and then insulate over it with hard foam, then put down a 60 mil rubber roof membrane, and then two feet of topsoil, netted to hold it, and slightly pitched to drain. For added protection and strength, pour a slab over the roof membrane of at least four inches, and put the soil over that. [JWR Adds: Be sure to consult with an architectural engineer to make sure that all of this is done safely. Loads must be properly supported. “Dead” loads can be deadly! Just ask Ken Kern–the alternative housing author who died in the collapse of a rammed earth dome that was under construction.]

Here in the North, where we need to go down four feet to get the foundation well below the frost line and thus have basements (might as well go a little further). The temptation is thus to them make an earth shelter or underground home this way, basement and main floor both buried. The problem is the inward pressure on the flat vertical concrete walls it too great. While such pressure is not large a factor on an 8 or 9 foot poured concrete basement wall, is certainly is for a 16 or 18 foot wall. My solution, and compromise, is to bury and berm just 10 to 12 feet of the wall (10 inches think) thus berming the first floor of the house (above the basement) half way up to the lower ledge of the windows. The space between the top of the berm and the roof line is then conventionally insulted and sided (consider fire resistant materials such as brick, stone, fiberboard, stucco, Masonite, steel, stainless steel… http://architecture.about.com/od/buildyourhous1/tp/siding.htm ). Your options for the roof are to wall it off and use it as a patio, or for max insulation put some topsoil there as I said before. You can put on gutters or some sort of little awning over the windows and doors at least to handle channeling the run off. Snow load isn’t even a factor with how strong this roof is, nor is the concern of volcanic or other fall-out that, particularly if it gets wet, will collapse most conventional roofs. Small and simple rectangular ranch home designs work well, but to really maximize the space I like having a split level with partial exposure to the basement/lower level for two bedrooms below and one bed above on a 28’ by 36’ footprint, or similar size. The exterior door is then above the berm height, as well. This design will give your home or retreat an amazingly strong design and a reasonably conventional look to it. Note you can attach a hardened garage on to this, and even put a “stealth retreat” under the garage. Sound familiar? [See the SurvivalBlog Archives.] – Rourke http://groups.yahoo.com/group/survivalretreat

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. This gives exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball are too violent for the body and stamp no moral character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walk."
-Thomas Jefferson

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 2 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This one is excellent. Don’t just read this article, folks. Implement it!

The writer of the best contest entry will win a four day course certificate at Front Sight. (An up to $2,000 value!)  The deadline for entries is the last day of January, 2006.

Getting Your Group to Buy In: The $20 Medical Kit, By EMT J.N.

1

Overview
After the Katrina fiasco, a lot of my friends started to get interested in preparedness. Having some experience as an EMT and SAR volunteer, I decided to take the initiative and organize a group buy on medical supplies. This article is intended to help others who would like to put together low-cost, practical medical kits, particularly for a group.
For the short version, skip down to The Kit: Part I. Otherwise, read on.

Background
For any kind of preparedness project, it’s best to have a set of goals in mind at the outset. The goals I came up with were to build a kit that:
1. Is simple to use by lay people, with a maximum chance of helping in a crisis and a minimum chance of causing harm.
2. Contains supplies for 2-3 people to take care of themselves for 1 week in the event of a crisis (earthquake, weather emergency, flu, etc) or for one major incident (car accident, work injury).
3. Useful for the same 2-3 people during an average year of minor cuts, scrapes, and illnesses. Useful as a stand-alone kit or a module in a larger cache.
4. Easy to obtain and replenish (no exotic meds or perishable items)
5. Compact and easy to store (1 gallon Ziploc).
6. The last, and most difficult: the kit must cost around $20.
Based on experience, I felt that it would be unrealistic to expect friends and neighbors to spend $1,000 on a full-blown medic bag suitable for an expedition to Mt. Kenya, or to spend 100+ hours in EMT training. Someone who is dedicated can get to this level of preparedness, but those supplies do no good if they are locked up in your basement and not out where the hurt or sick people are.
If you happen to be the sick person or away from your cache of gear, the same rule applies.
So let’s start with the assumption that our friends are be willing to put $20 towards their own safety and maintain something that fits inside of a 1 gallon Ziploc. If copies of that kit are distributed to all of your friends, neighbors, family, deer hunting buddies, etc then there is a better chance that:
1. They will be able to take care of their immediate needs during the first critical hours of a disaster.
2. They will be there to help you.
3. As a group, you will collectively have enough supplies to stabilize someone who is really seriously hurt.

The Kit Part I – what do we really need?
A lot of papers have been written on the subject of first aid kits and what they should contain. What we’re most interested in is being able to carry out a few basic interventions that can treat the small problems and buy us time to get to a real doctor for the big ones.
So what can we reasonably do? A complete discussion of first aid measures could easily fill a book, but let’s keep it simple.
The basic things needed for a person to live are the ABCs:
  Airway
  Breathing
  Circulation
Any major interruption to the above, and you’re basically done for without immediate intervention. Going down the line, we have other common problems that can threaten our survival:
  Shock
  Hypothermia
  Dehydration
  Fever
  Infection
  Major Injury
We also have a number of minor problems that can become major ones if we ignore them. A sprained ankle may keep you from being able to evacuate. A minor cut can lead to sepsis when you’re in a dirty environment. Diarrhea is annoying, but can kill you if it goes on for longer than a couple of days.
For the kit to be worthwhile, every item should be able to help us solve these problems, and preferably have multiple uses.
After substantial research, the kit listed below was settled on as being a good compromise in terms of usefulness and cost. The supplies are grouped by categories.

Personal protection
(1) 2oz Bottle, hand sanitizer
(4) Exam gloves, Nitrile
(1) CPR shield

Instruments
(1) Splinter forceps, pair
(1) EMT shears, pair
(2) Disposable fever thermometers
(1) Razor blade

Bandaging:
(20) 1″ Band-aids, cloth
(2) Roll, 4.5″ Kling gauze
(1) Small roll, medical tape
(4) 4×4″ gauze bandages
(1) Triangular bandage
(1) Ace elastic bandage, 3″
(10) Steri-strips, 1/4×1.5″
(2) Tincture of benzoin swabs
(2) Instant Cold Packs

Medications:
(6) Packets, triple antibiotic ointment
(20) Benadryl tablets
(20) Ibuprofen tablets
(18) Imodium tablets
(15) Aspirin

Other:
(4) Plastic vials, 2 dram capacity
(1) Bag, 1 gallon Ziploc freezer-type

The Kit Part II – What can we do with these supplies?
Here is a brief explanation of each group of items and what it might one day do for you.

Personal protection – These items are there to help keep you, the rescuer from getting a disease or worse from someone you are trying to help.
Gloves are a good precaution whenever bodily fluids (blood, vomit, etc) must be handled. The more expensive Nitrile gloves are better, as some people are allergic to latex. They are also more sturdy.
A CPR shield is a must-have if you ever expect to perform CPR or rescue breathing – it could mean the difference between helping someone without hesitation and not being willing to risk it. Don’t spend a lot of money here, as it’s also one of the least-used items and the reusable models can be harder to use without practice.
Hand sanitizer is always useful. Ask any nurse about the importance of washing up. The alcohol-based gel is not as good, but the best you can get when the hot, soapy stuff is unavailable.

Instruments – Being able to dig a splinter out, cut away clothes, or take vital signs, is one heck of a lot easier with some basic tools. EMT shears are inexpensive, heavy-duty scissors that can even cut through a penny. These, along with the other items will find many uses to an imaginative person. The forceps (tweezers) can also be used to get the cotton out of the pill bottles.

Bandaging – Bandages are used to stop bleeding and protect wounds. An assortment of cloth band-aids can help you deal with minor injuries, while the larger gauze pads and rolls can help with bigger lacerations (cuts) and abrasions. An Ace bandage can be used to treat a sprain, hold a makeshift splint onto a leg, or wrap up a severely bleeding wound that requires pressure. An additional item that might be added is one or more sanitary napkins. Aside from their feminine use, they are excellent for soaking up blood on large injuries.
For major cuts, steri-strips are a way of closing up the skin without needing special equipment and training. Think of these as “band-aids on steroids.” They are thin tape strips, 1/4″ or so wide and 3-4″ long, coated with a super-aggressive adhesive and reinforced with cloth fibers. After thoroughly cleaning a wound (a hole poked in the Ziploc can allow you to squirt clean water deep inside), the steri-strips are applied much like sutures (stitches), across the wound to close the edges up.
Tincture of Benzoin (a sticky disinfectant swabbed on wounds) will make the steri-strips stick better. Properly applied, they will stay on for up to 2 weeks, even with showers. Don’t waste your money on butterfly bandages – these are far superior.

Medications – These are inexpensive drugs that can be bought (at least in the U.S.) without a prescription.
Antibiotic ointment (i.e. Neosporin) should be applied to cuts to reduce the chance of infection, particularly in dirty environments.
Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine (anti-allergy) medication that can help treat cold and flu symptoms (runny nose, congestion), make allergies less severe, and aid sleep. (Many OTC sleeping pills contain Diphenhydramine.)
In addition, taking Benadryl early could help save your life if you suffer anaphylactic shock (i.e. a severe allergic reaction, such as from a bee sting
Ibuprofen is a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory and fever reducer. In a survival situation, being able to carry out important tasks without the pain from a headache or sports injury could be critical, as could reducing a life-threatening fever.
Aspirin is also a pain reliever, and has fever reducing effects, although Aspirin should never be administered to children with fevers, due to the possibility of a life-threatening complication known as Reye’s syndrome. Aspirin is also often given at the first signs of a heart attack in many EMS protocols.
Imodium (Loperamide) is the last OTC drug included, and it is used to control diarrhea. Diarrhea can interfere with your ability to perform tasks, but it can also be life threatening if it causes dehydration. A 2-3 day course could be life saving in an emergency.
With any medication, it is important that the full instructions be included in your kit. Make photocopies of the drug labels and warnings, and include with your other documentation. Be sure to write down the drug expiration dates as well.
All of these meds should be good for at least 1 year after purchase, but check first.
Plastic dram vials are good for packaging drugs purchased in bulk. Add a small amount of cotton if you need to protect the pills from being crushed by vibration and shaking. And don’t forget to print labels for each bottle.
In addition to the four above, you might want to pack an extra vial for your personal medications.

The Kit Part III – Being a savvy shopper!
Assembling all of this and keeping the price under $20 is difficult unless you buy in bulk.
From our research, we found that Costco had hands-down the best prices on medications. You will need to buy the large, bulk bottles and repackage them.
For bandages and related first-aid supplies, buy quantities mail-order from an EMS or medical company such as Emergency Medical Products.
Many supplies are available locally. Wal-Mart often has 2oz bottles of hand sanitizer for U.S.$0.99. The plastic vials can be purchased in packs of 25 or 100 from several eBay vendors. The razor blades can be had in 100-packs at any hardware store.
Some of the “Big Lots” type discount stores also have first aid supplies. I recently found 2-packs of Ace bandages for U.S.$0.99. But be wary of buying medications at these places, as you may find that they are close to their expiration dates.

Conclusion – Putting it all together
Once you have orders from all of your group members (20-25 kits seems to work out well on quantities for the first order) and you’ve received your supplies, you’ll need to pack them. I’ve found that the best way to do this is to have each group member come and pack their own kit. This way, everyone will be familiar with the contents and will know where everything is.
The first time you do this, you will probably lose money, owing to the odd quantities that some products must be purchased in, and occasional hidden tax or shipping charges. Think of it as a charity (or charge a bit more than you think you need to up front!)

And remember, the best survival kit is the on you keep inside your head, in the form of training. Go sign up for Red Cross First Aid/CPR training, take a First Responder, Wilderness First Responder (WFR), or EMT class. Read books, or take on-line lessons. There are several excellent, free resources on-line.

Appendix I:
Spreadsheet with kit contents. Includes a worksheet help figure out quantities to order, total cost, etc.
http://23.org/~arclight/firstaid/medical_kit_worksheet.xls
Sample Avery labels (Avery #8257) for pill bottles.
http://23.org/~arclight/firstaid/drug_labels.doc

 

Appendix II:

Optional Items:

Rehydration Mix
If you should come down with severe diarrhea, you can die from dehydration and loss of electrolytes. Stocking some Pedialyte, Gatorade (dilute to 50% with water) or the homemade equivalent could be a life saver. The basic recipe is 1 teaspoon (5ml) salt, 8 teaspoons sugar and 1 liter of water.

SAM Splint (or imitation)
These are very versatile split devices, which consist of thin aluminum on a foam backing. You can bend and use as-is, for splint arms, wrists, legs, etc or cut up with your EMT shears to make finger splints.

N95 HEPA Masks
If you’re worried about airborne pathogens, this is a good thing to have. Most hardware stores sell masks with an N95 or higher rating, and small, collapsible masks are available from medical outlets.

Upgraded CPR Mask
The $1, disposable shield will serve, but a better shield, with a one-way valve will make things easier. The CPR Microshield from MDI is good compromise, as it is superior to the thin plastic shield, has a one-way valve, and comes on a keychain.

Suction
Keeping the airway clear is critically important when someone has experienced trauma or is severely ill. Commercial suction devices are available, but a cheap, improvised solution is a standard turkey baster. For less than $2, this could be a useful addition to a kit.

Thin Sharpie Marker and paper
Useful for recording vital signs. (You do have a watch, right?) With a Sharpie marker, you can also write the numbers on the patient’s hand, so that there is no chance of the paper being lost during transport/evacuation.

Better Packaging
The 1-gallon Ziploc bag was chosen as the least costly option for getting the kit out there. You will probably want to find a better container to package it in if you expect it to last in a vehicle or other harsh environment. The basic kit can fit into a 30 caliber ammo can, a small Pelican box (1300 series or larger) or a soft bag. Harbor Freight offers a low-cost canvas or nylon bag that will neatly hold the kit. Check out items #40727-3VG, item #38167-0VGA, and item #32282-7VGA
If you really want a top-of-the-line, well organized packaging system, look at the compartment cases from L.A. Rescue, Outdoor Research, or Atwater-Carey. A search through most EMS catalogs, or a Google inquiry should turn these up.

 

Useful Web Sites:

Wilderness Emergency Medicine Services Institute (WEMSI)
Lots of good materials, including the full text of their training manuals
http://www.wemsi.org/

Where there is No Doctor (Now available on-line)
http://www.healthwrights.org/books/WTINDonline.htm

Free First Aid Guide (From SciVolutions, a medical manufacturer)
http://www.firstaidguide.net/

Emergency Medical Products
Sells a full line of EMS supplies
http://www.buyemp.com

Allegro Medical
Generic Medical catalog, offer smaller quantities of similar items
http://www.allegromedical.comBooks

Wilderness Medicine (Great reference, previously recommended here on SurvivalBlog.com)
Paul W. Auerbach
(1,910 pages, hardcover)
ISBN: 0323009506

98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Cody Lundin
(240 pages, soft cover)
ISBN:1586852345

Letter Re: Survival Gun Selection

JWR:
As to your post on “Survival Gun Selection” in reference to having spare parts. If you have one or two of the same “tool” and have spare parts, it would be best to check that the spare parts fit. Make sure they both fit and function. It would be best to do your fitting beforehand whenever possible. Richard, KT Ordnance

JWR Replies: If any of you readers have not yet visited the KT Ordnance web site, then you should.  Richard sells gunsmithing goodies with an interesting angle: He makes 80% finished rifle and pistol receivers, as well as jigs, tools, and instructional DVDs that detail how to complete the receivers. Under the Federal law, these are NOT considered “firearms”, and can be completed as semi-autos by private individuals for their personal use WITHOUT completing a Form 4473!  (Consult your state and local laws before ordering.)  OBTW, Richard is currently running a special 10% off of all orders (all 80% complete frames, not just Model 1911s-but excluding jigs), just for SurvivalBlog readers. Check it out!

Five Letters Re: Poor Man’s Generator Power Transfer Switch

Note from JWR: Posting all five of the following letters is probably over kill, but I’m doing so to illustrate the power of the collected wisdom represented on this blog!  You folks really know your stuff.

Dear James and all concerned,
I believe that a safer and more efficient way [than the backfeed rig suggested by Monty is] to power a home via generator is to build a cord much the same way as was previously posted, but instead of having a male plug on both ends, ( which is extremely dangerous and also requires more wire to reach the outlet) Simply connect an appropriate breaker. For example I currently run a Thermadyne 10000 watt Welder/Generator which I can set beside my meter panel, open the lid and turn the main breaker ( usually a 200 amp in most new residential homes) off, and then remove the inner cover enabling you to insert your new breaker. Then simply attach your ground wire to your grounding bar, and power up both legs of your panel. Again use common sense and caution. When the generator is running the copper bars in your panel will have plenty of energy to do serious damage to you or anything else that touches them. I like this system (although both will work) because all of your “switches” are right there reducing confusion. Thanks for a great site. – J. , Somewhere in Montana


James:
WARNING: If the local utility company’s meter reader sees that you have made provisions to hook your generator directly into the panel WITHOUT AN APPROVED TRANSFER SWITCH, you will quickly find yourself without power from the local electric company and probably cut off from the grid forever and probably the local building department will declare your home unsuitable for occupancy. If you have back fed into the system and some one has been hurt or killed due to your irresponsible actions, you will face civil suit and will probably spent several years in jail for you action. The bottom-line is: spend the $$$ and have a transfer switch installed. – D.O.

James,
[The backfeed rig suggested by Monty is] a bit unsafe and a problem if others in the family do not know the procedure!!! I wired my son’s house like this.
1. Mount another panel on your panel board.
2. Select circuits for emergency power. (in his case -12)
3. Mount 4 – gang junction boxes on panel board.
4. Run a wire from each “selected” circuit to the common arm of a 3-way switch mounted
in the junction boxes.
5. One remaining side of each switch goes back to the Main Panel breaker and the other
goes to the Emergency Panel breaker.
6. Start the genny and then go to the 3 – way switches and flip each one.

I priced this method against a 100 amp transfer switch and this was much cheaper.
Hope this will be of interest to someone. – South Jersey boy

 

Jim:
Be advised that this scheme [the backfeed rig suggested by Monty is] is illegal many places, the electrical code does not allow it, and, at least in my area, valid reason for the power company to discontinue your service – permanently. The reasons being, it is too easy to forget something. It’s dangerous for you and people in your house, as you’ll have live bare lugs sticking out of the male plug, which are easy to touch. It’s dangerous for the generator, when the power is restored. And it’s dangerous for the linemen and your neighbors, who may be counting on those downed power lines being DEAD. Electrocute a lineman, and you will be visited by several of his large, muscular, and very irate workmates. You will not come out the winner in this encounter,
I assure you. – Irv


Jim:
I have installed several relatively inexpensive transfer switches made by Reliance Controls http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ The most recent was a 100 amp unit in outdoor enclosure that cost me only $149. They have several configurations; one I used was two interlocked 100 amp breakers and a COPPER buss rather than the less expensive but poorer choice aluminum. They are also available with different sized breakers, such as 150 amp normal and 30 amp generator, reducing cost. I strongly suggest that something like this be considered to reduce the risks associated with the backfeed scheme! – M.G.

Note From JWR:

If you enjoy reading this blog and you have have your own web site, then please establish a link to our site. Doing so will help promote the blog–both directly and by raising it in search engine rankings.  (The search engines give the greatest ranking weight to sites that are heavily cross-linked by other sites.) We will be happy to reciprocate, at our Links page. Thanks!

Three Interesting Recent Economic Commentaries on Gold-Eagle.com

When doing some recent web research, I ran across three very interesting commentaries posted by the fine folks at at Gold-Eagle.com.
The first was by Peter Degraaf.  See: http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/degraaf010806.html

The second was by Emanuel Balarie on The Real Estate Bubble. See: http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/balarie011006.html

The third was by Kevin DeMeritt, the president of Lear Financial, titled: “Greater Fools, Stocks, Real Estate and Gold.”See: http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/demeritt010906.html

Letter Re: Insulated Concrete Forms for Home/Retreat Construction

James,
Have been reading your Blog on Dome Homes. Was wondering if you have considered/ reviewed Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs). They appear to have several uses, good thermal factor, ballistic protection, and they look fairly do it yourself. See:  http://www.polysteel.com. Can you comment on these? – B.V.

JWR Replies:  ICF is an excellent construction method.  ICF houses are very well insulated and offer above average ballistic protection.  There are several competing makers, of whom PolySteel is the best known.  See the Survival Blog Archives for previous discussions on this topic.  

Letter Re: Poor Man’s Generator Power Transfer Switch

I am a newbie to your blog, also to blogs in general. Awesome job!!!
You can power your home with a generator easily and Safely as follows: If your home has a electric dryer and your generator output is less than 30 amps (i.e. Coleman 5000 Watts = 20 amps) Kill your main inbound voltage, main breaker/ disconnect et cetera.Use a male twist lock NEMA plug that fits the outlet from the generator, use appropriate cable (10/3 S.O. cord) size it to the amperage output of the generator (10 AWG  / 30 amps) for short lengths. Use a male dryer plug. You are backfeeding the house panel this way. Control the outlets needing power with the breaker panel. i.e. kitchen refrigerator, removing all the sucker loads i.e.VCR, DVD player et cetera. If utility power is restored nothing will be harmed, (generator or linemen working in the area), because you are disconnected by the main breaker or disconnect. Cost is less than $75.00 Larger amperages would use the electric stove outlet–they are good for 50 amps. Securing the generator is another story.  – Monty

JWR Adds: Use extreme caution when using this method. (It is indeed a sound method for use in an emergency, but it is not a proper substitute for a proper transfer breaker panel  It requires thought before action.) When the grid comes back up: Remember to shut down the generator first, then unplug your back feed rig, and finally switch back to utility power. Keep in mind that the backfeed rig has exposed (male) prongs that are energized ("hot"), so the rig should be completely disconnected from your generator when you run it for any other purpose.

Two Letters Re: Truck, Auto, ATV, Motorcycle, and Bicycle Tire Repair

Hi,
I am no tire expert, but I always have a tire repair kit on hand with self vulcanizing plugs. I have put these in my radial tires and driven thousands of miles with them. They work with any tubeless tire (even small tractors, etc) and I have never had one fail on me yet. They work for punctures such as nails, thorns, etc. For tears or rips it’s either a new tire or a larger internal patch. These plugs will work on the side wall too, but tend to fail after a while. It is better to replace that tire but they can be used in a pinch.

There are three parts to the kit.
  1. A tool to debride the “injury”
  2. a tool to insert the plug
  3. The plug itself.

All you do is find the hole by inflating and running soapy water around the tire until bubbles appear around the injury. Remove the object that caused the hole if it is still there, noting the direction of entry. Then insert the debriding tool into the injury and push it in and out to clean the wound and remove any debris. Once that is done you load the plug into the insertion tool, push it into the opening until only about 1/2 inch or so remains and then twist the tool about 1/2 turn and slowly remove the tool. Cut off any excess patch protruding, then inflate the tire and use it as normal. As I said, I have used tires repaired in this manner for thousands of miles with no trouble at all. I have not noticed any balance issues afterwards either so that does no appear to be a big issue.
See:
http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl028a.htm
http://performanceunlimited.com/cobravalley_tools/tirerepair.html
(This one is a bit pricey but the only image I could find right away. I got mine at the local auto supply place for something like $10-to-$15.) Regards, – Tim P.


Good Evening James,
I have been overwhelmed as of late with all of the valuable reads you and the following have provided. It must make you smile when you sit back and track the progress since August! On Tire Repair: I have been faced with several “less than desirable” locations to have a tire come off of a Garden Tractor, Skid Loader, One Ton Truck, or ATV or even your wheel barrel. If you are wanting to polish up on, or obtain the tricks of the trade in DIY tire repair, hang around a farm coop, or off road tire repair service. I have learned a few tricks, please understand dealing with tires can be very dangerous. Give them the maintenance they deserve!   If your tire becomes flat, or comes partially off the rim, (notorious with wheel type loaders/tractors), do your best to get the weight off of the tire with your jack, or build a ramp of some sort. Getting the tire “unstressed” ASAP will aid in the down time of your repair. The memory of the mold will soon kick in and as long as you have not driven a country mile with it flat, should result in quick repair.
Once past the problem of getting the tire back on the rim, you come to the obstacle of getting the tire to seal on the bead, or rim. If at all possible, clean the inside of the rim with rags, or even your clothing. Without a clean surface to seal to, your efforts and resources will triple in getting satisfactory results.
Now you have to weigh the available resources in attacking your repair. One would hope that an air compressor is available. If not, I hope that you have a can or three of Fix-a-Flat type repair. The small compressor and cigarette adaptor recently spoke of should be a staple in your trunk. [JWR Adds:  I prefer the slightly larger ones, that come with a two gallon tank.] The problem is that most compressors do not deliver enough CFM to expand the tire onto the rim. There are three options hat I am aware of.
1). Have a modified “air pig” with a oversize outlet tube, (i.e.- 1″ or larger with a flat oblong end). Fill the tank up to as high as safe and flip the ball valve thus expending the contents of the tank in the matter of a split second. This, carefully aimed at the edge of the rim and tire will result in a freshly sealed/beaded tire.
2). Second option is to gather ratchet strap type ratchets and surround the tire making sure that the strap is in the same spot on the tire all the way around and is not twisted. Cinch up the slack and apply several “power strokes” to the ratchet to squish the tire to the bead/rim. Once done, proceed with filling it with air. Remember that once air is trapped and bead is sealed, release the straps. Skid Loader and Tractor Tires are very very tough. I have found that twin 2″ 10,000# tie down straps work best. They are supple and very strong. It takes one at each edge of the tire directly in line with the rim. The goal is not to smash the tire, it is to squish the tire–not making the surface convex, if possible.
3). [An unsafe method mentioned here was deleted, for liability reasons.]
I just had a flat on my ATV. It needed a bottle of Slime to get me back in business. However, Slime is useless if you do not have the valve stem removal tool that comes with it. Get a few spares, put them in the tool box! – The Wanderer

JWR Adds:  Readers should use extreme caution when working with split-rim type wheels! Do some web research first. Ignorance is a killer around high pressure.

Letter Re: The Ten Cent Challenge

I am thankful you started the Survival Blog in August of 2005. I firmly believe we must support those who educate and advocate what is correct and true.  People purchase newspapers and magazines, donate to others asking for different organizations on the side of the road. We give. I would like to appeal to all of the other readers out there. Please be honest with yourselves. If you come to this site at least once a month, and find the material of interest, motivational, compelling, as well as a resource full of other sites to cross-reference to, if this site has enriched your present/future plan, please join us and keep this in mind: Today we stand, we watch, we pray. It takes action to make things happen. Notice all the words used in the first sentence requires action. Please join in and help with the daily 10 cent pledge. I thank you and pray that all those who read SurvivalBlog will step up to the plate and contribute so they can also stand united in principle and ethics (sincere – truth- accountable – forthright.)  – E. & L. Guerra, Warriors for the Truth

JWR Replies:  Thanks for you kind letter. We’ve now had 48 readers send 10 Cent Challenge donations.  You folks know who you are.  All that I can say is MANY THANKS!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force." – Ayn Rand

Note From JWR:

Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. God willing, it will get people motivated. Every neighbor that is prepared logistically will be one less individual begging at your door, come TEOTWAWKI+1.

Survival Gun Selection

In my survivalist novel “Patriots”, I included lots of descriptions of firearms used in various situations in order to illustrate that there is no single “perfect survival gun.” Different situations are best handled by using different firearms. There are several requirements that must be considered in selecting guns for use on a farm, ranch, or survival retreat. First, and foremost, they must be versatile. A single gun might be pressed into service for shooting crows or starlings at 10 yards, rabbits or coyotes at 100 yards, or rattlesnakes at five feet. While there is no single gun that can handle any task, it is important to select guns with at least some degree of  versatility. Further, it is not realistic to believe that you can get by  with just one gun, or even just one rifle, one pistol, and one shotgun. Versatility has its limits. Like a carpenter’s box of tools, each type of gun has its special place and purpose.

The second major consideration for survival guns is that they be robust  and reliable enough to put up with constant carry and regular use. Good designs not prone to mechanical failures are a plus. When an infrequent   repair must be made, a small stock of spare parts that do not require special gunsmithing to install must suffice. When the nearest gunsmith is  a two hour drive away, you have to depend on your own resources. And needless to say, who knows which replacement parts will be available when things get Schumeresque? Since they are carried quite frequently and in all sorts of weather, farm/ranch/survival guns need to have durable finishes. Stainless steel is by far the best choice for most situations. Unfortunately, however, not all guns are available in stainless steel. For guns that only made with a blued finish, there are several alternative finishes available. These include Parkerizing (the military standard gray or black phosphate finish commonly seen on M16 and AR-15 rifles), and various other factory finishes  with trade names such as “Coltalloy” or “Armour Alloy.” In addition to gun factory finishes, a wide range of exotic materials such as Teflon and Zylan are now frequently used as “after-market” gun finishes. The Robar Company uses a nickel/Teflon composite. My personal favorite of the exotic finishes is called METACOL (METAl COLor), which is offered in a wide variety of colors by Arizona Response Systems
(http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com) Exotic material finishes offer rust protection that is exceeded only by stainless steel and are quite durable. For those that dislike the highly reflective surface of stainless steel, it too can be coated with one of the exotic materials such as green Teflon with a matte texture.

Because trips to town to procure ammunition might be infrequent (or impossible in a severe survival scenario), and reloading will likely be the norm for those seeking self-sufficiency, it is desirable to limit the number of different cartridges that you stock. Having ten different guns chambered in ten different cartridges would only serve to complicate logistics. Further, it is best to select only guns chambered for commonly-available cartridges. Small country stores stock ammo like .22 Long Rifle, .308 Winchester, .30-’06, or 12 gauge, but probably not .264 Winchester magnum, .300 Weatherby, or 28 gauge.

Small Game

There are several categories of firearms that belong in the gun racks of nearly every farm or ranch. The first, and most frequently used variety are small game/pest shooting guns. These guns are used to hunt small game for the pot (squirrels, rabbits, etc.), to shoot garden pests (crows, starlings, gophers, etc.), and marauding predators (coyotes, foxes, weasels, ferrets, etc.) They also end up being the guns most frequently used to slaughter livestock. Good cartridges for small game/pest shooting include .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR), and .223 Remington. The most common shotshells for this use are .410, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge. The .22 LR will suffice for everything up to the size of rabbits at conservative distances. It is inexpensive to shoot, quiet, and has hardly any felt recoil. The .223 Remington (virtually identical to and in most cases interchangeable with the 5.56mm NATO cartridge used by the military) is a good cartridge for shooting perched birds that would be out of range for a .22 rimfire, or for shooting feral dogs, feral cats, or coyotes. Experience has shown that both handguns and long guns are needed for small game/pest shooting. A long gun would of course be the ideal choice in most circumstances, due to their inherently higher velocity and longer sighting radius (and hence greater accuracy). There are times, however, when it is not practical to carry a long gun. When mending fences, feeding livestock, hauling wood, riding a tractor, or doing most gardening work, it is usually not practical to carry a long gun. On farms and ranches, long guns tend to be left behind inside buildings, or in vehicle gun racks. They are only rarely carried when doing chores or just walking down to the mailbox at the county road. This is where handguns come in.

Rimfire Handguns

A good quality .22 rimfire pistol may be one of the most useful handguns in your battery. They are used for dispatching those “uncatchable” chickens for the stew pot, for shooting small game/pests, and for inexpensively maintaining marksmanship skills for those more powerful (and more expensive to shoot) handguns. My wife and I use a stainless steel Ruger Mark II with a 5-1/2-inch bull barrel and Pachmayr grips. The Ruger is also offered in 6-7/8-inch and 10-5/8-inch barrel lengths. But we find that the 5-1/2-inch barrel is a handy length for holster carry. Another well-made stainless steel .22 autopistol is the Smith and Wesson Model 622. It is available with a 4-1/2 inch or 6-inch barrel. If you prefer a revolver, the stainless steel Smith and Wesson Model 617 is a good option. It is available in a 4-inch, 6-inch, or 8-3/8-inch barrel length.

Rifles chambered in .22 LR are often used guns on farms and ranches. They are useful for pest shooting, small game hunting, and target practice. Reliable, American-made semi-auto .22s include the Ruger Model 10/.22 (also available in stainless), the Marlin 70-P “Papoose”, the Remington Speedmaster Model 552, and the discontinued Remington Nylon 66. If a bolt action is your preference, either the Kimber Model 82 or the Ruger 77/.22 are good choices. Two good quality lever action .22s are the Marlin 39TDS and the Winchester 9422. Regardless of which brand of .22 rifle you buy, you should consider mounting it with a telescopic sight. Because of its low energy, proper placement of a .22 rimfire bullet can mean the difference between crippling and cleanly killing small game. Mounting a scope will in most instances give you the ability to not just hit an animal’s center of mass, but rather hit a precise aiming point, such as its head or neck. If you do decide to mount a scope, use a full size (1-inch diameter) scope rather than one the inexpensive 3/4-inch diameter scopes made specifically for air rifles and .22s. Inexpensive scopes generally have a poor field of view, considerable parallax distortion, and are not as ruggedly made as the full-size rifle scopes. For training youngsters, I recommend the diminutive Chipmunk .22 LR single shot bolt action, with a 16″ barrel.

Centerfire Handguns

If you are seeking a particularly versatile handgun, you might consider the Thompson/Center T/C Contender. This single shot pistol uses readily-changeable barrels in a wide range of chamberings. The Contender is available in both blued and stainless steel. It was also formerly offered in a proprietary alloy finish called “Armour Alloy II”. Some of the most useful of the 20-plus chamberings are .22 LR, .223 Remington, and the .45 Colt/.410 shotgun barrel.

The handguns in our battery that we traditionally carried the most was our pair of Smith and Wesson Model 686 .357 magnum revolvers. Both were black Teflon coated (a short-lived S&W factory variant dubbed “Midnight Black”), with 6-inch barrels and equipped with Pachmayr Signature grips, and red ramp/white outline adjustable sights. The six inch barrel length is a compromise between ease of carry and accuracy/velocity. While an 8-3/8-inch barrel would provide better accuracy and velocity, without using a shoulder holster, a gun with this barrel length is not comfortable to carry. We typically carried those revolvers in inexpensive black nylon Michaels of Oregon (“Uncle Mike’s” brand) black nylon hip holster rigs, each with pouches for four spare Safariland speed loaders. Our habit was to have two speed loaders loaded with .357 magnum 125-grain half-jacketed hollow  points, one with CCI #9 birdshot “snake” loads, and one with .38 Special tracers (for shooting in low-light conditions). These revolvers accounted for numerous snakes, rabbits, and even a couple of coyotes, not because they were the best guns for the job, but rather because they were the guns we habitually carried and thus they were available when needed. These guns also pack a punch, so they allayed our fears of dangerous predators, whether of the two-legged or four-legged variety. In addition to the Smith and Wesson, good quality stainless steel double action .357 revolvers are made by Colt (the King Cobra and Python) and Ruger (the GP-100).

We now carry Colt Stainless Steel Gold Cup (Model 1911 pattern) .45 ACPs with Pachmayr grips, extended slide releases, and Trijicon tritium-lit sights. One thing that we missed about the .357s was their ability to fire bird shot cartridges, but Remington makes a .45 shot cartridge that functions fairly well in a .45 auto. When we moved to bear country, we sold off the 686s and standardized with the .45 automatics. We wanted to be able to put a lot of rounds into a bear in a hurry, and .45 autos are far faster to reload than revolvers–at least under stress, in our experience. Granted, the chances of surviving a bear attack are slim, but we feel that we have a better chance with the Gold Cups. At least when they find all the ejected brass around our mangled corpses, they can say that we put up a good fight. 😉

Speaking of bears, for homesteaders living in brown bear or grizzly bear country, a more powerful handgun than even the .45 ACP is often recommended. A stainless steel Smith and Wesson Model 629 (6-inch) .44 magnum, or Ruger Redhawk (5-1/2-inch) .44 magnum, or perhaps the Colt Anaconda (6-inch) .44 magnum would be good choices. If you would rather carry an automatic, the LAR Grizzly (.45 Automatic magnum), Wildey (.45 Automatic magnum), Desert Eagle (.44 magnum), or the long discontinued Auto Mag (.44 Auto Mag) would also serve the same purpose, although all of these guns are relatively expensive and heavy to to carry.

Rifles
A lightweight rifle chambered in .223 Remington is particularly useful for shooting both perched birds and predators. Remington, Ruger, and Sako all make good quality .223 bolt actions. Selecting one is largely a matter of personal preference. We use our .223s on coyotes, which currently abound in great numbers in the Western U.S., and are a constant source of trouble in our area. They have a penchant for devouring ducks, chickens, pet cats, and newborn lambs. We use three different guns on the uncommon occasions when we have a chance to snipe at coyotes. These guns include a Remington Model 7 bolt action chambered in .223 Remington, a Colt CAR-15 “M4gery“, and a scoped L1A1 semi-auto chambered in .308 Winchester (virtually identical to and in most cases interchangeable with the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge used by the military). a .308 bolt action is used when we spot a coyote at beyond 300 yards. With the Remington Model 7 available, the CAR-15 is largely superfluous. But we like its easy handling, and the fact that we can get off a quick second shot when shooting at running rabbits or coyotes.

Combination Guns
The next category of guns are combination or “garden guns.” These range from expensive imported rifle/shotguns to inexpensive combination guns made domestically. The European three barrel combination guns or “dreilings” (often anglicized to “drillings”) can easily cost $2,000 or more. Guns typical of this breed are the Colt/Sauer drillings, Krieghoff drillings, and the Valmet over/unders. They typically feature a high-power rifle barrel mounted beneath side-by-side 12 gauge shotgun barrels. Domestically produced two-barrel combination guns, while not as aesthetically pleasing. cost far less than European drillings. These guns offer the ability to fire a single shotgun shell or rifle cartridge, with the flick of a switch. They are by far the best gun to have at hand when out doing garden work. They give you the versatility to eliminate a pesky gopher or marauding birds, whether they are perching or in flight. One of the best of the inexpensive combination guns now on the market is the Savage Model 24F with a Rynite fiberglass stock. This gun is currently available in .223 Remington over 12 gauge, or .223 Remington over 20 gauge. Screw-in choke tubes for the shotgun barrels are now standard. Both models are also available with traditional wood stocks. In the past, Savage Model 24-series guns were made in a wide range of chamberings such as .22 LR over .410, .22 LR over 20 gauge, .22 Magnum over .410 gauge, and .357 magnum over 20 gauge. All of these now-discontinued guns featured wooden stocks. They can often be found used at gun shows or in gun shops at modest prices. Due to their versatility, they are well worth looking for. Because most of the Savage 24-series guns come with a blued finish, it is recommended that they be upgraded with a more durable finish such as Teflon or Parkerizing.

Long Range Rifles

Big game hunting/counter-sniping rifles are the next group of guns to be considered. The selection of a big game rifle depends on the variety of game to be hunted. In the lower 48 states, a bolt action rifle chambered in .308 Winchester or .30-’06 will normally handle most big game. Regional differences will determine exactly what you need. For example, in the plains and desert states, you might need a scoped rifled chambered in a flat-shooting cartridge such as .270 Winchester or .25-’06. No matter which chambering you select, it is important that you buy a well-made rifle with a robust action. Remington, Ruger, and Winchester among others all make guns with these qualities. After you buy the rifle itself, you will probably want to have a more durable finish applied to its metal surfaces. You might also want to mount a telescopic sight if you will be hunting in open country. If you’ll be hunting in brushy or densely-wooded terrain, you could find a scope is more of a hindrance than a help. It is important to note that scopes are more prone to failure than any other part of a rifle. Therefore, it is wise to select a rifle with good quality iron sights, whether or not you intend to mount a scope. If and when a scope should fail, you will have the recourse of removing the scope and reverting to iron sights. The need for a cartridge more powerful than .30-’06 is normally a consideration only in Alaska or parts of Canada where moose and grizzly  bear are found. Several powerful cartridges are currently popular. These include the .35 Whelen, the .338 Winchester, and the .375 H & H Magnum. For our type of big-game hunting (normally deer, but nothing bigger than elk), my wife and I selected a pair of Winchester Model 70s. One is chambered in .308 Winchester, and the other in .30-06. The .30-06 is in a  H-S Precision Kevlar-Graphite stock with integral aluminum bedding block. The .308 is in a Brown Precision green fiberglass stock, and was converted by MCS to take standard detachable M14 magazines. (Which are available in 5, 10, and 20 round capacity) This gives it interchangeability with magazines for M1As. They were both given a green Teflon finish and topped with Trijicon 4-power matte finish scopes. Because either rifle might also be used tactically, we had their muzzles threaded for flash hiders (1/2″ x 28 thread–the same as that used on the M16) by Holland’s of Oregon, and had Holland slim line muzzle brakes installed. We decided to get the muzzle brakes because they don’t draw as much attention (in these politically correct days) as a flash hider. However, if we get into some deep drama, we can quickly switch to flash hiders.

Shotguns
The next gun categories to consider are upland game and waterfowl shotguns. If you will have the opportunity to hunt upland game or waterfowl on your property or somewhere nearby, you will of course want to include one or more good bird-hunting shotguns in your battery. As you will likely be carrying your shotgun more often than the average city dweller, a durable finish is desirable. Remington’s “Special Purpose” versions of their Model 870, Model 11-87, and Model 1100 fit this bill nicely. They come from the factory with a non-glare stock finish and a dull gray Parkerized finish on all their surfaces. Several makers produce (or produced) Parkerized-finish pumps and autos comparable to the Remington Special Purpose series. One such is the Winchester Model 1300 Waterfowler. Like most other currently produced domestic shotguns, the Remington Special Purpose guns come with screw-in choke tubes as standard equipment. A 26-inch barrel length is best suited to upland game hunting, while a 28-inch or 30-inch barrel is normally recommended for pass shooting at ducks and geese. Because odd gauge shells might be difficult to obtain in rural areas or regardless of where you live in times of turmoil , it is best to buy either a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun. Also, given the trend towards steel shot, a 3-inch length chamber is recommended. The longer chamber allows the use of magnum loads, which are needed to give the less dense steel shot the same killing power as traditional lead shot loadings. In addition, screw-in choke tubes are advisable. As steel shot wears out chokes quickly, replaceable choke tubes can greatly increase the usable life of a gun. Because my wife is of small stature, (5′ 2″, 100 pounds) she prefers to do her bird hunting with a 20 gauge shotgun. She uses a Remington Model 1100 “Youth” model. Winchester makes a similar small-dimension variant of their Model 870. Because screw-in choke tubes were not available at the time that this gun was purchased, it was retrofitted with a Poly-choke adjustable choke. To make the gun less vulnerable to the ravages of wet weather, it will soon be shipped off to be black Teflon coated. With an extension magazine and a spare short (20″) barrel, our birdguns can double as self-defense guns.

One gun that deserves special mention is the .410 gauge “Snake Charmer II” single shot shotgun, made by Sport Arms, Mfg. This lightweight little gun just barely meets the Federal size minimums (18-inch barrel and 28-1/2 inches overall length). It is constructed of stainless steel and has a synthetic stock with a compartment that holds spare shotshells. Because it is compact and lightweight, our Snake Charmer gets taken along on walks where heavier, bulkier long guns would usually be left behind. This gun has been used to kill several rattlesnakes and a good number of quail.

Retreat Defense
Self-defense guns are the final category to be considered for farms, ranches, and survival retreats. Just as homesteaders in the 19th century had to depend on themselves for the protection of their lives and property, many modern homesteaders are finding that they must do likewise. Post-TEOTWAWKI, we all may be “on our own”–with no law enforcement to call on. (Or any way to call them, even if they are still available.) Even in the present day, rural farms and ranches are often a long driving distance from the nearest sheriff’s office. Even in relatively peaceful times, a lot can happen before help arrives, so it makes sense to be prepared. If you expect bad economic times or other sources of social unrest, you should make a concerted to stock up on defensive guns, plenty of ammunition, lots of spare magazines, and a good selection of spare parts. Again, the assumption that law enforcement officials will be able to assist you also depends on being able to contact them. Encounters with poachers, escaped convicts or other assorted riff-raff might not necessarily take place in the immediate vicinity of your home or vehicle where you would presumably have access to a telephone or CB radio. If you are walking a fence line at the far end of an 80-acre parcel and run into trouble, the only law enforcement assistance available might be the handgun on your hip. Be prepared. At our farm, we have a variety of guns whose main job is defense, but that are also used for other purposes. As previously noted, our L1A1s double as a long-range coyote eliminators. Our large frame handguns are primarily self-defense guns, but also usable for hunting and shooting pests. As I noted previously, we have begun carrying .45 automatics instead of .357s.

If you like the ballistics of the .45 ACP but prefer the action of a revolver, you might consider purchasing a Smith and Wesson Model 625 revolver. This is a stainless steel revolver built on the “N” frame–the same heavy frame used for the Smith and Wesson .44 magnums. The Model 625 uses “full moon” spring steel clips to hold six rounds of .45 ACP. Unlike most speed loaders, with the full moon clips, there is no knob to twist, or any mechanism that could potentially fail. You just drop the whole works into the cylinder. This makes them just as fast, if not faster, than any speed-loader. The Model 625 is offered in 3-inch, 4-inch, and 5-inch barrel lengths–the latter one of which is just about ideal. Because the .45 ACP has the same bore diameter as the .45 Colt cartridge, a spare cylinder and crane assembly can be fabricated for this more potent cartridge. This combination would make a particularly versatile handgun. One shop that specializes in this work is Miniature Machine Co. of Forth Worth, Texas. (See: Gunsmithing Service and Parts Providers, below)

Shotguns are also well-suited to defensive work. A spare short “riotgun” barrel for a pump or automatic shotgun can make it double as a formidable home defense weapon. For our Remington 870 12 gauge, for example, we have a 20-inch length barrel that is equipped with rifle (slug) sights, and the choke tube that we keep in it is cylinder bore (no choke). It is ideal for shooting rifled slugs or buckshot. With the short barrel and a Choate eight-round extension magazine, the Remington 870 is a particularly handy gun to use at night for shooting feral dogs and cats or other animals that are attracted to our barn full of rabbits and chickens. It is also a reassuring gun to have around for home defense. The short riotgun barrel stays on our Remington most of each year, while the long “bird” barrels are normally mounted only during the quail and pheasant seasons.

The “Battery “
Just how many guns will you need? If you are on a budget, you might get by with a good quality bolt action rifle chambered in .308 or .30-06, a 12-gauge pump shotgun with a spare riotgun barrel, a .22 LR rifle, and a .45 automatic pistol. However, in order to have the versatility required for the many shooting tasks at most farms and ranches you will likely need at least twice this many guns. For a more complete discussion of guns suitable to a self-sufficient and self-reliant lifestyle, the late Mel Tappan’s book Survival Guns (The Janus Press, Rogue River, Oregon) is generally recognized as the best general reference in print. And for a more complete discussion of guns suitable for self-defense, I highly recommend the book Boston’s Gun Bible.

A battery of guns for use at your farm or ranch should be considered a necessity, just like buying a Hi-Lift jack or a chain saw. Purchases should be made systematically and dispassionately. Like buying any other tool, you shouldn’t skimp on quality. A well-made gun can deliver years or even generations of reliable service.

One final note: You can buy the best guns in the world, but unless you practice with them often, you are not prepared. Getting training at a firearms school like Front Sight is money well spent!

 

Gunsmithing Service and Parts Providers:

The following is a partial listing of suppliers and services. Many gunsmiths offer Parkerizing. You might be able to locate a local shop to provide this service, and thus eliminate the expense and delay of shipping a gun via common carrier.

METACOL Finishes:
Arizona Response Systems (T. Mark Graham)
16014 West Remuda Drive
Surprise, AZ 85387
phone 623-556-8056 (by appointment only!)
http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com

 

Nickel/Teflon (“NP3”) Coating:
The Robar Companies Inc.
21438 7th Ave., Suite B
Phoenix, Ariz. 85027
(602) 581-2648/2962
http://www.robarguns.com/DesktopDefault.aspx

 

.45 Colt cylinders for .45 ACP S&W Revolvers:
Miniature Machine Co.
606 Grace Avenue
Ft. Worth, Texas 76111

 

Kevlar-Graphite Stocks:
H-S Precision, Inc.
1301 Turbine Drive
Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
(605) 341-3006
http://www.hsprecision.com/

 

Winchester and Remington Bolt action rifle detachable M14 magazine conversions:
Moe’s Competitor Supplies
34 Delmar Drive
Brookfield, Conn. 06804
(203) 775-1013