Do We Have Your Full Attention Yet?- Part 1, by Old Bobbert

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Let me get your attention by sharing this fact: “Life expectancy is going up everywhere except in the U.S.” This opening statement is supposed to be the “grabber” and should make the reader want to read the entire article.

Okay! Here we go with your bad news of the day in two parts. The first part is short, simple, and terrifying. It’s the one liner in quotes above. And the second part is worse yet. This part says that the life expectancy news today will be worse tomorrow, and every American is subject to the same bad news. However, there is good news available in the next line.

The quoted one liner above is not quite entirely true.

Dealing With Huge Volume of Information Available

The specific end goal of this article to to help you, the reader, become better able to help yourself deal with the huge volume of information constantly being made available to us in our everyday lives. Towards that desired goal, I have chosen to create this message in a conversational tone plus a narrative style. I am trying to write for two types of readers– both the experienced and helpful prepper and also the eager but still very new members of our larger group of preppers. All readers of either type, of course, want to learn about themselves and how to better deal with the expected (SHTF) incident/event. You old adventurers will benefit through adding to your skill set with new ways to help others gain expertise.

Continue reading“Do We Have Your Full Attention Yet?- Part 1, by Old Bobbert”

Letter: E-85 and Generators

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Hugh,

I didn’t have any luck searching for this on your website. May be something you consider for a future article.

How well/poorly do portable generators function using “ethanol gas” (E-10 ‘the normal mix”, and E-15 [or higher] which various lobbies seem to want to foist on us)? How about going all the way to E-85 if you can’t obtain/forage/swap for “the good stuff”? Even with stabilizers, the ethanol is very hygroscopic so goes bad fast, but what about a post-hurricane/tornado/etc. scenario where it hasn’t had to sit long in the tank?

I got to thinking in the post-Maria coverage that I didn’t know how well generators tolerated ethanol? Because it reduces the “energy density” of the fuel, would the power generated make it past the controller? Screw up your system?

Continue reading“Letter: E-85 and Generators”

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 “HJL”. Kids smart watches are something that you may want to be careful of this Christmas shopping season.

Owned by Debt

Understanding debt and economic slavery is probably one of the most important preps that you can make. It’s not that all debt is bad, but you have to understand that the debtor is slave to the lender. That works whether the debt is for the latest iPhone, a new car, or even a home. Hopefully, acquired debt is not for some frivolous purpose like a vacation. Even our young people end up with the equivalent of a house payment in starting their professional careers (with no corresponding asset to show for the debt). Thanks to S.W. for the link.

Non-Binary Gender

California will now recognize a third non-binary gender for residents who do not want to identify as either a male or female. Leaving aside the obvious absurdity of non-biological gender issues, we are now left to wonder how various federal issues will be resolved. To my knowledge, an FFL form #4473 only allows “Male” or “Female” as appropriate responses. I’m sure there are many others as well that will have the same complication. Thanks to G.P. for the link.

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday – October 18, 2017

The mass media-driven Congressional gun control juggernaut seems to be slowing. It is noteworthy that the horribly vague and unconstitutional H.R. 3999 appears to now be stuck at just 25 co-sponsors—but it is frightening to see that 12 of them are Republicans. Hopefully the bill will die in committee.

Please keep up the pressure, folks. This fight is far from over! Please contact your Congressional Representative repeatedly (by phone and e-mail) and insist that he or she oppose ALL civilian disarmament legislation.

There are now a half dozen bills pending in Congress. SurvivalBlog reader Kevin A. sent me this summary list:

  • H.R. 3999: To prohibit parts that increase the rate of fire of semiautomatic weapons (25 co-sponsors)
  • S. 1916: To prohibit possession/transfer of certain firearms/accessories (38 co-sponsors)
  • H.R. 3947: To prohibit possession/transfer of certain firearms/accessories (173 co-sponsors)
  • H.R. 3962: To require face-to-face purchase of ammunition, reporting of bulk ammo purchases (29 co-sponsors)
  • H.R. 4025: To require reporting sale of 2 or more handguns (3 co-sponsors)
  • H.R. 4052: To prohibit transfer/possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (85 co-sponsors)

Don’t back off on being vocal, or the Congresscritters will interpret it as our acquiescence or surrender on this issue. – JWR

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October 18th, 1662 was the birthday of Matthew Henry (died 22 June 1714). He was a Presbyterian minister who lived primarily in Chester, England. Matthew Henry’s six-volume Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (commonly called Matthew Henry’s Commentary) (1708–1710) is a must for the bookshelf of any serious Bible scholar.

Continue reading“Preparedness Notes for Wednesday – October 18, 2017”

Reload Your Own Ammo, If You Want To Be A Good Shot!, by Steve Collins

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Common Sense and Facts About Shooting

Common sense tells us that if you want to be a good shooter, you need to shoot often. Facts tell us, though, that our wallets won’t allow us to shoot as often as we want or need to. While resorting to the .22 caliber firearms is often cited as an acceptable alternative, at some point you need to shoot your primary gun. The answer to buying factory ammo is to reload your own. I started reloading in 1984 when I got my first Colt 1911 .45 auto. Shortly thereafter I received a Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum revolver for Christmas, along with my first reloading kit. Mom must have known something, or it was Divine Providence, that led her to get both of those items at the same time, because I found out very quickly how expensive .44 ammo was!

Not Somewhere Between Rocket Science and Black Magic

Reloading is seen by many as being somewhere between rocket science and black magic. Nothing could be further from the truth! Reloading is a safe activity, as long as you pay attention to what you’re doing. Making our own ammo allows us to tailor a particular load to our particular situation. We also aren’t left at the mercy of the manufacturers during times of short supply, such as we saw in 1994 and again in 2008. While a lot of folks were scrambling to find practice ammo, I was at my loading bench making as much as I wanted.

If you’ve chosen a caliber that isn’t that common, such as .38 Super, 10mm, or .41 Magnum, reloading isn’t just a nice hobby but becomes almost a necessity. Making your own ammo can allow you to shoot that old rifle that belonged to your grandpa and for which you can’t find factory ammo anymore, too.

Continue reading“Reload Your Own Ammo, If You Want To Be A Good Shot!, by Steve Collins”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest 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 JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on Urbanization. (See the Troubling Trends section, near the end of this column.)

Stocks:

Bloomberg reports: Old Wall Street Is Losing the Battle Beneath the Surface of ETFs

Commodities:

Next, Nick Cunningham opines: Chinese EV Boom Could Crash Oil Prices

 

Economy and Finance:

On to this: White House Says Corporate Tax Cut Would Boost Wages $4,000

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Yellen Calls Inflation the ‘Biggest Surprise’ in the Economy. JWR’s Comments:  Some of us are not so surprised.  In fact some of us are anticipating lots of inflation, when interest rates inevitably bounce back.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

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 80% complete SIG P320 trigger groups. (See the Gear section, near the end of this column.)

Books:

Claire Wolfe reports: The sale is on at Paladin Press. Presently the discount is 55% off their entire book inventory. (The company is shutting its doors at the end of the year. Even deeper discounts are promised, as their inventory dwindles.)

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Store This, Not That!: The Quick and Easy Food Storage Guide

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Grant. This is a biography of the U.S. Civil War General, by Rod Chernow.  I have not yet read this book, but I have read his excellent earlier biography: Washington: A Life. (That was a Pulitzer Prize winning book, and deservedly so.)

 

Movies and Television:

Megan Leavey.  The true story of a female enlisted Marine and her bomb-sniffing war dog. Available on DVD or for free download for Amazon Prime members.

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Sense and Sensibility, directed by Ang Lee. Available on DVD or for free download for Amazon Prime members.

 

Continue reading“JWR’s Recommendations of the Week”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday – October 17, 2017

On this day in 1835, Texans approve a resolution to create the Texas Rangers– a corps of armed and mounted lawmen designed to “range and guard the frontier between the Brazos and Trinity Rivers”. After winning their revolutionary war with Mexico the following year, Texans decided to keep the Rangers, both to defend against Indian and Mexican raiders and to serve as the principal law enforcement authority along the sparsely populated Texan frontier.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This has been another entry for Round 73 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 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 $1,090 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, and
  8. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 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. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

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,
  6. 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

Round 73 ends on November 30th, 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.

After Action Report On Hurricane Irma, by Florida Dave

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The Prep Prepping

Our prepping to deal with Hurricane Irma was done in a series of steps based on the probability of a strike affecting my area. I wrote about this in a previous article posted on SurvivalBlog. My preps for a Hurricane started two weeks prior when I notice a storm taking a track towards Cuba and local meteorologists saying, “We need to watch this one.” I had recently completed a quick inventory and tested the generator, lanterns, and camping stove. So my two week prior check was done, or so I thought.

Pre-Labor Day Preliminary Prepping

On the Thursday before the Labor weekend, August 31, Irma was tracking towards Cuba and ten days out. It was then that I did the following:

  1. Checked my supplies.
  2. Purchased 30 gallons of fuel in 5-gallon cans for use with the generator and cars. (I added 4oz of Stabil to each 5-gallon can of gas. This will keep the gas good for up to 1 ½ years.)
  3. Purchased 40 Gallons of purified water for home and 10 gallons for use at work.
  4. Purchased one package of D batteries.

Continue reading“After Action Report On Hurricane Irma, by Florida Dave”

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. The emphasis this week is on the relocation of U.S. Optics to The American Redoubt. (See the Montana section of this column.)

Idaho

Jury finds Jonathan Renfro, man accused of killing police sergeant, guilty of first degree murder

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Neighbors furious after F&G officer kills ‘pet’ deer

Montana (U.S. Optics)

In addition to a plethora of gun makers, the Redoubt region now has several firearms optics makers. Perhaps best well-known is Nightforce Optics, headquartered in Orofino, Idaho.  The latest on the scene is U.S. Optics, in Kalispell, Montana.  For some details on their recent relocation, see: U.S. Optics Moves To Montana. 

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This news story received national coverage: Climber kills himself after girlfriend’s avalanche death

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Montana Governor Speaks at Carbon Capture Forum

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. Today the focus is on GPS receivers.

Another Senseless GPS Mishap

Our friend Commander Zero over at the great Notes From The Bunker blog had a link to a familiar story:  Yet another motorist stranded because of their foolish faith in GPS technology:  The Latest: Couple who survived six days in Utah. JWR’s Comment: [[[Sarcasm on]]] How many times does this have to happen before Congress finally takes action and bans the evil assault GPS technology? GPS receivers can be bought on the street without any background checks and can be easily concealed.  They often get into the hands of children. Only the police and military should be trusted to have GPS technology. [[[Sarcasm off]]]

Here is a follow-up article with more details.

Piercing The IDF OPSEC Veil

JWR’s wife Avalanche Lily spotted this piece over at YNET: Inside ‘the pit’: Commander offers rare peek into IDF nerve center.  JWR’s Comment:  The IDF is famous for their OPSEC–even down to individual troops, who in my experience often won’t even mention which branch of the IDF they are with, to strangers. To have a Brigadier General be this open is actually sending a message to at least one of their opponents.  If they aren’t quaking in their boots, then they should be!

A Genuine Source for Binary Triggers

Many SurvivalBlog readers have taken my advice and gone shopping for a few binary triggers for their ARs. But many have been shocked to see their prices have nearly doubled.  The classic Law of Supply and Demand hasn’t been repealed. The “new normal” seems to be around $650. Ouch. Meanwhile, eBay is knocking down auctions and Buy-It-Now binary trigger listings almost as fast as they are posted. And many of the companies taking orders don’t actually have them in inventory. Since both Franklin Armory and FosTech now have 8+ week (and growing) order backlogs, I now DO NOT recommend buying from any dealer that doesn’t actually have their advertised triggers in captivity. There is now the risk that fast-tracked ban legislation could be signed into law before you can take delivery.

Thankfully, I did find a company in Utah that has a decent supply of Franklin BFS-II Binary triggers in stock. They are: Valley Food Storage. I ordered several from them for around $500 apiece. And again, I’ve been assured that they actually have these on hand. Tell them that Jim at SurvivalBlog sent you.  Note:  These triggers are not legal to purchase if you live in: CA, DC, IA, ND, NJ, NY, or WA.  The clock is ticking on this one, folks! – JWR

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday – October 16, 2017

There is now a petition on the White house web site, encouraging the President to veto H.R. 3999 if it reaches his desk. Please take a few moments to sign it!

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October 15th, 1859 is the anniversary of abolitionist John Brown’s raid against the federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in an attempt to start an armed slave revolt and destroy the institution of slavery. Although the raid failed, it inflamed sectional tensions and raised the stakes for the 1860 presidential election. Brown’s raid helped make any further accommodation between North and South nearly impossible and thus became an important impetus of the Civil War.