Preparedness Notes for Saturday — December 21, 2024

The Winter Solstice has finally arrived. Those of us who are gardeners can now look forward to longer days and a Spring planting date.  Patience, folks!

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On December 21, 1784, John Jay became acting US Secretary of State. He served in that office from 1789 to 1790.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 ends on January 31st, 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.

Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4.)

Temperature Stable Powders

I will use temperature stable powder in these rifles so that during summer time temperatures, my previously safe-to-shoot cartridges is not adversely affected by an increase ambient air temperature or while chambered in a hot rifle barrel. H4895, H4831, H4350, and Varget are my top choices.

I engineer a wide margin of safety for powders that are not temperature stable and settle on a lesser weight charge. Accuracy can often be found at lower pressures when using lighter projectiles and at higher pressures if using heavier projectiles. Good accuracy for lighter projectiles is often found at top pressures and that is to be avoided in antique actions. Flat-based bullet will be more accurate than boat tail bullets therefore we can better avoid higher pressures when chasing accuracy.

If seeking top accuracy at lower pressures, it is better to use a heavy-for-caliber projectile that is also flat-based bullet. And because it is better to use a heavier projectile at lower velocities when hunting I will accept a hunting load that is not at top velocities. The recoil will be lower and the stress on the action lower.Continue reading“Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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:

This week, we traveled just 110 miles to pick up a new ram to cover the ewes in our little milking flock.  Keeping two rams on the same property can be tricky.  They invariably want to butt heads.  So, I’ll have to maintain pen and pasture fences very carefully to keep them separated.  I just built a separate ram pen. Hopefully, our new ram won’t be a jumper.

I should mention: I’ve witnessed two of our rams butting heads through a shared fence, timing their charges so that they both arrive at the fence wire simultaneously. Yes, in 32+ years of keeping sheep, I’ve seen a lot of silly sheep tricks…

I took a close look using my bore inspection light and added bore condition descriptions to all 9 of the Vetterli rifle listings that are in our Elk Creek Company online catalog.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I plan to have another 12 more Federally-exempt “antique” rifles, one antique revolver, and one huge Colt Walker percussion replica added to the catalog. That batch of guns includes a scare Ramrod Bayonet M1888 Trapdoor Springfield, a couple of very scarce .303 British-chambered antique rifles, and five different blackpowder muzzleloading hunting rifles — mostly .50 caliber. Stay tuned!

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.” – Daniel 2: 19-23 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — December 20, 2024

December 20, 1192: On his way home from the Third Crusade, English King Richard the Lionheart (Richard Cœur de Lion) was captured near Vienna by troops of Leopold of Austria. He was released 1194.

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On December 20th, 1606, the Virginia Company loaded three ships with settlers and set sail to establish Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 ends on January 31st, 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.

Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 3.)

In my opinion, regardless if the chambering is .300 Savage, or .308 Winchester, or .30-06, using a temperature-stable powder at charge that delivers a muzzle velocity of 2,150 fps to propel a .308 150 grain round nosed bullet designed for the .30-30 is the safest practical load I could put together and recommend if the reloader is primarily interested in safety.

As an example in the extreme to illustrate that a larger case capacity is more desirable in antique actions. If it were chambered in .30-06, 35 grains of IMR3031 behind a 150-grain round nosed bullet will achieve and not exceed .30-30 pressures (38,000CUP) and performance levels suitable for hunting deer. I would prefer to have an 1891 Argentine Mauser chambered in .30-06, yet that is a topic for another time as it could exceed the performance of even modern .308 Winchester if the Mauser wore its original long 28.5-inch barrel. Yet those rifles would be hard to find, therefore I am happy to also own an 1891 Argentine Mauser in .308 Winchester that is closer to the original 7.65x53mm case and ammunition.Continue reading“Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, another look at Equities markets. (See the Equities section.)

Precious Metals:

On Wednesday (December 18, 2024) “the bell rang” when spot silver dipped down to below $30 per Troy ounce. To restate my position from my recent investing columns: Silver is a bargain, anywhere below $30.50.  So stack it deep! – JWR

o  o  o

Nick Giambruno: Whoever Does Not Respect the Penny is Not Worthy of the Dollar.

Economy & Finance:

About as expected: Fed cuts by a quarter point, indicates fewer reductions ahead.

o  o  o

St. Onge, over at X/Twitter: “Debt services hits $1.4 trillion per year — bigger than Social Security. Debt service now soaks up 28% of all taxes collected — 47% of the income tax you pay.”

o  o  o

Top DOGE Elon Musk, House speaker balk at Senate report showing only 6% of federal workers show up in person on full-time basis: ‘Absurd’.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Operation Choke Point 2.0: How the Feds Are Seeking to ‘Debank’ Targeted Industries.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — December 19, 2024

On December 19, 1732, Benjamin Franklin, under the pseudonym Richard Saunders, began publication of “Poor Richard’s Almanack”. He produced an annual issue for the next 25 years.

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December 19, 1972: Apollo 17 — the last of Apollo manned Moon landing series — returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, southeast of Samoa.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 ends on January 31st, 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.

 

Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 2.)

Sizing the Brass to the Chamber

Assuming we have had a gunsmith evaluate the rifle, we should also fit the case to the chamber by backing out the die a full turn so that the shoulder of the case might be more than 1 to 2 thousandths of an inch longer. This process will compensate for the generous head spacing that exists in military actions coupled with the original military barrel, and remove any remaining and unneeded head space variance out of a re-barreled action. Accuracy might also be improved.

The bolt should not close without force applied or it may not close at all. Incrementally tighten the die so the shoulder is incrementally pushed back in tiny increments, and again test fit the case in the chamber each time the shoulder is pushed back. Repeat this process until there is only a slight crush fit feeling as the bolt is slowly closed.

At this point for a perfect fit, resize the case again without adjusting the die, but by placing a piece of clear adhesive tape that is not packing tape to the bottom of the case and then resize it one last time. This will push the shoulder back .002″ and provide an excellent fit. This method will reduce the chance of case failure due to excessive headspace. Only rely on this method if the bolt lugs do not have micro-cracks or indications of lug setback. This can be confirmed by your local gunsmith. Only shoot these custom-sized case cartridges in that particular rifle.Continue reading“Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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, a further examination of the mysterious New Jersey drone swarms.

Mystery Drones Could Be Trying to Find ‘Radioactive Material’

Over at Newsweek: Mystery Drones Could Be Trying to Find ‘Radioactive Material’—Aerospace CEO.

“The recent epidemic of reported drone sightings across New York and New Jersey could be due to potential “gas leaks” or “radioactive material,” one subject matter expert has said.

Reports of mysterious drone sightings in multiple states have drawn widespread attention from lawmakers and members of the public in recent weeks. John Ferguson, the CEO of Saxon Aerospace, a drone manufacturer in Kansas, weighed in on the topic in a TikTok post that has gone viral.

The FBI said it has received more than 3,000 tips regarding drone sightings, with the majority of these reported observations happening at night.”

DHS, FBI, FAA, DOD All Say N.J. Drones Not a Threat

As of December 17th, via Breitbart: DHS, FBI, FAA, DOD All Agree on New Jersey Drones: No National Security Threat. JWR’s Comments: For these Federal agencies to declare that they haven’t identified the origin or characteristics of these UAVs, but at the same time declaring them “not a threat”, is disingenuous, at best. I’ve concluded that we are being treated like mushrooms. That is: Kept in the dark and fed horse manure. My (tongue-in-cheek) theory:  Thermopods Over New Jersey, from Planet 10.

Former F-18 Pilot: Drones Aren’t WMD ‘Sniffers’

Former F-18 Pilot Tells Joe Rogan Drones Aren’t WMD ‘Sniffers’ As Dronegate Intensifies.

Intel Officials Reveal Source of Drones in Classified Briefing

Intelligence officials reveal source of drones in classified briefing.  JWR’s Comment:  So… If they  were just licensed commercial drones, then why was the briefing so long, and why was it classified?

Superflares Erupt From Sun-Like Stars About Every 100 Years

SurvivalBog staffer Tom Christianson sent this, from the Smithsonian magazine site: Superflares Erupt From Sun-Like Stars Roughly Every 100 Years, a New Study Finds. Is Our Sun Overdue for a Massive Blast? Here is a pericope:

“The new results indicate that stars resembling our sun experience superflares approximately once every century—and if that’s true, it seems our sun may be overdue for such an explosion. As solar activity is already known to cause damage to Earth’s satellite and telecommunication systems, the discovery came as a shock to the team.

“This is 40 to 50 times more frequent than previously thought,” Valeriy Vasilyev, a scinentist at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) and a co-author of the paper, tells Space.com’s Robert Lea.”

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — December 18, 2024

On December 18, 216 BC, in the Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia. Hannibal’s Carthaginian army defeated Roman forces on Roman soil.

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December 18, 1777: The first national Thanksgiving Day, commemorating British General Burgoyne’s surrender.

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December 18th is the birthday of Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788). He wrote more than 1,700 hymns.

—

Today is also the birthday of Jørgen Haagen Schmith (born December 18, 1910, died October 15, 1944). He was better known under the codename “Citron” and was a famous Danish resistance fighter in occupied Denmark. His biographical sketch at Wikipedia describes his death, after he was tracked down by the Nazis: “German soldiers arrived at the house to arrest or kill Schmith. He fought for hours against an overwhelming force of enemy troops killing 11 and wounded scores of others before the house was set on fire and he was shot attempting to escape the flames.” His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 ends on January 31st, 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.

Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1.)

Pressure Limits, PSI, CIP, and CUP

How many PSI are in a CUP? And to continue the absurdity, how many CIP’s of PSI are in a CUP? Could we be more baffled and confused? Yes! And this is all the comedic relief we can expect. To include CIP into our calculus is unnecessary, yet it is mentioned only to note that it is a competing metric used in European manuals and can be a source of additional confusion. Some of the false assumptions about the pressure limits of the Swedish Mauser may lie in the inaccurate translation between the European measurement of pressures expressed as C.I.P., and North American means, methods, and metrics to measure pressure that are expressed in terms of C.U.P., or P.S.I.

All three are different metrics that represent different values and none are directly correlated with each other. There is no direct conversion formula for one to the other. Yet they can be loosely or indirectly, or weakly correlated to provide a rough conversion that is essentially an educated guess. As each rifle is an individual, so the actual maximum pressure for a rifle can be higher or low than the maximum working pressure any particular reloading manual states. There can be significant differences in the test barrels and other factors that influence the results that are recorded in reloading manuals that further add to the disparity of test results and real-world application, including the individual powders used that behave differently, especially at top pressures. I would not use a faster-burning powder than IMR3031 in an antique rifle.Continue reading“Reloading for the 1891 Argentine Mauser – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”

SurvivalBlog’s Annual Disclaimers, Provisos, and Public Notices

Fulfilling my annual duty…

SurvivalBlog, a private information service, is obliged to post some disclaimers and provisos, annually. These notices are current as of December 17, 2024 and remain in force unless later specifically revoked or modified by the Editor.

Advertising and Reviews

Per FTC File No. P034520: SurvivalBlog accepts cash-paid advertising. We also have affiliate advertising  relationships. To the best of my knowledge, as of the date of this posting, none of our advertisers that sell the products mentioned in this blog have solicited SurvivalBlog or our staff to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price gear in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. JWR is not a stockholder in any company. SurvivalBlog is no longer associated with Amazon.com, and has not earned any commissions from Amazon since 2001.

Several of our advertisers have overlapping product lines. We believe in competitive free market economics, so we do not offer any “exclusives”, “non-compete” agreements, or “protected territories.”

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All writings that you send us must be original works and their copyright will become the property of SurvivalBlog. Anyone sending a letter or article grants the right for posting, reproduction, or any other use by SurvivalBlog. To differentiate: Any items that you send that are not intended for posting must include “NOT FOR POSTING” in the subject line.

I will post letters from readers that are topical. Please e-mail us your letters. OBTW, I will only post a letter writer’s initials and location, unless they specifically direct me otherwise. Anyone sending a letter or article grants the right for posting, reproduction, or any other use. Again, all writings must be original works, and the copyright will become the property of SurvivalBlog.

I reserve the right to reject or edit letters for foul language, blasphemy, racism, anti-Christianity (or bad doctrine), anti-Semitism, and assorted off-topic tin foil hat rants about Gray Aliens. If you see “[Rant Snipped]” in a letter, then you’ll know that someone crossed the line.

I also edit letters to conceal the identities of their writers, which might otherwise be compromised by the letter contents or contextual references. Please let me know how you’d like your letters or articles signed.

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Why is there no SurvivalBlog forum and no “autoposting” or semi-automated moderated replies to blog posts? Because: A.) They are a security risk to my readers. B.) I don’t have to have the time to moderate the posts, C.) A.I.-generated spam posts and comments have become ubiquitous, and D.) I know from past experience that if I were to allow autoposts, it would quickly degenerate into a venue for flame wars and foul language. So I will pick and choose the letters that will be posted. (It’s my ship, and I’m the Captain. Sorry.)

I am the sole “filter” for what is posted on SurvivalBlog. Just e-mail me what you’d like me to post. (There is no “Post” button, so don’t look for it!)

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Per the SEC Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (as amended): I am not a paid investment counselor or adviser. I am not a stockholder of any company. I am not employed by any company. I receive no payment or benefit from any company in exchange for my investment recommendations. I do not make stock-buying recommendations. Make all investments at your own risk.

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As a private subscription information service, SurvivalBlog is not a “public accommodation” and is therefore exempt from all Federal regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.)

Consulting Services

I am a paid consultant on survival-related topics, including relocation, logistics, communications, firearms, privacy, communications security, food storage, caching, vehicles, field gear, signals intelligence, retreat architectural concepts, and retreat security. I provide my Vonage phone number or Skype name only to pre-paid consulting clients. Before hiring me for consulting, please first search the SurvivalBlog archives and FAQs. I also strongly recommend that you read my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”. That book answers a lot of questions that I typically get from consulting clients. (And buying a $14 book beats paying $100 per hour for consulting.)

If you need my expertise about something that I haven’t already published, then my fee is $100 per hour, with a one-hour minimum. You can send pre-payment via PayPal.

My PayPal address is: james@rawles.to

Be sure to include your e-mail address, phone number, and the best time to schedule the call in your online payment instructions.

You can also send pre-payment for hours of consulting (in 30-minute increments) via U.S. Postal Service Money Orders, “Forever ” postage stamps, or personal checks.

On the advice of my attorney, I never have and will not discuss any potentially criminal activities such as bomb-making, poaching, poisons/toxins, details on fully automatic firearms conversions, active insurrection, coups, or details on firearms suppressor (“silencer”) construction. If you raise any such topics, then I will immediately terminate the consulting call; there are no exceptions.

Not a Doctor or Attorney

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t give medical advice. Advertisements for any medical device, treatment, drug, or food supplement are solely the responsibility of the advertisers and are in no way endorsed or accredited by SurvivalBlog.com, or its principals. SurvivalBlog.com is not responsible for the use or misuse of any product advertised on this blog site.

I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t give legal advice. The laws, regulations, and case citations contained within this blog do not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently. Laws also vary from state to state. Consult a lawyer in your state if you have legal questions. If you choose to act upon the details cited in the blog without doing your own research, then you do so at your own risk.

Many Voices

In part because SurvivalBlog has many contributing authors, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or reliability of what is published in the blog. Consider it only one of many sources of information that you must test against standard references and compare against your local climate and conditions, as well as your local laws. (See: “Accuracy, Safety, and Legality,” below.)

Your Privacy

For your privacy, we do not compile or sell any lists of e-mail or snail mail addresses. Parenthetically, don’t expect me to remember what pen name you use. If you want to continue using one pen name, then please sign all of your e-mails that way. SurvivalBlog also does not allow third parties to screen scrape or wrap our website in a frame or i-frame in order to track user visits.

Right of Non-Association

SurvivalBlog.com is an entirely private information service that is my sole property made available to others as a form of free personal expression under my de jure Preamble Citizen’s right as later guaranteed in the First Article in Amendment to the Constitution. SurvivalBlog.com is not a “public accommodation” and it is preemptively exempt from any forced or coerced accommodation, via legislation (or bureaucratic interpretation thereof) or any dictate, directive, or decree by any agency of government or by any NGO or by any individual under any future “Fairness Doctrine” or similar charade. I reserve the right to refuse service (to wit: to refuse posting, linking, or mention of anyone or anything, at my sole discretion) to any person, agency, corporation, or other entity. I make these reservations for the sake of maintaining sound business practices, competitiveness, and to maintain my moral and religious principles.

My Agent

My literary agency is Trident Media Group. They handle all inquiries on publishing, licensing, foreign translations, and motion picture rights.

Links and Quotes

Our links to articles at third-party websites are offered for informational purposes only. These links are most often at the suggestion of individual SurvivalBlog readers. Not every link is checked in detail. We are not responsible for updating links that have become obsolete at third-party sites. The authenticity, political persuasion, morality, and religious standpoint of those articles and any other articles housed at those sites are not necessarily endorsed by the editors of SurvivalBlog. A link on SurvivalBlog does not constitute an endorsement!

At SurvivalBlog, we err on the side of linking rather than quoting. Not only does this make SurvivalBlog quicker to read, but it also keeps us well within the standards of “Fair Use” for quotations. All articles that are quoted, re-posted, or linked are done so with great discretion and out of genuine professional courtesy under the doctrine of Fair Use, with legal precedent dating to the Statute of Anne of 1709, and confirmed by the doctrine of “Fairness Abridgement” in Gyles v Wilcox (1740) and later codified under 17 U.S.C. § 107.

Accuracy, Safety, and Legality

The content of this blog site is not guaranteed for accuracy, reliability, safety, or legality in all jurisdictions. It is presented for educational purposes only. You are responsible for your own actions. This includes your stupidity or carelessness. Refer to manufacturer documentation for safety and dosing information. Consult a locally-licensed attorney to check on the legality of the devices, formulas, and practices mentioned in SurvivalBlog in your locale. Do not write me to ask for legal advice!

SurvivalBlog is All Free, But Copyrighted

The content of this blog site is free to access, but copyrighted. Permission to use up to 800-word excerpts is summarily granted (with no need to e-mail me for permission), but only if you include full attribution–most notably a link to the survivalblog.com URL.

Have a safe and prosperous new year! –  JWR