The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In March, the hedge fund Archegos struck an iceberg. In just two days, the highly leveraged fund went from “business as usual” to total collapse. Performance rapidly degenerated; the fund was unable to meet margin calls; its bankers seized its collateral; the fund was out of business. Archegos lost everything.

Although Archegos was held only by founder Bill Hwang’s family, its saga offers broad investment lessons.

Victories can be hazardous. They present temptation enough for retail investors, who frequently, as the saying goes, confuse brains with a bull market. After making a couple of winning trades, it’s natural to assume that the trend will continue. The first two times I bought a stock, I doubled my money within 12 months. I had enough experience to know that some of that gain owed to luck, but not enough to know that all of it did. Never since then have I repeated that feat.

Imagine, then, the position of professional investors, who possess the additional hazard of occupational ego. Their livelihood depends upon their ability to best their rivals. Such competition is not for the timid; it demands a high degree of self-confidence, to overcome the lingering doubts. What’s more–although this point did not apply to Archegos, which operated privately–public fund managers face shareholder pressure to demonstrate “the courage of their convictions.”

Bill Hwang certainly showed the courage of his convictions. He grew the fund to $10 billion by borrowing mightily, and after that triumph, continued borrowing mightily. Estimates for the fund’s final leverage ratio range as high as 8 to 1, meaning that even a modest loss would have consumed the fund’s equity. Which is in fact what happened. Archegos wasn’t destroyed by a huge bear market–it suffered what should have been a temporary decline, but which became permanent. Pride went before the fund’s fall.” – John Rekenthaler

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 2, 2021

On May 2, 1945, the Soviet Union announced the fall of Berlin and the Allies announced the surrender of Nazi troops in Italy and parts of Austria.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 94 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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. An Israeli CBRN Gas Mask with Hydration Straw and two Extra 40mm NATO Filter s – Manufactured in 2020 (a $229.99 value), courtesy of McGuire Army-Navy.
  5. 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.
  6. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. 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!

Round 94 ends on May 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.

Alternatives to The Evil Black Rifle, Part 2, by Randy in S.C.

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

Marlin got into the lever-action market in 1881, improving its initial offering with a stronger locking mechanism in 1888. These were top-ejecting actions like the Winchesters and came in the same calibers. In 1889 Marlin went to a solid-top design with side ejection. The Model 1894 was an improved version. It eventually fell out of favor but was reintroduced in .44 Magnum in 1969. Since then it has been offered in .218 Bee, .22 Magnum, .32 H&R Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, .41 Magnum, .44 Special and .45 Colt as well as .25-20, .32-20 and .44-40. Variants differ in barrel and magazine lengths and other details. I particularly like the ‘Cowboy’ series with octagonal barrels. Marlins made before the Remington buyout (some call it a sellout) can be pricey, especially when looking at special editions made in limited numbers.

 

Figure 4:1894 Marlin .357 Carbine

Current-manufacture Henry Big Boys, as mentioned before, share only the iconic Henry name. On most of them, the magazine loads through a port on the bottom of the tube, like a .22. This is slower than guns with gates in the receiver, and Henry has responded with variations that do both. Barrels run from 16½-inches to 20-inches, and there are a variety of finishes from which to choose. Calibers include .45 Colt, .44 Mag/Special, .41 Magnum, .357 Mag/.38 Special, .30-30, and .327 Fed Mag, which also fires the .32 H&R. Not all versions are available in all calibers. Prices are competitive with Winchester and the Italian clones.

Calibers

As already noted, short-action lever actions are available in a wide range of calibers. Minus the rimfires and those for which companion rifles and revolvers are not available, and you have four vintage cartridges and three modern ones: the .32-20, 38-40, .44-40 Winchesters, and the .45 Colt, plus the .327 Federal, .357 and .44 Magnum. Any of these will, with careful shooting, drop deer-sized game.

In choosing among these, ammunition availability is probably the most important factor. What do you already own? What, if anything, can you still buy in quantity? What components are on your loading bench? Finding ammo to fit the gun of your dreams is probably going to be difficult at best, so dance with the one that brung you. Buy a carbine or rifle to match your favorite revolver, or a sidearm to match your long gun.

The old-timers, .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, and the .45 Colt, were all originally loaded with black powder. Guns designed around them were never intended for high-pressure smokeless ammunition. Later offerings like the 1892 Winchester, newly-manufactured 1894 Marlins, and the Ruger Blackhawk are much stronger. ‘Cowboy’ loads operate at pressures and velocities safe in all guns that are in good condition. Winchester and Remington once offered ‘high speed’ loads in .32-20 and .38-40. These were similar to what we now refer to as ‘+P’ and were labeled ‘for rifles only’. People who do not pay attention to warnings bulged barrels and blown-out cylinder walls.Continue reading“Alternatives to The Evil Black Rifle, Part 2, by Randy in S.C.”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” – Revelation 4 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — May 1, 2021

May 1st was the birthday of Pastor Archie Mitchell — a man whose civilian life was torn by both World War 2 and the Vietnam War.

It is also the birthday of the late Joel Rosenberg, a Canadian-born novelist and gun rights advocate (born 1954, died June 2, 2011). He is not to be confused with Joel C. Rosenberg (born 1967), another great novelist and the author of The Last Jihad series.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 94 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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. An Israeli CBRN Gas Mask with Hydration Straw and two Extra 40mm NATO Filter s – Manufactured in 2020 (a $229.99 value), courtesy of McGuire Army-Navy.
  5. 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.
  6. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. 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!

Round 94 ends on May 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.

Alternatives to The Evil Black Rifle, Part 1, by Randy in S.C.

To borrow a phrase from a popular television series, “Winter is coming.”

By the time you read this, the Leftists in Congress may well have passed, and their puppet in the White House will have signed, a new bill restricting the production, sale, and ownership of so-called ‘Assault Weapons’. By ‘Assault Weapons’ they mean America’s most popular semi-automatic rifles, used for recreational shooting, competition, hunting, and home defense. That none of these meet the textbook definition of ‘assault weapon’ means less than nothing to them. Nor does the fact that the new law will have absolutely no effect on crime. All Leftists care to know about firearms is that an armed populace is a roadblock on their way to absolute power.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 prohibited the manufacture of a long list of semi-auto rifles and shotguns as well as ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. Many common civilian firearms were designed around detachable 12-, 20-, and 30-round magazines. What had been perfectly legal ‘normal’ or ‘full-capacity’ magazines became, with the stroke of a pen, prohibited ‘high-capacity’ magazines.

At the time, getting 52 votes in the Senate meant grandfathering existing guns and adding a sunset clause. When the ban expired in 2004, gun owners and Constitutional scholars alike gave sighs of relief. But the pending bill will include neither grandfathering nor a sunset clause. Once the law is passed, it will legally be “game over” for our black rifles.

Left-wing politicians and the media portray Evil Black Rifles (EBRs) as easily converted into full-auto machine guns, and many uninformed people believe them. A new assault weapons ban (AWB) will start with EBRs, but all self-loading rifles, pistols and shotguns may well be included. What the Leftists can’t pass as laws will be pushed through as executive orders.

The irony is that only law-abiding citizens will be affected. Career criminals, so beloved of the Left, would be exempt from registration and taxation. Because felons can’t legally own firearms, forcing them to register guns would violate their Fifth Amendment rights.

The most viable alternative to the Evil Black Rifle may be the all-American lever action. These ‘cowboy rifles’ are handy, don’t have features that scare Liberals like detachable magazines or flash hiders, easy to operate and surprisingly versatile. So what if they aren’t 21st-century technology? As Robert Heinlein observed in Starship Troopers (a great book made into a mediocre film), “There are no dangerous weapons; there are only dangerous men.”Continue reading“Alternatives to The Evil Black Rifle, Part 1, by Randy in S.C.”

April 2021 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance, and the factors that affected gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in April?

Gold started April around the $1,720 mark, and spent the first half of the month in choppy trade below $1,750.
This changed on April 15, when Joe Biden unloaded a pile of sanctions against Russia for cyber espionage and election interference. This gave gold the breakout it had been looking for. Gold hit a six-week high early, breaking heavy resistance of $1,760 an ounce. That $1,760 barrier became a solid floor for the rest of the month.

The gold breakout and risk-off mood on the 15th finally pushed the yield on the 10-year Treasury note below 1.6%.This removed a psychological barrier which gold prices had been fighting for weeks. Gold rallied more than $40 an ounce on the 15th and 16th, for the best week of 2021 so far.

Gold jumped to a seven-week high of $1,789 the following Monday, which finally triggered a wave of profit taking. Two days later, markets made a run at the $1,800 level, falling a mere 80 cents short. Futures ended the day at $1,793, settling above the 50 DMA.

Gold prices quieted down for the rest of the month, trading around the $1,775 – $1,780 region.

Factors Affecting Gold This Month

COVID
COVID continues to be the major factor suppressing the world economy. EUROPE seems incapable of stopping the surge of infections and deaths, putting the EU further behind the curve economically. The EU economy as a whole fell back into recession in April, mostly due to mass lockdowns as vaccination efforts failed.

It’s a different story across the English Channel, where the UNITED KINGDOM has vaccinated more than twice the number of people than Germany or France. Forty million Britons have gotten at least one COVID vaccine shot, putting the UK in fourth place worldwide. The British government has started reopening their economy, joining the US, China, and Israel as the only nations getting back to normal.

The US is doing the second-best job in the world at beating the virus, if we accept Chinese reports that put them in first place. Most theaters, restaurants, and other venues fully opened for business in April.The FDA in late April relaxed most restrictions on people who have been completely vaccinated, saying that they could attend gatherings and public outside events like concerts.

The major COVID-related impact on gold prices in the near future will be in INDIA, where the virus has gotten completely out of control. The major COVID strain there is what scientists are called a “double mutant”. Two mutated strains have combined into a version that has both enhanced contagiousness and higher lethality.
The number of daily deaths has overwhelmed the nation, with around 3,500 people dying of COVID every day. India is out of vaccines, hospital beds, even oxygen. Mass cremations of bodies are taking place in makeshift funeral pyres set up in major cities.

With no possible estimate of when life in India will return to normal, gold demand from the world’s #2 gold importer will be weak.

ECONOMY
The pace of economic recovery in the US quickened in April as the month progressed. Blowout non-farm payrolls for March showed 916,000 new jobs were created. This was far more than the estimate of 675,000. Retail sales in March (up 9.8%) were fueled by new stimulus checks for consumers. This threw a lifeline to the bars, restaurants, and small businesses that have managed to survive. Manufacturing reports also beat estimates across the board.

Industry hasn’t been able to completely take advantage of the unexpectedly strong demand. Shortages of everything from microprocessors for automobiles to softwood lumber to build homes has resulted in shortages and higher prices. If you don’t absolutely need a new car or a new home, you will be better off waiting for supply to catch up to demand.

These supply-related shortages are causing higher prices at the retail level, and supporting physical gold and silver demand. Precious metals have historically been the preferred hedge against growing inflation. Speaking of which…

FEARS OF INFLATION SPIKE
There was plenty of inflation to keep track of in April. Inflation as measured by the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index spiked in March. (The Fed prefers using the PCE over the CPI to track retail inflation when making policy decisions.)

PCE rose by 2.3% as measured year to year. Core PCE, which removes food and energy, was up 1.8% y/y. Personal income was up 21.1%, thanks to the latest stimulus checks. Wage growth for the first quarter of 2021 was the most since 2001!

This is bringing forward estimates of when the Fed will start tapering its Quantitative Easing policies. Where many observers had penciled in “late 2022”, these economic reports now have analysts expecting the Fed to start tapering before Christmas.Continue reading“April 2021 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make 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 this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week I attended another gun show. I also busied myself with several projects around the ranch. A lot of that was fence work.  I also dropped a dead-standing 40-foot fir tree with a double top that I had girdled two years ago. After I had limbed and bucked it into rounds for splitting, our daughters helped me haul the limbs to a couple of slash piles. The splitting may have to wait a few months, but at least the wood is all now piled near our main woodshed.

I’ve been trying to catch up on cataloging recently acquired guns for Elk Creek Company. There have been a few rare examples, including a C.96 Broomhandle Mauser that was made in 1897. But I still have a half-dozen guns awaiting photographs and descriptions.

I’ve been amazed to see how prices for pre-1899 cartridge guns are galloping — both at gun shows and at the auctions.  I attribute part of that to the planned “Universal Background Checks” scheme (that would thankfully exempt pre-1899 guns) as well as general currency inflation. Get your guns before prices really take off.

A Special Request: I’m looking for up to a dozen good-quality complete AR-15 rifle uppers, preferably complete with bolt carrier groups. I’m mainly interested Picatinny rail-equipped M4 style with 16″ or 18″ barrels. I can pay cash, but I’m also willing to trade any of my Pre-1899 antique guns or percussion replica guns listed at Elk Creek Company. Trading uppers for pre-1899s, no FFL would need to be involved–that is unless you live in a horribly gin-deprived state like California or New Jersey. Let me know what you have available, and let’s trade!

I expect to be busy with the chainsaw next week. I also need to buy a couple of more tube gates, for a planned cross-fencing project. There is never a shortage of things to be done, even on a small ranch. (Yes, our ranch is relatively small. Some of our neighbors have hundreds of acres.) Now, over to Lily…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.

Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.” – Judges 16: 23-31 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — April 30, 2021

Camerone Day is celebrated on April 30th every year — the French Foreign Legion’s most important holiday.

Today is also the birthday of sci-fi novelist Larry Niven (born April 30, 1938). Along with Jerry Pournelle, he co-authored the survivalist classic Lucifer’s Hammer. April 30th is also the birthday of Ed Yourdon, who was born in 1944.

—

New listing through Survival Realty Brokerage Services: A manufactured home on 18 acres in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Has a four-acre pond, shop, and more. $179,500.
—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 94 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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. An Israeli CBRN Gas Mask with Hydration Straw and two Extra 40mm NATO Filter s – Manufactured in 2020 (a $229.99 value), courtesy of McGuire Army-Navy.
  5. 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.
  6. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. 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!

Round 94 ends on May 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.

The Innate Value of an Apple Tree – Part 2, by Northwoods Prepper

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

Developing a pest-reduction process is better when understanding your enemy. For example, the Apple Tree Maggot can be found in the lower 48, while the San Jose Scale is limited to California. Use the internet to evaluate what insects are in your area. Traps are often multispecies and can significantly reduce infestation. There is a great article on Rural Sprout (https://www.ruralsprout.com/apple-tree-problems/) regarding apple tree problems with pictures identifying insect infestation and the damage they can do to apple trees.

One last thing to say about infestation and insects and that is it is not a loss of your crop. We, as consumers, are used to perfect apples without a blemish. They are also covered with chemicals and one of the newest products (to avoid chemical skin test limits) is to introduce chemicals into the tree itself. However, as a homesteader/survivalist an apple with a worm is simply that. You can cut away the good parts for multiple uses and give the worm to your chickens or compost pile. Commercial farmers use these apples for cider and sauce. The worms are not poisonous. If an apple is not rotted or moldy, they are generally safe to eat.

Expert Tips: Pruning is best done in late winter, early spring before the ground thaws.
This provides the tree the best opportunity to resist infection. Utilize pruning paint when making large cuts to the tree (limbs with a diameter greater than one inch). I also tend to burn all the pruned branches, especially those damaged or infected.

Uses for Apples and Trees

Aside from the fact that apple pie may be the best dessert ever, there are hundreds of uses for apples and it is considered a key survival food. Certain apples (often called winter apples) can be easily stored and hold their flavor for several months without refrigeration. Apples can be eaten raw or cooked and there are hundreds of recipes using apples as a side, garnish, or even main course. Apples are easily canned into apple butter, apple slices, and apple sauce, all great sources of nutrition that have high calories for a grid-out situation with a long stable shelf-life. Apples can be dried and there are recipes for a gum substitute made from apple peels. Pioneers used to make “apple leather” which was cooked apples that were dried. This leather could be rehydrated and used later in recipes. Apples are used to make cider, hard cider, and vinegar, which again have numerous survival applications when grocery stores are unavailable. Apples can also be used to make pectin, a key ingredient to canning jelly. With basic canning and cooking materials, a single apple tree can provide a family with supplemental food for months (if not years). Each of the above is not difficult to make although the liquid products are easier if you have a cider press.Continue reading“The Innate Value of an Apple Tree – Part 2, by Northwoods Prepper”

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 global inflation concerns.

Precious Metals:

It’s just zeros and ones at the end of the day’ – David Garofalo on why gold is better than bitcoin

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Price pressure on gold and silver as bond yields on the rise

Economy & Finance:

Flexport: Trans-Pacific deteriorating, brace for shipping ‘tsunami’

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At Zero Hedge: Why Global Inflation Is About To Go Into Overdrive

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Over at American Thinker: Jerome Powell and the Coming Inflation. This article begins:

“Usually, the Federal Reserve acts as a counterweight when Congress and U.S. presidents follow inflationary policies. We haven’t had an incompetent Federal Reserve chairman since Arthur Burns and G. William Miller produced simultaneous inflation and recession, an economic malady known as “stagflation.” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell may not be as bad as Burns and Miller, but he does seem to be making one economic mistake after another.

Like Miller, Powell is that rare exception: a Fed chair without a background in economics. Being an American today is a bit like riding on a bus driven by someone who lacks a CDL.  It might work out okay, but some white knuckles on the curves are well justified.”

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At Wolf Street: Forget 2% Inflation. With Margins Forcefully Squeezed, Big Companies Raise Prices, Point at Massive Inflation Overshoot

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Euro Area Inflation March 2021

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — April 29, 2021

This is the birthday of actor Daniel Day-Lewis (born 1957), often remembered for his starring roles in Last of the Mohicians and in Lincoln.

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Our Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson has a new sci-fi anthology that will be released by Baen Books on May 4th: Freehold Defiance. I’ve started reading my advance copy, and it is great! The book is already available for pre-order directly from Baen, and will be available from all major online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores on May 4th. I’d of course prefer that you order your copies from Books-A-Million (BAM), so that we can starve the Amazon beast.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 94 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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. An Israeli CBRN Gas Mask with Hydration Straw and two Extra 40mm NATO Filter s – Manufactured in 2020 (a $229.99 value), courtesy of McGuire Army-Navy.
  5. 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.
  6. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. 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!

Round 94 ends on May 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.