Traditions Nitrobolt Rifle, by Thomas Christianson

This will sound self-contradictory, but it is not: the Traditions Firearms Nitrobolt Rifle is a bolt-action muzzle-loader. The primer and the powder charge cartridge are loaded through the breech via bolt action. The bullet is loaded through the muzzle with a ramrod. This hybrid action offers the powder-charge-consistency and weather-resistance of a breechloading rifle while being legal to use during muzzleloading season in 29 states at the time of this writing.

The Nitrobolt uses Federal Premium FireStick polymer encapsulated powder charges. The FireStick charges use Hodgdon Triple Eight powder. Triple Eight burns more cleanly than black powder or other black powder substitutes. This eliminates the blinding clouds of powder smoke that follow the discharge of most muzzle-loaders.

I found the Nitrobolt to be accurate, reliable, well-machined, and attractive. It is able to propel .50 caliber bullets at velocities that deliver more than enough energy-on-target to humanely harvest all types of medium to large North American game animals.

Because it loads its charge from the breech, the Nitrobolt is considered a modern firearm by the ATF. As such it requires the completion of a Form 4473 when purchased from a dealer.

The Nitrobolt had a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $1,095.95 at the time of this writing. It is made in Spain.Continue reading“Traditions Nitrobolt Rifle, by Thomas Christianson”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

This weekly column features media 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.

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“My family’s lineage, we are warriors. The McGregor clan, we are warriors all through. We are famous all through the world for our fighting capabilities of all generations. So I have no doubt that’s stood to me and that led me down this path and gave me what I have.” – Conor McGregor

Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 9, 2026

On February 9th, 1540: The first recorded horse race meeting in England was held at Roodee Fields in Chester. Horse races are still regularly held there.

—

February 9th, 1555:  My 17th great-grandfather, Dr. Rowland Taylor (born 6 October 1510) was burned alive at the stake during the Marian Persecutions, for professing that Bible scripture is inerrant. He died singing hymns. His martyrdom is described in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. – JWR

—

February 9th is the birthday of gun writer Major George Charles Nonte Jr. (Born 1926, died June 30, 1978.)

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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 $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 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.

The AR Super Safety – Part 2, by St. Leibowitz

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

In Part 1, I presented an overview of the Super Safety and why it was chosen. Now, I will move on to describing some details on installation and function checking. This will cover the modifications to install a Super Safety on only a standard 5.56mm AR-15. The MP5 and AR9 models of the Super Safety are very popular but do require extra parts as well as some other considerations. A successful 5.56 install will help you get used to what you’re dealing with, since it is by far the most straightforward.

Parts List

You will need:

1. A Super Safety, (cam and lever)
2. A mil-spec low-shelf or M16-pocket AR15 with a full-auto BCG and mil-spec fire control group. Be advised that the Super Safety is compatible with low-shelf or no-shelf AR lower receivers ONLY. A high shelf lower cannot accommodate them. If the shelf in your lower behind the safety sits right up next to your takedown pin hole you have a high shelf lower and are out of luck unless you are comfortable with removing some material.
The trsnsition to a “high shelf” was done on some older-fashioned ARs to deter would-be rapid-fire enthusiasts from drilling the third hole or installing a drop-in autosear (DIAS). I believe that older Bushmasters and some Colts are like this. PSA, BCM, all 80% lowers, and Aero precision lowers are low-shelf or M16 cut, but double-check yours to make sure as manufacturing specifications can change, over time.
3. A modified AR-15 trigger and a modified AR-15 safety detent (we will get to the modifications shortly).
4. A Dremel miniature grinding/sanding tool with some basic grinding wheels and sanding drums as well as a polishing end. Hoffman’s own guide suggests 320, 600, and 1500 grit sandpaper as well as polishing compound.
5. Basic punches, wrenches et cetera for working on an AR-15.Continue reading“The AR Super Safety – Part 2, by St. Leibowitz”

Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Sauerkraut is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:

“You can ferment any vegetables, but perhaps the best known is cabbage.
This is easy to do, and worthwhile. It will last for months in a refrigerator (or cool space).
Fermented vegetables of any kind (like kimchi) benefit our gut biome, digestion, and immune system.
Note 1: you will need more cabbage than you expect, because salting it will diminish the volume.
Note 2: Different types of cabbage will impact the final volume and crunchiness. So use what you have for a first batch, and then try some variations in the future.
Recipe for one mason jar
Clean two cabbages and then remove an outer leaf (as whole as possible) for use on the top of the sauerkraut in the mason jar to keep air out.
Finely chop about 1 +3/4 medium sized cabbages (put the core and any other veggies into a pot to make vegetable broth)
Dump cabbage into a big bowl.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt. (Many recipes suggest avoiding iodized salt, which can interfere with fermentation. Use what you have and see what transpires).
Massage cabbage vigorously to mix the salt into the leaves.
Leave the bowl alone for about 30 – 60 minutes. You will see that some brine has formed, leaching liquid from the leaves.
Massage again.
Fill a mason jar with the cabbage, pressing down firmly with each addition. Pour in the brine.
Leave an inch or more gap at the top.

For aging
It is important to keep oxygen from reaching the cabbage or it will mold. Use a double form of defense.
Lay the reserved cabbage leaf across the top of the “soon to be sauerkraut.” I generally need to cut out the stiff spine and trim the leaf to a smaller size. Alternatively, use parchment paper.
Place a weight of some kind on top of the leaf. A friend uses a washed rock. I use glass weights that fit inside mason jars. Others use narrow, one cup mason jars filled with water.
Cap the jar loosely. Set it where you can see it, but not in direct sun. More and more brine will form and the cabbage will diminish further, providing additional inches of protection for the leaves.
Taste it at 5, 7, 9 days until you get the flavor you like.
When you refrigerate it (or store it in a cool cellar), it will continue to ferment but slowly.

Options: You can add additional flavors, as you choose. Some people like to sweeten sauerkraut with some sugar or diced apples. I like to add diced onions and garlic, and caraway seeds.”

About Mrs. Alaska

“Mrs. Alaska” and her husband live at a very remote Alaska homestead.  She blogs at Alaska Bush Life, Off-Road, Off-Grid, and she is the author of Log Cabin Reflections, available as an E-book on Kindle for just $5.  She can be contacted at Alaskauu1@gmail.com

—

Do you have a well-tested 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 recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

 

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: A map showing all of the agricultural land in the world. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

Agricultural land map.

 

 

 

—

Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 8, 2026

On February 8, 1807, the Battle of Eylau ended inconclusively between Napoleon Bonaparte‘s forces and the Russian Empire. This was the first battle where Napoleon wasn’t victorious.

—

February 8, 1627: Gunpowder was used for the first time in a mining operation, in present-day Slovakia.

—

And on February 8,1743: Comet C/1743 C1 approached within 0.0390 Astronomical Units of Earth.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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 $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 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.

The AR Super Safety – Part 1, by St. Leibowitz

The following is an overview on the installation of a new gun part known as the Hoffman Tactical Super Safety. It is a do-it-yourself open-source forced reset mechanism characterized as an “active reset trigger system.” It makes your AR go fast. If you do not approve of guns going fast, then please don’t read this article. You can desist from clutching your pearls and return with alacrity to the closest available nursing home, the banned books section of Barnes and Noble, or the United Methodist Church. Your cat misses you. Everything discussed in this article is currently legal at the Federal level and in my current state of Arizona. Nothing discussed herein is legal advice. Consult ATF rulings, a lawyer in your state, and your state’s laws, since some states do ban this kind of device, and others. I am not your lawyer, your doctor, your priest, or your real dad. Nobody paid me to write this and I am not personally acquainted with any third party mentioned herein.

Practical Background, Overview, and How-To

First: What is an FRT? An FRT is a “Forced Reset Trigger.” It functions by using a firearm’s cycling action to push the trigger forward to force the trigger to reset. This greatly increases the rate of fire by making it quicker for you to pull the trigger, consecutively. It is not a machine gun, under the laws of this country, as written, and for now these are not being treated as machine guns AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. Machine guns are defined mechanically, as we’re all mostly likely aware, as any “firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.”Continue reading“The AR Super Safety – Part 1, by St. Leibowitz”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Joe Rogan’s New Look

Joe Rogaine

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” – Matthew 24:1-18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — February 7, 2026

On February 7, 1812, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake shook New Madrid, Missouri. The public domain photo above was taken in 2006. JWR’s Comment: I’d suggest woodframe rather than brick construction, for earthquake-prone locales…

—

And on February 7, 1904, The Baltimore Fire.  An estimated 1,500 buildings were destroyed. Fires raged through 80 blocks.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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 $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 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.

Some Extreme Cold Weather Advice, by Hollyberry

We have all seen the media drama these past few weeks regarding the weather. Until about 10 years ago, I never even heard the term “polar vortex”, it was just winter. Living in Maine for the past 20 + years and making through the harsh winters has been a humbling and rewarding experience. Every spring you can hear people sigh in relief.

I feel sorry for the lower portion of the country that has been experiencing the extreme cold, ice and snow. It’s something that takes getting used to and it helps to have the proper clothing and gear to deal with it. Cold is cold but when the wind starts blowing, well that’s a whole different ballgame. If I stand out of the wind on a cold (10 or below) day and it’s sunny, it’s tolerable. I am by no means an expert on this subject but would offer our experiences with what helps and works in extreme cold. The good news is the polar vortex/storms do not just sneak up overnight. You can get a lot accomplished with a few days notice and some basic supplies on your shelf. These extreme cold snaps usually do not last long either (unless you live in Maine, like we do). I have also not received any compensastion for any products recommended.Continue reading“Some Extreme Cold Weather Advice, by Hollyberry”

Editor’s 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:

We had a fairly quiet week, other than helping our #1 Son move. That has gone quite smoothly. It is nice that he found a place that is outside of city limits. I wish that his new house was closer to our ranch, but he needs to be within commuting distance to his work. (The classic prepper’s quandary…)

We are readying for lambing season.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editor’s Prepping Progress”