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 “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. Today, we look at the ATF’s recent records-seizing raid on Polymer 80.

T.E. Lawrence on Guerilla Warfare

Our Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson recommended this book excerpt, over at the Soldiers of the Night blog:  “The Science of Guerilla Warfare” – T.E. Lawrence

The ATF’s Polymer80 Search and Seizure

Reader Dave C. mentioned this news, from Nevada: Dayton-based gun manufacturer raided by ATF for selling ‘ghost guns’. JWR’s Comment:  This incident smacks of political grandstanding by the ATF’s senior administrators. I suspect that they are maneuvering to retain their appointed positions — since Joe Biden is presumed to be the next  U.S. President. The home of the company’s president was also searched. It is noteworthy that nobody was arrested nor charges filed when the search warrant was exercised, but that sales records were seized. ATF agents are reportedly now fanning out to “visit” and “interview” the Polymer80 customers and demand the surrender of Polymer80 “Buy, Build, Shoot” kits. This matches the ATF’s long-standing modus operandi of intimidation, bullying tactics, conflicting and rescinded messages, obfuscation, refusal to define terms, and clear attempts to instill fear.

ATF Plans to Reclassify Many Arm-Braced Pistols as SBRs

Over at The Military Arms Channel comes this video alert with some bad news: DOJ seeks to make braced pistols NFA items. There are more than 3 million braced pistols out there, mostly 5.56mm ARs with 10.5-inch barrels. The most popular arm brace is the SB Tactical SBA3 — with more than 1 million in circulation. Here is a link to the leaked draft letter that starts out by discussing “objective” standards, but then wanders into plenty of subjective judgment calls.

I’m predicting a severe and almost immediate shortage of 5.5″-long AR flash hiders (commonly called “XM177-style” flash hiders), to weld on.  (High-temperature silver soldering is also acceptable for barrel extensions.) So I recommend placing an order for as many as you need, IMMEDIATELY. Why? Because most owners will not want to do an ATF SBR registration, even if the ATF  waives the $200 transfer tax.  And an AR pistol with no brace–just a buffer tube–is very awkward and uncomfortable.  5’5″ flash hider costs only about $40.  Full barrel replacement (with a 16″ barrel) is much more expensive!

Texans Talk Secession

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: As Texas talks secession, how many states would support such a move?

Spelling Out Biden’s Extreme Anti-Gun Plans

A new video from TGC News summarizes Biden’s Anti-Gun Plans. (Thanks to C.B. for the link.)

Charcoal Lighter Fluid as Emergency Gas Replacement?

Reader P.C. sent this: Charcoal Lighter Fluid as Engine Fuel in a Gas Engine. A snippet:

“In case you didn’t know, charcoal starter, a.k.a. charcoal lighter fluid, is essentially mineral spirits… which is pretty much paint thinner. At least, every jug I have ever bought has been mineral spirits; I hear sometimes it is alcohol-based.”

Chinese Troops Invited to Train in Canada

D.H. and T.C. both mentioned this news, from Rebel Media: Secret Military Documents: Trudeau invited Chinese troops to train at Canadian military bases.

Antarctica’s Strange Weather

Strange Antarctic Weather Extends to the Edge of Space. A snippet:

“[Noctilucent clouds] are Earth’s highest clouds. They form when summertime wisps of water vapor rise up from the poles to the edge of space. Water crystallizing around specks of meteor dust 83 km above Earth’s surface creates beautiful electric-blue structures, typically visible from November to February in the south, and May to August in the north. Their appearance over Antarctica in 2020 is now seriously overdue.”

Thanks to Andre, for the link.

Robot Vacuums Can Monitor Conversations

This one came to us from blogger reader C.B.: Robot vacuum cleaners can spy on private conversations.

Seattle’s Sad Decline

Peter forwarded this link to a television news segment: The Fight For The Soul Of Seattle. Here is a summary:

“KOMO News will air a 90-minute documentary Saturday evening examining the decay, chaos and business closures that have resulted from the drug culture that fests in Seattle. KOMO News anchor/reporter Eric Johnson will present “The Fight for the Soul of Seattle,” a follow-up to 2019’s “Seattle is Dying,” which debuted in March 2019. The original program has been viewed more than 10 million times across multiple platforms and was the recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Regional Award for documentary as well as a Northwest NATAS Emmy Award for Documentary.”

—

You can send your news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!


79 Comments

  1. “To prevent Lidars from being misused, the researchers recommend users to consider not connecting their robot vacuum cleaners to the Internet.”

    Oh for Pete’s sake. I actually had to read that sentence a couple of times, shaking my head incredulously. Reminds me of the Google outage earlier this week and how some people were complaining that it left them actually unable to TURN ON THE LIGHTS in their not-so-Smart homes.

    Think I’ll stick with my fifteen-year-old Hoover that I have to push manually like I’m some kind of dinosaur.

      1. “I love you, you love me
        We’re a preppin’ family…”

        And I can only hope that now this gets stuck in YOUR head too! 😛

        (My children don’t actually know that Barney is really a thing, so I’m not cerebrally pickled in this particular tune. Don’t worry; there are PLENTY of others.)

          1. No it’s Barney the purple dinosaur. And no, I have never actually sat and watched it, but only saw it in passing, etc. As I understand it, Barney is socially manipulating children to be members of the One World New Order, politically correct and collectively in tune. But if I’ve spoke wrong, remember, I’ve never actually sat down to watch it, neither have our girls.

  2. MMM MMM Secession
    Dang, if Puerto Rico and Washington DC come in, they can let Texas and Wyoming leave and not even have to change the flag. I thought Colonialism was a bad word in the liberal, socialist, antifalala and BLM lingo, but hey, if it leads to freedom…..WHEEE!

    1. Wyoming too? I had not read that. Hopefully my state government would finally have the gumption to build an international airport so we don’t have to go to Denver or SLC before continuing on to any other place.

  3. Correct me if I am wrong. But I believe it is illegal to change a Ar pistol back to a rifle. Also it is illegal to change a rifle into a pistol. The lower must remain whatever it was listed as when bought. I could be wrong. Been a while since I read that.

    1. all of my ar rifles and pistols were all built from stripped lowers and either complete uppers or parts kits. i change around the configuration all of the time. not even i know how they were originally put together. if you had to “register” them, i’m not sure were that would leave you.

      1. re:
        the fraudulent definition ‘lower receiver’

        According to some nameless faceless bumblebrat deep in the bowels of some bureaucracy someplace, a ‘receiver’ has certain definable characteristics.

        Any part of an Armalite Rifle falls outside those characteristics.

        Ergo, BATF-ags lack legitimate authority to infringe on possession or transfer of Armalite Rifle parts and their clones and derivatives… irregardless of the ways I assemble them.

        Show of hands:
        * if the BATF-ags lack any legitimate authority, should we probably ought to stop sending paperwork and paychecks in their direction?

    2. Yup your right.
      “They” are not looking for compliance they are looking for confiscation, removal and even somewhat accepting those buried as they are “out of play”.
      The thinking that you can change it and appease them is flawed.

      1. The brace on mine is coming off. I suspect that the Free Enterprise system will fill the void. I also suspect there will be favorable court action give the flip-flopping of the ATF on this subject

    3. Hmm, I’m not really sure myself on that angle. My understanding is( and don’t for sure ) at the time of purchase, the seller marks a box as to or to register it as a rifle or a pistol. If it is to be used as a rifle, then you have a little bit of leeway with it, but as a pistol, that is it. You can’t ( not suppose to ) change it back to a rifle. Just my two cents.

    4. My understand is that the designation depends on how the FFL checks line 24 on the 4473.

      It should always be mentioned by the buyer if they are purchasing a lower, that the item should be marked “other.” In that case, the lower could be switched between a pistol or rifle. If it is marked rifle on line 24, it would need to remain a rifle. Not sure if this is true, just my understanding.

      2. 4473 – there in lies the crux of the problem.
        the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed
        This seems to be an extreme infringement
        BTW are they offering to pay fair market value for those arms “taken”?

      1. Re-phrase: If you have an AR pistol my understanding is that you can add a 16″ barrel upper and be legal. But you can’t take an AR rifle and then put a pistol upper on it. Meaning that increases in length are ok, but decreases below 16 ” not ok.

        1. Good news ! As of January 20th, 2021 ALL gun laws, ATF regs, and district court rulings on guns and ammo are NULL and VOID. As are all documents created subsequent to the Declaration of Independence.
          Good luck !

          1. The Supreme court, by its refusal to act on behalf of the legal and legitimate voters, is restoring the intolerable conditions that were in place in 1776. This is made even MORE infuriating by the fact that the Supreme court has announced that it WILL hear a case to determine whether college athletes will be eligible to be paid.
            I should mention that IF by some miracle, Donald J. Trump is sworn in for a second term, The legal system and all laws are still in effect.

          2. Agreed… The SCOTUS decision re: the Texas case is beyond reasonable explanation. …and now they’re slow walking Sidney Powell’s findings. Surely the election of the President should take priority over all other cases under the circumstances. This is outrageous.

    6. My current understanding, in the “Peoples Republic of Seattle” at least, is that a pistol lower may be “converted” to a riffle at any time by adding a stock and appropriate upper. HOWEVER… once so converted may never, legally, be converted back to a pistol configuration.

      1. That is also my understanding of Federal law: “Once a rifle, always a rifle.” The only legal exception seems to be for T-C Contender and Encore single-shot rifles.

    7. You can change them any way you like if the lowers were registered as “Other” on the 4473 at the time of purchase. So if you buy a stripped lower, more than likely it’s listed as “other.”

      If not, then you’re going to have to do the Form 1 NFA route.

      So make sure that the dealer lists those stripped lowers as OTHER! And don’t say rifle or pistol when buying or it could end up on the form!

  4. Secession-This comes up every election and every year after that it’s forgotten and moved on from. The process is never completed.
    The discomfort level hasn’t reached the point of change yet. As long as folks are comfortable there will be no change.
    People in climate controlled houses, vehicles, offices and shopping who are wearing clothes they choose, living where they want within their means(sometimes), driving what they want within their means(sometimes), getting high on dope, drinking to excess, checking their FB 47 times a day, getting tattoos and rubbing beard oil while accessorizing their guntoys and cell phones with the latest Gs, still trying to figure out how to spend their money at gyms, salons, restaurants, bars and movie theatres are not going to fight, politically or physically, to give up all they know for an idea of betterment.
    Boredom is not true discomfort.

    1. “Secession-This comes up every election and every year after that it’s forgotten and moved on from. The process is never completed.”

      Matt, I was going to say the same thing. I question if the secession talk is a distraction to keep people focused on in-fighting.

    2. Never in the history of the world has there been a revolution by a well fed, well housed populace, and even with everything that’s happened we are still that.

      Revolutions are messy and a lot of hard work and sacrifice. North Americans are to used to their comforts, and to LAZY to follow this path. They may piss and moan on social media, but at the end of the day they will do nothing to upset their lives of comfort. Only something dire, such as a collapse of the financial system, would finally get them out of their lazy boy’s.

      1. Hey L.C. you beat me to the punch.

        The main reason why all the Texas secession talk is just silly blather, is money. They’d never be able to reach critical mass because too many Texans (and Americans in general) are receiving money from the government each month: SS, veteran’s pensions, disability, government workers, suppliers to military bases, weapons contractors, paychecks from those military base jobs and contractors, etc. Texans would lose all that and I don’t know too many people who have principles that are important enough that they’d give up all that money.

        I don’t care too much about foreign events but I have watched the efforts in Catalonia, I was all for Brexit, and I was watching very carefully as my ancestral homeland of Scotland was voting on independence. The polls were showing the majority were going to vote yes and what happened? The chairman of the board (a Scot himself) of HSBC, the largest bank in Europe, let it be known that there would be major capital flight from Scotland if they achieved independence, and if I recall correctly, he threatened to shut down all HSBC branches in Scotland. So what happened? Overnight the polls showed that support had completely collapsed and in the end, Scots voted NO on the referendum for independence. I quit watching Braveheart after that. Maybe that’s why my ancestors left in the first place. One signed the Declaration of Independence so I know they had their hearts in the right place and I’m sure they were rolling in their graves at the failure of Scotland to vote yes on independence. At any rate, the very same thing would happened if talk in Texas or anywhere else got too serious.

        Another reason is that if Texas seceded, the USA PTB would just have to declare them a rogue state, refuse to allow Texans to the cross the new American border, and many Texans would panic at the thought of not being able to travel freely, especially to visit relatives in the 49 states or get their Amazon orders delivered. If the polls started to indicate the very unlikely event that most Texans wanted to secede, the PTB would merely have to announce their intentions to close the border and that would cease all talk of secession. Texans could at least open up relations with their neighbor Mexico but the US PTB would probably threaten Mexico financially if they did that. Wyoming on the other hand would be starved out in six weeks if the US closed their borders.

        So, like L.C. said, until we get some sort of major economic collapse, nothing is going to happen. The SS originally had their run-out-of-money date at 2034, which the CBO had lowered to 2032 based on their calculations, and the covid scamdemic has caused those numbers to be lowered even further to 2029. I’m sure they will be lowered even further each year as we get closer due the economy not rebounding like they are lying it will. If you want proof of the SS running out of money and cutting your benefits to 75% of what they are now, go to SSA.gov and run your report, then see the note in the middle of page 2. So an economic collapse or reset can’t be too far off. Maybe then Americans will get out of their La-z-Boys and head to the polls to vote for independence. But certainly not before then.

        I’m all for secession, the US being broken up into smaller pieces, the Greater Idaho project, etc. But none of these things will ever happen until our money the government keeps stealing quits landing in the wallets of Americans.

        Just my 2¢

        1. I’m well versed in the secession idea…..well not really seecession, but separation. Up here Quebec has been threatening to separate for years, and has used this threat against the rest of Canada like a spoiled brat to get what they want.

          Lately, we have seen more talk of separation in the West. In Alberta especially the idea is gaining traction. The old attitude seemed to be that we were land-locked and we were better off as a part of Canada. Over the past few years we have seen our federal government do everything in it’s power to destroy our economy, and punish us because we are productive, have an economy based on oil & gas (not politically correct now-a-days) and tend to be pretty independent.

          Slowly people are realizing that being land-locked isn’t the end of the world – there are other countries that are land locked. We even had a national publication put out an article that basically stated that Alberta was the only province that could actually separate and be better off.

          We have a strong tradition of being independent out here, and we are reaching a point where we want to control our own destiny, and not be dictated to by a socialist would-be dictator sitting in an office 3000 miles away.

          Just as an example: Alberta oil has a carbon tax on it. The latest dictate is that we have to calculate, and pay tax on, both upstream and downstream carbon emissions. (How you even calculate downstream is beyond me as it is determined by what the end user uses it for) But!!! Ontario and Quebec can import oil from Saudi Arabia that is not subject to any carbon tax, or any other taxes or tariffs. And then you try and tell people in the West that you aren’t out to ruin their economy and punish them.

        3. The collapse of Scottish independence makes me wonder if the polls were manipulated there also. It seems that people now have stopped thinking for themselves and rely on herd mentality for their voting choices.

      2. “Only something dire, such as a collapse of the financial system, would finally get them out of their lazy boy’s.”

        Yes,
        ….and their eyeballs pried away from their screens…

  5. Here’s a question, at least if not earlier ever since the Tiananmen Square Massacre, shouldn’t the PLA have been called the POA, as in the People’s Oppression Army as opposed to the People’s Liberation Army?

    1. Oh stop that, you with your objective descriptions. Logic is so passé these days. After all,

      War is peace
      Freedom is slavery
      Ignorance is strength

      So why shouldn’t oppression be liberation?

  6. I believe the sale of surplus rifle kits by the millions was seen as an opportunity by this same agency, to enable confiscation at a later date. Look back at their operation fast &furious. Obviously meant to justify action in the US, not Mexico. Now they have the POTUS they’ve dreamed about(lets hope not but quite possibly)…standby…

    2. Exactly what I was thinking. Anyone willing to take off their arm braces or add an extension to bring the weapon into compliance this time, will also most likely just hand it over to the ATF next time (and there is always a next time with government creep).
      I’ve already made my line in the sand. No compliance.

      1. That may be all well and good, but folks still need at least one “compliant” gun available to take to the range or to organized training, without fear of arrest. Remember: ANY felony charge that sticks means giving up ALL of your gun rights and your voting rights, for life.

        1. Sage guidance, JWR.

          I often have said that we should be careful about seeking short term solutions that create longer term problems.

          Use wisely your power of choice.

      1. There’s a video on Facebook put out by Jarrin Jackson that is very interesting and he talks about what you are referring to concerning a possible civil war in January. It’s a long video but worth the watch.

  8. @ China Troops invited to train in Canada

    Having just skimmed read the “secret military document,” I did not see a discussion that is inline with the headline of the rebel news article, or any sort of evidence that supports it.

    What I did see was that in the document, there was discussions of canceling winter survival training that had been previously arranged (2018-2019 time frame). The interest of canceling seemed to be at the direction of the US, and Canada felt they were put in a position that was awkward.

    Still interested in more evidence on this topic if any one has sources they can share.

    1. From Canada: There was a discussion on this a couple days back. Our illustrious leader (wanna-be dictator) is definitely pushing the favored nation status with China. He has sold off some of our oil, and much of our gold mining interests to Chinese companies. Maybe you guys do need to invade us – just to keep your borders safe.

      As for Rebel news – you need to take some of Ezra with a grain of salt. Rebel news does do some good reporting on stories that the mainstream (government controlled) media won’t broadcast, but some of their stories, especially with Ezra, are almost a combination of Fox news and the National Enquirer.

      3. Watch how fast the Chinese rape the countryside for gold, and ignore every environmental reg in the process! You think you have mercury contamination now…Just wait!

    2. The article I read last week (and I don’t have access to it at the moment) stated that the commanders of the Canadian Forces refused (in a quiet manner) tocomply and/or actually train with the PLA troops (I have also seen the videos of the PLA troops in BC and Quebec, I believe were the locations, earlier this summer I.E. No winter training at that time but Chinese troops none the less), but ‘boy-wonder Trudeau has said to , and I paraphrase, that for the Chinese commanders / government to save face they must train some way or another… we shall see, sooner more so than later.

  9. China has weaponized the dollar. As in a fight, they have used the weight and momentum of their opponent against them. Follow the money to their opponent and strategy; use naive U.S trade policies attempting to gratify insatiable appetites for cheap goods.

  10. Chinese troops training in Canada: for what purpose we must ask? What could possibly go wrong? It seems like the NWO is hard at work and a lot of the worlds leaders ie Bidens, etc. are standing in line with their hands out for Chinese money and the empty promise of power. Or might we ask, are they being blackmailed like Sowell? NEWS FLASH: they will only keep you until their objectives are realized and your usefulness is over, then PUFF you will disappear from this planet. I am amazed that supposedly intelligent people would listen to them, do they think that they are safe following these masters of deceit, do they think that history does not repeat itself.
    “We are doomed, doomed I say”.

  13. The ATF needs to be disbanded, along with the IRS.

    I’ll read the Guerrilla Warfare article to see if their are any tidbits for the coming unpleasantness. The flashpoint, in my opinion, is inauguration day. If the Chinese criminal communist gets inaugurated in the face of the massive election theft, then we’ll know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we no longer have a Republic and act accordingly.

    Meanwhile, it’s Christmas time and the snow is glorious!! One of my daughters gave me a small book, “Jesus Always – Embracing joy in His Presence” by Sarah Young. I’m going to read a section everyday to keep my eyes on Jesus, and to guard my heart and mind. I soooooo want to be ANgRy and live out my anger over the election. To me, it’s like putting a harness on a horse to direct their steps. I need a mental harness, is what I’m saying.

  14. 1) Che Guevara on Guerrilla Warfare:

    https://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/survival/Guevara,%20Che%20-%20Guerrilla%20Warfare.pdf

    Other Guevara writings on Guerrilla Warfare:
    https://www.marxists.org/archive/guevara/1967/che-reader/che-reader.pdf

    2) Mao tse tung on Guerrilla Warfare, courtesy of the US Marine Corps

    http://thinklikeahorse.org/images3/Guerrila%20Warfare.pdf

    3) Carlos Marighella, “Mini Manual of the Urban Guerrilla”
    https://socialhistoryportal.org/sites/default/files/raf/0719730000_0.pdf

    4) US Army Major Patrick Marques thesis at Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth: “Guerrilla Warfare Tactics in Urban Environments”

    https://fas.org/man/eprint/marques.pdf

    All support Lone Canadian’s point that political organizing is vital and that ain’t likely to happen in the USA today. As Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”. Guerrillas get punched frequently and hard –must endure incredible hardship while remaining dedicated and loyal.

    Plus , as I have pointed out several times, the billionaires fund a massive organization devoted to deceit — to divide and conquer. Not just in the News Media and politics but in law, in our schools and in our universities. One which buys off any opposition in the early stages. The rich owners of the Democrat Party think “black reparations” is buying Al Sharpton another three piece suit.

    https://nypost.com/2019/11/16/al-sharpton-gets-1m-in-pay-from-his-own-charity/

  15. PS Anyone wondering why “black civil rights activist” Al Sharpton did not let out a PEEP as Barack Obama and Joe Biden dumped 8 years of 15% unemployment onto black Americans might look at that $4.5 million tax bill the Reverend owed.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/nyregion/questions-about-al-sharptons-finances-accompany-his-rise-in-influence.html

    One whisper from Obama and the IRS could have jacked up a US prison and stuffed the Reverend under it.

  16. SB Friends! Related to the ongoing discussion of the galactic sheet and its recent interaction with Pluto and Neptune. Ben Davidson had an update today, December 17th, at Suspicious 0bservers.

    Here you go:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QFq_qstXyY&feature=emb_title

    Unfortunately, it does not appear that we can forecast the timing of interactions likely to trigger a micronova. The plasma wave does not arrive as a defined line. It’s more diffuse and in a wave form. We’re already “in” the leading edge of the plasma sheet now.

    Our concern, my husband’s and mine, is that the weakening magnetic field will make the earth more vulnerable to the activity of the sun (solar storms and coronal hole streams) and that this will be further influenced by interaction with the plasma sheet. Essentially… We believe the risk of an X-class flare or micronova striking the earth continues to go up. It’s well known that a strike from a strong X-class flare at this point (think Carrington Event) could wipe out electrical services and systems around the globe.

  17. Here’s a link to the interview of Attorney Lin Wood with John Fredericks at The John Fredericks Show. It’s very good, and Lin Wood points out that while we may feel at the moment that we are facing a Civil War in this country, what we may actually be facing is a common foe — and that is the Chinese Communist Party. Lin Wood also says he believes that President Trump will do what is required to save the country.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kxedoG2M20

  19. “…sales records were seized….”

    When I first heard of this incident, that was my suspicion. They can’t get this information legally (the end-buyers), so they are doing it in a roundabout way. Expect to hear more of this. LOTS more of this. I suggest, if you want to buy an 80% lower kit, that you DRIVE to the nearest manufacturer, PAY CASH and don’t give your name.

    1. Well, at least the growing season allows for food production in Texas. But fire ant season is year-round. Being a native Texan, I hate those little demons.
      Just be aware that the major cities are democrat-dominated these days so plan your location accordingly. The democrats are spreading even faster than the fire ants, and have the same pack-attack mentality.

  22. On secession, I was hoping Trump would win, and CA and NY would secede. I think most of the other states would say “Don’t let the door hit ya…” Either could be it’s own country. Of course too many in both places get government money.

  23. Does anyone remember what happened to the ATF in “Unintended Consequences”?
    That’s not a suggestion, by the way.
    It was, after all, a work of fiction.

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