The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Fundamentally, there are only two ways of coordinating the economic activities of millions. One is central direction involving the use of coercion – the technique of the army and of the modern totalitarian state. The other is voluntary cooperation of individuals – the technique of the marketplace.” – Milton Friedman

Quality Products for Prepping, by 3AD Scout

Having to stop in the middle of a project to go to the hardware store for something is extremely annoying to me.  For one it wastes time; two it is an insulting indication that I have a hole in my preps.  Post-TEOTWAWKI, going to the hardware store, or any other store for something you forgot will probably not be an option. Having stuff on hand in my stores for any project is important to me as a gauge for my level of preparedness.  Recently, while building stalls and pens inside my barn, I was enlightened to another annoying lesson, that quality is sometimes much better than quantity.

I’m no stranger to prepping, nor am I a stranger to the value of a quality item.  I’m well aware of the sayings “buy once, cry once” and “one is none and two is one”.   When making prepper purchases, there is almost always a compromise between quality and price. For example, say you wanted to put away 200 cans of soup. Progresso soup, which might taste better than your local store brand will cost more but your local store brand is may not taste as good as Progresso but is probably cheaper, thus the comprise on quality allows you to get quantity and stay within your budget.  We all do this, it might be subconsciously, but we do it, unless you are making a seven-figure income.

There are probably things we all won’t consider compromising on, such as firearms and knives or other items that our lives may depend on.   But what about common consumable items such as sandpaper, paintbrushes, blue tarps, wire brushes, and driver bits?  Over the years, I’ve come accustomed to buying many of my consumables at Harbor Freight. Do I really need to spend $10 on a paint brush to slap paint on a storage shed?   So, buying items at stores like Harbor Freight allows me to buy quantities of items at a reasonable price.  That theory works with paint brushes but perhaps not everything.Continue reading“Quality Products for Prepping, by 3AD Scout”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

Simon in England passed along this instructional video link: BaoFeng Ham Radio From Noob to Skilled in 60 minutes.

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Andre reminded me to mention this, about the Cumbre Vieja volcano, in Spain’s Canary Islands: La Palma’s volcanic eruption is going strong three weeks later.

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This reporting runs contrary to the “Fauci wisdom”: Amish Covid. (Thanks to D.S.V. for the link.) Here is a quote:

“Then, last March, remarkable news. The Lancaster County Amish were reported to be the first community to achieve “herd immunity,” meaning a large part of a population had been infected with Covid-19 and became immune. Some outsiders are skeptical, and solid proof is hard to come by.”

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The old parties are husks, with no real soul within either, divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden and privilege-controlled, each a jumble of incongruous elements, and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly on what should be said on the vital issues of the day.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 26, 2021

Today is the birthday of Henry Deringer (October 26, 1786 – February 28, 1868). He was an American gunsmith. He is best known for inventing and giving his name to the very compact Deringer pistol. Pictured is the Philadelphia Deringer that was carried by John Wilkes Booth.

October 26th is the anniversary of the death of American-born RLI Trooper Joseph Patrick Byrne, in Rhodesia, in 1978.

Edward Wilson Very (born October 26, 1847, died March 1, 1910) was an American naval officer who adopted and popularized a single-shot breech-loading flare pistol that fired flares that bear his name.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 97 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $150 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 97 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Consider a Shotgun as a Gift, by AJS

My shotgun and I have been together a long time. I received it for my twelfth birthday about 70 years ago. I was raised in a farming community. It was expected that a young man would contribute to the food supply whenever possible. My family considered a shotgun to be a piece of precision farm equipment that you used to get food. When I lived with my grandfather on his small farm in rural Midwest he positioned a firearm at each downstairs window. When we looked out in the morning if there was a critter poaching from our garden we could open the window slightly and collect a main course for lunch. If we got a rabbit it meant I did not have to catch one of the free-roaming roosters for lunch.

In those days in rural America people did not have indoor plumbing. Water came from the well. You went out and pumped for it. You wonder about personal sanitation and how often we took showers. The first shower I experienced was when I was in high school and had to take a gym class. Warm water coming out of the wall, what a concept. The privy was between the house and the barn. Grandpa got up early about 3 and went down to the barn. Not everyone had electricity in those days. It was a status symbol to see a light burning above the farm door. Not much time for a big breakfast. In the evening there was the milking so not much time then either. The big meal was the midday. There would be the main course usually chicken from free-roaming to table in less than two hours. There were always potatoes and apple kuchen for dessert. We ate well. That was when we had a leisurely meal and talked about important things.

The elementary school had three rooms: one for first and second grade, one for 3, 4, and 5 the last room was for grade 6 and above. By 5th grade you had learned to read, write, and arithmetic which is what schools taught in those days. Often the youths were needed on the farm so quit after the fifth grade. At age 12 I got my hunting license without an adult accompanying me. You could drive a tractor on the county road at least up to the next field. Young women could marry at that age. It was pioneer country. It was a different world.

I was proud of my shotgun. I took very good care of it. When a relative passed I acquired a rifle and shotgun as a hand-me-down. The local gunsmith said the rifle was not in good enough shape to shoot and advised I take it to the local lake about a mile away and throw it in. The shotgun was in good shape as shotguns do not wear out like rifles do. I already had mine so I gave it to a cousin who did not have one. There were always two issues with the shotgun: first the barrel was really long and second when firing it recoiled smartly. The bruise on my shoulder was a symbol of my ability to withstand pain. But it may have been unnecessary. I will get back to that.Continue reading“Consider a Shotgun as a Gift, by AJS”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we look at proposed changes to Montana’s wolf trapping and snaring regulations. (See the Montana section.)

Region-Wide

Fall color in the Inland Northwest.

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Some fascinating data: Sources of Energy, By State. Note how much hydropower is produced in the Redoubt States.

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EnerSys Among 2021 “Best Places to Work Inland Northwest”. See the full list of companies.

Idaho

Note the overt leftist bias of this article: Mainstream Republicans seek to ‘rescue’ Idaho – from the GOP. Also note that Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin did not “declare herself governor”. A Lieutenant Governor automatically serves as Governor whenever the elected Governor leaves the state of Idaho.

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Fully vaccinated Idaho mom loses battle with Covid: ‘It’s so lonely without her’.

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After 50 years, remains of missing Idaho teen identified on Oregon Coast.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 25, 2021

A Special Note From JWR: I have some sad news. Reader Pam B. wrote to mention that Judge Steve Vandiver is reported to have passed away. Yes, the Steve Vandiver whom you know from SurvivalBlog. At least that is what I’m assuming — since his obituary matches several things he referenced in the article. If so, then we have lost a great patriot. Our condolences to his family.

If you haven’t already done so, then please read his two-part article, that just ran this past weekend:  Part 1 and Part 2.

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This is the birthday of explorer and pilot Admiral Richard Byrd (1888–1957) — pictured. His autobiography titled Alone is a must-read.

Margaret Thatcher was born on October 13, 1925. She was the UK’s first female Prime Minister. She died in 2013.

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Today our feature article is a review written by our Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.

Glock 19 – Gen 5, by Pat Cascio

Glock has been running ads in firearms publications for many years stating “Glock Perfection” and of course, that is their hype. When it comes to firearms – and I don’t care who makes them, there are no “perfect” firearms, they all have their various quirks. Still, Glocks are largely about as perfect as they come. I remember purchasing my first Glock. It was called the “Glock 17” and many folks believed it was called that because it held 17 rounds of ammo. Not true! That came from the 17th patent that Gaston Glock applied for, so he assigned “17” to this then-new pistol. One thing I didn’t care for on the first Glock model, was that the polymer magazines swelled, when fully loaded, and you had to pull on them, once you pressed the magazine release to get the mags out. The more recent Glock magazines don’t have that problem. Still, I’ve been a huge fan of Glocks – all of them – ever since that first Glock 17 I purchased circa 1988.

We’re looking at the new Glock 19, Gen 5, in this article. And, at first glance, there isn’t much different about this than some earlier generations. If you’ll notice in the picture I have three Glock 19 models, and each one is different from the other. The top model is the new Gen 5, followed by the Gen 4.5 (as its sometimes called) and on the bottom is a first generation – although they didn’t call it that – it was just a Glock 19, and that one has a Crimson Trace laser sight on it – and it belongs to my wife and she won’t part with it. Although she now also owns a Gen 4.5 model.Continue reading“Glock 19 – Gen 5, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Gwen’s Sazon Spiced Soup

The following Sazon Spiced Soup recipe is from SurvivalBlog reader Gwen. She writes:  “This is based on a recipe that was given to me but I changed four elements so I would say it qualifies as an original one.

Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground hamburger
  • 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
  • 2 – 32 oz Swanson Vegetable Broth
  • 1/2 cup dry macaroni noodles
  • 1 can of red beans
  • 1-2 packages of Goya Sazon seasoning found in the Mexican aisle
Directions
  1. Brown your hamburger or ground meat of choice and drain the fat.
  2. In a saucepan heat the broth to boiling and add the vegetables. Boil for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the macaroni and boil for the time directed on the pasta package.
  4. Add the Sazon seasoning.
  5. Once the macaroni is tender, add the beans and stir.

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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at Joe Biden’s inflationary policies. (See the Inflation Watch section.)

Precious Metals:

Video interview: From ‘dead money’ to a breakout: Silver’s fortune is about to change.

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Video: Why Silver Could Spike To $80 Or Higher.

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“Gold Suppressed, Shelves Empty, Out-of-Control Fed” – Ron Paul.

Economy & Finance:

Nolte: Nearly Two-Thirds Rate Joe Biden Negatively on Economy.

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Bloomberg reports:  Container Ships Headed for U.S. Poised to Worsen Port Bottleneck.

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Fear of Rising Mortgage Rates Meets Fizzling Pandemic-Frenzy? Prices of Existing Homes Fall for 3rd Month. But, But, But…

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I did not mind killing anything, any animal, if I killed it cleanly, they all had to die and my interference with the nightly and the seasonal killing that went on all the time was very minute and I had no guilty feeling at all. We ate the meat and kept the hides and horns.” – Ernest Hemingway, Green Hills of Africa

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 24, 2021

October 24th is the anniversary of the firing squad execution of Norwegian traitor Vidkun Quisling, in 1945. His ignominious place in history was to have his surname become a noun. “Quisling” is now a moniker synonymous with treason and alliance with an invading army. The popularity of “Vidkun” as a boys’ natal name in Scandanavia dropped precipitously after he took power. Ditto for “Adolf”, in Germany, and “Benito”, in Italy, after 1944.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 97 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $150 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 97 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.