This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters
S.L. in Idaho wrote to mention:
“I have had great success with a coddling moth trap. Use a ½ gallon plastic milk container – on the side opposite the handle cut a “smile” on the upper corner edge to create an entrance for the moths. Mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup dark molasses, 1/8 tsp ammonia and 6 cups of water (recipe can be doubled for lots of traps). Fill the milk container about 3” with mixture. Hang traps in tree by handle (I use a zip tie to a branch) when almost done blooming. Replenish mixture when necessary.”
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Captain Nemo wrote:
Hi Lily,
I’ve written to SurvivalBog before about the waterproof Bibles by Barden & Marsee Publishing. As I was placing an order for Bibles, I noticed they had other waterproof items available. They have waterproof copies of the Ranger Handbook available, both in top and side bound. These might make a good reference book to pack in the BOB along with the waterproof Bible.”
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Ned C. was the first of several SurvivalBlog readers to mention this site: No Jab For Me.
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3AD Scout sent the following:
What we accomplished in April:
We put 20 more eggs into the incubator and really watched the humidity and heat this time. This really paid off as we hatched 8 birds this time compared to 2 the last try. Put the other batch of 7 new birds (6 from tractor supply and 1 that we managed to hatch and keep alive) into the smaller coop outside to make room for the new chicks.
Managed to get a quote for our barn rehab project. The barn sits on a foundation that is crumbling and tilting out. To replace it was going to be costly so I asked the Amish contractor if they could convert the barn into a pole barn. And he said yes. I also asked him to use rough cut lumber where he could so we can saw a few more dollars. The barn is made from rough cut lumber anyway. The project is going to start until June but the supplies arrive in mid-April to avoid the weekly costs increases in materials.
Tilled the garden including some extra space we are going to use for expanding the number of tomatoes we plant as well as for beans, peas, corn and sun flowers. Filled front end loader bucket with rocks that I found in our newly tilled soil and add those to the rock pile.
Dug 9 holes for the fence corner post and 4 holes for the post for the pizza oven. Mixed concrete up and cemented in the corner post. Poured concrete into the bottom of the holes for the 4×4 to sit on. Only have a few more “T”-post to pound in one more corner post put in.
Gathered up a bunch of LED flashlights, some GMRS\FRS radios, a spare 2-meter radio, a shortwave receiver, my goal zero solar panel and accessories, battery charger, 2 inverters and some other goodies and put them into faraday cages.
I attended an auction at the auction house I’ve been going to since I was a kid in my teens. I was going there to bid on a set of patio furniture. As I returned home I got my usual interrogation on what I spent and on what “junk”. I thought I gave the wife a heart attack when I told her I bought 1 thing for $30. She looked at me to see if I was joking. I told her it was a very odd auction. The “junk” (her definition not mine). Tools and other useful items that were always had for extremely low prices were going sky high while the “do pretties” (items that all they do is look pretty), furniture and stuff the normally fetched a higher dollar went extremely low. Solid oak, American Made furniture in like new shape being sold for $100 apiece. The furniture came out of an estate from a local wealthy businessman, and everyone knew it. How odd was it? Solid oak high boy dresser in new shape $100, an 8-piece made in China, damaged patio set $400!! Tools that normally would have gone for $8-10 a box were going for $20 and higher. I did notice a huge number of newbies (when you attend auctions for a few decades you get to recognizing people) As I left for my 45 minute drive back home almost empty handed I pondered what I had just witnessed. Perhaps the new people were the still laid off folks who were buying tools for side hustles or for the means of production/repair? Antique dealers were not buying perhaps due to full inventories and less buyers? Just a very strange auction but I was happy to walk away with a like new PUMA fixed blade knife with leather sheath for my daughter.
Purchases for the month included 8 bags of Butterscotch hard candy, 20 pounds of elbow macaroni, 8 pounds of whole bean coffee (due to bad harvest and other supply chain issues). I also found 200 round box of 223 for $139. Even with bad weather and few vendors I was able to score 4 used standard capacity AR mags, a pair of woodland BDU pants and a dozen 1 ½ pint canning jars. I picked up two boxes of activated carbon for the home chemistry kit. The big purchase in April was the Lithium Iron Phosphate 42AH Battery that I picked up at one of the local Amish stores.
Tunnel Rabbit wrote:
“Ammoseek.com is a very useful tool to find loaded ammunition and components. I’ve been using it to acquire match grade bullets at bargain prices, saving as much as 33 percent over many weeks of shopping. The trick is to be patient, however, there is the risk of loosing out on a rare find. In order to be successful, persistence is required to refresh the search often though out the day. Be prepared to immediately make a purchase as an attractive offering that can appear day or night, and while others are also waiting and watching for bargains, day and night.
The quantity available is typically limited to 500 or less, and it can purchased by some one else with in minutes of appearing. I’ve watched offerings appear and disappear from Ammoseek within 30 minutes of time. .308 bullets and loaded ammunition is the easiest and least expensive to acquire, however less common cartridges can be justified as these can be better suited option when there if a long range application in mind. In my situation, I reload to develop precision ammunition for long range opportunities that can be found and exploited. For long range, we need to have 1 to 1.5 MOA (Minute of angle), or 1 to no more than 1.5 inch group or less, at 100 yards. 6.5 Creedmoor is currently the rage, and for good reason. Modern rifles in 6.5CM are made to be more accurate than hunting rifles of the past, and are affordable. 6.5 cartridges is indeed much better suited to long range situations for many reasons. With the great improvement in the manufacturer of modern bullets, and when shot out of modern and accurized rifles, many are reporting success. Given the long bearing surface and ability to buck the wind, 6.5 bullets do have the advantage over .308 Winchester bullets. and provide the important of benefit of a mild recoil that aids in accurate shot placement. With 6.5 Creedmoors’ slight advantage in velocity over the 6.5x55SE, my favorite precision rifle is a like new in condition M96 Swedish Mauser in 6.5×55. Given the purchase price of only $225, made it a must have. It had less than 25 rounds through a rifle made in 1905. Hard to believe, it was a purchase of a life time. The Lord provides. Because it operates at much low pressures than the 6.5CM, the brass and barrel will last much longer than the 6.5CM. I expect the Lapua and Norma brass will last 15 to 20 reloadings, and the barrel will retain it’s best accuracy for much more than 3,000 rounds. As a precision rifle, a 6.5CM barrel could be worn out in as little as 2,000 rounds. And it is a second and redundant rifle in the same platform. Happily, the same components, powders, and .308 brass can be use to make 6.5 Creedmoor. 6.5CM rifles tend to more often than not, ‘like’ H4350 as well. And I should consider that many of my friends have a precision rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor, yet not nearly enough loaded ammunition. I would first have a precision rifle in .308 Winchester, or as a second choice, .30-06, but most do not. Consider that a 200 grain bullet out of a .30-06 can duplicate 6.5CM ballistics, and is ideal for elk. But for unusual situations, I would avoid using 6.5 cartridges on elk. and only inside of 150 yards, and certainly not on Grizzly. If faced with one of the many Griz around here, I’d much rather have a .3006, and use a 200 grain Nosler Partition, so that is what I have for that critically important job.
6.5 Creedmoor ammunition starts at $2.50 per round. If 6.5 and reloading is your thing, I can recommend Barnes Match grade ‘Match Burner’ bullets as a lower cost, and high value option. The 140 grain 6.5 bullet Match Burner bullet with a B.C. (ballistic coefficient) of .586, is a very accurate and a proven performer in many different manufacturer’s barrels. Yes, there are newer and higher B.C. bullets out there, yet given their much higher price and shorter track record, the choice was easy for myself. My average cost came out to .26 cents each. Their outward appearance is comparable to the Berger bullet. Midway increased their price to .40 cents, but if we are patient, perhaps Midsouth Shooters Supply will offer them once again at the lowest price.”
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H.L. mentioned this, over at Daily Wire: School District Tells Principals To Create Fake Curriculum To Send Parents After Complaints Of Indoctrination.
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Prof. Wagstaff wrote:
JWR,
This might serve as a warning to people in other states.
The legislature, which is dominated by democrats, is on the verge of passing a “ghost gun” bill. Note that mere “possession” of an “unfinished frame” is now illegal. Even California does not ban the possession of an unbuilt 80% receiver.
“Section 3 of this bill prohibits a person from possessing, selling, offering to sell, transferring, purchasing, transporting or receiving an unfinished frame or receiver unless the person is a firearms importer or manufacturer or the unfinished frame or receiver is required to be, and has been, imprinted with a serial number.
Section 3 provides that a person who commits such an unlawful act: (1) for the first offense, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor; and (2) for the second or any subsequent offense, is guilty of a category D felony. “
(so if you own two or more 80% receivers, with the flick of the pen, you are now a felon… I would guess there are thousands of law biding people that were turned into felons overnight)
But there is a side issue which gives the lie to their claim this is to protect public “safety.” Apparently, in the Woke world, racial issues trump even gun safety. They stripped out most of the language in the bill that had to do with allowing Hotels and Casinos to prohibit the carrying of firearms onto the establishment. Apparently it is claimed that this provision would affect black and brown people disproportionately, and cause racial profiling, so it was dropped. (I suppose the implication is, gun control is OK if it only affects white people?)
From an article in the Las Vegas Sun:
Nevada lawmakers halve gun bill amid enforcement concerns:
“…Groups like ACLU Nevada worry about conflicts escalating after casinos call police and people of color feeling the brunt of enforcement, which could include prison time.
Athar Haseebullah, the group’s director, said he expected it would have been applied disproportionately to Black or brown gun-owners who would more often be targets of misplaced fears and police calls.
“Everyone has come to recognize the dangers of communities of color interacting with law enforcement in an unwanted capacity, particularly when we involve firearms,” he said. “What this would have done was create a direct pipeline to allow for that contact or, at the very least, it would have likely lead to racial profiling.”
Haseebullah said it made sense to consider the idea separately from ghost guns. …”
(but the ACLU is perfectly ok with banning “ghost guns” … so much for “civil liberties”)
A non-sequitor and a Movie Revue;
Late last night I saw a movie on TCM called “This Land is Mine”. It was made in 1943 and featured Charles Laughton and Maureen Ohara. I cannot recommend it more highly. They literally do not make movies like this anymore. It depicted an unspecified european country occupied by the Nazis. It centers around the Laughton character who is a timid school teacher, who eventually finds the inner courage to resist the occupation. What I found fascinating was the character development and thinking of the Nazi official, the collaborating political leadership, the towns people, and the awakening of Laughton himself. During his trial for murder he gives a speech reminiscent of something you might find in an Ayn Rand novel. At the end of the movie before he is led away to be executed by Nazi soldiers, he reads to his students passages from the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.” Very moving and pertinent for today’s politically corrupt leadership and woke/cancel culture.”
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Old Huey Driver wrote:
“Greetings from The Lowcountry of SC, Just wanted to put my vote in on “A Moving Story by Uncle Reid”. I am a long time reader. Should be in your mailing list , have purchased the flash drives. Own all of JWR books, CDs, and some in print. I give you this background so that you know I have studied up for a while. This “A Moving Story by Uncle Reid” is the best one I have ever read. Uncle Reid’s gratitude for his blessing in the face of his wife’s issues was very uplifting, and a mighty shout out to our Lord. Also, it was a GREAT prepper guide. The example of not needing so much stuff. And to many of one item, and not much of another. I know folks with lots of guns, but no back up Rxs, etc.I could go on and on. Just wanted to let you know, this, I guess my favorite story or post yet.”
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From Bear:
Good morning!
Just a couple quick links – keeping it short because I know you get a kajillion emails.
1) I thought this article about agrivoltaics was fascinating. No idea about all of the policy complications involved with widespread use or “solving the world’s energy crisis” or anything on that level, but at least it might be interesting to experiment with on our individual properties, for those so inclined.
2) Having seen the two prior videos posted by Canadian pastor Artur Pawlowski, in which he chased off stormtroopers attempting to disrupt his worship services, I was very disturbed to read the news about his arrest warrant. A copy of it is posted here:
From the second page: “…Law Enforcement is authorized to do anything necessary to carry out the arrest, including the use of as much reasonable force as may be necessary to make the arrest, and without warrant to enter any place where on reasonable grounds Law Enforcement believes that the offending person may be found.” I personally believe that they left “reasonable” in the rearview mirror when they first started to harass the worshippers. I am afraid that he will be murdered on some pretense of supposedly resisting arrest, or will “””have a heart attack””” in custody, or some such. Please join us in praying for his safety, and his courage to continue standing for Christ.
http://SaveArtur.com is the shortcut to a collection including his previous two videos for those who have not yet seen them, as well as additional interviews.
BTW I especially enjoyed today’s Editor’s Prepping Progress posting! It is neat to read about the wildlife and see what is similar and different to what we have down here. And I will always enjoy cat stories. They are such characters!
Hope you all have a blessed and peaceful Sabbath!
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Arizona School Board Flees, Parents Elect New Board, Vote To End Mask Mandate
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Another suggestion from Tunnel Rabbit:
“.223 Remington versus 6.5 Grendel, A Weapons Platform for Bugging Out.
If I had to choose between an AR-15 in .223 or 6.5 Grendel, and put it all on my back to bug out, it could be either. .223 Remington/5.56 NATO, as it is not only is it lighter, will there will likely be ammo available at my destination. I could also justify the 6.5 Grendel, especially if it was expanding ammunition, and it’s groups were less than 2 MOA, and the route included terrain that might require defensive shots out to and beyond 300 yards.
.223 in FMJ is not a good man stopper, and on average requires, per the Army, 2 to 5 rounds to make sure they cannot continue to attack. I would always double tap, and keep shooting until they stop moving or changed shape. This means I must carry more ammo than if I used expanding ammunition in 6.5 Grendel to be as effective. BTW, a 20” .223 barrel with M193, makes the round much more effective. Or we can use soft point ammunition, if we know that our rifle is reliable with that ammunition. We could also carry 77 grain OTM (Open Tip Match) for that trip, and carry a few 77 grain soft points for hunting, if hunting is possible. This ammunition would greatly improve the effectiveness of that platform in terms of wound ballistics, or effectiveness, and the ability to hit at 300 yards and beyond.
However, there is an argument to be made for the 6.5 Grendel in a bug out scenario. The Hornady 123 grain SST’s I currently use in another 6.5 rifle, will expand instantly in ballistic gelatin leaving an impressive wound channel. It will put down deer quickly out to 350 yards, if I need to eat. And it can be as accurate out to 1,000 yards as is 7.62mm NATO is accurate out to 800 yard, making hits inside 500 yards easier. IHMO, a single center of mass hit will likely stop the fight faster than even M80 7.62 NATO ammunition, therefore I would need to carry half the ammo, or be more effective with what I have, increasing the odds of survival. 200 rounds would be my maximum for a bug out. Making every round count is made more likely if that ammunition is the most effective on attackers possible, rather other options that are not. Resupply, and initial ammunition costs are the 6.5 Grendel’s are it’s greatest detractors, yet it is unlikely we could resupply with any ammunition regardless of it general availability during a ‘bug out’ situation. Hornady offer the 123 grain SST that is impressively accurate, yet it is exceedly expensive at this time, if it can be found. If I cannot afford to rearm with a heavier platform in 7.62 NATO, 6.5 Grendel is a more than adequate substitute that is also in a lighter package, but both are are expensive propositions.
With less weight, or with a more effective rifle, one increases the odds of making it to the destination, and that is our primary goal. To get the best of both worlds, the best compromise might be to use better ammunition in .223, such as Federal or Black Hills ammunition that uses 77 grain OTM projectiles. Of course it is better to already be at a BOL. Leave now, and have several other options, even if you already live there.”
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‘Third Wave’ Of Sickness And Death Will Be Dominated By Those Who Have Been Fully Vaccinated
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