Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 16, 2021

On June 16, 1980 the movie The Blues Brothers debuted in Chicago. It was very successful in its theatrical release, and has had a cult-like following as a home video.

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An Urgent Request:  The nomination of David Chipman, the proposed Director of the ATF will be coming up for a vote tomorrow morning (June 17, 2021), before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee is expected to vote in favor of his nomination along party lines. PLEASE contact both of your state’s U.S. Senators TODAY, and insist that they vote against confirming this anti-gun zealot.  And as long as you have a Senate staffer in the phone line, ask them to relay a message to that senator: Urge them to introduce or co-sponsor legislation that would remove all barrel length restrictions from the National Firearms Act. This would remove any restrictions and Federal $200 tax requirements on a Short-barreled shotgun (SBS) or a Short-barreled rifle (SBR). That would make the Biden’s administration’s draconian reclassification of arm-braced guns moot.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 95 ends on July 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.

Timekeeping When the Grid is Down, by The Novice

When the grid goes down, some means of keeping time may be helpful. This is true not only in relation to practical details like communications schedules or food preparation. Timekeeping also contributes to emotional well-being by helping to maintain orientation in the midst of a confusing situation. This emotional benefit is so significant that interrogators often try to deprive their subjects of this benefit by restricting their access to timekeeping devices and cues.

With that in mind, I would like to talk about some non-electrical timekeeping devices that have been helpful to me, and that are ready for my use in a grid-down situation.

An Introductory Proviso

Some of the information contained in this article may be deeply disturbing to clock and watch repair professionals, clock and watch afficionados, and other people of good taste, good sense, and good will. This information should be understood as a factual report of past events, however disturbing they may be, rather than as an endorsement of those events.

I invite those with the appropriate knowledge and skills to submit an article or articles about “Clock and Watch Care for TEOTWAWKI”.

My Inherited Pocket Watches

I have inherited three pocket watches from older relatives. I will call these the “Elegant Elgin”, the “Respectable Elgin”, and the “Workhorse Valiant”. The Elegant Elgin is a substantial and beautifully decorated, gold-plated watch with a sub-seconds placement of the second hand. Based upon its serial number, it was manufactured in 1901. When I first received it, it would not run for more than an hour or two even when fully wound. I should have taken it to a competent professional to be cleaned and lubricated. Instead, I committed an act that I now know to be sacrilege: I opened the back of the case and sprayed in some WD-40.

Using WD-40 on a watch is considered anathema for several reasons. First of all, if the watch is subsequently cleaned by a professional, the WD-40 will contaminate the expensive solution in their ultrasonic cleaner, making it necessary to replace the solution. Secondly, WD-40 is not really a lubricant. It may remove necessary lubricant from vital parts of the watch’s movement, subjecting them to unusual wear and tear. Thirdly, the WD-40 may become gummy at some point in the future, clogging the movement. Finally, excess WD-40 may leak onto the face of the watch, staining it.

I committed this act in ignorance. When I became aware of the error of my ways, as a responsible watch owner I should have repented, and immediately taken the watch to a competent professional for appropriate remedial care. Instead, I did nothing. Several years have since passed, and the watch continues to run beautifully.Continue reading“Timekeeping When the Grid is Down, by The Novice”

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.

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Reader J.M.D. wrote to mention:

“Baofeng has come out with the GT-5R, a US-legal version of the venerable UV-5R. Transmission is limited to 144-148MHz & 420-450MHz (Ham 2m & 70cm bands), so no more FRS/GMRS/MURS/Marine transmissions like the original UV-5R and its variants. They claim all of the original UV-5R accessories will work with it

Of course, the original UV-5R and its variants are still available on many direct-from-China web sites like eBay, AliExpress and Banggood.”

o  o  o

Avalanche Lily told me about this surprising television news clip: ‘Oh my God, I just pushed a bear:’ Viral video shows teenage girl protecting dogs from bear attack.

o  o  o

In a recent video, Jon Patton (of TGC News) breaks down how… NEW ATF PISTOL BRACE RULE WOULD TURN MILLIONS TO FELONS.

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In response to the recent piece by St. Funogas on can jar lid science, Jeffrey wrote to mention a no-longer-produced, but still widely available device:

“We found a great kitchen tool made by Pry-A-Lid, online. It removes canning car lids without denting or damaging the lids.”

o  o  o

Ray sent this amazing video: Man Digs a Hole in a Mountain and Turns it Into an Amazing Apartment.

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Professor Wagstaff wrote:

“A quick comment regarding “An Electric Car for TEOTWAWKI? by S.B.”
First, I think this real world, hands on report is worth a thousand theoretical articles. Thanks for that.
However, it confirms my belief that I wouldn’t want to be dependent on an electric vehicle, especially in a SHTF scenario.
The biggest problem I see is the time it takes to recharge. Also, a temporary pipe line shut down is one thing,
but what do you do if the electric grid goes down long term? Or we end up in a third world situation where
electric power is only on a few hours a day (like Cuba)?
One of these days when I have the time, I plan on building a wood fuel “gasifier” powered vehicle.
They have their own problems and limitations, but fuel is potentially everywhere.
No need to distill your corn crop into alcohol, No need to collect cooking grease and render it down into bio-diesel.
(will restaurants still be cooking up french fries when big rigs stop making food deliveries?)

For those not familiar with internal combustion engines that run on wood smoke, there is an Oak Ridge National Laboratory report, showing how to make a wood gas generator to run your tractor or whatever… (It is a simplified WW-II era “Imbert” wood gas generator). Apparently back in 1989 someone in the Gov. thought it was a good idea to get this info. out …just in case… things that make you go, hmmm…”

o  o  o

The author of that same article, S.B., sent this follow-up:

“I’m not trying to be self-serving related to my recent guest article submittal on electric vehicles…or trying to be an electric vehicle booster. By pure coincidence this article on electric vehicle charge times showed up on one of the news aggregation sites I follow: Automakers face a threat to EV sales: Slow charging times | News | bakersfield.com.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe.” – Thomas Jefferson

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 15, 2021

Following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule, King John put his royal seal on the Magna Carta, or “Great Charter” on this day in 1215. This document, essentially a peace treaty between John and his barons, guaranteed that the king would respect feudal rights and privileges, uphold the freedom of the church, and maintain the nation’s laws. Although it was more a reactionary than a progressive document, the Magna Carta was seen as a cornerstone in the development of democratic England by later generations.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 95 ends on July 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.

Antique Schmidt-Rubin Straight-Pull Rifles, by Rick C.

I would like to share with you my experience with the Schmidt Rubin Model 1889 rifle. Antique because of its pre-1899 status, it can legally be shipped directly to the buyer in most states, if the seller properly understands the law. I’m sure you’re aware some will not ship without FFL regardless of antique status.

Your exhortations to buy antique firearms have not gone unheeded. Prices have indeed gone out of sight. These rifles are now in the six or seven hundred dollar range, or more.

I am not a gunsmith nor an expert on firearms, antique or otherwise. My Grandfather and the U. S. Army are the primary source of my firearms training.  I am a machinist by trade. My experience with these rifles is limited to the two examples given and what I have learned on the internet and from other enthusiasts.

Best I can determine, these rifles came in a barrel length of 31” and 23.3”. The two rifles pictured have been referred to as “sporterized”, I don’t believe this is the case in the usual “Bubba” sense. I’ve also read them referred to as “sporters”, and I believe they were either produced at the factory or some other party modified them. They are identical in all respects.

The Swiss are second to none in quality of workmanship. The wood-to-metal fit of these rifles is extraordinary. The straight pull action was high-tech, for its day. The bolt is very simple, perhaps simpler than the Mosin. Operating the bolt makes a sound similar to a pump shotgun. The ring at the rear of the bolt may look funny, but it is very functional. The trigger pull has a long take up, but the release itself is remarkably crisp and light. The magazine capacity is 12 rounds, quite generous for the day, and is removable, which takes some effort as it fits very closely. I doubt it was ever intended to be quick-change in the AR or AK sense. There is a magazine cut off which lowers the magazine preventing the next round from being picked up and allowing for single round loading but in 1908 it was decided this feature was unnecessary and rendered inoperative with the addition of a small stamping over the operating lever which can be removed if one so desires. The magazine can be charged with two six-round stripper clips.Continue reading“Antique Schmidt-Rubin Straight-Pull Rifles, by Rick C.”

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 focus on roaming buffalo in Spokane. (See the Central & Eastern Washington section.)

Idaho

Ketchum considering tent city for workers amid ‘crushing inequality,’ scarce affordable housing. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)

o  o  o

Reader C.B. sent this video: Lightning Strikes Cow.

o  o  o

Also from C.B.: Idaho prosecutor withdraws contest of ‘cult mom’ Lori Vallow’s competency.

o  o  o

A history note: In 1929, four men kidnapped the Idaho lieutenant governor during bank robbery attempt.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 14, 2021

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution on June 14th, 1777, stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag– a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes.

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I just heard about a new listing, over at my son’s SurvivalRealty.com site. It is near Newcastle Wyoming: Great multi-family home (9 bedrooms) on 40 acres, with solar power.

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Please take note that we are running short of articles to post for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. So, if you have an article that you’ve drafted but haven’t completed, then please finish it up, and e-mail it to us. That will put you in the running for the thousands of dollars with of prizes that will be awarded in the first week of August. Your article doesn’t need to have any photographs. 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. Thanks!

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Today, another product review by the indefatigable Pat Cascio – our Field Gear Editor.

Glock 21 .45 ACP Pistol, by Pat Cascio

I still remember when the Glock 20 and 21 first came out, and I owned both, That was when I worked for the late Col. Rex Applegate. The Glock 20 is a 10mm pistol, and the Model 21 is chambered in .45 ACP. Other than the chamberings, both guns are alike in many ways. However, the 10mm version didn’t balance as nicely in my hand as the .45 ACP version did. Of course, the 10mm barrel is a little bit thicker, while the .45 ACP version has a barrel that is thinner because of the larger diameter bullet. You’d assume that both guns would feel the same – but they don’t. And, I ran a test with a number of shooters, and they all said the same thing, the Model 21 felt better and balanced better in their hand. So, it wasn’t just me.

For quite a few years, the 10mm round was “the” caliber to have, it would stop a charging rhino with a single shot, or shoot down a jet fighter from 10-miles up. Well, that wasn’t true and it still isn’t! The 10mm was a hard-hitting, and hard recoiling round in any handgun, but with practice, it is controllable. The FBI even went to the Smith & Wesson 1076 chambered in 10mm. The only problem was, like many in law enforcement, they aren’t really into guns, per se. The FBI and most polices departments just weren’t willing to invest the training time and money to properly transition their agents and officers. So, in short order, the FBI abandoned the 10mm and went to the .40 S&W – which is a shorter, and more watered-down round than the 10mm was – but it is still a 10mm diamerter bullet. And many ammo makers started reducing the power of the 10mm, until it was down to near the same power as the .40 S&W.

Today, the 10mm is making a comeback and many ammo makers are once again loading the 10mm caliber to what it used to be. Two ammo makers, Buffalo Bore Ammunition and Double Tap, are making some really hot 10mm rounds these days, and I’ve shot both brands in various 10mm handguns. Of course, we are in the worst ammo drought in history, and all calibers are extremely difficult to find on dealer’s shelves. The 10mm is very difficult to find these days. (It takes either a lot of luck or tools like ammoseek.com, to find any.) Our local small box stores have had no 9mm ammo or .45 ACP on their shelves for several months now, and if you are lucky enough to find some ammo, you are limited to only two boxes per caliber, per day.

The Glock 21 that I have is a Gen 4 version that comes with variety of thickness backstraps. It was made in good ol’ Georgia, USA. Prior to this, the first Generation examples were made in Austria, where Glock is headquartered. Here in the United States, Glock has established a service center as well as actually producing many of their models in Georgia.

A little bit of specification info on the Glock 21 is in order, of course: This is a full-sized service handgun. However, with the right clothing and holster, you can still conceal it fairly well. The Model 21 has a 4.61-inch barrel, making it shorter than a full-sized 1911 Government Model. The gun weighs in at 26.28 ounces, with no magazine in place, and 29.28 ounces with an empty magazine, and roughly 39-ounces with a loaded magazine, depending on bullet weight. The slide is 1.12-inches wide at the widest point, so it is right in there, with a 1911 handgun, and at the widest point, the gun is 1.34-inches wide.Continue reading“Glock 21 .45 ACP Pistol, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Potato Balls

The following recipe for Potato Balls is from The New Butterick Cook Book, by Flora Rose, co-head of the School of Home Economics at Cornell University. It was published in 1924. A professional scan of that 724-page out-of-copyright book is one of the many bonus items included in the latest edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. The small second production run of the 15th Anniversary Edition (2005-2020) USB stick should be available for ordering on July 1st. Thanks for your patience.

Ingredients
  • 1 quart potato balls
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon-juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter or butter substitute
Directions

With a vegetable scoop, cut balls from raw potatoes. Cook in boiling water until tender, and drain. Add to them lemon-juice, salt, pepper, parsley, and butter or butter substitute. Stir lightly so that all the potatoes are seasoned, and serve at once.

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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 the deepening US budget deficit.

Precious Metals:

Adrian Day: What Is Driving Gold?

o  o  o

Gold price at ‘steep discount’ vs. crude oil: $2,000 gold will be breached – Bloomberg Intelligence

o  o  o

Arkadiusz Sieroń: Will Gold Rally Continue In The Upcoming Months?

Economy & Finance:

Getting Gold From An ATM in Abu Dhabi.

o  o  o

AP: US budget deficit for current year hits record $2.1 trillion. An except from the article’s introduction:

“The U.S. budget deficit hit a record $2.06 trillion through the first eight months of this budget year as coronavirus relief programs drove spending to all-time highs.

The shortfall this year is 9.7% higher than the $1.88 trillion deficit run up over the same period a year ago, the Treasury Department said Thursday in its monthly budget report.

The report showed that spending from October through May totaled a record $4.67 trillion, up 19.7% from the same period a year ago. Government tax revenue was up 29.1% to $2.61 trillion, compared to the same period a year ago.

However, this year’s figure was bolstered by tax payments made in May, a month later than the normal April deadline but a month earlier than last year’s June deadline.”

o  o  o

Reader H.L. sent this item: Half of the pandemic’s unemployment money may have been stolen

o  o  o

Some interesting observations, over at Headline USA: Resetting the Federal Debt.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 13, 2021

On June 13, 1777, Marquis de Lafayette landed in the fledgling United States.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 95 ends on July 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 Science: Reusing Canning Jar Lids – Part 2, by St. Funogas

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

#4. “Tempered less than Mason jars.” Nearly every book, website, and blog discussing this subject insists that Mason jars are tempered. They’re definitely, absolutely, NOT tempered. Glass has three basic hardening options: tempering, heat strengthening, and annealing. All commercial and home-canning jars are annealed, not tempered. Annealing is a process where jars are cooled down very slowly after production to make them more consistent and to minimize stresses. Whenever glass breaks into the sharp jagged pieces seen when we break a jar or window it’s merely annealed, not tempered or heat strengthened.

That brings up the logical question, are there different annealing processes to make Mason jars stronger than salsa and pickle jars? I contacted another large glass and jar manufacturer who’s been in business for 100+ years. The general manager was kind enough to answer the question himself. Paraphrasing his reply, all the jars they make follow a similar annealing process as do jars made by other manufacturers. He said further, anyone who claims home-canning jars are stronger is using it as a selling tactic, but it’s not true. When I asked if a jar is a jar, he replied yes, basically a glass jar is a glass jar.

#5. “ [commercial jars] may be weakened by repeated contact with metal spoons or knives used in dispensing mayonnaise or salad dressing. Seemingly insignificant scratches in glass may cause cracking and breakage while processing jars in a canner.” More pure conjecture and there’s no data to support it. Manufacturers put a tin-oxide coating on the outside of jars before they’re annealed to prevent scratches by commercial and home canners. I tried a spoon, fork, butter knife, and finally the sharp tip of a Swiss-made steel kitchen knife but I was unable to make a scratch in the glass. Many have experienced the same when scraping label adhesive off commercial jars with a knife. Chips in the rim are possible but it seems a rounded jar rim would be less damaged during use than a flat rim with its right angles at the edges which could more easily be broken off.

Canning Lid Shelf Life – Even though companies such as Ball recommend using lids within a year of purchase, they concede they can still be used 3-5 years later. The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, p 1-15 says, “Gaskets in unused lids work well for at least 5 years from date of manufacture. The gasket compound in older unused lids may fail to seal on jars. Buy only the quantity of lids you will use in a year.” Again, no experiments with data have been done on this. Many of us know from experience that modern lids have a much longer shelf life than five years. For his article, I dug through my stash of used lids and found one from 2007 and several from 2008 and 2009. I reconstituted them in hot water and when placed on jars of boiling water, all sealed. All my commercial pickle and salsa jars were bought prior to 2013 and still continue to seal every year.Continue reading“The Science: Reusing Canning Jar Lids – Part 2, by St. Funogas”