Uberti 1866 Yellowboy Short Rifle in .45 Colt, by Thomas Christianson

Looking more like a work of art than a highly functional firearm, the Uberti 1866 Yellowboy Short Rifle in .45 Colt is an elegant combination of both art and function. With a distinctive brass receiver, a 20-inch octagonal barrel, walnut furniture, a tubular magazine capable of holding 12 rounds, and a smoothly operating lever action, the Uberti Yellowboy Short Rifle is a fitting tribute to the very first Winchester rifle, of which it is a replica. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $1,329 it is not the cheapest rifle on the market, but it is one of the prettiest.

Background

A little more than a year ago, I acquired a black powder Pietta M1858 .44 Remington replica from Elk Creek Company. I also acquired a Howell Arms .45 Colt conversion cylinder for the revolver. Having the option to use either black powder or .45 Colt presented a certain degree of logistic flexibility throughout the vagaries of an uncertain future.

Having a handgun chambered in .45 Colt made me think about the potential advantages of owning both a handgun and a rifle chambered for the same cartridge. So when I recently ran across the Uberti 1866 Yellowboy Short Rifle in .45 Colt, I wanted to try it out. I contacted Uberti, and they were kind enough to agree to loan me a sample for testing and evaluation. Just two days later, the rifle arrived at my local FFL’s place of business.Continue reading“Uberti 1866 Yellowboy Short Rifle in .45 Colt, by Thomas Christianson”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men.” – Samuel Adams, Article in the Boston Gazette, October 14, 1771

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — December 17, 2023

December 17th, 1905, was the birthday of Simo Häyhä, who was the world’s most successful sniper. Using an iron-sighted Mosin–Nagant in Finland’s Winter War, he had an astounding 505 confirmed sniper kills. He died April 1, 2002.

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And speaking of Finns, on December 17, 1939, Finnish runner Taisto Mäki ran 10,000 meters in less than 30 minutes for the first time in recorded history. He broke his previous record by running the distance in 29 minutes 52 seconds.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, 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.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value)
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.

My Experiment in Small-Scale Pig Farming, by SaraSue

It was a fluke, sort of, that I got a breeding group of pigs.  I had obtained two “feeder pigs” to see if I could raise them for the freezer.  I spoiled them, named them, and they had the run of the farm because they could get under the gates quite easily.  I didn’t really mind.  They were cute and would follow me everywhere.  The closer we got to their butcher date, the more they earned their new names: “the terrorists”.  I started calling them that because their love of food outweighed everything else.  They would get in the chicken run, go up the ramp into the hen house, and eat all the chicken feed.  They would find and eat the cats’ or dogs’ food.  They would take grain from the milk cows if they could find a way to.  They found their way under multiple fences and even into the garage if I accidentally left a door open.  The garage is where I keep feed containers for all the animals.  I also keep buckets of “clabber”.  Clabber is fermented milk (excess cow’s milk) that I would feed to the pigs and chickens.  More than once I had to empty the garage and power wash it to clean up their messes.  They even greeted me at the front gate after I had run errands in town, and as soon as I opened the gate to drive in, they were off and running down to the road.  They easily came back once I called them, but can you imagine chasing pigs down a country road?

Before they became “terrorists”, and in speaking with the family I got the feeder pigs from, I agreed to purchase the family’s breeding stock.  They told me they were moving to the American Redoubt and would only be taking their cattle with them.  I thought that I could give raising pigs a try.  I knew that I needed a whole bunch of electric fencing and I got to work on that before I got the breeding group.  Everything I had read, and videos I had watched, about Idaho Pasture Pigs was impressive.  They don’t root up your pasture, they can graze with the cattle, they don’t need much feed – just 4 pounds a day, friendly and non-aggressive, smaller in size, etc.  And their meat was purported to be dark and rich rather than the pale pork in the grocery store.  I have an “organic” farm, in that I don’t use hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, or GMO feed.  I thought it might be a good idea to raise this wholesome pork for the freezer, and sell the excess.Continue reading“My Experiment in Small-Scale Pig Farming, by SaraSue”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR, based on meme text suggested by reader S.F.:

Meme Text:
Surround yourself with a blanket of fond memories, but beware that it may be set on fire by your local leftists.

News Links:

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — December 16, 2023

The famed Boston Tea Party took place on December 16th, 1773.

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December 16th, 1928, was the birthday of Philip K. Dick, who died on March 2, 1982. He penned a remarkable number of sci-fi novels and novellas that have been adapted into movies.

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The Romanian Revolution began on December 16th, 1989. No less than 1,066 civilians died in the successful attempt to overthrow the dictatorial President Nicolae Ceaușescu.

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This new 550-acre listing at SurvivaReallty.com looks amazingly versatile: Longhollow Acres – A Rural Refuge near Burkesville, Kentucky.

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Today’s feature article is a guest post, by my #1 Son — Jonathan Edwards Rawles.

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We are seeking entries for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.

Buying and Developing Rural Land With Friends or Family, by Jonathan Rawles

The current real estate market, economic situation, and high interest rates continue to limit options for buying real estate. While prices have come down from their peak in many areas, the recent increase in interest rates means that affordability has not improved for the average buyer. There is also very limited inventory on the market, as many would-be sellers are choosing to stay put. Many buyers have to look in more affordable regions, go even more remote, or consider homes or properties that are smaller or in poorer condition.

With all these challenges, many would-be property buyers are turning to more creative strategies. One potentially feasible and cost-effective route is to team with friends or family to buy and develop a piece of land instead of purchasing property separately.

This path is also a natural fit for those hoping to relocate as a group or establish their own rural neighborhood. Being able to “pick your neighbors” like this can make it much easier to get settled and provide immediate mutual support.

Several routes can be taken, to develop land as a team effort. The simplest is to buy multiple parcels as a package from a single owner. This might an existing rural subdivision with multiple lots available. As another possibility, look for a piece of property that already has multiple legal parcels. This could be multiple undeveloped parcels or a farm or ranch property with one parcel for the homestead and multiple undeveloped parcels around it.Continue reading“Buying and Developing Rural Land With Friends or Family, by Jonathan Rawles”

SurvivalBlog’s Annual Disclaimers, Provisos, and Public Notices

Just doing my annual duty…

SurvivalBlog, a private information service, is obliged to post some disclaimers and provisos, annually. These notices are current as of December 16, 2023 and remain in force unless later specifically revoked or modified by the Editor.

Advertising and Reviews

Per FTC File No. P034520: SurvivalBlog accepts cash-paid advertising. We also have affiliate advertising  relationships. To the best of my knowledge, as of the date of this posting, none of our advertisers that sell the products mentioned in this blog have solicited SurvivalBlog or our staff to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price gear in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. JWR is not a stockholder in any company. SurvivalBlog is no longer associated with Amazon.com, and has not earned any commissions from Amazon since 2001.

Several of our advertisers have overlapping product lines. We believe in competitive free market economics, so we do not offer any “exclusives”, “non-compete” agreements, or “protected territories.”

Letter Posting Policy

All writings that you send us must be original works and their copyright will become the property of SurvivalBlog. Anyone sending a letter or article grants the right for posting, reproduction, or any other use by SurvivalBlog. To differentiate: Any items that you send that are not intended for posting must include “NOT FOR POSTING” in the subject line.

I will post letters from readers that are topical. Please e-mail us your letters. OBTW, I will only post a letter writer’s initials and location, unless they specifically tell me otherwise. Anyone sending a letter or article grants the right for posting, reproduction, or any other use. Again, all writings must be original works, and the copyright will become the property of SurvivalBlog.

I reserve the right to reject or edit letters for foul language, blasphemy, racism, anti-Christianity (or bad doctrine), anti-Semitism, and assorted off-topic tin foil hat rants about Gray Aliens. If you see “[Rant Snipped]” in a letter, then you’ll know that someone crossed the line.

I also edit letters to conceal the identities of their writers, which might otherwise be compromised by the letter contents or contextual references. Please let me know how you’d like your letters or articles signed.

No Forums and No Autoposting

Why is there no SurvivalBlog forum and no “autoposting” or semi-automated moderated replies to blog posts? Because: A.) They are a security risk to my readers. B.) I don’t have to have the time to moderate the posts, and C.) I know from past experience that if I were to allow autoposts, it would quickly degenerate into a venue for flame wars and foul language. So I will pick and choose the letters that will be posted. (It’s my ship, and I’m the Captain. Sorry.)

I am the sole “filter” for what is posted on SurvivalBlog. Just e-mail me what you’d like me to post. (There is no “Post” button, so don’t look for it!)

Not a Financial Adviser

Per the SEC Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (as amended): I am not a paid investment counselor or adviser. I am not a stockholder of any company. I am not employed by any company. I receive no payment or benefit from any company in exchange for my investment recommendations. I do not make stock-buying recommendations. Make all investments at your own risk.

Not a Public Accommodation

As a private subscription information service, SurvivalBlog is not a “public accommodation” and is therefore exempt from all Federal regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.)

Consulting Services

I am a paid consultant on survival-related topics, including relocation, logistics, communications, firearms, privacy, communications security, food storage, caching, vehicles, field gear, signals intelligence, retreat architectural concepts, and retreat security. I provide my Vonage phone number or Skype name only to pre-paid consulting clients. Before hiring me for consulting, please first search the SurvivalBlog archives and FAQs. I also strongly recommend that you read my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”. That book answers a lot of questions that I typically get from consulting clients. (And buying a $14 book beats paying $100 for consulting.)

If you need my expertise about something that I haven’t already published, then my fee is $100 per hour, with a one-hour minimum. You can send pre-payment via PayPal.

My PayPal address is: james@rawles.to

Be sure to include your e-mail address, phone number, and and the best time to schedule the call in your online payment instructions.

You can also send pre-payment for hours of consulting (in 30 minute increments) via U.S. Postal Service Money Orders, “Forever ” postage stamps, or personal check.

On the advice of my attorney, I never have and will not ever discuss any potentially criminal activities such as bomb-making, poaching, poisons/toxins, fully automatic firearms conversions, active insurrection, coups, or firearms suppressor (“silencer”) construction. If you raise any such topics, then I will immediately terminate the consulting call; there are no exceptions.

Not a Doctor or Attorney

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t give medical advice. Advertisements for any medical device, treatment, drug, or food supplement is solely the responsibility of the advertiser and are in no way endorsed or accredited by SurvivalBlog.com, or its principals. SurvivalBlog.com is not responsible for the use or misuse of any product advertised on this blog site.

I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t give legal advice. The laws, regulations, and case citations contained within this blog do not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently. Consult a lawyer if you have legal questions. If you choose to act upon the details cited in the blog without doing your own research, then you do so at your own risk.

Many Voices

In part because SurvivalBlog has many contributing authors, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or reliability of what is published in the blog. Consider it only one of many sources of information that you must test against standard references and compare against your local climate and conditions, as well as your local laws. (See: “Accuracy, Safety, and Legality,” below.)

Your Privacy

For your privacy, we do not compile or sell any lists of e-mail or snail mail addresses. Parenthetically, don’t expect me to remember what pen name you use. If you want to continue with using one pen name, then please sign all of your e-mails that way. SurvivalBlog also does not allow third parties to screen scrape or wrap our website in a frame or i-frame in order to track user visits.

Right of Non-Association

SurvivalBlog.com is an entirely private information service that is my sole property made available to others as a form of free personal expression under my de jure Preamble Citizen’s right as later guaranteed in the First Article in Amendment to the Constitution. SurvivalBlog.com is not a “public accommodation” and it is preemptively exempt from any forced or coerced accommodation, via legislation (or bureaucratic interpretation thereof) or any dictate, directive, or decree by any agency of government or by any NGO or by any individual under any future “Fairness Doctrine” or similar charade. I reserve the right to refuse service (to wit: to refuse posting, linking, or mention of anyone or anything, at my sole discretion) to any person, agency, corporation, or other entity. I make these reservations for the sake of maintaining sound business practices, competitiveness, and to maintain my moral and religious principles.

My Agent

My literary agent is Robert Gottlieb, the Chairman of Trident Media Group. He handles all inquiries on publishing, licensing, foreign translations, and motion picture rights.

Links and Quotes

Our links to articles at third party web sites are offered for informational purposes only. These links are most often at the suggestion of individual SurvivalBlog readers. Not every link is checked in detail. We are not responsible for updating links that have become obsolete at third party sites. The authenticity, political persuasion, morality, and religious standpoint of those articles and any other articles housed at those sites are not necessarily endorsed by the editors of SurvivalBlog. A link on SurvivalBlog does not constitute an endorsement!

At SurvivalBlog, we err on the side of linking rather than quoting. Not only does this make SurvivalBlog quicker to read, but it also keeps us well within the standards of “Fair Use” for quotations. All articles that are quoted, re-posted, or linked are done so with great discretion and out of genuine professional courtesy under the doctrine of Fair Use, with legal precedent dating to the Statute of Anne of 1709, and confirmed by the doctrine of “Fairness Abridgement” in Gyles v Wilcox (1740) and later codified under 17 U.S.C. § 107.

Accuracy, Safety, and Legality

The content of this blog site is not guaranteed for accuracy, reliability, safety, or legality in all jurisdictions. It is presented for educational purposes only. You are responsible for your own actions. This includes your stupidity or carelessness. Refer to manufacturer documentation for safety and dosing information. Consult a locally-licensed attorney to check on the legality of the devices, formulas, and practices mentioned in SurvivalBlog in your locale. Do not write me to ask for legal advice!

SurvivalBlog is All Free, But Copyrighted

The content of this blog site is free to access, but copyrighted. Permission to use up to 800-word excerpts is summarily granted (no need to e-mail me for permission), but only if you include full attribution–most notably a link to the survivalblog.com URL. –  JWR

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

The unseasonably warm weather is continuing, with high temperatures of 38 to 40 degrees F., most days. The lows have been right around freezing. Unless there is a change in the weather pattern, it doesn’t look like I’ll be doing much plowing, this winter. It has been so warm that Lily had me carry some bussing trays of sprouted greens out to the greenhouse.  We’ll see how those fare.  I may need to light a fire in the greenhouse woodstove if there is a very cold night in the weather forecast. If low temperatures persist, then those gardening trays may have to be brought back into the house.

I decanted five gallons of olive oil that we recently bought in bulk into six one-gallon glass repurposed cider jugs.  This little project required six jugs because I only filled the straight-walled portions of the jugs, to prevent them cracking, when frozen. These all went directly into one of our chest freezers.  I should mention that we’ve had great success with freezing olive oil, to preserve it. Most of that was purchased in plastic 1-liter bottles that we had bought, back when we were Costco members. We’ve found that the plastic bottles have sufficient room for expansion, as the oil freezes. In all these years, we’ve only had one bottle go rancid, after thawing out.

We’ve been busy this week, preparing for a family gathering this weekend. Lily can tell you more about that. Now, Lily’s part of the report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.” – Ecclesiastes 9:1-12 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — December 15, 2023

December 15th is Bill of Rights Day. (The Bill of Rights became law on this day in 1791, following ratification by the state of Virginia.) We encourage our American readers to gather publicly and read the Bill of Rights aloud.

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The Hunkpapa Lakota chief Sitting Bull was killed by Native American policemen who, with others, were attempting to arrest him near the Grand River in South Dakota.

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The 15th of December, 1923, was the birthday of Uziel “Uzi” Gal (born Gotthard Glas). According to Wikipedia, he was “…born in Weimar, Germany. When the Nazis came to power in 1933 he moved first to England and later, in 1936, to Kibbutz Yagur in the British Mandate of Palestine where he changed his name to Uziel Gal. In 1943, he was arrested for illegally carrying a gun and sentenced to six years in prison. However, he was pardoned and released in 1946, serving less than half of his sentence.” He is, of course, remembered as the inventor of the famous Uzi submachine gun and the short-lived Ruger MP9 (an improvement to the Uzi). Uzi Gal is not to be confused with Israel Galili, the chief weapons designer for Israeli Military Industries (IMI), who along with Yaacov Lior designed the Galil improvement to the AK-47.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, 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.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value)
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.

Practical Rain Catchment, by Javelina

I think everyone agrees that water is an absolute necessity, regardless of the situation at hand. Catching what nature provides can be as simple as a bucket or tarp or as complex as multi tank systems with complete purification systems. I am no expert, nor is this meant to be a technical article but a simple guide to get started harvesting rain. As always consult your local codes and permit requirements. The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) is a great place to start. The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is also a source of installation information as well. Your state may have a similar publication – a Manual on Rainwater Harvesting.

Getting started – How do you want to utilize the harvested water? Are you interested in watering plants, maintaining your garden and/or building a potable water system? All can be accomplished with the right resources and motivation.

First, determine if your roof is suitable for harvesting rain. A wood or shake shingle roof is no go. Normal asphalt roofs are not great due to weather- and age-related breakdown, but being the most common type of roof system, I would not rule it out. Metal or tile roofs are the best option.Continue reading“Practical Rain Catchment, by Javelina”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at some rumored ammunition price increases. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

The big swings in the precious metals markets are continuing. After hitting an all-time last week, spot gold took a dive back into the high $1,980s range, on profit-taking. When I checked on Wednesday morning, spot gold had recovered to $2,020 per Troy ounce and silver was at $23.45. The silver-to-gold ratio has also seen big swings. As of Wednesday, it stood at 86.1-to-1. So we are approaching another good juncture to ratio trade out of gold into silver, if you have the vault space for the bulkier metal. In my estimation, a 90-to-1 ratio should be your “make the switch” signal.

I must also mention that platinum and palladium are presently also looking undervalued. However, the difficulty with those white metals for physical investors is that the dealers’ premiums are quite high. Paying $1,188 for a 1-ounce Platinum American Liberty — containing $938 worth of platinum — seems painful. – JWR

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Radomski, at Gold-Eagle.com: The Clearest, Biggest, and Most Important Reversal in Gold.

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Here’s why silver is stalling; Can it break out in 2024?

Economy & Finance:

Signs of the times: Dollar General to open 800 stores in 2024; Q3 tops Street.

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Reader H.L. spotted this: Jeep employees learn of mass layoffs just over one month after UAW strike ends.

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Hasbro Lays Off 20% Of Company On Plunging Toy Sales.

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At Zero Hedge: The Markets Are Front-Running The First Rate-Cut.

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