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, we look at the nascent Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

The spot and futures prices of silver and gold gained during the recent $4 trillion stock market rout.  Typically, gold has been liquidated for short covering by some traders, during sharp stock market declines. But this time, it appears that it was Bitcoin that was liquidated. BTC fell from roughly $92,000 USD to $82,000 USD from March 5th to March 11th, 2025. And it was down further to $80,893 on Thursday afternoon. (May 13, 2025.)

After news that a Ukraine war ceasefire had been rejected, spot gold set another all-time high of $3,006 USD per Troy ounce, on Thursday. (May 13, 2025.) Meanwhile, spot silver was up to a quite respectable $34.18 USD per Troy ounce.  I expect to see some profit-taking on Monday, but the Precious Metals Bull seems to be going Full Pamplona, this year.

Take heed:  The price of platinum is now at $1,012  per Troy ounce. Think about it: That is just shy of one-third of the price of gold!  Ratio trading, anyone? This is another good opportunity to make the swap into platinum, with some of your physical gold holdings. I don’t recommend buying gold at present, folks. You should mostly be stacking silver, and a bit of platinum. – JWR

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At Gold-Eagle.com: Silver Price Forecast: Silver Approaches 13-Year High, No Sign of a Top.

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China’s central bank ups gold reserves for fourth straight month in February.

Economy & Finance:

Global stocks selloff pauses as investors catch their breath.
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ECB staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area.

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China keeps its economic growth target at ‘around 5%’ for 2025.  JWR’s Comments:  Mainland China’s economy is still delusionally command-driven by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).  They will almost certainly use artificial stimulus to prop up stocks and housing, in 2025. But the underlying real economy there is in tatters.

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At Wolf Street: Why the Fed Considers “Pausing or Slowing” QT “Until the Resolution of the Debt Ceiling Situation”.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“But, we also see in this chapter a recurring, universally human theme across time and space.
The doomed, at the brink of civilizational destruction, have an attitude partly born of hubris
and partly of naivete, perhaps best summed up as ‘It cannot happen to us.’ ”

and,

“Epilogue: HOW THE UNIMAGINABLE BECOMES THE INEVITABLE

1. As a general rule, the besieged vainly counted on help that rarely appeared — especially if they were seen as likely to lose.
2. Those surrounded looked to their own bastions and their past impregnability, rather than assessing realistically the unique and existential danger below the wall.
3. Prior discord often explained the vulnerability of the besieged, and its contribution to defeat.
4. The defenders rarely equate their present existential peril with the enemy military genius who reduced them to such straits. Nor can they accurately assess in comparison the mediocrity of their own leadership.
5. The targeted never fully grasped that the antebellum negotiations and diplomacy that had allowed a final and brief respite no longer applied, either because politics had changed in the powerful party, or the technological and organizational capabilities of the enemy had evolved.
6. The effort to destroy rather than merely defeat a trapped enemy ensures unprecedented savagery. And the zeal necessary to resist overwhelming odds eventually ensures a level of counter-violence that seals the fate of the defeated.
7. Once the victors are unleashed — and they always are — their commanders post facto express regret over their nihilistic cruelty, without any sense that they would do anything differently in the future. Education and pretenses of high culture empowered rather than limited the retribution of the conquerors.” – Victor Davis Hanson, from The End of Everything: How Wars Descend Into Annihilation (2024)

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — March 13, 2025

On March 13, 1881, Tsar Alexander II of Russia was assassinated by members of the revolutionary socialist terror group Narodnaya Volya (Наро́дная во́ля, literally ‘People’s Will’) who threw a bomb at him in the city of St. Petersburg.

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Today is the birthday of Johan Joseph Zoffany (born Johannes Josephus Zaufallij; 13 March 1733 – 11 November 1810.) He was a German neoclassical painter who was active mainly in England, Italy, and India. His works appear in many prominent British collections, including the National Gallery, the Tate Gallery and the Royal Collection, as well as institutions in continental Europe, India, the United States, and Australia. His name is sometimes spelled Zoffani or Zauffelij. (On his gravestone, it is spelled Zoffanij).

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And today is the anniversary of The Great Quebec Blackout. On March 13, 1989, the Hydro-Québec power grid failed after a solar storm — a coronal mass ejection (CME) — struck the Earth’s magnetosphere. The blackout lasted nine hours.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 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. 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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 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.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 3 by M.B.

(Continued from Part 2.)

Printable Frames and Receivers

These projects generally use a 3D-printed frame or receiver, which is combined with firearm parts to create a finished firearm. Some of these designs can fire over 1,000 rounds without the frame or receiver failing. Projects in this category include a variety of AR-15 lower receivers, such as the UBAR2 and the Hoffman Tactical SL-15, a vast array of Glock frames, like the FMDA DD19.2,  Ruger 10-22 receivers,  and a variety of MAC11/9 lower receivers. There are also projects based on Smith & Wesson M&P pistols, Ruger pistols, Beretta pistols, CETME rifles, the Kalashnikov (“AK-47”), and much, much more.

For many builders, the biggest challenge in a project using a lot of firearm parts is the sourcing of those parts, especially if it’s for a firearm that’s out of production. The media may rant about the availability of “parts kits” or “builder’s kits,” but the truth is that for many firearm projects, the builder must order each part needed and may have trouble finding some parts.Continue reading“3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 3 by M.B.”

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, another look at lethal ground drones.

The Killer Ground Drones Hunting Russians in Ukraine

Video from The Daily Mail: The Killer Ground Drones Hunting Russians in Ukraine (Frontline). JWR’s Comments:  This article could be filed under: “Life imitates art”. You may recall that there was a Dark Mirror episode titled Metalhead, featuring killer robot dogs. It was absolutely nightmarish. Part of that fictional piece seems to be manfesting in real life, in Ukraine.

Five Lessons Learned From War In Ukraine

NATO Operations Chief’s Five Lessons Learned From War In Ukraine.

Canadian Military Flies the Flag in Frozen North

The Guardian reports: Canadian military flies the flag in frozen north as struggle for the Arctic heats up. JWR’s Comment:  This fits in with DJT’s “Hemispheric” defense strategy.

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — March 12, 2025

On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam in San Francisquito Canyon in northern Los Angeles County, California failed. The resulting flood killed more than 600 people.

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Today is the birthday of science fiction author Harry Harrison, who is best known for his Deathworld trilogy. (He was born in 1920 and died in 2012.)

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On March 12, 1850 the first US $20 gold piece was issued.

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We are pleased to welcome our latest affiliate advertiser: Scheels, an outdoors outfitter online store that is headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota.  For a limited time, you can get free shipping on orders $75+ at Scheels.  

By the way, you can see links to all of our affiliate advertisers at our Affiliates Page.  If you place any orders starting with any of those links, we’ll earn a little piece of the action.

Note:  Because of Amazon’s censorship, we quit the Amazon Associates program in January of 2021. This blog piece explains why. Please order books through your local bookstore. If that isn’t practical, then please use an online bookstore OTHER THAN Amazon.

Again, by shopping with any of our affiliate advertisers, you’ll help support SurvivalBlog. Thanks! – JWR

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 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. 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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 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.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 2 by M.B.

(Continued from Part 1.)

“The price of freedom is everyone gets it, but some people will misuse it.
…is that a reason to prohibit everyone from having it?” – Ian McCollum

GETTING STARTED WITHOUT A PRINTER!

If you’re not sure if 3D printing is for you, then you may be able to try it without owning a printer! Start by finding a fairly small and simple object you’d like to print in a database like Thingiverse. Download it, along with a free slicer program, like Cura, or Prusa Slicer.

Now contact your local public library. Some libraries offer 3D printing—often at no charge—to their customers. If your library doesn’t offer this service, they may know someone who does. You could also try asking around your circle of friends, to see if any of them has a 3D printer and would work with you to show you the process and to print a small item. A lot of us would be happy to help someone else get started in this activity.

In any case, however, the library or the printer owner will probably want to do the slicing and create the G-code with you, either on your laptop or on their computer. This is because: [a] printer settings make a big difference in how much filament is used and how long the printer will be tied up, [b] the settings and object orientation and position can make a big difference in successful printing, and [c] some settings (nozzle height in particular) can cause damage to the print bed.Continue reading“3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 2 by M.B.”

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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An Important Safety Note: As are approaching Spring slash-burning season, I assume that some of your slash piles are still fairly wet. Please don’t be tempted to use anything more flammable than diesel fuel, as “woof” for fire-starting. DO NOT EVER use gasoline! – JWR

o  o  o

The recent presidential address before a joint session of congress was a travesty.  Many of the Democrat party attendees wore matching-color clothing, in protest. Many of them carried round paddle protest signs. Some of them staged walkouts. One House Democrat had to be removed, for repeated outbursts. This all felt reminiscent of the party politics antics often seen in South Africa’s Parliament.  In a night show monologue, leftist humorist Stephen Colbert mocked them. Some pundits on the far left claim that the recent protests did not go far enough. Both the U.S. House and Senate have displayed great restraint and decorum since the 1870s. It is sad to see them descend into Third World theatrics, hystrionics, and idiocracy. – JWR

o  o  o

Reader Tim J. suggested this: New Scout Unit That Heavily Leverages Drones, Electronic Warfare Tested By U.S. Army.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 11, 2025

On March 11, 1963, US Defense Secretary Robert MacNamara ordered the adoption of the M16 rifle by the US military. It was designed by Eugene Stoner. It was a scaled-down and improved version of Stoner’s AR-10 (pictured, in prototype form) that was already in service in Portugal and Sudan.

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Also on this day, the Great Blizzard of ’88 struck the northeastern United States (1888).

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 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. 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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 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.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 1, by M.B.

Disclaimer

This article covers information and activities that are legal under U.S. federal law and in the author’s state of residence. It is the reader’s responsibility to know and comply with applicable laws in their jurisdiction. Neither the author, nor SurvivalBlog, have any control over readers of this article. This article is therefore for informational purposes only.

INTRODUCTION

“Whether or not you live in England, the right of Free Speech is a universally treasured right, but sadly, a right that is still denied to millions of people around the world.” – Philip A. Luty, as quoted in L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise, April 3, 2005

The title of this article mentions printing firearm components, not complete firearms. This is because all designs we will examine utilize some 3D-printed parts, but no firearm that the author is aware of is 100% 3D-printed. All designs use some metal parts, such as springs, pins, screws, firing pins, barrels, bolts, et cetera.

The 3D printing technology that this article will focus on is known as Fused Deposition Modeling, or FDM. It consists of using a computer-controlled “squirter” to lay down layers of molten plastic—building up layer after layer to create a three-dimensional object—starting from a three-dimensional image.

I will not be making recommendations on specific printers, as the available models change frequently as the technology evolves. Rather, I will recommend features to look for in a printer suitable for creating precise, durable parts for firearms, as well as tips for successful printing. I know that the array of printers is daunting. So I’ll suggest a very good website that does recommend specific printers for printing firearm parts.Continue reading“3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 1, by M.B.”

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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news about Idaho’s big income tax cut.  (See the Idaho section.)

Region-Wide

Movement to break off part of Oregon to join with Idaho has legs again.

o  o  o

Frontier Airlines adds new routes to Spokane and Boise.

Idaho

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed the largest income tax cut in Idaho history. It will reduce the tax rate from 5.7% to 5.3%. This consequently cuts an estimated $240 million in state revenue, but that makes sense, since the state government has been running surplusses.

o  o  o

Senate passes bill to make the firing squad Idaho’s primary form of execution.

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Judge in University of Idaho murder case argues for more transparency.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 10, 2025

Today is the birthday of the artist Willem Roelofs (10 March 1822 – 12 May 1897.)  According to the Infogalactidc Wiki: He was a “…Dutch painter, water-colorist, etcher, lithographer, and draftsman. Roelofs was one of the forerunners of the Dutch Revival art, after the Romantic Classicism of the beginning of the 19th century, which led to the formation of The Hague school. His landscapes, especially the early ones with their dominating cloudy skies, demure bodies of water, and populated with cattle, are typical for the School of Barbizon. He unmistakably provided the spiritual impulse for the painters of nature that would later dominate The Hague school. In addition to painting, he also occupied himself with entomology, where he specialized in beetles.”

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On March 10, 1783, USS Alliance under the helm of Captain John Barry fought and won the last naval battle of the War of Independence, off Cape Canaveral.

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Today’s feature article was penned by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson.