Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

Now that I’ve transitioned to a weekly posting schedule for SurvivalBlog, I’ve had time to catch up on some projects around the ranch.  I have just a couple of weeks to handle many projects before hay-hauling season begins in July.  First up will be cross-cutting and splitting the firewood logs that I’ve been gathering in the past three months. Typically, I cut the large-diameter logs to stove length, but the smaller ones I cut to two or three stove lengths. So, those I’ll have to  be cross-cut before I can split them.

I padded, packed, and mailed out several Elk Creek Company orders. That always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to deliver some nice anonymous small arms to good homes.  And I enjoy the friendly feedback that I get from my customers.  They are always pleased with the quality pre-1899 cartridge guns that I sell, and they often remark that they were pleasantly surprised with the bonus items that I’ve included.  I’m expecting a lot more orders this week, since spot silver is back above $70 per ounce and we’ve correspondingly raised our silver divisor to 50.  (You can take the total for your order and divide by 50, if paying in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver coinage. For example, a $345 order would cost just $6.90 face value in 1964-or-earlier silver dimes, quarters, and halves..)

After an unexpected fence-hopping entry by our yearling bull, I had to reinforce one side of our main garden fence with several 16-foot-long welded-wire livestock panels, to keep the cattle out. Those Bovine Delinquents!  Oh, speaking of them… Yesterday, I completed construction of a 4-foot wide “friendship gate” on our north property line.  It is mostly there so that we can escort errant fence-jumping cattle back onto our ranch. There will eventually be two such gates on that property line.

Last week, we had a setback when the clutch failed on our 15-year-old pickup truck. Thankfully, this happened when I was close to home, and only just heading back from a short errands trip when I didn’t have a trailer in tow. I can only imagine what it would have been like if that had happened when I was a hour away from the ranch, with a load of 30 hay bales in the trailer. The pickup will be at the dealership for about 10 days. They tell me that the repair work done before we need it for hay-hauling. That work will cost $2,500+. Ouch.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR, based on an old pun:

Elevator Meme

Meme Text:

We Call It An Elevator, But The Brits Call It A Lift

I Suppose We Were Just Raised Differently

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 Week: 

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” – Galatians 2:16-21 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes — June 9, 2026

On June 9, 1628: The first deportation from what is now the United States: Thomas Morton was deported from Massachusetts. For the local Puritans, Morton’s behavior was just too much. He was a drunken womanizer who constructed a May Pole, organized orgies, and sold guns to Indians.

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And on June 9, 1772: The first naval attack of Revolutionary War took place in Providence, Rhode Island.

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A reminder: SurvivalBlog is now a weekly web blog, delivered Fresh Every Tuesday.

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Today’s feature article is the conclusion of a guest piece by long-time SurvivalBlog reader “Tunnel Rabbit”, who makes his home in northwestern Montana.

Modern Handloads for Antique 7mm Mauser Rifles – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Considerations for Projectile Selection

There are many different bullets and powders to choose from.  Given the very long throats of their chambers, we are mostly limited to heavier and flat based bullets.   Choosing the best projectiles for the antique Mausers will help us get the best all around results, quickly.

For the purposes of hunting, I would like it to shoot no larger groups than 2 MOA with iron sights and that would limit my shoots to 250 yards if I had 20-20 or better vision and had the rifle on a rest for the shot. The bullet must of soft construction so that it expands instantly and adequately wide enough at lower impact velocities, and have enough weaght to penetrate through the game at wood ranges with quartering away shots.

Cup and Core Traditional Hunting Bullets

There are many good bullets that might be used and I have considered some of them, yet not all.  There is simply not enough time to do so and it is not necessary.  The bullets discussed have a wide following and are well tested over the decades. These are traditional cup and core that tend to be of softer construction, and many had to have been designed specifically for 7mm Mauser.Continue reading“Modern Handloads for Antique 7mm Mauser Rifles – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”

4Patriots 72-Hour Survival Food Kit, by Thomas Christianson

The 4 Patriots 72-Hour Survival Food Kit is misnamed. In terms of caloric requirements and nutritional value, it does not quite qualify as a 48-hour food kit. In terms of packaging, it would be best suited as a 24-hour food kit.

The food is packaged conveniently for things like camping trips. But it is important to realize that the number of servings listed on each package is hopelessly optimistic. Double each serving size, and it will be just about right. Also make sure to take other foods to supplement the packaged courses.

At the time of this writing, the kit cost $29.95 at 4patriots.com. I don’t believe that the kits offer a cost-effective solution for emergency food storage. It would be more cost-effective to select foods that you regularly eat and that have a long shelf life. Purchase significant stocks of those foods, and regularly rotate those stocks so that you first eat those items that have been on the shelf the longest.Continue reading“4Patriots 72-Hour Survival Food Kit, by Thomas Christianson”

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic is a map that shows the status of social media age verification legislation around the United States. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

 

 

 

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

Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers.

Economics & Investing Links of Interest

Economics & Investing Media Tips:

Please send your economics and investing links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Thanks!

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, more out-of-control AIs..

Anthropic Seeks Pause of AI Development

First up, over at Yahoo News: Anthropic calls for pause of global AI development, The article begins:

“Artificial intelligence company Anthropic suggested Thursday a global pause on building the most powerful AI systems as the latest models are beginning to show signs they could escape human control.

The San Francisco-based company, which makes the Claude family of AI models, said in a report that a worldwide slowdown in cutting-edge AI development would “likely be a good thing” — but warned that if only one company stopped, rivals would simply race ahead.”

ECDC: Ebola Risk Low for Europe

European Center for Disease Prevention and Control: Risk to Europe remains very low as Ebola outbreak intensifies in DRC.

New Cattle Market Worries, New Market Highs

At The Liberty Daily: Second Flesh-Eating Screwworm Case Raises Beef Supply Fears as Goldman Warns Outbreak “Could Be Disruptive”.Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

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.

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Several readers mentioned a recent interview of actor Josh Duhamel by Shawn Ryan.  At just after the 30-minute mark, Duhamel credits reading my novel Patriots for putting him on the preparedness path.

o  o  o

Peter Thiel’s Plan B, Plan C, and Plan D: Why Peter Thiel Is Decamping to the End of the World.

o  o  o

Reader D.S.V. mentioned this news: Pennsylvania Senate Bill Would Make State 30th to Adopt Constitutional Carry.

o  o  o

Video interview: How One Company is Building a Parallel Food System in America — Pete Strayer of Azure Standard.

o  o  o

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

This weekly column features media 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.

Redoubt News Links:

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

In the past seven days, I did a lot of roto-tilling in our main garden.  My aching back is now reminding me of it! We have a rear-tine Troy-Bilt Horse tiller, but making lots of tight turns with it is hard on my back.

We assisted our excellent sheep-shearer, who visited us on Thursday.  He made quick work of shearing both of our sheep flocks, with nary a nick. After he was done, I disassembled the temporary holding pens that I had set up in our ban.  Pictured above is a sheep shearing day at my great-grandfather’s ranch in Mendocino County, California.

Our daughter and three of our grandsons helped me assemble a 4-foot-deep set of rivet shelves in our shop. This was the last set that we had planned for the shop’s main floor.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:


Meme Text:

It Used To Be Shunned As One Of The Seven Deadly Sins

But Now, If We Fail To Endorse “Pride” We Are Shunned as “Homophobic”

 

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 Week:

“Man’s cleverness is almost indefinite, and stretches like an elastic band, but human nature is like an iron ring. You can go round and round it, you can polish it highly, you can even flatten it a little on one side, whereby you will make it bulge out the other, but you will never, while the world endures and man is man, increase its total circumference.” – H. Rider Haggard (Sir Henry Rider Haggard) 1856-1925

Preparedness Notes — June 2, 2026

SurvivaBlog Now Comes Fresh Every Tuesday

Today we are commencing our weekly posting schedule, with posts on Tuesdays. After more than 20 years of daily posts I was feeling exhausted. But with this new editorial pace, I’m feeling re-energized and confident that I have another 20 years ahead of me.

  • To recap the changes: Starting today SurvivalBlog will be posted on Tuesdays, and perhaps the occasional Thursday, if the Tuesday posts get too crowded. So, you can expect to see SurvivalBlog “Fresh Every Tuesday.” (An homage the late, great Ol’ Remus.)
  • We discontinued the SurvivalBlog Writing Contest. Round 124 was the final round, and the prizes mailed out early this month will be the last ones awarded. (Note: Any folks with unused Elk Creek Company purchase credits may redeem them until December 31, 2026. And, of course, those credits are still transferable.)
  • We’ve consolidated our SurvivalBlog columns into one-day-per-week. Much the same mix of content will still be there, but you’ll see it just on Tuesdays. You’ll still see: quotes, historical notes, American Redoubt news, economics and investing items, world news, and our prepping progress. There will normally be just one feature article each Tuesday.)
  • Product reviews will be posted just twice per month, instead of four times per month.
  • Recipes will be posted just twice per month, instead of four times per month.
  • I’ll still be consulting, doing occasional interviews, writing novels, producing the SurvivalBlog Old School (SOS) newsletter, and still operating Elk Creek Company.
  • We’ll continue to produce an annual waterproof archive USB stick. To make up for the smaller annual volume of blog content, we will include even more bonus books each year.
  • I’ll have more time available to spend with Avalanche Lily and my family to do some things that we’ve been putting off for years.
  • Note that I often won’t be able to respond to your e-mails immediately, because there will be some days each week when I’m completely offline. (Hopefully, spending more time hiking and hunting.)
  • We’ll still gladly run letters and guest articles written by readers.  There will be be no minimum length for articles.
  • The full archives of SurvivalBlog will remain available free of charge. The SurvivalBlog Writing Contest page has become a static page.
  • In the event of any major crises or catastrophic events I will post on other days of the week, ad hoc.

Rest assured that I’m not retiring! Except for the discontinuation of the writing contest and the consolidation of posts into a weekly format, SurvivalBlog will still provide what you’ve always expected to see.

I trust that you will concur with the wisdom of this new change of pace. – JWR

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Today is the last day of our big sale at Elk Creek Company. Get your order in before midnight, Eastern Time!