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:

All is well at the Rawles ranch.  We had a busy week, with one half-day trip to pick up a replacement ram for one of our two sheep flocks.  The old saying is: “The herd (or flock) sire is half of your operation”, so we try to be very choosy. He is a four-month-old weaned ram lamb that came from Idaho’s Paradise Valley — southwest of the town of Bonner’s Ferry. That whole region (anywhere north of Cocalalla) is one of my preferred retreat locales.

I had several consulting calls. I also kept quite busy packing and mailing Elk Creek Company antique gun orders. One gent ordered four rifles. I’m presently having trouble finding affordable inventory, so our stock of guns is diminishing.  Be sure to order yours, while we still have a good selection.

Lily and I did some Serviceberry picking at a friend’s ranch, and also in the National Forest within a mile of our ranch.

I helped an ailing neighbor with some more firewood cutting, splitting, and stacking, to get him back to a two-year supply of firewood.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.

The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

 Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.

Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.

And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.” – Isaiah 33:1-19 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — July 4, 2025

Happy Independence Day! Today, Americans go through the motions of celebrating the remnants of our once preciously cherished liberty. Please don’t refer to it as just: “The Fourth of July.”  Give it meaning, and do your best to help restore our freedom and rein in the size and power of the state and Federal governments. – JWR

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Independence Day is also the birthday of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) and of General Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–1882)

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Today’s feature article is by SurvivalBlog’s founder and Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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We are in need of entries for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 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. 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.

Political Machinations: The 2026 Midterms May Be A.I.-Manipulated

The recent Democratic Party mayoral primary election of Zohran Mamdani in New York City does not bode well. It illustrates that the Hard Left Democrats now have a stranglehold on New York City politics. I suspect the same for all of the East and West Coast Blue States, as well as Illinois. I heard it suggested on talk radio that artificial intelligence (A.I.) was used to exert influence on the New York mayoral primary via concerted social media bot traffic. This may have swayed “on the fence” voters toward Mamdani. I’m curious to see if this manipulation can be documented.  If it can indeed be proven, then that won’t surprise me.

I don’t need to elaborate on the radical socialist politics of Zohran Mamdani. That has already been well-documented. And, see, for example: Mamdani: We Must ‘Buy Up Private Housing’ to Convert into Communes. And consider his self-professed racism. If he is the model for the upcoming batch of Democratic candidates that will run in the next midterm elections, then we are in serious trouble. I can foresee that they will mostly be somewhere between Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Chairman Mao, on the political spectrum.
Continue reading“Political Machinations: The 2026 Midterms May Be A.I.-Manipulated”

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, six months into Donald Trump’s second term in office, a special look at Trumponomics 2.0.

Precious Metals:

Rep. Massie Introduces Bill to Audit U.S. Gold Reserves.

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Gold Price Forecast June 2025: What’s Driving Gold Prices Right Now?  JWR’s Comments:  In the past week, gold rose 3% and silver was up about 10%, in Dollar terms. We should never lose sight of the fact that the value of gold never changes much. But the “price” of precious metals, as quoted in fiat currencies, is actually a measure of the relative and gradual worthlessness of the world’s currencies. As I’ve written before, I prefer to analogize the global currency milieu as a Leper Colony. The fiat currencies are all lepers. They are all dying slow, painful deaths. Some of them are just dying more slowly than others. The Swiss Franc and the U.S. Dollar are two of the healthier lepers, with a few more fingers and toes than their neighbors. But inevitably they will also die. The shed skin and digits that litter the leper colony are coinage. The dead that are carried away are the heavily redenominated, worthless and repudiated currencies.  These currences are almost forgotten, though they now have descendants — sometimes using the same name — who are also infected: the Continental, the Weimar Germany Papiermark, the Georgian Kuponi, the Hungarian Pengo, the Greek Drachma, the Yugoslavian Dinar, the Zimbabwean Dollar, the Bolivian Peso, the Turkish Lira, and the Nicaraguan Cordoba. (Most of these had replacement currencies at rates of 1 million-to-1, or higher.) Some immortals visit the leper colony, but they are immune to leprosy. They have names like Mr. Gold and Mr. Silver. The lepers may soon have another generation of offspring who will be born infected. These popular but doomed kids will be called CBDCs.

Economy & Finance:

Reuters: Trump’s economic ‘golden age’ meets Fed’s brass tacks.

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Audio, at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: “No One’s Ready For What’s Coming To The Middle Class…” – Victor Davis Hanson.  (Note: Ignore their inane and distracting A.I.-selected stock footage video. I suggest just listening to the audio.)

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Trump Opens Waitlist for $5M Investor Visa.

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Deloitte: United States Economic Forecast.

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Reported on Monday: Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rise as momentum builds for Trump trade deals, tax bill.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When Freedom from her mountain-height

Unfurled her standard to the air,

She tore the azure robe of night,

And set the stars of glory there.

She mingled with its gorgeous dyes

The milky baldric of the skies,

And striped its pure, celestial white

With streakings of the morning light.

Flag of the free heart’s hope and home!

By angel hands to valour given!

Thy stars have lit the welkin dome,

And all thy hues were born in heaven.

Forever float that standard sheet!

Where breathes the foe but falls before us,

With Freedom’s soil beneath our feet,

And Freedom’s banner streaming o’er us?” – Joseph Rodman Drake (1795-1820) The American Flag

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — July 3, 2025

On July 3, 1250, Louis IX of France was captured by Baibars’ Mamluk army at the Battle of Fariskur while he was in Egypt conducting the Seventh Crusade. He later has to ransom himself.

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On July 3, 1890, the Idaho Territory became the 43rd state in the Union.

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The “Big Beautiful” Budget Reconciliation Bill failed several key votes in the House of Representatives yesterday and last night. That means that the bill is now being reopened to amendments!  So, Rep. Clyde’s amendment may be offered again, with the SHORT Act removing SBRs and SBSes from the NFA, as well as the Hearing Protection Act, removing suppressors from the NFA!  Please contact your U.S. congressman again, and ask them to SIde With Clyde, and hold out for the inclusion of his amendment!  We have a chance of prevailing if we apply enough pressure. Please flood the Capitol Switchboard with calls!  Phone: (202) 224-3121  Thanks!  – JWR

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We are pleased to welcome our newest advertiser:  Steve Quayle’s Renaissance Precious Metals. Take a look at the website. They have been in business for more than three decades and are quite trustworthy.  Located in Bozeman, Montana, they have a full line of precious metals products at very competitive prices. They deserve your patronage! For the sake of full disclosure, we have an advertising swap relationship and there is a SurvivalBlog ad running at one of Steve’s other websites: SteveQuayle.com. – JWR

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. 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),
  3. 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.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 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. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  4. 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. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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.

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More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 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. 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.

Preparing To Go To Gunsite – Part 3, by N.C.

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.)

Flashlight

I bought this from Gunsite’s pro shop where they have a couple of options. I bought their bottom of the line (but still expensive to me) Fenix PD36R V2.0 Rechargeable Flashlight for about $100. I agonized a bit over this decision, I did not normatively carry a flashlight and I was not planning to begin carrying one. When I started researching I found that Flashlight guys are like Watch guys, they speak their own language and very quickly start spending huge amounts of money for the model that’s “just right” for them. Because none of them are “just right” they wind up with dozens of models. I didn’t want to do that.
Ultimately, I said “I don’t know exactly what type of night shooting we’ll be doing. The models that Gunsite sells will be adequate for their training applications”. I was right. It’s a good flashlight, I do carry it now. Makes me almost wish I had jumped up to their SureFire Stiletto lights that are flatter and more comfortable in the pocket. Almost.

I will share here what I learned from instructors about flashlights to help you with your choice: “50-to-100 dollars in decent brand will get you a good light”. They went on to mention that the two big dogs are Streamlight and Surefire. They generally expressed preference for simplicity: more light is good and “on off” switch is all you need. Don’t agonize about multiple modes and understand that the strobe functions are mainly useless. More light is better than less. You can always cover the head or use the edge of the light if you need less.Continue reading“Preparing To Go To Gunsite – Part 3, by N.C.”

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, we ponder severe solar storms and impending demographic doom.

The Unseen Fury of Solar Storms

SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson suggested this recent article: The Unseen Fury Of Solar Storms. The subhead reads: “Lurking in every space weather forecaster’s mind is the hypothetical big one, a solar storm so huge it could bring our networked, planetary civilization to its knees.”

A Civilizational Call to Arms for Grandparents

Reader D.S.V. sent this pointed essay: A civilizational call to arms for grandparents.

Washington to Use Drivers’ Cellular Data to Enforce Traffic Laws

Reader C.B. sent us this news report by the statist MSN:  Washington State to Use Drivers’ Cell Phone Data to Enforce Traffic Laws.

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — July 2, 2025

After a stab in the back to gun owners by the RINOs of the U.S. Senate, the Budget Reconciliation Bill is now back in the House of Representatives. Please repeatedly contact your U.S. congressmember by phone and e-mail and demand that they vote for Rep. Andrew Clyde’s new (July 1st) House Amendment restoring the full versions of the Hearing Protection Act and the SHORT Act to the bill. We are now within inches of getting this important legislation passed. It will only take about five more House member votes to get this passed!!!  Please phone the Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Thanks, – JWR

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On July 2, 1698, English engineer Thomas Savery patented the first steam engine.

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And On July 2, 1901, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid robbed train of $40,000 at Wagner, Montana, on the Northern Pacific Railroad’s Hi Line.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. 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),
  3. 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.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 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. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  4. 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. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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.

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More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 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. 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.

Preparing To Go To Gunsite – Part 2, by N.C.

(Continued from Part 1.)

Physical Requirements

Can you stand for six hours a day in the sun and weather? Be brutally honest with yourself here. I saw one gentleman who came who could not. I felt so bad for him. To have spent all the money and time and be unable to actually complete the training would be heartbreaking. On the other hand there were absolutely people north of 60 completing the course. You don’t need to be able to run a marathon but you do need to be able to stand in the sun for several hours. Bear in mind that at even at your most tired, you are still responsible for controlling deadly force.

If your body can no longer handle that sort of exertion, then consider where better to spend the money that you’ve earned and saved. Maybe you should spend it on a cruise for yourself. Maybe you should go on a trip to Hawaii or Florida. Or whatever it is that floats your boat. There’s a time to enjoy the fruits of your labors.Continue reading“Preparing To Go To Gunsite – Part 2, by N.C.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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Reader Hollyberry wrote us last month:

“Not much excitement goes on in rural Maine, which is why we live here. Back in April this year, while reading the local paper, it ran a story on a local soldier that had died in WWII. The young man, US. Army Private Willard D. Merrill, was from Doverfoxcroft, Maine. He was captured by the Japanese and later died in a POW camp in 1942. He was just 21 years old. Pvt. Merrill was buried in a common grave. According to the Maine news outlets, the grave was exhumed in 1947 and the task of identifying the soldiers began. Three sets of remains were unidentifiable and were buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. He remained here until January 2019 when he was exhumed again and the remains were re-examined in an attempt to identify the three remaining soldiers. I do not know if the other two soldiers were identified. It was said that Pvt. Merrill would be returning home in June.

When my husband — a disabled Air Force veteran — read the story, he said we needed to go to honor this young man when he returns home. Life went on and the story faded from our minds until today, June 7th, 2025. I looked at the local news and there was an article that Pvt. Merrill was returning home today!

It rained all day and the bugs are seriously thick right now. Pvt. Merrill was due to arrive around 8 pm. at the local funeral home. I kept checking the local news for updates in case the plane carrying him to Logan Airport in Boston was delayed and found one update that the escort procession had crossed into Maine at approximately 4:30. We left our home early figuring his remains would arrive earlier than 8 pm. As we were leaving the house, the rain finally stopped!

The road was blocked right at the funeral home and I could see people gathered. The fire truck was in the middle of the road with the ladder extended and from it hung an American flag. The Boy Scouts were also there holding flags, along with many veterans and just ordinary people welcoming this young man home. We had just made in time to see the remains transferred into the funeral home. He will be buried on June 9th in the local cemetery.

We were very humbled to be able to be part of the crowd to witness Pvt. Merrill’s arrival home. This is why we went out on Saturday night. It was the least we could do for him and his family.”

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The latest video update from our favorite intrepid Finns: After 181 Days Frozen In, the Ice Breaks Up.

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The silent boom: How rising CO2 levels are making trees bigger and stronger.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Napoleon’s troops fought in bright fields, where every helmet caught some gleams of glory; but the British soldier conquered under the cool shade of aristocracy. No honours awaited his daring, no despatch gave his name to the applauses of his countrymen; his life of danger and hardship was uncheered by hope, his death unnoticed.” – General William Francis Patrick Napier (1785-1860), in Peninsular War (1810). Vol. ii. Book xi. Chap. iii.

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — July 1, 2025

On July 1, 1836, US President Andrew Jackson announced to Congress a bequest by James Smithson of 100,000 gold sovereigns to found the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

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On July 1st, 1997, the crown colony of Hong Kong officially reverted to Chinese sovereignty, ending 156 years of British rule. There have been sporadic protests by locals, ever since then.

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July 1st, 1535, Sir Thomas More went on trial for treason for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England.

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And on July 1st, 1863 is the anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. 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),
  3. 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.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 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. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  4. 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. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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 $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 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. 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.