Reloading and Accurizing for the 45 Colt Revolver – Part 1, by “Papa Bear”

The 45 Colt revolver is an excellent weapon with many great characteristics. This big revolver is fun to shoot! It throws a big bullet, around 250 grains, but does not have the snappy punishing recoil of larger magnum handguns. Often referred to as “the original magnum revolver”, the old revolver cartridge was a hit when it was introduced. The heavy lead bullet with large frontal area proved to be big medicine against both game animals and ne’er do wells caught on the wrong end of its muzzle. Being eclipsed by newer and higher velocity magnum cartridges has not diminished the deadly abilities that made the 45 Colt initially so popular. The strong single action design, combined with a comparatively lower pressure round, yields an excellent and long service life, virtually ensuring the revolver will still be usable even after its owner is not. Partially due to SASS competitions, partially due to preppers, partially due to reloaders, and partially due to western movies, the 45 Colt revolver has seen a resurgence in popularity. It’s thrilling to see this old weapon come alive again. However, some manufacturers have less than stellar out of the box accuracy, which is a powerful killjoy. The following is an explanation of how to do a couple of easy home gunsmithing procedures to correct impediments to accuracy within the weapon, some reloading advice to address the problems causing poor accuracy with new production factory ammunition, and a few tips to maximize time at the shooting range.

45 Colt revolvers are produced in factories using machines that have cutting tools and other parts that wear out. This fact, combined with fatigue and human error, means there is plenty of room for discrepancies in precision, tolerances, and finishing details. Anyone who has worked in a factory or on an assembly line can attest to differences in products made at 9:00 Monday morning and those made at 4:59 Friday afternoon. These little inconsistencies in finish details are easily corrected. There are three things that the home hobby gunsmith can easily and quickly do to correct accuracy problems that may be originating within the weapon. These three fixes are chamber throat reaming, barrel lapping, and muzzle lapping. Chamber throat reaming is a correction made by using a special cutting tool to remove some material from the inside the cylinder’s chamber where the bullet travels through the cylinder and into the barrel. This operation sounds difficult and daunting, but it is not either and is well within the ability of the kitchen table hobby gunsmith. Barrel lapping is a method used to smooth and polish the bearing surfaces of the barrel’s riflings. Lastly, muzzle lapping is used to deburr, smooth, and polish the end of the barrel where the muzzle was cut. These three tasks will be explained in that order, from the most time consuming to the easiest, and will seem like a walk in the park after reading the following explanations.

Chamber Throat Reaming

One very problematic design flaw in new production 45 Colt revolvers from earlier years was an improperly cut and undersized chamber throat. This is remedied by chamber throat reaming. If the portion of a revolver barrel closest to the cylinder is examined, the inside of the barrel is machined to have a slight conical shape. This is to assist the bullets transition across the cylinder gap and into the barrel and to help achieve proper bore alignment. When the chamber throat is undersized, the bullet is swaged as it passes through the end of the cylinder. The bullet is then forced to expand again, as it passes out of the cylinder, by the pressure of the propellant. When the bullet enters the closest portion of the barrel, the slight conical shape squeezes and swages the bullet once again. This squeeze-flatten-squeeze cycle can place the bullet in less than optimal alignment relative to the axis of the bore and understandably has a diminishing effect on accuracy. To correct this, the major online reloading and gunsmithing supply retailers sell a proper 45 Colt chamber throat reamer with a set of pilot bushings. The pilot bushings are used to keep the tool properly centered during the cutting process. Any “T” handle that can be used to hold a tap will work to hold the reamer. To begin, ensure the chambers are clean. Insert the pilot bushing, apply some cutting oil to the chamber and reamer, and turn it with even pressure. Repeat the reaming on each cylinder. Do not be afraid to do this. It is the most intimidating operation in this article to perform, but it is well within anyone’s ability and will drastically improve the accuracy. With the chamber throat reamings done, the other two procedures are a breeze.

Lapping the Barrel

The next step it to lap the barrel. Lapping the barrel will help to smooth out any tool marks, scratches, uneven places, or imperfections in the riflings. Doing this will require valve lapping compound and a good steel polish, both of which are available at any auto parts store. Start by thoroughly cleaning the barrel of the disassembled revolver. After the bore is cleaned absolutely spotless and a folded oiled patch on a jag can be pushed through the barrel without a single mark being left on it, it is time to lap the barrel. Start by taking a cleaning patch and folding it until it fits snugly in the bore with a brass jag. Next, apply the valve lapping compound to the patch where it will contact the bore. Make a consistent number of passes with the lapping compound. (Ten is an easy to remember number of passes.) Then, wipe out the bore with the jag and a patch with gun oil. Inspect the bore. The goal is not to grind the bore out of specs. The goal is to achieve a shiny and glassy appearance to the bore. Repeat using the lapping compound as needed. To complete this process, take the metal polish and polish the bore until it shines like a brilliant mirror. End the barrel lapping by cleaning out any residue and applying a penetrating gun oil. A slick, smooth, and burr-free bore will make for a more accurate weapon. After lapping the bore, it is time to move on to lapping the muzzle.

Lapping the Muzzle

The last and easiest step to increase accuracy is lapping the muzzle. Lapping the muzzle is accomplished by deburring, smoothing, and polishing the end of the barrel, where the last part of the bore contacts the bullet as it leaves the muzzle. Often, there are small burrs left at the end of the barrel and the end of the rifling where the barrel is cut to length and the muzzle contour is cut. These small burrs can affect the bullet flight as it leaves the muzzle. To correct this and erase any burrs, purchase a brass dome headed screw that will fit partly into the bore while contacting just the inside of the muzzle. The size of the screw will vary slightly depending on the way the muzzle is cut. So, it is best to purchase several different sizes of screws and save the unused ones for future projects. After testing the different screws by holding them against the muzzle, select the screw whose head protrudes partly into the bore but contacts only the inside edge of the muzzle. Inspect the screw head for burrs or malformations, and correct any with a jeweler’s file. Next, place a small amount of lapping compound on the screw head. Tighten the screw into a drill chuck. Place the screw against the muzzle and use the drill to polish the end of the riflings. Clean and check the muzzle after every 10 to 15 seconds. The goal is to see a visible shinny ring appear on the edge of the muzzle. The shiny ring only needs to be thick enough to be visible across the lands and grooves at the muzzle. It is not necessary or advisable to completely recontour the muzzle. Clean the muzzle and remove any lapping compound. Then, use the same metal polish to finish polishing the newly smoothed area. Lastly, clean with some penetrating gun oil. Lapping the muzzle removes burrs and rough spots that can cause erratic bullet flight and greatly improves accuracy. After finishing this quick and easy task, it’s time to get the most out of handloading the 45 Colt.

Letter Re: Heavy Snowfall in Oregon, Idaho, Alaska is Causing Buildings to Collapse

JWR,
It’s a REAL mess here on the Idaho-Oregon border. We have had something like 36″ of snow in the valley since the snowfall began a month ago or so. The problem is that, unlike in previous years, the sun does not come out to warm up the air and melt the snowfall after each passing storm. It has just been accumulating and accumulating. Then we either get a warm up putting a crust on the snow-top or we get rain on top, and then it freezes. My metal roof had at least 24″ of snow and ice on it last week. It has a strata of snowfall history with each slice one took out of it.

Last Thursday we got an additional 8-10 inches of snowfall in the Western Treasure Valley. That is about 50 miles from the Boise Valley. The city of Weiser got hammered big time. We have lost something like 150 structures (not carports, et cetera) but major structures in this region. Weiser lost its only real food store for the 5000 people there, and they have had to make major changes in their shopping habits. Most drive to Payette or Ontario Oregon some 20 miles to do their food shopping now.

In Ontario, Malheur County’s largest employer of 800 or so people (Ore-Ida– maker of Tator Tots and other frozen French Fries) is closed TFN as a major warehouse structure collapsed shortly after the Thursday’s final death nail storm. Part of the center of the roof had fallen in a week prior. Thankfully, no one was injured in that. Ore-Ida also lost other storage facilities as well. This will no doubt bring economic issues to an area known for high unemployment and low wages. Needless to say, some are making upwards of $40 an hour to clean roofs!

The Ontario area is a MAJOR supplier of onions to the world market. Storage facilities continue to collapse, causing major stress to farmers in the area whose margins can make or break them in a bad year. They are an expensive crop to raise, and it’s usually a make it or break it cycle for them anyway. One storage building that collapsed had a value of over a million dollars to replace.

Century old barns like ours, which are older than the County they stood on, are now shredded and soon to be gone forever. Airports have many collapsed hangers taking with them the private aircraft inside as well. Many homes and rentals have suffered as well. Everyone seems to have a story to tell about a loss. Many of us spend our spare time on our roofs or someone else’s trying to do what we can to keep them safe for now. This has been dubbed a Century storm, as it should, since it’s taking out a great many century old buildings too.

Right now we are in a brief interlude. Folks are playing catch up with roof top snow clearing. Weather has cleared and cooled, bringing with it a break in precipitation, but that may change by the start of the week with rain, freezing rain, or more snow expected.

I fear the worst may be yet to come. These huge piles of snow (past an adult’s knee cap) that are everywhere will be melting and the run off will cause much flooding in rivers, stream, and streets.

One word of wisdom: NEVER build with a flat roof, and never assume that just because your local building codes indicate a given snow load that that is going to be acceptable. If I was going to build today, I would always put a pitch on the roof and increase my expected snow load levels upwards from what the “expected yearly snow fall amounts are”. Metal roofs with enough pitch are shedding most snow loads. Even then, many are not.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Driver who shot Arizona State Trooper was a former Mexican Federal Cop & Illegal Alien – T.P.

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Snopes Defends Planned Parenthood; We Rate Them [Snopes] ‘Mostly False’ – P.M.

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Are they crazy!?! Democrats introduce bill to take nuclear football out of Trump’s hands. Picture this: Nukes are launched against the U.S. or about to be launched and the Dems want to debate if Trump should be allowed to use the nuke football and strike at them? Are they absolutely crazy? They have to hold a debate on if they should even take a restroom break!!! The U.S. would be wiped out before they could reach a consensus on this. – Pat Cascio

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Eastern Washington Sanctuary Cities Surround Area Where Illegal Aliens Murdered Woman – D.B.

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Olympic Arms Shutting Down After 40 Years – W.C.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Freedom is essentially a condition of inequality, not equality. It recognizes as a fact of nature the structural differences inherent in man – in temperament, character, and capacity – and it respects those differences. We are not alike and no law can make us so.“ – Frank Chodorov

Notes for Thursday – January 26, 2017

January 26th, 1945 is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Soviet Army. Established in 1941, Auschwitz was composed of a group of three large and 40 smaller camps used for slave labor, unethical medical experiments, and monstrous killing grounds where prisoners were gassed and cremated. As the Soviets headed for Auschwitz, the German Gestapo began a murder spree and began destroying the facility in an attempt to hide the evidence of their crimes. When the Soviets arrived, they encountered 648 corpses and more than 7000 starving camp survivors along with storehouses filled with hundreds of thousands of dresses, suits, and shoes that the Germans did not have time to burn.

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Any readers who are bemoaning missing out on the Limited Edition SurvivalBlog 2005-2016 Waterproof USB memory stick, take note: Redoubt Surplus & Tactical in Dalton Gardens, Idaho has a few of them left on hand.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 68 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 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 that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 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 with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel 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, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 value),
  2. 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,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. 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,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. 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), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 68 ends on January 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.

Airport BOB, by T.H.

I agree that flying is a huge loss of rights, but I can’t afford not to fly.  I’m a college student getting ready to graduate, so I’m busy trying to find a job.  For an interview, I was flown to Dallas the same day they were setting records for snowfall.  As my flight had a connecting leg, home/Denver/Dallas, there was a distinct possibility of getting stuck in Denver and not being able to get to my interview hotel.  These flights were a great and so far safe/easy dry run.  All of this led me to really think about what would I need if something were to happen.  First, I have to define something happening:  I define something happening as a delayed or canceled flight, think 9/11, DC blizzards, Snowmageddon, et cetera, not necessarily a collapse but more of a large inconvenience.  I think that things will degrade worse before a collapse;  a cautious and minimal flying approach will continue to be employed.  If you think that a collapse will happen during your trip, then I wouldn’t travel.  That must be your informed, calculated call as you would be at a serious disadvantage.

Making a BOB for the airport has some very non-beneficial considerations that must be addressed:  No knives, no firearms, nothing but happy thoughts and sugar coated pacifiers are acceptable.  All things here are considered for a carry on bag.  My kit so far consists of a smaller bag inside of my backpack.  I would choose a sturdy pack that you would be comfortable carrying your gear back home in if you had to walk.  Make sure that it is not camouflage in any way.  Don’t go too big; otherwise, you could have problems carrying it on.  Think also about your footwear.  I like short boots in case I have to walk, and they turned out to be good for walking in the snow and would be the best for the long walk home.

Here’s what I carry in case of something happening:

  • Carry-on Bag. Currently, I own a Tom Bihn “ID” messenger bag, which is now out of production. It’s made in the USA and not tactical looking to draw attention. I’ve carried it daily for three years, and there is almost no noticeable wear.
  • LED flashlight. You should only be using LED’s (existing tactical lights excepted), due to their incredible efficiency.  Something small, requiring one or two AA or AAA batteries. Pulse width modulation (PWM) models are even more efficient.  See candle power forums for good reviews.  The two lights I have carried every day are the Fenix E12 (what I currently carry) and Fenix LD01 (now available as LD02). Having carried both for almost three years each, I am drawn more towards the E12 for the following reasons: the AA battery has three times the life of an AAA battery and they are easier to find, and the tail button. I don’t like that it doesn’t have a clip for mounting to a hat brim or collar. The LD01 is a twist on and comes with a clip; it’s great light especially for the size. A less expensive option that I have carried but not used as much is the E01 using AAA batteries and a twist on/off. I’m considering adding an LED headlamp of the same size battery.
  • Extra batteries, appropriately sized for whatever you are carrying. The #1 rule of smaller batteries, like AA and AAA, is friends don’t let friends use alkaline batteries. When alkaline batteries run out of juice, they truly do give up the ghost and corrode your nice electronic device, too. Just keep a good eye on them. I carry my spare batteries in a Storacell case. They come in various sizes and are inexpensive. These will keep your batteries from accidentally draining while they float around in your bag. For my spare batteries, I carry a fresh rechargeable to use first and a lithium. A couple of alkaline batteries would work too; just don’t let your rechargables or alkalines sit too long as spares.
  • Bic lighter. These lighters are totally legal for carry on. I just did it.  See TSA’s website of prohibited items.
  • Zip ties. Get the longer zip ties.  You may need them to fix your gear or attach something.  Additionally, you can use them to subdue whatever idiot tries to take your bird down.
  • Two pens. I carry one in my pocket (collapsable) and one in airport BOB.  This has the additional effect of keeping you from touching public use pens that were touched by the last person who wiped and didn’t wash. Stainless steel pen casings are stronger and will provide some, although minor, defensive capacity.
  • Small note book. You never know when you will need to write something down.
  • Credit card. Have at least one for possible flight changes, hotel, and chow.
  • Cash. Keep this for emergencies and chow.  Snow may knock out power, so having cash could be the difference.
  • Four or five dollars in quarters. Pay phones still exist and may need to be accessed if your cell phone gets lost or dies.  Put these in a coin roll to keep noise down and avoid having loose change all over.  Additionally, you may consider picking up a $5-10 phone card.  It will be less bulky than the coins and provide you with the ability to make more calls in case you can’t reach someone or may give you more time to talk.  Check with returning personnel that were deployed to get their phone cards as you can reload them with minor amounts instead of having to buy $20 cards.
  • Socks. Like parts for your vehicle, take care of your dogs. 
  • Undershirts. I wear outer shirts, like polos and casual button ups, for two reasons: 1) I try to always look semi-professional without standing out (hiding in plain sight). A side effect from this is that I get taken more seriously and treated better wherever I go.  You don’t want to look like riff-raff when you are trying to get something or get taken advantage of, so leave your “I’m a country bumpkin” camo flannel and torn-up/worn out favorite shirt at home.    2) I have layers.  I can change the shirt underneath if I get sweaty, and it also keeps me from having huge sweat stains.  I run hot, but you will get used to it.  It also saves me money as I can buy three undershirts for the cost of an outer shirt.  When traveling, you can pack your undershirts how ever you want and when you put it on under your outer shirt, no one will see all the wrinkles.
  • Drawers. Who doesn’t want to change their skivvies after a long day?
  • Cell phone charger. They are small enough now; why run out of battery if the power is still on?
  • Cell phone battery bank. They are small and able to charge other things. Find a way to keep it charged consistently.
  • Water bottle. I really like Klean Kanteen unpainted/uninsulated stainless steel bottles.  They have plastic lids with a carabiner loop.  If a bugout situation happens, you now have the ability to store water and heat it/melt snow without melting your bottle; try that with your plastic canteen.  Take it into the airport empty and fill it up as soon as you get through security.
  • Hygiene kit. All liquids are less than 3.5 ounces.
  • Deoderant
  • Baby wipes. I recommend buying smaller packs with plastic snap lids.  The sticker type of lid will lose stickiness quickly causing your wipes to dry out.
  • Tooth brush and paste.
  • Dental floss. This doubles as inexpensive twine.
  • Two to four quart ziploc bags. Double or triple these, and keep your hygiene gear in it.
  • Plastic grocery bag. These are to keep your used skivvies in.
  • Long sleeve shirt. Again they make layers.  I like to have something lighter than my jacket to wear.
  • Small phillips and flat screwdriver (less than 7 in). Again these are both legal for carrying on; see TSA’s website of prohibited items.  Additionally, these can be used for defense, if necessary.
  • Scissors (less than four inches from fulcrum). These provide you with the means to cut something and can be used for defense, if necessary.
  • Roll of electrical tape. This helps with the above, but also it can be useful on its own.
  • Compass. It’s a “cheap way to see if wires are conducting”.  Well, not really, but it adds a bit more credibility to your tools above if it becomes necessary.
  • Motrin and/or Tylenol. You have it stocked at home; save money by not buying it in the airport.
  • Pepto and Anti-Diarrheal. Who wants an upset tummy during the end of the world?
  • Nasal decongestant. I carry two that are still in the blister pack. I just cut each one out with enough to leave them sealed.
  • Chapstick. Airports are notorious for dry air.  I also use mine as lotion for dry spots.
  • Hand sanitizer. Use it on the area before you rub your chapstick on it.  I also keep mine handy for anytime I am going to touch my face.
  • Snacks. Carry these because the stores in the airport aren’t aware of what the rest of the world charges for the same items; bring some snacks to save yourself money for long layovers or delayed flights, et cetera.
  • Itinerary. Print this out with a list of local hotels, food joints, and taxi companies.  If something happens, when everyone else is trying to get to the courtesy phones, you will already be making reservations because you had the number handy.  Also keep a printed copy of your phone numbers and contacts.  How many of your phone numbers in your phone are backed up to where you could use them?  It is hard to contact your friends when you don’t have their number because your phone is dead.
  • Book. Have something long to read for entertainment.
  • Whistle. This can draw attention faster and from farther than many other sounds.  Having multiple witnesses could be your salvation.
  • Small first aid kit.
  • Latex/nitrile gloves. 
  • Emergency blanket. They are so small; just throw one in your pack.
  • Extra/optional:
    • Laptop with cord. You can learn what is going on, scout the local area, and have some entertainment with this.  Most airports charge anywhere from $3-15 for wireless Internet. 
    • Wireless network card. Avoid paying for expensive airport Internet and also have the ability to use it at home.  I’m pretty sure it only works with cell reception. Not all hotels have free wireless.
    • Blanket. If you have to sleep in the airport or while bugging out, a blanket is useful, or you could also just use your coat.
    • I recommend that you learn how to roll-pack your clothes.  My socks were laid flat and stacked.  I then rolled my undershirts around this.  Next, I rolled my slacks around this “loaf”.  After flying 1500 miles, my slacks were ready to wear right out of the pack.  You can also do this with shirts.

I realize that this kit will not be very ideal for bugging out if disaster happens, but you will be infinitely more prepared than the typical airport horde.  Additionally, I realize that it does not address bugging out issues very well either; sometimes you just don’t have a choice.  Remember that your mindset is the most important thing if a collapse happens, especially when you are traveling.

Semper Fi

Letter Re: Don’t Call Me 4 Eyes

Hi,

Your readers who need glasses may want to consider learning how to order glasses at www.zennioptical.com. I first learned of them from an article in The Wall Street Journal a number of years ago. They are reputable, and the waiting period to receive your glasses is about the same as that at retail stores. I typically obtain glasses for about one-third of the cost at retail eye glass stores, and at that price you can afford the spares you want. – A.K.

Economics and Investing:

Correction Targets For Gold Price, Silver Price And Miners

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The 6 U.S. States Most Impacted By The Oil Bust. – An S&P report reveals that the eight largest oil producing states have seen their economies contract significantly in 2016 as a result of low oil prices.

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Steve Mnuchin Defends the Myth of Fed Independence

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The 4 Horsemen of the US Debt Apocalypse: 80 percent of federal government operation costs go to four areas in Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs, and Department of Defense.

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

The recent controversy over so-called Sanctuary Cities for illegal immigrants brought up this map. Note that there is only one small city in the entire American Redoubt on the map.

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What else you expect from the self proclaimed “nasty” women: Disgrace! Look What These ‘women’ Left Behind – D.S.

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Be aware; you never know: Woman nearly carjacked after stopping for dummy in road. P.S.

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We just discovered a company in Ohio that cans their own meat on their own farm, farm raised without antibiotics and no hormones added. Home Grown Beef & Pork, Fully Cooked & Ready to Serve. Wertz’s Farm Market

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She said what?! Idaho Dems Exec Director: DNC Should Train People In ‘How to Shut Their Mouths If They’re White’. – D.B.

Notes for Wednesday – January 25, 2017

On January 25th, 1995, the world was minutes from nuclear annihilation. Russia’s early-warning defense radar detected an unexpected missile launch near Norway and calculated that they only had minutes before impact on Moscow. Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the defense minister, and the chief of staff were informed of the missile launch and the nuclear command systems were switched to combat mode and the nuclear suitcases were activated for the first time in the history of the Soviet-made system. Five minutes after launch Russian command determined that the missile’s impact point would be outside Russia’s borders and three minutes after that the determination was made that the missile launch was most likely not part of a surprise nuclear strike by Western nuclear submarines (only minutes before a counter-launch decision had to be reached). Later, it was revealed that the missile was carrying scientific instruments and Norway had notified 35 countries, including Russia, of the exact details of the launch, nine days before. The Russian Defense Ministry had neglected to inform the on-duty personnel at the early-warning center of the launch.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 68 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 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 that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 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 with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel 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, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 value),
  2. 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,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. 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,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. 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), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 68 ends on January 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.

What Is Your Purpose?, by MAC

So, like most of you, I have gotten very serious about surviving TEOTWAWKI. In fact, it can dominate my thought processes on a daily basis. From the very day I started reading Patriots, I realized that regardless of all the skills I learned in Montana growing up and the extensive survival training I learned in the military, as well as my subjection to countless “no-notice” survival exercises, I didn’t know squat about sustainable or long-term survival. Everything I had learned was focused on the relatively short term, say a few weeks at most. And, you know what? I loved every one of those exercises, no matter how miserable the conditions or the length of time in the wilderness. I especially loved the ones in which I was hunted by aggressors in “Escape & Evasion” scenarios. I loved it, just absolutely loved it!

Patriots was my first exposure to the survivalist or prepper culture and the concept of survival in a perpetual state of sustainment. In other words, survival in this context means indefinite or even infinite! My previous idea of survival was to meet the challenge, overcome odds, and then eventually be able brag about it while warming up near a cozy fire with a cold beer in my hand. That was my reward. Now, it’s not that I didn’t take survival seriously; I definitely did. However, to me, it was a means to an end. The reality of surviving TEOTWAWKI is that there is no end. It’s actually a start to a new way of life. (Also, there’s no reward of beer either, unless you brew it yourself!)

I already knew that, when considering survival, accumulation of knowledge and skill is the most important thing and that food, water, and other perishables, while important, will eventually be depleted. Only knowledge and skills will earn you more. JWR taught of things like heirloom seeds, Redoubt selection, and construction, et cetera. These were epiphanies to me and opened up the world of survival sustainment.

Was I a bit obsessed? You know it! Tell me you weren’t? I’m laughing as I write this, because anyone who has been bitten by the “prepper bug” and then tried to convey the concept to skeptical family members or a budget conscience wife certainly experienced angst. It didn’t help that prepper television shows were popular then and most of them were ridiculous. (Well, okay, maybe all of them were.) It certainly didn’t help my case with “Mama”. This is not an advertisement for Patriots or to assign blame to JWR for any stress I may have endured as a result of reading his book. (Early on, my wife would have taken her cast-iron skillet to him if she’d known his address. She thinks he’s cool now, though.) The fact is, the reason you’re reading this is because we all read that book. Patriots was life changing for me, and I’m sure it was for you. I am very grateful, and maybe someday I’ll be able to tell JWR in person. I just hope on that day we’re both standing with the sheep and not the goats!

So, it’s been quite a few years since reading Patriots and beginning the survivalist journey. Since then, several other books have impacted my life to include One Second After by Forstchen. (Unlike Patriots, these folks had no preparation.) Also, I read Scimitar Rising by Percynter, which aided in my Christian resolve to be a survivalist, but by far there is no better book to recommend than Patriots. It is common sensical, based on real expertise, and is authored by a man who lives it, not just preaches it. (By the way, I don’t like the “prepper” word or its connotation, so from this point on I’ll use survivalist.) Sustainable survival is a journey to be sure; it’s a way of thinking that transcends to a way of life. As a Christian, I’ve recognized this and reconciled it into my walk. At first I “shoe-horned” it in, making it fit with whatever Biblical scriptures I could find that supported my narrative. JWR helped with that, as he had resolved it in his heart and posted his beliefs on this site. If you haven’t read them, you should. However, while he found his peace and I thought I had, mine waned significantly with the advent of the 2016 election. No, I wasn’t one of the “crybabies” or “snowflakes”. It’s just the opposite actually. My side won! Though admittedly, I’m not sure yet what we’ve won. I’m hoping for a “Reagan” in our president-elect; I guess we’ll wait and see. I really don’t want to get into the politics here, except to say that in my almost six decades on this planet, I’ve witnessed the moral decay of society move rather quickly. The last decade seems to be moving exponentially in its pace, and it is my belief that the political left is the most responsible for this with the advancement of Progressive Socialism and Globalist ideologies. Specifically, it is the tenacious drive to remove Christian influence in society while replacing it with secular (read anti-Christian) values and behaviors. One way they accomplish this is through the “revision of history”. They’re changing history in the minds of our youth, all the while steering them away from foundational documents, like the Federalist Papers and even our own Constitution. I remember while I was in high school they changed the curriculum to remove “civics” and replaced it with “social studies”. At first, the change was subtle and the content was nearly identical, but over time the study of our governmental system and the ideals supporting it slowly evolved to a socialist agenda. Oh, and don’t get me started with Hollywood; you only need to YouTube 1950’s and 60’s television to see how fast that went in the toilet. I used to tell my kids that the one thing we learn from history is that we never seem to learn from it. However, in fairness, if they’re being taught a different history—a manufactured one—how can we blame them?

One of the hardest things for me to come to terms with was watching the country I served for 20 years in the military, a country that was founded on Christian principles and influences, slide into a Progressivism/Globalist cesspool. This was accentuated for me by the 2016 election, when it seemed the outcome would continue to result in more of the same or worse. Like most of us survivalists, I began to panic, buy more ammo, get more survival food, and prepare to bug out. I found myself angry most the time and became obsessed with the news. I watched as the country was being divided, both politically and racially. Civil unrest was, and still is, at a level where I felt I might be required to take up arms. I even considered joining some of the local militia groups. Bottom line: I was ready to pop somebody’s cork and was happy to do it! Now, I wouldn’t have initiated it, but I was definitely going to finish it if it started. That’s when I got a little tap on the shoulder…

The “tap” came in a still small voice. I was so caught up in everything that I needed relief. I needed peace. I needed direction. Where was it I found that before? Oh, yeah, in prayer. Christians know that voice; it goes something like this: “Hey, where have you been? You were praying every day, just a couple of months ago. Is there something bothering you? Can I help?” My response? Yeah well, it went something like this: “Oh thank God! I mean, thank you…Lord! Yes, I am really stressed and confused. I see what’s going on in the world and can’t help but think we’re in the end times…” And, being God, He let me ramble on until I got everything out. I ended it with, “Lord, I don’t know what to do. What should I do?” Then, I listened. It didn’t come right away; it usually doesn’t. But later, when I calmed down a bit, a thought slipped into my mind. It was of Jesus walking on the water and Peter going out to meet him. A lot of people believe that only Jesus walked on water, but Peter did too, for a while anyway. Then, he began to think about the impossible circumstances he was in, and he started to sink. It was only after he took his eyes off his circumstances and back on Jesus that Peter was lifted back on top of the water. That was the first thing God wanted me to do– get my mind off my circumstances and on Him. This opened my mind more, and I realized that I had asked my question in error. Instead of asking, “What should I do,” my question should have been, “Lord, what would you have me do?” Once I verbalized that, He got quiet, and I didn’t hear anymore. Now, for you Christians who’ve reached a level with God where He gets you to a place of contemplation and then leaves you hanging, it’s probably because you didn’t yet pick up on what he wanted to teach you. I was all excited because I got to the point where I asked the right question, and then I arrogantly expected an answer. But, it didn’t come, so I slipped back into “worry mode” for a few days before I forced myself to return to the last thing he wanted me to contemplate– “Lord, what would you have me do?”

First, I started looking at what I had been doing, then why I had been doing it, and finally to a place where I thought about how that served Him and what my purpose on earth is supposed to be. In the end, God wanted me to answer the question all along, because in doing so, I reinforced His Word in my heart. At that point, I realized that all my survival efforts had been focused on just that—survival. Is that why I’m here, just to survive? That’s why God put us here? What if it wasn’t in His plan for me to survive? What if I accumulate all this stuff for myself and my family and we all die in a car accident next week? I thought about JWR and what he directly conveyed as well as the actions of the characters in his books. There was charity and human kindness, a message, and a ministry. I’m not going to be so presumptuous to say for sure JWR resolved the question, “Lord, what would you have me do?” in exactly that way, but I’ll bet he had a similar conversation.

Once I answered the right question and resolved it in my heart, other worries surfaced and were resolved also. Well, mostly. God’s not done with me yet, and between you and me He’s got a lot more work to do, believe me. Some of my other worries center on this country and my love for it. I am a patriot, and I will fight to preserve it. I know many of you, if not all of you, feel the same way. But, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Regardless of how this president or any other turns out, the Bible is very clear; eventually, this world will decay to a point where some very bad things happen. Many will “run to the mountains” to survive, there will be a great famine and over a third of the people will perish. It’s Biblical. It’s gonna happen. There’s nothing you or I can do about it, except of course prepare to survive it. My personal belief is that the United States will not be a factor in the final battle and we will fold long before that day. There are some scholars that try to say obscure passages make reference to the contrary, but the bottom line is; we’re not mentioned. The reigning world power would be. I really hope I’m wrong, but even if I am, I want to leave you with one very important thought; you are a Christian before you are an American. If for any reason you find yourself in a position where you have to choose between God and country, you better pick God. That was harder to resolve in my heart than I thought it would be. I’ve conveyed that to my son, who is now active-duty military himself, and I know he struggles with it. That kid was a patriot from the womb.

Now, I know this wasn’t your typical “how to” article, but I would advocate that indeed it is one, because I believe that every Christian will find themselves at this juncture in their survivalist journey. I know that many of you have already identified with the feelings and emotions I described earlier, and I want you to know there is more to it. You are not meant to escape to a remote location and merely survive; you will have a purpose beyond this. You have a purpose now! Until you die, you are “the light of this world.”

Matthew 5:15 says, “…nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” As a survivalist; will you be a lamp under a basket, or will you have a plan to spread the light?

So let’s recap in a more “how to” fashion:

  1. Preparing for TEOTWAWKI is not a means to an end; rather, it is a beginning to a new way of life. Understand this precept and prepare based on it.
  2. Accumulation of knowledge and skills are what’s most important.
    1. They won’t likely be accessible after TEOTWAWKI.
    2. Your purpose could be passing these on to others or training them.
  3. Recognize that your obsession and sense of urgency can be a turn-off to others and actually accomplish the opposite of your intent.
  4. Sustainable survival is a journey, not a quick fix. There are certainly things you should do as soon as possible, like build a bug-out bag, but recognize your pocket book is not bottomless and that you can’t do everything all at once. Be patient but diligent; always move forward and have a plan. Your family is more likely to embrace your drive to be responsible rather than your obsession.
  5. Re-read Patriots again. Look for the Christian theme of benevolence in the midst of the chaos; it’s there. Some of it is blatant, like the accumulation of extra supplies that can be used for charitable purposes, while other themes are more subtle, like the behaviors of the characters when being faced with adversity. Think about this as you search for your own Christian purpose.
  6. Recognize that focusing on your circumstances will keep you from finding your resolve and your purpose, to say nothing of finding peace. Remember, God is in control. Believe that, and you will find peace.
  7. TEOTWAWKI hasn’t happened yet. You still have purpose before that happens; don’t lose sight of it. Keep God first!
  8. Continue to fight for your country and Christian values. You’re not supposed to give up and just wait for TEOTWAWKI. However, understand that if confronted with a choice, it’s “God before country”.
  9. Resolve your survivalist efforts with God. Ask the question, “Lord, what would you have me do?” His plan for your life won’t necessarily line up with your plan, but His is more important! If you’re stressed or obsessed, you probably haven’t done this correctly. This is the most important step!
  10. Finally, find and understand your purpose in a TEOTWAWKI scenario and prepare for it. As an example, you might be a doctor or dentist; imagine that after TEOTWAWKI there will not be universities to create more of you. There will be a huge need to pass on your knowledge; maybe you become a teacher. Apply the same logic to a blacksmith, botanist, midwife, mechanic, or even a pastor.

God has a purpose for you. Find out what it is and embrace it. Don’t focus on your circumstances; if it is truly God’s plan for you, then everything will fall into place and your loved ones will follow too. Don’t force it. Pray about it and listen.; He is faithful. Lastly know this; at the end of the day you are a Christian first and spreading the good news in a failing world is your ultimate purpose, now and in the future. Get out from under the basket and shine.

Letter: Just Don’t Call Me 4-Eyes

Hugh,

While doing my bi-annual “Earthquake Bag” check (the politically correct term in the People’s Republic of Kalifornia for a “Bug Out Bag”), I stumbled across a fundamental demonstration of my own personal Normalcy Bias. I discovered one of the key tools of survival I had been skipping for years– back up eyes.

As we age, we are almost all faced with the problem of correcting the vision of our aging eyes. Without this correction, most of us would have a hard time even identifying the contents of our BoB, much less using some of the contents. It could certainly aid to an untimely demise.

Flash forward a week later to when I picked up my new glasses from my optometrist and fellow prepper; I asked, “What do you do?”. He shared his inexpensive and effective solution. Below is his reply:

“Look, you just bought two pairs of very nice glasses from me and your vision is now back to 100%. But put those old glasses back on and you’re probably at 90%, and until you came in for new glasses you were doing fine at 90%.”

“So take those old glasses and stuff them in your ‘Earthquake Bag’, and you’ll do fine. I’ve been putting old glasses in my BoB that are now over five years old, and they work ‘good enough’ as backups for a bug out or emergency situation. I keep old prescription glasses for me in both my wife’s and my BoBs. Without working glasses, both you and I will be dead a lot quicker if the SHTF.”

“And in sunlight, you’ll probably be at 99% as your eye’s irises will close up, improving your vision further. But here is another thing you should do. Include some higher magnification reading glasses in your BoB. And get some of the highest power lenses that work for you– 3-4 Diopter if you need them. Get them for close up work, good enough to see the detail for stitching up a wound, getting debris out of your kid’s eye, or fixing that AR-15 you love so much. Personally, I keep an extra pair of reading glasses in every medical kit I have.”

“You don’t have to spend a bunch of money; you can pick up decent reading glasses at Dollar Tree and other places for a buck. You have no excuse not to be able to see up close and personal!” – M.M.