Cap and Ball Sixguns: Old Technology, New World, by Randy in S.C.

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Ammunition is in short supply these last few months, and probably will be for the foreseeable future. RImfires and common defensive calibers like .380, 9mm and .45 went first, then .223/5.56. Since the election, even shotgun shells are scare as hens’ teeth. Leftist politicians may not have to gut the Second Amendment if shooters can’t find ammunition. When Mahbub Ali gave Kim a revolver, it was fully loaded. “Of what use,” the wily Afghan observed, “is a gun unfed?”

What ammunition is still available is often at scalpers’ prices. Paying a dollar a shot for steel-cased Russian junk is not my idea of a sweet deal, but what else can you do? In many parts of the country components for shooting muzzle-loaders are still available. Front-loading long guns now rival the power, accuracy and dependability of conventional cartridge firearms.

But what about handguns? Are cap and ball revolvers equally practical in today’s world?

My answer is a qualified “yes”. They are less convenient, slower loading, and require more care, but good ones are more than acceptably accurate. Power? Colt’s 1847 Walker, firing 60 grains of black powder and a 143-grain lead ball produces 396 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. A heavier conical bullet and the same charge pushes energy over 450 foot-pounds. That compares with the .357 Magnum and .40 S&W. Smaller-framed .44s and .36s equate to the .44 Special and .38 Special cartridges.

The Walker (Mattie Ross carried one in a sack in True Grit) was the most powerful revolver in the world until Smith and Wesson introduced the .357 Magnum in 1935. Nearly as large and only slightly less powerful were the various Colt Dragoons produced between 1848 and 1860. These “horse pistols” were intended for use by mounted troopers, to be carried in holsters on either side of the saddle. Few men would care to tote this much iron on their belt, although Clint Eastwood famously wore not one but two Walkers in his role as Josey Wales.Continue reading“Cap and Ball Sixguns: Old Technology, New World, by Randy in S.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 Wyoming’s cryptocurrency Special Purpose Depository Institutions (SPDIs). (See the Wyoming section.)

Idaho

North Idaho Internet Provider Blocks Facebook, Twitter on Its Service Over Censorship

o  o  o

Instead of going on, Idaho high school graduates stayed home. JWR’s Comment: Part of this is the conscious decision by many homeschooling families to avoid the leftist indoctrination that now the norm at most colleges and universities.

o  o  o

From the leftist MacLean’s of Canada: What’s in store for a post-Trump America? An Idaho town may have the answer.

o  o  o

Idaho State Police lay out expectations for 2021 legislative session

o  o  o

Schweitzer halts twilight skiing due to ‘overwhelming’ lack of face mask compliance, verbal abuse

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 11, 2021

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Today is birthday of big game hunter and writer Peter Hathaway Capstick.

January 11th is also the birthday of Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804.)

And today is the natal day of the late Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby, who was born in 1918. He was the most decorated hero of the Norwegian resistance under the German occupation. He died May 10, 2012.

—

Today we’re posting another review by our redoubtable Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.

Ruger AR vs. Springfield Armory AR, by Pat Cascio

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I’ve had a few requests for doing another AR versus AR article, since I did one several years back. I personally don’t like doing any sort of “Versus” firearms articles, because it is difficult, if not impossible, to remain totally unbiased. In the end, a person will usually like one firearm over another, and probably for no solid reason – just a personal bias. However, I will lay out my findings for our readers and you be the judge when you finish this article.

Right now, AR-15 styles of rifles are difficult to come by, because of all the violence in the USA – everyone wants the best of the best, to defend themselves, their loved ones, and their homes from this violence. It is obvious to most, that the politicians have tied the hands of the police, and most police officers are pretty much a target for AntiFa and Black Lives Matter. The police are being told to stand-down in many places, and allow these people to throw rocks, bottles, and fireworks at them. And, when they are actually allowed to make an arrest, many times it is for disorderly conduct. The district attorney in Multnomah Oregon – the Portland area – has told the police there to not arrest people for simple crimes like disorderly conduct, because he will not prosecute those people. Why this guy hasn’t been recalled or tossed out of office is beyond me. In any event, civilians are now having to protect themselves from this horrible violence.

Okay, I’m off my soap box!

When we look at the Ruger AR-556 and the Springfield Armory Saint AR, under much of the window dressing, they are very similar rifles for the most part. They both have different “furniture” though, and that means something to many people – we have our preferences, of course. Both guns have a barrel that is slightly over 16-inches long and have a 1:8 twist, so they can handle some heavy bullet weights. Both guns have a flat top receiver – and both come with a standard military-style front sight, however, the Ruger front sight has horizontal serrations on the back, and it made the sight (picture) really stand out for some reason, and both have a fold-down, pop-up rear sight. Both guns came with a MagPul PMag 30-round magazine, and I believe these are the best of the best when it comes to AR magazines – period! The US military has finally figured this out, and is phasing in these mags to all branches these days.Continue reading“Ruger AR vs. Springfield Armory AR, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Chopped Beef En Casserole

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The following recipe for Chopped Beef En Casserole 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 upcoming edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. This special 15th Anniversary Edition USB stick should be available for sale on or about January 25, 2021. The 14th Edition sold out quickly, so place a reminder in your calendar, if you want one.

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds clod of beef
  • Beets (optional)
  • 2/3 cup tomato catchup
  • Salt
  • 1/3 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or Worcestershire sauce
Directions
  1. Mix chopped beef with tomato catchup
  2. Add tabasco sauce, using more if desired.
  3. Season well with salt.
  4. Place in casserole and bake slowly three hours, basting frequently with water and tabasco or Worcestershire sauce.
  5. A few strips of bacon across the top will add to the richness, and improve the flavor.
  6. Garnish with quartered beets, if desired.

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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

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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 risk of substantially higher inflation in 2021 and beyond. (See both the Economy & Finance and the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

Black Swans, Ordinary Swans And Metals

o  o  o

Silver Price Could Double Again Within 90 Days of Time

Economy & Finance:

Inflation ahead! Global Macro Indicators For January 2021. (Seeking Alpha.) JWR’s Comment: The included FRED Money Supply chart says it all!  Here is a snippet:

“Specifically, the policy response to the covid-19 related economic recession has led to an unprecedented increase in money supply. More importantly, the policymakers discovered the effectiveness of money supply as a tool – which makes it more likely that liquidity expansion will continue to be the key global-macro indicator in a foreseeable future.”

o  o  o

Biden’s one-two stimulus punch

o  o  o

Here is an Anthony Pompliano podcast: Inflation Is Killing The American Dream

o  o  o

At Wolf Street: Having Already Dropped for Years, US Auto Sales Plunged to 1970s Level in 2020

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“A culture war is what Mao called ‘a permanent revolution.’  If the Confederate battle flag comes down in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, the front moves to Mississippi.  When all the flags are down, the statues and portraits go next, then the school names, until all public homage paid to Dixie’s heroes is forever abolished.”  – Pat Buchanan (as quoted in 2001)

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — January 10, 2021

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January 10th, 1776 is the day that North Carolina Governor Josiah Martin issued a proclamation calling on the king’s loyal subjects to raise an armed force to combat the “rebels”. This ultimately led to Colonel Donald McLeod leading the men on an assault on the Patriots that ended with fifty of his men dead and 880 captured. The Patriots lost only two of their number.

—

Also on this day in 1976 the song “Convoy” by C.W. McCall was the #1 song on the U.S. pop charts.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 92 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. 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.
  5. 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. 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 92 ends on January 31, 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.

Gear Review: Morisk Waterproof Flashlight/Plasma Lighter, by The Novice

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According to the ancient Greeks, Prometheus lay the foundation of civilization by stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mankind. The mythology of the ancient Greeks does not accurately represent the one true God, His holy character, or His plan of redemption. But the Greeks were remarkably perceptive regarding the role of fire as the foundation of civilization. Heat, light, protection from wild animals, food preparation, the forging of metal tools, and a host of other possibilities all lay hidden within the glow of a tiny flame.

Effective fire starting is so foundational to survival, that I try to take along at least three distinct methods of starting fires when venturing into the great outdoors.

My primary method of starting a fire utilizes a ferrocerium rod and a cotton ball with a daub of petroleum jelly on it. I have experimented with a number of different brands of ferrocerium rods, and have had good results with all of them.

My back up method of starting a fire utilizes waterproof matches stored in a waterproof case. Storing waterproof matches in a waterproof case may seem redundant. One somewhat damp and chilly canoe trip many years ago made me dedicated to the proposition that keeping matches dry is a lofty goal that is worthy of efforts that go far above and beyond the call of duty.

I have vacillated greatly regarding my tertiary method of fire starting. A butane lighter is inexpensive, light, and easy to carry, but does not always work reliably in cold weather. Naptha evaporates from Zippo style lighters within a week or so. Gasoline and especially kerosene evaporate more slowly from IMCO style lighters, but also do not ignite as well during cold weather. A flare generates a great deal of heat, but even a small flare is somewhat bulky and can only be used one time.

Eventually, I began to toy with the idea of trying a higher-tech solution. My wife has a couple of plasma candle lighters that seem to work well. I began to wonder what kind of field performance I could get from a waterproof plasma lighter.

On December 1, 2020, Mr. Rawles announced that I had received honorable mention in Round 91 of the SurvivalBlog writing contest. I received an Amazon gift card as the prize. I already had one item firmly on my wish list: Mr. Rawles’ newest book, The Ultimate Prepper’s Survival Guide. But I had more money on the gift card than I needed to buy the book. I decided to explore waterproof plasma lighter options.

One option that I ran across was the Morisk Waterproof Flashlight/Plasma Lighter. The idea of combining a plasma lighter with a flashlight was appealing to me. This would add the functionality of a lighter to a piece of equipment that I would likely be carrying anyway. So I decided to give it a try, and placed my order. Five days later, the shipment arrived.Continue reading“Gear Review: Morisk Waterproof Flashlight/Plasma Lighter, by The Novice”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

1

“Should nothing of our efforts stand
No legacy survive
Unless the Lord does raise the house
In vain its builders strive
To you who boast tomorrow’s gain
Tell me what is your life
A mist that vanishes at dawn
All glory be to Christ!

All glory be to Christ our king!
All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign we’ll ever sing,
All glory be to Christ!

His will be done
His kingdom come
On earth as is above
Who is Himself our daily bread
Praise Him the Lord of love

Let living water satisfy
The thirsty without price
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
All glory be to Christ!

All glory be to Christ our king!
All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing,
All glory be to Christ!

When on the day the great I Am
The faithful and the true
The Lamb who was for sinners slain
Is making all things new.

Behold our God shall live with us
And be our steadfast light
And we shall ere his people be
All glory be to Christ!

All glory be to Christ our king!
All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing,
All glory be to Christ!”

– Sung to the tune of Auld Lang Syne. From Joy Has Dawned, released November 27, 2012. Lyrics by Dustin Kensrue.
JWR’s favorite rendition: All Glory Be To Christ – The Petersens

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — January 9, 2021

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January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol.

On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 92 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. 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.
  5. 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. 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 92 ends on January 31, 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.

Surviving the Disaster Golden Hour – Part 5, by J.M.

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(Continued from Part. 5. This concludes the article.)

If I’m going to be operating in a rural or wilderness area there are some changes I make to what I bring with me. I lose the Boker tool and the shove knife (since there probably won’t be many doors I need to get through), and I add in an Orion Pocket Rocket Aerial Signal Kit. That gives me 4 signal flares that will go up to 300’ and burn for 6+ seconds, which should significantly increase the odds of being spotted by rescue personnel. As I mentioned previously, when I’m backpacking I also have a smaller bailout bag attached to the outside of my backpack with a first aid kit, the flares, the rest of my emergency kit and some water in case I need to dump my backpack and run to try to stay ahead of a fire. I also make a point of always making sure I know where I am and have some possible escape routes planned out in case I need to get away or to from something. If I’m worried about a wildfire I’ll have routes planned to the closest nonflammable terrain such as a rocky area above the treeline or a local lake or river. Even if I’m only going on a short day hike I make sure I have my emergency kit and enough supplies to get by for one or two nights in the woods.

If you operate on or around any large bodies of water or are concerned about getting caught in a flood there are a couple of additional kit items you may want to consider:

  • A pony SCUBA bottle can provide you with roughly 5-7 minutes of breathable air in the event you get trapped underwater. This would be useful to have in your car if you drive over or near lakes or rivers, but it’s probably too bulky to carry with you on a regular basis.
  • A Belt Pack Manual Inflatable Life Jacket (PFD) is a compact version of a standard life jacket and can help you keep your head above water a lot longer than swimming. It’s pretty light and compact so you can wear it a lot easier than a full-size life jacket.
  • The Klymit Lightwater Dinghy is a compact inflatable one-person boat that can help you get to dry ground after a flood or tsunami without having to wade or swim through deep water filled with all kinds of nasty stuff. It packs down to about 5” x 10” and weighs a couple of pounds, so you could carry one in a backpack if flooding is a significant potential issue. You may also want to include a small collapsible paddle, or you can jury-rig one from poles, branches, etc.
  • The Orion flare kit I mentioned previously was designed for boaters, so the container is waterproof and floats.
  • I’ve mentioned several flashlights previously, but if you might end up under water in an emergency you should look for a flashlight that’s actually waterproof, not just ‘water resistant’. Lights like the Olight I5T EOS and the Petzl e+LITE have an IPX rating of 7 or higher, which means they can survive being submerged for a period of time and still work. The Petzl is an especially good option, since you’ll probably need both hands if you’re trying to get through water, and Petzl claims it can be stored for up to 10 years with batteries and still work.

Continue reading“Surviving the Disaster Golden Hour – Part 5, by J.M.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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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. Note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

I had a very busy week, following my return from a month-long trip out of state to help an elderly relative.  I returned home to find a small mountain of mail and packages to open. Immediately after that, I started packing orders from our recent rifle sale at Elk Creek Company. Later in the week, I had a half-day at the ranch of a consulting client in an adjoining county. Then I made a five-hour drive to pick up some antique guns and ammo cans that were waiting for me. And most recently I’ve been cataloging those guns and editing the photos to go with them. (I should mention that I pay my #2 Daughter to do the photography, but the photos still need cropping, color correcting, and file renaming to match my inventory numbers.) Hopefully, I’ll be caught up with the photo work in about a week.  The packages also included some ammunition that I’d bought at auction — mostly the various Mauser calibers, some 7.5×55 Swiss, some 7.62mm NATO M118 match grade ammo, some very scarce 6.5x52mm Carcano, and a bit of 7.62x54r.  So I’ve been busy getting all of that sorted and tucked away in labeled ammo cans.  My goal is to have at least 200 rounds of ammunition for each of the guns that I have in inventory. That way, I’ll be able to give or sell them to folks, if and when the Schumer hits the fan. Ironically, I’ve found that is the formerly “scarce” obsolete calibers that are still available at gun shops. It is all the  “standard” calibers that are now chronically sold out. So owning an old Mauser now makes more sense than ever.

Now that I’m back at the Rawles Ranch, I’m resuming some of the chores that I normally handle, such as splitting kindling wood, feeding the woodstove, and keeping the woodbox full.  Especially during winter, I appreciate having an excuse to get away from my desk and get some exercise. Lily did a great job of “holding down the fort”, but we both felt a sense of relief when I got back to the ranch.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”