Notes from JWR:

I was pleased to see the new Wikipedia page on Antique Guns. It includes digests on the laws concerning antque guns for the U.S, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Norway. And one of the authors kindly included links to a couple of my FAQs, as well as a link to a long-time SurvivalBlog advertiser: The Pre-1899 Specialist. I highly recommend that every well-prepared family's firearms battery should include a few cartridge guns from the 1890s, chambered in calibers that are still factory produced. Why? If the Democrats ever control both the White House and Congress (which looks all too likely, in just two years), then we may be subjected to nationwide gun registration. In that event, you would be required to register all of the modern guns in your collection. Pre-1899 guns have been Federally exempt since 1968. Odds are that they will continue to be exempt under any new Federal gun registration scheme. (It is hard for the congresscritters to claim continued "interstate commerce" on an item that was first sold across state lines more than a hundred years ago!) So, presumably you will be able to own some unregistered antique guns. This "above ground" portion of your collection would be ideal for your day-to-day hunting, self defense, and target shooting needs. Think about it. If nothing else, pre-1899 guns are a great investment. There is only a limited supply of bona fide shootable antique cartridge guns, and their prices are steadily rising. Since the "antique" threshold was arbitraily frozen at 1898, their numbers are dwindling. So their prices will continue to rise, regardless of whether or not the U.S. gun laws get any worse.

Today we present another article submitted for Round 9 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $1,600.) Second prize is a copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel "Patriots" as "honorable mention" awards. If you want a chance to win the contest, start writing and e-mail us your article. Round 9 will end on March 31st. Remember that the articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.