Learning How To Be a Marksman – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 2.)

Understanding Ballistic Coefficients

As a rule of thumb, projectiles with a ballistic coefficient (BC) of 0.400 or less and velocities of less than 2,750 fps (such as 77 grain .223 bullets out of 20″ AR barrel) will have a much more difficult time striking targets past 600 yards when compared to projectiles with greater ballistic coefficients and the same or higher velocities. The larger diameter projectiles with heavy for caliber bullets used in other cartridges beginning with 6mm ARC, or .243 Winchester can have higher ballistic coefficients and the same or greater velocities. Therefore they are much easier to hit targets with at longer distances. The 6.5 Creedmoor (CM) bullets typically have higher BCs and are a favorite with F-class (long range precision) shooters for that reason.Continue reading“Learning How To Be a Marksman – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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, we look at some weather and climate news. It bears mention that several of today’s news links can be credited to the oft-mentioned Whatfinger.com news aggregation site. I recommend bookmarking it. – JWR

Atlantic Ocean’s Sudden Cooling Baffles Scientists

Atlantic Ocean’s Sudden Cooling Baffles Climate Scientists… Have They Ever Heard Of La Nina?

Matt Bracken: When The Music Stops

Reader H.L. suggested this 2012 two-part essay by Matt Bracken that is still quite timely:

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — August 28, 2024

On this day in 1884, the first known photograph of a tornado was taken by F.N. Robinson, near Howard, South Dakota.

—

August 28, 1833 is the anniversary of the abolishment of slavery throughout the British Empire.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 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.

Learning How To Be a Marksman – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1.)

The Killing Power of Firearms: More is Better

The 20 gauge or 12 gauge shotgun and semi-auto handgun is a good combination for close-quarters combat or with home defense distances of 35 yards or less. If using Federal Flight Control buckshot, the maximum effective distance can be 50 yards. A modified to full choke can also extend the range of the shotgun. A shotgun loaded with buckshot shells can stop the fight instantaneously. If you hit somewhere in the torso, it would be lights out and they will drop like a sack of potatoes, dead before they hit the ground. Inside of 25 yards, the massive hydrostatic shock wave destroys central nervous system tissue and the hydrostatic shock (a water hammer effect) instantly increases pressures in the arteries and veins to the point that blood vessels burst doing as much or more damage than the physical wound channel does.

The more powerful the firearm the more likely that hydrostatic shock will be imparted. Small caliber rifles must rely upon high velocity at closer ranges to impart adequately high enough hydrostatic shock to immobilize or otherwise kill on impact by destroying nervous tissue and blood vessels. 7.62 NATO M80 ball ammunition might have the same effect at 150 yards as 5.56 NATO M193 does at 50 yards. The M193 loses its ability to stop an opponent at long range because of its small, light projectile.Continue reading“Learning How To Be a Marksman – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This 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.

—

A new video from John Lovell (of Warrior Poet Society fame): 11th Hour Checklist. JWR’s Comment:  John is a solid Christian who sounds more and more prepper-oriented, every time I hear him speak.

o  o  o

Counting the costs: We can now read the lawsuit against the Biden regime’s unfunded mandate on states to provide healthcare for DACA aliens.  The lawsuit details the costs and the number of DACA aliens in each of the plaintiff states.

o  o  o

I was sad to hear from its founder that the PrepperGroups.com website which was operated for decades has been shut down.  I’m sad to see it go!  I have removed the links to their site from the SurvivalBlog archives, just to avoid any confusion. – JWr

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — August 27, 2024

On August 27, 1883, Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia erupted with a force of 200 megatons of TNT and killed approximately 40,000 people.

—

August 27, 1715:  The Earl of Mar raised the Jacobite standard at Braemar, Aberdeenshire starting the Jacobite uprising in Scotland.

—

August 27, 1917 was the birthday of American gun designer Robert Hillberg, best known as the designer of the C.O.P. four-barrel derringer, Winchester’s Liberator shotguns, the graceful Whitney Wolverine, and the Wildey .44 Magnum gas-operated pistol. He died in 2012.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 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.

—

But before the feature article, there is this special announcement:

A Farm Field of Dreams: Looking For a Wife For a Consulting Client

I’ve had a consulting client for a couple of years, who I’ve learned to trust who lives on a family farm. The following could be an excellent opportunity to be able to retreat to a family farm in a safe area. In the SurvivalBlog archives, there are many articles on ways to protect your family, through preparedness and skill-building. Perhaps the ultimate is living on a self-sufficient working farm in a safe, lightly-populated region. Instead of having to build and stock a retreat, here is a way for a fortunate family to become friends with a farm family by helping their single son find a spouse. This could be the “ticket” to admittance into a well-stocked and fully functional self-sufficient retreat. Please note that he is looking for a young woman who would like to be married and have children.  She does not need any experience in agriculture. – JWR

Here is a description of this special opportunity, written by the bachelor farmer:

I live on a family farm because of decades of hard work on the part of my parents and grandparents. The writings and many conversations with Mr. Rawles have been instrumental for our family to have the ability to transform our existing family farm into a survival retreat. Recently, we have begun preparing for another family who we don’t even know. This month, my parents and I finished putting another 2,000 pounds of storage food and other supplies away and my parents commented that we have stored all this food and supplies for people we have not even met yet. That family we have been preparing for could be your family! As Christians, we walk by faith, so I am sending this “message in a bottle” to the readers of SurvivalBlog with the hope that one reader can introduce me to my future spouse.

Since this is a fairly unusual way to find a spouse, I will tell you more about myself and the basic qualities I am looking for in a potential spouse.

As a traditional man, I am praying to find a traditional young woman whose goal is to be a Christian wife. While it is nice for a young woman to want to help out with gardening or tending to the multiple flower gardens around our homestead, I am not looking for a farm “worker.” My future wife’s “job” is much more important: she will make my house into a home, be the mother of our children, and raise our children to love the Lord. My mom reminded me as I was writing this that I need to mention that my  goal is to find a young woman who really wants to be a “mom.”

My parents and I have traveled on family vacations to many states over the years. In talking to people, we have had to correct the misperceptions of what people think about farms. We have electricity, water, internet, telephone, cell phone coverage, and all of the “conveniences” of modern living. Because we are “preppers,” we even have a lot of alternatives to these. For instance, we have four backups just for water. In the rare instance of a power outage, we are much better off since we have multiple independent power systems — unlike our city “cousins” who rely on placing a call to the helpline of the utility to ask when the power will be turned back on.

People often have told us that they know about farms because they saw some television show or movie that was set in the 1800s or early 1900s. That is very far from life on our farm in 2024. If someone were inside our home with the window shades closed, they would not know that our family home is on a large parcel of land. In the daytime, you could look out to farm fields, our forest, and our large private lake from various windows. The Lord has blessed our farm greatly in its productivity being able to feed hundreds of people. I am a successful businessman having multiple income sources that are not even connected to our farm.

We are within a short commute to the city. My mother enjoys activities and shopping in the city which has all of the major stores. I enjoy going to various stores and finding a variety of seasonal items at the grocery store when we go into the city. I like to cook and bake. I have even taken some cooking classes in the city over the years.

I believe in the value of education, and enjoy learning, and reading. I am college-educated. My parents have always viewed education as a continuous process and they instilled a love for learning. Many of our family vacations have included an educational component such as museums or historical sites, but we have also enjoyed many theme parks and coastal vacations. I have many friends in various parts of the country and it always great to visit these families who we have been known for years.

I am thankful that my health is excellent. No one in our family has taken the “vax” or is even on any medications.

From my youth, I was raised in a strong Christian household which formed my values and personality. It is a blessing to have parents who have always loved the Lord and raised me to cherish the values that made our country strong. Quality men like myself naturally gravitate toward friendship with like-minded people who share similar values and attributes. My parents and I enjoy entertaining friends at our farm and visiting with friends. I have been told many times that I have a good personality. I seek to find a young woman with an equally good personality to share the life of abundance that the Lord has blessed us.

We are thankful to be living on a farm in Kansas which is a conservative state in a safe region of the country. In my family, we often think about the contributions of our ancestors who left their homelands in Europe for a better life in America. We have some of their pictures and know their stories that have been handed down in our family for generations. I often think of their stories: one of my ancestors who left Germany in the late 1800s as a young man. And even many more generations back another ancestor left England and made a difficult voyage to America in the 1600s. I have a lot to offer a Christian young woman and I ask anyone reading this who knows of such a young woman to send us a message and we will be glad to talk to her and her family.

Here is the basic criteria that I seek to find in a young woman:

  • Christian
  • 21 to early 30s in age
  • Conservative
  • Wants to be married and have children
  • Single, never married, and does not have children
  • Physically and mentally healthy
  • Average height and in normal weight range
  • Non-smoker
  • Good personality
  • Domestic skills such as cooking or has an interest in learning
  • Lives in the United States

My parents and I are very understanding people and this basic criteria covers millions of single young women in the United States currently. I only need to find one young woman.  I appreciate your prayers and keeping your eyes and ears open out there. Your thinking of a young woman in your family or searching in your local community may result in you receiving an invitation to a retreat along with my future wife’s family. Please pass around the link to this SurvivalBlog post describing my search to your family, friends, and at your church.

If you think you might be the young woman I have been praying to find, or you know her in your family or among your friends, could you please tell her so she or her family could e-mail Mr. Rawles writing an introduction:  Please write in detail about yourself, including your religious beliefs and other interests including hobbies. His address is jamesATrawles.to (Change “AT” to an @ sign) and he will personally handle the initial correspondence.

Learning How To Be a Marksman – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

I taught myself to shoot at an early age on my Grandma’s farm. I do not understand how or why, or if it was natural or instinctive. As I look back, I simply cannot imagine how I knew what do to. I did not have a father or older male relative to teach me. The same thing happens when I am engaged in carpentry or similar work today. Often it is better to simply stop thinking and just do it, and it just happens. It is scary to see how this manifests itself as I see the project come together without effort. Perhaps this is why I like carpentry so much as it is an act of building something useful and I do not have to engage my critical thinking much. It simply happens without much mental effort as the hands make it come together. I typically do not need blueprints nor instruction. I just do it. This skill is now already built into my brain. What I am trying to say is that someone processes these kinds of skills naturally and they can be harnessed and improved with mental and physical practice. Unfortunately writing or expressing myself clearly and succinctly was not included in my God-given and genetic makeup.

I was given a Savage Model 24 over-and under-combination .22 LR and .410 shotgun by my mother who had grown up in the Ozarks during the Great Depression on a dirt farm. It was on her farm where I learned to hunt and shoot. I was 10 years old and the gun’s barrel was 24 inches long. At about 8 pounds, this was considered a lightweight gun. The first time I pulled the trigger, I got a pheasant, and the second time, I got a squirrel, both on the same day. I cleaned them, and Grandma cooked them up.Continue reading“Learning How To Be a Marksman – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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, some news of some criminal trials — both pending and adjudicated — in the American Redoubt region.  But first, some mainstream news coverage on the American Redoubt movement.  (See the Region-Wide secion.)

Region-Wide

The left-wing Vice News visits a prepper expo in Sandpoint, Idaho, and tours the region: Land of the Free: Traveling the American Redoubt.  Apparently, this was filmed a couple of years ago, but Vice News just posted it on YouTube last week.

Idaho

Defense asks to move Bryan Kohberger trial in Idaho college murders case, citing ‘mob mentality’

o  o  o

No “slaps on the wrist”, in Idaho! Idaho man gets 27 years in prison for sexual exploitation of minors.

o  o  o

Coeur d’Alene Man Convicted of Multimillion Dollar Accounts Receivable Factoring Scheme.

o  o  o

Twin Falls: City Cops Start Their Own Gun Registry. JWR’s Comments: Idaho very clearly has State Preemption over any would-be local gun laws. So the City of Twin Falls was out of bounds, for even considering this ill-advised scheme!

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 26, 2024

On August 26, 1346, at the Battle of Crécy, south of Calais in northern France; Edward III‘s English longbows defeated Philip VI’s army. Period accounts mention that cannons were used for the first time in battle.

—

August 26, 526, is the officially recorded anniversary of the invention of toilet paper by the Chinese.

—

August 26, 1946 was the official release date of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 114 ends on September 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.

Kershaw Link 1776BW, by Thomas Christianson

The Kershaw Link 1776BW is a rugged everyday-carry (EDC) knife. It weighs in at 4.3 ounces and has a 3.25 inch, drop-point, hollow-ground, blackwashed-finish blade made of 420HC steel that is 0.1 inches thick. The assisted-opening blade is reliably deployed via a flipper, and is held open by a liner lock. The glass-filled nylon (GFN) handle provides an excellent grip. The overall length is 7.6 inches. Best of all, the Kershaw Link is made in the USA.

The particular model that I tested has been discontinued. A similar model with an olive aluminum handle and a stonewashed-finished, CPM-Magnacut blade is currently out of stock at kershaw.kaiusa.com, with a list price of $159.99. That knife is widely available from other online vendors for about half as much as it costs at the Kershaw website.

I purchased my test sample used on eBay for $30.73.Continue reading“Kershaw Link 1776BW, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Storage Rice and Spicy Red Beans

The following recipe for Storage Rice and Spicy Red Beans is from SurvivalBlog reader Tony D.  He says: “This is a way you can use your storage food supply. Rice plus beans makes a complete protein.”

BEans Ingredients
  • 4 cups Dry Red Beans
  • 3 Tablespoons Dried Onions
  • 1 Tablespoon dried minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon dried crushed red peppers
  • Water
RiCE InGredients
  • 8 Cups of water
  • 4 cups of rice (I prefer Basmati-type)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
BEANS Directions
  1. Rinse and then soak the beans overnight.
  2. Change the water, to “de-gas” the swelled beans.
  3. Add the onions, garlic, and pepppers and cook the beans as usual, allowing them to simmer on low heat for a couple of hours.

Note: Start cooking the rice just 45 minutes to an hour before you plan to serve dinner.

RICE Directions
  1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil.
  2. Add the salt.
  3. Stir in the dry rice.
  4. Briefly return the pot to a boil.
  5. Remove from heat, cover with a tight lid, and allow it to stand for 40 minutes.  (Do not remove cover, until serving.)
SERVING

Serve the beans on a bed of rice, with the side dish of your choice — vegetables, sprouts, or greens.

STORAGE

Both the beans and the rice store well for several days if kept refrigerated in sealed Tupperware-type containers.

—

Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!