Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 3, by SwampFox

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(Continued from Part 2. This part concludes the series.)

Pre-1899 Shotguns

Shotguns from the late 1800s cartridge era are typically of a break-open design. There were pump action and lever action shotguns available such as those produced by Winchester, but they often command a high price. Old farm guns are easy to obtain and simple to work on. Often available online for under $300 or even as little as $100, they can be shipped to your door. Almost every hardware store in rural areas would have carried shotguns, and some even had their own locally produced models. This can make finding original parts a real chore.

One unique type of shotgun action is the trapdoor. Unlike the Trapdoor Springfield rifles that were an original design, the trapdoor shotgun is usually a conversion of an older muzzleloader such as an Enfield. They were often sold to native tribes in the United States and in Africa. I recently saw one of these at a local gun shop for an affordable price, was quite tempted to pick it up. I have also seen them on Gunbroker.com, often labeled as a “Zulu gun” or as a “Native shotgun” or “trade shotgun.” To repair these, you will need to be more familiar with muzzleloader parts than shotgun parts, as the only new part of the gun is the trapdoor and firing pin that were placed into the breech of the old muzzleloader. Springs will be of the type found in an Enfield muzzleloader, or whatever donor gun was used. While somewhat slower to load than other shotguns, a trapdoor conversion shotgun will do quite well for hunting, and is an interesting window into history.

Continue reading“Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 3, by SwampFox”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”.  Today, we focus on Model Legislation.

From Self-Reliance to Community Resilience

Reader Jim L. recommended this: From Self-Reliance to Community Resilience: Jacqui Riordan & Robb Worthington at TEDxHickory. Jim’s L.’s Comments: “I am impressed.  Note especially the comments after minute mark 13:00. They seem to be our kind of folks.”

Copy, Paste, Legislate (Model Legislation)

From Reader H.L.: COPY, PASTE, LEGISLATE. You elected them to write new laws. They’re letting corporations do it instead.  I’m posting this quote:

“Each year, state lawmakers across the U.S. introduce thousands of bills dreamed up and written by corporations, industry groups and think tanks.

Disguised as the work of lawmakers, these so-called “model” bills get copied in one state Capitol after another, quietly advancing the agenda of the people who write them.

A two-year investigation by USA TODAY, The Arizona Republic  and the Center for Public Integrity reveals for the first time the extent to which special interests have infiltrated state legislatures using model legislation.

USA TODAY and the Republic found at least 10,000 bills almost entirely copied from model legislation were introduced nationwide in the past eight years, and more than 2,100 of those bills were signed into law.

The investigation examined nearly 1 million bills in all 50 states and Congress using a computer algorithm developed to detect similarities in language. That search – powered by the equivalent of 150 computers that ran nonstop for months – compared known model legislation with bills introduced by lawmakers.

The phenomenon of copycat legislation is far larger. In a separate analysis, the Center for Public Integrity identified tens of thousands of bills with identical phrases, then traced the origins of that language in dozens of those bills across the country.”

Court of Appeals Ruling on Sleeping on Public Property

Peter forwarded a PDF link: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling on sleeping on public property. A snippet:

“Judge M. Smith stated that the panel’s reasoning will soon prevent local governments from enforcing a host of other public health and safety laws, such as those prohibiting public defecation and urination, and that the panel’s opinion shackles the hands of public officials trying to redress the serious societal concern of homelessness.”

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“This geopolitical recession is something really simple — it’s the end of the US-led global order. And we don’t know what is replacing it yet.” – Ian Bremmer, President and founder of the political risk consultancy firm Eurasia Group

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — April 10, 2019

April 10th, 1796 The birthday of James “Jim” Bowie. He died March 6th, 1836 at the Battle of the Alamo.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 82  of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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 (an $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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. 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.
  3. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  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. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 82 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 2, by SwampFox

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(Continued from Part 1)

When other parts on revolvers break, fixing them can be a hassle. If a bolt or a hand breaks, you will need to be an expert at welding, brazing, filing, and fitting if you cannot find a replacement. Even if you do find a replacement, be prepared to hand fit the part, as quality control today is greater than it was back then. Fitting a hand precisely is essential! The length of the hand determines how far a cylinder rotates, and how the chambers align with the barrel. Misalignment can cause poor accuracy, or can become a safety hazard if a bullet enters the forcing cone improperly.   If a cylinder cracks, there is little that you can do but purchase another.

Hammers and triggers, however, can be repaired by brazing. You can also purchase blank hammers and triggers on eBay, and then file them to the proper dimensions. The key to doing this is patience – it is much easier to file metal away than it is to add it back on! I recently did this on a National Arms .38 break-top revolver. I picked up a blank hammer on eBay, and notched it to install a new mainspring that I made from a Pietta 1863 mainspring. It is somewhat stiff, but it fires. I also had to create a new firing pin, as the old one was bent and worn. I used a section of an AR-15 firing pin carefully filed to the proper shape, and polished with very fine emery cloth and a buffing wheel. Firing pin length is important. Too short, and you will fail to strike the primer with enough force. Too long, and you can pierce the primer and release metal particles and hot gases back toward you.

Ammunition for centerfire revolvers is usually easy to find. For rimfires, it is much more difficult. Several calibers are commonly used for centerfire revolvers – .32 S&W short, .32 S&W long, .38 S&W, .38 Long Colt, .41 Colt, .44-40, and 45 Colt. Most of these are available at many gun stores or online. The .41 Colt is an exception, although at the time of this writing it is available from AmmunitionToGo. One common pocket revolver caliber is .32 rimfire. Ammunition is almost impossible to find, although Dixie Gun Works makes a reusable conversion cartridge that uses a .22 blank and black powder inside a lathe-turned brass .32 case. They are costly, but it is one way you can get a rimfire revolver working.

Continue reading“Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 2, by SwampFox”

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

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Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. This week the focus is on Fencing Tools. (See the Gear & Grub section.)

 

Movies:

The Passion of The Christ. Long available on DVD and BluRay, this great movie is also now available for streaming to those with Amazon Prime.

o  o  o

The Conversation. This is a classic film starring Gene Hackman. It makes an interesting companion piece to his much later film on a similar theme, Enemy of the State. My, how surveillance technology has advanced! The Conversation is now available for streaming to those with Amazon Prime.

 

Online Videos:

Klein Tools Serrated Duct Knife – A Cool Knife With Possibilities! JWR’s Comment:  These knives are well-made, and surprisingly inexpensive (around $15.) This knife might skirt the restrictions on carry of double-edged knives, in some states. (Consult an attorney licensed in your state!) If you want one, then please order it through our Amazon link, so that we get out little piece of the action.  Thanks.

o  o  o

The Patriot Nurse: Why I Don’t Trust Ammo Hoarders

Continue reading“JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:”

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. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we further examine the Western World Real Estate Decline.

.

Precious Metals:

We’ll start off with this at Zero Hedge: “It Belongs To The People, Not The Bankers” – Italy Moves To Seize Gold From Central Bank

o  o  o

Gold Cycle And Stock Market Update

Western World Real Estate Decline:

In response to rising interest rates, the housing boom in the U.S. may be ending. Here is an early indicator: Seller’s Market in Housing Industry Shifts to Buyer’s Market. A pertinent passage:

“The National Association of Realtors says existing home sales in January dropped to their lowest level in three years, continuing months of weakness in the housing market.

Existing home sales were down 1.2% to an adjusted annual rate of 4.94 million units last month. That’s below analyst expectations and an 8.5% drop from a year ago. Only the Northeast saw a rise in sales activity.

Home prices are still showing increases, but they’re nowhere close to what they were in recent years. The median price of an existing house climbed 2.8% in January to $247,500. That’s the smallest increase since February 2012.

Prices have increased for 83 consecutive months, but some experts warn that trend could be about to end.

The number of homes on the market is starting to rise, too, meaning buyers have a wider selection to choose from. In January, there were 1.59 million previously owned homes on the market, compared to 1.53 million in December. The average home stayed on the market 49 days, a week longer than January 2018.”

Similar trends seem to be developing throughout the English-speaking world, to wit:

o  o  o

Spring housing market could be ‘coolest in recent years,’ Realtor.com says

o  o  o

Update on the Spreading Housing Bust in Australia, and Why it’s Happening

o  o  o

Update on the Deepening Housing Bust in Vancouver, Canada

o  o  o

And in England: House prices fall 1.6pc – but is the figure reliable?

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — April 9, 2019

On April 9, 1768, John Hancock refused to allow two British customs agents to go below deck of his ship. This was considered by some to be the first act of physical resistance to British authority in the American colonies.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 82  of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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 (an $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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. 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.
  3. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  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. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 82 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 1, by SwampFox

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Introduction

As regulations increase in the United States, it is possible that the only firearms that will be legal to transfer in the future without a background check will be those manufactured before 1899. These firearms are Federally exempt from the NICS background check process, and are likely to increase in value in the event that “universal background check” legislation is passed. For those who already own pre-1899 guns, or would like to acquire them, there is an unpleasant reality to their ownership: Some parts are fragile and are difficult to obtain! A broken, worn, or out-of-spec part can cause your valuable firearm to become a decorative wall-hanger.

I realize that many people are collectors, and that many antiques are too valuable to shoot. This article is instead about serviceable, “shooter grade” antiques rather than high Dollar value collectibles or investments. The focus  of this article is on cartridge firearms commonly available in the United States at auction or online, with specific examples of firearms that I have repaired, and some common issues. It is not a complete how-to manual, but simply some food for thought. Everything I describe here is something that I have done personally, often multiple times.

Safety First

First, some disclaimers and safety information. I am not a professionally trained gunsmith, although I have more than a decade of experience repairing antique firearms for fun (and occasionally for profit.) If you have doubts about the safety of what you are doing, please seek professional assistance. You only have the hands and eyes that God gave you, and they cannot be replaced. There are many things about working on firearms that are hazardous. As a personal example, I carry a shard of metal permanently embedded in the palm of my left hand – the consequence of a firing pin on an old revolver that pierced a primer and blew backwards. Working with tools also has its own hazards. I’ve had some burns and cuts over the years that might have been prevented by being more careful. Use common sense and do not take risks.

Continue reading“Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 1, by SwampFox”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. We also mention companies of interest to preppers that are located in the region. Today, we focus on water transfer printing–commonly called hydrodipping. I should mention that for guns and field gear, I recommend that you specify a flat finish. Yes, high gloss looks snazzy, but it really reflects and therefore can be spotted from a distance.  The featured photo is a of shotgun stock set dipped by Liquid Transformations of Spokane.

Beyond The Redoubt

If you try your own hand at hydro-dipping, then consider this company that makes a low-cost DIY kit: DecoDip.com

Idaho

I’ve bought several guns that were camouflage dipped by Dawson Ridge, in Moyie Springs, Idaho. Their  quality is high, and their prices are reasonable. They even offer quantity discounts. One Proviso: Just don’t plan to bring them any camo dipping work in October or November, because they are usually very busy then with their other side of their business: “Boneworx”. This is where they put skeletonizing beetles to work on big game skulls.

o o o

Adaptive Graphics is located in Nampa, Idaho.  Not only do tg]hey dip guns, but also larger items like car dashboards.

o o o

First Lite is a company located in Ketchum, Idaho. In addition to standard commercial patterns, they have also designed some proprietary patterns of their own. I should mention that they are known for both their camouflage hunting clothing and their camo dipping.

o o o

Here is an interesting start-up company in Sagle, Idaho: Rhino Hide. They make bullet-resistant wall panels.

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

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”.  Today, we focus on California’s Earthquake Drought. The featured photo is of the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

California’s Earthquake Drought

Reader G.P. suggested this: California is having an earthquake drought – beware, experts say.  A quote:

“Seismologists are saying there haven’t been enough powerful earthquakes in the past 100 years along California’s highest slip-rate faults, and a ground-rupturing quake with a magnitude greater than 7.0 is overdue, CBS SF Bay Area reports.

A new study coming out Wednesday in the Seismological Research Letters says California’s current earthquake drought is unlike any other paleoseismic period in the last 1,000 years. The aim of the study, titled, “The Current Unlikely Hiatus at California’s Transform Boundary Paleoseismic Sites,” points to the unlikelihood of the last hundred years of relative seismic silence.”

Midwest Blizzard Predicted

CBS reports: Blockbuster blizzard may impact same areas hit by “bomb cyclone”.  The storm is due to hit on Wednesday, April 10th.  Here is is how the article begins:

“Just three weeks after one of the most intense storms on record pounded the Plains and Midwest, another “bomb cyclone” of similar strength is in the forecast. The spring storm seems poised to dump even heavier snow and could be followed by another round of significant river flooding.

For the past few days, various forecast computer models have shown a blizzard of epic proportions for the north-central Plain States and Upper Midwest. Every time a model is updated, the storm depicted seems to get even more intense. At this point, it seems likely that some of the same areas impacted by devastating flooding just weeks ago are about to get slammed by an historic blizzard Wednesday through Friday.

As of Sunday night, the storm system was located in the eastern Pacific Ocean and was moving onshore along the U.S. West Coast.”

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

Siege Stoves, by Pat Cascio

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Have you ever been out camping, hunting, or hiking, and you had a desire for a nice fresh-brewed cup of coffee, but you didn’t want to make a campfire to brew it? How about a nice warm meal, and I don’t mean taking an MRE and putting it in the heater pouch to heat it up. Yeah, me too. And, most of the time, there isn’t a need for a campfire if you want to cook something or make some fresh coffee. Consider getting a Siege Stove. Those are what I’m reviewing today.

I was never a Boy Scout, but I was an assistant Cub Scout Leader at one point. And, when working full-time for the Illinois National Guard, back in the very early 1970s, our Battalion Commander, thought it was a great idea to host a Boy Scout Troop at our armory – of course, myself and two other full-timers were tasked with organizing the entire thing and running it on a weekly basis. Our military training came in handy when it came time to setting-up tents and all the other fun things that go along with running a Boy Scout troop, and that included teaching the boys how to make a campfire. This is no small task for some inner city youth.

Continue reading“Siege Stoves, by Pat Cascio”