James:

Anyone casting lead must understand that Molten Lead and Water or Perspiration don't mix!
 
Just One Drop of Water in the Lead Pot and…BOOM, an instant steam explosion.
 
Casting lead is hot business.
 
Standing over the pot you feel one drop of perspiration run down your brow, down the bridge of your nose right to the tip and in the pot.
By the time you realize what just happened, well… it’s too late.
 
That one little drop of sweat will most likely cause a violent explosion of molten lead all over you and every thing in the area.
Causing severe burns, maybe blindness and possibly a fire. That sweating glass of iced tea, or even a runny nose can put you in a bad situation. Wheel weights can hold a drop of water just under the clamp. Don’t drop them in the pot to save time.
 
A couple other good safety items would be sweatbands for the forehead and wrists and a full facemask instead of just safety glasses.
 
I personally believe melting lead in the kitchen on the stove is particularly hazardous. There are water sources everywhere…not to mention lead contamination in the kitchen.
Anyway…
You don’t use the turkey fryer in the kitchen, so why cook lead in the kitchen? 

Oh, by the way, I found a great on-line site for casting lead. About anything regarding casting lead is there.
 
Be Safe, - Bill in The Northern Neck of Virginia

Dear JWR,
I wanted to comment on the excellent article, Melting Lead for the Meltdown, by Charles J.

I would like to add just a few small things that I have picked up in 25 years of casting. The safety gear comments are spot on. Leather boots are very important, just make sure that your pant legs are on the outside of the boots. Take it from someone that learned the hard way, it is difficult to get a chunk of hot lead out of a boot while dancing around like a fool. Likewise, a face shield, or at the minimum, safety glasses, must be worn at all times when around molten lead. When my lead pot is on, a sign is on the door to the casting room reads that NO ONE is allowed entrance without at least safety glasses. The last safety item is that no liquids are allowed in the casting room when the pot is on. No soda, no coffee, no beer (which you shouldn't be drinking anyway when dealing with molten metal). A small amount of liquid will cause a large splash of hot lead.One last hint would be that if you are casting more than one variety of bullet, do them both at the same time. Fill one mold, then set aside. Fill the second, set aside, open the first, re-fill and set aside. Repeat. When you get into a good rhythm, you can really crank out the cast bullets. Bullet casting can be very relaxing. Just be careful doing it. - Mr. M

As an avid competitor in IPSC and local pistol competitions, a number of years ago I decided to reload ammunition on my own.  I felt this would pay for itself over the long haul as well as allow me to work up loads that would have the correct power factor, accuracy, and excellent feeding for competitions, not to mention self-defense.  In addition, after the passing of the Brady Bill, I took on another task of casting my own bullets with the possible specter of either the government removal of ammunition from store shelves or some other legislative means of taking away guns via restrictions with powder, USEPA restrictions with lead and so on.  I wanted to be relatively self-sufficient and have an asset that might be marketable in light of a possible economic, social, or political meltdown.

T his discussion will specifically address bullet casting 185 grain semi-wadcutter bullets and 200 grain semi-wadcutter bullets for the .45 ACP or “melting lead for the meltdown.”

It helps to have a good source of lead and other metals for the “melt.”  The “melt” is what you have in your melting pot to pour bullets.  This comes from your source and supply of metal.  My brother initially supplied two 5 gallon buckets of discarded used wheel weights from the garage he worked at.  In addition, I have purchased on eBay “linotype” which makes a very good melt for cast bullets.   Wheel weights generally have an appropriate mix of lead, tin, and other metals that give a reasonable hardness with cast as bullets.  The ratio noted in the Lyman manual indicates the following alloy and the hardness factor for their own recipe called Lyman #2 alloy: 90% lead, 5% tin, and 5% antimony giving you a hardness factor of 15 (Brinell Hardness Number or BHN).  The linotype mentioned (which comes from the printer’s shop and generally available via eBay) has a hardness factor of 22 due to having more antimony and a bit less lead.  The wheel weights had to be sorted and melted into ingots and put aside until there was enough to start the casting process.  I also had to weed out any weights that smacked of zinc as this will be a negative factor in casting.

My bullet casting started with primal tools and has worked to a little bit more efficient tools.  I started with a cast iron pot, ladle, kitchen stove (really makes the wife happy) and a Lyman #2670460  200 grain semi-wad cutter mold with a four bullet capacity.  The handles are RCBS which work with the Lyman mold.  My second mold is from Magma Engineering which can be checked out at their web site, a 185 grain semi-wad cutter bullet with a two bullet cavity.  Again, I went with RCBS handles.  

Other tools of the trade include: a hickory handle to break what is known as the sprue, a stainless steel spoon for stirring into the melt either Brownells Flux or a pea size chunk of paraffin wax, a heavy duty kitchen glove or mitt, a heavy duty box to plop newly cast bullets into, and a small pan to place excess sprue into.     

Later, after learning some of the basics and wanting to speed up the casting process I graduated to a Lee Pro 20 Series melter.  There are numerous other melting pots on the market that you might check out at Midway USA or other outlets.  I also picked up Lyman melt thermometer to keep track of the temperature of the melt. But, wait, there’s more!  So, to get started with your melting, you need the following:

1. A 2 cavity or 4 cavity bullet mold (mine are the Lyman #2670460 4 cavity 200 gr. Semi-wad cutter and the Magma Engineering 2 cavity 185 grain semi wad cutter).
                 
2. A pair of RCBS mold handles.
                 
3. Lee Pro 20 Series Melter

4. Safety Equipment: Face shield, apron, long sleeve shirt, gloves, and leather boots
                 
5. Miscellaneous: hickory handle, stainless steel spoon, flux/paraffin wax, kitchen glove, and container for bullets.

Those bullets have to be sized and lubed before they can be reloaded.  This is what I wanted to be able to do.  So, the additional tools you’ll need for the sizing and lubing from your manufacturer of choice, I picked a:

1.  Lyman 450 Bullet Sizer/Lubricator

2.  A Midway Lube Heater (which is mounted under the Sizer/Lubricator)

3.  Lube (Alox or Blue Angel -- the latter needs the lube heater)

4.  Lyman top punch sizing die.  The sizing die and top punch size the bullet (in my case to .452 diameter) to the right diameter for the .45 ACP.

I might add it would be helpful to have a manual handy for the whole process such as the Lyman Reloading Handbook.  A handbook for bullet casting should also come with the bullet sizer/lubricator.  There may be something on YouTube as well; however, I have not checked it out.  In addition, I believe there are videos available to assist you.  I have never used or purchased a video but I think it would be helpful.

So, in a well-ventilated workspace, let’s fire up the Lee Pro 20 melter.  I take the ingots that I have made from the wheel weights and/or the linotype and place them in the melter.  There is a gauge on the melter for the approximate temperature and as you become better experienced you will likely be able to drop the melt thermometer.  You want at least 650 degrees and you want a small fan or a vent hood to dispel any lead fumes.  As the ingots slowly melt, add a teaspoon of flux or the pea size piece of paraffin wax to draw the dross to the top of the melt.  Skim off the dross with your stainless steel spoon (and duct tape the handle end to prevent burns) and discard in something non-flammable. While the ingots are in the pot melting, you will want to heat your bullet mold.  I just set mine on the edge of the melter and rotate it to try to heat it with some uniformity.  When the melt has reached temperature, place your mold under the valve or spigot where the melter will allow the melt to flow out and lift the handle to allow the flow of the melt.  As you fill each cavity let an additional amount pour to have a good break when the sprue plate is popped open.  At the top of the bullet cavity is the sprue plate which has to be hit to shear off the excess melt providing a nice flat base on the bullet.  Once the sprue plate is knocked back with your hickory handle, break the mold open, gently tap if needed, and drop the bullets into a non-flammable container. 

Use your spoon to scoop up one of the bullets to see if it is well formed.  Generally, it takes me maybe 4-to-5 pourings to get nicely formed bullets.  This is due largely to the molds having to get up to temperature. When the bullets are coming out well formed then continue the process of pouring, breaking the sprue plate open, dropping the newly molded bullets, and so on.  If you notice your bullets coming out looking “frosty” then you will need to back off on your temperature or let your mold cool off a few minutes. When a bullet “frosts” it becomes brittle and that isn’t good while moving down your gun barrel at 850 fps.  Keep constant check for that.  50 pourings with a four cavity mold will give you 200 bullets.  You can get this in maybe an hour or more depending on your skills and experience.  As you  consume the melt, you will have to put in more ingots.  This will take a few minutes to melt and come to temperature.  I like to size and lube during these breaks  while my ingots are initially starting to melt.  I try to finish up my bullet casting when the depth of the melt in the melter is about an inch deep (measured by my spoon) and after I have gone thru enough melt to cast 400-500 bullets.  Time to unplug the melter and let the remainder cool down. 

With free wheel weights a good bit of money has been saved.  The equipment will pay for itself.  The time is well used and for me a bit therapeutic.  I like seeing things come out right that I actually had a part in.  A box of 500 bullets is now close to $50.  When I was competing regularly I was going thru 300 bullets per week which isn’t a lot.  I still was knocking at the door of A class in IPSC with the 300 rounds per week in practice.  So, for me, buying 300 rounds a week at Wal-Mart was not going to work.  Casting and reloading my own ammo has worked out well.

Now, we’re not quite finished yet since the cooled bullets have to be sized and lubed.  Generally speaking, you would want to “slug” your barrel to confirm the size you need to get your bullets to.  I didn’t do that and never have had a problem.  I just made sure I had the .452" top punch/sizer.  I am assuming you have your sizer/lubricator and heater mounted at this time so I am dispensing with further instructions.  If you use Lyman Alox or other lubes that don’t need heating then don’t plug the lube heater in.  If you go with “Blue Angel” hard lube then you will need to crank up the heater, place your lube in the lubricator and run a bullet thru.  You will likely have to adjust the sizer/lubricator to ensure the bullet is being completely sized and that the bullet lube fills the lube groove on the bullet fully.  You can crank out the sized and lubed bullets and place them into whatever container you’d like.  I have used Betty Crocker icing containers, small boxes suitable for holding 300-500 bullets, and a large plastic canister that held psyllium husks from NOW foods.  These bullets are ready for reloading, storage,  packaging to sell or barter. 
  
In conclusion, this has been a basic how to to melt for the meltdown.  You will have to experiment as you go along.  Talk with others who cast bullets as well and you will get tips and pointers that will be helpful.  I can’t leave without leaving a couple thoughts as to a spiritual side of bullet casting.  One is that when the lead ingots melt, there is a tremendous heat and I actually ponder a place called ‘hell.’  I cannot imagine being there and as a child asked Jesus Christ to forgive me of my sin and trusted Him as my Savior.  Thankfully, I will never have to face an eternity as hot or hotter than the melted lead in my melter.  Second, as a believer, Proverbs talks about the “fining pot and the furnace.”  It can apply to the lives of Christians who are going thru the “heat” of trials in this life.  After you skim off the dross from the melt, the melt is mirror-like when you look down into it.  You can actually see your reflection.  It makes me think that when the “heat” is on in my life, the Lord wants to skim off the dross and see a reflection of Himself as He looks on.  And, He wants the world to see His reflection as well.  God bless you and keep you safe.  May he give us all the wisdom we need in the event of a “meltdown.”

I was trying to come up with way to write down all of things that I have been going through lately as a concerned husband, son, uncle, and brother.  A little background on me: I am turning 36 tomorrow.  When I was 24 I joined the U.S. Army.  I was fooling around in college (still) without a good source of income.  My three year relationship was coming to an abrupt end as my girlfriend was graduating college and moving into the next phase of her life (kudos to her making the tough decision to do what was best for her, which was to keep me from holding her back).  So, as any rational screw up in my situation I went to my local recruiter’s office and signed up for five years in the Army.

During my six years on active duty I grew up a lot (I reenlisted once to go to Korea rather than have a very good chance of going back to Iraq. That is where my sixth year comes from).  I learned a lot.  I became much more self-reliant.  I became more aware of the national political scene.  Some of this maturing process may be simply due to me getting a bit older, but I truly believe the Army gave me a huge shove in the right direction.  My priorities finally began to shift from adolescent ridiculousness, to bigger picture themes not revolving completely around me. 
While I was active, I came to notice that no matter where in the world you may be, kids are always the same.  Kids want to have fun and play.  They don’t hate indiscriminately.  That fact in itself tells me that we (adults) are obviously the problem.  Kids are kids.  We turn them into hateful versions of ourselves.  I got a chance to visit a few different countries during my six years, which tends to give you a great perspective on life at home, and how truly lucky we all are to live in such a wondrous place like the good ol’ USA.

I got out of the Army back in the summer of 2006.  I was lucky enough to come back home and get hired by a privately owned company having nothing to do with anything in my background.  Sometimes things have a funny way of working out.  My wife and I met about 18 months before I was discharged from active duty.  Being on the other side of the planet had its difficulties, but in the end it couldn’t have worked out any better and we have now been married over 3.5 years.  No kids yet, but you never know. 

When I was getting out, I spoke to my wife about my wanting to get my concealed carry license and owning firearms.  This had nothing to do with prepping at this time, but I think you kind of get used to having something by your side in case something unfortunate does happen. Living in Florida, getting your concealed carry license (CCL) and purchasing firearms is pretty easy.  My wife was fine with it until I explained that I wanted her to become as proficient with any weapons we have as possible.  She, like most people that haven’t been around weapons their whole life, has this innate fear of guns. 

We started her out slow with some simple instructions on my first purchase, a Glock 23 (law enforcement version) that I had fired many times before.  There seem to be two types of people, those who love Glocks and those who hate them.  For me, and for the money I had at the time, I couldn’t ask for a more reliable weapon to have at the house (for carrying I ended up with a SIG P238 [.380 ACP] to slip in a pocket holster).  So, my wife and I went through all of the basics of handling any weapon, treat it like it’s loaded, muzzle awareness, etc.  She took to it like a pro.  At the range, the bigger the caliber the more she enjoyed it.  She was forced to load all of the magazines she used.  She would break down the gun when we got back home (practicing her disciplines, of course) and clean it and put it back together all by herself.  I told her that I needed her to be competent enough that we not worry if she is home alone and the worst case scenario happens.  We came up with situational plans on how she would react to different situations depending on where she is in the house at the time.  Most of them ended with her locked in a bathroom with a gun and a phone (if possible) and her willingness to put a few rounds through the door at the least, if someone came inside.

Over the past few years, I have noticed many of the same things you all discuss and write about on this site.  Things seem to be getting worse, no matter what the talking heads might say.  I think most of us can “feel” that things just aren’t right.  When I tell this to my wife she gets a little freaked.  I have been doing a lot of research over the past 6 months on prepping, food storage, BoBs, etc.  This site has been a God send and I thank Mr. Rawles and the rest of you for all of your hard work.  All of the information I crave is there for the taking.  I have already paid my one year “donation” and will look to do more soon. 

Here is where we get to my prepping so far.  We live in a very large metropolitan area in south Florida.  Both of our immediate families are within 30 minutes of us.  (If money were no object, I would already have left for the American Redoubt and ordered my custom home and bunker to be built with years of supplies waiting for us.  Obviously, that is not where we are finnacially, yet.)  As I have been doing my research I have begun to stock up and put my plans and lists together.  I have assembled a get home bag that each of us keeps in our cars.  I have also put together a BoB for each of us that is at the house.  My wicked “arsenal” now consists of my carry weapon, my Glock 23, and an AR-15.  I have hundreds of rounds for each and plan on really bumping up my number of magazines.  I also plan on expanding my weapons to include a longer range, larger caliber rifle and a shotgun at the least.  I am working on getting my wife trained up on the AR-15 as we move along.  I haven’t taught Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) in a while. 

As for my food and supplies at home, I am currently working on our “stash”, which includes some basic foods like white rice, canned goods, bottled water, etc.  I have also purchased a Katadyn Pocket, and a couple of filtering Camelbaks.  I have 3 cases of Mountain House dry foods also to get started.  I also have items to help with fire, shelter, water hauling, etc. 
My biggest dilemmas up to this point (besides limited finances) are the following:

1. My wife freaks out if I talk about prepping. I explain that I don’t think the world is going to end on December 21st, but I think generally people are not as bright as I would like.  Regardless of what happens, the news and every television show will be talking about that date.  Food prices are rising now, but just wait until panic sets in.  Why not put some essentials aside and protect ourselves as much as possible.  If nothing happens, no harm, no foul.  I am trying to keep her focusing on that rather than what I think is happening with the global economy, etc.  That may not be fair to her, but I am working on her slowly.
2. How do I get more family members involved without them thinking I am crazy?  My younger brother also spent five years in the Army.  My older brother works for the Sheriff’s department in our county.  He isn’t a police officer, but we all have our CCL and own a few firearms and have received training.  I have come up with a plan of where we could all meet in a TEOTWAWKI situation.  I have picked the home easiest to defend, with the most space for materials, and it is the most central.  The only problem is they have no preparations, nor are they aware of any plans that I have.  I also have a plan for just my wife and I which involves bunkering down at home as a last resort, as well as a G.O.O.D. plan if needed.  The problem is that no one is privy to these plans but me.  How do I broach the subject?
3. We live in a very heavily populated area in South Florida.  There is almost no where without people outside of the everglades.  There are some places we could go in the everglades if we had to that isn’t just a swamp, but the local population will be tough regardless.

I am currently working on getting my FFL to be able to purchase firearms at a discount and slowly begin a home business.  I am curious if any others have similar situations, and how they dealt with those issues.  I am continuing to get my stuff together for me and my wife, but I can’t just abandon everyone else.  My family is full of people that would be very helpful in a SHTF situation.  My wife is a trauma nurse.  My older brother is an auto mechanic by trade, and he and my dad are utterly handy.  My younger brother is a trained intelligence officer, and currently works as a civilian for the military in that capacity.  My two sisters-in-law are both teachers which would be useful for the kids.  My dad is a machinist by trade, and one of the hardest workers I have ever met. 

I fear for all of us, but I can only do so much.  I have brought this up to my younger brother briefly in conversations, but not much has come out of it.  I will continue to move forward with my preparations as planned.  I am hoping the rest will come to me soon.  Hopefully, before it is too late.

Mr. Rawles,
I'm a regular SurvivalBlog reader.  I have your books and own the archive (Kindle edition).  Every once in a while I come across a post so genuinely correct I must comment on it.  Mr. White is absolutely correct.   Often times people will spout such utter nonsense on this subject it would be funny if it weren't so dangerous.  And because so many aren't well versed in this area, they buy it hook, line and sinker.  
 
I can tell you from my own experiences; Mr. White’s advice is spot on.  I know this information to be factually correct.  This is how it’s done.  Kudos to Mr. White for taking the time and effort to bring this to the masses. Anyone following this advice will be better prepared, (Technically, Mentally, Legally and Morally) than 99% of the public, (to include LEO, Military etc…).
 
Lastly, my own comment is to seek competent training and then practice what you’ve learned.  Shooting on a static range won’t cut it.  Learn to shoot, reload and clear malfunctions on the move, (it should be automatic), under different environmental conditions, (dusk, dark, rain etc…).  IDPA, IPSC, USPSA shooting matches are great for this kind of thing.  There are enough competent schools of instruction that most anyone can take classes from.  That market is booming and the training available to the general public has never been better. - Rob C.

James,
I'd like to offer a quick bit of follow up on Pat Cascio's review of Buffalo Bore ammo. I'm a big fan of their ammo, and have quite a bit of experience with it. I recently ordered and tested some of the .45 Auto Rim +P 225 grain hard cast wad cutters, as well as the 200 grain version in .44 Special. I shot the Auto Rim in a 325 Airlight 2.5" Smith & Wesson, as well as a Model 22 4". This is stout ammo, pushing the big flat point bullet at over 1100 fps. I have to admit that it was not fun to shoot in the lightweight snubby, very much like shooting full house .357 ammo in a lightweight J frame. I believe that I will order some of the non +P version (1,000 fps) for the 325, and reserve the +P version for the all steel revolver. It was very controllable and accurate in the Model 22, and I'd feel very confident and well armed with it against two or four legged predators. The .44 Special version pushes a 200 grain bullet about 1,000 fps, and was a joy to shoot in a 3" 629. There is a .44 Magnum version available that pushes about 1300 fps. These big wadcutter loads harken back to Jim Cirillo and the "man stopper" loads he used on stake out duty with the NYPD. While somewhat "retro", they provide reliable stopping power and penetration without relying on a hollow point that may or may not expand. I believe they would be excellent carry loads for the backwoods.

As Pat mentioned, what I really like is that Buffalo Bore creates ammo that maximizes the potential of the case capacity, with bullets that meet real world needs, and tests their ammo in real world guns. Each cartridge description includes real world velocities for actual firearms, not long test barrels.

I also recommend their .357 Magnum "Low flash, low recoil, tactical" 158 grain jacketed hollow point ammo, which I've found to be an ideal load for a S&W 327 Nightguard snubby. In my .38 Specials, such as the Detective Special I'm carrying, I use their 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter hollow points. I've never found any problems with the BB ammo, finding them to be accurate, powerful and reliable. Much of their line is available at Cabela's, but I normally order directly from the Buffalo Bore web site, and have experienced quick and reliable shipping.

I'm just a satisfied customer, have bought all my own Buffalo Bore ammo, and have no interest in the company. Thanks, - S.M.O.

I like companies (and people) who think outside the box. I think this comes from my days as a Private Investigator, or when I was in law enforcement. In order to solve "mysteries" I had to think outside the box many times. So it is with firearms and ammo companies - if they want to stay in business, they have to keep coming up with different ideas, in order to pique their customers' interest.
 
Some months ago, I review some of the ammo that Buffalo Bore Ammunition (www.buffalbore.com) produces. Tim Sundles, who owns Buffalo Bore, told me he was swamped with orders from SB readers as a result of that article. That's a good thing, I like to see smaller, American-owned companies rise in this day and age. Sundles isn't one to sit back and rest on his past accomplishments. Nope, this guy is always thinking outside the box, and coming up with new and better loads in some of the old standby calibers.
 
The grand ol' .38 Special has never been what it should be. Most ammo companies produce some pretty sedate loads for this old round, and I've always thought (knew) it could do better. Buffalo Bore has come up with a new hard cast "Outdoorsman" load for the .38 Special. This new Buffalo Bore load was designed for those who need a deep penetrating load to be fired from lightweight alloy .357s and .38 Special revolvers. Sundles discovered that alloy .357s developed multiple problems firing their heavy 180 grain .357 Magnum hard cast turbo charged ammo, or for that matter, any make of full-power .357 Magnum loads.
 
Many folks wanted a deep penetrating load for outdoor use, when carrying their lightweight pocket .357 Magnum revolvers. This new .38 Special +P 158 grain hard cast load is safe to shoot in all .38 Special and .357 Magnum firearms of modern design, in normal operating condition. I think there is only maker who says to not use +P loads in one of their particular super lightweight revolvers - that's Taurus - and it's only one of their revolvers.
 
Buffalo Bore never uses extra long test lab barrels to produce their advertised velocities, they use real firearms for all their readings. Sundles used a Ruger GP 100 with a 6" barrel in .357 Magnum and was getting velocities around 1,250 FPS - that's screaming for a .38 Special +P load. Sundles also used a S&W Model 642 1-7/8" barrel snub by revolver and was still getting velocities above 1,000 FPS. I tested this load in a couple guns, shooting into water-filled milk jugs, and it easily penetrated completely through 3 jugs. This is a great round to carry when you're in the boonies, with a little .38 Special snubbie in your pocket or on your belt.
 
Okay, do you want to turbo charge your .357 Magnum revolver, with a lead-free heavy .357 load? Here it is! Buffalo Bore developed a load using the 140 grain Barnes all-copper hollow point load using the Barnes 140 grain bullet. I've been doing a lot of experimenting with various all-copper hollow bullets from Barnes, and I'm very impressed with them . They open-up nicely and penetrate deeply.
 
Sundles recommends that you ONLY use this load in an all-steel .357 Magnum revolver. It should NOT be fired in the lightweight alloy framed revolvers. You can also use this load in any of the .357 Magnum chambered rifles. If you are looking for a real man-stopper of a round, this is just the ticket.
 
Tim fired this round through a S&W Model 66 2.5" barrel revolver - a snub by - and was getting almost 1,400 FPS out of the gun. Moving up to a 4" barrel revolver, we are looking at better than 1,500 FPS. In a Marlin Model 1894, with an 18" barrel, Sundles was getting almost 1,950 FPS. We're talking serious velocity from this round. I fired this round through one of my .357 Magnum rifles, and found it to be very accurate, and the recoil was mild in my humble opinion.
 
I previously tested the Buffalo Bore 190 grain JFN 30-30 heavy load in a Rossi rifle, and it would make a great round for just about all game on the North American continent, given the limitations and range of the 30-30 round. However, that round might be a bit too much for some medium-sized game, like smaller sized deer. Buffalo Bore to the rescue! The new Buffalo Bore heavy 30-30 150 grain Barnes TSX round will not only penetrate deeply (and hold together) on deer and elk, it will mushroom very nicely. This load would also be great for black bear, too.
 
What's nice about this load is, if you are going from deer hunting, to elk or black bear, you don't have to readjust your sights, as you'd normally have to do when changing from one bullet weight to another. Nope, you can use this same 150 grain Barnes TSX bullet for much of your .30-30 hunting needs. However, if I were up in Alaska, where the really big bears are, and moose, I'd go with the other Buffalo Bore 190 grain JFN hard cast 30-30 load, for deeper penetration.
 
In a Winchester .30-30 with a 20" barrel, Sundles is getting 2,271 FPS. And, even in a little 16" barrel Trapper, he is still getting close to 2,200 FPS. This is a great all 'round load if you ask me - so long as you're not up in Alaska looking for the big bears or moose.
 
The last load Buffalo Bore sent me is their new 45 auto rim +P 225 grain hard cast wad cutter anti-personnel load. Now, I said this is a full wad cutter bullet - not a semi-wad cutter bullet. The loaded round actually looks a bit "funky" to my way of thinking. However, this bullet will penetrate 30" of flesh and bone, and makes a horrific permanent crush cavity because of it's profile. This load is safe to use in all modern .45 ACP revolvers. (Not in converted antique .455 Webleys!)
 
I wasn't able to personally test this load, as I don't have a .45ACP revolver in my meager gun inventory. However, I'll take Sundles word on this round...He used a S&W Mountain Gun with a 4" barrel, and was getting 1,122 FPS out of it. And, using that hard cast (not lead) bullet will really get a bad guy's attention in short order. I also think this would be a great load to carry when you're out on the trail, it'll take care of two-legged and most four-legged critters in short order.
 
Once again, Tim Sundles is thinking outside the box, and providing shooters with some serious upgrades to some old calibers. If you want the same ol' same ol' from the major named ammo companies, then buy their products. If you're looking for something a bit different, and hotter in these older calibers, then you owed it to yourself to try some of these "upgraded" rounds from Buffalo Bore.
 
Sundles is always telling me that "more ammo is coming your way...." and he is still experimenting and coming up with better loads, for those of us who demand the most and best we can get from our firearms. I'm looking forward to seeing what Tim comes up with next. And he does a lot of hunting, and is always testing his loads in the field.

Today I'm reviewing the new Springfield Armory XDm 5.25 9mm Competition handgun. I carried a Springfield Armory XD .40 S&W handgun for close to two years, and I found the gun utterly reliable and very accurate. The only drawback was that it was an early-production XD, and the finish wasn't very durable and tended to easily rust if you didn't pay attention and kept the gun clean and with some kind of preservative on the metal parts. The XDs made today have a very durable "Melonite" finish on the metal parts, and it really holds up extremely well.
 
The Springfield Armory XDm, is their new and improved version of the XD, and it really shines, if you ask me. The gun is more sleek, very stylish, and it has a better trigger pull, which is not only shorter, it also has one of the shortest resets of any polymer handgun on the market. What we have with the XDm 5.25 is a 9mm (it is also available in .40 S&W and .45 ACP as well) is an outstanding handgun with a 5.25" barrel - only .25 of an inch longer than the barrel on the grand ol' 1911 Government Model. Additionally, the front top of the slide is cut out, to reduce the overall weight and balance of the 5.25, which, by the way, balances nicely. The barrel is match grade, out of hammer forged steel, too - and fitted perfectly.
 
The front sight has a red fiber optic in it, which makes it easy to focus on, and when teaching new shooters how to aim their handguns, I always tell them "front sight, front sight, front sight..." they get tired of hearing it, but after a while, they are focusing on that front sight, and the XDm 5.25 makes that easy to do, in bright light, the red fiber optic really jumps out at you, and even in low light, you can see the front sight. The rear is fully adjustable for windage and elevation, too. My 5.25 sample only needed two adjustments of windage to the right, and one adjust of elevation to get it shooting where I wanted the bullet to go. You also get replacement fiber optic sights, should you manage to break the one in the front sight - you get a spare red, and a spare green fiber optic rod. They are easy to replace.
 
The trigger pull on my XDm sample is between 5-6 pounds, however because if the guns ergonomics it feels a lot lighter than that. Additionally, the trigger pull is smooth. As already mentioned, trigger reset is very short after each shot is fired, so you can get off additional shots extremely fast. The trigger itself has a trigger safety lever in the center - the trigger is "locked" against accidental discharge - you have to place your finger in the trigger to disengage the safety lever in order for the gun to fire. And, we have a grip safety, just like the good ol' 1911 has. There is also an internal safety, that prevents the gun from accidentally firing should it be dropped. Springfield Armory calls the safety system the USA  the "Ultra Safe Action."
 
The XD line-up of handguns -- and there are a lot of different models -- all have a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the slide, that you can see or feel, to know if there is a round in the chamber. There is also a slight protrusion on the back of the slide, to let you know if the gun is cocked or not. Again, you can see or feel it. Neat!
 
You can also have the XDm 5.25 Competition model with a brushed stainless steel slide. I elected the Melonite coated slide for "stealth" purposes - don't want opponents seeing my gun before they need to see it. There are angled and deeply grooved grasping grooves on the front and rear sides of the slide, so it's easy to manipulate the slide to chamber a round, or to clear a malfunction. Overall, the gun looks very futuristic to me. Empty weight is 29 ounces not too heavy and not too light.
 
I elected to get my XDm 5.25 in 9mm because it holds 19 rounds in the magazines - currently, Springfield Armory is providing three mags with this gun, but I've heard that's for a limited time - after that, you'll get two mags with the gun. Let's face facts, when you're dealing with a horde, you want lots of rounds in your gun, and it's sure hard to beat 19 rounds of 9mm. I find I can also shoot the 9mm faster than I can a .40 S&W or .45ACP. And, recovery time, from shot-to-shot, is very fast - you are right back on target extremely fast. Of course, I recommend using top quality JHP ammo when you carry a 9mm for self-defense.
 
All Springfield Armory XD handguns come with XD gear in the case with the guns. You not only get an XD or XDm in the polymer carrying case, you also get a holster, double mag pouch and magazine loader, along with your one or two spare magazines. What's not to like here? Speaking of the magazine loader - when you first load 19 rounds into the 5.25 magazines, you'll appreciate the loader. I could load up to 16 or 17 rounds using my thumb, however, the last few rounds required the use of the magazine loader to get 19-rounds fully loaded in the mag. Early Glock magazine used to be extremely hard to fully load when new. What I did was, get those magazine fully loaded, and let 'em sit that way for a couple of weeks. After that, the spring has compressed and I could load the magazine to full capacity without the magazine loader. And, it's the same way with the XDm 19 round 9mm magazines. After I let them sit for a couple weeks, I could then fully load them without the magazine loader. However, the springs are still pretty stout, and some folks will still want to use the magazine loader for the last few rounds. A stout magazine spring is a good thing in a 19 round magazine - it gets those rounds up there so they feed easily.
 
I contacted Tim Sundles, who owns and operates Buffalo Bore Ammunition  and requested 500 rounds of his outstanding 9mm +P and +P+ ammo for a bit of a mini torture test of the 5.25 9mm. I believe this gun can take a steady diet of hot 9mm, it's very well made and brutally strong. I requested three more mags for my sample gun, so I started out with six fully loaded, 19-rd magazines for my mini torture test. When I first got the XDm 5.25 I took it out for a function test, as well as an accuracy test, and I found the gun functioned 100% with various ammo, including Black Hills Ammunition's (www.black-hills.com) various 9mm loads, and some Winchester 9mm ammo. Shooting over the hood of my SUV, at 25-yards, I found the gun to be a 1.5 - 2.5 inch shooter if I did my part. However, the gun is capable of better 'cause I had a couple groups slightly over one inch - I couldn't do it all the time, but I did it a few times.
 
I breezed through the first three magazines loaded with the Buffalo Bore ammo without any problems. After that, it got to be work, firing as fast as I could pull the trigger - my trigger finger got tired after a while. However, what really slowed me down was reloading the magazines after they were empty. That really slowed me down in the mini torture test. I guess it was a good thing, as it allowed my trigger finger to rest, but my thumb got sore from loading all those magazines.
 
I had zero malfunctions with the XDm 5.25 nor did I expect any. The gun easily digested all the hot Buffalo Bore +P and +P+ 9mm I fed it. I could feel the recoil impulse differ when firing the +P ammo, as opposed to the +P+ 9mm ammo. Not a big difference, but I could still feel it. The empty brass was flying out of the slide as fast as I could pull the trigger, and the brass was going about 12-15 feet to my right and behind me a bit.
 
When it comes to shooting hotter ammo, it doesn't always prove to be the most accurate ammo, at least in most guns. The Springfield Armory XDm 5.25 really loved the Buffalo Bore 124-gr JHP +P ammo the best. When I was done with the torture test, I used some of the other Buffalo Bore ammo I had stashed away to see which would give the best accuracy. And, it turned out that the 124-gr JHP +P load was shooting the tightest groups. The "worst" groups were with the Buffalo Bore 124-gr  +P+ FMJ flat nose "Penetrator" rounds - but they were still giving me 2.5" groups. BTW, Tim Sundles recommends this load if you are going out in the boonies, where you might run into some big critters in the wild - it'll really penetrate when needed. Sundles also said that when he carries some kind of 9mm handgun, he has the top several rounds in his mags loaded with JHP ammo, and the remaining rounds are the "Penetrator" rounds. Tim's way of thinking is that, if the bad guy hasn't gone down after the first several rounds are fired, then the bad guy will probably be behind some type of cover, and you'll need to really penetrate that cover to hit the bad guy. I don't think I totally disagree with Tim's rationale on this, as he might be onto something.
 
The XDm 5.25 might be billed as a "Competition" handgun, and it can easily be used for this task. However, I believe this would make one dandy carry piece. If you can carry and conceal a full-sized 1911 Government Model, you can carry and conceal the XDm 5.25 just as easily, if not easier than a 1911. The manager at my local gun shop is the one who actually turned me on to the 5.25 when he insisted I take his 5.25 out and test fire it for him - he hadn't even fired it. I was more than willing to shoot someone else's gun and use their ammo. I was absolutely shocked at the accuracy from his 5.25. And, one of the sales guys at the gun shop also owns a 5.25 in 9mm and he says his gun is super accurate as well. So, that's three XDm 5.25 samples that are outstanding shooters - what's not to like here? Springfield is doing the XD line right. The guns are actually made in Croatia and imported into the US by Springfield Armory. However, each gun is checked over by Springfield Armory before they are sold to the public.
 
I haven't been able to find a full retail price on the XDm 5.25 Competition model, but I checked around, and it looks like they are going from around $799 to as high as $850. While the XDm 5.25 is more expensive than the XD and the standard XDm models, you get a lot of gun for the money, and one that is a natural pointer and very accurate..
 
Any more, after writing about firearms for 20 years or so, I don't get easily excited by new guns. However, after shooting the sample XDm 5.25 that the gun shop's manager insisted I test for him, I was absolutely sold on it. As a matter of fact, an e-mail went out to Springfield Armory that very afternoon, begging for a sample of my own. The wait was worth it, too.
 
When the SHTF, and I have to bug out, the Springfield Armory XDm 5.25 Competition 9mm will be on my hip, along with plenty of spare, fully loaded 19 round magazines. A person could do a whole lot worse if you ask me. A super accurate gun, that holds plenty of ammo, that is easy to handle, fast shooting and totally reliable? I've got mine, now go out and get your own. I plan on getting another XDm 5.25 later on - after I pay for this sample - but the next one will be in .45 ACP - just because I love the .45 ACP round.
 
So, if you're in the market for what might just be the ultimate high capacity 9mm handgun, you might want to seriously look at the Springfield Armory XDm 5.25 for your next purchase. If I sound like I'm really liking this gun, I am. It's always a joy to shoot an accurate handgun, and one that is totally reliable, and one that also holds a lot of rounds.

Mr. Rawles, 
In many of your posts, and the posts on other sites, I see a recurring theme to practice with weapons using your "off-hand", but I don't see this same advice put out for any other activity.

All right, so a bit of background: I’m a pretty hard-wired preparedness guy, I prep, I practice, and I thought I was pretty well covered for just about anything until just recently.
 
I was at work and while transiting from one area to another I slipped and slammed my hand in a large steel latching mechanism on one of the blast doors in our facility. Now, I didn’t have an ice pack available, but the temperature was pretty low, so I just took my glove off, cursed a bit, and went easy on my hand until I got home.
 
Fast-forward to the next day when ice packs, elevation, and compression have done nothing to ease the swelling or pain, and I figured “Maybe I should see a doctor about this.”
 
Turns out, I had broken the second metacarpal in my right hand (the bone in the big part of your hand connected to the index finger). Now here’s the bad news, I’m right hand dominant, and the cast they put you in for that sort of thing immobilizes your index finger, middle finger, and wrist. Plus it tends to get in the way of what little grip you do have with your ring finger, pinky and thumb.  Also, even though the cast is fiberglass, the padding can’t get wet, so you have to try to keep the whole thing dry.
 
Basically it renders your right hand useless. And that’s where the lessons started:
 
At first I thought that other than slowing down my typing, I’d be good to go. I was wrong. You see… turns out pretty much everything is built for right-handed people. Want to start your car? Cool, be ready to lean in to the passenger seat so you can reach the ignition to turn the key. Want to use the pen pocket on your jacket? Too bad, it’s on your left forearm. Want to get something to eat? All right… open up a can. Wait, the can opener takes two hands to run (one to hold it closed, one to turn the crank). Okay, Plan B… use the can opener on your Leatherman…. Huh…it’s set up so that if you try to use it left-handed the body of the tool gets in the way. Fine, just use the darned thing upside down. Well, crud! Now how do you hold the can still? (hint: it involves sitting on the floor with no shoes on.)
 
And the list goes on and on; now I have practiced shooting off-hand, and even reloading and like one-handed… but it had never occurred to me to try to shave left handed, or tie my boots with one hand, or make dinner one handed, or for the love of all that is holy in this life, open a jar one handed. 
 
In this case, there was no real emergency, just a huge inconvenience for me, and a good deal of cheap entertainment for my friends. But had this been a critical situation, I wouldn’t have had the luxury of time to get the learning curve smoothed out, or the ability to just run down to the store when I broke half my glasses trying to wash them.
 
So what did I learn? I learned that I should always plan for the eventualities.  In a bad situation, a mechanical injury to your hands or arms is a distinct likelihood. And even the short term, partial loss of use of a hand is a huge limiting factor; more so if it is the dominant one. Meanwhile taking a little extra time out of your day to do something like shave with the other hand, or open a pop-top soda can one handed, or even just cut an apple with the “wrong” hand will give you valuable insight into your own abilities (or lack there of) and will help to reinforce the skill should you need to use it.
 
And frankly, I’d say it would be time well spent. - Jim S.

Even though the idea of prepping "on a budget" or "in urban or suburban areas" may be common themes, it seems (to me, at least) that more often than not, the lovely people that contribute their knowledge, advice, and expertise to the topic of prepping seem to, somehow, have more capability than most when it comes to logistically and financially supporting these ventures. They may have lived on a farm for most of their life, they possibly inherited land from a relative, they may be able to work from home and have time to spare, they may be older and in retirement, or they may simply have been doing it for years and already have their stock in place and their plans set in stone. While I am undoubtedly grateful for their input and knowledge that they give to novices (like myself - no rich relatives leaving land behind and I have never lived on a farm), I have had trouble finding attainable short term goals inside of the wonderful long-term goals they are normally discussing.

I am 29 years old and, with my wife and two daughters, 8 and 3, live in a suburb of a mid-sized city. I don't consider myself a person who would be completely lost in a survival situation. I have always been somewhat of a minimalist, finding 'pleasure' in getting by with less. I am handy and I enjoy camping and the outdoors. I am always up for a challenge and I seem to work well under stress. I understand basic security and tactical ways of thinking.

But those characteristics are about as far as my qualifications go on giving preparation advice. Unless you count living with my three ladies every day, I haven't really tested my survival capabilities. I haven’t lived in the desert without shoes and I have never lived with an African tribe of any kind.

My family and I are regular people who live modestly but comfortably- basically paycheck to paycheck- trying to build our future out of the little that we have to work with. For the past few years, we have focused on our finances by reducing our debt and trying to make the best choices with our money. Unfortunately, despite our hopes and dreams (and my gut feelings), our budget for prepping seems to remain stagnant on the list of immediate necessity.

My wife is what I would call "cautiously supportive" of my TEOTWAWKI preparations. She playfully suggests, at times that we're cleaning out the garage, that we keep certain items "for the apocalypse" and she helps me save all of our nickels... but she doesn't necessarily share my views on the urgency of the potentially serious situations we could soon face. We have similar goals and we have good plans but realistically there is no way we could presently afford to make any heavy investment for what is essentially a second household of supplies and goods. On top of that, we wouldn't have anywhere to put it! Additionally, with our busy schedules we rarely have time to spend a quiet evening together, let alone tend to livestock or build our heirloom vegetable garden- though all of which we aspire to do sometime in the near future!

So I asked myself: How can I prepare as much as possible on a daily basis no matter how much my financial and logistical situations limit me?
The more knowledge you gain on a subject, the more you realize that there is much more that you didn't know – another point to the old adage that "ignorance was bliss."
Ignorance may indeed be bliss for some, but personally, I don't care to see that same "bliss" knocking on my door when the SHTF. Just the same, I don't want to be that person knocking on someone else's door because I waited too long to make the right moves. I have a family that I have to take care of and it's hard enough with the level of crazy in this world as is... if we aren't prepared for something worse then there is no point.

In order to avoid this, over the last year and a half I have jumped in head first, soaking up as much knowledge as possible- knowing I will never learn everything but hoping that I will have the time to learn enough. I make material purchases when I can; some MREs, storage containers, ammunition, first aid kits, batteries, and other odds and ends that I can potentially use in an uncomfortable future but I know that these things are just a drop in the bucket compared to things I really need but can’t yet acquire. I know that one is none and two is one, but when one creates problems immediately, it puts a serious speed bump in my plans. While my internal clock wouldn’t mind a second mortgage in order to invest in a fully stocked underground shelter, my life (or my wife) simply won’t let it happen right now. So I push for knowledge as much as possible, researching at work on my lunch break and reading prepper material and blog sites such as this fine example you’re visiting right now.

I feel that if anything is going to be well executed, it has to have adequate planning and practice before it works efficiently, so I am constantly filtering through the plans and getting good ideas in order to be ready for action the moment I am able to do more. Although it is likely that every other contributor to these topics has more experience than I do, I still feel compelled to share the few things I have learned while doing my research, in case there is another poor soul trapped in suburbia looking for a place to put his only case of MREs.

TRAINING
Many people, including Mr. James Wesley, Rawles, have preached that knowledge of anything is only half as important as actual hands on experience. Muscle memory is key to survival in any situation... because in stressful circumstances there is no time to make sure you're doing it right... only time to do it right. Therefore, I try to visit the local gun range as much as possible in order to try to build my weapons experience with my slowly growing collection of firearms. Although I love my piles of gun magazines and gun books, I know that actual training is the only thing that will matter when it comes to using any knowledge I may acquire. My wife has even joined me at the range on a few occasions and she just recently signed up with me so we could take our first official firearms training class together (which can also be a fun date night.) Dry firing, drawing from a holster, and reloading techniques are done in practice in my living room (safety first, of course.)

I have quit smoking cigarettes. I am in the process of getting myself in better shape. Knowing that energy and strength could become a scarce commodity in a bleak future helped me kick start the drive to end a 15 year habit like nothing else had done in the past. (On a side note: If you do smoke, I heavily suggest that you do whatever it takes to stop. I used the pill and it worked for me. It's worth it.)

I look forward to finding some firewood to split myself this winter instead of simply buying it pre-cut. I have done it in the past and nothing seems to work more muscles out of hibernation than chopping wood and it is always fun to have a Rocky 4 montage playing in your head while you do it. Taking walks around the neighborhood with the family is also more quality time together that always yields better results than sitting in front of the television.

OPPORTUNITY
I have a neighbor a few blocks away that has managed to keep about two acres of prime subdivision real estate away from developers over the years and has built a wonderful mini-farm, probably the only one like it within a 10 mile radius of our neighborhood. I didn't know him at all but one day I decided to knock on his door and simply tell him that I am interested in learning some tricks to gardening and if he would be willing to show me a few things, I would be willing to do some labor for him if he needed it. It has only been two occasions that he has taken this complete stranger up on a random offer, but I have already gained knowledge that will surely help me in the future and would have been impossible to acquire by simply reading books.  

My aunt is also an avid gardener. With every visit I am inquisitive about her techniques and she is always happy to share her secrets, as well as her latest harvest. Other family members and friends have various skills in many areas; one cousin is a fellow prepper and another is a Krav Maga instructor with whom I plan on attending some classes in the near future. I have friends in the military that share training techniques and philosophies and I have my father, a jack of all trades, continuously feeding me knowledge like he always has, although in the last few years I have been more inclined to listen. 

RESOURCES
My book collection is growing exponentially as well: Boston's Gun Bible (Boston T. Party), SAS Survival Handbook (John “Lofty” Wiseman), Patriots (James Wesley, Rawles, Strategic Relocation--North American Guide to Safe Places (Joel and Andrew Skousen), The Encyclopedia of Country Living (Carla Emery), and many others are all on my book shelf. It seems one book leads to five more… making it impossible to have enough books on various useful subjects.

Of course, we all know that the internet is the most abundant source of knowledge- though, as with anything on the web; there is a small learning curve to be able to sift the good products and services from the junk. By the way, I have just started my three-ring binder collection of articles as was recently suggested by another survivalblog reader… a simple but great idea.   
While television, for the most part, is something I don’t normally rely on, I will admit that there are a few programs which have taught me quite a bit. Without going into detail of the actual shows, a few which have actually made my life better by the knowledge they have given me are:
The Colony- a show that aired on the Discovery Channel for two seasons and is currently available on Netflix. I highly recommend this just to see how things are built and used in an apocalyptic scenario... water filters, solar panels, windmills, am radio transmitters, and manual washing machines. You can also see some other variables that can come up that have a notable effect on conditions and morale, such as intruders and thieves, people going missing, and personality conflicts. Very cool stuff.

Dual Survival – No-nonsense guys (Dave Canterbury and Cody Lundin) who really do know what they are talking about. While some of it understandably may still be staged for the camera, I can stand these guys much more than some of the other so called “survival” shows. Discovery Channel and Netflix.

Personal Defense- George Wheby takes you on specific scenarios with firearms training and offers great advice from Thunder Ranch trainers and others. Regular guest notables are Clint Smith and Massad Ayoob. Sportsman Channel.

So while all of this so far, in my humble opinion, is decent advice from a self-admitted newbie, it is certainly not all inclusive and it is definitely nothing new. I’m sure that you could find it all relatively easy on a few web searches for preparing.

So the last thing I will share with you is what I personally believe ties all of it together.

PHILOSOPHY  
I have thought of it as a way to train your brain for the possible effects of a TEOTWAWKI scenario. After all, the mind is something that needs training just as much as your core or your trigger finger… maybe even more. Many people focus on range time, securing their home, collecting materials, or other physical additions but rarely focus on the mindset and mental stability that will be needed to see all of these things through. If they are the primary person in their family that is making these preparations, as it is in my case, it is even more important to try to train your mind and lead by example on some lifestyle changes that may simple come from thinking differently. Some of it may be a bit corny sounding and some of it is common sense, but nothing has changed my family’s daily habits more than this way of thinking.

It started with the thought of the stereotypical life of a dedicated farmer. He gets up very early, seven days a week and works continuously until the day’s work is done. That is his farm and hopefully he will reap the benefits of his hard work by an abundant harvest.

I thought of my little suburban life with my daily routines. My wife and I had our conflicting schedules, the house was never clean, home maintenance was falling behind, everyone was always worn out and tired even though it felt like nothing ever got accomplished. How would we ever survive a catastrophic change to our lives if we can’t even get it together normally?

I applied the farmer’s way of thinking to my daily life. This is my farm. These chores, my job, the daily grind… these are my crops. I work hard for an end result, a paycheck, a clean and orderly house, and a repaired fence, whatever it may be. I will do simple things like doing some of the dishes by hand instead of throwing them in the dishwasher. We have washed some of our clothes by hand, just to know the details from actually doing it. Now I wake up every day no later than 6:30 a.m. regardless if I have to go to work or not. It’s amazing what only an extra hour or two will do for your day. Suddenly I have time to do extra things that I never had time to do before. Time is not as rushed anymore, so I am less stressed.

My family has also taken hold of these practices (as much as their respective ages allow them to) and we enjoy each other’s company much more in a clean house and without mundane tasks haunting us in the back of our minds. My three year old girl can actually appreciate the feeling of a clean bed room after cleaning it all by herself (which may not sound like much if you have never attempted to make a three year old clean.)

Kids are still kids and nobody expects perfection, but these days hard work is now rewarded instead of punishment being handed out for work that was not completed, which leads to a more productive way of life. Daily chores are shared and responsibility has a way of making everyone appreciate the more important things in life, which is more than a father can hope for.
What does this self-help mumbo jumbo have to do with preparing for a bleak future? Everything!

Imagining a time when everyone is tired, hungry, thirsty, and constantly on the lookout is a scary thing regardless of who you are with. It would be a complete nightmare if it were with four people who can’t get along or keep the dishes clean on a normal day. A disciplined family goes a long way with planning for emergencies. My eight year old knows exactly what to do in the case of an earthquake, fire, severe weather, or a break in/burglary while we are at home. She knows exactly where our guns are located, how serious they are, and she knows that if she ever has a question about them she can talk to me at any time.

Children especially need extra preparations for their thought processes. I feel that this is an overlooked part of many discussions. While kids may be resilient and adaptable to change… it is still not fair to them or to their parents to simply hope that they will make the right choices and not shy away from having to work for something when they have never learned the importance of it. If bad things keep happening and kids start to lose their patience, it is important for them to be grounded enough to know what really matters instead of them pitching fits because the Disney Channel is no longer available. In order to protect them, you will have to trust that they will understand the importance of listening when they need to and following directions when they have to. It could possibly mean the difference between life and death. Just consider it another form of training and helping them develop their muscle memory, whether they realize it or not.
My wife and I can look forward to our future with our new daily habits because whether this apocalyptic scenario actually happens or not, we plan on using our “farmer’s mentality” with our new home we are working towards, complete with our garden, livestock, and all of the added chores that come along with them. We are still busy every day but we seem to feel better on a daily basis which makes the time we do have to spend together more important.

Nowadays, small power outages are not the dreaded inconveniences that they used to be, they are now chances that we all take advantage of in order to test our supplies and our mentality… even if it is something as simple as passing the time for thirty minutes without a whimper that the power is off.
These common sense things that normal people do every day may be ridiculous points to even have to mention to some reading this, but this is also meant for the people who are trying to figure out how they can swing their family in their direction without being labeled as the dreaded “paranoid” or “conspiracy nut.” By simply adapting a more responsible work ethic in life, you can not only become more productive and achieve your goals faster; you can do it without anyone around you giving it a second thought.
Do I want a secure, energy efficient house that is off of the grid located within the beautiful areas of the American Redoubt, with self-sufficient gardens and orchards, and with the closest neighbor at lease a mile away?

Do I want a roomy underground shelter that accommodates twenty of my closest friends and family, complete with enough food, water, and supplies to outlast an ice age?

Do I want a weapons cache that would’ve made Charlton Heston jealous?

Yes, those things are all of my ultimate goals. But for now, I will keep learning, training, and adapting with my single case of MRE’s shoved in our small pantry, hoping that I still have time to grow before the Schumer comes full force. Good luck and may God bless you all.

Over the past several months, I have been asked by many SurvivalBlog readers which AR-style rifle is the best. And, many readers mistakenly believe that some civilian brands of ARs are 100% "mil-spec." When I explain to them that their civilian ARs, no matter who made them, are NOT mil-spec, and the facts to reinforce my argument, I don't hear back from them.
 
So, let me explain why civilian ARs are not 100% mil-spec. Some AR makers mistakenly (intentionally?) advertise their ARs as being mil-spec, when in fact, they are only partially made up of mil-spec parts. Even Colt, who makes the M4 for the military, doesn't produce a totally mil-spec AR-style gun for civilian use. One point of my argument is that, mil-spec guns are made to be select-fire, whereas, civilian M4gerys are semi-auto only. Secondly, mil-spec guns of the M4 variety usually have a 14.5" barrel, and civilian guns, must by law, have at least a 16" barrel. Additionally, if you look at the bolt carrier in most civilian ARs, they are not of the full-auto design, nor is the fire-control group. I could go on and on, but I don't wish to receive hundreds of e-mails from readers wishing to debate this topic.
 
I've also heard from SurvivalBlog readers, who claim that only ARs made by the big-name gun companies are worth having, and the smaller, no-name ARs aren't worth having - that they'll blow-up in your hands, or they'll fail when you need 'em the most. I'll not argue that some ARs are better made than others, I concede that fact. However, just because your no-name AR only cost you $600, as compared to someone who has a similar Colt that easily cost twice that much, doesn't mean they have a "better" AR than you have. Also please note, when I use the term "AR or AR-15" I'm using it as a generic term - everyone calls their AR-style guns by different names..
 
Most folks are shocked to learn, that most big name gun companies simply don't manufacture every part they use in their guns - they contract many parts out. And, when it comes to ARs, and their parts, almost all of the AR makers have many of their parts made by someone else - who is also selling the same parts to a competitor down the road, or to a no-name AR maker. So, odds are, some of the parts in your brand-name AR, are from the same vendor that sold the same parts to the no-name AR maker. Once again, I'm not saying there aren't better parts in some guns, or that some barrels are more accurate than others. Sometimes you get what you pay for, other times, you are over-paying simply because of the big name gun company selling a similar AR.
 
Over the years, I've probably owned more no-name ARs than those made by the well-known makers of ARs, and that's a fact. I can only recall having a problem with one AR that I've owned over the years. This gun was made by Olympic Arms - however, someone put a different bolt/bolt carrier in the gun - they assumed, as do many folks, that it was simply a drop-in affair - it's not! The after-market bolt and bolt carrier were over-sized and caused functioning problems. This was not the fault of the Oly Arms, it was the fault of the idiot who just dropped the parts in. I finally got the parts fitted properly, and the gun was 100% reliable after that.
 
I decided to do a mini torture test, on an no-name AR that I recently purchased at my local gun shop. This gun was manufactured by Superior Arms, and I had to do some research on the company. They've only been in business a few short years, but most of the reports I read on their guns were very favorable. This gun was used when I got it, well-used. The only thing I did to the gun was clean it and lube it, and check the orientation of the gas rings on the tail of the bolt - everything looked great.
 
I contacted long-time bud, Jeff Hoffman, who runs Black Hills Ammunition and requested 1,000 rounds of his 5.56 mm NATO factory seconds ammo, 55-gr FMJ. This ammo normally isn't available for sale to the public. What we have with the Black Hills Ammunition factory seconds are reloaded rounds, and the cases might have tiny dents, or are discolored for whatever reason - they were picked out of the final inspection and classified as "seconds." To be honest, you'd have to look very closely at a lot of the rounds to see why they were pulled during the final inspection process - which is a testament to how well Black Hills Ammunition inspects their finished products.
 
The reason I specifically requested the Black Hills Ammunition factory seconds was that I wanted to see if the Superior Arms AR would be up to the task of shooting this ammo. I figured if there were gonna be any problems, the factory seconds would cause them. Before heading out to do my mini torture test, I loaded thirty, 30 round magazines, which gave me 900 rounds of ammo to burn through, without having to reload more mags. Yeah, I know, I had 1,000-rds of ammo, but I just plain ol' got tired of loading magazines, my thumb was sore!
 
Instead of going out to one of my usual shooting sports near my home, I headed deep into the Cascade Mountains - far from where people could hear my shooting. I didn't want someone calling the local sheriff and reporting there was a shooting war going on near their houses. So, I was at least 15-miles from the nearest house for my testing.
 
The Superior Arms AR was clean and lubed at the start of my testing and no further cleaning or lube was done during my testing. I started out burning through the first couple of mags firing as fast as I could. I knew I couldn't keep-up this pace for long - unless there was a Zombie hoard coming my way. So, I slowed down my pace, and towards the end of my 900 round test, my trigger finger was pretty tired, to say the least. It took me about an hour and 15-minutes to burn through all those magazines - maybe a little longer. Like I said, towards the end of the shooting, my trigger finger was tired, and the gun was extremely hot - even the trigger.
 
During my testing, there was not a single malfunction or failure with the Superior Arms AR, and no problems with the Black Hills Ammunition factory seconds that I was using. Every round went off when the trigger was pulled, and every round sounded the same - no dudes or any problems of any kind. So, what did I learn in my mini torture test? Well, that it's a lot more work than I thought it would be - starting with loading all those magazines, and then shooting all those rounds in one shooting session. I thought the gun might malfunction or have some kind of problem when it got extremely hot - but there were no problems to report with gun or ammo.
 
As an aside, the area I was shooting in, was about a 35-minute drive from my house - and the gun's barrel was still very warm when I got home - so that hummer really got hot during my testing. Needless to say, it took quite a while for me to get the gun clean after that shooting session. Everything inside the gun looked good to go, for another shooting session, too. Oh yeah, I've gotta get back out to the area where I was shooting and police-up all that empty brass - one of these days. I suspect it'll still be there when I get to it.
 
So, what did I learn? Well, this was only one gun, from a no-name AR company - so I can't speak for all the other no-name ARs that are out there, as to if they'll hold up to this sort of mini torture test - but I'm betting they will - assuming you start with a clean gun, that is properly lubed and in proper working order. I've gone out and shot 200-to-300 rounds at a time through an AR in the past - and that was fun. However, this shooting session was work, and it just killed me to "waste" all that Black Hills Ammunition .223 ammo, too. Jeff Hoffman has been supplying my ammo needs for 20-yrs now and always fills my requests when I tell him I'm just gonna "waste" ammo. Black Hills Ammunition are good people to give your business to.
 
My Superior Arms AR has the 11" barrel on it, with a permanently attached 5.5" flash suppressor on it. On a good day, I can hold about a 3" group with this shorty barrel. And, a couple days after my shooting session, I tested for accuracy again, and it was still about a 3" group gun - which is about as good as you'll get with the shorter barrel. I just happen to like the look of this set-up with the shorter barrel and longer flash suppressor on it. I also know that it reduces the effectiveness of the .223 round much beyond the 150 - 200 yard mark, too.
 
So, if you are on a limited budget, don't think you have to settle for second best when you look at buying a no-name AR. Check the gun over carefully - take it apart - and if a gun shop won't let you do that - take your business some place else. Try the charging handle - see if it operates smoothly, and try the trigger-pull as well - not that most ARs are known for outstanding trigger pulls. Don't be afraid to buy a no-name AR just because your best buddy has a $2,500 AR of some type that he is always hyping. Odds are, when you go out shooting with your buddy, your no-name AR will shoot just as well as his expensive AR does - if not better.
 
There's nothing "wrong" with ARs made by the big name gun companies - and I've owned quite a few spendy ARs over the years - some shoot better than others - but not a whole lot better. Sometimes it depends on the ammo you're using - many guns will shoot one brand of ammo better than another - so don't be afraid to experiment if you aren't getting the accuracy you'd hope for. I want to give an example of a big name AR maker - I recently purchased one of the Carbon-15 ARs that is made by Bushmaster - I liked the look of the gun and the light-weight. However, this gun simply would not group - it was more like a shotgun - it "patterned" instead of grouping. I traded the gun back to my local gun shop the next day and told them about the gun. They sold it at a gun show, and told the new owner, that the gun didn't group well - he still bought it!
 
The only ARs I tend to shy away from are the parts gun -you know the ones I'm talking about. Someone bought an upper receiver parts kit, and then a lower receiver and put it all together themselves - those guns scare me at times - I've owned a few - they worked, but I still wasn't 100% sure they would keep working, or had any knowledge of the person who assembled the gun - if they knew anything about how ARs work.
 
So, if you're on a budget, take a look at the no-name AR that might be half the price of the big-name AR next to it - you might be surprised how well-made the no-name AR is, and how well it shoots, too. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio