Some time ago, I did a review on SurvivalBlog about the Ruger 10/22 Takedown (TD) .22 LR rifle. I fell in love with my sample. I liked the idea of a .22 LR rifle, that could easily be taken apart, and put back together in a few seconds. I also liked the case that Ruger ships the rifle in - very nice, and you can carry the 10/22 Takedown rifle, with a brick or two of .22 LR ammo, half a dozen magazines, a scope and some clothes for the weekend. Not a bad combination, and whenever I travel more than 25-miles from home, I toss the 10/22 Takedown in my rig - just in case something happens and I have to hoof it home in an emergency.
 
However, I don't always need the heavy-duty case that the 10/22 Takedown comes in. And, I looked around, but there really wasn't anything available, other than a full-sized long gun case - which defeats the purpose of having a rifle that you can take apart, making it into a smaller package. SurvivalBlog reader Wayne W. e-mailed me and told me about the Skinner Sights TD Case that Andy Larsson, the owner of Skinner Sights, is producing for the 10/22 Takedown. And the Skinner gun case is much thinner, trimmer and doesn't take-up much room at all, yet it still protects the 10/22 Takedown rifle. Wayne W. told me that I'd better not get my sample, before he got the one he ordered - not to worry, Wayne W. got his order before I got mine.
 
The Skinner Sights 10/22 TD case is flat and compact. However, when I got my sample, I saw that it opened from both ends, with a secure clasp. I was more than a bit concerned that, when I took the 10/22 down into two-pieces, that they would rub against one another, causing scratches on my sample. Not to fear, Andy Larsson, very cleverly designed a method wherein, when you place the barrel assembly in one end of the bag, and the receiver in the other end of the bag, they do not touch - they are in separate compartments - although it appeared to me, that they were one in the same compartments. Neat idea, Andy - job well-done!
 
I used to own a standard cab pickup truck and found if I filled-up an overnight bag, and tried to stuff it behind the seat in my pick-up, it wouldn't fit - too fat. Such is the case with the factory bag that the 10/22 comes in - you can't fit it behind the seat of your pick-up truck - too fat! With the Skinner Sights 10/22 TD Case, you can easily store your 10/22 Take Down rifle behind the front seat of your pick-up truck - out of sight, so no one sees it. You can also toss a brick or two of .22 LR ammo - assuming you can find any these days, because of this ammo drought - in your glove box, or under the front seat of your pick-up, along with some extra 25-magazines - again, assuming you can find any - Ruger 10/22 25-round magazines are hard to come by these days.
 
Also, in a previous article, I reported on the Skinner Sights front and rear sight combination that Andy Larsson sells, as a replacement to the factory provided sights on a 10/22. While there is nothing "wrong" with the sights that come on a 10/22, there is always room for improvement, and with my aged eyes, I want every advantage I can get, and by replacing the factory sights on my 10/22 Takedown rifle, with the sights that Skinner Sights has, I greatly improved my hit ratio with the 10/22.
 
What Skinner Sights came up with is a shortened version of their standard rear hooded sight, that works nicely on the 10/22 Takedown rifle - it doesn't hang over the joint where the barrel and receiver join together - like the original Skinner Sight would do. I want to mention, too, that - all Skinner Sights are hand-made, you are not getting a cheap, mass-produced sight set-up. Andy Larsson takes great pride in designing and manufacturing his sights here in the USA.
 
Skinner Sights came out with the barrel mount sight that clears the take down mechanism, and does not contact the stock during assembly. The hooded rear sights is slick and provides an amazing sight picture - one that is much easier for me to see. And, others how shot my 10/22 Takedown rifle agreed with my findings. Additionally, the 10/22 Barrel Mount rear sight, ships with a .125-inch aperture installed - 5 different aperture sizes are available - and given the uniformity of common ammunition and barrel dimension, this aperture works great. A front comes bundled in the package, too.
 
By having both the front and rear sights mounted on the barrel, instead of one on the barrel and one on the receiver, insures repeatability when disassembling and re-assembling the 10/22 Takedown rifle. While I never had any problems with my factory sights staying zeroed on the 10/22 Takedown, things might loosen-up, if you took the rifle apart and put it back together hundreds of times, and you might have to make some sight adjustments. With the Skinner Sights Ruger 10/22 TD Sights, you have no worries about your zero changing, no matter how many times you might take your 10/22 Takedown apart and put it back together - the zero isn't going to change on you.
 
The Skinner Sights 10/22 sights are $62 in blue, $63 in brass and $65 in stainless steel. Not bad at all, considering these sights are hand-made and not mass-produced. The Skinner Sights 10/22 TD case is only $49 and comes in either black or dark green - your choice of colors. I want to thank SurvivalBlog reader, Wayne W. for alerting me to these products. As if often the case, I get alerted to a lot of new products by SurvivalBlog readers. You are a very intelligent bunch of folks. And, I appreciate all the help you give me in my quest for new products, or products I might have overlooked or not been aware of. I can't be all over the Internet and through factory catalogs each day, trying to find products to write about - not enough hours in the day.
 
So, if you're looking for a slimmer carrying case for your Ruger 10/22 Takedown rifle, and you want some better sights to go on that gun, check out the Skinner Sights web site for more information. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

James,
To follow up on a recent letter: Yes, stock up on shotgun shells! The availability of shotgun shells here locally (northern Gulf Coast) seems to have improved in some stores-but by no means all retail outlets- in recent weeks. For a while there wasn't much to be found. Shells that were available generally had a high price or were of a variety that fell outside the range of everyday use (i.e. high-priced shells loaded with tungsten or steel shot.) If a person needs shotshells and you can find a good product that meets your needs, then I suggest you buy them by the case. If you don't, then your only regret will be not buying them when you had the opportunity. - J.B. and Co.

JWR,
 I am struck by the continued availability of a variety of 12 gauge during this severe ammo shortage.  As we all know, the 12 gauge is probably one of the most versatile and powerful firearms we can have in a survival battery, or even just to have around during normal times.  I live in Houston, Texas and can't vouch for the rest of the country but I see plenty of 12 Gauge ammo everywhere I go.  The Bass Pro Shops flyer I just got even has Federal target loads in it for $6.49 per box of 25, that's 26 cents per round!  With 9mm, .223, and the like hovering around an average of $1 per round, this seems like a steal, by comparison.  Anyway, all the sporting good stores used to have plenty of sales on a variety of ammo, but now the only thing anyone seems to have enough of to even bother advertising is the 12 Gauge.  Yes, maybe some 20 gauge and .410 as well.  My point is: like-minded individuals should take this opportunity to make sure they are fully stocked with all flavors of shotshells.  Just six months ago it seemed absurd to think that we would now have a hard time finding .22 Long Rifle ammo.  Most would say we have not entered TEOTWAWKI as of yet, but the bare ammo shelves at the store make me wonder.  Even my 12 year old son is taken aback by the continued sight of these bare shelves.  Could the shotgun shells be gone in the next six months?  What a scary sight that would be. - David O.

JWR,
In response to the letter about swapping out devices that use button batteries, I would point out that some EOTech holographic sights use standard AA batteries, that are easily recharged. The EOTech 512 is an example. These sights are robust, easy to use and stay calibrated through heavy use. 

Combined with the Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries the EOTech sight would be useful for many years to anyone with a solar battery charger. The Eneloop batteries can be recharged over 1,500 times and unlike other rechargeables, they maintain 75% of their charge after three years of storage. While the EOTech doesn't have the ambient light intake or tritium sights of the mentioned Trijicon, it is an option that folks should explore as they compare options. Just my humble opinion. - Ohio Shawn

James Wesley,
I have found red dot scopes to be real helpful, and great for target shooting and plinking.  The problem of course are the [button] batteries. I have a cheap red dot on one of my [Ruger] 10/22 fun plinking gun.  Everyone loves it.  However, too Many times I have left the sight turned on only to have a useless device atop my rifle. I have spent much money on the special "photo type" batteries for these illuminated scopes (with and without reticles). Those scopes that have a regular reticle and the option of illumination is not as catastrophic as a red dot with a dead battery and no quick back up iron sights.  I have added Trijicon RMR Dual-Illuminated Sight (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) to two of my survival rifles. The illumination of the dot is done with with ambient light and has tritium illumination for low light/night conditions.  The great thing is the the ambient illumination will last forever.  It is always there - no switches, no batteries, no problem.  In a TEOTWAWKI situation this is what you want.  If you are on watch at night or low light the tritium illumination is always there when you need it.  Yes they are expensive ~$500, well worth the investment, they are built rugged and solidly reliable.  This could be your life depending on this device, how much is that worth?  Do you want to bet your life on a $39 piece of junk?  You get what you pay for.  Yes the tritium will degrade, that will be anywhere from 5 to 15 years depending on who you talk to and how good your eyes are. However the daytime function will always be there.  The sights can always be returned Trijicon and the tritium replaced for a fee.  the choice if color is amber or green - no red, I have no problem with the amber.  As time goes on how much have you spent on these expensive batteries?  Something to consider.  I have no association with Trijicon or any financial interest, just a satisfied customer. - Richie in New York City

JWR Replies: Most people don't realize it, but most disposable button batteries can be recharged. And even better for preppers, there are very compact photovoltaic button battery chargers available. Just be advised that these are not automatically regulated, so you have to keep track of the number of hours that they are charging in full sunlight.

Traditions Training Cartridges are weighted and built like real cartridges.  They include a rubber insert to function as snap caps. Unlike most aluminum snap caps, however, they are heavy and strong enough to properly cycle, without becoming damaged. I recently tested these in 12 gauge, .223 rifle and .45 ACP. 

The .45 ACP pack contained 5 cartridges with 6 rubber inserts.  They were "loaded" with 230 grain ball projectiles, and apart from their black coating, were almost indistinguishable from live ammo.  I cycled these through an Auto Ordnance 1911 clone, through a dozen different magazines with no problems with the cartridges. In fact, they helped me identify two problematic magazines.  They fed flawlessly.  The hammer drop felt noticeably different due to the rubber primer insert, but there were no issues with the action.  They ejected very positively, just like real cartridges.
I tested the pair of 12 gauge cartridges (two in the pack, inserts already in place) in both a side by side ERA coach gun and a Remington 870 riot gun.  They held up well to the mechanical ejection, and loaded perfectly.

The two-pack of .223 were tested in an M4 clone. Again, they cycled just like real ammo.  I randomly loaded both into a magazine of live ammo to practice stoppage drills.  There was no detectable difference in the load part of the cycle, and upon the hammer dropping, they extracted exactly as a dud round should.
These are a professionally made and tough test and training tool I recommend acquiring. 

They are available in gauges/calibers of 10 semiauto pistol, 7 revolver, 5 shotgun and an incredible 42 rifle calibers, including most common hunting calibers and several military surplus calibers. 
Manufacturer's suggested retail prices range from $9.98 for a dozen .22 long rifle caliber, to $15.98 for a single .50 BMG (which I very strongly recommend as part of your kit, given the power involved in these rifles).

These feel so realistic, I also strongly recommend paying extra attention to safety.  Do not keep them near your live ammo when performing function tests, and inspect carefully before loading. Always have the weapon pointed in a safe direction, and at a safe backstop. NOTE: I was furnished a pack each of .223, 12 gauge and .45 ACP free for evaluation.

Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large)

I've always been a big fan of Ruger firearms - all of them! There's many reasons for my liking Ruger firearms, first of all, I find their firearms robust, strong and well-designed. Ruger doesn't simply copy some other designs for the most part - instead, they are innovators in many ways. I still remember when the first Ruger P-85 9mm handguns came out, and everyone thought they wouldn't last because they were made from "investment casting" aluminum frames- Ruger proved everyone wrong.
 
A few years ago, I tested the Ruger SR556 piston-driven AR-style rifle, and loved it. Everyone was jumping on the piston-driven AR bandwagon, and Ruger was no different, they than they didn't copy anyone else's piston-driven design - they came up with their own, after a lot of research and development. The SR556 comes with all the bells and whistles you can ask for, and then some - including a nice padded carrying case, several MagPul PMags - which I personally believe are the best AR mags on the market, and top-of-the-line pop-up front and rear sights and many other accessories, that don't come on many AR-style rifles.
 
However, not everyone wanted or needed all that the SR556 came with as standard equipment, nor was everyone willing to pay the almost $2,000 price tag. Now comes the Ruger SR556E. Many people mistakenly believe that the "E" stands for an "Economy" model, but that is NOT the case. For the past several months, I have been testing the SR556E sample, and I have found nothing economical about this neat little rifle. What we have is a 5.56mm carbine, that can also fire .223 Remington ammo. The gun only weighs-in at a mere 7.36-pounds, a bit lighter and it balances better than the SR556 does in my humble opinion.  The SR556E also comes with a 16-inch cold hammer forged mil-spec 41V45 barrel with a flash suppressor on the end of the barrel. There is also a 6-position telescoping stock - closed the gun is 32.75-inches long and fully-open the gun is 36-inches in length. The flat top upper also has a forearm that has a Picatinny rail for mounting accessories at the 12:00 O'clock position and you can add other rails to the 3, 6 and 9 positions and these are sold separately. There is also a dust cover over the ejection port, and a forward assist - that I never recommend anyone use - it only leads to more problems, but it's there just the same.The SR556E also comes with a soft padded carrying case.
 
I like the MagPul (I believe that's the make) pop-up rapid deployment front and rear sights - they are outstanding. The front sight is adjustable for elevation and the rear sight is adjustable for windage. Where one would normally find the gas block for a direct impingement operating system, we have the patent-pending 4-position gas regulator. That's right, this is NOT a direct gas impingement gun, it has a two-stage piston system that is chrome plated for easier maintenance, and the hot gases vent out of the bottom on this two-stage piston, causing the gun to run cleaner and cooler, and that is a very good thing in my book. The direct gas impingement system vents dirty, hot gases directly into the bolt and bolt carrier - causing guns to run dirty and very hot - not a good thing in many instances - it can lead to malfunctions if the gun isn't properly cleaned and lubed on a regular basis - as in combat!
 
The 4-position gas regulator can also be completely closed off so the action doesn't cycle for using a suppressor, where you don't want any noise from the bolt cycling back and forth [or any sound of gasses escaping a gas port]. The other three positions are for running various types of ammo, and if your gun starts to run a bit dirty, you can adjust the gas regulator to a different position. Ruger ships the SR556E with the gas regulator set at the #2 position and suggests you do most of your shooting from this position. There is a complete tutorial video on the Ruger web site, that demonstrates the various settings. I left my sample on the #2 setting, and never looked back - although, I did play around with the different settings for just a bit - just to see how they function and how the gun ran - it ran fine in all but the closed position. However, for all my actual function testing and accuracy testing, the gun was left in the #2 position.
 
One thing you will readily notice with a piston-driven AR-style of rifle is the different recoil impulse. Hard to explain, but the gun runs a bit "differently" than a direct impingement operating system - it runs smoother, and it seems to run a tad quieter, too. Again, hard to explain, however if you shoot the SR556E next to a direct gas impingement rifle, you will hear and notice the difference in very short order. Now, some piston-driven AR-style rifles have had problems with "carrier tilt" - in that, the bolt carrier tends to tilt downward into the buffer tube, causing unnecessary wear and tear. Ruger overcame this problem by redesigning part of the bolt - removing some material here and there, and there isn't any problem with carrier tilt. You might notice a little bit or wear from the anodized coating inside the buffer tube, but no actual wear on the material. Ruger did their homework - as they always do!
 
During my initial testing of the SR556E, I ran 5, thirty round magazines through the gun as fast as I could pull the trigger. When I was done, there were zero malfunctions, and I broke the action open and pulled the bolt carrier out - it was cool to the touch. Try that with a direct impingement AR and you'll burn your fingers after just running one 30-rd mag through the gun. Additionally, the bolt carrier and bolt were still very clean - one mag through a direct impingement AR and the upper receiver and bolt carrier and bolt are dirty, very dirty - especially if you run some Russian-made .223 ammo through an AR.
 
I ran well over 500 rounds of various .223 Rem and 5.56mm ammo through the SR556E - however, in future testing, I won't burn-up that much ammo - not with the big ammo drought we are facing, and my inside sources tell me that, they expect ammo to be in short supply for about two more years - or even longer, depending on the political climate in DC and in some states. Be advised and act accordingly. In future firearms tests, I'm only going to run about 200 rounds through gun samples. Even with my several sources of ammo for use in my articles, ammo is still hard to come by these days. My sources want to give me more, but they don't have it - every round they make goes out the door each day - they don't have a warehouse full of ammo any longer.
 
From Buffalo Bore Ammunition I had their Sniper .223 ammo - a 55 grain Ballistic Tip bullet, a 69 grain JHP and their heavy 77 grain JHP - which is recommended for barrel twist of 1:8 or 1:7 - the SR556E comes with a 1:9 barrel twist - the most popular for civilian AR style rifles. From the good folks at Black Hills Ammunition, I had a wide assortment of .223 - a 52 grain Match HP, 55 grain FMJ - new and reloaded, 55 grain SP, 68 grain Heavy Match HP and their newly released to the public, 5.56mm 77 grain OTM ammo - this is almost the exact same ammo that Black Hills Ammunition - and Black Hills Ammunition alone - provides to all the US Special Forces - no other maker produces this ammo. I also had a couple boxes of Winchester 55 grain FMJ USA brand .223 on-hand, and I use a lot of this for simple function testing - its a great round and less expensive than burning-up some more expensive ammo for function testing.
 
Once I had the SR566E zeroed, I did all my shooting at the 100-yard mark for accuracy testing - although the gun was zeroed for 300-yards - just my zero mark with all my AR-style of rifles. The Buffalo Bore, Black Hills and even the Winchester 55 grain FMJ loads were all giving me 3-inch groups if I did my part, with open sights, at 100-yards. This is about average for many AR-style rifles - nothing to write home about in the accuracy department. The Black Hills new and reloaded 55 grain FMJ ammo gave me the same accuracy results, so don't go thinking you are getting slighted by using reloaded ammo instead of brand-new ammo all the time. The Black Hills 52 grain Match HP load gave me groups a little under 3-inches - better, but I knew the SR556E could do better - a lot better. I should note that the Black Hills 55 grain SP gave me 3-inch groups as well - and this would make a dandy load for varmints - even smaller dear, at close-in ranges. Although, I suggest using a larger caliber rifle round for deer - the .223 can still do the job if you place your shots where they need to go.
 
The Buffalo Bore 69 grain JHP was giving me groups right at the 2-inch mark, and I was starting to get impressed with the Ruger. The Black Hills Ammunition, 68 grain Heavy Match HP load was giving me groups around an inch and a half if I did my part - I've found this to be a very accurate load in all AR-style rifles I've tried it in. I ran out of the Buffalo Bore 69 grain JHP load, just as I was getting a good feel for it - and I believe it can match the Black Hills 68 grain Heavy Match HP load in the accuracy department.
 
Last up were the two heaviest loads, and you should be advised that, some rifles with a 1:9 barrel twist will only accurately shoot bullet weights up to about 68 or 69 grains - some will even shoot 75-grain bullets - but not all. Each gun's barrel is a little different, and as I've said before in my articles, experiment with your gun and various types, brand and weights of bullets, to see which one will shoot most accurately in your gun. The Buffalo Bore 77 grain JHP and the Black Hills 77 grain OTM 5.56mm loads were both giving me groups in the 3 to 3 1/2 inch range. I honestly didn't expect either one of those rounds to actually give me accuracy this good - considering the SR556 has the 1:9 inch barrel twist. I will admit though, that there were some groups that opened-up quite a bit more - however, I was advised by both Tim Sundles at Buffalo Bore and Jeff Hoffman at Black Hills, that it might be a waste of good ammo, shooting these heavier loads in the 1:9 barrel twist. Well, not a waste of money, but it proved to me, that in a pinch, you can shoot these heavier bullets in the 1:9 inch barrels, just don't expect the accuracy you think you'll get. I have fired both of these loads in another AR-style rifle with a 1:7 inch barrel twist, and had outstanding accuracy in the one inch to an inch and half range if I did my part. So, I know both of these heavier loads can shoot a lot more accurately in the right barrels, than they did in the SR556E.
 
During all my testing, I had no malfunctions of any sort. When I tested the original SR556 when it first came out, I did have a couple failures to extract in the first magazine, but after that, the gun ran fine. So, I was very pleased with the performance of the SR556E over the course of more than 3-months of testing. I never cleaned the gun during all this time, nor did I give it any further lubrication, other than the day I got the gun and inspected and lubed it. The gun was extremely clean at the end of my testing - and I believe I could have easily shot several thousand more rounds without any problems or further cleaning or lube. The SR556E with the two-stage piston-driven system really proved it's worth and ran cleaner and cooler than direct impingement ARs do. There is no comparison between the two systems in my humble opinion. If you want a gun that runs smoother, cleaner and cooler, you need to take a close look at the SR556E, as opposed to a direct impingement operating system. Now, with that said, I'm not about to take my other ARs that are direct impingement and sell them or toss them in the trash - they all work just fine - I don't keep guns around that don't work - simple as that. I either make them run properly, or I get rid of them if I can't fix the problems.
 
Now for the good news and the bad news. The good news is, the Ruger SR556E has a full-retail of only $1,375 and that's a bargain in my book - for all that you get - there are other piston-driven ARs on the market that retail for a whole lot more, but they don't give you more. Now for the bad news, with the big drought on all AR-style guns these days, if you can find an SR556E, they are going for about $2,000 these days. No, Ruger did not raise their prices, it's just supply and demand, and all SR556 rifles are in great demand, ever since they came out, people have wanted them. If you're in the market for a gas-piston AR, then take a very close look at the SR556E from Ruger - I think you'll like what you see - just don't pay too much - shop around and spend your money carefully. Now, after my wife shot my sample SR556E, she wants one of her own - she owns a different brand of AR-style rifle - a direct impingement version and while she shoots it very accurately, and hasn't had any problems with it - other than a few hang-ups with some Russian-made .223 ammo - she just likes the way the SR556E handles, and she doesn't hear that "twang" inside the buffer tube, like you hear with many direct impingement ARs - I personally don't hear it - after so many years of shooting, I have some hearing loss. But now I have to find a way to not only pay for my own SR556E sample, I have to see if Ruger can ship me another one for the wife. I should have learned long ago, to not let my wife shoot any of my gun samples, she has fallen in love with more than one and ended up in her growing collection.  - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

On March 10, 2013, the Governor of Colorado signed into law three new statutes that pertain to gun and magazine owners throughout the state. In this post, I will address the addition of C.R.S. 18-12-112, having to do with “Private Firearms Transfer”. No reader should consider this post to be legal advice for themselves or anyone else. My intent is to educate you on the law and for you to make your own decisions. 
On and after July 1, 2013, a person who is not a licensed gun dealer, before they transfer or attempt to transfer possession of a firearm to a transferee, they must:
1. Require that a background check be conducted of the prospective transferee;
2. Obtain approval of a transfer from CBI after a background check has been requested by a licensed gun dealer.
In order to understand the law you must start with the definitions. A “Transferee” means a person who desires to receive or acquire a firearm from the “Transferor”. A “Transferor” is the person who either owns or has possession of the firearm for a number of reasons.

BACKGROUND CHECK
If you are not a licensed gun dealer and you want to transfer possession of a firearm to a transferee, you will have to utilize the services of a licensed gun dealer for the purpose of having them provide you a background check of the transferee. The licensed gun dealer will provide the same background check and fill out the same paperwork as if they were selling the transferee the firearm themselves. For this service, the licensed gun dealer may not charge more than ten dollars.
Once the licensed gun dealer completes the background check of the transferee, they shall provide the transferor a copy of the results of the background check, including CBI’s approval or disapproval of the transfer. The approval will be valid for 30 days and valid only for the transferor and transferee.
The licensed gun dealer will be required to record the transfer and retain the records as they would on any retail gun purchase.

VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW
A person who violates this statute shall be guilty of a Class 1 Misdemeanor. This is the highest level of Misdemeanor and is punishable by six months to eighteen months imprisonment and/or a Five hundred dollars and up to a Five thousand dollar fine or both. There is an additional punishment associated with a violation of this statute. The violator shall also be prohibited from possessing a firearm for two years, beginning on the date of his or her conviction. If convicted, the State Court Administrator will report the conviction to National Instant Criminal Background Check System. You will not be able to legally possess a firearm in Colorado during the prohibition time. What is not clear is how other states will view this restriction. Will they too also determine that you are not to carry in their state?
Remember prohibition time period starts at the time of your conviction. That means if you go to trial on the matter, it could be anywhere from six months to a year before your conviction actually occurs.
Additionally, if you violate this statute you MAY be jointly and severally liable for any civil damages proximately caused by the transferee’s subsequent use of the firearm. I will expound on this below.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE LAW
There are numerous exceptions within this statute. The background requirement does not apply to the following:
1. The transfer of an antique firearm; [JWR Adds: See my FAQ page on antique guns. I predict that pre-1899 antiques will become increasingly important, as gun laws expand in some states in coming years.]
2. A bona fide gift or loan between immediate family members;
3. A transfer that occurs by operation of law or because of the death of a person for whom the transferor is an executor of a will or trust;
4. A transfer that is temporary and occurs while in the home of the unlicensed transferee if, the transferee is not prohibited from possessing firearms and the unlicensed transferee reasonably believes that the possession of the firearm is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury to the unlicensed transferee;
5. A temporary transfer of possession without transfer of ownership or a title to ownership occurs at:
a. At a shooting range;
b. At a target firearm shooting competition;
c. While hunting, fishing, target shooting or trapping if:
1. All hunting, fishing, target shooting or trapping is legal in all places where the unlicensed transferee is possessing the firearm; and
2. The unlicensed transferee holds any license or permit that is required
d. Any temporary transfer occurs while in the continuous presence of the owner of the firearm;
e. A temporary transfer cannot be for more than 72 hours. Should the transferee use your firearm unlawfully, you may be jointly and severally liable for damages proximately caused by the transferee’s use.
f. A transfer that is made to facilitate the repair or maintenance of the firearm.
g. A transfer from a person who is serving in the Armed Forces of the US who will be deploying within 30 days and the transfer go to an immediate family member.

MY THOUGHTS
All I have heard over and over from the politicians in Colorado is that this is not a gun registry. Yet, now all private guns sales will be recorded in the books of licensed gun dealers. These records are required to be kept for twenty (20) years after the transfer occurs and the records are open for inspection at any time by the ATF. Additionally, should the licensed gun dealer go out of business or decides to retire, he/she is required to forward all of their gun records to the ATF. Knowing this, please tell me how this is not a gun registry.

The punishment for the violation of this statute is severe. A Class 1 misdemeanor can include jail time if the Judge chooses to sentence you with such and the monetary fine can range from five hundred to five thousand dollars. But the addition of the loss of possession of ANY firearm for two years is well beyond what I would consider to be fair punishment.

As with the Large Capacity Magazine law, it appears that the goal of these laws are to disarm and remove guns from citizens as opposed to punishing them for not completing paperwork. I would like to see the true statistics relating to how many criminals are buying guns from private citizens before committing their crimes. Using common sense, we know that is not how they are arming themselves. The criminals are acting as criminals by stealing the guns and then using them in the commission of crimes. This law does nothing more than regulate (control) law abiding citizens when selling their own private property.

Another punishment for violation of this statute is the attachment of joint and several liability for any civil damages proximately caused by the transferee’s subsequent use of the firearm. Joint and several liability means that if three people were involved in the matter and all three were found to be liable, the damaged party could pursue all three people or just one to recover the whole amount. Given this, the person with the deepest pocket looses.

Read alongside the Large Capacity Magazine law, this law will allow firearms that utilize Large Capacity Magazines to be transferred but just without the Large Capacity Magazines. Again, just a coincidence or the grand plan all along?

Currently, 40 out of 62 Sheriffs in Colorado will be filing suit against the state of Colorado to determine whether this law and the large capacity magazine law are constitutional. While this is good, it will be a long and expensive route to take in order to get a resolution.

I will continue to update my blog as more information about this statute becomes available. Visit  www.legal-tactics.com and leave me your questions.

Building up a skill set can easily be argued the most critical survival ability available. One skill set often overlooked is bartering. Trading a good or service for another. Looking at tangible items, one recent item everyone has noticed is the new price for ammo and certain rifles. The adage “buy low sell high” still applies if you can do so and still maintain your own needed stock.

About four and a half years ago AR-15s were roughly the same inflated cost as today (after BHO was elected), there was a massive panic and parts were scarce. It took four months to get a muzzle brake that I ordered two month prior to the election! At the time I had what I wanted, but no extras. I stayed out of the buying panic and saved. Fast forward six months later, and AR lowers and uppers had dropped to $60 per piece. I bought two of each at that price. Barrels with gas tubes and blocks were around $125, stocks and Lower parts kits around $60. Two complete bolt carrier groups were bought at a local gun show for $110 each. Gradually I built two complete AR-15s as I could afford to. Over the next three year, 5.56mm ammo could be found for $4-$5 per 20 round box at Cabela's and other stores. Again I bought when I had a few extra dollars, not going into debt but taking a bargain when I find it. I filled up my ammo locker plus ammo cans over those plentiful years. Not hoarding, no one else was buying at that time I was just stocking up when it was inexpensive.

Spent on building each AR:

$60 lower
$50 upper
$125 barrel, gas block, handguard and accessories.
$60 Lower Parts Kit
$50 stock
$110 bolt carrier
$10 charging handle

Today history repeats and those two AR-15s I built for $500-$600 dollars sold for $1,100-$1,300. People were glad to find them at that price and I had many potential buyers. Ammo sold for $20 a box and again I had to turn people away. This allowed me to buy a .50 BMG rifle and 100 rounds of ammo plus solar panels and equipment. I do not view this as taking advantage of anyone, they may find that the rifles are worth double in a year or less. Personally I use a gun forum for selling firearms. If you plan to as well please post that you will follow all applicable  laws on your classified ad and if you want to reduce questionable or shady buyers mention transfer at an FFL. I had many cash offers who backed out when I mentioned meeting at a FFL. For the sale met there but we used a local electronic form with checked Licenses/background checks.

The "no background check" media slant is a total fallacy in my state. We pay the $100 license, classes and background checks prior to even getting a license much less a purchase. At the time of purchase the Electronic form is also checked immediately (when it works). Yet the media still proclaims we have no background checks for private sales.

Another interesting point building and selling these AR-15s. I had three for sale, two low-end  ARs built from generic parts and one higher end with better manufactures, better parts, more bells and whistles. The lower end ARs sold, the better built AR has still not sold. It cost $1,000 to build but for not sell for $400 more. The $500-600 ar sold for over twice what I paid. Lesson learned, buy decent quantity cheap and have multiples rather than one or two higher end rifles. One buyer of the cheaper AR-15s stated he was going to replace all the hardware with Magpul items. They would not pay more for parts they were going to replace anyway. They wanted a basic AR now.

Scopes can cost as much or more then the rifles in many cases. It is hard to justify $400-$1,500 on a quality trusted brand scope without personally testing each option. Should I buy a holographic unmagnified or magnified? Backup sights? Carry handle? Fixed sights? What magnification? Too many options not enough money. Just to test out options I pick up various clones on eBay for 1/10th the price. Some are well made, some are junk. But I can then find out what I like and the pros and cons of each prior to investing in a good scope. Plus when I sell a rifle I will throw a cheap scope in clearly advertised as a clone.

If the gun market crashes again in the near future I will again take part in a group buy on my gun forum for AR parts and restock. For ammo I will also refill my cabinet, again these are tangibles which reduce the effects on everyone of panic buying. Both have done much better then my 401(k) and my property value. If it was a true emergency or SHTF event I can only imagine what they would be worth. Another buy low option in my toolbox has been group buys. I ran one for my gun forum, I saved 10% on my upper and helped out many like minded individuals. Karma was returned as another member helped me buy bulk ammo. To repeat, I have never hoarded during a panic I had my larder of ammo and sold off some to reduce to panic not increase it.

Also on a buy low, sell high note: Craigslist has many free listings in the fall for summer items. Pools, lawn tractors, gardening equipment, summer items. Same for winter items such as a snowblower, snow shovel in the spring. Take these items if you get a chance and have space. you have 3-6 months to repair these and then resell in when they are in season. Buy low (better yet obtain free) and sell high. Plus you gain repair skills, worst case you scrap it for money to buy.... tangibles!

I have used Craigslist three ways each with its benefits and drawbacks.

1. Search Free stuff listings. Free stuff has a list for multiple items and it displays everything even if it is misspelled (e.g. snow blower versus nsow blower) Disadvantage: You have to catch it quick and be nearby. Many people list at and put it out or give it to the first person to respond. If it is a distance away there is a decent chance it is not worth the time or gas to respond.
2. Search for what you want. Advantage: You find only what you are looking for and narrow the list down easily. Disadvantage: Many items are long gone and if anything in someone’s listing does not match your search it will not hit. This can be a misspelling or different description. Think fuel can vs gas can vs fuel storage container vs... an infinite number. If you do see what you want ask about it, sometimes people are looking to make space and not have to pay for disposal.
3. Post an add (preferably multiple ads) for what you are looking for. Advantage: Better chance of finding exactly what you want. Disadvantage: Dealing with many emails from every person with computer access. People will flag your listing for no reason other then they want the same thing.  You can work around this with multiple ads using different wording, get creative. The person flagging your ad will likely not find all your other ads. You will receive many,many emails from people who do not read all the details in your add or are tire kickers.

On a related "buy low" note: BUY SOLAR PANELS NOW! China flooded the market and undercut the prices driving everyone else out of the business. Then China bought all the US and European equipment in the past three years. China did this with the rare earths and then raised the prices from $4-5 per pound to $150-200 per pound. If history repeats (which is always does) with PV solar as it has with many other areas we are due for a massive price increase soon. The former solar manufacturers are protesting but we have already been “informed” by the MSM that the proposed import taxes only hurt the solar installation companies in those countries. Which is a two faced truth, it does now that China has shut down local production.

“Local production” in Germany and the US were factories in massive aircraft hangers with high volume setups, state of the art setups and robotics very efficient and well planned out. These were not a local machine shop or Mom and Pop shop getting squeezed out.

I visited one such factory in Germany during training for a  machine transfer to the US for use outside of solar. I went out to lunch with one of the scientists and and engineers who were about to be laid off. Sad to say they saw no reason for anyone to own a gun even with their own country’s history. I almost mentioned my 85 year old German Aunt, who is Jewish, her family fled the Nazis when they came for her dad. Her dad was a German Judge at the time, fortunately her mom told the young officer to come back at a respectable hour and he left. They fled that night, if her mother had not talked the officer out of the arrest they would have had no way to stop them. What kept me from going that route was their talk of the greatness of BHO and how we was fixing all our problems. This while talking to educated individuals who were being laid off en masse because of the same politics and spending. I knew a lost cause when I saw one. Sad it is a beautiful country with excellent beer, wine and very nice people. Too much Kool aid drinking though.

The USA can only survive for so long as a retailer, not manufacturing much of anything even food is imported from China. Many lathes, tools and mills can be found cheaply now with factories still shutting down. Get the tools and develop the skills, they will be needed. Most AR/AK/FAL gun replacement parts can be made and heat-treated with basic machine shop knowledge. Do your homework for what is legal to make and what is not prior to any projects. Getting these machines is rarely free, if you have extra from selling an AR and or ammo it helps.If you can barter now for a used machine and learn on it. You gain multiple skills and tangible goods for trade. The clock is ticking... Make it count.

Connecticut is known as a progenitor of American Liberty. There were some small War of Independence battles fought at Stonington (1775), Danbury (1777), New Haven (1779), and New London (1781.) But sadly, legislators in Connecticut just dutifully lined up for their Kool-Aid cups and voted for a ban so-called "assault" weapons, a ban on private party sales of used guns, creates a new "ammunition eligibility certificate," and mandates a ban on the manufacture or sale and a registry for high capacity magazines. Do these buffoons have any concept of how many millions of magazines larger that 10 round capacity exist, or that virtually none of them carry a serial number? How do they expect to register a commodity? And what happens if someone miscounts their magazines, or misses a few of them in some forgotten box in the back of a closet? Does that make them a felon? And how, pray tell, is someone supposed to register each link in a disintegrating belt? (The last time I bought .223 and .308 links, they came to me in boxes of roughly 1,000 or 2,000 links per box. They are difficult to count, so they are sold by the pound. You can buy 1,000 of them for as little as $17, and of course they can be assembled ("manufactured") into belts of any length desired. So exactly how will that part of the registry work? Would someone have to ask to have a belt de-registered, once it is fired and hence no longer of 11+ round length? And how could a belt be linked together longer than 9 rounds, after the effective date of the new law? Talk about "Unintended Consequences"!

Oh, and let's not forget the new Connecticut law's New York style "honor system" provision, which dictates that owners of full capacity magazines can load their magazines up to 30 cartridges, but only at home, but just 10 rounds if they are carried outside of their homes unless they're at an approved shooting range. Miscounting cartridges and loading just one too many would be a punishable offense. Stopping short of enacting an outright ban on full capacity magazines and this idiotic honor system provision were characterized as "gracious compromises." As one commenter at the Northeast Shooters Forum aptly put it: "... how generous our Overlords are." Do any Connecticut legislators believe that mass murderers will abide by any of this arbitrary nonsense?

It is noteworthy that the vote on this legislation came on Monday, April 1, 2013. (April Fools Days.) What fools (and tools) they are!

I urge Connecticut residents to do your best to fight this legislatively in the courts, but if all else fails, then vote with your feet. Speaking of which... I just heard that in light of this new legislation Todd Savage of SurvivalRetreatConsulting.com has announced that he has added Connecticut to his list of states that qualify for a 20% discount for "gun law refugee" clients. He is now extending the 20% discount to residents of California, Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York who identify themselves as gun law refugees. - J.W.R.

In more than 45 years of shooting, I've tried just about every kind of lube and gun cleaner on the market. Some work a little better than others, and some don't work very well at all. Anyone who is serious about taking care of their firearms, for self-defense, combat, military missions or survival, had better take very good care of their firearms. If you don't properly care for your weapons, they will fail you, just when you need them the most. I couldn't tell you the number of students who have trained under me, who have had their firearms fail them during one of my courses. One of the biggest causes for weapon failure, was either poor quality aftermarket magazines, or poorly maintained firearms - meaning, they didn't lube their firearms at all. Inside of 50 rounds of firing, their firearms would start malfunctioning because of the heat and friction involved. Now, while this may be acceptable under range conditions - it is not acceptable under life and death conditions.
 
Many malfunctions were easily corrected by simply applying some lube on handguns in my classes. I always have a range box with me, as well as a first-aid kit. I've yet to use the first-aid, but I've used the range box with a variety of tools and cleaning equipment, to get guns up and running once again. It's almost like I've performed some type of "magic" on a student's firearms, when a little lube is applied, the guns start working again. I've had quite a few students tells me that they don't use any lube at all, because they don't want their firearms to attract dirt or lint, of they fear the lube will get on their clothes. Excuse me? You're worried about a little lube getting on your clothes - instead of worrying about your firearm failing you, when you need it most? Stupidity never ceases to amaze me in some people.
 
The days of using plain old "gun oil" have long passed, in my humble opinion. Sure, plain old gun oil is still on the market, and I guess it's ok to use on a hunting firearm, prior to going out to a hunt. However, in harsh conditions, plain old gun oil will still fail you, when you don't want it to. And, it still amazes me that people use WD-40 as a lube - you are only inviting trouble if you use WD-40 as a lube - it is not a "lube" per se - it is a penetrating oil. WD-40 does not provide very good lubrication on anything, especially firearms - it will wear-off in very short order.
 
There are a good many different types of CLP (Cleaner, Lube and Preservative) compounds on the market these days. One of my most often used is Break-Free, and while I use it more than any other type of CLP, it isn't perfect in my book. A new family of products have been introduced by Italian Gun Grease - a company that I had heard of, nor their products. A box of various sample Italian Gun Grease products showed in my post office box one day, and when I opened it, I thought to myself "Oh great, another CLP, just like so many other similar products...." I was wrong!
 
One of the biggest threats to your firearms is heat build-up, followed by deposits of carbon and unburned powder. And, I'm not sure which is the biggest threat to causing a malfunction, however with no scientific study under my belt, I'm going to say that friction is the bigger problem. Metal-on-metal, with high-heat, will cause your firearms to malfunction. I've taken a few firearms courses over the years myself, and I've seen what happens when firearms are not properly cleaned and lubed - in the course of shooting maybe 500 - 1,000 rounds in a day, firearms stop working. I have never had that problem, because I've always cleaned and maintained my firearms properly, but I've seen other students who had repeated failures, because their guns were dirty and not properly lubed.
 
I think many in the firearms industry have solved the problem of producing a good all 'round lube, with some of the CLP products on the market. However, they haven't solved the problem of the accumulation of carbon and particulate matter, that can also cause firearms to malfunction under extreme conditions - until now! Italian Gun Grease set out to solve the problem. I believe IGG has solved the problem not only by producing a great lube, but also came away with a game changer, that helps prevent the build-up of carbon and burnt powder on firearms.
 
IGG lubes are very different, they are not true lubes, they contain a proprietary metal conditioner that are actually heat-activated. Their so-called "Heat-Seeking Molecule" formula penetrates into and fills the microscopic gaps where points of friction exist.  IGG doesn't burn-up in high heat, something that can't be said for other lubes on the market. What this does is, it actually produces a very hard, high, heat, high pressure resistant polished surface that can cut friction by as much as 85%. This isn't just a little better than the competition, it's a whole lot better than ordinary CLP products. IGG products may appear dry, but they are producing the protection you need from friction, and it doesn't allow carbon and other crud to build-up in the critical friction areas of firearms.
 
According to the IGG web site, their lube has an operating temperature range of between -45 degrees, all the way up to 430-degrees. Now, we couldn't last but a moment in 430 degree temps, but the inside and and high friction areas of firearms can reach 300-degrees in rapid or automatic fire. We can operate in -45 degree temps in some areas of the world, and this is where a lot of other lubes fail - they congeal, and don't provide proper lubrication, 'causing firearms to fail, just the same as if they had no lube at all. More information is posted on the IGG web site, and it is worth the time to read it.
 
I do a lot of shooting for my firearms articles. In some instances, I'll burn through 500 rounds of ammo in an AR-15 or AK-47 style rifle in an hour or less, when I'm doing function rather than accuracy testing. In handguns, I might burn through a couple hundred rounds of ammo in an hour. Then I'll continue testing over several days for accuracy, and testing different types of ammo. The thing is, during most of my firearms test, I don't routinely stop and clean and lube the firearms, unless there is a problem. I usually clean and lube a firearm prior to testing, and then after the testing give the firearms another good cleaning and lube. I know when testing semiauto rifles like ARs or AKs, the guns get very hot, and at the end of my testing, much of the lube is burned-off, and there is a lot of carbon and other crud built-up, that can cause problems and malfunctions.
 
Over a two month period, I only used IGG products in various firearms, and I will say, I was very impressed with the results. While there didn't appear to be any sort of lube or protection in high-friction areas, like slide rails or locking lugs, the protection was there, you could actually feel how much smoother a slide or bolt was moving both while firing the firearms and while working a slide or bolt.
 
Italian Gun Grease has several different products on the market, and I highly recommend their Tactical Formula 2 - which is designed for combat use. They also have Advanced Formula 2 for hunter applications, however, for my money, I'd just stick with the Tactical Formula 2 for all my needs, especially in a combat or survival situation - just seems like it would give better protection all the way around. They also have True Grease, and I recommend this for the locking lugs on semi-auto pistols, especially 1911-type pistols. You'd be surprised how many people don't bother to lube the locking lugs at all on a 1911 - and this is a very important area where friction can build-up. IGG also has cleaning kits, that can cover most of your handgun and rifle needs, all in one handy pouch. This is a great little kit to place in your BOB or range bag - just perfect for survival or combat scenarios, with a good supply of Tactical Formula 2 - their combat lube.
 
I gave some sample IGG grease to other shooters, and asked for their feedback, and each one came away with the impression that IGG lubes worked better than whatever other products they were using - they all said that their firearms seemed to operate smoother and there was less buildup of crud and carbon.  Okay, IGG products made a believer out of me, and I highly recommend all their products to anyone who is serious about survival or who might be in a combat zone, where failure of your weapon is not an option you can afford. You'll find IGG products are competitively priced compared to some of the other CLP products on the market, so it's a small investment, that can return great dividends if you want some of the best lubes you can get for your weapons.   - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Captain Rawles,
People may already know this one, but if not, then here is a trick for anyone with a Mossberg 500/590 shotgun who wants to know how to remove shells from the tube magazine without cycling the action"

Inside the loading port located on the left is a small piece of metal [called a shell stop] which holds the shells in the magazine (it's easy to see with a shell in the magazine).  Pushing this in allows shells to be removed from the magazine one-by-one swiftly and silently.  Push the piece in until a shell pops out of the magazine, release the metal piece, repeat.  I use this trick during hunting season to unload my shotgun for transportation purposes.  It takes some practice, but it works well on low/high brass shells.  It sure beats having to pointlessly manipulate the action and damage the rims of shotshells by doing so. 
 
Respectfully Yours, - D. from Michigan 

Awhile back, I tested some automatic folding knives from Bear Ops, which is a division of Bear & Son Cutlery and was favorably impressed with the little tactical folders. Now, while I sincerely enjoy all the new types of stainless steel blade materials used on knives these days, I've always been fascinated with Damascus steel. Bear & Son is one of the few commercial knife manufacturers offering knives with Damascus blades. What we have in Damascus steel is a combination of different steels with different properties, that is hammer forged and folded back onto itself, to give you blades with extraordinary toughness and edge-holding ability.
 
Living in the Pacific Northwest, we get a lot of rain. We have two seasons in my part of Oregon, we have four months of beautiful summer weather - not too hot and not too cold as a rule. But then we have eight months of wintry weather - which means liquid sunshine - RAIN! We get a lot of rain, not much snow as a rule, but a lot of rain. So, whenever possible, I try to get gear that can stand-up to the elements, and I enjoy stainless steel knives and guns - when I can get what I'm looking for, to fill a particular need. Even so, with stainless steel, it can still rust - it just rusts less - "stains-less", and it still must be maintained, just not as much maintenance goes into keeping a knife or gun from rusting in my climate. Most of the knives I own, are manufactured out of some type of stainless steel, and only a few are tool steel. And, no matter how hard I try to maintain the tool steel knife blades, they still develop some patina rust and pitting, if I don't pay close enough attention to them. For all my guns and tool steel knives, I use a product called Birchwood Casey Barricade. It's a simple spray it on, and let it dry a bit and wipe it off, and it gives metal a nice coating that protects it from the elements. Still, regular maintenance is required to prevent a gun or knife blade from rusting.
 
So, why my fascination with a knife blade manufactured out of Damascus steel - and in this case, tool steels, that can easily rust in my climate? Well, first of all, I love the different patterns on Damascus steel blade knives, no two are ever the same. Damascus steel was first produced in Damascus, Syria, more than 2,000 years ago, so it has stood the test of time, when it comes to toughness and edge-retention. Also, when viewed under a microscope or high magnification, you can the tiny saw-tooth carbides what are formed in the blade's edge by the forging and coal fire. What you will discover with many Damascus blades is that, they may not feel as sharp as other tool or stainless steel blades, but they are - very sharp! Even when you feel the blade's edge, it may not feel as sharp as you'd like, but the sharpness is there, and it holds an edge a very, very long time. Also, when ground on an angle, as in grinding a knife's blade, the blade displays a pattern that is stunning, to say the least. To my eyes, a real thing of beauty and art.
 
Bear & Son Cutlery produce 416-layer Damascus steel blades. Now, I've seen some custom knife makers offering Damascus steel blades with 2,000 layers of steel, and I'm not sure how much stronger those blades are compared to Damascus steel blades with a lesser number of layers. I'm sure there might be some advantage to more layers, but just how much that matters to me, is a moot point. To get more layers, the steel is folded over onto itself and forged again and again, each time getting more and more layers. A very time-consuming process if you are doing the forging by hand, as opposed to having a power forge. In any event, Bear & Son Cutlery still has very limited supplies of their Damascus blades on-hand at any given time. They are in great demand. Knowing this, when I placed an order for a sample Damascus blade for this article, I placed several alternate choices - just in case. Good thing, because my first choice wasn't available. (Like I said, they are in great demand.)
 
I obtained the Model 549D  which is a no frills Drop Point Hunting style fixed blade knife. It has an overall length of 7-7/8 inches with genuine India stage bone handle scales and a nickel silver bolster. I've always loved the look of genuine India stag bone handle scales on a knife, and Bear & Son did a fantastic job on this sample, the golden honey hue with the roasted grooves, really caught my attention. A nicely done leather sheath also comes with the 549D and the blade was heavily oiled - as is necessary with any Damascus tool steel knife, to prevent it from rusting. The handle scales are attached by two stainless steel pins, and the workmanship is second to none on this sample. You would believe it was a custom knife because of the attention to detail. The handle is nicely configured to fit my hand perfectly, and everyone I showed it to liked the way the knife felt in their hand, too.
 
Now, before using a Damascus tool steel knife, you really need to wipe off the oil coating, especially if you are dressing out game, you don't want oil contaminating the meat. There was a lot of oil on my sample, and you don't need that much in my humble opinion. Still, Bear & Son are being cautious and putting a heavy coat on the Damascus blades, you don't know how long they might sit on a shelf in a warehouse, or at a dealer's store, before being purchased. Better safe than sorry. I cleaned all the oil off my sample, and gave it a coat of the Barricade, let it dry for a bit and wiped off the excess, and I was confident the blade had a good protection against the elements.
 
The sharpness of the blade, as mentioned earlier, didn't feel "that" sharp to my way of thinking, however, it was much sharper than any stainless steel blade knife I've laid my hands on, it would easily slice through meat, rope, poly rope (and that is difficult to cut) blue jeans canvas material, cardboard boxes and paper could easily be sliced by the edge into slivers. At the conclusion of my testing, I took the 549D sample and gave it a quick touch-up on some Crock sticks, and it was even sharper than when I got it. You can, if you're careful, actually feel the microscopic teeth on the edge of the blade with your finger - do this carefully, as the blade will cut you. No, I didn't get cut!
 
The 549D is just the perfect sized fixed blade knife for wearing on your belt when you're out hunting or camping, and the size is not too big and not too small, for just about any reasonable task you can use this knife for. Of course, it's not big enough for chopping wood, nor was it intended for that, you can find bigger knives or an axe for that task. However, most tasks around a camp or in a survival situation, can be handled by the 549D. Now, we're not talking hard-core combat, or taking out an enemy sentry - if you are into a Rambo mentality, then this knife isn't for you, nor will you survive out in a hard-core combat role very long with that mentality - sorry! Being realistic here! I honestly don't believe most SurvivalBlog readers have a Rambo mentality, and I hear from a lot of readers regularly. I've found you are a very intelligent bunch of folks, and I enjoy hearing from you.
 
In the past, if you purchased a Damascus steel knife from a custom knife maker, on average, it would cost you about $100 per inch for the knife - if you wanted a 10-inch knife, it would set you back an easy $1,000 or more, depending on the handle scales, sheath and other variables. The Bear & Son 549D is priced at only $209.99 and that, is a fantastic deal to my way of thinking. So, if you are in the market for something a little bit different than what everyone else is carrying, take a look at the 549D, and if it's not to your liking, check out some of the other models they offer, I'm betting you'll find something that will fit the bill, and at prices that are very affordable for what you are getting.
 
As a side note, during all my testing, I did touch-up the coating of Barricade protectant I put on the 549D, I didn't want to have to fight the beginnings of rust. It only takes a minute to put another coat of Barricade on a knife, and its an inexpensive product. Everyone should have a can of Barricade in their survival gear, it can make a difference in keeping your metal gear in tip-top condition, or allowing it rust. A can of Barricade will last you years. I t doesn't take very much to give you a protective coating, that lasts a long time.
 
Take a close look at the Bear & Son web site, and you'll see several types of fixed blade as well as folding knives, manufactured out of Damascus tool steel. I know you'll find something that catches your eye. And their prices won't break the bank, either. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Jim.
An additional point or two on the viability of the 300BLK. While I agree that the primary concern should be to have your standard calibers covered, the 300BLK has the additional advantages. Because it is made from 223/5.56 brass, and uses any 30 caliber bullet, it will be easily reloaded in a SHTF situation. Another advantage is the ability to use the round suppressed (using subsonic rounds)with as close to "Hollywood" results as you will get. Although the advantages of using silenced weapons in a SHTF situation has been touched on in this forum I believe the subject could use more emphasis. Thank You James, - Rick .S

Jim,
Regarding the .300 AAC Blackout (“300blk”) cartridge for the AR-15 rifles, I would like to add some favorable comments about the new caliber. But first, I really don’t like new calibers (for AR-15/M4 variants) at all. I never jumped on any bandwagon for a new AR-15 caliber (6.8, 6.5, 5.45, etc) over the last 15 years and have and still do preach the “common caliber” mantra… but now I have jumped into the “new  caliber” crowd with the .300 AAC blackout. Here is why:

I want the best of many worlds. I have for years wanted an AR-15 that will put down the threat effectively, punch through medium barriers, but also be super sneaky quiet like an MP5SD. In fact I have often lamented the fact that I can’t cross the MP5SD (quiet) with an AR-15 (ergonomics, low recoil, accuracy) that punches through barriers like an AK-47. Laugh if you will but I want all in one! With good ammo the 5.56x45 does just fine or even fantastic at putting down threats, but definitely lacks in barrier penetration and really can’t be considered to be anything but loud, even with a suppressor. This all changes with the 300blk.

The 300blk cartridge is gaining significant steam down south (among other places and including some special units) where hog hunters need decisive effects on target like Paul S. said. It basically gives you a 7.62x39 ballistic effect (.30 caliber, heavier projectile for barriers, etc) but in a package that allows you to have both the MP5SD and 7.62 advantages. With the swap of a magazine (lighter grain supersonic loads in one, heavier subsonic loads in the other) and rack of the charging handle, you do indeed go from a 7.62x39 equivalent “full power” carbine/assault rife round to a super quiet round comparable to the long standing standard in suppression, the MP5SD, presuming of course you do have the suppressor attached. The advantages to having both options at your fingertips within seconds without carrying a secondary long-gun should be obvious.

Another great feature of the 300 AAC Blackout cartridge is that it was optimized in both supersonic and subsonic loadings to get maximum velocity out of only a 9” barrel! With the ever-increasing popularity of SBRs (short-barreled rifles, requiring a $200 NFA tax stamp through the BATF), and the handiness and lighter weight of short rifles, this is in my opinion, a very significant breakthrough, as the biggest disadvantage of SBRs is usually the significant drop in velocity (and associated drop off in terminal effects on target), which is NOT the case with with the 300blk. It has its full potential out of just the 9” barrel! Quality supersonic cartridges are capable of sub-moa, while subsonic cartridges are hovering consistently around 2 moa, but custom subsonic loads are doing sub moa. With ammo standardized by Remington and nearly everyone making ammo for it now, it seems to be catching on with far deeper roots than the other recent “fad” calibers for AR-15s. Another great thing about the caliber is the ability to use the AAC 762SDN6 (or similar .30 caliber suppressor) suppressor on many calibers. I tried mine on my 5.56 SBR and it sounded the same or slightly quieter than my dedicated 5.56 suppressor did while only being about 3/4” longer and about two ounces heavier than my AAC M42000 (5.56 suppressor).

Keeping in mind that the 300blk is very rare in comparison to “common calibers” it would likely be a good idea to keep at a minimum a 5.56 barrel (and gas block and gas tube for the 5.56 barrel) on hand in case your supply of 300blk dries up in a TEOTWAWKI situation. Of course a complete 5.56 upper would be easier to swap but would cost more. I would like to add to Paul S.’s comments that the 300blk uses the same bolt, carrier, upper, and magazines, like he said, but unlike some other AR-15 variant calibers, the 300blk does not just use AR-15 magazines such as the Magpul PMAG in a tolerable manner, but in a perfectly reliability manner, just as good as the 5.56 cartridges due to the same cartridge base, width, taper and OAL.

Downsides? I’ve already disclaimed that you should have your “common calibers” at hand. That aside, I could see someone claim that 30 rounds of 125 grain ammo weighs more than 30 rounds of 55-77 grain ammo. True, but for the advantages I think it well worth it. Also, the 300blk does have more of a “lob” ballistically than the 5.56 which somewhat limits its practical range to around 400 meters (compared with the generally accepted practical range of the M4 at 500-600 meters -- though of course Travis Haley was ringing steel at 600 meters with ease with his) before you really really have to know the range and hold-overs perfectly. But in my opinion a carbine isn’t really very useful past that in most cases anyhow.

All in all, as long as you already have stocked your “common calibers” the .300 AAC blackout AR-15 uppers have just about every advantage and no noticeable disadvantages and when mated with a quality suppressor, provide an operational flexibility and force multiplier that should not be ignored. - PPPP

Dear Editor:
Just one potential problem must be noted for those who wish to swap uppers back and forth between 5.56/.223 to .300 Blackout: If you forget, or get distracted, it is possible to put a magazine full of .300 AAC Blackout ammo into your AR with the 5.56/.223 upper installed. When you hit the bolt catch, the first round of Blackout will be completely chambered in the 5.56 upper. This can happen because the bullet will be forced deeper into the Blackout brass. If you pull the trigger, the chambered .300 Blackout round will ignite, and the bolt will explode, and most likely split the carrier and the upper receiver as well. I have seen this happen. You have been warned! - CTBill

Mr. Rawles,
I would like to add to the shotgun portion of this posting. While we all like to have the latest high tech looter stopper, a trip to the used section of your local gun shop will yield some hidden treasures. You can have your 18.5 inch pump riot gun for a fractional price of a new one. Perusing my local large chain yielded a pile of old, but still serviceable pieces. Many are old department store guns wearing hideous looking chokes, but the guns were made by Remington, Winchester, Ithaca etc. Price ranged from $100 to $249, this included some autos as well. I have added to my home defense a few of these. With just an accurate measurement and a saw [or tubing cutter], you too now have a reliable riot gun. Many of these were lightly used, stored well and remain a gem in the overpriced gun market going on today. My local gunsmith recommends at least 18.5 inches for a barrel length. He attributes this to short government rulers or more controversial, shortcomings of certain government officials. - Jeff in Wisconsin

Before his untimely demise, survivalist author Mel Tappan wrote his book Survival Guns some four decades ago, yet it still remains the authoritative source on the topic.  Mel also wrote columns for various magazines, expanding upon his previous writings and clarifying some concepts.  It is those columns and articles which formed the basis of not only this essay, but also leaving what is now an indelible impression upon my thought process for the same subject.  Mel Tappan had a rifle as his first acquisition and a shotgun as his third acquisition; I flip flopped it for this piece due to the fact he lived in the wilderness – where I live in the jungle; an asphalt jungle.  That being the case, here goes:

First and foremost, a decisive firearm capable of ending any fight should be your initial purchase.  It is here the shotgun excels.  The shotgun is the most versatile firearm there is.  Based upon the hundreds of loadings, it can take small, medium, and large game as well as zombies in all shapes and sizes.  There is no more devastating impact upon an evil doer in and around your home.  The 12 gauge pump action shotgun with a short, 18 inch barrel fits this bill nicely.  Get a model with “ghost ring sights” and an attached flashlight and you can identify close in targets from contact distances out to engage long range targets with slugs over 100 yards away.  At close encounters of the worst kind, “#4” buckshot serves up a multiple pellet rat wound.  In law enforcement circles, this round is referred to sarcastically as a ‘crowd pleaser’.  As the range extends, fewer yet larger pellets may be the answer, all the way up the high end of the scale at “OOO” buckshot.  “OO” buckshot is the law enforcement and military standard loading for anti-personnel use.  The exact middle of the scale size is “#1” buckshot, probably the best round to utilize when usage is not defined as to target types and distances.  I keep “#4” buckshot in warm months and “OOO” buckshot in cold months in my home protection shotgun – it is a matter of penetrating coats and jackets and vests and whatever else a bad guy may be wearing in the winter versus a likely t-shirt in the summer.  The shotgun slug is an awesome round.  You should practice head shots on a full size silhouette target at 50 yards with only a bead front sight – then you can rest assuredly hit effectively out to 150 yards and sometimes more with slugs and a “ghost ring sights” setup.  Have a spare 28” barrel for hunting birds and fowl with birdshot loads and you’ll expand the utility of the shotgun exponentially.  There are also numerous special loadings available in shotshells including: flares, flechettes, gas (riot control agents such as CS or CN or OC), incendiary, etc.  Another special loading is the door breaching round, and it is phenomenal when employed correctly to forcibly enter through a secured door.  The 12 gauge is the most common caliber for law enforcement and military applications, as well as a majority of hunting uses.  However, a 20 gauge shotgun might be better for use by smaller statured adults and younger shooters.  The pump or slide action is better because you can use the most diverse types of ammunition without a hiccup, plus there are less moving parts to break.  With the shotshell tube attached under the barrel, one has about half a dozen rounds readily available and no fear of losing any detachable magazines.  If you can’t end the fight with half a dozen well placed 12 gauge rounds, you probably need some help.  Regardless of caliber (gauge) selected, get the 3” chamber so both 3” and 2 & ¾” shotshells can be used.

Second, you need a handgun.  Many firearms aficionados state a true defensive pistol must be at least .40 caliber or larger to effectively end a gunfight.  The handgun is usually worn holstered on your belt (but can easily be adapted to ankle or shoulder holsters as well) and it is thus there, on your person, when you need it.  The handgun gives you the ability to shoot your way back to your shotgun at those most inopportune times when you put it down and don’t have it with you at the moment in need as well as being a last ditch effort to stave off that close encounter of the worst kind.  In keeping with the survival mindset, I recommend a revolver of large caliber/capability.  Prior to the autoloading pistol revolution, the .357 magnum revolver was king of the hill for everyday use and adaptability.  Sure, you could go much more powerful with a .41 magnum or even a .44 magnum – but utility is the key here.  A 4 or 6 inch barreled revolver with the 125 grain semi-jacketed hollow point round was the #1 cartridge for one shot stops against human aggressors.  Perhaps it isn’t so anymore, I’m not really sure, but probably only because law enforcement has almost entirely has transitioned to the semi-automatic pistol in the last two decades into other calibers.  Nevertheless, it is an awesome round when properly employed.  In the late 1980s and early 1990s when the Navy’s SEAL (SEa, Air, and Land commandos) Team 6 was formed for counter terrorism employment, their duty handgun of choice for hostage rescue use was a 4 inch barreled .357 magnum revolver.  One should never feel ‘out gunned’ when having a .357 magnum revolver.  There are 7 and 8 shot models available as well, but even the 6 round standard models should suffice to get you back to your primary long arm.  Remember, it is shot placement that counts for hits, not spraying and praying with a semi-automatic pistol.  An 8 inch barrel would be best for strictly hunting purposes, a 4 inch barrel for daily belt carriage, a 2 inch barrel for concealment – perhaps a 5 shot model offering even more concealment.  I would venture to state the 6 inch barrel is probably best all around performer.  It can be used for hunting and is not unnecessarily bulky for daily wear with proper holsters, and this sidearm is not being used as a backup gun so being small and concealable is not an issue here.  Get yourself half a dozen speed loaders for whatever model you choose, and the pouches to carry them and you’ll be set.  Also, the .357 magnum chambering allows for a .38 special sub loading to be fired for practice and small game.  (The .38 special cartridge is actually the same .357 diameter bullet and about a quarter inch shorter case length than the .357 magnum round).  The .38 special is a very accurate round and has had very considerable handloading variations and commercially produced variations throughout its history.  This all equals great availability as well as versatility.

Third is a rifle.  The shotgun can do the job reliably out to about 50 yards with shotshells and approximately 150 yards with slugs.  Anything more distant than that and you will need a rifle for routine or repetitive interdiction.  The rifle should be bolt action, have a capacity for follow up shots – whether a detachable box magazine or integral type is up to your personal preference.  It would be an excellent idea for a fixed power telescope or rifle scope to ride on top.  And a good sling is a must.  You should select a caliber both common and having capability to take any game in the country side.  The .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO round would be my choice (with the .30-06 Springfield round a very close second place here).  It is common to the military and law enforcement communities.  It is prevalent in hunting.  With well placed shots, it can take any game in North America.  I can hear the cries out there already.  I know, I know, there are much better calibers for hunting polar bears and elk and elephants and – probably anything conceivable to your imagination.  But, commonality and capability is what we are talking here.  The military and police don’t stock .30-06 or .270 or .243 or 7mm or 8mm or whatever other caliber tickles your fancy.  If you are that concerned about caliber rather than shot placement, why not go all the way up to the .50 caliber Browning cartridge?  But, I digress.  The 7.62x51mm NATO / .308 Winchester will and does do the job nicely regardless of other counter claims.  And, it can be had in ‘short’ action rifles which are lighter and more compact thus handier for our envisioned use.  I like a ‘full sized’ short action bolt rifle with an integral magazine and 10x scope.  But, the Jeff Cooper “Scout” rifle concept is intriguing and definitely fills the bill as well.  A forward mounted 2x scope, detachable box magazine, Chino sling, short barrel, and .308 caliber would carry very nicely, be quick to operate in the field, and capable of both close in snap shooting and longer range deliberate engagements.  Either rifle at the ends of that spectrum can fill this requirement nicely, it will come down to personal preference.  Remember that it is better to engage threats farther away from you so you don’t need the shotgun to be used at close quarters.

Fourth is a rimfire.  The .22 long rifle cartridge is very versatile, fun to shoot, accurate, and can also be had in numerous loadings (target, hunting, plinking, even in small shotshells).  The .22 rimfire rifle could be used against vermin and small game.  It can be used for training.  It is an extremely accurate round out to 100 yards with target model click adjustable “iron” or “metallic” sights (as opposed to ‘scopes’ or ‘optical’ sights) able to move the impact of the bullet 1/8” at a time at that distance!  The uses of the .22 rimfire are endless.  Alligator/crocodile hunters use the .22 rimfire for ‘fishing’ these reptiles.  One shot to the brain accurately placed behind the eyes to the rear of the head instantly kills even the largest (greater than 12 feet weighing more than 700 pounds) crocodile or alligator.  Besides .22 rimfire ammunition becoming ballistic wampum in an “The End Of The World As We Know It” or “TEOTWAWKI” situation, you can carry or store a case of 5,000 rounds in about the area approximate to the size of two .50 caliber ammo cans.  In a pinch, the .22 rimfire could be used defensively against humans – just remember it is shot placement that is critical and with such a small statured round it will be absolutely critical here.  An eye, ear, or nose shot will take a bad guy out of the game; as would a good neck shot, or under the armpits, etc.  It wouldn’t be my first choice going to a fight, but sometimes you have to use what you have.  The .22 rimfire has taken ‘game’ as large as a whale.  Some 20 plus years ago a whale was found dead in a New England harbor – the cause of death was six (6) .22 rimfire rounds to the spine which ultimately caused its death through central nervous system shutdown.  So never let anyone kid you about the ‘small’ little round not being effective against anything but small game.  Additionally, the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan was with a .22 rimfire handgun and look at all the problems it caused him with one mid torso shot (which was a glance off the door frame by the way – not even a direct hit).

I’ll summarize for you to make a quick reference list:
            1. Shotgun: Pump Action, 18” interchangeable ‘riot’ barrel, ghost ring sights if available, flashlight forend if available, 28” interchangeable hunting barrel, 4 to 6 round tubular magazine, synthetic speedfeed stock usually holds an additional four (4) shotshells in the buttstock, sidesaddle shotshell carrier typically holds 3 to 6 additional shotshells on the side of the receiver, and sling for carrying.  I would keep a minimum of 100 shotshells available (they come in 25 round boxes).  I would store 25 shotshells in “#4” buckshot, 25 shotshells in “OOO” buckshot, 25 shotshells in one ounce rifled slugs, and 25 shotshells in birdshot – probably #7½ or “BB” size (.177 diameter) being good choices.  12 gauge with 3” chambering for men or 20 gauge with 3” chambering for women and children.
            2. Handgun: 6” barrel revolver, .357 magnum caliber, 5 to 8 round rotary magazine, 3 dot sighting system, half a dozen speed loaders, duty type belt holster and at least one dual speed loader pouch.  I would keep 100 rounds minimum available.  (They come in 50 round boxes for the most part.)  50 rounds of 125 grain semi-jacketed hollow points in .357 magnum for medium game and 50 rounds in 148 grain lead semi-wadcutter for target shooting or small game.
            3. Rifle: .308 Winchester / 7.62x51mm NATO caliber, bolt action, 10x fixed rifle scope for a full sized rifle or 2½X fixed forward mounted rifle scope for a ‘Scout’ rifle, 3 to 5 round magazine (integral preferred over a detachable box type), synthetic stock for durability, and a sling.  I would have 100 rounds minimum for use.  150 grain hollow points or pointed soft points in .308 Winchester would be my selection for ammunition.  (These typically come in 20 round boxes).  Barrels for a Scout size range from 16 to 20 inches.  Barrels for a standard size range from 18 to 24 inches.
            4. Rimfire: If you want a handgun, choose a revolver.  I’d make it a 6” or 8” barrel with holster and speed loaders.  If you’d rather a rifle, make it bolt action with a 16” or 18” barrel and a fixed power scope – probably a 2 to 6 power being fine, and a sling.  A magazine of some sort would be nice (tubular, integral, detachable, etc.) but not necessary.  Regardless of handgun or rifle, I would keep a minimum of a 500 round “brick” available.  These come in 50 round boxes and ten boxes are the size of a brick – hence the name.  Chose the high or hyper velocity 40 grain hollow point ammunition and any vermin and small game can easily be bagged.

Those four firearms should form the basis for each individual’s personal battery.  Then you can expand upon it for whatever specific or unique threat or purpose you may face.

For my own immediate family’s use, I have taken the liberty to somewhat bastardize Mel Tappan’s above concepts to be more aligned to the reality in my suburban neighborhood setting today; which unfortunately is way too close to other urban jungles from my viewpoint.  Every member of my nuclear family has either a civilian legalized  version Main Battle Rifle in 7.62x51mm NATO / .308 Winchester caliber or a civilian legalized version ‘Assault’ Rifle in 5.56x45mm NATO / .223 Remington caliber.  Both types have up to 15 round detachable box magazines, but 10 round magazines are most prevalent, and slings.  Every member of my nuclear family has a Defensive auto loading pistol in .45 ACP or 9mm Parabellum calibers with between 7 and 15 round magazines and a duty type belt holster.  Every member of my nuclear family has a pump action Riot Shotgun in 12 gauge with a 3” chambering with 5 to 8 round tubular magazines.  Every member of my nuclear family has a rimfire of some sort (pistol or rifle adapter or a rifle or pistol itself) in .22 Long Rifle caliber with up to 10 round magazines.

In accordance with Mel Tappan’s original concept, I have also to add one more firearm type to each person’s battery.  Every member of my nuclear family also has what is known as a Backup or Hideout Pistol and an ankle holster.  They are of the same caliber as their Defensive Pistol, and in most cases with same magazine capability, having magazine capacities of 5 to 15 rounds.

While perhaps on first glance this may appear somewhat of an overkill in concept, when one takes into consideration that Mel Tappan was concerned with surviving in a rural farm region far from even a suburban town with good hunting and like minded indigenous personnel around him; when the manure hits the fan we will have to deal with severe security issues in a populous nanny state and probably would have to literally shoot our way out or remain buttoned up while turning our home into a small built up fighting position.

Either way it more than likely will be a target rich environment with lots of zombies!  Better to be properly prepared and not need all this hardware then to need the hardware and not have it available.

I would never want this “Get Out Of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) scenario to ever develop, but if it there is a catastrophic event I feel confident my immediate family could (if necessary) shoot our way out to safety at our bug out location and restart our lives from there.  However it is such an extreme situation, I don’t see anything ‘GOOD’ coming out of it other than perhaps we would be able to survive the initial scrape.

Firearms are only one part of the overall survival equation.  Water harvesting is important.  Food storage is important.  Power generation is important.  Overall security is important.  Safety is important; especially firearms safety.  Health and physical fitness is important.  Tactics and outdoor living are important.  There are many, many pieces to the puzzle which are all equally important in their own ways.

I follow a very simple supposition based upon the ‘rules of three in death’.  Death is only 3 seconds away in a security situation in which someone is trying to kill you and you cannot adequately protect yourself (hence the need for firearms).  Death is only 3 minutes away in a situation where you cannot breath (drowning, fire/smoke condition, structural collapse, etc.).  Death is only 3 hours away in a situation where you are exposed to the elements of mother nature without adequate protection (need for clothing and shelter).  Death is only 3 days away without potable water (dehydration).  Death is only 3 weeks away without an adequate food supply (malnourishment).  Death is only 3 months away without a support network of family, friends, and like minded neighbors.  Death is only 3 years away without order and common defenses involving the community or a government of the people.

This is a very, very serious matter which will require thorough planning on your part, dedication to acquire the tools and equipment and skills and developing the necessary mindset you deem appropriate for your planned actions.  The will to not only follow through with you preparedness planning – but to implement and execute your plan when your set trip wire activation points occur and the thin veneer of society is rolled back in a catastrophic event or natural disaster or failure of government.  Whatever the cause, will you be ready?

When compiling a list of our survival necessities, we end up with a few basic categories: food, fuel, shelter, water, and protection. Stranded in the wilds, or a deserted island, water is the most important. Shelter comes in a close second, followed by fuel for water purification, food preparation, and sanitation, and ending with food for sustenance. If you add a sharpened stick, perhaps topped with a sharp rock, bone, or metal point, you can protect yourself from wild animals, kill or spear game and fish, and most importantly, fend off adversaries intent on taking your necessities for themselves, or harming or killing you.

In the modern context, our firearms provide the ability to protect our homes and persons from those criminals, or as recent national events have revealed, a movement by government officials, to strip that right of self protection from us to further an agenda of repression and abuse disguised as the philosophy of distribution of equal necessity and eventual misery to all of us. The push to limit, or remove from us, the most efficient firearms available, has been promoted alongside the limiting of magazine capacity, and even the quantity of rounds of ammunition at time of purchase, or acquired through the mail in bulk. We may retain the right to possess a semi-automatic self-loading rifle, and even make do with limited capacity magazines, but if the ability to fill those magazines with ammunition is curtailed, or out-right denied, then we are in serious trouble. You may have a gun safe loaded up with several rifles, and a few magazines, but if you run out of ammunition, you’ll end up with an expensive, un-wieldy club.
 
My wife and I have enjoyed ten years of participation in the shooting sports, namely Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS). This discipline has allowed us to travel across the United States and make many friends and hone our rifle, shotgun, and pistol shooting abilities. One of the first things we became aware of, was the fact that if we competed more than once a month, we would incur a significant cost of purchasing commercially manufactured ammunition. When I started shooting CAS back in 2003, I could buy a box of 50 rounds of Winchester .45 colt “cowboy” loads for $17.99, and a box of shotgun shells for $ 2.99. That added up to about $40 per match.

Now, a box of both rifle/pistol, and a box of shotgun cowboy rounds is about double that, approaching $80. Most CAS shooters shoot more than one match a month, and the average is 3 matches or so locally. That adds up to quite a bit of money. We were fortunate to have close friends gift us a Dillon 550B and dies as a wedding gift, (we met through mutual friends while CAS shooting) and I found I could drop the $17.99 cost of  box of .45’s down to $3!. My monthly ammunition coast plummeted from 80 per match, down to $6, and then I found a used Lee Load-all 12 gauge shotgun loader, and further dropped my shotgun shell per box cost down to 1/3 of the coast of a commercially loaded box, while adjusting the shot and powder load down to a comfortable “feather-light” type shell. I helped a friend sell bullets he started casting after he bought a lead bullet casting machine, and was making and selling cowboy-type lead bullets at quite a savings. Now all I had to do was buy powder and primers, and re-use my brass, to further drop my cost down to about $2 a box for both rifle/pistol AND shotgun shells.

Back a few years ago, post-election, and fear-driven, ammo sales and availability cleaned out most shelves of stock. Not for us, we had always have components on hand, as we shoot 3-4 matches per month, and travel to larger state and regional shoots requiring double the normal amount of ammunition. Fortunately as well, we are constantly running into folks who have bulk amounts of primers and other components, which we buy at a savings over sporting goods, or box stores. The shortage never impacted us, as we always used the “off” time between competition seasons to load enough rounds to compete in the next season, mostly several thousand in each caliber. My wife shoots .38 Special cartridges in her rifle and pistol, and I shoot .45 Colts in mine. I spent any time after getting our handgun cartridges loaded, to loading as many 12 gauge shotgun shells as I could, just for that “rainy day.”

For the prepper, or even average gun owner, who see’s the hand-writing on the wall, and is concerned about the availability of rifle, pistol, or shotgun ammunition, or for those who just want to invest a small amount to save on future is ammo costs, or even to add a universally needed survival commodity to their barter stock, or home mini-store, ammunition reloading equipment is a great choice.

Getting started in reloading ammunition is very easy. You can start out with a single-stage or multiple-die turret-style press, and move up as you wish to a the next stage, which is a manually indexed press, all the way up to a fully-automatic self-indexing commercial ammunition reloading press. Most all major manufacturers of reloading presses, have a life-time warranty on the units, covering replacement of parts and even some add-on accessories damaged or broken during normal usage.

Single-stage presses, such as those from RCBS and Lee Precision are extremely well-made, and can last several generations. RCBS makes  several single-stage presses you can find used for under $100 such as the RCBS Rock Chucker from Midway which when new comes as a kit with everything you need to start loading. If you buy just the press, you simply purchases a set of 3-4 stage dies in the favorite caliber, and a 50 or 100 round loading plate, in order to process the cartridges 50-100 at a time. First you would  de-cap and size the cleaned cases, re-prime either with the priming die, or by sizing, and then hand-priming with a hand-held primer tool. Then the powder charges are measured out with either a pre-measured powder dipper, (Lee Precision makes the universal set of graduated dippers in a set) and dropped into the primed cases, then the seating and crimp die is screwed into the press and the primed and charged cases and topped with a bullet, and rammed up into the die to produce a finished cartridge.

The Dillon 550B is a very popular press, used by 80% of the cowboy action shooters, and it’s set-up with a set of separately purchased dies, which consist of the case forming/de-priming die, the case belling / powder charging die, which has a automatic pre-set powder measure atop it, actuated by the up-thrust of the sized and primed case into the die, the operator then manually indexes the entire case plate to the next die where he places a bullet atop the charged, and primed case which seats the bullet to the proper depth, and then indexes it around to the final crimp die which crimps the bullet firmly into the case, producing a finished bullet. The Dillon press has an automatic primer feed device, which one pre-loads with 100 or so primers in a tube which places, and seats, a primer automatically into the case after the de-priming action has completed its action. The Dillon is sturdy, easy to adjust, and it’s easy to remove a case midway through the loading sequence to check powder charge, etc., by removing station holding pins at any point. The operator is required to only perform two manual moves, to place an empty case in the first station, the de-prime/sizing die station, and then place a bullet atop the charged/primed case at the third station, all the while rotating, or indexing the base-plate with finger movement, which positions the cases under each appropriate progressive die in the sequence.
Dillon makes a basic single-stage-type hybrid press, the 550 both a bit less expensive, but upgrade called the Square Deal B without some of the 550B’s features, and also an XL 650 with an auto-indexing feature, an auto-case feeding feature etc.  Dillon makes a commercial grade automatic-type press as well if you want to get into mass production and cartridge sales, the SL 900.

A Lee Turret-style press is a take-off on the moving base-plate type press, and the 3-4 dies are positioned atop a rotating top plate mount, while the cases remain stationary below them. Priming and charging the cases with powder are done manually be the operator, although a auto-prime attachment can also be purchased and affixed to take care of this function. This type of press is most often used in reloading at a slower rate, in reloading rifle cartridges, especially shouldered rifle caliber cases.

Lee Precision makes an automatic pistol caliber press called the Lee Pro 1000.  Lee also makes an upgrade as well, the Lee Load Master. It functions very similarly to the Dillon 550B, with the exception of the unit costing much less, and it is auto-indexing, however the down-side is that the priming mechanism is gravity fed, and if the mechanisms are not kept stringently clean, and full of primers, the occasional un-primed case will make its way through to the end. It’s harder to remove a case mid-way through the process to double-check for powder or other component, unlike the Dillon, which is fairly easy to do so. The operator is only required to perform one hand function, aside from operating the press operating handle, which is to place a bullet onto the charged /primed case. This is because the Lee is equipped with a case-feeder, which collates, and sorts, rim-down, cases, after a handful is dropped into the top of the case feeder device funnel.

Having been a prepper for many years, harkening back to the late-1970s “survivalist” movement when the Oregon Rogue River was the destination of many like-minded individualists, I easily saw how accumulating the proper reloading equipment would come in handy. 

The first reloading press I bought, was on the internet at one of the CAS sites where shooting-related merchandise was sold. It was an RCBS single-stage press, for $50 shipping included. I picked up the loading block, and components at my local gun shop, and stared reading up on my new hobby. The first few years shooting under the rules of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) in cowboy action shooting, I reloaded black powder, and black powder substitutes for rifle/pistol, and 12 gauge. The substitute black powder was easier to clean up, and more forgiving with loading data. I sold the press for $75, after loading many thousands of rounds on it. The Dillon 550B is a great machine, and setting one up is fairly easy. I acquired a video-tape of the set-up, which answered many questions for a beginner such as me, and any time I had a broken part, I could call toll-free, and would get replacements at no cost. Many of the larger shoots we attended have prize drawings included with the shoot registration, and many time Dillon 550B, and even auto-indexing XL 650’s would be given away as prizes to a lucky few. One that note, you can buy a 550B and add on case feeding devices and other upgrades.

I found a used Lee Pro 1000 for $75 at a cowboy shoot swap table, and apparently the owner had a few “mechanical” issues with it, as he had broken a few parts, and rather than call and get free replacements, he had rigged the thing up with fishing snap-swivels and discarded the case feeder tubes when they got bent. I called Lee and bought a collator for it, and they sent me replacement plastic case feeder tubes and the proper linkage for free along with it. It is not as forgiving a the Dillon, but is quite a bit faster once you get it all dialed in. It’s a love-hate thing.

Once the last two elections solidified in my mind the almost inevitability of the political atmosphere's left-leaning swing towards firearms, magazines and gun ownership, I decided to accumulate as many common caliber die sets and components as possible, 9mm, .30-30, .380, .38, .45 ACP, 7.62x39, .308, and 30-06. That way I could re-load for anyone that happened to need ammunition post-TEOTWAWKI. I can use this set-up as barter fodder, and have stock-piled primers, brass, bullets, and shot. For this enterprise. Speaking of the later, one can find lots of re-claimed shot at most gun ranges now days, since the anti-lead environmental extremists have made enough noise to force gun ranges to either contract to have the lead removed, or they do it themselves, and re-bag it for resale.

I can buy a bag of pre-sorted and cleaned recycled shot for $24 per 25 pound bag, as opposed to paying $46 currently at a local sporting goods chain.

A company called Corbin makes bullet-bases disks to swage onto the base of lead bullets, so his one can load them into rifle cartridges without the lead bullets leading the barrels. This is essential when loading battle-rifle cartridges in 7.62, and .223/5.56 calibers. Since I have several rifles in pistol caliber, both .38 and .45 Colt, plus several sets of single-action pistols in the same calibers, I plan on using them post-TEOTWAWKI around the homestead, and saving my 7.62 ,.223, and like caliber loaded commercially for heavy engagements. As long as I have powder, lead, primers, re-usable brass cases in .38,. .45 Colt, and ..45 ACP, I’m calling it good for the long haul.

I would encourage anyone who has firearms to look into reloading as a way to provide an almost un-ending supply of ammunition if TSHTF. Ammunition to use to protect your own household, and to use to barter for goods and services.

Mr. Rawles
I would like to share with you an automated ("Bot") web site, that is currently in beta test, which hounds the Internet for current, in stock ammo.  It lists various calibers (5.56, 762x39, 7.62, 9mm,), brand, etc.  I discovered this when reading the Western Rifle Shooters Association blog.

Best Regards, - G.H.

This afternoon I went to the 3 day gun show (Friday 3-8 and all day Sat, Sun) which began on Friday at 3PM.  Being retired it was easy for me to go but clearly a very large number of people left work early to get ahead of the Saturday morning crowds.

So we all got the Friday afternoon crowd instead!

Parking in a disabled slot, a gentleman in security noted that I was a 100 percent disabled Veteran and allowed me to walk straight in rather than wait in either of the two lines which went at least 500 meters in either direction.  The line was far bigger than I've ever seen.  It was astonishing!

Once in the door the line went straight to the back where the ammo dealers were.  The dealers were advising people to not even shop for themselves but to simply line up for the cash register and tell their staff what ammo they wanted and it would be handed to them as they waited for their turn to pay.  No mention of brands, just calibers and quantities.  

It reminded e of the old Soviet Union and people lining up to buy shoes.  "I'll take a case of .223, five boxes of .45 ACP and three boxes of 9mm and a box of .38 Special if you have it.  They would move along the line and await their ration and turn to pay.

Everyone bitched about the prices and the profiteering but few left the line.  They just adjusted what they were willing to buy or what they were willing to spend to match the new reality.  

Shooter grade ammo in .223 and.308 was a buck a round!  AK ammo was only slightly less.  And that was the price by the case!  A 1,000 round case was $1,000.  No negotiation.  No discount.

I bought two ammo cans of Lake City GI issue M2 ball .30-06 in en bloc clips to feed my M1 Garand rifles for a comparative bargain price as most people were in a feeding frenzy for the modern stuff.  Luckily I had stocked up before the election so I just shook my head and figured I'd wait for the furor to die down in a year or so.

Magpul PMAGs were averaging $50 to $60 each. As low as $45 if you bought in quantity or were a regular customer of the dealer.  [JWR Adds: These magazines were selling for as little as $11 wholesale and $16 retail, just before the frenzy.]

Genuine AK mags were $60 bucks each.  Perhaps somebody had them at a better price but I never saw them except for the cheap plastic junk.  

Cruddy old metric FN FAL mags that had sold for $4 each were $20 each.

I brought along a marginal quality Vulcan flat top AR and it was quickly snatched up for $1,600 within minutes of my walking in the door.  Most people were asking $2,000 for ARs but mine was an off-brand and a plain Jane version which I didn't really like.  Besides, I have a half dozen better ones at home so I was happy to unload it for a hefty profit.

Oh, just so you understand, people were BUYING.   Why?  

Because they knew that on Saturday most dealers would be sold out and there would be nothing at any price.  It reminded me of the panic before a blizzard hits when people strip the stores.

Most buyers said they believed there would be a ban and or confiscation.  Some said they were expecting an economic and society collapse.  A few said they believed we were about to have all of the above and it would cause a civil war between the Constitutionalists and the Federalists.

Best Regards, - Gunwriter

JWR Replies: Reader K.A.F. recently sent me the link to article that dovetails with comments, nicely: SITREP.

Dear JWR:
I currently live in the People's Republic of Illinois and have seen the mad dash for ammo and firearms make it very difficult to acquire even the standard .22 Long Rifle rimfire ammo that until a few months ago could be purchased by the case at nearly any Wal-Mart, gun shop, or sporting goods store. Recently when browsing the aisles of both Bass Pro Shop and Wal-Mart I noticed something rather peculiar: that .22 Magnum ammunition was aplenty. This struck me as really odd that .22 Magnum was even being sold in bulk packs (CCI brand) at Bass Pro with no purchase limits. It appeared as though one could easily (even now) buy 5,000 rounds of .22 Magnum without so much as a single person to compete with for it. My thoughts are now leaning towards acquiring a Kel-Tec PMR-30 [30-round .22 Magnum pistol] as well as a decent bolt-action (also in .22 Magnum) so as to provide myself the flexibility to buy this ammo even in times when other calibers may be hard to come by.

Your thoughts and opinion would be appreciated. Thanks, - K.

JWR Replies: That might be a good mitigation plan for our current circumstances. But keep in mind that even after the current shortages end that the cost per round for .22 Magnum will always be substantially higher--which makes target shooting more expensive. Hearing protection is also crucial with this cartridge. Our friends at Chuckhawks provide some background info and here are some ballistics comparisons. Yes, the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) has substantially more energy than .22 LR, but it is quite expensive.

You should also consider that WTSHTF, the current supply situation may be reversed to the longer term norm, for barter. (Since .22 LR is ubiquitous, while .22 Magnum will always be the much more expensive oddball.) So stock up heavily if you opt for .22 Magnum rimfires.

As Seen on TV – My Humble Beginnings
I admit I've watched just about every episode out there from all of the popular survival shows – Survivorman, Beyond Survival, Man vs. Wild, Dual Survival, Man Woman Wild, and yes, even Worst Case Scenario with Bear Gryllis . I ate it all up. Those shows got me hooked on wilderness survival. My Christmas and birthday lists went from a focus on video games and computer upgrades to things like paracord, solar blankets, magnesium fire starters, etc. I also got a few great books that gave me vast amounts of knowledge. Everything I stocked up on I saw as something to use should the power go out, the car break down, etc. This is all before the term prepper went mainstream. I didn't consider myself a 'prepper' at this point – just someone who prepared for a few emergency scenarios. Then I saw the first season of The Colony. That got me thinking about home security and stocking food. There was nothing romantic about The Colony like there was with the other shows. I quickly realized my problem – I didn't live in or near the wilderness. I have always been, and will most likely always be, a suburbanite. I had my wife watch the episodes with me so we could talk about what we would do. How would we fare in that situation? Unfortunately, that's all it was at that point – just talk, no action.

My Reality Check – Survival School
For my birthday, my wife registered me and my brother for a wilderness survival school in Florida (http://www.byronkernssurvival.com). I had an absolute blast there and realized something very important. Seeing how to do things on television is no comparison to doing it in real life! I know – common sense right? Before the class, I was completely confident that I could make a friction fire or snare some dinner if I had to. Not only did I learn many important basics in the school, but I also got a lot of hands-on experience on making a knee-high fire in no time, building a proper debris shelter, as well as a plethora of other life-saving skills. I would highly suggest all of you out there to get registered for a course. Get your hands dirty. Better yet, bring your spouse or your friends along. You don't want to be in a life-or-death situation to try something for the first time, especially something as important as making shelter or fire. Practice, practice, practice! If you look at some survival school schedules, you'll see that there are discounts many times or even free classes posted (http://www.survivalogic.com/2013/01/esee-offering-free-training-courses.html)!

Podcasts – Free Information on Just About Anything
Next to YouTube, you can find a podcast for just about anything – from investing, to gaming, to travel – even Prepping. If there was any podcast that got me into the whole 'prepper' movement, it was In The Rabbit Hole (http://www.intherabbithole.com/). I did try out some others, but for the most part, the hosts always seemed a little odd or too political for my tastes. These guys (Aaron and Jonathan) were my gateway to prepping – I quickly found many other sites (http://www.emsnewbie.com, http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/, etc) and people to follow, like Lisa Bedford (http://thesurvivalmom.com/), who often has free webinars. I give a lot of credit to these guys in getting me up to speed. This is about the time I started considering myself a 'prepper'. Some of their episodes that were eye-opening to me included being 'gray', home schooling, survival skills vs survival gear, situational awareness, bug out bags and every day carries…I could keep listing more and more. Every episode was filled with so much useful knowledge. They also have a great forum and unbiased gear reviews. If you're new to, or just plain interested in, prepping, I would start with these guys. You can download their episodes and listen to them whenever you like.

Don't let your quest for knowledge stop there. The Internet is full of free resources and advice. Get out there and search for other forums. Get involved. Ask questions. Find a group of preppers with the similar mindset you can share ideas with.

Food Storage & Gadgets on the Cheap
There's a very simple method called "copy canning" (http://www.survival.com/y2kpreparations.htm) for food storage that anyone can put in the practice right away. I believe I first heard about this on In The Rabbit Hole.It doesn't involve going overboard buying $5,000 worth of freeze dried food. Well, if you can afford to do that, more power to you! For the rest of us, this is a great, affordable method. The article has a lot of information, but here's the most simplistic way to look at it: Every time you go to the store and buy a can or box of food, buy an extra one (or more if you can afford it). That way you know you're buying what you already eat. When you get home, always put the newer items in the back. Then, eat the older stuff. A lot of people who stock up on food mistakenly stock up on foods they have never tried before. There's no point in buying 3-months of food that no one in the family will go near. With copy canning and the information in the article above, you can stock up on plenty of the things you already use. Even if you're not 'prepping' per-say, think of it as a hedge on inflation (as Aaron and Jonathan say). This method can be used for all of your consumables (toothpaste, feminine napkins, toilet paper, soap, etc).

Canned food? Check. I also knew I wanted to get a dehydrator so I could preserve foods and make things like jerky and fruit leathers. Just like anything, you'll always find the best deals online. I watched craigslist for a food dehydrator a month before I spotted a great deal. I paid $80 for an Excalibur 2900. It has 9 trays and comes with waxy paper for making things that would otherwise spill through (like fruit leathers, chilli, etc). It helped that I watched many, many videos from Dehydrate 2 Store (http://www.dehydrate2store.com/). She has the most helpful and comprehensive videos out there when it comes to dehydrating food. Quick Tip: You don't need to buy more wax paper inserts – I bought a pack of five silicone cutting board sheets and cut them to fit on the dehydration trays. They work like a charm and only cost about $6. So you don't have to pay full price – just be patient and watch the classifieds or Craigslist or eBay. That reminds me, I also found a guy on Craigslist that sells food-grade 55-gallon barrels for $10 each! I now have water storage taken care of as a result. It's all out there, you just have to look!

I recently bought a Foodsaver 3880 kit using a coupon and saved a ton of money on that as well. That in conjunction with my Excalibur makes an unstoppable food storage combination. Did you know the Foodsaver is also good for keeping important documents and electronics protected as well?

It was the food dehydrator that got my wife excited about storing food. It was such an awesome feeling when she came home from shopping and said she bought an extra crate of fruit for us to dehydrate for later. I never thought I would've seen the day. This came from someone who would roll her eyes when I talked about anything prepper-related. Now she regularly buys extra food and consumables from the store to stock up.

Keep in mind this is over a period of about a year and a half. I didn't just go out there and start buying things up right away. Don't prep yourself into debt!

Another quick tip – I have five 1-gallon and ten 5-gallon food grade storage buckets, all of which I got for free. All I do is call my local Wal-Mart and ask to be transferred to the bakery department. I ask if they have any buckets they'd like to get rid of. These usually had icing in them for all the cakes. They cleaned them up and gave them to me for free. Your results may vary, but I've heard this working just about everywhere.

When It's Time to Have The Talk
No, we're not talking about the birds and the bees. We're talking about firearms. Some people are from families that are very open to guns, and some people aren't. Growing up, my family never had a gun in the house. My wife's parents absolutely object to the very thought of guns (thank you media). I always knew I wanted my own firearms. If you don't want anything to do with firearms, I respect your decision as well. You can skip this section.
I turned to people for advice asking how to convince the wife to let me buy some guns. Unfortunately, the most common response was "Just buy them, and she'll learn to live with it. Then you can just keep buying them." Yes, that does work surprisingly well for many people. That's not how I wanted to approach it.

My wife and I are members of a couple different ranges here and have been for a few years now. We'd rent the guns and just shoot for an hour or two. That's about it. Over a period of about three months or so, I would pick times to talk to my wife about the possibility of gun ownership, what it meant to us, and what the pros and cons were. She talked about what scared her most and I would tell her my thoughts. If I didn't have an answer to any of her questions, I would do some research and then tell her what I thought. It was quite a process, but I gained a lot of knowledge (and mutual respect) as a result.
It just so happens I got a gift card to Bass Pro Shop from the survival school I attended. When I asked her if I could use it to buy a Ruger 10/22, she simply said "yes." Had I asked the same question three months prior, I already know what the answer would've been. It would've been a flat out "No Way! No guns in the house!"

I've since gotten my concealed carry permit (again, a gift from my wife) as well as a concealed carry pistol. We still aren't exactly where I want to be yet, but we've taken great leaps forward. I know in the future, if I'm thinking about anything, firearm or anything else, I can talk to her about it. If we decide to purchase something or not, it'll be a mutual decision.
Note: By all means, if you have kids in the house, be sure to take them to an Eddie Eagle class if possible. Our gun range offers them free of charge every few weeks or so. If those aren't offered in your area, teach your kids the proper actions to take should they find a gun.

If any of you are in a situation where your spouse is unwilling to let you purchase a firearm, I urge you to talk things out. Don't Argue. Talk. Respect your spouse. Don't go behind his or her back – while it may be easier, it's not right.
A quick few tips:

• If you purchase a firearm for defense, get one that you can hit the target with. You don't need the highest caliber known to man. You're no good to yourself or your family if you can't hit someone trying to do you harm.
• Practice, practice, practice! Again, if you decide to have a firearm, you have a responsibility to know how to use it properly.
• Get a gun safe (or two) and keep it locked. Too many people are too lazy to lock their safes. Robbers count on this. Especially if you have kids, be sure to lock things up.

The Journey Continues
I've only been actually 'prepping' for about a year and a half now. I think I have food storage down for the most part. I have a way to hunt for food and protect my family. I even have some wilderness survival gear and training. My journey is far from complete, however. I still have things I want to work on, and ideas to talk through with the wife.

If you're serious about survival, you have to have some type of .22 Long Rifle (LR) firearm in your battery. Some will argue against the effectiveness of a .22 LR but I'm not one of them. You can take all manner of small game and fowl, with a well-placed shot from a .22 LR handgun or rifle. And, in a pinch, it will serve as a self-defense weapon as well. No, I'm not advocating the .22 LR as your one and only self-defense firearm, but it will sure do in a pinch, and make the bad guys wish they were some place else.
 
I've been a fan of Ruger firearms for many, many years - they never cease to amaze me with the new products they come out with every year - they don't sit back on past accomplishments! And, if there is one thing that you can count on with Ruger firearms, its that their products are well-made, strong and reliable. The new Ruger SR22 semiauto handgun was recently released. What we have is a 10 round magazine - and you get two of them with each pistol, as well as two magazine floor plates - one flat and the other with an extension for catching your pinky if you have large hands. I don't know why more gun companies does provide a second magazine with their handguns - it's a must if you ask me!
 
The SR22 weighs in a 17.5 ounces, with the black polymer frame, and this pistol just feels perfect in the hand, everyone who tried this little pistol loved the way it felt in their hands. Plus, the grip sleeve can be slid off and a different one slides on there for a thicker feel. Everyone preferred the thicker and more curved grip to the slimmer one that was installed on the SR22. The polymer frame has an ambidextrous magazine release, as well as decocker/safety both are easy to manipulate. There is also a Picatinny rail on the front of the frame, for mounting a light or a laser.
 
The slide has an adjustable rear sight and fixed front sight - 3-dot variety, and you can actually reverse the rear sight blade so that it is completely black if you so desire. The barrel is 3.50-inches, housed in the all black slide, the barrel is fixed in place. Take-down is extremely easy - pull down on the take-down tab inside the trigger guard (on the top of the trigger guard) and you pull back on the slide and lift it up and remove it. Make sure the gun is unloaded first! The SR22 requires very little in the way of lubrication, too!
 
I fired more than 1,000 rounds of various .22 LR ammo through my SR22 sample, and there was never a single malfunction of any sort - and some of the ammo I used in my testing was very old - some even corroded, but the SR22 just never missed a beat. I was totally impressed to say the least. The two supplied magazines were easy to load, thanks to the tab on the side of the magazine, that you can pull down with your thumb as you load each round into the mag. My SR22 was sighted in for 25 yards and was dead on at that distance...no adjustments were required. On average, I was getting 3-inch groups at 25 yards, and that is from a standing, free-hand position. I didn't bench rest the SR22 to see if I could wring more accuracy out of it!
 
I had more than half a dozen people test-fire my SR22 sample, and each one loved the way it felt, handled and the accuracy. I was so impressed with the SR22, that I bought one for my wife and for one of my daughters for Christmas presents - so they would stop borrowing my sample. On more than one occasion, my wife has "confiscated" one of my firearms samples - never to return it. She likes to say she'll "share" with me - yes, my gun! My daughter took her SR22 out with some friends, and they had no problems with her gun - ditto for my wife's SR22 sample.
 
Quite frankly, I wasn't going to bother with the SR22, until my friend fellow gun writer John Taffin told me that I just had to get one - he was impressed with his sample, that he did an article on, that I took his word for it, and got my own. I'm glad I did. If you do any camping, backpacking or hiking in the boonies, it's always a good idea to have some kind of firearm on-hand - laws permitting. You never know what you might encounter out on the trail - or just have a day of fun shooting and plinking - a brick of .22 LR ammo doesn't weigh that much, and 500 rounds will give you a fun filled day of shooting. Of course, right now, all caliber of ammo is hard to come by - thanks to the recent anti-gun legislation and Executive Orders that came down the pike. People are buying ammo like there's no tomorrow, and in my area, there isn't a round of .22 LR ammo to be found.
 
I honestly couldn't find a single thing I didn't like on the SR22 sample - it even comes with a black carrying case, that is included in the box the gun comes in - as well as the massive lock for securing the gun against unauthorized use. One other reason I like Ruger firearms is because they are simple in design - and that equates to less things to break, and more reliability. The SR22 has a retail price of $399 however, as with all Ruger firearms, you can usually find them discounted quite a bit. The SR22 is an absolute best-buy in my book, and it will give you many years of fun and the reliability factor is there - something that can't be said about many .22 LR pistols - many are very picky about what ammo they will 100% work with - not so with the SR22. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

A little about me: I am 27 years old, I have been married to my wife for 7 years. We have two boys, ages six and 22 months. Both my wife and I are school teachers; I also coach football and power lifting. So, we are the epitome of the American middle class. I have always enjoyed hunting, camping and the outdoors. So I have developed some basic “outdoorsman” skills throughout my youth and early adult hood.
As a young child and early teen, I was very interested in survival, homesteading, and living off the land. I remember reading Foxfire books with my grandfather and dreaming of becoming a true mountain man. I wanted to be a real Jeremiah Johnson. My grandfather passed away when I was thirteen and I subsequently lost interest because it was something we talked about together. It was just too upsetting to think about without him. Shortly after his passing, I began high school and eventually college and “got caught up in life”.
In the last several months, I have become very interested in emergency preparedness for my family. I was truly overwhelmed with the amount of information I discovered; some of it very good, some so-so, and some just plain off-the-wall. I am writing this in hopes that it will save others in the same situation I was in some time. Just like in any other survival or preparedness situation, time is of the essence.
This article is meant as an introduction for someone who has little to no background information on the subject. This article could also be useful to the serious prepper who never thought about how they would get back to their shelter if a disaster struck while they were “out and about.” This is a “primer” to get people thinking about survival situations. Are there some better choices out there? Possibly. Did I say my suggestions were the cold, hard, fast rules?  No. Take this article as it was meant.
I have run across several three tier survival models in my searching. I have also discovered several good sources for emergency preparedness for bugging out and sheltering in place. I have combined the information in what I am calling 4-Tier Survival. The tiers are as follows:

• TIER ONE: This is your everyday carry (EDC) on person. You should have this with you 24/7 or as close to 24/7 seven as possible. Basically, if you have pants on, you should have these items with you.
• TIER TWO: This is your EDC bag. You should have this with you or within reach 24/7. Take it with you to work, the grocery store, running to the gas station, etc. If you walk out the door of your house, it should be with you.
• TIER THREE: This is your 72 hour kit, bug out bag, SHTF bag, or any of those other catchy names for them. At a minimum you need one. If you only have the funds for one, so be it. But, eventually I would suggest having one for the house, the vehicle and possibly at work if you have the space to store one.
• TIER FOUR: This is for long term preparedness. This is long-term food and water storage and procurement methods. Always prepare your home to shelter-in-place first. Then, if you have a secondary bug out location, prepare it. Depending on the disaster or emergency you may or may not be able to bug out. On the other hand, you may be forced to evacuate or bug out.

Before I go any farther in this article I want to give you a great piece of advice: Develop and hone your knowledge, ability and skills over the knives, tools and kits. A vast amount of knowledge and skills with a minimum amount of tools will keep you and your family alive a lot longer than a vast amount of tools and minimum amount knowledge and skills will. This may seem contradictory to what this article is about. But, do not lose sight of this advice. Everyone knows someone who has the newest, best whatever it is but no clue how to use it. This makes them look like a fool. Don’t be a fool.
When creating the tiers, I kept in mind the basic needs of a survival situation, shelter, water, fire, food and I am going to add protection. In a the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) situation, protecting yourself, your family, home, supplies and gear could be a paramount priority. The first three tiers will enable you to get to your fourth tier. We all find ourselves away from
Now, let’s discuss the tools and supplies I feel are needed for each tier. This is by no means the end all, be all list of what is needed. This is what I have come up with for my kits. Feel free to add or take away as you feel necessary. This is based off of my skill set and my family needs. I wanted to condense a lot of information into a single article and basically get you thinking about what you will need. I want you to come up with your own kits. I also wanted to show you that all of the tiers are possible. They will take some time, energy and money, but anyone can do this.
Note: I will not get very technical in the types/brands of items to carry. Use your own judgment; remember, most times you get what you pay for. Also, I go by the mantra, “Two is one, one is none.”
TIER ONE: On-person EDC

• Blades/Tools
• Quality folding knife of your choice. Make sure it is sharp. You are more likely to injure yourself trying to cut something with a dull knife than you are using a sharp knife.
• Quality multi-tool. There are many options available. Look at the type of environment you spend the majority of time in, consider your skills, and use this to decide the brand/style of tool you want to carry.
• Lock picks/Bogota – I choose NOT to carry these as of now. Remember what I said about skills earlier. I know I don’t have the skills needed to use these. Now, once I develop the skills, they will be added to my EDC.
• Small compass. Just to get a general direction if needed.
• Pen and small notepad. I personally like the waterproof kind. Nothing like getting caught in the rain and losing everything you have made notes of.
• Small survival whistle.
• Cotton bandana.
• P-38 can opener. I carry one on my key ring. I forget it is even there, until I need it.
• Cell Phone
• Pretty self-explanatory. Pretty much everyone has a cell phone that they carry anyway. [JWR Adds: It is important to also keep a 12 VDC cell phone "car charger" handy.]
• Cordage
• 550 Cord. There are lots of different, creative ways to carry. There are bracelets, key fobs, zipper pulls, belts, even lacing your boots/shoes with it. Learn how to braid your own items.
• Fire
• Small brand name lighter. Cheap and easy to carry way to start a fire.
• Small firesteel. Another cheap, easy to carry way to start a fire.
• Tinder. Could be a magnesium rod, dryer lint, or any brand of quick tinder that is out on the market now, you should know what works. I prefer magnesium rods; they take up less room and are light.
• Firearm
• I am not going to start the never-ending conversation of discussing brands and calibers.
• Find a gun that you can comfortably carry and shoot.
• Shoot, a lot.
• Shoot from behind cover, kneeling, sitting, lying down, standing, off hand, from one yard to 25 yards.
• Shoot some more.
• Practice reloading, practice reloading behind cover, practice reloading standing, kneeling, lying down, off hand.
• Practice some more.
• Light
• Small flashlight. I personally look for an LED version that runs off of AA or AAA batteries. Look for one that is waterproof or at the very least water resistant.
• Keychain LED light. Look for one that has a locking on/off switch. These are easier to use in the fact that they do not have to have constant pressure on the switch to illuminate.
• USB Drive
• I use my USB drive to store all types of important documents and other information I run across and want to save. I have encrypted my USB drive in case it falls into the wrong hands. (I strongly suggest doing this.) Also, save the information under nondescript names. In other words, don’t save the file as: “Insurance Papers” or “Social Security Cards”, etc.
• Birth/Marriage Certificates
• Social Security Cards
• Driver’s License
• Insurance Policies/Cards
• Vehicle Registrations/Insurance
• Medical/Shot Record
• Recent Check Stubs/Bank Statements
• Stocks/Bonds
• Property Description
• Another option/addition to this is online file storage. There are many places available on the internet to store files on a remote server and be able to access from any computer or cell phone with internet access.

Some people I have seen carry as much as possible on their keychain. The only thing with that is if you lose your keys, you have lost a lot of your gear. I carry some stuff on my belt, some in pockets and some on a keychain. I have even seen and thought about carrying some items around my neck. Whatever you feel comfortable with and what works for you is best.

TIER TWO: EDC Bag
Tier two is going to contain pretty much everything from tier one except bigger and better.

• Blades/Tools
• Quality fixed blade knife of your choice. Again make sure it is sharp.
• Sharpening stone.
• Quality multi-tool. I would look at one to complement the one from tier one. A little larger and possibly features that the other does not have. I personally wouldn’t want the exact same model from tier one. Look at the ones that have the screwdriver possibilities.
• Small entry bar or pry bar.
• Larger more reliable compass. Possibly a GPS system if you are so inclined. If you are in a large urban environment, I would have a city map in my EDC bag.
• Pens and notepad again. Plenty of pens and permanent markers.
• P-51 can opener.(A scaled-up version of the P-38.)
• Cell Phone/Communications
• This is where I would keep a wall charger for my cell phone.
• I would also think about one of the emergency chargers that run off of batteries at this point.
• I also carry a pay-as-you go phone in my EDC bag. On some occasions when one service is down, others are still up and running. It’s a cheap insurance policy.
• Radio of some sort. Depends on your location and abilities.
• Cordage
• I would carry no less than 25 feet of 550 cord in my EDC bag. The more the better. Again, options here, braid it to take up less space, key fobs, I’ve seen some braided water bottle carriers. Use your imagination
• I have run across Kevlar cord, no personal experience with it. But, something I will check out.
• I would toss in some duct tape and electrical tape here. You can take it off of the cardboard roll and roll it onto itself and it takes up very little room.
• Possibly some wire, picture hanging wire works well.
• Possibly some zip ties. Various sizes as you see fit.
• I also have a couple of carabiners clipped to my bag.
• Fire
• Another cheap lighter.
• Larger firesteel.
• More tinder. Personally I prefer the magnesium, but whatever you are comfortable with.
• Firearm
• I personally don’t see the need to carry a second firearm.
• I would however warrant the carrying of at least two spare magazines for the handgun in tier one.
• First-Aid
• Basic first aid kit.
• Package of quick slotting agent.
• Basic EMT shears.
• Basic pain relievers, fever reducers, upset stomach tablets etc.
• Small bottle of hand sanitizer.
• Baby wipes.
• Food
• I always carry a couple of energy or meal replacement bars in my bag. If nothing else, I may have to work through lunch and need a snack.
• Some people will toss a freeze-dried meal or MRE if they have room. Personally, I don’t.
• A small pack of hard candy.
• Light
• I personally prefer a headlamp at this stage. You can use a headlamp as a flashlight; you can’t use a flashlight as a headlamp.
• If you don’t go the headlamp route, choose a higher quality flashlight than tier one.
• Extra batteries. On the subject of batteries, do your best to acquire electronic items that use the same size of battery.
• Another keychain light. I have one attached to the inside of my bag to aid in finding items inside in low-light situations.
• Some people carry chemical light sticks in their EDC bag. I have found battery operated light sticks that also have a small flashlight in one end I prefer to carry.
• Shelter
• I keep a packable rain jacket at all times and depending on the weather a packable pair of rain pants. Remember, your clothing is your first form of shelter.
• I also keep a couple of “survival” blankets in my bag.
• I keep a couple of contractor style garbage bags as well.
• Water
• I have a stainless steel water bottle that stays in my pack at all times. If I am traveling longer than my normal commute, I will toss in a small collapsible water container.
• Ziploc bags.
• Two-part chemical water purifier.
• Filtering drinking straw.
• Toss in a couple of standard coffee filters to filter sediment if needed.

Now, bear in mind, my EDC bag is not for long-term survival. I feel like I could sustain myself for several days if I needed to with the contents of my pack. However, that is not its intended use. All of the tiers are designed to sustain you until you can “make it” to the next tier.

My EDC bag is the same bag I use for school every day. Granted I cannot carry a weapon or ammunition into the school building. My point is you don’t want all of your Tier Two items to be so big and bulky that you can’t comfortably carry them. All of this stuff is in addition to my school books and papers and tablet. For those of you that are curious, I prefer a messenger style bag. But, again, whatever works for you and is the most comfortable.

TIER THREE: Larger rucksack or backpack

A lot of people would call this the 72 hour kit. I feel that this is a bit of a misnomer. Granted, 72 hours is a good figure for most people to shoot for. However, I feel that in this stage of the game, you should be able to carry enough to survive indefinitely. 

• Blades/Tools
• Quality fixed blade knife. If you want you can double up from tier two. Depends on your requirements. Remember, two is one, one is none.
• Small quality folding shovel.
• Quality hatchet.
• Small machete. If you feel that your knife is up to the task of clearing brush, no need for one. Also, if you are in a true bug out situation where people could be looking for you, you don’t want to clear a highway through the brush.
• Some type of saw or saw blades. There are some nice pocket chain saws on the market now. Or you could carry blades and fashion your own handle or frame.
• Tools for forced entry if warranted. Pry bars, bolt cutters, etc.
• Tool kit. Depends on your location and environment. At the bare minimum carry enough tools to repair anything that you are depending on in a survival situation.
• Cell Phone/Communications
• Depending on the level of the disaster cell phones may or may or may not be working.
• Again, depending on your location and abilities, depends on the type of communications you should carry.
• One thing I have not seen widely talked about is two way radios. Obviously this would be if more than one person is in your party. However, now you start talking about batteries and chargers.

• Cordage
• At least 100 feet of 550 cord.
• Depending on your environment, climbing rope, harness and gear may be warranted.
• Tape, electrical and duct.
• Zip ties, various sizes
• Wire, picture wire.
• Carabiners, various sizes.
• Fire
• Cheap lighter.
• Firesteel.
• Tinder.
• Camp stove. Small, lightweight, portable. A lot of good information about this out there. Pay special attention to the type of fuel that the stove you select uses.
• Firearm

This depends on the type of situation you are in. I will list the types of firearms I would have, not necessarily carry, and reasons why. If this is a true bug out situation obviously the adults in your party could carry at least one, more than likely two, long guns.

• We have already discussed a handgun.
• “Modern Sporting Rifle”. Be it an AR based platform, an AK-47, Mini-14 etc. I personally like the AR platform. However, A’s can be a bit finicky if not properly cleaned and maintained. Something you may not be able to do well in a TEOTWAWKI situation. So, I would grab an AK-47. Whatever your budget and preference lead you to.
• .22 caliber rifle. There are many options, I personally recommend the Ruger 10-22. There are several collapsible stocks available. This is for hunting small game.
• Home defense shotgun. I would suggest a 12 gauge. The options and setups are endless. You can go as mild or as wild as your budget and imagination allow. This is not something I would necessarily always grab. However, this is something I feel that no home should be without. The sound of a shell racking into the chamber of a pump shotgun is a sound that will deter most people without even firing a shot.
• Extra magazines and ammunition.
• First-Aid
• More advanced first aid kit. There are pre-made ones on the market or come up with your own.
• Quick clotting agent.
• EMT Shears.
• Pain relievers, fever reducers, upset stomach pills, etc.
• A week’s supply of any prescription medications.
• Any supply of antibiotics or narcotics that you can procure.
• Knowledge of natural/herbal remedies. Here is a great area where knowledge can help you a lot longer than supplies can.

• Food
• If you want to put in a three day supply of freeze-dried meals or MRE’s. Go for it. But here is where procuring your own food will come in handy.
• I would suggest some type of mess style kit for cooking. Again, your choice.
• Fishing kit. Fishing line, assortment of hooks, sinkers and artificial bait if desired.
• Fishing “yo-yo” traps. Can be set and left alone to catch fish while you are doing some other task. I feel these are a necessity. They are light and take up little room.
• Snare kit. I would suggest several pre-made snares and supplies to create more.
• Traps. Connibear style traps, an assortment of sizes. 4-6 is all you should need.
• Frog gigs. Could also be used for spearing fish, depending on your location.
• You also have a firearm for taking small or large game.
• Knowledge of wild edibles in your area or bug out location.
• Light
• Again, I would suggest a headlamp and extra batteries.
• Use your discretion for what else you may want/need.
• Shelter
• Two changes of clothes. One for warm weather and one for cool/cold weather. Again depending on your environment.
• I would suggest at least 3 pair of underwear and 6 pair of socks.
• Packable rain gear.
• Quality bivy style shelter or tarp.
• Quality sleeping bag. Again, do some research. See what fits your needs and budget.
• Sleeping pad if wanted.
• Possibly a pocket style hammock.
• Water
• Stainless steel water bottle.
• Chemical water treatment.
• Water filter/purifier. Again, look at your budget and needs. There are several nice options out there.
• Coffee filters for straining out sediment.
• Collapsible water storage.

TIER FOUR: Long term preparedness.
Even though this is the largest of all the tiers, I will probably go into the least amount of detail. There are many great sources of information concerning long term preparedness, SurvivalBlog.com being one of the best, if not the best, in my opinion.

• Blades/Tools
• Obviously any blade or tool previously discussed. Except full size versions.
• An ax, saws, shovels, garden hoes, rakes, etc.
• Possibly a plow, seeder, etc, for planting a garden.
• Variety of hand tools.
• Automotive tools, carpentry tools, etc.
• Sewing machine, needles, thread, clothing patterns, etc.
• Begin thinking of ways you can use your tools and knowledge to develop a skill that can be used for trade or barter.
• Communication
• Short wave radios, ham radios, etc.
• Two way radios.
• Cordage
• Large amounts of any cordage or supplies under cordage already discussed.
• Fire
• Cast iron stove.
• Fireplace.
• Begin thinking now about how you will be heating your home in the winter. Think about how you will be cooking your meals. Also, think about how you will get fuel for your fire.
• Firearms
• We discussed in tier three the types of firearms I felt were needed.
• Begin thinking about amount of ammo you can and are willing to stockpile.
• Begin thinking about reloading your own ammunition. Begin thinking about stockpiling supplies. This can be turned into great bartering items.
• First Aid
• Begin developing a large first aid supply. Think about what you will need to do without a doctor present. Suture kits, surgical kit, trauma kit, etc. There will be no running to the emergency room.
• Begin thinking about dental supplies. Again, there will possibly be no dentists to go to.
• Again, knowledge is key in this situation. There are some good books about this type of thing. Take a first aid class, learn CPR. Learn as much as you possibly can.
• Study about and begin stockpiling medications.
• Food
• There are many more articles to be written and read on this subject alone.
• Start developing a small reserve of foods that you eat on a regular basis that have a long shelf life. Start with a week; go to a month, then three months, then a year, then longer.
• Begin thinking now about storage. A year’s supply of food for your family will take up a considerable amount of space.
• Expand on the amount of items you have from tier three. Increase the number of traps and snares you have.
• Think about obtaining a variety of seeds to plant in your garden.
• Again, there is a vast amount of information to be found on this subject alone. The main thing I want you to understand is this is doable, on any income. Start small and work your way up to larger quantities.
• Do not get yourself into a financial burden by going out and buying a year’s supply of food at one time.
• Light
• Begin obtaining lanterns, fuel, mantles, etc.
• Begin thinking about candles and candle making.
• If you are so inclined, begin thinking about solar panels for your home or shelter location.
• Shelter
• Begin making those small repairs to your home. Things that may be fairly quickly and easily fixed now may not be so easily fixed later. I’m not talking kitchen remodeling; I’m talking leaky faucets, broken windows, drafty doors, etc.
• Think about having a metal roof installed if you don’t have one already.
• This is the time to think about a secondary survival location. A remote, rural location. Think of this as an investment. It could be used now as a vacation spot. Use it later as a retirement home.
• Water
• Begin storing water. Think not only about drinking, but also cooking and cleaning.
• Again, start small. Begin with a few days worth; then weeks and months.
• Start thinking about long-term procurement and storage. Gutters that empty into water storage, etc. Think also about purification on a large scale.
• Miscellaneous Things to Thing About
• Sit down and make a list of normal, everyday things that you do around your house, cleaning, washing, “personal” business, entertainment, etc.
• These are activities that require items that you will not be able to run down to the store to get.
• Toiletries. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, razors, shaving cream, feminine hygiene, etc.
• Cleaning. Bleach, disinfectant, dish soap, laundry detergent, etc.
• Entertainment. Cards, board games, puzzles, books, etc.
• Think about large quantity storage of fuel; for cooking, heating, anything with an internal combustion engine, etc.

Again, I have very briefly touched on long term preparedness. There are numerous articles and books on long term preparedness. Read them. This is meant merely as a primer to get you thinking about long term survival.

Conclusion:
I hope you use this article as it was meant; to give you some basic information on survival and get you thinking about survival situations. Remember to develop your skills, knowledge and abilities over the amount of tools and supplies you have. I cannot stress this enough. Read, listen to others, take classes, and always be open to new ideas and opinions. You will find things that will work for you; and just as importantly, you will find things that will not work for you.

Take the time to use the skills and tools you acquire. Go camping, use primitive methods to start a fire, gather food and water, cook over an open flame. Once you think you are ready to test your preparedness, turn the breaker off to your house, and turn off the gas main and water main. Do this for a weekend. You will quickly find your shortcomings and deficiencies. You will also find the things that you have done well on.

Brother Rawles,
Thank you to you and Ulysses in Montana for the detailed article on .308 battle rifles.  The current political environment kicked me into high gear, buying one.  Ulysses information helped me out tremendously.  It will help me save time and money on getting familiar with a new caliber and rifle.  In the beginning hours of the Gun Grab I picked up an Armalite AR-10 lower receiver and mags. I've got a number of 5.56 AR's but have been putting off getting my "dream" rifle for a couple of years.  Depending on what happens in Washington DC, I might trade it toward a FAL or build the .308 Armalite. 
 
There's a lot of people who argue with their spouse's upset over their firearm purchases.  I've had to explain to my wife that I'm expending a large part of my lifetime's firearm budget in a short period of time...and not by choice.  It's either now or never.  We had a heart to heart discussion about it and have had to make some sacrifice's in some other area's for a short period of time.  She's been supportive but I regret not explaining things to her better at the beginning.  One silver lining of this situation is learning to be a better husband and mate. 
 
Thank you for years of telling us to stock up on magazines and all the information you share. God bless you and yours, - K. in Richland, Washington 

JWR Replies: I've mentioned this before, but given the exigencies of the politics of the day, it bears repetition: Stock up on magazines before a ban. Magazines should be your highest purchasing priority.

In the worst case there will be a Federal production ban on battle rifles and magazines with no grandfather clause. But failing that, I expect to read of a "bi-partisan compromise" for "...only a magazine ban." And this compromise will be labeled by the mass media as a huge disappointment for the Democrat party. (Isn't incrementalism devious?)

But even if a magazine ban fails in Congress, then we can expect an import ban via Executive Order! I've been warning you since 2007. It is time to get serious about buying full capacity magazines, even if it means running up a balance on your credit card for a couple of months. (And this is coming from someone who is adverse to consumer credit!) In three or four year, when a 19-round Glock magazine is selling for $200, you'll be glad that you did!

Like a lot of guys I did some shooting and hunting while growing up, only to set it aside in early adulthood as the frantic task of making it in life overcame interest in such ‘boyish’ pursuits.  When I returned to shooting later on it was with an emphasis on self-defense, particularly pistol shooting, which provided a fresh and stimulating way to ease back into it, as I had previously never fired a pistol.  I quickly settled on the Glock models in .45 ACP, keeping it simple and relatively inexpensive, and have kept at it steadily ever since, wanting above all to maintain proficiency and competence should I ever need to defend myself, my family, or other innocents.

This along with a shotgun or two kept me busy and satisfied for a while, until I decided I should get a rifle to work with, and the AR-15 seemed the logical choice.  It was then I started to learn more about our rights and freedoms, our direct link to the American Revolution, and the threats we face by those hostile to the whole idea of citizens as ‘people of arms,’ and my responsibility and role in exercising, preserving, and defending those freedoms.  It was an eye opener.  In retrospect it’s easy to see I was naive, one of the ‘sheeple’ we often allude to, but having always hated and successfully avoided fighting situations in my adult life, like many modern people the idea of needing to fight with a gun seemed remote and distant, and years of martial arts training filled what would otherwise have been a void in my defense needs.  But suddenly I recognized that ‘gun rights’ are really human rights, rights that are always at risk by forces that never quit.

And so I got the bug and started reading a lot as well as shooting regularly, enjoying my new hobby and the educational experience, always with an eye towards what is practical, limiting my interest to common types of firearms in common calibers.  When I first picked up Boston’s Gun Bible by Boston T. Party, I figured I’d read only parts of it, treating it as a reference, as it is a large book and covers a wide range of subjects.  But I must have read the whole thing several times.  I was especially fascinated by the main body of the text, having to do with .308 (7.62x51mm) semi auto Battle Rifles.  He goes into it in exhaustive (and exhausting) detail, comparing the three main versions, and while some parts of it are more interesting than others, he explains his reasoning and motivations, and he’s a good writer.  Many of you, perhaps most, are already quite familiar with it, and I won’t rehash any of it here.  If you haven’t seen it, and are interested in Battle Rifles, it can serve as a good reference, particularly if you’ve yet to choose a particular rifle type (or ‘platform’) or make a first purchase.

As lengthy as Boston’s book is on the subject, it is not the final word nor does it provide a complete picture as to the options presently available to us.  New models and manufacturers have come on the scene since the book was written, and all of these have an evolving track record potential buyers should be aware of.  I actually own at least one version of each of the three types, as well as a couple of other types, all acquired in recent years.  And while I do have preferences I enjoy shooting them all.  I like getting to know them, understanding the different mechanisms, keeping them running, troubleshooting problems as they invariably arise, and learning their strengths and weaknesses.  They can all do the same job almost equally well.  It is the magnificent capability and proven track record I admire and appreciate; shooting comfort and enjoyment is secondary – choosing a good, solid weapon comes first, and then I learn to get comfortable with it.  So I won’t be praising one type of rifle and disparaging the others, as you often see on various forums.  I’ll do my best to give them each a fair shake.

Briefly, let’s look at some of the reasons why a citizen would consider a .308 Battle Rifle worthwhile or even essential to have at their disposal.  The rifle, in general, has been called ‘liberty’s teeth,’ and with good reason.  Just as we all have rights to life and liberty, we all have a responsibility to safeguard and defend our lives and our liberty: rights and responsibilities go together.  And while a pistol or shotgun may suffice for personal or home defense, any broader mission, whether it’s defending our immediate community or something larger, requires a group or populace armed with rifles.  So part of having a rifle – as a weapon – is just a matter of good citizenship.  And among the capabilities of rifles of all sorts, there is little that a semi auto .308 Battle Rifle cannot do.  Ballistically similar to the .30-06, the .308 can punch through cover that the 223 (5.56x45mm) cannot, and a Battle Rifle, with its 20-round magazine, can be used to hit man-sized targets in excess of 500 yards as fast as you can aim and fire.  Nothing else can hit that hard, that fast, and with such a reach.  In my opinion it is the ultimate hand-held weapon, the most powerful weapon a citizen can wield.

So the goal of this article is to provide a useful review of the rifles and my experiences with them, to help you navigate your options in order to find the right fit for you or your group, and in general hope to give you an interesting read, regardless of your level of shooting experience.  And while any prepping subject can seem overwhelming at times, with firearms and shooting it’s possible to keep it simple and fun as we acquire our expertise and our gear.  It’s the fun and thrill of a great discipline, a treasured freedom and legacy of our Revolution.  And even if you are working in isolation, as we often are in our prepping efforts, without a lot of helpful or sympathetic people around, you can make progress in your shooting.

MARKSMANSHIP
Knowing how to shoot a rifle accurately is of course more important than what kind of rifle to get, so we’ll start here.  The road I took was instigated by a chapter in Boston’s book, where he recommends Fred’s Guide to Becoming a Rifleman, available at www.fredsm14stocks.com.  In Fred’s Guide you will find instruction on how to successfully complete the Army Qualification Test (AQT) with a score ranking of Expert, making you a ‘Rifleman’ (and until then you’re just a ‘Cook’), along with a lot of other interesting information, articles, and some rudimentary targets.  (Shooting instructions are also available on the site for free: Shooting Tips and Errors.)  You can also order AQT targets which include reduced sizes allowing the course of fire to be conducted at 25m (or 25yd, as the difference is very slight), a service sling for the support arm, and a simple shooting jacket with padding for the elbows and shoulder.  You can find pictures and videos showing how to loop up with the service sling on the net.  This is the type of training taught in the excellent Appleseed Project shooting clinics that appear all over the country.  Due to restrictions of time and mobility I have not had the opportunity to attend one of these events, but I trained using the method with the materials and information available.  (There is also an online weekly Rifleman radio show.)  It can all be done with a semi auto 22lr at a range of 25yd; a timer is helpful for scoring.  You can do it too.  In fact, if you get a chance to go to an Appleseed, it would greatly improve your chances of making Rifleman if you do some work beforehand.

Marksmanship fundamentals for rifle shooting are well described in Fred’s Guide.  They include: physical posture to relax and achieve natural point of aim (NPOA), sight alignment, sight picture, respiratory pause, eye focus on the front sight (if using irons) while keeping the sight on the target, squeezing the trigger straight back (trigger control) to get a surprise break, keeping the eyes open so you can ‘call the shot’ when the hammer falls (taking a ‘mental snapshot’), and holding the trigger back (follow-through).  Fred tells you exactly what you can expect to achieve with a Battle Rifle and, by following the steps, exactly how to do it.  Equally important, he insists that you can do it and that it’s not that hard.  What more can we ask from a guide?
I got a shooting mat and set up for dry practice in the basement.  On the other side of the room I set a target, shrunk in size to correspond to a 1in square at 25yd, and learned to hold the sights steady inside it while prone, which is the rifleman standard.  One inch at 25yd is about 4MOA (minutes-of-angle), which would be about 4in at 100yd, 8in at 200yd, etc.  Other positions include sitting, kneeling, and standing, but the prone is probably the most challenging one to get into and get comfortable with.  It’s also the most satisfying since it is the steadiest and allows you to shoot the most accurately.  It just takes a little time to get used to.  I’ve had lots of trouble with neck and upper back pain, and was surprised I could stand it at all, let alone get reasonably comfortable with it.  I can’t do it for very long without getting fatigued, but I can do it long enough to make hits, as I’ve demonstrated at the range.

For most of my training I use a semi auto 22lr, what the Appleseed Project calls the ‘Liberty Training Rifle’ (LTR) at 25yd.  The 22lr ammo is of course much cheaper than .308, allowing us to put lots of rounds downrange economically, and also it has the benefit of letting us avoid sensitivity to recoil and flinching.  At 25yd we can develop most of our basic shooting skills.  Important factors left out are range estimation and wind drift.  To some extent range estimation can be simulated on reduced size targets, while windage effects cannot.  The classic example of an LTR is the Ruger 10/22, though just about any good semi auto 22lr rifle will do fine.  The 10/22 dovetails nicely with the Army tradition and feel of the M1 Garand and M14/M1A, and can easily be modified with aftermarket parts to operate almost identically to the M1A.  I have a 10/22 Compact Rifle with a Hogue OverMolded stock, which works okay but is a bit lightweight for precision work.  I think a better choice would be something like the full length Sporter, or maybe a Target.  The other 10/22 models have a band attaching the barrel to the stock (including the new Takedown), and if you put a rubber stock like the Hogue on it you might pull the barrel off zero when shooting using the tight service sling; it’s something to consider.  I always like to eliminate sources of shooting error where possible, and the rifle I have lets the barrel free float.

I wanted to train with a pistol grip rifle, so I got a dedicated 22lr upper for the AR-15.  A simple conversion kit for the 223/5.56x45 is cheaper than a dedicated upper, but not as accurate, and not accurate enough for our purposes.  So I got an upper, and put a free float tube on it so I could use a tight sling or bipod.  I bought it from a well-regarded manufacturer, and yet I had trouble – rounds wouldn’t go where I aimed them.  Part of my problem was just that I was naive about ammo; I thought the popular CCI Mini-Mags should give acceptable accuracy.  It just did not occur to me that ammo could be inaccurate enough not to hit a squirrel in the head at 25yd!  Silly me.  I went to the manufacturer’s forum and looked up the ammo threads, and found over half a dozen pages, virtually all of it dedicated to cycling, not accuracy.  But someone pointed out to me that the ammo was high velocity plinking ammo, and suggested alternatives for greater accuracy.  I tried CCI’s Target ammo, which helped some, but I needed better, and the manufacturer (Spike’s Tactical) kindly offered to replace the barrel, so I took the opportunity to upgrade to a more accurate barrel.  That did the trick.  Suddenly I was in the black, putting all my rounds in a 1in dot at 25yd.  I only recount this story here because you might find yourself in a similar boat, wondering why your rounds aren’t going where you think they should.  There are a lot of reasons why that can happen, and shooter error is usually considered the default culprit, but it’s not always you that’s at fault, and we want to zero in on the culprit and solve the problem and move on.

One piece of gear that has proven quite valuable for me is the 3-9x Leupold EFR Scope.  The Extended Focus Range feature lets you set the parallax anywhere from a range of 10m to infinity.  This eliminates any parallax error at the short range of 25m.  This can be important: I have a good quality 1.1-4x CQB (Close Quarters Battle) scope, and when I tested it by eye, looking through it at the target and moving my side to side to move the line of sight off the center axis, I could see the reticle move enough to affect accuracy on the 1in target.  This explained why my zero seemed to change when I’d take a break and come back to the firing line.  A little change in cheek weld position and parallax moved the reticle.  The EFR scope eliminates this source of error.  And although it is marketed as a rimfire scope, it is built to the same toughness as other Leupolds, and can be mounted on an AR-15 or a .308 Battle Rifle as well.  I use scope rings with quick-release levers, and a couple of quick-release riser rails, and this allows me to use the same scope on all my rifles.  I keep a data book so I can zero it quickly when I make a switch.  (The one thing I don’t like is the adjustments have to be made with a coin or screwdriver, rather than just turning the turrets by hand, but this is a minor quibble.)  The risers are a little pricey, but it beats buying a scope for each rifle, and getting the right scope height helps keep my neck and back from screaming at me.
With the scope I can not only call the shot, but I can see where the bullet went.  Calling the shot means you know where the sights/crosshairs were when the shot broke.  Provided your trigger pull and follow-through are good, the bullet should go pretty close to the point of aim if your rifle is zeroed.  Just how close depends on the accuracy of the weapon.  This is how I was able to diagnose ammo and equipment contributions to the error.  With the scope at 9x and the target at 25yd (the limit of my local indoor range) I could see exactly how steady my hold was, which is within about 1/4in, or 1MOA.  So now, for example, if my group size is 3/4in (3MOA), then I know the accuracy of the weapon (rifle & ammo combination) is 2MOA, since the group size is the sum of shooter wobble and weapon spread.

It’s important to be able to distinguish these two contributions to group size: weapon (i.e., rifle & ammo combination), and shooter.  It took me a while to shake the notion of blaming the shooter first.  This notion seems to be somewhat ingrained in our thinking, and my being a beginning shooter and lacking in confidence didn’t help matters.  But with the scope I had the feedback I needed, and I learned to believe what my eyes were showing me.  I should emphasize that ‘iron sight discipline’ and proficiency is always an important skill to maintain.  We should know how to use and adjust the irons for windage and range, out to the effective limits of our weapons.  But clearly the scope, besides being a force multiplier on the battlefield, can also be a very useful training tool.

A final word on use of the shooting sling.  There are other methods of training with a rifle, not all of which include a sling.  And in tactical prone shooting a bipod or rest of some kind is the normal type of support.  The few WWII and Korean War veterans I know, who carried the M1 in combat, trained with the sling but never used it in combat and never saw it used by others.  However, it is a good method of training, and the marksmanship fundamentals learned will carry over into any type of shooting.  The sling joins you ergonomically to the rifle in a way that a bipod or other rest does not.  There is less bounce of the rifle from shot to shot.  It can also be used in positions other than prone such as sitting or kneeling, which are often necessary when prone is not feasible due to terrain or other conditions.  In the field, a bipod is fragile and a rest is not always available, but a sling can be fashioned from belts, paracord, or even rags.  Moreover, there are ‘hasty’ methods of slinging up that are very quick and don’t require a tight cinch.  For example, one method I found makes use of the ‘Ching Sling,’ a sling that attaches to the rifle’s studs, but consists of a long loop extending from the front back to about the midpoint.  The shooting support is effected by simply slipping the loop up behind the upper part of the support arm; it’s very fast, and while not as tight or as steady as the service sling method, it does aid in accuracy.  I found a simple way to improve on this.  Rather than just slipping the loop up, I stick my left arm through it and then out to the left (I’m right handed), and up and over the top of the sling, and place my palm up under the rifle’s foreend.  Again, not as tight and steady as the service sling, but better than before, and more accurate than no sling at all.  It’s a good feeling, slinging up and steadying your aim, so if you haven’t tried it yet give it a shot, as it were.  It’s a good skill to have in our toolbox.  It’s also widely used in shooting competitions, such as NRA High Power Rifle.

.308 BATTLE RIFLES
The focus here will be on the three types of .308 Battle Rifles that were initially fielded by the Western powers.  (The powers have since replaced Battle Rifles with assault rifles such as the M4, and many of their Battle Rifles were subsequently sold off to third world countries.)  These were select fire (capable of full auto) weapons, but the ones chiefly available to us today are semi auto, and include: HK91/PTR91, FAL, and M14/M1A.  The major commercial manufacturers in the U.S. are PTR91, DS Arms FAL, and Springfield Armory M1A.  These are the ones I have and will discuss here, except that instead of Springfield’s M1A I have the LRB Arms M14SA (M14 Semi Auto).  I will also discuss the AR-10 types and the Saiga .308.  And although there are a number of other, more ‘modern’ semi auto .308s now available (FNAR, FN SCAR, SASS, etc.), we are mainly concerned with the three ‘traditional’ Battle Rifles, for several reasons.

First and foremost, they have been around a long time and are well proven in terms of ruggedness and reliability, and while like all rifles they have their weaknesses, we at least know what they are and how to compensate for them.  Parts and magazines are widely available and inexpensive relative to their more modern counterparts.  The rifles themselves are generally less expensive as well.  These are the considerations that are important to us as preppers and survivalists.  We can stock parts and magazines for weapons that are well understood, and keep them running even in times of stress, when outside support is not available.

It is particularly important to stock up on magazines, so price is definitely a factor.  The magazine is the weak link in any semi auto rifle; they can break, wear out, get damaged or bent, or discarded in the heat of battle.  How many is enough?  Well, the more the merrier.  You just never want to run out of them, ever.  At least a couple dozen per rifle is ideal, but you can get by with less.  As with everything else having to do with prepping, consider your mission requirements, and likely scenarios, to determine your needs.
A survival group can adopt a particular Battle Rifle type that all members use, ensuring uniformity of parts, mags, and expertise required to keep everyone armed and ready.  Using a common rifle platform among members has the same benefit as it would for an army in the field.  They can form rifle teams that can coordinate fire in a multiplying effect: the whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts.  In fact, this is one of the best ways to employ the Battle Rifle.  A three person team can send 60 rounds of .308 aimed fire downrange in 60 seconds at distances out to 500yd+  before the first mag change.  This is some pretty decent firepower.  Multiple teams firing from different directions multiply the effect even further.  Having a common rifle platform has obvious benefits.

Barrel Length.  While a 16in barreled carbine in .308 makes a great, hard hitting CQB weapon out to 300yd+, and they are quite popular these days, I do not recommend one as your primary Battle Rifle.  The reason is that too much velocity is sacrificed in going to such a short length.  It certainly has enough velocity to be effective at the ranges we are interested in (though you’re subject to greater drift from windage, and this effect is more pronounced the longer the range), but the trouble is that estimating the range and compensating for it becomes more difficult in the range window of 300-500yd, which Fred calls the ‘Rifleman’s Quarter Mile,’ and he figures this is the ideal distance at which to engage targets.  Keeping such a distance from the enemy exploits your rifleman’s skill – something the rank and file shooters among the enemy may be unlikely to have, making their return fire less effective – while taking advantage of the full reach and effectiveness of the .308 Battle Rifle.  According to Fred, the three components involved in making hits on targets may be arranged in decreasing order of difficulty as: target detection, range estimation, and making the shot.  That is, range estimation is more difficult than making the shot, so it behooves us to reduce the margin for error as much as possible.  One way to work on range estimation is to carry a laser range finder: guess the range to an object, then see what the rangefinder says.  Trust me, your estimates will improve quickly!

On the other hand, an 18 in model gives up roughly only about 7% of velocity relative to a full length version of 21or 22in.  We can expect a comparable increase in bullet drop to go with the velocity loss, so the effect on range estimation is slight.  Moreover, all things being equal, the shorter barrel is sometimes more accurate than full length as there is less barrel whip.  While I wouldn’t count on better accuracy with the 18in, it makes sense for us to trade a little bit of velocity for a little bit more accuracy.  The .308 round is combat effective well beyond 500yd, but a rack grade Battle Rifle does not have the accuracy to exploit the .308’s full potential of 800yd+.  So if we can squeeze a bit more accuracy at the cost of a 7% loss in velocity I think it’s worth it.  And of course we also have a shorter overall rifle for ease of a handling, and we’re only talking about 2in longer than the 16in carbine.  Many people feel that 18in is the sweet spot.  What we have available is 17.7in for the HK91/PTR91, 18in for DSA FAL, and 18.5in for the M14/M1A.

If you already have a .308 carbine, and/or consider ranges beyond 300yd unlikely for your needs, you’ll still be well served with your weapon.  Also, mapping out ranges at your retreat in advance is a good idea in any case.  If you’re sure of your ranges then barrel length is less of a concern.  Bear in mind, though, that the carbine is quite loud, and if you have muzzle brake on it (instead of a flash hider) the muzzle blast will be downright brutal, especially for anyone who happens to be alongside you.  While the muzzle brake makes it easier to shoot (less muzzle climb), it does not help conceal your position the way a flash hider does, so a flash hider is much preferred in a combat weapon.  If you don’t have a Battle Rifle yet, consider getting one with at least an 18in barrel.

Weight.  The typical Battle Rifle is over 9lb unloaded, and a good scope will likely put it over 10lb.  Some commercial versions have heavier weight barrels (medium contour, bull barrel, etc.) for increased accuracy and steadiness.  The tradeoff is that the extra weight is a hindrance for carrying in the field, and for movement between positions during shooting engagements.  Most Battle Rifles should give acceptable accuracy without a heavier barrel.  Under rapid or sustained fire the barrel heats up, and the groups will tend to string slightly and/or expand more with the lighter barrels.  But whether this would really make a difference in a fast moving combat situation is debatable.

I have found I need to resist the temptation to go for the heavier, more accurate rifles.  In these pre-SHTF times we can go to the range and shoot at our leisure, we drive there and back, not needing to carry the rifle very far, and when we shoot we like to see tight groups on the target.  Tight groups are satisfying.  But I think of the Battle Rifle as a field weapon, something that can and may need to be carried all day, and can be handled effectively in combat even when the shooter is tired, weak, and scared, at times moving rapidly from one position to another, trying to stay out of harm’s way, trying to catch his or her breath.  And while a heavier rifle is easier to shoot accurately and more controllable, I don’t think it’s worth the drawbacks the extra weight imposes.  The rifle should be a friend to the shooter, not a burden.

So we are not just interested in range accuracy, but combat accuracy, which depends on a number of variables.  The shooting sports can provide a good testing ground for our combat capabilities, such as the 3-gun Heavy Metal competitions, where the rifle used is a .308 Battle Rifle.  This can help give you an idea what kind of rifle handles well for you in terms of weight, etc.  But be aware that competition rules don’t always conform to sound combat tactics.  If you use the competition to conscientiously train for combat your scores may suffer for it.  “Those motivated by a desire to improve their gun fighting skills, as opposed to a quest for trophies, must be willing to bleed ego on the match results to avoid shedding real blood in combat.”  – Andy Stanford, in Surgical Speed Shooting

Scope.  As mentioned, a good scope will likely put your rifle over 10lb.  You can keep the weight down using a CQB scope like an ACOG or a red dot sight with bullet drop compensator (BDC), but you want to consider the target detection advantage scope magnification gives you.  Remember that according to Fred, target detection is the most difficult task: more difficult than estimating the range or making the shot itself.  Once the shooting starts, people will want to show as little of themselves to their adversaries as possible, and some decent magnification and field of view can go a long way toward helping you see what you need to see.  Considering the effective range and our combat needs, something like 3-9x40mm seems about right, not too much magnification, not too little; not too big a scope, not too small.  But as always, consider your mission requirements to determine what’s best for you.

Accuracy & Ammo.  Despite some of the wild claims you might see on the internet, any good Battle Rifle should give you 4MOA or better with military surplus or military grade ammo (147gr ‘M80’ ball rounds); that’s the basic standard.  While accuracy depends on a number of factors, a reasonable expectation is about 2-3MOA.  The ammo I use most often is Prvi Partizan.  (I have no financial stake in it.)  It is commercial production, almost always available, and fairly consistent from lot to lot.  Prvi also makes relatively inexpensive Match ammo in 168 and 175gr.  I get the best results with the 168gr; all my Battle Rifles do 1-2MOA with it.  You can experiment with different types of ammo to see what your particular rifle likes.  Visiting the forums can also give you some idea what to expect.  Much of the military surplus you see out there was produced years ago, probably being brought out now to be sold at a profit, and whether your rifle likes it or not is hit or miss.  And when the supply dries up you have to find something else.  That’s why I like something like Prvi, where there’s a steady supply.  Buying in case lots of 1,000 is by far the most economical, but the up-front cost is high, so try some before you buy, if possible.

Part of the enjoyment of Battle Rifle shooting is being able to put a lot of hard-hitting rounds downrange without breaking the bank, and the ability to sustain a rapid rate of fire against multiple targets is a vital part of our skill set.  The M80 ammo is the Battle Rifle’s meat & potatoes diet, accurate enough to hit a man sized target out to 500yd+, and among the least expensive choices available.  However, the effective range can be extended with match ammo or handloads. Excellent match ammo is more than twice as expensive as M80.  (Prvi match is not as good but costs only about 50% more.)  It’s a good idea to have at least a small supply of ammo of this type, either for extended range or increased accuracy, in case you need it.
Many people use steel cased ammo which, though often not as accurate as brass cased, is less expensive.  I’ve only used it in my Saiga .308, as the rifle was designed for this kind of ammo.  The only manufacturer’s warning I’m aware of is from DS Arms, which says not to use it in their FAL rifles, period.  People use it in the HK91/PTR91 and  M14/M1A apparently with no problems.  Steel is harder than brass (although the steel used is said to be ‘soft’), so it may put a little more wear on the extractor, but otherwise there seems to be little or no risk involved in using it.  Still, I’m only comfortable using it in the Saiga.  I suggest you do your own research on it before using it in your rifle.

.308 vs. 7.62x51mm.  For the most part we can consider these two to be equivalent, both safe to use in our rifles.  The only exception I’m aware of is some types of commercial .308 which use higher pressures than normal, hunting ammo for bolt action rifles, that would not be safe to use in our semi autos.  The military rifles were chambered for 7.62x51mm, which has looser tolerances and harder brass, as the rifles were designed to operate in full auto and with tracer rounds, and the ammo has been produced by a number of different countries, which varies in consistency with respect to the tolerances and general quality.  If you see a good deal out there for a case of this stuff, do a search on the forums before you buy – make sure it will cycle in your rifle, have decent accuracy, and not gum it up with tar, lacquer, or powdery filth (unless you think it’s worth it).

Most modern, commercially produced Battle Rifles are chambered in .308 Winchester, or just stamped ‘7.62.’  Similarly, much of the current production commercial ammo, such as Prvi, is in .308.  This corresponds to tighter tolerances than the military surplus, for generally better accuracy and consistency and, with few exceptions, no loss of reliability in cycling.  But there is still surplus ammo out there that could be quite accurate in your rifle.  For example, Santa Barbara works well in the M14/M1A.  So look around, know what you’re buying and know your rifle.

Ammo vs. Gear.  Most people I know are not preppers and do not stock up on cases of ammo.  But we recognize the importance of doing so – .308 ammo as well as 223/5.56x45, shotgun, and pistol ammo, etc. – any weapon we might trust our lives to must never be allowed to run dry.  You never want to run out of ammo or magazines; there is no such thing as too much of either.  And yet, dropping $500 for 1,000 rounds of .308 here and there hurts.  Perhaps the biggest impediment is thinking what else we might buy with the money.  There are always more guns we’d like to buy, scopes to put on them, all kinds of cool gear, items or ventures that give us pleasure.  Crates of ammo sitting around just isn’t very sexy.

But I find it satisfying.  Once acquired, it cannot be taken away easily, so there is some sense of security in that.  We could experience significant inflation in the near future; I do not have to worry about the price of ammo getting beyond my reach.  I have plenty for my practice, plenty for the future, whatever the future may hold.  And if the future turns out to be benign, and the ammo is not needed for fighting, it can be passed on to future generations of preppers and patriots.  It’ll still be good long after I’m gone.  Or it could be used for barter.  It’s like gold or silver, only I think it’s even better.  It has a function, it will do a job for you, and the price of ammo has not been bid up nearly so much as precious metals.  A home invader may be willing to smash my skull for a gold bar he can grab and carry off.  But half a ton of ammo?  Good luck with that.  Ammo may eventually achieve such precious status, but that will only mean my investment was sound in more ways than one.  Lead.  The other precious metal.
So I would say, don’t skimp on ammo.  Take the pain now and you will find lasting comfort knowing it’s there for you, just like your rifle, standing by, lending potency to your vigilance.

THE RIFLES
We will be concerned here with the modern commercial versions: PTR91, DSA FAL, and LRB M14SA (or Springfield Armory M1A).  Their pros and cons have been debated elsewhere.  But our focus will be through the eye of the prepper and survivalist.  Reliability, cost, ease and speed of operation during a firefight, are of first importance.  And while there is no perfect Battle Rifle, if you look carefully, you will likely find one that is close to ideal for you.

When it comes to Battle Rifle selection, most people seem to prefer the FAL or M14/M1A, with the PTR91 a close third.  The M14/M1A has the most accuracy potential; the PTR91, to the extent it reproduces the HK91’s quality, would be the most reliable; the FAL is often regarded as the sweet spot between the other two, with its ergonomic friendliness among its chief attractions.  However, the PTR91 has become popular with the prepper community, as it is a good value and can be counted on to keep working under tough conditions.
From a strictly utilitarian point of view all three rifles do pretty much the same thing and do it well.  And it is a matter of ‘respect and gratitude’ for what they do that guides this article.  You can find plenty of forums where people will praise one and bash the other two, but this is not the place for that.  I like them all because I deeply appreciate the job they can do for us.  These are survival tools, not weekend joy sticks.  If one feels awkward I just try to adapt to it and make it comfortable to handle and shoot.

At the risk of oversimplifying I would like to borrow a slogan from the real estate business, in which the value of a property depends on three things: location, location, location.  And that is that a Battle Rifle’s reliability depends on three things: parts, parts, parts.  We already know that the designs of these rifles are sound.  Usually they are assembled properly.  That leaves tolerances and quality of parts.  The manufacturers are all good and they all offer good warranties, but from a survivalist point of view this just means they can afford to replace defective parts and still make a profit.  Sometimes military parts dry up and new ones have to be made, some parts get outsourced, or production errors happen.  So it’s a good idea to keep up with any news on the user forums and the manufacturer’s web site.  (I found a recall notice for one of my FAL lower receivers just by chance on DSA’s site; even though I am the original owner I was not notified of the recall.)  If you’re buying used, review the history for the serial number range of the rifle before you buy.  Some details on PTR91 changes are discussed below.
PTR91

I first bought one of these because it was such a spanking good deal.  It was not my first choice in a Battle Rifle, but it shares the ruggedness, durability, and reliability of the HK91, and magazines are inexpensive (sometimes only $1 each).  Its poor ergonomics are well known, but it does its job and doesn’t complain, and I’ve wound up liking it more than I thought I would.
Like the FAL it was initially designed to be used with a bipod, and the charging handle is on the left side.  And like the DSA FAL, the barrel is not chrome lined.  I got one with the Bull Barrel, which seems more like a medium than a heavy weight barrel, and metal handguard which is drilled and tapped for rails.  This allows mounting a bipod, vertical grip, sling stud for use with a service sling, or other accessories.  Tension applied to the handguard through the grip or sling does not affect the point of aim since the barrel is free-floating,  an attribute that contributes to the excellent accuracy of the HK91/PTR91.

[There is some confusion in the web-sphere over the free-float nature of this rifle, but this can be explained fairly simply.  First of all, there is no gas system so there is no need to attach anything (such as a piston tube) to the barrel (‘delayed blowback’ mechanism).  The only thing that is attached is the ‘tri-ring:’ the bottom ring is on the barrel, the top ring encloses the front sight post, and the middle ring encircles the end of the cocking tube –  but is not fastened to it.  You can see this by removing the end cap from the middle ring, exposing the hollow end of the cocking tube, to verify this.  Now, the handguard is attached to the cocking tube, not the barrel, and while tension on the handguard will cause the cocking tube to flex slightly, it is not enough to bring it into contact with the tri-ring and affect the point of aim, at least not on any of the rifles I looked at – PTR91F, PTR G.I., PTR32KF.  (However, a laser mounted to the handguard could be pulled off zero by the tension.)]

Now on to the shooting.  The forward sling loop is attached to the barrel, so to avoid putting tension on the barrel I attached a rail to the underside of the handguard, and a sling stud (from Yankee Hill Machine) to the rail.  When I first started shooting it, slung up and using iron sights, the feeling I had can best be described as claustrophobic.  The way I tend to shoot, with my nose down and cheek well forward on the comb, I was treated with a good stiff punch to the cheekbone by the hump on the buttstock.  The first time I just kept firing anyway, since the range was about to close and I didn’t want to take the time to find a new groove.  I got a decent bruise out of it, but my groups showed I did not flinch, even though I knew it was going to hurt me – a challenge for my ego I couldn’t resist.

So obviously I have to keep my chin up and head back away from the hump, which feels claustrophobic and awkward.  Even with that I still got a slap on the cheek, rather than a punch to the cheekbone.  It was an improvement, but I was still in an abusive relationship with my rifle.  However, when I put on a Brügger & Thomet scope mount, and a canvas cheek riser pad, presto!  No more pain.  In fact, it’s quite a comfortable shooter in this configuration.  The felt recoil may be stiffer than for the other Battle Rifles, but shooting a few mags at a time is not bothersome, nor is there any noticeable pain afterwards.  (I weigh 175lb so I don’t have much natural padding.  The only padding I have is on an inexpensive shooting ‘jacket’ from Fred’s.)
This rifle is plenty accurate with good ammo (sub 2MOA groups with Prvi Match 168gr), and the setup I described is solid, comfortable, and versatile.  I thought I would just buy this rifle and then forget it, save it for when I might need to be humping a rifle through the swamp for months on end.  And here it turns out to be the cat’s meow!  I guess you just don’t know until you give something a fair shake.

The ‘PTR’ in PTR91 stands for ‘Precision Target Rifle.’  I always thought this was odd, as the HK91 was designed to be a Battle Rifle, not a semi auto sniper rifle.  Then again, I’m not in charge of marketing the thing, and I suppose ‘Pretty Darned Accurate Battle Rifle’ doesn’t have quite the same ring.  The rifle differs from the HK91 in one important respect: the barrel.  It’s a heavier profile for one thing, and although it’s called a ‘bull barrel’ it seems closer to a medium weight.  But more important, it has shallower chamber flutes than the original design.  This may have been to reduce felt recoil, and/or to tighten tolerances for better accuracy.  (The flutes are grooves cut into the chamber to aid extraction; it’s a necessary part of the blowback mechanism.)  But from our perspective the important question is whether this makes it less reliable than the original.  The answer is apparently no, unless you’re using lacquer coated, or particularly tar-sealed ammo.  Many of us may not care to use this type of ammo in our rifles, as it produces a gummy residue that’s hard to remove, but a ‘true’ HK91 can handle it and we expect a PTR91 to do so as well.  In response to this PTR91 recently came out with the GI version.

Aside from the furniture it appears virtually identical to the HK91.  They were offered on CDNN for $900 new (compare this to a used HK91 for around $2300).  It’s easy to see the difference in the chamber flutes between the different PTRs: the GI’s are much deeper and more distinct.  This is a welcome development, as many people regard the HK91 as the ultimate TEOTWAWKI weapon: no matter the ammo, the environment, or the duration of the crisis, it won’t quit on you.  So, for good reason, the PTR91 GI is getting a lot of attention among survivalists and preppers these days.

I thought all PTR91 models were now being made with the deep chamber flutes, not just the GI version, but I have been unable to confirm this.  (Note, chamber flutes are not to be confused with barrel flutes, which are on the outside of the barrel, for aesthetics and heat dissipation.)  I know for a fact the new PTR32 (in 7.62x39) has them.  The issue is important, because some folks might want the heavier barrel for better accuracy and heat dissipation, but only if they can get it with the deep flutes.  [Can JWR or someone else chime in here with a reference and settle this question?]  Also, some PTR91 models come with a scope rail welded to the receiver, which is better than the bolt on type, but I haven’t seen it on the GI version.
I haven’t scoped the GI rifle yet, but the groups I get are similar to what I get with the other PTR91 using iron sights, and in any case the GI should give whatever accuracy we can expect from the HK91.  The GI is lighter and felt recoil is naturally stiffer but I didn’t find it uncomfortable (with padded jacket); it just needs a little padding on the shoulder or buttstock.  I like the challenge of using it just the way it is brutal, tough, simple – with iron sights, even though I’m a little nearsighted.

Reloading the PTR91 can be a bit slow, at least in comparison to the other Battle Rifles.  A paddle mag release can be installed, but this is a gunsmithing job.  There are good quality 50 round drums available which look great, but they’re expensive.  Are they worth it?  It depends.  If you’re light on riflemen (or working solo) and you think the drum would help sustain fire in the fight, then maybe.  It’s a heckuva capability.  As always, balance your mission requirements with the resources you have.

Okay, some of the cons.  Bore is not chrome lined, but this is in the interest of greater accuracy.  It’s the stiffest recoiling of the Battle Rifles, due to the blowback mechanism.  However, this can be tamed in a number of ways, chiefly with a little padding and optimal positioning on the shoulder.  As a general matter I don’t think recoil should be a game changer when it comes to selecting a Battle Rifle, unless you have some special need (shoulder problems, etc.).  There’s a huge industry out there serving the needs of shooters, and they’re always trying to dream up new types of gear to make our lives better, and it’s probably just a matter of time before someone makes a new buttstock or other gizmo that helps with the recoil.  Remember, the actual momentum transferred to your shoulder is the same no matter what rifle you use (the momentum is the bullet mass times muzzle velocity).  What we want is to smear out the force transferred to us during the recoil impulse, making it more like a shove than a kick.

I had a couple of minor problems with my rifles.  The first one suddenly started failing to extract.  This was due to a bent extractor spring, which was probably bent during factory installation (which is pretty easy to do).  I straightened it out and put it back in and it worked fine until I got some new springs.  They are inexpensive, and a necessary item in your spare parts kit.  Another thing that happened was both rifles had the flash hiders come loose, easily remedied with blue loctite.  Though minor, these are pretty stupid problems to have.  PTR91 really ought to do better.

There are more serious issues to be aware of.  A limited number of rifles were manufactured using wrong sized pins which could result in cracked trunnions.  Check the serial number of your rifle against the serial number range posted on PTR91’s web site, and if yours matches, check your trunnion for hairline cracks.  If you’re buying used, avoid those in the affected range.  I’ve also seen one or two reports (with photos) of cracked bolt heads, and while it appears to be rare it’s a very serious failure.  There is some question as to whether the metal being used is hard enough.  There may have been a change in manufacturing, or a shift from surplus to domestic made bolt heads (my GI’s bolt head has ‘PTR91’ stamped on it, while the one from the older rifle has no markings).  Some people like to swap out parts for original German ones (bolt head, carrier, trigger parts, etc.), but this can be expensive.  It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the ‘bolt gap,’ which is related to the head space, and it’s easily checked using a feeler gauge set like we use to check spark plug gaps.  If it’s shrinking rapidly, and goes under spec, that would indicate a problem.  On the good news front: in 2012 PTR91 announced a lifetime warranty on these and all other internal parts.

PTR32
Before leaving the subject of PTRs entirely I want to mention the PTR32.  This is a new model rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, with a 16in ‘bull barrel,’ aluminum handguard, and deep chamber flutes.  While it does take AK47 mags, most of the common steel ones do not work well – polymer mags are recommended.  Though I like AKs well enough, I like the PTR32 because of the better sights, the handguard is all ready to go for rail attachments, and the barrel is free-floating as with the PTR91.  It’s heavier than an AK (a GI profile barrel might have been better) but feels well balanced.  Shooting it is a dream, as the recoil is more like a spongy push than a kick.  It comes with a fixed stock, but can be fitted with one of those retractable stocks which, while quite a punisher when used on a .308, would work nicely on this one and make it more portable.  If you like the PTR platform and you’re looking for something to throw in the truck, it’s something to consider.

FAL
This was my top choice, at least initially.  It was a bit of a toss-up between a DS Arms FAL or an M14/M1A.  My preference was tilted toward the FAL for several reasons.  (1) I was impressed with the quality of DSA, which offers FAL models as good or better than the original.  (2) Scoping the FAL is simple: just order it with a railed top cover (I like the extended scope rail version).  (3) The ergonomics is similar to the other rifles I have, such as pistol grip and safety position.  (4) It can be cleaned from the breech end (I’m spoiled).
Before I really got into Battle Rifles I got a DS Arms SA58 16in carbine with the medium contour barrel.  Those of you who have had the chance to shoot one of these know what a sweet, handy little piece it is.  And although it’s only a 16in and therefore not technically a Battle Rifle as defined here, it’s a good hard hitting CQB weapon.

My first DSA FAL Battle Rifle had an 18in medium contour barrel, fixed stock, and Robar NP3 coating on the bolt & carrier, which has a silky, teflon-like feel, requiring little or no lube, something which could be important in a SHTF situation.  The heavier barrel adds a little bit of weight, which I thought I would not mind for the sake of greater accuracy, but as we’ll see I eventually settled on a different model.  I still like this one but it is better suited for shooting from a fixed position with a bipod.

To further enhance accuracy and to allow the use of a tight service sling, I installed an aluminum “free float” foreend.  While not strictly free float, since it clamps to the thick base of the barrel instead of the receiver, it does the job required of it, which is to isolate the barrel from sling tension and contact with the bipod.  However, the foreend as provided by DSA suffers from several drawbacks, the most serious being the open top design, which exposes the piston and spring.  The tube is open on top so it can clear the front sight block on installation.  But instead of an uninterrupted piston tube, DSA’s has a long gap which, while good for ventilating fouling gas, exposes the piston and spring.  With the foreend attached this is actually visible, not only exposing this part of the action to the elements but also allowing gas and barrel heat to rise into the line of sight and in front of the scope.  This is absurd – DSA really needs to get its act together on this.  I would have preferred a (ported) solid piston tube instead of the open design, but all that’s actually needed for the foreend is a top cover, and so I made one from a galvanized steel cable organizer.  Bending it into a suitable shape took some doing (a vice and set of aluminum barrel blocks came in handy), but it came out nicely.  Another drawback of the foreend is the lack of any drilling and tapping and supplied rails, but this is easily remedied.  I put a small (Yankee Hill) rail segment on the bottom front for a quick detach (QD) bipod, a sling stud farther aft, and a pair of screws securing the tube to the lower barrel clamp to prevent the tube from rotating.

The result is a bit heavier than I would like – what’s really needed is a lighter free float foreend – and while it would be hard to find a more accurate FAL, like many accurate semi auto rifles it’s too heavy to be considered a ‘carry friendly’ field weapon, which is our main focus in this article.  Still, I love the damn thing and I’m keeping it.

I’ve since picked up a DSA PARA FAL rifle – folding skeleton stock, Robar NP3 coating on internals, sand cuts on bolt carrier (now standard on all new DSA FALs), extended scope rail.  The barrel is 18in, but unlike the other rifle it’s standard weight.  I’m considering putting my free float tube on this one but for now I think it’s heavy enough and fine the way it is.  The primary advantage of the folding stock is enhanced covertness and ease of portability – you can put it in a suitcase instead of a gun case, for example – and yet, unlike a partially disassembled rifle, the stock can be unfolded and the rifle brought into action quickly.  If you think that feature would be important for you it’s worth considering the PARA.  Also, in the event of a jam the PARA action can be opened up immediately, but this may not be the case if you have a fixed stock, which has the ‘rat tail’ (a thin rod attached to the back of the carrier) extending into the buttstock during cycling.

However, folding stock is an additional expense over the fixed version, and while it looks ‘cool’ it is not as comfortable to shoot.  For one thing, the recoil spring mechanism is different (note that it is not easy, nor is it inexpensive, to interchange folding and fixed stocks on a rifle), and for another, the folding stock butt is all aluminum and thus hard as a rock – definitely could use some rubber back there.  In fact, the difference between shooting the PARA and shooting my Saiga .308, which has the ACE folder that includes a hollow rubber pad on it, is substantial; the Saiga is much milder.  If you do put on a thick rubber pad, the PARA stock can be cut shorter by the user, in order to maintain the same length of pull.  Something like this will probably be necessary, at least for me.  It’s a superb weapon, don’t get me wrong, and I really like it.  But if someone asked my advice about getting a FAL, I would  say DSA’s 18in, standard weight barrel, fixed stock, with or without Robar, would be a good bet.

Besides the extended scope rail option, I like the Hampton lower, which has a rear sight just like that on the AR-15.  All my FALs have Hampton lowers, as well as the Speed Trigger upgrade.  I haven’t had a chance to fire a rifle with a stock trigger, but I can tell you I would not want anything less than the Speed Trigger, which gives a lighter, shorter, crisper pull for enhanced practical accuracy.  I consider the trigger upgrade and scope rail to be the most important upgrades you can get for the FAL.

And finally, some pros and cons.  The FAL is unique in that it has an adjustable gas system, allowing you to tune it to your particular ammo, and this is generally regarded as a good thing.  It helps reduce wear and tear on your gun as well as your shoulder.  But you wouldn’t want to go into battle with it on the wrong setting, which could render it a single shot rifle. [JWR Adds: Ditto for assembling the rifle with the gas plug installed upside down.]

Like the HK91/PTR91, it has the charging handle on the left side (which is what most right handed shooters seem to prefer), as it was designed to be used with an integral bipod.  It is a ‘non-reciprocating’ handle, meaning that it does not move during cycling (unlike the M14/M1A), and consequently does not allow for a forward assist should it be needed (which could happen if the rifle gets dirty enough).  Last time I talked with DSA in mid-2012 I was told a forward assist option (similar to that on the Israeli heavy barrel FAL) might be offered in the future, as a number of people had been asking about it.  You might be able to make this mod yourself (or you might consider getting an M14/M1A).  Most people don’t seem to think it’s necessary, but like a lot of things, having it and not needing it is better than needing it and not having it.

The charging handle knob itself is made of hollow aluminum, and it can break (don’t ask me how I know).  Just don’t drop it on a rock.  Barrel is not chrome lined, but this is in the interest of better accuracy.  DSA ordered a recall on a range of lowers a few years ago.  I was not notified (I noticed it on their web site), even though I’m the original owner and they have my email address.

M14/M1A
Having decided in favor of the FAL I figured I had no need to get one of these.  Besides the expense of the rifle itself, I like to stock mags and parts for the rifles I have, and the cost for this system is unfortunately high.  But it was the one thing missing in my collection, and in many ways it can be considered the best of the bunch.  So about every six months I would get a real hankering for one, even start having dreams about it.  Finally I could take it no longer.  I bought an M14SA, LRB Arms hammer-forged receiver, the rest of it is USGI M14 parts except bolt (TRW) and barrel (Criterion, chrome lined).  This is not a match rifle, but it’s about the best plain Jane semi auto M14 you can find, and at the risk of comparing apple to oranges, I consider the quality on a par with DSA’s FAL.

It came with a beautifully restored USGI walnut stock, which I immediately replaced with a fiberglass one.  Being able to swap stocks is one of the advantages here, and the USGI fiberglass can be repainted in any number of camo patterns.  Because I like the extra rigidity and strength of the old ‘big red’ birch stocks I bought one of these too, and refinished it.  I had to get several new tools for cleaning and working on the rifle.  I will accumulate more mags and parts as opportunities arise.

Because I’m a little nearsighted I installed a National Match (NM) rear sight, and dropped in a corrective lens from B Jones Sights.  This allows me to see the target well enough while still keeping the front sight in focus.  I also put in a front globe sight, which shrouds the front sight in a small cylinder, reducing eye fatigue and minimizing the effects of lighting.  (As a side note: the rear sight with lens is legal in NRA Service Rifle competition, but the front globe sight is not.)  This allows me to shoot almost to the rifle’s potential (less than 1.5MOA with Prvi 168gr).  If you like shooting with iron sights this is a great setup.  Being able to shoot this rifle very accurately using iron sights is one of the most fun things about it.
I was not planning to scope this rifle, due to the high cost of the better mounts, and the reported problematic nature of doing so.  But then I heard about the Bassett Machine mount ($150).  The High model allows use of the iron sights.  It goes on and off easily with a hand tool, with minimal torque needed – only the weight of the rifle is used to tighten it – and boasts a return to zero within 1MOA.  It sounded too good to be true, but I read enough endorsements from users to take the plunge.  Though my experience with it is not very broad thus far, it does perform as advertised, so if you’re shopping for a mount check this one out.  Naturally, whatever mount you may choose, if you are using a scope you’ll probably want a cheek riser to help raise your line of sight.  I use a removable soft pad on my birch stock so I can switch back to using iron sights easily.

This rifle is a very comfortable shooter, the softest recoiling among the three traditional Battle Rifles, and with the familiar feel of the hunting rifle and shotgun.  Probably the biggest drawback is the lack of a pistol grip.  Particularly in prone, where the elbow of the trigger arm is down, the angle the trigger finger makes with the trigger is not ideal.  Also, the wrist is bent back – not good for relaxing.  However, it doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would, and the rifle delivers exceptional accuracy.  Many a good sniper, after all, has made do with this type of traditional stock on a scoped bolt action, so it should be no obstacle to most of us on our Battle Rifles.  There are of course after market stocks that feature a pistol grip, but good ones are expensive, often require bedding, such as the McMillan (and occasional rebedding, depending on how much you shoot), and may add substantial weight, such as the J Allen Enterprises stock.

For a “field grade” stock I like the USGI fiberglass.  (Some shooters reinforce the foreend to make it more rigid, but I haven’t yet found this necessary, even when using a tight sling).  The only mod I made was to install a Sadlak heavy duty bipod rail in front of the sling loop.  With this setup using a bipod, scope, and cheek riser, you’d essentially be equipped just as many of our troops are fighting overseas with the M14.

As far as available ‘upgrades’ for this weapon – stocks, parts, accurizing, etc. – the sky’s the limit, but then so is the price.  I plan to do some basic accurizing, but that’s about it.  It already does what it needs to do, and what I need to do is spend time shooting it.
It’s easy to see why people’s objectivity breaks down when it comes to this rifle.  It has the look and feel of a traditional rifle; it’s designed for use with the service sling, with controls on the right hand side; iron sights are superb; recoil is gentle; and it has the home team advantage, as it is the only American Battle Rifle, and a direct descendant of the revered M1.  Very much a rifleman’s rifle, user friendly in all important respects.

More recently I got a tanker version, built on an LRB M25 receiver which has the scope rail built in, with a number of upgrades.  This was to be my go-to Battle Rifle, my pride and joy.  But it doesn’t work – numerous cycling problems, and I have to send it back.  It’s an excellent builder that made it so I have no doubt they’ll make it right.  But it just goes to show that you can run into problems no matter what you buy, even in the high end market.

AR-10 & Variants
This platform has a lot going for it – the same excellent ergonomics of the AR-15, outstanding accuracy, modularity, ease of customization.  The rifle has gotten better, as more manufacturers have come out with more choices, and magazines aren’t as wildly expensive as they once were.  It is unfortunate that, unlike with the AR-15 parts, particularly mags, are not standardized, but this is a fairly minor concern.

It may be argued that it also shows some of the weaknesses of the AR-15.  But as long as we know what they are, we can make an informed choice as to whether the AR-10 is appropriate for our mission.  Certainly we would want to make sure we have plenty of lube since, while fouling may be an issue with the direct impingement mechanism, it can get pretty dirty and not quit, provided you can keep it wet.  Keep plenty of spare parts on hand, and know how to rebuild a bolt.
But I think where the AR-10 really shines is as a semi auto sniper rifle.  You can easily build one with sub MOA accuracy, and if you have a need for such a capability this would be an excellent option.

SAIGA .308
This is a good, robust budget Battle Rifle, but with certain drawbacks.  It’s available only in 16 in and 21in barreled models; many say the 21in is markedly less accurate due to barrel whip.  It is not threaded for a flash hider, and with the front sight positioned all the way out at the muzzle, no easy way to thread it (see instructions at Dinzag Arms), though some sort of bolt on device may be possible.  No pistol grip, crummy trigger.  Mags – both factory and hi-cap – are expensive.  But factory mags are 8-rounds, so you could think of this as roughly equivalent to a .308 M1 with detachable mag, which ain’t bad, unless of course you lose the mag.  And though it can be upgraded (see below), for the cost involved I would suggest you take a hard look at a PTR91 instead.  If you like the Saiga the way it is you’re in good shape, though I consider a trigger upgrade a must.  It has a side mount for a scope rail which is inexpensive, so scoping it is simple.  The iron sights are the usual lousy AK type, so for excellent aftermarket peep sights check out Tech-Sights.

Like the AK47, the Saiga .308 has relatively mild recoil.  However, there is one difference in the action that bears mentioning.  There is an extra lug on the bolt to handle the higher pressures of the .308.  It’s on the bottom, and it rides directly over the case of the top cartridge in the magazine, and depending on how sharp the lug is, it puts a good dent in the case shoulder on the return stroke, particularly when the top round is on the left side.  This could be an issue in performance, especially if you’re using brass cased ammo (steel cased won’t dent nearly so much), as the case could be punctured before firing.  There is only one way to see this effect.  Firing the round irons out the case and removes the dent.  Therefore, start with a full 20-round mag (for maximum upward pressure), making sure the top round is on the right.  Load, and fire the first round.  Then remove the mag, extract the chambered round, and inspect.  My rifle made such a severe dent I sent the bolt back to the distributor to have it filed down.  When it still made a big dent I sent the whole rifle back and they worked on the bolt some more.  They did it free of charge, although with a note saying it shouldn’t have been sent in since it had been converted to the pistol grip configuration – voiding the warranty.  As if the pistol grip has anything to do with the bolt!  Anyhow, it helped, enough so that I’m no longer worried it might actually punch a hole in the brass.  I’m still not too crazy about the design, with the lug riding over the case and bumping the shoulder.

As for the pistol grip conversion, there are a few differences from the Saiga 7.62x39.  The mag well is farther aft due to the longer round, and the trigger guard I got for it needed to be squeezed and shaped a bit, and a new hole in the receiver for the front screw.  If you’re putting in a fixed stock there’s not much too it.  But for a folding stock, where you cut off the rear tang, you’ll need to drill and tap holes in the receiver to secure the receiver block, as the two holes on each side used for this purpose when converting the 7.62x39 or Saiga 12 are absent on the .308.  I used the block that comes without these holes already in it; that way I could just drill the receiver and block together so things line up easily.  I also needed to cut the cross bar off the bottom of the block, and do some grinding on top edges to provide clearance.  Lastly, there was a hole in the bottom of the receiver near the back where I put another screw into the block.  I used an ACE folding stock.  The result is very solid and looks great.

One other thing I should mention about this rifle is that I had to grind the receiver rails a little bit in order to get the bolt and carrier group in and out smoothly.  It works smooth as grease now, but when I first got it I couldn’t see why it didn’t behave just like all the AKs I was used to handling.  So if you have trouble with yours, take a careful look at the receiver rail clearance, and if you must take a dremel to your receiver, go slow, taking off only a little bit at a time, trying the bolt & carrier insertion and removal as you go.
Overall I like this baby (I have a 16in).  It shares the good traits of an AK-47 – simplicity, reliability, light weight, mild recoil – in a semi auto .308.  With the folding stock, it’s hard to see how you could get more firepower in such a small, light weight package.  So if you like the AK platform, and don’t mind doing a little work and tweaking to get it the way you like, give it a look.

CONCLUSION
No Battle Rifle is perfect, but it’s possible to find something that is ideal or suitable for you, your group, your family.  All of those discussed here will do the job and will serve you well.  Selecting a Battle Rifle is like becoming part of a club or community.  You can avail yourself of the tremendous amount of information and help online from others using the same platform.  There is so much experience and expertise on these weapons out there, and it’s constantly being updated on the forums.  Being a part of it is one of the most satisfying benefits of Battle Rifle shooting.  But the best of all, of course, it the shooting itself.

One final note.  As preppers, we have long been concerned with the state of our world, its fragility, and the various means and trends that threaten it.  Now suddenly we have a new threat to our freedom and culture, to our right to life and liberty, the specter of infringements to our right to keep and bear arms.  We have already seen a lot of panic in the marketplace.  But as preppers we do not panic, we take heart.  Despair is not an option for us.  While we may have to adapt to new circumstances, we are secure in our faith and our mission, and remain active in the face of change and adversity.  We all know this won’t be the last crisis we’ll have to deal with.  But we are here now, in this time and place, for a reason.  We are the beginning of a new America and a new freedom, remembering and recapturing the old, but with an eye to building a new future, a vision to be admired and remembered to the end of days.  The way is tough, but that is always the way of the pioneer.

"Only accurate rifles are interesting." - Col. Townsend Whelen

We all know when we are shooting a super accurate rifle; when everything just "clicks" and the shooter, cartridge, and rifle come together to make great groups. But what are the variables involved in making a rifle accurate? And more importantly, how can we control some of those variables ourselves?

One of the keys to accuracy, perhaps the most important one, is consistency. We know that, as shooters, we need to be very consistent to become good marksmen. We mount the gun the same way every time, control our breathing and even our pulse to release the shot at the same interval within our "wobble area." We press the trigger the same way, and use the same place on our trigger finger to release it. We adjust the parallax out of our scope and adjust optics for best focus of reticle and target. All these things help make our shots more consistent.

Well, the combination of rifle and the cartridge it fires are very dependent on consistency as well. Let's consider just a few of the important items.

Stock bedding
If your rifle action moves around in the stock, it will never shoot consistently. Each time you shoot, the rifle will recoil, and potentially land in a different place in the stock. The most accurate rifles typically are glass bedded within a CNC-machined aluminum bedding block, in a synthetic stock. Synthetics are great, because they aren't affected by temperature or humidity. Classic wood stocks are beautiful, but they can swell or warp. Laminates work well, because they are relatively immune to environmental factors.  There are synthetic or laminated stocks now available for nearly any semi-automatic or bolt action rifle suitable for survival situations. Many of these are available in semi-finished form at a very reasonable price; these require mostly work with a few simple hand tools and the application of a durable finish to make an excellent finished product. Instructions and supplies for glass bedding these stocks are available from suppliers like Midway and Brownell’s.

You might have heard of "pillar bedding." Basically, this involves embedding a couple of aluminum or steel spacers in the stock, through which your action bolts run to bolt the action to the floorplate (aka "bottom metal"). In the olden days, people would cinch down these action bolts tightly enough to start crushing the wood of the stock. Do this long enough and often enough, and the stock starts getting loose on the gun and accuracy suffers. Pillars prevent this crushing. For best accuracy, you can even use a torque wrench to always tighten your action bolts to exactly the same torque (about 65 inch-lbs is often used). Pillar bedding is also a project that is well within the capabilities of a moderately skilled woodworker. You can buy the aluminum pillars pre-made, or if you’re handy with a lathe or drill press, can easily make your own from round aluminum bar stock. Again, instruction is available through gunsmithing suppliers, or you can find detailed instructions by a simple internet search.

Free Floating the Barrel
"Free floating" the barrel is also an accuracy enhancer for most rifles. The action is bedded behind the locking lug to provide a full-contact fit between the action and stock. There is also a small area of the action and barrel glassed in just ahead of the receiver, but most of the barrel is not in contact with the stock. With a properly-floated barrel you can slide a couple sheets of notebook paper between the barrel and stock almost all the way to the receiver.

Now why do this? When you fire a shot, the barrel basically rings like a bell, doing a complex set of oscillations before, during, and after the bullet's departure. If you free float the barrel, nothing will interfere with these oscillations, and they will occur consistently. If a portion of the stock touches, the harmonics may or may not occur consistently. And remember, we're striving for consistency here. Some barrels actually do a better job with a carefully engineered bearing surface near the muzzle, but for most barrels, free float is where it's at.

Barrel Attachment
Most barrels screw into the receiver on bolt action rifles and many centerfire semi-autos. There are some exceptions - AKs (not legendary in the accuracy department), HKs, and a few other battle rifles have pinned barrels. But for the average guy wanting the most accurate rifle at a reasonable price, a bolt action with screwed in barrel is what you'll end up acquiring. It stands to reason that you'd want all the surfaces of the barrel and action to mesh up perfectly when you screw them together at the proper torque. But in fact, that doesn't always happen. If the barrel and action are not in perfect alignment, the barrel might be slightly cocked in the action, and the bore axis won't align with the action. Or, even if they are aligned, if the bearing surfaces don't mate exactly, when a shot is fired (remember that "ringing like a bell"?) the barrel might move minutely with respect to the action.

How do you fix this? By truing all the mating surfaces, much like "blueprinting" a big block Chevy engine. This can be done on a lathe, and/or by using specially made lapping tools to make sure all the surfaces line up, that the threads are true, and that the axes of action and barrel are properly aligned. This work requires a bit more expertise in machining – if you use a lathe.

However, if you use truing tools available for use by hand, the tools basically self-align with the part being worked on and the surfaces are almost guaranteed to be true. These tools are available through outfits like Midway, and though relatively expensive, can be purchased by a group and used to accurize many rifles of the same action type.

Bolt to action fit
Now we have a barrel that fits precisely to the action and the barreled action is securely bedded into a stable stock. The action screws are tightened snuggly and consistently, and the barrel is free-floated. What else can we do?

The bolt is the next thing to consider. If the bolt face isn't aligned to the bore properly, it will hold the cartridge at a slight angle to the bore when the shot breaks. The bullet will actually leave the case at a slight angle to the bore axis, it will engrave the rifling unevenly into its jacket, and it'll never really recover from this indignity. The result will be yet another inconsistency and poor groups. The answer to this problem is to lap the bolt face so that it is exactly perpendicular to the bore axis, and each cartridge will be held precisely in the same place. You can buy a tool for this operation as well, using your power drill and lapping compound (the barrel has to be removed from the action to do it, though). With a lathe, it's a pretty straightforward task to build your own bolt face lapping tool.

Now, the bolt also won't stay properly aligned if it doesn't lock up consistently. This is the result of the engagement of the bolt locking lugs with the matching recesses in the receiver. Take a look at the rear of the lugs on the bolt in your favorite rifle. If all of the lugs show the bluing is evenly worn off, and each lug shows about 80% engagement, you're golden. More likely, none of the lugs show this much engagement, and in a worst case, one lug is taking all the load of firing, with the other lug just hanging free in space. As you might guess, this will allow the bolt to cock with respect to the bore, your poor bullet gets abused again, and inconsistency is the result.

This condition can also be rectified by lapping. You don't even have to have a tool to do it, but a spring loaded tool that presses the lugs against the bolt does make the job easier. Smear some lapping compound on the rear of the lugs (strip the bolt first), insert the bolt, pull back on it to maintain good contact between the bearing surfaces, and just work the bolt multiple times until the surfaces are well matched up.
                 
Where are we now? Let's see - bolt is square to the receiver, holding the cartridge in perfect alignment with a bore that is also aligned to the receiver. The barrel is seated against a trued action; it isn't going to move upon firing. The action is securely held in a stable stock. The barrel is free to vibrate at its harmonic frequency.

Barrel Crown

The very last influence your rifle will have on that speeding bullet is as it exits the muzzle. That's why the muzzle crown is of primary importance. If the crown is dinged or uneven, as the bullet exits, expanding gas behind the bullet will leave the bore unevenly. This can move the bullet out of  alignment, imparting a lopsided spiral motion to it. You want the bullet to leave the bore in perfect symmetry. Why are there so many crown shapes? Mostly to protect that crown by recessing it away from potential dings. A perfectly straight crown, perpendicular to the bore axis, will do just fine, and can be accomplished with a high quality square and a file. But it's easier to do it with lapping tools or a lathe. A freshly cut crown will often do astounding things to improve the accuracy of an old rifle.

Lock time
Military rifles, like the Mausers that are well-suited for accurizing, were designed for reliability under battle conditions. They have a striker that hits the primer with ferocious intensity, driven by a heavy duty spring. Unfortunately, that mechanism is really heavy. Weight equates to inertia - when you press the trigger, it take a while for all that mass to get up to speed. This is called lock time. Ideally, you'd press the trigger and the bullet would exit the bore immediately, with no lock time at all. A long lock time (like in a Mauser action) gives you more time to wiggle around between the time that you press the trigger and the primer ignites the powder. More contemporary commercial actions (Remington, Sako, etc.) have greatly reduced lock time. Remington even invented an electronic trigger and electrically fired primer (Etronix) to virtually eliminate lock time, but it never really caught on. For the Mauser, you can buy a "speedlock" inner bolt assembly that's made of aluminum and titanium to significantly reduce lock time. They are available for other rifles as well, and you can even buy a titanium firing pin for your AR-15 that will cut down its lock time as well. There's a balancing act though - if the firing pin is too light, it might not reliably detonate your primers, so beware.

Optics mounts
This is an easy one. If the optics (scope or iron sights) are loose, they will bounce around from shot to shot. This is more common than you might think. It's pretty common to see a hunter at "sight in days" shooting up an entire box of ammo trying to zero his rifle. He'll be fine for elevation, but a shot will hit to the left. He dials in some right. The next shot is far to the right. He dials in left to correct. Now the shot is far to the left. He scratches his head, shoots again. Next shot is to the right! What? What is probably happening is that he has a loose scope mount, that's just bouncing to the limits of its travel with each shot. Or it could be a scope with loose internal parts. Or it might be that the hunter should hit the range more frequently than once a year. You can't blame the equipment for everything!

The solution here is easy. Buy good quality bases and mounts, install them correctly to the proper torque, and check them periodically!

What else?

That about covers the rifle components and interfaces that contribute to accuracy. Of course, an expensive Shilen or Lilja match barrel will be more accurate than a shot out WWII barrel. The most accurate benchrest rifles have special actions that are super stiff, to remove any hint of flex that might cause inconsistent performance. But, you might be surprised at how a bit of tuning can up the performance of even a modest barrel.

The benefit of this basic tuning is that it improves the accuracy of the rifle without harming the reliability for situations where the rifle simply must function properly, all the time. A survival rifle is no place to try out fancy gimmicks that may fail when the chips are down – simple, reliable, and tested techniques like the ones described here will often turn a reliable clunker into a tack driver. Just refreshing the barrel crown might take a rifle that can't shoot less than a 6 inch group at 100 yards and reduce that group to 2 inches.

I often have SurvivalBlog readers forward me alarmist e-mails, warning of "total disarmament" of the civilian populace. While there indeed may be plans or schemes to disarm Americans, I don't consider these threats credible. Let me explain why: I would conservatively estimate that there are about 316 million firearms in private hands in the United States. Of these, less than 10% are logged in any formal registry. Perhaps another 30% have Form 4473s filed with the FFL dealers where they were first purchased, but that is a fractured mishmash of records with a quite perishable life span. It is notable that we live in a very mobile society, where most families move every three or four years. And in most states, there are no record keeping requirements for secondary sales of firearms. So to call the accumulation of 4473 forms a de facto registration system is laughable.

A Congressional Research Service report provides these details:

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) reported in a national survey that in 1994, 44 million people, approximately 35% of households, owned 192 million firearms, 65 million of which were handguns. Seventy-four percent of those individuals were reported to own more than one firearm. According to the ATF, by the end of 1996 approximately 242 million firearms were available for sale to or were possessed by civilians in the United States. That total includes roughly 72 million handguns (mostly pistols, revolvers, and derringers), 76 million rifles, and 64 million shotguns. By 2000, the number of firearms had increased to approximately 259 million: 92 million handguns, 92 million rifles, and 75 million shotguns. By 2007, the number of firearms had increased to approximately 294 million: 106 million handguns, 105 million rifles, and 83 million shotguns.

In the past, most guns available for sale were produced domestically. In recent years, 1 million to 2 million handguns were manufactured each year, along with 1 million to 1.5 million rifles and fewer than 1 million shotguns. From 2001 through 2007, however, handgun imports nearly doubled, from 711,000 to nearly 1.4 million. By 2009, nearly 2.2 million handguns were imported into the United States. From 2001 through 2007, rifle imports increased from 228,000 to 632,000, and shotgun imports increased from 428,000 to 726,000. By 2009, rifle imports had increased to 864,000, but shotguns had decreased 559,000. By the same year, 2009, the estimated total number of firearms available to civilians in the United States had increased to approximately 310 million: 114 million handguns, 110 million rifles, and 86 million shotguns.

The sheer number of guns that have little or no paper trail would make it virtually impossible to for any Papa Fidel or Chairman Mao Wannabes to implement a national registration scheme. Americans are quite independent by nature and are unlikely to comply with any universal registration edict. Consider the recent experience in Germany, where a new national registry logged in only 5.5 million guns, while 17 million guns remain un-papered in the hands of refuseniks. Now, if this happened in Germany--where the populace is famous for being sticklers to most laws (except on the autobahnen)--can you imagine the result if this were attempted in the United States? To call it massive noncompliance would be putting it mildly.

The bottom line: Be vigilant and vocal with our elected officials about any proposed legislation, but don't worry too much about the police ever going door to door, looking for unregistered guns. If this were attempted, they wouldn't get very far. I can predict that if Eric Holder ever wants to turn his fantasies of disarming the American people into reality, then he'll have to enlist the aid of every sworn law enforcement officer, every soldier, every prison guard, every park ranger, every dog catcher and every meter maid in the country. But I doubt many of those folks will be enthusiastic, in carrying out unconstitutional orders. So then he'd undoubtedly also need the help of a hundred divisions of foreign troops. My advice to Mr. Holder: Order up plenty of body bags. You'll need them.

Veteran blogger and Appleseed program shooting instructor Bob Owens recently summarized the mathematics of rebellion, quite succinctly: "A nation with just 800,000 law enforcement officers and 3 million active and reserve military personal cannot easily defeat and enslave a free people armed with 300 million firearms, even if large numbers of the police and military didn’t walk away or switch sides to follow their oath to the Constitution instead of any given leader, as many assuredly will."

Dater JWR:
I am a retired police officer, SWAT team member, firearms instructor, armorer, First Aid CPR/AED instructor, and consider myself and my wife into prepping at a moderate level. While we do not have everything that I would like to have in my arms and accessories I know I am so far ahead of many of my friends that my confidence is high on that point.

I must tell you I was shocked when we visited a Southwestern Ohio gun store  about a week ago. My friend, an employee and also retired law enforcement officer, looked at us like a rookie department store clerk and said "I do not have words to describe this!"  "The last AR went out the door an hour before you got here, and we have no magazines left". They were limiting 5.56 ammo sales to half cases so naturally we bought half a case each as well as another of .45ACP.

The gist of my observation was while looking at a familiar gun store, and having a visceral reaction to shelves that looked like a grocery store pre blizzard or hurricane. I have been to homicides, fatal car crashes, and any number of scenes that would shock many of your readers who are not military or law enforcement. Nothing prepared me for this sight!

I told my wife: "All it will take is some small financial crisis and we could see a run on the banks." My story is not unique, I am sure you are hearing this again and again. Are we approaching a Rubicon?

Respectfully, - Brian T.

Hello, James.
I was wondering about something. If it is possible to build an entire lower assembly for an AR-15 (though a bit more fragile than what most people are aware of) using a 3D printer, wouldn't it also be possible to program that same printer to make composite construction 30 magazines (or larger) for AR series rifles. All that you would need to do then is buy the springs. Everything else can be produced using the printer. Sincerely, - Gerald H.
 
JWR Replies: Unfortunately, with current technology I don't think that the plastics used have the requisite tensile strength, especially in the feed lips.  A  fully-loaded magazine exerts a lot of force on both the feed lips and the floorplate retainer. But in a few years, I expect 3D printing technology to mature substantially. So it could then become a viable option for fabricating magazines.

I've been shooting Buffalo Bore brand ammunition for about two years. The owner, Tim Sundles, never ceases to amaze me with all the new loads he comes out with - not just for self-defense, but great loads for hunting as well. What I also like about Buffalo Bore is that Sundles doesn't use special pressure barrels to test his velocities, he uses his own guns, from his own collection, so you are getting real-world velocities. Additionally, Sundles lists the various firearms he tested his ammo in - I'm not aware of any other ammo maker that does this.

First up is the new .38 Super +P load, with the Barnes Lead Free 124-grain all copper hollow point. Now, I hate to admit this, but I had never fired a .38 Super before I got this load. Over the years, I had plenty of opportunity to buy a few 1911s chambered in .38 Super, but always passed - ammo wasn't available in a lot of gun shops, and most of what was available were FMJ loads - not ideal for self-defense. I know many years ago, the .38 Super was really popular south of our border in Mexico - but those days are long gone, as legal private gun ownership is all but a thing of the past in Mexico. I understand that the .38 Super is still very popular down in Texas, though. So, I had to borrow a .38 Super 1911 from a friend to test this new Buffalo Bore load. Make no mistake, you can't and shouldn't attempt to fire the .38 Super in a .38 Auto chambered pistol - and especially a +P loaded 38 Super - you're inviting trouble if you do.

Many folks believe that the .38 Super is nothing more than a slightly hotter 9mm round - well, not exactly. And when we are talking a .38 Super +P load - we're talking a pretty hot-stepping load - it is in the same ballpark as the .357 SIG loads, in my opinion.  What we have in this newest loading from Buffalo Bore, is the very popular Barnes TAC-XP bullet, which is proving itself to be an excellent manstopper - this bullet stays together - there is no lead core - the bullet is a solid copper hollow point, that penetrates deeply and really expands.  Sundles also uses a flash retarding powder, to help prevent loss of your night vision when you fire this round. No one else is doing this to my knowledge. My chronograph gave-up the ghost sometime ago, and I never replaced it, so I'll just give you the velocities Sundles gets from his handguns he used in his testing. In a Colt 1911 Government Model, he was getting 1,409 feet per second - that's moving. In a Taurus PT 1911 - he was getting 1,288- feet per second, and in an EAA witness, with a 4.25-inch barrel, he was getting 1,228-feet per second. I fired this ammo into some water-filled milk jugs - I lined-up three just in a row, and the Barnes bullet easily penetrated all three milk jugs - so I had to add a fourth milk jug - and the Barnes bullet was caught in the fourth milk jug -and it expanded perfectly and retained 100% of it's weight. What more can you ask for in a self-defense round? If you own a .38 Super chambered pistol, this is s round you need for self-defense - bar none!

Next up is the .454 Casull round, with a 250-grain XPB Barnes bullet - and the difference between the TAC-XP and the XPB is that, the XPB is designed for hunting purposes, it will penetrate a little deeper and not expand quite as much - and when hunting big game, you want deep penetration to reach the vital organs of big game. In Sundles testing, he found that this load will penetrate roughly 24-inches, depending on the impact velocity and the particular bones that may be struck in the game animal. Again, I had to borrow a .454 Casull chambered revolver to test this round. I placed 6 milk jugs in a row, and they didn't stop this round - all I can say is, this one really penetrates. It would be ideal for large deer and black bear, and even bigger critters like elk if you stick to broad-side shots.

The XPB bullet is long-for-weight, and it crowds the case capacity, so Buffalo Bore wasn't able to use their flash suppressed powder in this load. I don't have a problem with this at all - I don't hunt in the dark - it's against the law, so I'm not worried about getting blinded by the flash. I barely noticed the flash in my own testing in daylight.  Sundles is getting close to 1,700-feet per second in a Freedom Arms 6-inch revolver, and that is really moving along a 250-grain bullet. If you own a .454 Casull chambered handgun, you need to check this round out for your next big game hunt.

Okay, I was never all that interested in the .45 Colt round, until my friend--and fellow gun writer--Sheriff Jim Wilson turned me onto this load in a Ruger revolver many years ago. You can load the .45 Colt to power levels above a .44 Mag if you handload, and you can do it safely, too. Buffalo Bore came out with a 255-grain soft cast hollow point, gas check load, which was designed for self-defense. Yes, this load is hotter than other factory loads, which are a bit sedate if you ask me, but it is perfectly safe to shoot in any .45 Colt chambered handgun according to Sundles.

This new .45 Colt self-defense load with this particular bullet, was designed to mushroom at speeds as low as 750-feet per second, but it will still penetrate about 18-inches, depending on the angle of the shot and whether or not bone is hit. Many .45 Colt factory loads have a round nose bullet, and they just slip right through tissue and bone without really imparting the energy needed to put an end to a dangerous self-defense situation. Additionally, this bullet was designed with a special crimp groove and the case mouth is heavily crimped so the bullet will not jump the crimp and tie-up your revolver. Also, a flash suppressant powder was used in this load.

I tried this load through a S&W Mountain Gun, and it wasn't bad in the recoil department at all. I note that Tim Sundles was getting 983-feet per second from the same gun. This round is much more pleasant to fire than any .357 Magnum load - and it will penetrate deeper that a .357 Mag JHP load and probably be a better manstopper. While many folks don't carry single-action revolvers for self-defense these days, this would be a great load to stoke in any single-action revolver or a S&W Mountain Gun. Many folks in the Southwest still carry single-action revolvers when they are out backpacking or on horseback, and this is the round they should have if they expect to face two-legged critters - and it wouldn't be a half bad round for medium sized game, which brings us to the next Buffalo Bore load.

The .45 Colt HEAVY +P "Deer Grenade" round is a massive hollow nosed 260-grain cast bullet with a gas check, traveling a velocities from 1,449-feet per second up to almost 1,900-feet per second, depending on the handgun or rifle you are firing it through. What's nice with this bullet is that it won't lead your barrel because it is gas checked - and if you fire a lot of cast bullets, you know how quickly a barrel can lead and what a pain it is to clean your barrel. Buffalo Bore designed this .45 Colt load to be the world's premier deer load - and I'm sure not going to pick a fight with Sundles over this - I believe him!

At an impact velocity of 1,100-feet this bullet will mushroom to about .80 caliber and should punch right through any deer with a broadside shot - that's great in the mushrooming area - that is serious expansion. At the 1,500-feet per second velocity, the bullet will still mushroom and some of the mushroom will fragment and send those pieces flying through the deer. At the 1,900-feet per second velocity, the entire mushroomed bullet will turn to shrapnel and send bullet particles throughout the deer doing horrific damage and probably push right through the deer. This load wasn't designed just for deer hunting, it can also be used on black beer or wild hogs and if you've ever hunting hogs, you know how hard they are to put down.

Now, a word of warning, and be take this advice to heart: This load is not designed for use in all .45 Colt chambered firearms. Use this round ONLY in the following firearms:

All Ruger large frame revolvers chambered in .45 Colt or .454 Casull, but don't use it in a smaller framed New Model Vaquero.
All 1892 Winchesters and all copies of such made after 1920.
All Winchester and Marlin 1894 models.
Any break-open action like a T/C or Handi-rifle.
Any falling block action such as the Sharps or Winchester 1895.
Any Freedom Army Model 83 or 97.

So, take this to heart, and do NOT use this round in any other firearms!!!!

No one else is making a round that can compare to this one from Buffalo Bore, if you have one of the aforementioned firearms, do yourself a favor and get some of this ammo and give it a try. This isn't plinking ammo. This is serious, +P hunting ammo.

Next up is the new .460 S&W lead free, 275-gr Barnes XPB load - and again, I don't have a revolver chambered in this caliber - but I'd sure love to have one - maybe one of these days, when funds permit, so I had to borrow this S&W revolver to test this load. As mentioned above, this is the XPB bullet from Barnes, an all-copper hollow point, but it was designed to penetrate deeper and expand a little bit less - great for reaching the vitals on big game animals. S&W advertises this round as the flattest shooting handgun round in the world, and I have no reason to doubt this claim.

This load at 275-grains, doesn't recoil nearly as much as some of the heavier loads in this caliber, and that's a nice thing. However, there is a lot of muzzle blast coming out of the sides of this revolver, so don't fire it with someone standing next to you. Tim Sundles has this round at 1,946-feet per second from his S&W Performance Center 10.5-inch revolver, and that is really moving. This round would be great for elk, moose or some of the bigger bears. And, when hunting those types of big game, you really want a load that penetrates. Again, I lined-up 8 water-filled milk jugs and fired this round into them - never did find the bullet - it's buried in a mountainside. So, we're looking at some deep penetration. 

Last up, for this article (and there are more new loadings from Buffalo Bore, but I'll save them for another article) is the .45-70 +P 350-grain Barnes TSX FN. This is really a hot-stepping .45-70 load. Pay attention that this is a +P load , and it is NOT safe to shoot in just any old firearm chambered in this caliber. So, here's a list of the guns it is safe to shoot in:

All Marlin 1895 made since 1972.
All Browning 1885 and 1886 copies,
Rossi Rio Grande.
New England Arms Handi-Rifle.
T/C Encore.
All falling block actions made of modern steel such as the Ruger #1 and #3, Shiloh, Christian and Pedersoli Sharps
All Winchester 1886 iterations made since 1915 and all Siamese Mauser bolt actions.

Now, if in doubt, go over this list again, before firing this +P .45-70 load in your firearms...and if you have any questions, contact Buffalo Bore Ammunition before ordering this ammo. This load is identical in exterior dimensions - but it is rated as +P - so be advised.

This Barnes all-copper, expanding 350-grain TSX-FN (flat nose) bullet will penetrate about as deeply as a typical 400-grain load core partition expanding bullet, yet gives the benefit of a lighter bullet, which means less recoil. Plus, it will shooter flatter. Out of Sundles' 1985 Marlin 22-inch lever-action rifle, he was getting 1,931-feet per second. I tested this load, and although I couldn't chronograph it, I have no reason to doubt the velocity Sundles was getting. I fired this round into a dirt mound, and I dug and dug - and never could find the round - it must be on the way to China because it penetrated so deeply.

With this +P .45-70 round from Buffalo Bore, you can have a "one-gun, one round" that will be capable of taking any and all big-game in the USA - including bison and brown bears. I have no doubt about this.

There are plenty of other newly developed loadings from Buffalo Bore that I'll cover in another article. Tim Sundles does not sit on his past accomplishments - he is constantly developing new loads and he actually tests his loads in the field when he goes hunting. As of late, he's been hard to catch in the office because he's been out hunting and testing his newest loads on game.

I've had some SurvivalBlog readers e-mail me and ask, how is it that I can test all these different loads in one day? Well, let's be realistic here, I don't test these loads in one day, this is over three months or longer - Buffalo Bore doesn't develop all these loads and send them to me at one time - it's a process that takes a lot of time. I have to actually get out in the field and fire these loads - and in some cases, I have to borrow firearms in some of these calibers so I can test the loads - it is a time-consuming process. I also have to take notes on all the calibers I test, and refer to my notes for articles like this.

If you aren't satisfied with standard factory loadings, and you want a little more velocity, penetration and knock-down power, then you owe it to yourself to check out the Buffalo Bore web site to see what they have to offer. They truly do have a huge offering on some of the most popular calibers around. And Tim Sundles tells me that SurvivalBlog readers are some of his best customers, as well as some of his most loyal repeat customers. Similarly, I've found that SurvivalBlog readers are a very intelligent bunch of folks who know what they like and don't like. Be sure to check out the Buffalo Bore web site, I'm betting you'll find something there for your self-defense, hunting and survival needs. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Many people have learned much of what they "know" about firearms from the movies. This includes the devices commonly known as "silencers." Even the name is misleading. A sound suppressor does not silence a firearm completely in most cases. What it does do is reduce the noise level while greatly reducing the muzzle blast and flash. Sound suppressors have been in use for over 100 years. Until the National Firearms Act of 1934, people in the United States could buy sound suppressors in gun stores or even hardware stores. Sound suppressors are now heavily regulated in the U.S. and in many countries. Curiously, however, some nations place few restrictions on sound suppressors or even require their use, in order to reduce the "noise pollution" associated with target shooting and hunting.

Legal purchase of a sound suppressor in the United States is administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). Before the purchase can be made, the person must undergo the application process, which includes paying a $200 tax and undergoing a criminal background check. Some purchasers are surprised to find that sound suppressors in the US are often very expensive -- in many cases exceeding the cost of the firearm they are to be used with. In some states -- including California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and some others -- sound suppressors are completely banned for ordinary citizens. In states that allow suppressors, there may be purchase requirements in addition to those required by the federal government.

Purchasing a sound suppressor will be seen by some preppers as a violation of OPSEC. Suppressors are also likely to draw unwanted attention if used at a public range. Additionally, they are bulky and add weight to a firearm, and their width can block the view through the sights of some firearms. Adding a sound suppressor to my favorite squirrel rifle would make it much less fun to carry in the woods, even if it didn't block the sights.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

On the other hand, the ability to shoot with less noise has several advantages. In addition to allowing early-morning shooting at urban or suburban ranges without disturbing nearby neighbors, a quiet firearm is a wonderful tool for training. New shooters are often intimidated by the loud noises associated with firearms, and this can contribute to flinching.

If the suppression reduces the sound sufficiently, hearing protection may be deemed unnecessary. This means greater comfort, especially for those who complain of discomfort caused by ear plugs or other hearing protection. A quieter range can also be a safer range, as range master commands are more easily heard by shooters and spectators. Eye protection, however, must always be worn whenever firearms are in use. I have been struck by a ricocheting .22LR bullet that struck a hard object and bounced straight back at me. It caused no injury, but it drove home the need to always wear eye protection.

In the hunting camp, a quiet firearm may give the hunter the ability to take small game near camp without alarming his or her partners or spooking larger game animals that may be grazing in the vicinity. When hunting small game, such as squirrels, being able to shoot with less noise may allow more animals to be taken in one location, without a loud report to scare the animals from the vicinity.

For the survivalist, the prepper, or even the rural homesteader, there are huge advantages to being able to shoot with less noise. On a working farm, more shots are probably fired at pests or predators than are ever fired at game animals. At my sister's ranch near Ukiah, California, I learned as a child just how many animals are fond of free range chickens! Several years later, while working as the range master at a Boy Scout camp outside Boonville, California, I used a quiet rifle for early morning rodent elimination near the range. The low report didn't disturb sleeping campers on the other side of the hill.

Operational security is another very important reason to look for ways to reduce gunshot noise. Anyone who has been outdoors during hunting season knows that rifle fire can be heard for a considerable distance. A low profile is vital, especially in the weeks or months after a calamity, when elements of the Golden Horde may be on the move nearby.

Surprisingly, the ability to shoot quietly may be even more important to preppers who are near suburban or urban areas. As we have seen in the wake of disasters, sometimes people are left to fend for themselves -- without power, phone, or other means of calling for help -- for weeks at a time. Flood waters and lack of proper sanitation may bring rats, mice and other potential disease vectors closer to homes. With no one to call, it would be helpful to have a way to deal with such a threat. At the same time, the days after a disaster are not a good time to be shatter the now-quiet neighborhood with gunshots. Even if it is a genuine emergency, such as a rabid animal threatening your household, caution is warranted. And changing technologies have made discretion even more important than before.

BIG BROTHER IS LISTENING

"One's a backfire. Three is gunplay." - James Caan in The Way of the Gun

It's a great movie line, but it's no longer the case. A single gunshot used to be a transitory event: a loud noise that could be mistaken for fireworks, a board being dropped, or something else. People would tend to perk up, and if the noise wasn't repeated, they would forget about it. In many urban areas, a single gunshot didn't even warrant a call to the police, and there was little chance of pinpointing its origin if they were called. In my neighborhood in Oakland, California in the 1980s, gunfire at night was a common sound, and we rarely saw a police car coming to investigate unless someone was hit and 9-1-1 was called. Now, however, cities like Oakland are using new technologies, such as microphones on cell phone towers, utility poles, or rooftops to record, identify and quickly triangulate the location of a gunshot ("Shot Spotter" - WIRED Magazine, March 2007). With the relaxation of restrictions, drones may soon join the ranks of urban listeners.

Once a gunshot is identified and located, police are alerted by the system and can be given an exact street address and the time of the gunshot. During a grid-up emergency, one could imagine that authorities would continue to rely on gunshot location networks. It could make for an ugly situation if you dispatch a rabid skunk while cleaning up after a hurricane, only to have the National Guard show up, looking for a possible sniper.

ALTERNATIVES

Over the years, I've had a number of people ask me about alternatives to firearms for pest elimination and small game hunting. The tools asked about have included airguns, bows and arrows, crossbows, blowguns, slingshots, slings, and even darts and thrown knives. Some of these -- particularly airguns -- can be quite effective, but all have their own limitations. Some stray into the realm of fantasy (slings and throwing weapons).

Modern airguns can be powerful, insanely accurate, and are sized for adults. Unfortunately, some of them are also loud enough to cause troubles of their own. None of the high-quality airguns are inexpensive, and they are somewhat specialized tools. One of the quieter air rifles, however, could serve for quiet pest elimination and for practice. Once the initial investment is made, further costs are not prohibitive. Pellets can be bought by the thousands, and quality airguns last a long time and are not maintenance-intensive.

Blowguns can be very accurate within their limits, but they are a short-range proposition and lack stopping power. They are also banned in California -- and probably in some other jurisdictions. Bows and crossbows seem rather clumsy for dealing with an animal in the yard or garden, and short-range shots in that environment will be destructive to arrows and bolts. Additionally, most people lack the skill level to make this a viable choice: a limitation which also applies to slingshots. Of course, a skilled shooter with a slingshot can be very impressive. I've seen small game animals dropped with a .38 round ball from a slingshot as though they'd been hit between the eyes with a hammer. Of all the non-gun weapons, a quality slingshot is probably the most practical, provided the shooter takes the time to acquire the necessary skill.

QUIET RIMFIRE AMMUNITION

The ideal solution for many of us would be using a firearm that we are already proficient with, but to somehow make the gun quiet on demand. Special rimfire ammunition renders a long-barreled .22 rifle nearly silent without any muzzle device, special permit or other trouble. The handling qualities of the rifle are unaffected, and there is no suppressor tube to intrude into the sight picture. I have found this special ammo useful for pests and for training without the need for hearing protection.

The ideal rifle for quiet rimfire shooting has a barrel length of 24 inches or longer. I have experimented with other barrel lengths. It came as a surprise to find that a 22-inch barrel with quiet rimfire ammo was significantly louder than the same ammunition out of the longer barrel. Generally, the shorter the barrel, the louder the report will be, but the sound of the shot will still be quieter than standard .22LR high velocity ammunition.

Semiauto rifles may not cycle with quiet ammunition, as it generates less energy than regular ammo. In this case, of course, the action can be manually cycled between shots. Some quiet ammo, due to the overall length of the rounds, may also have issues in feeding from a magazine.

I have experimented with two types of quiet rimfire ammunition in particular. There are other choices available, but the two types looked at here would be a good starting point. Every rimfire rifle is a law unto itself: what shoots accurately in my rifle may not do so in yours, and vice versa. You should be ready to try different types of ammunition until you find one that shoots accurately in your rifle. Fortunately, rimfire ammo is inexpensive and is not particularly hard to find. I've even seen Quiet-22 ammo (described below) in Wal-Mart recently, alongside some .22 Short loads that I plan to try out soon.

CCI .22 CB LONG

The CCI .22 CB Long round was designed to overcome shortcomings of the various .22 BB Cap (Bulleted Breech Cap), .22 CB Cap (Conical Ball Cap) and .22 Short loadings. These rounds offered low noise and reduced velocity, but their short lengths affected feeding, in addition to possible chamber fouling issues (discussed below). CCI combined the .22 Long case (which is the same length as the Long Rifle case) with a light, 29-grain solid-point bullet (which was a normal weight for the Long, back when the round was popular).

The CCI .22 CB Long round contains a small powder charge, to produce a lower muzzle velocity than standard .22 ammunition. With the light bullet, its loaded length is a little shorter than regular .22LR rounds. It feeds reliably in some actions, but may have issues with others. You need to try it in your own firearm to see if it feeds consistently. Its light powder charge is not strong enough to work the action in most semiauto firearms.

The advantage of the CB Long becomes evident when you fire it. From a barrel of 24 inches or longer, the report is quieter than the sound of the bullet hitting the target. Even indoors or at a range with a roof and dividers between firing stations, the noise is so low that hearing protection is not needed (although eye protection is always necessary). It is quieter than many high-powered air rifles, and the report does not sound like a gunshot.

From shorter barrels, the noise level increases. It is still much quieter than .22LR high-velocity ammunition, but it is loud enough to carry over short distances. As barrel length decreases, the noise level increases. My suspicion is that all of the powder is burned, even when the round is fired in shorter barrels. The longer barrel likely provides room for the gases to expand, so that the residual pressure is reduced, with a corresponding reduction in report when the gas is released by the exit of the bullet. In shorter barrels, the higher gas pressures increase the noise level. Even in short-barreled youth carbines, however, the .22 CB Longs offer a gentler report than one finds with regular .22 ammunition. A pair of foam ear plugs is adequate ear protection, and people a short distance from the shooter will not experience discomfort.

I have experienced very good accuracy out to 25 yards with the CCI .22 CB Longs, and the bullets hit harder than you might think. I have killed a number of very large rats with this ammo -- with head shots -- and have no complaints about its killing power on rodents. The 29-grain bullet is much heavier than the airgun pellets that many shooters use on rodents and similar-sized small game, although the muzzle velocity will likely be lower than that of an airgun meant for hunting.

CCI QUIET-22

A newer round from CCI is the Quiet-22, which uses a 40-grain bullet and looks like a regular .22LR cartridge. The Quiet-22 round seems to feed very well in repeating actions, although it will probably not have enough pressure to operate a semiauto. Like the CB Long round, CCI decided to use a round-nose, solid-point bullet. This looks like a good choice, in that the velocity advertised on the box is 710 feet per second -- probably not enough for expansion with a hollow-point bullet.

The Quiet-22 quickly became one of my favorite ammunition choices for use in my Stevens 86C. This bolt action has a long barrel and is very quiet with the CCI Quiet-22 ammo. Quiet-22 feeds reliably from the tubular magazine and is only slightly louder -- to my ears -- than the CB Long cartridge. The bullet strike is still the loudest sound. I can shoot in the early morning at a suburban range without complaints from anyone in nearby houses. Even someone in the parking lot of the range would not likely hear the shots!

Buy some of this ammunition, and I believe you will like it as much as I do. I liked it so much, that after trying it, I bought two cases (2,000 rounds) of the stuff! The CCI Quiet-22 load does most of the things that I use a .22 rifle for. It just does them with less noise.

OTHER CHOICES

There are other types of ammunition intended for quiet shooting, such as the Aguila Colibri and SSS (Super Subsonic Sniper) rounds. I would encourage anyone looking for a way to shoot quietly and accurately to buy a few boxes and give them a try. As most of us know, every .22 is unique, and it's impossible to predict with any certainty which type of ammo will be best in a particular gun. Variables such as barrel length, twist rate, bore diameter, chamber dimensions and other variables can greatly affect how ammunition performs in that firearm. The Aguila SSS, for example, has a very heavy (60 grain), long bullet that may perform best with a fast rifling twist for greater stability. I have heard a wide variety of reactions to it, in terms of accuracy. Some love it, and some hate it, but you should decide for yourself with your rifle.

Don't forget the traditional "low-noise" rounds: the .22 BB Cap, .22 CB Cap, and the .22 Short. The first two may be hard to find nowadays, and the truly tiny case length of the BB and CB Cap cartridges probably won't permit them to feed in repeating actions. They can be single-loaded directly into the chamber of the rifle, however, and they generally have little or no powder charge, making them very quiet for practice, training and plinking. The .22 Short can still be found on gun store shelves and even in Wal-Mart. It will probably be quieter than regular .22LR ammo, especially in long-barreled rifles.

You may hear that short-cased ammunition will cause problems in rifles chambered for the .22LR cartridge. Most of this is probably due to rifles that were fired extensively with short-cased ammo and not cleaned properly. Most of us are not likely to use huge quantities of .22 Short ammunition, but if we make a point of scrubbing the chamber afterwards, it should not be an issue.

One point about the .22 Short: like all the cartridges discussed here, it should be treated like a full-power .22 high-velocity round in terms of safety practices. Don't forget that the .22 Short was originally a defensive round (loaded with black powder) and that it was carried for that purpose by soldiers in the 1860s in the Civil War. None of the rounds in this article can be treated casually. All of them could be be lethal if mishandled. All normal safety rules must apply.

CONCLUSIONS

For any who are wondering whether they should bother with quiet rimfire shooting, I ask: Why not? If you're like me, much of your rimfire shooting with rifles falls under training, teaching, and plinking, and these tasks might be done just as well with quiet ammo as with full-power stuff, only with less noise.

Quiet rimfire ammo truly shines in use with young or novice shooters. Although there is almost no recoil with standard bulk pack .22LR HVHP ammo, the noise level is high enough to induce flinching, especially if the shooter is too small for the ear muffs to fit properly.

For hunting or discrete pest elimination, these rounds will do the job on rodents with good bullet placement. I would hesitate to go after anything larger than a rabbit, however, unless there was a pressing need for both meat and keeping a low noise profile. For a suspected rabid animal that was much larger, like a dog, I would much prefer a centerfire carbine round to the body, to stop the animal as quickly as possible while preserving the animal's head for later testing.

I recommend Quiet-22 as a starting point for your explorations into quiet rimfire shooting. With its 40-grain bullet and Long Rifle case, it should feed in most actions, and the standard-weight bullet should be compatible with the rifling in most firearms. It should also provide more killing power against small animals than .22 Short or .22 Long cartridges. Quiet-22 seems to be fairly easy to find, and it cost me about five cents a round from Midway USA -- not much more than "bulk pack" .22 LR ammunition from Wal-Mart.

Be careful with all of these loads! Treat them as you would any firearm ammunition and follow all safety rules.

Washington D.C. is presently all abuzz with talk of the BHO Administration looking for an opportunity to enact the UN's stalled Small Arms and Light Weapons Treaty. Meanwhile, Senator-For-Life Dianne Feinstein is "consensus building" to reenact the so-called Assault Weapons and "high capacity" magazine ban. (Note that the term "high capacity" is a specious political creation, to wit: A 30 round magazine is standard capacity for an AR or an AK, and anything less than that is a reduced capacity magazine. Get your terminology straight and don't fall for semantics traps!) Rumor has it that this new incarnation of the ban would have no sunset clause and worse yet, no mechanism for transferring guns within a family. (When you die, your family would have to turn your guns in for destruction.) Please contact your senators and congressmen and urge them stop all civilian disarmament schemes in their tracks.

Here are a few of my observations about firearms, their use, and hoplophobes:

Guns rarely go down in value, so they are some of the very best investments. Consider: The used Macintosh II computer that I bought for $875 in 1990 is now worth perhaps $5 in scrap metal value, but the used stainless steel Colt Gold Cup .45 pistol that I bought for $400 in 1990 is now worth around $1,100.

Guns are often tussled over by heirs whenever an estate gets settled, for good reason: They are a compact, portable, and desirable form of wealth.

A gun is almost unique in that it is it's own insurance policy, should anyone ever attempt to deprive you of it, by force. I say almost unique, because a trained pet bear carries the same policy.

Firearms are a popular target of elected officials in part because it is plentiful privately-owned firearms that keep bush league politicians from becoming major league dictators.

If politicians used the same logic that they apply to guns in attempting ban cars (which can squash people) or laptop computers (which can be used to commit libel) then they'd all be hauled off to insane asylums.

Without ammunition and magazines, rifles are just useless ornaments or very expensive clubs. So buy plenty of ammunition and magazines.

It is difficult for miscreants to argue you with you when they are looking at the muzzle of a loaded rifle, and it is even harder for them to argue with a loaded rifle that has sprouted a bayonet. If your rifle has bayonet lug, then buy a bayonet for it. A bayonet can also be a useful knife, but a knife is not also a bayonet.

History has taught us repeatedly that firearms registration is a stepping stone to confiscation. Common sense dictates that you keep your firearms purchases as private as possible. Sign up for bridal registries, not gun registries.

Don't expect just one gun to fit all potential circumstances and every imaginable task. There is no such thing as a concealable elk rifle.

The term "Gun Buy Back" is bald-faced lie. The gun grabbers never owned them, so they certainly aren't buy them back. They merely want to buy them up, for pennies on the dollar. There are just a few pitiable dupes who fall for this ploy and agree to part with their birthright in exchange for cash, sporting event tickets, or gift cards.

I can think of no better barter items than guns, ammunition, and magazines. There may come a day when times are so truly bad that silver or gold may be refused, in a barter transaction. Not so for guns, ammunition, and magazines. They will always be desirable, and they will almost always leave you on the stronger side of negotiating a swap.

Don't be too concerned about the exterior cosmetics when shopping for a used gun. Dings and scratches just show that a gun was used and enjoyed. Spend more time examining the bore and the gun's mechanics. If looks could kill, the streets would be littered with corpses.

When I see seized guns being melted down on the orders of bureaucrats, it makes me want to weep. They are eating the seed corn of our liberty.

When I'm asked about whether I'd consider moving offshore, it always forces the obvious question: Where on Earth could I move where I would have the same level of firearms liberties that I now enjoy in these United States? There are precious few countries. So, for now, I'll make my stand here.

Guns are like parachutes: if you don't have one when you need it, then chances are that you won't ever be in need of one again.

- J.W.R.

I was more than a little anxious to get to the new Bear OPS "Bold Action" automatic folder for SurvivalBlog. For those who may not be aware of who Bear & Son Cutlery are, they have been around since 1991 and have a very extensive line of knives and tools for everyday tasks, as well as for survival, hunting and for collectors. Be sure to log onto their site to see their complete line-up. However, for this article, we're only looking at their new division of Bear OPS. The stated goal of Bear OPS is to produce the "best knives made in the USA." Only USA manufactured parts, material, and a dedicated workforce work in this division. They only use premium 154 CM or CPM-S30V steel for these blades and they do their own heat-treat, water-jet and CNC grinding to finish their blades. You also get a Limited Lifetime Warranty on all Bear OPS knives and tools.

My long-time friend, Tom Ables, is handling the outside public relations and marketing for Bear & Son Cutlery. When he told me about the new Bold Action tactical folders from the Bear OPS division, I was more than a little excited to get my hands on a sample or two. Tom Ables spent about 30 years doing the marketing for another major cutlery player, and he knows cutlery inside and out. Now, the new Bold Action automatic folders are only available for those who live in enlightened states that allow automatic folders, or those in the military or law enforcement. However, don't despair, Bear OPS has a good number of other folders that will take care of your needs if you can't legally own an automatic folder.

I received two Bold Action folders for this article, one is the AC-110-B4-T - that has a Tanto-style blade, and the other is the AC-1-B4-T that has a modified drop-style point - probably one of the most useful blade styles ever. Either blade style comes in a 3-inch length, and is made from premium CPM-S30V stainless steel, and is .115-inches thick. The blades are heat-treated to a Rockwell hardness of Rc58-60 - not too hard and not too soft - they will hold an edge a good long time, and will be easier to re-sharpen compared to blades having a higher Rockwell hardness. You can also get either Bold Action with a bead-blasted blade or a black Ti coating .Mine came with the latter. The handle material is G-10, which is super-tough, with grip edges for a secure hold. You can also opt to have good-looking Cocobolo wood. Closed length is 4-1/8" and it weighs 6 ounces. There is a pocket/clothing clip for tip-down carry.

Now, as for the button for the automatic opening on the Bold Action. The button is slightly recessed into the handle - the button is of a good size, too. Several automatic folders I've tested over the years, that have opened in my pocket because the button got bumped and it usually resulted in the open blade "stabbing" me in the leg, or a cut to my hand when I reached in my pocket. Some automatic folders now have an additional safety that locks the button so the blade can't accidentally deploy while in your pocket. The Bold Action does away with any added safety by simply recessing the open button a little bit into the handle scales - nice job, Bear!

I couldn't find any flaws in the blade or the handle scales on either sample, they were done up right in my opinion. I prefer a slightly longer blade on a folder for self-defense purposes, however the 3-inch blade on the Bold Action is plenty long enough for Every Day Carry (EDC) purposes. To be sure, a pocket knife will probably be used 99% of the time for everyday cutting chores, so the 3-inch blade isn't any sort of a handicap in my book. The blades opened with authority and locked in place solidly - I can't say that for all the auto opening knives I've tested of the years - so had way too much side-to-side play when opened. This is not the case with the Bear OPS Bold Action folders.

There is also a nice lanyard hole in the butt on the Bold Action folders, and the liners appear to be stainless steel. To open the Bold Action, simple depress the button and the blade flies open and locks in place. To close the blade, use the same button - press in on it, and you can then close the blade, and it honestly does lock in place solidly! What can be simpler? Both the Tanto and Drop Point blades felt good in my hand - not too big and not too small. I like enough handle to hold onto in a folder or fixed blade knife, and even though the blades on these knives are only 3-inches long, there was more than enough handle to hold onto.

I used the Tanto blade more in my testing than the drop point blade - I'm just partial to Tanto-style blades for some reason - nothing I can put my hand on, but I like Tanto blades a bit more than drop point - even though it has been proven that drop point blades are more useful for more tasks. Go figure. Almost daily, UPS or FedEx brings me a package or two, and I reach for whatever folding knife I have in my pockets to cut the boxes open. I also used the Bold Action folders for chores around the kitchen, and I honestly do a lot of cooking in our house, and the Bold Action handled all my kitchen chores from slicing tomatoes to cutting cucumbers and meat. I also spent some time cutting poly rope - now if you've ever tried cutting poly rope, you know that a lot of knife blades will simply slip right off this slick rope - no problem for the CPM-S30V blades on the Bold Action. I also tested some wet hemp rope - again, wet rope is very difficult to cut - ask any sailor - and I had no problems with the Bold Action samples.

The Bold Action AC-110-B4-T retails for $230, a good chunk of change. But this is one rugged little automatic folder, that would make a welcome addition as an EDC folder. And, I like the idea of Made In The USA and the Limited Lifetime Warranty. I was pretty impressed with the Bold Action samples. And, I'm going to request some more knives from Bear & Son Cutlery to test for SurvivalBlog readers. They really do have quite an extensive line-up of knives and tools, including Damascus blades, filleting knives, double-edge fighting knives, Bowie hunters, multi-type tools, and multi-blade knives. They also make butterfly knives and a host of other tools - too many to list here. Be sure to check out the   Bear & Son Cutlery web site and the Bear OPS web page for a look at all they have to offer. I'm betting good money you'll find quite a few knives and tools you'll want to add to your survival needs or just for collecting. I'm looking forward to testing more of their products. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

It is well-reported that America is a land of 312 million people and somewhere between 310 million and 320 million guns. (There is no firm figure, because thankfully only a small fraction of Americans live in locales with gun registration.) Of those, there are about 80 million handguns in circulation. And of that 80 million, I would venture an educated guess that there are less than 50 million holsters, to match. This is because most handgun owners are not regular handgun carriers. The most lopsided "gun-to-holster" ratios are with .22 rimfire handguns, and large-frame, long-barreled revolvers. I suspect that perhaps only 25% of those handguns have an accompanying holster. There are also more rifles and far more shotguns out there than there are carrying slings for them. (I'd roughly estimate that less than 10% of shotguns have slings.)

These disparities represent a huge opportunity for a post-collapse cottage industry. In a post-collapse world, suddenly almost everyone will want to be armed at all times, and they will be eager to barter to fill those needs.

Get some practice at holster and sling making. Then stock up heavily on leatherworking tools and supplies, tanned cow hides, sheets of brown or olive green Kydex, rolls of brown or olive green nylon webbing (for slings and straps) sewing awls, waxed nylon thread, rivets, snaps, sling swivels, and buckles of various sizes.

Also keep in mind that because of its length and padding, the venerable U.S. military M60 sling is one of the most versatile slings for re-purposing. They can be used with a huge variety of rifles and shotguns. So if you don't have craft skills, then you can at least buy a pile of those slings to keep on hand for barter. (They are quickly and easily shortened, with a snip of scissors.)

I should also mention that nearly any handgun with a positive external safety lever can be safely carried in a Nalgene water bottle pouch. (Warning: Glocks and other "safety in the trigger"-type pistols can only be carried safely in specifically-made holsters that fully enclose the triggerguard!) Yes, these pouches are bulky and slow to access as a makeshift holster, but they will fit about 80% of handguns. But their bulk also camouflages a pistol--since they don't look like a holster. That can have advantages in some situations. If it the pouch is too deep, then just add some balled-up pairs of spare socks, or some Israeli battle dressings, or a couple of folded bandanas. And by the way, the same pouches also work reasonably well for carrying shotgun shells and many types of magazines.

Someday, you may be very glad that you stocked up. - J.W.R.

I've received numerous requests from SurvivalBlog readers to review the new Ruger 10/22 Takedown .22 LR rifle. I literally lost count of the number of e-mails I got from SurvivalBlog readers, but it was probably close to a hundred requests. Now, I hate to admit this, but I never (personally) owned a standard Ruger 10/22 rifle of my own - my wife and youngest daughter owned them, and I shot them, but never owned one myself. So, this was a good time to lay claim to a sample for this article. I've recommended the Ruger 10/22 rifle to untold numbers of folks, based on the reliability and accuracy of this rifle.
 
Now, we can agree to disagree on this point, and I honestly don't need hundreds of e-mails agreeing or disagreeing with me on this. A lot of folks don't believe that the .22 LR cartridge makes a good survival or self-defense round - fine! We are all entitled to our opinions. However, my research shows, at least from many years ago, that back in Chicago, according to their crime lab stats (now it's called CSI) that more people were killed with the lowly .22 LR than other, much bigger and powerful calibers. When it comes down to it, I'll take a .22 LR firearm over throwing sticks or stones when it comes to survival. Besides, I'm not advocating that anyone arm themselves with just a .22 caliber firearm for their self-defense or survival needs. However, every survival firearms battery should have some kind of .22 caliber gun for taking small game for the pot. Additionally, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to be within 150 yards on the receiving end of someone armed with a .22 caliber rifle, who knows how to use it. It may not kill someone at that distance with a single shot, but it would sure make that person wish they were some place else.
 
One of the great things about any .22 caliber firearm is the readily availability of ammo, the low cost (all things considered today) and the amount of ammo a person can pack with them. You can easily carry several thousand rounds of .22 LR ammo in a backpack, along with several spare magazines for your .22 rifle or pistol. I don't know about you, but that's a lot of lead a person can throw downrange at an attacker. Try carrying several thousand rounds of .223 Rem., 7.62x39 or .308 Winchester ammo in your pack. That simply isn't going to happen!
 
The new Ruger Takedown 10/22 rifle that comes in a backpack carrying case. Just a quick over view of the 10/22 Takedown is in order. First of all, it is in .22 LR caliber. It has a stainless steel barrel, with a black synthetic stock and fore end. Adjustable rear sight, with a gold bead front sight. There is an extended magazine release (nice), and a 10-shot rotary magazine - but it also takes all after-market 25-30 round mags, as well as the new Ruger 25 round mag. There is a scope base on the receiver, too. Plus, the backpack carrying case deserves some mention. The backpack carrying case is made out of ballistic Nylon, and when you takedown the rifle, into the two sections, they fit nicely inside two of the three large inside pockets. The third pocket inside the case is for either a scope or extra magazines. On the outside we have a carrying strap and handle, plus two more pockets for carrying spare ammo or magazines, or whatever else you might want to haul. There is the big Ruger logo on the case, and this is my only source of contention. While we take pride in our firearms, and want folks to know what we are hauling, from a OPSEC point of view, I'd rather not have this logo on the backpack. A person could toss the Ruger 10/22 Takedown in the back of their rig, and anyone looking into the rig would just think it's any other backpack and wouldn't bother with it. However, anyone with any firearms knowledge would know that logo means there is possibly a firearm in that backpack. So, I'd like to see Ruger offer the option of not having a backpack with the red Ruger logo on it - just my druthers! [JWR Adds: It is easy to find a 2" diameter round embroidered patch on eBay or at a craft store that can be sewn over the top of the big red Ruger logo. I'd suggest selecting something innocuous like an environmentalist logo patch. Perhaps a recycling theme. After all, most of us shooters save our empty brass and reload our centerfire cartridges. So we're environmentally friendly. ;-) Or, humorously, perhaps a Buckaroo Banzai patch might be sufficiently obtuse and yet still deliver a double entendre. But seriously: The dimensions of the Ruger 10/22 backpack are very close to a soft trumpet case. So a trumpet patch or other music logo patch would be the best camouflage.]
 
I don't know how many of the various Ruger 10/22 rifles models have been sold over the years, but I'm sure it has been well over a million. It is the most popular .22 rifle in this country to my knowledge. The 10/22 has an unmatched record for reliability, too - no other standard factory-made .22 LR rifle that I know of, is as reliable as the 10/22 is, period! As to accuracy - there's plenty there. In my testing, with a huge variety of .22 LR ammo - I was able to get 1-1/2" to 2" groups all day long without trying that hard. And I didn't have any malfunctions or misfires in more than a 1,000 rounds of shooting. It is noteworthy that some of my stored .22 LR ammo is 15 years old, but stored in US military ammo cans. The 10/22 rotary magazine is famous for reliability and it didn't let me down, easy to load, too. I'd really like to see Ruger include one of their own 25 round magazines along with the standard 10 round mag - where allowed by law. Anyone into serious preparedness will immediately purchase a good quantity of 25 or 30 round mags for their 10/22. They are presently inexpensive and plentiful these days - get them while you can. I even tried some Eagle brand cheap all-plastic mags and they worked fine - I bought some of these many years ago for $6.99 each. Butler Creek brand 10/22 mags also worked without a hitch. [JWR Adds: My favorite full capacity (25 round) magazines for Ruger 10/22s are made by Tactical Innovations in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Their top of the line magazines are machined out of aluminum stock! They also make some less expensive polymer magazines. They all work flawlessly. We've put many thousands of rounds though ours, without a hiccup.]
 
The 10/22 Takedown rifle is, as the name implies, you can take it down - into two pieces, the receiver and butt stock and the barrel and forearm. And, taking the 10/22 Takedown apart takes all of about three seconds, simply lock the bolt open, push the locking lever forward to unlock it, rotate the barrel assembly and pull forward - it takes longer to explain it, than it does to actually perform this action. To put the two pieces back together, you simply insert the barrel assembly into the receiver, twist 90 degrees and it locks together. The gun comes adjusted from the factory, however should you find the two pieces starting to loosen over time, there is an adjustment ring on the receiver, and it only takes less than a minute to make any needed adjustments so the two pieces are tightly locked together - I had no problems at all with my sample becoming too loose - after at least a hundred times of taking the gun apart and putting it back together. [JWR Adds: It bears mentioning that the takedown mechanism is so simple that it can be done blindfolded. The crucial thing to remember is that the bolt must be locked to the rear when both disassembling and re-assembling the rifle.]
 
I really like the gold bead front sight - it is fast to pick-up, and it stands out, makes for fast shots. The extended magazine release is also a nice touch, makes mag changes fast and easy. The entire gun only weighs 4.67 pounds -- light as can be. If you are out hiking in the boonies, the 10/22 Takedown would be a great addition to your kit - you have a handy .22 caliber rifle on-hand, should you need it, in a nice backpack. You can also pack a lunch and put it in one of the outside pockets of the backpack, along with water and a good supply of .22 LR ammo for a day's shooting on the trail, or in a worse case scenario, for self-defense against two-legged predators.
 
Again, we can all agree to disagree about the .22 LR round as a viable self-defense cartridge. However, as I pointed out at the start of this articles, it sure beats having to throw stones at an attacker, or fighting them off with a sharpened stick. Nope, I'll gladly take a .22 caliber firearm over no firearm at all. Plus, there is always the "fun factor" associated with shooting a .22 caliber firearm - and it is cheap to shoot, even though the price of .22 LR ammo has doubled in the past 10 years , and I don't expect it will get any cheaper. You should stock-up on all the .22 LR ammo you can afford to get. In my neck of the woods, at the local membership store, you can usually find some kind of .22 LR ammo for $13.99 for a brick of 500 rounds - that's a day of fun shooting, or put it away for survival purposes. A box of 9mm FMJ ammo cost $12.99 these days--and that's only 50 rounds of ammo. Just make sure to store your ammo in quality US military ammo cans for the best storage life of all your ammo.
 
The new Ruger 10/22 Takedown retails for $389 and you can usually find them discounted a bit in the big box stores, and many gun shops. They are a super-hot seller right now, and they might be a little bit hard to find, but keep looking, they are worth it. Yeah, you can find a less expensive .22 LR rifle, but you aren't getting a Ruger 10/22 Takedown, with unsurpassed reliability, and the option of taking the gun apart and carrying it in a backpack. Yes, I know, there are some other "survival" rifles out there, that you can take apart, but they aren't a Ruger. And they don't have the Ruger legendary reliability or accuracy, either. Make you choices wisely...your life may depend on it!

I try not to bore my readers with the minutiae of our day-to-day life here at the Rawles Ranch. It is largely a fairly mundane annual rhythm of planting, harvesting, calving and lambing, wood cutting, huckleberry picking, hay hauling, and so forth. But I recently had driving mishap that was noteworthy: I was driving our SUV and hit a mountain lion, in broad daylight. I must first mention that deer collisions are all too common here in The Unnamed Western State (TUWS), and that elk or big horn sheep collisions are quite a bit less frequent. Even more rare are moose collisions, and those never end well. (Moose are so tall that they often go over the hood of a pickup truck and through the windshield.) But to hit a mountain lion is about as common an occurrence as getting struck by lightning or winning the mega lotto. I did a web search and found that the popular press tends to spill a lot of ink over these rare occurrences.

Here is what happened: I was driving down the highway minding my own business with the cruise control set at the speed limit and listening to an MP3 of Taj Mahal singing "Queen Bee" (part of my collection of favorite air checks from KFAT.) Suddenly I saw a full-grown cougar bounding out of the tree line, at speed. It ran into the highway in front of me. I didn't have any time to react. I heard it hit our deer bumper and then felt it go under the two driver's side tires. So now the large predator population of TUWS has been reduced by one. In doing so, I probably saved the lives of hundreds of deer. It was a little sad to see a pretty kitty get squashed, but so be it.

By the way, I should mention that extra heavy duty "deer guard" bumpers are de rigeur, in this region. These are available commercially and are also often custom fabricated, locally. To give you a sense of their size, these make typical Ford or Chevy pickup factory "brush guards" look flimsy, by comparison. Typically, real deer guard bumpers weigh 300 to 900 pounds. In TUWS, we even see these mounted on a few passenger sedans. That is indicative of how many deer collisions take place here.

I'm sure that some readers were disgusted by the foregoing while others will be ready to send hearty congratulations. (As with other large predators, I've noticed that perspectives on the Puma Concolor tend to vary widely, depending on whether or not someone has personally lost pets or livestock to these land sharks.) I'd characterize my own reaction as muted. I felt fortunate that my vehicle wasn't damaged (and with our bumper, it would probably take an elk to do any damage.) I also felt good knowing that I'd eliminated a predator that is presently a bit over-populated. But in a way I felt cheated. I'd much rather take a mountain lion in season after a long still hunt, from 300 yards, at 9X magnification. Or, better yet at spitting distance from beneath a snarling treed cat that has taken me and the dogs all day to chase down and tree. Somehow, just a heart-stopping glimpse and "whump-whump-whump" was just too easy.

I doubt that you'll be reading about any other animal collisions from me in the future, unless I have another rare one. (I don't even bother mentioning deer collisions, which we have every year or two.) By the way I did once almost hit a bald eagle, but thankfully a tragedy was avoided by the margin of just an arm-span.

So now I'm praying that some evening soon I encounter a horribly confused pack of wolves that stands transfixed in my headlights. But somehow I don't think that is very likely. Bummer.

Sir:
During my two tours to the Sand Box with the U.S.M.C., we encountered some of the worst conditions weapons can endure. The sand in the Middle east is fine "moon dust" similar to talcum powder. The problem is that when mixed with water or oil commonly used in cleaning weapons systems it turns to a mud like paste. We discovered that the regular issue Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant (CLP) [which is a Mil-Spec lubricant, sold commercially under the trade name "Break Free CLP".] CLP was contributing to the problem more than fixing it. It is true that we cleaned our weapons daily sometimes two or three times depending on conditions and enemy activity. Our M16/ M4s would function properly as long as they were cleaned routinely. Problems would occur when troops were engaged for prolonged times and couldn't risk breaking down their weapons to clean out all the dirt. We would simply pour in more CLP. An AR-15 type rifle will fire and function dirty as long as it is liberally lubricated. The problem is the more oil you pore down the bolt and into the chamber the more dirt it collects. What we discovered is that using Mobil1 synthetic motor oil usually in a 0w30 or 5w30 works much better than the CLP.  At $10 per quart it is on the expensive side as motor oils go.  But when compared to CLP or Rem Oil that are usually sold in 6 ounce containers at $5 to $6 it is much more cost effective. We also experimented with it on out crew served weapon systems. We found it to out perform the (Lubricant, Small Arms (LSA) used on the M2 (.50 Cal Browning machinegun) and MK-19 (40mm grenade launcher).
 
We had a one M2 so close to the courtyard where our LZ was that it literally had to be cleaned, to function properly, after every bird touched down and took off. This presented a huge problem as the frequency of the flights in and out ,crucial to resupply our Battalion, would render the weapon inoperable. We solved this problem with the Mobil1 in a 20w50 weight as LSA is more similar to axle grease that gun oil. Also we began to cover the weapon with a poncho every time we heard a bird in the air or saw the smoke canisters in the LZ. Due to the high security risk and vulnerability of helicopters during landing and take off, OPSEC was in place. This meant we never knew when the next bird was coming in. One of my Marines actually had the weapon system mounted on his turret malfunction and jam during a fire fight. They had just left the wire and the cleaned weapons as was SOP before every patrol. I shared the secret and traded him a bottle of Mobil 1 for a few energy drinks he had received in a care package. He never had a problem again.
 
  I heard a rumor that the Marine Corps had experimented with synthetic motor oils as potential weapons cleaning lubricants. They determined them to be too effective and decided it would bring complacency as Marines might assume that they now had to clean their weapons less. This is not the case. I still recommend cleaning your weapon as frequently as possible. In the Corps we would hold random weapons inspections and any NCO could demand to see the bolt on any junior Marine's weapon at anytime. I also want to mention that we never tested traditional (non-synthetic) motor oil on our weapons but the use of motor oil for cleaning and lubrication of weapons systems has been recognized by the US Military as early as WWII and can be found in numerous field manuals.
 
Thought your readers might like to know this. Semper Fi, - Sgt. K.A. U.S.M.C.

I hope that what I have to say will help someone that is just getting started with their survival preparedness situation, SurvivalBlog has helped me in streamlining our preparations, and I believe in giving back some of what I have received.  I have read many different blogs and forums, and come away with the impression that most of the blogs are for the arm chair survivalist that do not try anything for themselves, but only go on what they have read or heard.  SurvivalBlog.com is one of the few that have individuals that seem to have tried what they say they have done and shared their experiences.

My experience with a survival mind set started almost a decade ago, but only limited for a few weeks or month at most.  That all changed several years ago when I started really looking at the way our country was headed.   I will admit that I still have a long ways to go, but with God’s help, and if the world will hold together long enough, I will get to where I desire to be.  If not, then my family and I will survive with what we have on hand for a long time.

FOOD

We do have enough for me and my family for at least a year, longer if we just go to two meals a day.  My youngest daughter is almost 17, and I have 4 boys that range in ages from 19 to 33, then two older daughters and their families.  You can imagine the appetite of young men so I have taken that into account.  Only one son is married and has two small children.  I have endeavored to teach my children to always be prepared for as much as possible, if only for a short time.  Again, that has changed over the last couple of years.  We live in a hurricane prone area, so it is imperative that we always have plenty of food on hand that can be eaten with little or no cooking.  I am not talking about MRE’s.  I do have two cases of MRE’s that I obtained during the last hurricane that was not eaten, but I like to store what we usually eat daily, and eat what we store. I read that on a blog and it made sense to me.

It was very difficult to get my wife onboard, but during the last hurricane a few years ago, she and my daughter went to my sister’s house because it was further away from the coast than our old house (built in 1925).  My sister and her husband had nothing to eat but a few bags of chips and some crackers, and two bottles of soda.  They did not even have matches to light the one decorative candle that was in their house.  My brother-in-law had unplugged the refrigerator before the hurricane hit so it would not be damaged from power surges.  Hence, all the food that was in the refrigerator and their freezer was ruined before it was truly needed.  When communications was restored about two days later, my wife called and talked to one of our sons.  He told her that we still had cold milk, and were eating fine.  At the time, we only kept about two months’ worth of food on hand.  It was two days later before she and my daughter were able to come home, and a month before we had electricity restored.

It was at that point that my wife fully came on board with storing extra food.  There are times that she will say “I think we have enough”, but we are still building our “lauder” as she sometimes calls it.

There have been times that we were only able to add one or two cans or a bag of rice and beans every two weeks or so, but every little bit helps.  There have even been a few times that we could not add anything, but had to use what we had stored just to make it for the week or two before we could buy something.  In those cases, we were very glad we had something to fall back on.

It doesn’t matter if you have very little at this point.  The time to start is now.  Even if you have to do as we did during our lean times with just a few cans of something or a bag of rice and/or beans.  You need to get something to hold you over during a natural disaster or the eventual TEOTWAWKI.

FIREARMS

I have been an avid hunter all my life until the last decade or so.  Hunting leases just became too expensive for my budget.  I did try hunting the National Forest for a few years, but they are a dangerous place.  You think you are alone, and then a bullet hits a tree just above your head.  I decided that was enough of the National Forest for me.  My sons’ still hunt the National Forest on occasion, but they too are not having very good success.

Because of where we live, I had built a range in my pasture years ago.  I have taught all my children how to shoot firearms from the time they were about 4 years old.  At that age, they do not have the concept of how to aim, but they enjoyed shooting with their dad.  In my opinion, you can never be too young to learn gun safety.  As they grew, their marksmanship also improved, and the enjoyment of just shooting.  I still have the Chipmunk and the youth .22lr rifles that they learned with.  My granddaughter that is now 3 years old has been shooting with her mom, dad, and papa using that same Chipmunk.  That is the first thing she wants to do when they come to visit.

All my children now have their own .45 ACP Glock or XD .45 handguns, a 12ga. Mossberg pump shotgun, a .22 lever action rifle, and a main larger caliber rifle (MBR).  My wife can handle the .45 ACP, but prefers her 9mm Glock, and a 20 gauge youth 870 pump shotgun.  She is not into rifles yet, but I am still hoping that one day she will ask me for one.  I do have a few extra rifles that have been in the family for a long time that she might be able to handle, but I would like to get her something she will enjoy and not be afraid to shoot.  We also have several .22 LR handguns that we use for just plinking on occasion.  We try to train with the handguns and rifles at least once a month depending on the funds available for ammunition.  Ammunition can get expensive with that many shooters at one time.  I do reload all our handgun ammunition only, and replace all that we use during our practices. 

I was striving for everyone to shoot the same make/caliber/ga. to cut down on the different types of ammunition that I would have to have on hand.  I would interject here that it doesn’t matter what you decide for your family.  It is what you and your family are comfortable with.  My daughter, who is almost 17 likes the Glock, but the XD45 fits her hands better.  It is all in your size, training, desire, finances, and ability.  Do not buy cheap, since cheap will get you hurt, or killed, or will break down when you need it the most.  If you do not have the funds to get everyone their own firearm, buy quality, and each learn to use that quality firearm until you are able to purchase another.

At this point, I would like to say that you cannot go wrong by storing factory ammo for all your firearms.  I trust my reloads but do not count it as part of my stored ammunition.  I have not had a malfunction with any of the reloads that I have made, but that is not to say it will never happen.  I am only human, and could make a mistake.  I have read about various amounts of ammunition that should be stored for each firearm, but your comfort level may be different from mine.  Personally, I am trying to store at least a thousand rounds of factory ammo for each firearm that we have.  I am not quite there yet, but getting closer.  At this time I have switched my priorities again.  I am trying to build our food supply to a much larger level.  That is my number one priority so the ammunition storing will be a little less for now.  I am comfortable with what I have on hand, but not so much with our food supply.  I believe that it could be over a year to years before everything settles down again, if ever.  We also have lots of seeds for the garden.

MEDICAL/PERSONAL HYGIENE

My family has been truly blessed in that none of us have to take any type of medications.  Therefore, it has been relative easy to stock what we think we might need.  We have stocked Band-Aids and bandages of various sizes.  Antibiotic creams and anti-itch creams, and large quantities of various types of aspirin are in our stores.  I just recently purchased a blood pressure kit and a stethoscope.  You just never know when you might need this.  Along with the various salves and creams, we have items for stomach problems and for dry eyes.  We are not as far along in this area as I would like, but we need so little (right now) in this area.  We have lots of tooth brushes and tooth paste, dental floss, oral jell, emergency dental repair kits, and some mouth wash.  Not to be left out, a lot of TP, and personal things for my wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law.  Also we have some preventives.  That is all I will say about that.  Soap and shampoo will be at a premium, so we have quite a bit of that along with alcohol, peroxide, and disinfectant washes.  We have also saved any prescription antibiotics and pain killers from the past.  Most of these were for tooth ailments, and from my daughter-in-law.  Babies are always taking medications for something, so she has saved them for me.

All my family’s teeth have been taken care of, and kept up with regular cleanings and any minor dental decays have been fixed.

We also have some medications and things for small children, including dozens of cloth diapers.  The cloth diapers can be used for almost anything. 

Needless to say, we do have other things for medical and personal hygiene, but this is just to give you a rough estimate to what we have on hand for a healthy large family.  We didn’t collect all of these preparations overnight.  Everything takes time.  Just remember that you can only take one step at a time.

There are other areas that we could talk about having on hand, such as alternate power sources, heat sources, clothing, tools, retreats, children’s games, bug or ant solutions, or etc., but you may be able to only concentrate on one specific area at this time.  Start there.  Start where you are now, and do not get frustrated that it is going so slow, and you feel that you may only have a short time.  Something now for your family is better than nothing while waiting for a government that doesn’t have the resources to take care of the millions that depend on it now as proven by the Hurricane Katrina.   Your family is depending on you.

Dear Mr. Rawles:
As an addendum to the Friday piece on "Camouflage Painting Firearms" by Kyrottimus, I recommend this piece: Weapons Painting 101, a bulletin from the US Army TACOM detailing the officially-approved techniques for painting small arms.
Cordially, - John N.

Dear Editor:
Regarding "Camouflage Painting Firearms", you may want to point folks to this rather well-illustrated tutorial on painting your AR in the Multicam pattern, found over at AR15.com: How to Multicam your rifle...on the cheap!
Regards, - T.

Most combat-style firearms come in one color: black. For "style" this is a safe bet, as black goes well with everything. However, in life-or-death survival situations, one must make their weapon just as concealable as themselves.

Black is bad. Of all colors, black stands out the most and draws the human-eye to it before anything else. This is true for normal-spectrum vision, starlight/night-vision, IR/Near-IR/Thermal vision, etc. Anything appearing as black or reflective will stick out like a proverbial sore thumb. If you plan on wearing some type of camouflage clothing during any situation, you should consider camouflaging your weapon as well.

There are various means of camouflaging weapons to blend in with both the person wielding it and the surrounding environment. The most common method is painting. The cheapest and easiest way is via spray-painting. A single can of flat enamel spray-paint is around $5-$6 and depending on how much of that color is used in any type of pattern can be used on 3-7 long arms.

The following list of items I recommend for a spray-paint camo project:

A few rolls of paper towels
Paint s tripper of some kind; I prefer Naphthalene as it doesn't deteriorate plastics (Acetone will work fine).
Latex, Nitrile or Dish-washing gloves
Masking tape (I prefer the 3M blue masking tape)
Cardboard or Card-stock or local foliage (branches, leaves, etc.)
X-Acto or Razor-blade
Permanent Marker
Primer (I prefer Rustoleum heavily-rusted primer as it's dark red-brown and bonds best to Phosphated/Parkerized finishes)
Rustoleum or Krylon Camouflage Flat Enamel Spray-Paints (or regular Flat Enamel spray-paints) in the following colors (for woodland or multi-cam type camo):
Foliage Green
Flat Dark Earth (Tan or Khaki are fine)
Brown
Olive Drab
Egg-Shell or Sandstone (optional)
Flat acrylic or flat enamel clear-coat (optional)
Bailing wire or Wire-hangers to be cut into hanging hooks

If you're not using local foliage, start by taking 3-5 pieces of cardboard or card-stock and draw random blobs on them with the permanent marker. Start with several small blobs roughly the size of pennies up to the size of silver dollars but make the patterns as abstract as possible (as least circular as possible). Increase the same design features (but different designs) in size on the next sheet around the size of a baseball. On the third design, make it the size of a coconut. On the fourth/fifth design(s), make them positive stencils with the bottom ¼ of the sheet untouched so the stencil can be held at a standoff distance from the holding hand. Local foliage can be used to substitute the creation of positive stencils.

Once all of your stencil designs have been drawn, cut out the first (negative stencils) and cut around the outside of the positive stencils (leaving part of the stencil to be held). Set the stencils aside.

Now, fashion some “S”-shaped hanging-hooks out of bailing wire or use wire-cutters to cut 5”-7” lengths from clothes hangers and bend them to shape. Make an “S”-hook for each weapon you intend on painting.

Next, get the gloves, masking tape, stripper and paper towels together and find a spot to sit outside. Make sure the day you plan on stripping/painting your weapon it is warm, sunny and relatively dry. Humidity is the enemy.

Before handling your weapon, clear it. While you'll want to probably paint the weapon with a magazine in place, be sure to remove all ammunition from the weapon (both chamber and magazine, if any). Also make sure to use safe firearm handling practices when handling your weapon.

Grab the masking tape and tape off any surface you don't want painted (sights, scope knobs, lenses, magazine windows, fiber-optic light gathering modules, etc.). Feel free to cut the tape with scissors or a razor to be a more precise fit. If you don't want paint to get inside the muzzle-end of the bore, you can use a foam earplug to fill that in. For large-bore shotguns, a few cotton balls can suffice.

With your long-arm in your lap, don your gloves. Begin stripping all the dirt, oils and residue from it by dabbing a generous amount of stripper onto a thrice-folded paper-towel sheet and rubbing it over every exterior surface of the weapon to be painted. If the weapon has optics, make sure to close the caps or cover them somehow. If your weapon has any kind of dust-cover, make sure that is closed too.

Once the entire paintable surface of your weapon has been stripped, hook an “S”-hook through the muzzle-brake, flash-hider or front-sight block so that the weapon is hanging muzzle up. If your weapon has none of these, you can hang the weapon by the trigger-guard, being careful to not hang the weapon by the trigger itself. While this latter method will work fine, the weapon will sway a lot more in the wind and when you hold a stencil to it, so keep that in mind.

If you prefer to lay the weapon down to paint it, you can lay it on some newspaper outside and do it one side at a time. I, however, prefer to hang it as this provides a much easier method by which evenly coating the weapon. Hang the weapon on a clothes-line, a tree branch or any over-lying hard-point which can handle the weight of the weapon.

Once hung, begin shaking your primer until the ball-bearing inside begins rattling. Shake for 30 seconds to a minute before priming. Give the entire weapon a nice, light, even coat, priming it just enough to cover all of its natural color. Avoid over-priming or over-painting, as we don't want globs of uneven primer/paint on the weapon (In some cases it can impede the movement of things like selector-switches, safeties, dust-covers, etc.).

At this time, depending on temperature and humidity, you should wait 5-15 minutes before top coating. Remember to shake your spray-paint vigorously 30 seconds before using and shake it again for a few seconds intermittently while using each can.

If you plan on using natural local foliage for stencils, follow these simple steps. Top-coat the entire-weapon foliage-green and let dry for 10-30 minutes. Then, lay out enough newspaper for the weapon to lay on and carefully lay it down on the newspaper. Randomly lay grass, sticks and leaves on the weapon that covers roughly 25% to a third the visible side. Now, spray some Flat Dark Earth (or Tan/Khaki) over the current stencils. Without removing the first natural stencils, add more random foliage until roughly a half to 75% of the weapon is covered and spray some brown over the weapon. Now, add some more natural foliage until roughly 80-90% of the weapon is covered and use Olive Drab. Finally, if you have any Eggshell or off-white enamel paint, spray some onto a paintbrush, cotton swab or other soft object and either dab or drag the paint in very small sections, 5-10 times per side (a little goes a long way when dealing in such a light color). Let dry 10-30 minutes and carefully flip the weapon over on the other side and repeat the steps above.

If you are using hand-cut stencils, allow the weapon to remain hanging and paint half the weapon Foliage Green and the other half Flat Dark Earth (or Tan or Khaki), allowing two to four large stripes or sections of each color visible on the weapon. Since it is hanging and you won't be handling it for awhile, you can begin coating within a few minutes of applying your first topcoat (Foliage Green/FDE). Start with the biggest positive stencil you have (with the edges of the cardboard cut out, not the middle) and briefly blast around it in 2-3 locations on each side with brown paint (and 1-2 times on each the top/bottom). With brown, a little goes a long way. Don't get too carried away with the darker colors. Next, switch to the medium-sized negative stencil (with the middle cut out) and in 3-4 places on each side use Olive Drab (and 1-2 times on each the top/bottom). Finally, with the smallest negative stencil you have, use eggshell or sandstone in 5-7 locations (and 2-4 times on each the top/bottom). If you don't have eggshell or sandstone, you can substitute with Flat Dark Earth, Tan, Khaki and/or Foliage-Green. Feel free to touch up areas with too much darkness or too much of one color with stencils as you see fit. Also, keep a piece of camouflage clothing nearby as a reference if you're trying to replicate it.

Do not use black paint. I say again, DO NOT USE BLACK! It does not appear in nature except in obsidian [or burned wood] and I very much doubt you'll be trying to blend in with ancient lava-flow deposits. If you want a dark color for contrasting, I suggest something along the lines of dark brown or dark green, though Olive Drab in some paints is already quite dark.

Once you're happy with your overall pattern, you can opt to clear-coat it. It's not needed though it can help increase the lifespan of your paint job. I'd wait 30 minutes to an hour before clear-coating. A single light coat is all that is needed. [JWR Adds: I have used one or two coats of Krylon Matte for top coating, with great success. This both protects the paint beneath from chipping and it flattens any residual gloss.]

At this point, let dry outside until dusk (don't leave outside overnight, as dew can form on your new paint job), then carefully remove the masking tape and while holding onto the sling-studs, the sling or the “S”-hook carry it to a spot indoors where you can hang it. I suggest on a clear space in your closet on the closet rack, or on a large nail driven into a stud or door-frame also can suffice.

Now this is the hardest part; do not handle or even touch your painted weapon for a full 30 days. While most spray-paint manufacturers claim that their paint dries within 24 hours, it doesn't fully cure for weeks. Make sure it's kept in a temperature-controlled room of about 70-75 degrees F, and since the paint will continually cure, put it in a room where you don't spend too much time, or one you can air out frequently so any vapors won't build up.

If you let it cure fully for 30 days, you'll find a super-rugged paint job that should last you at least 3 to 5 years of regular use.

If you want to take the temporary, easy route, many camo-patterns can be found in rolls of ace-bandage type material. They shouldn't cover working action areas or areas which vent excess gases. For winter, simple white cotton sheets can easily be wrapped around the weapon and tied off. Again, make sure these camo coverings do not cover working actions, moving parts (safeties, ejection ports or pump handles) or areas which vent off excess gas.

I hope this helps those interested, and remember, practice makes perfect! As always, keep an ear to the ground, an eye to the sky, keep your bayonet sharp and keep your powder dry.

Although my body is growing older, my mind is still stuck at age 27 - and at times, my mind is even younger than that. I hope this never changes, once the mind grows old, then the body will grow even older - faster! While I can't do the things I used to do (physically) when I was much younger, there's still a lot of "fun" left in me.
 
I grew up in Chicago, and like most kids at that time, and in my neighborhood, we were pretty poor, except back then, we didn't know we were poor. We entertained ourselves in a lot of different ways. Back then, the television only had four stations, so there really wasn't much to watch compared to today, where people have hundreds of different television channels to watch, and complain that "there's nothing on..." As a kid, my friends and I often played marbles - we could play for hours on end. We also fashioned home made slingshots from tree branches. Most of the time, those slingshots didn't even last a day. And, for ammo, we used rocks - we never ran short of ammo in those days. Yeah, and like most kids my age back then, we got into a little trouble with our slingshots by shooting out windows of abandoned buildings. I guess that wasn't so bad, compared to the trouble kids get into these days - like taking guns to school and killing their classmates. Nope, back then, we didn't get into nearly the trouble kids get into today.
 
When I grew older, I purchased a store-bought slingshot - made out of some kind of hardwood, and it lasted a good long time. The only thing that needed replacing from time-to-time, was the rubber band used for propelling the ammo, more often than not, the rubber band was made out of an old tire inner tube (remember those days, when we had tubes in our tires?). I've also had some other better made slingshots pass through my hands over the years, and they were really a lot of fun, and very well-made, too.
 
Montie Gear has a new slingshot called the "Y-Shot" and I'm here to tell you, hands down, this is the best-made slingshot I've ever run across - PERIOD! The all-aluminum frame is made out of 1/2" thick aluminum plate, cut with a water jet at 50,000 PSI for unrivaled strength and low weight. Then, Montie Gear either powder coats the Y-Shot in different colors, or leaves the aluminum bare - with a grayish oxidized color to the finish.
 
I'm gonna give you the run down on the specs, right from the Montie Gear web site: "The slingshot features a tapered flat band and leather pouch assembly. The tapered flat band has a 16-pound pull weight at approximately a 28" draw. The band has a tapered shape and is made from Thera-Band material for a fast shot and long life. The leather pouch and tapered band assembly come from A+ Slingshot in California. The handle is wrapped with 550 test weight paracord for comfort. The paracord also provides a source of very strong cord, should you need it in the field."
 
This slingshot is ready for hunting (small game) or target practice. Don't hesitate to use ammo up to a 1/2" ball bearing or .44 cal lead ball ammo with this baby. My Y-Shot only came with 30, 1/2 steel ball bearings - which I shot up in only a few minutes, shooting at empty soda cans and empty milk jugs. Darn!I had to run to town, to the local big box store, and purchase a couple hundred more ball bearings - and in no time at all (again) I was out of ammo. Next day, I went to town again, and purchased a good supply of ball bearing ammo from the local big box store, so I'd have enough ammo to last me through several days of target shooting.
 
I'm here to tell you, that with only a little bit of practice, I found myself hitting empty cans at 25-yards without any trouble at all. I even placed some cans out to 50-yards, and about a third of time, I'd hit one, and they were hit with authority enough to make 'em go flying too. I didn't do any small game hunting because I haven't picked-up my hunting license for this year. However, I believe that the Montie Gear Y-Shot slingshot is capable of taking small game like squirrels and rabbits, as well as larger birds like turkeys, too...and we have a lot of wild turkeys are my rural country road. The slingshot would also discourage someone from coming very close to your property, with a well-aimed shot to the body or leg. Now, I'm not saying that you should purchase a mere slingshot for personal defense. However, if someone were trying to sneak on your property, and they took a hit from a steel ball bearing, they'd sure know that they weren't welcomed. It would also keep pests out of your yard, too - stray cats or dogs.
 
I honestly believe, that there is a place in a Prepper's arsenal for a good slingshot. It would be great for taking birds and other small critters for the stew pot - and you can do it silently, too. What's not to like about this? And, ammo is plentiful, if you only use rocks as ammo. However, rocks are not nearly as accurate as ball bearings or round lead ball ammo - be advised! I personally wouldn't want to take a hit from a steel ball bearing launched from the Montie Gear Y-Shot slingshot. I saw what it did to aluminum cans and milks jugs - they were easily penetrated out to 25-yards.
 
Now, while you can go to the local big box store, and buy a pretty decent slingshot, you won't find one as nearly well-made as the Y-Shot is, or one that will hold up for a lifetime. Were there any negatives about the Y-Shot? Yeah, It only came with 30 ball bearings - I'd like to see at least a hundred included in the package. I'd also like to see at least one spare rubber band and pouch included - because sooner or later, the rubber band is gonna break on you. Full retail price on the Y-Shot is $99.95 - a bit spendy, to be sure. But if you compare this slingshot to ALL the others, you're gonna see the difference, and it's a big difference, too. The Y-Shot is outstanding and will give you a lifetime of pleasure - so long as you don't run out of ammo. And, you will run out of ammo very fast - it is very addictive shooting the Y-Shot - trust me, the little kid in me is telling you the truth.
 
So, if you're in the market for the world's best slingshot, look no farther that the Y-Shot. Is it worth almost a hundred bucks? Yeah, to me it is, and I think you'll also agree, if you get one, that it's worth the money. Just make sure when you order your Y-Shot from Montie Gear, that you get some more ball bearings and a couple extra rubber bands with the leather pouch.
 
I've tested a lot of firearms and knives over the years, and to be sure, they were all a lot of fun. But I don't recall when I had more fun testing a product, than the fun I had with the Y-Shot slingshot. It's fun to shoot, silent and accurate...and it's capable of taking small game and birds for the stew pot when the SHTF if need be. If it sounds like I'm more than a little excited about this product, I am. It brought out even more of the little kid in me. And, if I had this slingshot when I was a kid, I would have been king of the block, and would have been known as an "Ace" with it. Check this slingshot out on the Montie Gear web site and you'll probably get one.

Well I must say after prayer and a heart to heart with the Almighty and many undisputable news about our economy I have felt the need to start prepping.  Oh and where to start? Wow was I ever overwhelmed at the prospect of starting prepping for an economic collapse or other unfortunate event.

First, telling the hubby. I got laughed at. Yes, I was down. But I found SurvivalBlog.com, where I got started with baby steps. So off to the grocery store I went. I started a little bit at a time, buying rice and canned items on sale.  Then the adventure begins!

Storage- Now in Texas most of us do not have basements or root cellars. The weather is ever changing. The hot humid weather just doesn’t allow for good conditions. Basements flood out, have seepage or root cement cellars crack due to the ground that shifts constantly in our area especially. We suffer from heat, extreme humidity and we mildew and mold a lot. If you do decide to purchase a pre-made one, you must have a dehumidifier. Your best bet would be to have a good, dark cool closet in your house.  Some people have put there root veggies under the house wrapped in newspaper with chicken wire to keep varmints away. It will keep the potatoes fresher longer (unless your house is on a slab, then find a good cool, dark spot in the house away from everything, do not store on carpet--use cardboard, or cardboard boxes,etc). So I have designated space in a closet or two.  I also purchased some extra shelving, etc.

Canning- You must practice your canning before TSHTF. Believe me, don’t wait till it happens to decide to get the pressure cooker out and learn how. Get it out now. Practice, just like anything else, you have got to learn it. It is not easy at first. Enlist help in the older generation, a grandma, aunt, etc. Make sure your stove can use the pressure cooker. Mine was a smooth top. Not all smooth top ranges can use all pressure cookers.  You can also purchase a separate burner or use the Coleman Stove. Make sure you check the cans after a couple of months and see if they show signs of mold or anything. Make sure you did them correctly. Taste test some.  Practice making meals with some of the food you have stored.

Grains- Storing grains won’t be hard if done correctly. Remember Texas is humid, all year long, even in winter.  Make sure area is cool.  Use those O2 absorbers, they will be very helpful. If you don’t you prepare well you will have rancid grain and weevils (nasty pests). Make sure you plan for possible rats or mice too (sticky traps or regular traps). From my experience flour doesn’t store well. Wheat stores much better. Best get a good grinder. Storing rolled oats for oatmeal is also excellent.

Water- There are many lakes and tanks (ponds) to fish or gather water on, but these are usually on someone’s land. So be careful or you could have the barrel of a gun pointed at you if you trespass. Most Texans band together in a crisis. If you have something to trade or barter and are friendly, most likely you will find a friend. Also, if you are storing water, be careful of the containers. The cheap plastic milk like containers don’t last long if not stored properly. They leak and make a mess! Buy water storage barrels or water storage tanks if possible.

Power- So far, we have bought a wind up flashlight that will charge our cell phones. It also has an AM/FM radio. We are also installing solar panels for energy. In Texas, we get plenty of sunlight so that will not be a problem.

Security- Guns and Ammo.  In, Texas of course Guns. But with that knowing how to use them properly. So we are all taking a gun safety course. [JWR Adds: For those in humid climates I recommend buying as many stainless steel guns as possible, and frequently cleaning and inspecting your guns for any signs of rust. (Mark your calendar if you are the forgetful sort.) Your gun vault or hidden firearms wall cache should be equipped with a Golden Rod dehumidifier. That small investment will save you much grief, later!]

Weather- in Texas, you need to be prepared for all types of weather.  Sometimes in December you get 80 degree days and in April you may get snow. The old saying “Yup, if you don't like the weather in Texas, wait five minutes -- it'll change!” Our weather is definitely one of a kind. In the summer it is very hot. The difference in our heat as compared to other I think is the humidity. You could get a heat stroke very easily. So without air conditioning to which we are all accustomed, it would be quite a change. In the summer, in Texas it gets very hot. Do not cook indoors.  Consider installing heat reflective film on your windows or get them tinted before TSHTF. This will cut down on your electric bill and save money right now! We did it and it really does help.  Use shelters like overhangs, patio overheads and awnings to prevent the stream of sunlight through the windows on the sides of your home that face south and west.  Ice down or soak a bandana in cold water and wear around your neck. Keep hydrated. Avoid tea, caffeine and alcohol. You don’t want to end up with a heat stroke. Okay, winter time. Good thing is we don’t have too many really cold days but we do have some. The best thing would be to have a wood stove in the winter to heat the house.  Our roads are not made for ice. Have extra chains for your truck or SUV in case of those rare icy/snowy days. Be able to cover plants and/or bring them in.

Gardening- Gardening in Texas can be a challenge, but can be done all year because of our mild winter.     We have never been able to grow potatoes in our area due to fire ants. But now with the new container gardening, potato gardening is so much easier! Texas A&M has terrific information on container gardening for Texans. Another good site for Texas container gardening and hot climates is: CentralTexasGardening.info

I have also been doing the square foot garden method using cider blocks as I have a bad back and this method has proven to be easier to maintain. I use the holes in the cinder blocks to plant herbs.  An excellent site is Raised-bed-gardening.org. There are also tons of YouTube videos that show different ways people have done their cinder block gardens.  I had difficulty getting seeds going at first. So I consulted with some masters of gardening, and they told me to use seed starting system, which is no more than a little divided tray. You use a soilless growing mixture, pre-made you can buy. I bought a tray at Wal-Mart with directions on it, also Gardeners.com has directions. It gets your seedlings up and going then you can transplant.  You see ours kept getting eaten up by grasshoppers or bunnies. So really watch them after transplanting.  July-September grasshoppers are bad in Texas. They strip everything. You may even want to purchase something to drape over them.  Trees are also a good investment.  Peach, plum, and apricot trees grow really good around here. You will need several to cross pollinate with each other.  Grasshoppers love these too. The best thing to do is to stock up on Demon pesticide. If you would see how these little pests strip everything, you would be wise to do so, it is worth gold. 

Mosquitoes -   Bug bites bleh…mosquitoes.  They are bad here.  We all have our jokes about our mosquitoes as big as birds.  If you have Off or bug repellant, use it. If you have failed to and are eaten up by the little bloodsuckers, then take cotton balls dipped in witch hazel and rub over affected area. Calamine lotion will help some too. Try not to scratch! (Texas-raised kids like me heard that a lot!) a good plant for repelling those nasty buggers is lemon grass.  This grass is rich in a substance called citral, the active ingredient in lemon peel. This substance is said to aid in digestion as well as relieve spasms, muscle cramps, rheumatism and headaches. Lemon grass is also used commercially as the lemon scent in many products including soaps, perfumes and candles. A related plant, (Cymbopogon nardus) is the ingredient in citronella candles sold to ward off mosquitoes and other insects

Also people put up Purple Martin bird houses to attract Purple Martins. They love some mosquitoes and it’s a Texas tradition of sorts for people to put up Purple Martin houses to get rid of the little buggers.

Remember to always to do lists. Check and recheck that you got everything on it. Talk to family members that are not prepping, but don’t get the Bible out and preach, yet. Just tell them everything that is going on. Let them know it’s better to be prepared and if nothing happens will at least you are ready for when something does. Pray for them. Ask the Lord to put it on your heart what to say.

Good Morning Mr. Rawles,
I too suffer from color deficiency and have had first hand experience with Trijicon, ACOG and other illuminated optics.  For me the red and green reticles "disappear" on any background other than white. 
With the assistance of many a friend and family member we have done extensive testing to be able to determine what works for me. The answer to my color woes is amber reticles. No mater the background the amber stands out brilliantly.  I've had the opportunity to view the amber reticles against woodland, desert, tiger stripe, Multicam, ACU and a dozen other types of camouflage and have yet to find a color or pattern (including natural backdrops) that caused the amber disappear.  I'm blessed in the fact I didn't have to waste hard earned money trying to find what works for me and haven't had to play the "return and restock" game with any distributors.  

I've also recently found a manufacturer that builds optics specifically for color blind shooters. The company is called Browe, Inc. I'm currently saving up to purchase one of the BCO optics from them with their blue reticle technology as blue seems to be the kindest color to those of us with color deficiencies. I will say this in closing as well, I do not rely solely on illuminated reticles, I have plenty of "standard" scopes with crosshairs, mil-dots and BDC reticles to be swapped out "when the batteries won't charge any longer" and all of my weapons have iron sites if the scopes get damaged.
Thank you for a great blog site! - Terry in Denver

Amid the huge selection of autopistols these days, it's nice to see there are still some basic, reliable revolvers for those who prefer them.

The Taurus 445 is not a deep concealment gun, but is a good carry gun that fits easily in a pocket or hides well on a belt.  It's light weight (at 22 ounces), has a 2" barrel, and a 5-round cylinder.  It's comfortable to handle in adult hands, and pleasant to shoot, recoil being heavy but well-dispersed and not sharp, despite the gun's low weight.  It has Taurus' proprietary "Ribber" grips that offer great purchase and retention, and help damp the recoil.  .44 Special is an easy to find, reliable stopper, that doesn't sacrifice controllability.

The trigger broke cleanly at 11 pounds double action, 4 pounds single, and was quite crisp.  Release and ejection were positive and easy.

Accuracy is respectable.  Weather was about 60F, humidity about 45%, altitude 300 feet, no wind.  I found it easy to shoot 2" groups at 10 yards standing.  The sights picture was easy to get, and the gun shot right to point of aim laterally, a little low vertically.  Since this is a snub revolver for close defense, I didn't test longer ranges.   

It shot reliably and easily, and I burned through a box of 50 rounds in very short order.  A gun that's fun and easy to practice with is always a benefit.

The stainless alloy is very weather-resistant.  Even after a wet range trip with no cleaning for two days, the gun was untarnished and cleaned easily.

Speedloaders are available. 

The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $539, but is available from about $450 at many retailers.  Taurus offers a free one year NRA membership with purchase.

Disclaimer Note From JWR (per FTC File No. P034520): Michael Z. Williamson received a test gun for 90 day trial, which was returned at the end of the test period. SurvivalBlog accepts cash-paid advertising. To the best of my knowledge, as of the date of this posting, none of my advertisers that sell the products mentioned in this article have solicited me or paid me to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price gear in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. I am not a stock holder in any company. I do, however, benefit from sales through the SurvivalBlog Amazon Store. If you click on one of our Amazon links and then "click through" to order ANY product from Amazon.com (not just the ones listed in our catalog), then we will earn a modest sales commission.

SurvivalBloggers:
A note on finding Lanolin, for making Ed's Red bore cleaner:
Lanolin is readily available in the breast feeding supply section at most big box department stores, or baby specialty stores. A full tube the (last I checked) is $8-9 but it lasts a very very long time. (And I once scored an unopened, factory sealed tube at a garage sale for 25 cents.) - Alyssa

Dear Mr. Rawles,

I heartily agree with the "Weapons Maintenance -- A Missing Element, by Odd Questioner".  I would add that having lots of good bore cleaner handy makes maintenance a lot easier.  There are MUCH better and cheaper bore cleaners around than the classic Hoppes No. 9.

Ed's Red bore cleaner has been around for over 20 years now and has been mentioned before in your blog.  Even so its a good thing to repeat once in a while.

"Ed's Red" bore cleaner is credited to C.E. Harris.  Its an excellent, easy-to-make and inexpensive bore cleaner and lube.  It stores indefinitely in an airtight container.  It cuts powder fouling like nothing else I've found. The formula and instructions for making Ed's Red has been detailed before in SurvivalBlog, so I won't repeat it here.

I've been making up a couple gallons every few years for over a decade.  I give it away to new friends a few ounces at a time.  Makes a great birthday/Christmas/whatever present for new preppers or shooters. Everyone I've given a sample to has ended up making a gallon of their own.  It is that good!

Ed's Red works for corrosive ammo as well as noncorrosive.  Its an efficient short-term rust-preventative as well.  Adding an emulsifiable oil + water to the mix makes "Ed's Pink" which is specifically for black powder. Do a web search on "Ed's Pink" and you'll find the details for it.

Two words of advice from experience:
(1) the Lanolin may be harder to find than the other components, but its VERY worth it.  Try craft stores that sell soap making supplies.
(2) Lots of folks have ideas for "improvements" to Ed's Red, but these really aren't needful.  The original formula works great and "If it ain't broke . . ."  Just stick with a classic.

Also, I think Ed's Red will be an excellent barter item, come to that. Every prepper should keep a hard copy of the the recipe for Ed's Red in their reference binder.

Cordially, - John

Dear Mr. Rawles,

Here is the definitive test to determine whether ammunition is corrosive or not.  The procedure is credited to Small Arms Review publisher Dan Shea. This test is simple, quick, cheap and conclusive.

THE BRITE NAIL TEST

1. Take a suspect round, pull the bullet and dump out the powder. I like to also take a known corrosive round as well for a benchmark.

2. Take a few brand new "brite" (i.e. non-galvanized) steel nails with a head size just large enough to fit into the case mouth. Degrease the nails in acetone or other and roughen them slightly with sandpaper. Drive the nails into a block of wood.

3. Slip the empty cartridge cases over the nail heads, and taking appropriate safely precautions (shielding, eye protection, gloves, etc) pop the primers with a punch and hammer.

[Dan Shea recommends the following additional safety precaution: Take a piece of wood and drill a hole large enough diameter to accept the case head, about 1/2" deep and not all the way through the wood. Then drill a small hole (to accept a small nail or punch) in the center of the larger hole, all the way through the piece of wood.  Place the larger hole over the case head and insert the punch or nail through the smaller hole.  Use this assembly to pop the primers.]

4. Leave the cases undisturbed on the nails for 24 hours in a warm place (I usually leave them on top of the water heater) and then examine the nails.

If the nail looks black and smoky, then the ammo is noncorrosive. If the nail has red flecks, then the ammo is corrosive. It will be obvious - but doing a known corrosive ammo as a control is helpful.

Cordially, - John N.

JWR Replies: Thanks for sending that. For some important priming data on U.S. military arsenal loadings, see this SurvivalBlog reference page. (It provides the lot numbers and cut-off dates to determine if military ammo has corrosive (mercuric) or non-corrosive (styphnate) primers. If in doubt, then use the brite nail test.

For the past several months, Tim Sundles, who runs Buffalo Bore Ammunition has buried me in some of his newest ammunition offerings. Somehow, I think he doesn't like me. He just keeps coming up with more and more new loads for hunters and for self-defense use, for me to test. Seriously, I don't know of any ammunition company, that is as innovative as Buffalo Bore is. Some of the big name ammo companies might come up with a couple new loads each year - if that. Most are content to sit back on their past accomplishments - not Tim Sundles!
 
If any ammo company is coming out with more newly developed loads than Buffalo Bore is, I'd sure like to know who it is. I like that a small, American-owned ammo company is taking the initiative, and taking the time and effort to come out with so many new caliber loadings. And Buffalo Bore doesn't produce "plinking" ammo - all that they produce is top-of-the-line premium hunting and self-defense loads. On top of that, Sundles adds a flash suppressant to his self-defense loads to help maintain your night vision, if you are forced to shoot at an attacker in low-light. (Which of course is when many self-defense shootings take place.) Are there many other ammo companies doing this yet?
 
One of the newest loadings I tested from Buffalo Bore is their .380 ACP +P 80 grain Barnes TAC-XP load - for those not familiar with the Barnes bullets, they are an all-copper hollow point design. These Barnes bullets retain 100% of their weight, as well as penetrating deeper than other conventional JHP bullets do. This is my carry load in my Ruger LCP .380 ACP back-up pistol. Tim Sundles tests all his loads in actual firearms - he doesn't use test barrels to hype the velocities. I'm getting about 1,050 FPS from my little LCP with this load. It's a bit stout in this little Ruger, but it can handle it. I believe the .380 ACP caliber is best reserved for use in a back-up gun capacity. However, with this load, I think it really boost your power factor quite a bit. So, with that said, it might be acceptable to use this round by Buffalo Bore if this is going to be your main concealed carry gun.
 
Next up are the new 9mm loadings, and these are both +P+ rounds, one is a 95 grain Barnes TAC-XP load at around 1,550 FPS and the other is a 115 grain Barnes TAX-XP load, at 1,400 FPS. Screaming? You bet! Once again, the Barnes all-copper bullets will get the job done, in either caliber. As a rule, I don't like going below a 115 grain bullet in a 9mm round. However , the 95 grain Barnes bullet will get the job done because it will penetrate a bit deeper than a conventional bullet of this weight will do, and stay together. What I really like about this load is that even though it's a +P+ load, it doesn't feel much different than a conventional standard velocity load does. For me, this is a no-brainer, this is the load to put in your "house gun" that you have in your nightstand - it's easy to control and will take care of the bad guys - and the recoil isn't what you'd expect from a +P+ 9mm loading - it's very controllable. The 115 grain Barnes loading is great for your carry gun - it will penetrate, hold together and get the job done. There is a bit more recoil with this +P+ loading, but nothing you can't control in the least. My new Ruger P95 loves this load for some reason. Make sure you test any +P or +P+ loads in your guns to make sure they will function 100% of the time with 'em - in this case, I tested both of these loads in numerous 9mm handguns, and had no problems at all. Great loads!
 
Back when I lived in Chicago, and worked as a private investigator, I usually carried either a S&W .38 Special snubby or a Colt .38 Special snubby of some sort, as a back-up gun - one of these guns was usually carried in an ankle holster. There were times, when I (only) carried a .38 Special snubby of some sort. One time, when working for an alarm company - I installed alarms on the day-shift, and answered alarms at night - I carried a .38 Special snubby. While this wasn't a big problem working the day shift - it wasn't the smartest thing to do when answering alarms at night - all alone. This became a reality to me one night, when I answered an alarm and was confronted with searching a huge warehouse by myself. I realized if someone was too far away and started shooting at me, that little .38 Special snubby wasn't gonna be of much use - I went out the next day and purchased a 4" barrel .357 Magnum Colt Trooper Mk III revolver. Okay, back to the snubbies in .38 Special:
 
Most people don't understand how much velocity (thus "power") you lose when loading a 2" .38 Special snubby revolver compared to the power you get from a 4" barrel or 6" barrel .38 Special revolver. It is very significant - so much so, that more often than not, a JHP round won't expand when it hits an attacker - which then makes that bullet nothing more than a solid - passing through the body and not doing as much damage as you'd expect. Enter the Buffalo Bore "Standard Pressure" short-barrel, low-flash 110 grain Barnes TAC-XP round - and this baby will give you about 1,000 FPS velocity from your snubby .38 Special revolver - enough velocity to make that bullet expand. Best of all, this round is very controllable. This is "the" round you want if you carry a .38 Special snubby revolver for self defense. And, I believe, the .38 Special needs all the help it can get.
 
Also, in the .38 Special line-up from Buffalo Bore is their .38 Outdoorsman +P round. If you carry any kind of .38 Special out in the boonies for self-defense against critters - this is the round you want. The 158 grain Hard Cast Keith bullet, at 1,250 FPS from a 6" barrel or 1,150 FPS from a 4" barrel revolver will give you plenty of penetration - which is what you want and need when facing critters in the wild. If you look at those velocities, you'll note that they are right on the heels of many other makers .357 Mag rounds - what's not to like here? While I would personally look at carrying a .357 Mag revolver if I were in dangerous country, if all I had was a .38 Special of some sort, this is the round to carry.
 
Not to be left out, if you carry a snubby .357 Mag revolver, and you're out in the boonies, take a close look at the Buffalo Bore .357 Mag Barnes 140 grain XPB round - this is a different bullet than the TAC-XP - the XPB bullet is designed for control expansion, and it will penetrate deeper than the TAC-XP round will against wild animals. This is the round you want in your .357 Mag snubby if you are carrying it for self-defense against critters out in the wild. Once again, a very controllable round, at around 1,150 FPS. I really liked this one.
 
Are you a big bore fan? Yes, me too! I really love shooting the .44 Magnum revolvers - and I can sometimes be "caught" using a .44 Mag when I'm out deer or black bear hunting. The .44 Mag is really quite a caliber - you can load it up, to super-charge it, or load it down to .44 Special velocities for plinking fun or self-defense. If forced to own one revolver, this would be the caliber I'd choose over all others. Tim Sundles does a lot of handgun hunting - he does this for several reasons, one is because he loves to hunt, and secondly, he gets to test his new round that he comes up with against real critters in the wild. How many big name ammo companies get out there and actually tests their ammo? Not many.
 
A new .44 Mag loading that Buffalo just came out with - and I've only limited testing with - is their 200 grain Barnes XPB load, which should be an excellent load to use against deer and  most black bear. I usually prefer a heavier load to use against black bear, but this load will get the job done with the XPB bullet because it penetrates a bit deeper and stays together. Coming out a 4" barrel revolver, you can expect over 1,500 FPS from this round. And, best of all, even though this is a .44 Mag round, it is more controllable than you think - this is because of the 200 grain bullet. Most folks stick with 240 grain bullets for much of their .44 Mag shooting - and they "kick" a lot more than this 200 grain Barnes bullet does. From an 18" barrel rifle, you can expect over 1,800 FPS - that's screaming! If you look down at this Barnes XPB bullet, you'll get lost in it because it looks sooooo deep. If you are hunting bigger game, check out some of the heavy .44 Mag from Buffalo Bore - they have something there you're gonna love!
 
These next two calibers that Sundles sent me - I didn't have firearms for - so I had to borrow a couple of guns. The new buffalo Bore  .357 SIG, 125 grain Barnes TAC-XP low-flash round will be, in my humble opinion, "the" round to carry if you depend on a .357 SIG for self-defense.  If you want a .357 SIG load, that uses an expanding bullet, that penetrates very deeply, this is the round for you. I admit, I've only had limited experience with the .357 SIG round, and I've never actually personally owned a gun in this caliber. There's several good reasons for this, first of all, for some reason, this round just hasn't caught on - at least, not in my neck of the woods. Secondly, .357 SIG ammo is hard to find - once again, in my neck of the woods. Lastly, .357 SIG ammo is more expensive than other calibers - like the .40S&W is. This is slowly changing, as I've noted that prices are coming down a bit - especially for FMJ practice ammo.
 
What we are looking at, with the .357 SIG round is a .40 caliber case, that is necked-down to take a 9mm bullet. One thing I like about these types of rounds is that, they are very reliable when it comes to feeding from the magazine to the chamber.  Tim Sundles tells me that, his .357 SIG round, will roughly penetrate 20+ inches of flesh and bone, and expand to about .55 caliber! Yes! During testing, this round is coming out of a SIG Sauer P229 at about 1,300 FPS - screaming! What I've found, is that, the .357 SIG is just about the same as a +P+ 9mm round in power and velocity, but without the excessive recoil that you expect from a +P+ loading - and it's easier on the gun - it doesn't get battered as much, as a 9mm +P+ round would do to a pistol.
 
What I'd like to see Buffalo Bore come up with, is a super-deep penetrator round (FMJ) in .357 SIG - this would be an outstanding round to carry out in the boonies - it would give you all the deep(er) penetration you'd need against critters. And, knowing Sundles, I'm sure he'll be coming out with this type of round - he's done it with the 9mm, with his "Penetrator" round, and he'll do it with the .357 SIG round - watch and see. I'm really impressed with the .357 SIG - from my limited shooting of this caliber over the past year or two, and one of these days, I'm gonna lay-down some hard-earned cash and actually purchase a handgun in this caliber.
 
I almost "hate" Tim Sundles, for coming up with this next round for me to test. I've been a fan of the .41 Magnum round for about 25 years. My late friend, Tim Caruso, from Colorado Springs, Colorado actually turned me onto this caliber. While not quite the power of a .44 Mag, the 41 Mag round will take care of many of the same tasks that a .44 Mag will, and with less punishing recoil. On top of that, I've always thought the .41 Mag would make an excellent self-defense round with the 175 grain bullets instead of the 210 grain bullets. Well, Tim Sundles just came out with a 180 grain .41 Mag Barnes all-copper hollow point load, and this bullet is coming out of a revolver at around 1,500 FPS - depending on barrel length.
 
I had to borrow a .41 Mag revolver from a friend to test this load, and it makes me "hate" Tim Sundles all that much more - I haven't owned a .41 Mag revolver in several years. Why? I have no idea! I love the S&W Model 57 .41 Mag revolver - and I guess I'm now gonna have to get another one - one of these days. Of course, Tim Sundles is on my wife's "I'm gonna kill him list..." since he is "forcing" me to go out and find a new .41 Mag S&W Model 57 or 657 revolver one of these days. I keep telling my wife "I only need one more gun..." and she keeps reminding me: "You said that last time...." to which I reply "it's still true...I only need one more gun."
 
This Buffalo Bore 180 grain Barnes bullet is the XPB style - great for hunting medium to medium-large game - it will penetrate deeply and has controlled expansion as well. It would prove a great deer round, if you ask me. If you've never fired a .41 Mag handgun, you owe it to yourself to at least try it - you'll find just as I did, that the round is a lot more controllable than the .44 Mag is, and it can do "most" of what a .44 Mag round can do. The .41 Mag has always been a bit of a red-headed step-child if you ask me - never getting the credit it deserves. If you have a .41 Mag of some type, you really need to lay claim to a box or two of this new Buffalo Bore .41 Mag ammo.
 
As I mentioned at the start of this article, Tim Sundles, has been burying me in new ammo to test. Yes, shooting new rounds is always fun and challenging, and quite often, I'm one of the first to get these new loadings - I appreciate this. And, SurvivalBlog readers are often the first to get real-life, first-hand test results on new Buffalo Bore Ammunition. I've heard from several SurvivalBlog readers, asking me if any of the ammo or gun companies pay me to promote their products. Never happened - never will! If anything, I should be billing Tim Sundles for my time and effort in shooting all the ammo he sends me! LOL!!
 
Seriously, if you are into handgun hunting and take your self-defense needs to heart, you want the best-of-the-best, when it comes to ammo. You're not gonna find any cheap plinking ammo from Buffalo Bore - they only make hi-quality, self-defense and hunting loads. Sure, Buffalo Bore ammo is a bit more expensive than ammo from the big name ammo companies. However, what Tim Sundles is offering - you can't find from any of the big name ammo companies, period. Sundles puts in a lot of time and effort to come up with these new loadings, and he also tests all these new loadings himself, too.
 
Like I said, Buffalo Bore is an American-owned company (in Montana), and it's a small company, that is rapidly carving itself a real niche in the self-defense and hunting calibers scheme of things. You won't find another ammo company, of this size that is producing and developing a more vast line-up than Tim Sundles is doing. There are lots of "good guys" in the firearms and ammo fields - I've been doing business with them for more than 20 years as a writer. However, Tim Sundles is, without a doubt, one of the really good guys and he's working hard to give us something no one else is giving us. He deserves your business, checkout his web site - and I'll be reporting on even more new rounds he's working on for us all.
 
Now, I'm waiting for the spring monsoon rains to stop in my area, so I can get out there and test the new Buffalo Bore, .40 S&W, 140 grain Barnes TAC-XP "standard pressure" rounds in my Glock 27 That .should make a great combo - with this round coming out at approximately 1,300 FPS in a slightly longer barreled gun. But I'm thinking, this will be a controllable round in this pocket rocket pistol from Glock. 

Over the years, as I've been perusing the pages of SurvivalBlog and various other sites, one thing had been missing the whole time, and to my own mind, I completely missed it too.

It wasn't until this weekend that the point was driven home quite clearly. You see, I was out shooting with friends, and taking in a glorious day. In the course of plinking cans and putting various sheets of paper out of their misery, my favorite M1911 light-framed .45 ACP jammed. The slide was nearly locked solid, and after finally clearing out the cartridge and the magazine, I realized that the pistol was in horrible need of cleaning. And yes, I was neglectful of that, as, I suspect, are most folks who use guns a lot are – bad habits do creep in, after all. Sometimes it just never gets done, no matter how many mental notes are made to do it.

Okay, so it's time to clean the little beastie. I get out the tools, the kit, set it all down on the table, and... the solvent bottle was empty. No solvent. Anywhere. No idea why, but there was no solvent to be found anywhere in the house. Not in the gun closet, nor the safe. Not in the preps, and basically nowhere at all. Well, okay, I know full well why, and I bet a lot of you out there have the same problem – just that I found out this weekend, but you don't know it yet. I'll explain...

You have a huge cache of firearms. You have mountains of ammunition. You may even have enough reloading equipment and materials to be your own local arsenal. However, take a quick peek: How much do you have in the way of cleaning equipment? How many spare brushes, swabs, patches, and spare rods do you have? How much spare oil, tools, and solvent are on hand at home right now? Do you have enough to handle every firearm you own, including the stuff you've recently bought? My particular little problem was solved with a quick trip to the nearest sporting goods store (and I made sure to buy four large bottles of the stuff this time – just to be sure). Now how easily could I have solved this little problem if civilization happened to have collapsed before I found out I didn't have any solvent? I can answer that – not at all without improvising, and improvisation is never as good as having the very thing you need.

My little tale (yes, a true story), highlighted two big problems that I bet most preppers don't even bother with: regular weapons maintenance, and having enough stuff to actually perform it for months to years after that stuff can no longer be obtained at a store.

Let's tackle the fact that hey – keep your weapons clean! I was completely blasé about doing it (a bad habit gained from years of playing around in local shooting events, where I routinely ran 600+ rounds through the barrel in any given event, without bothering to clean until every other event, or it saw 1,200 rounds). However, thinking further, imagine if that pistol jammed at a moment where my life really, really relied on having my weapon work perfectly. It's one thing to endure a couple of friendly insults and jibes from friends at a gravel bank, but another thing entirely if I'm facing an intruder, my first shot didn't do the job, and now I'm standing there with a half-open slide while the now-wounded (and now rather angry!) intruder raises his own weapon. The thought is enough to scare the crap out of any sane prepper, and once I realized it, it scared me rather straight as well. I spent three hours cleaning every last nook and cranny this morning, and a quick drive back out into the countryside with 100 rounds confirmed that everything worked flawlessly again. Once home, I cleaned everything again, just to be sure.

I even learned again how a perfectly clean gun operates a whole lot smoother (yes, you tend to forget), and that over time I just stupidly got used to the slowly degrading performance. It is far easier, and safer, to get into the habit of never considering your shooting day done until after you clean every weapon you used. It's easy to think that you're good to go with waiting until x number of rounds have been shot, but it's a very bad habit, and one I'm glad that I caught and learned from - before that lesson came the hard way. Very simply put, always clean your weapon after you're done using it. In a post-collapse world, clean it every chance you get, because you may not get the time to do it when you think you will.

Second item on the agenda – check your stores. No, not your guns, not your cartridges, and not your neat-o accessories. As a prepper, you should check into, and stock up on, the following items:

• Cleaning solvent (the good stuff. Don't go cheap here.)
• Light gun oil (again, don't even think of skimping.)
• Spare wire bore brushes (because they wear down quickly when you actually use them.)
• Spare small wire brushes (because using a bore brush to clean out the inside of a slide assembly is foolish.)
• Spare bore and magazine swabs (because they get dirty in a hurry, and you can only clean them so many times before they become useless).
• Spare patches (as many as you can lay hands on), and spare patch-holders.
• Spare rods of sufficient length (those things are notoriously fragile when you don't want them to be.)
• A big pile of clean/unused rags, set aside especially for cleaning your guns. Make completely sure that they're lint-free.
• Spare tools specific to assemble/disassemble your firearms (the funny-looking wrench you use to take apart the muzzle of an M1911 .45 ACP, for example, because pliers will work but really, not right.)
• Spare consumables for your firearm (examples? No problem: My .45, over time, will eat slide-return spring bushings, slide springs, an extra grip, spare screws for the grip, magazine springs and followers, an extra barrel or two, etc.)

So what if you only have a few firearms and have to do it on the cheap? Well, you can still get by with buying up and storing at least a half-dozen of those small rifle and pistol cleaning kits you normally find in the average department store's sporting goods section. Each is usually self-contained with everything needed to clean your rifle or pistol, are sold by caliber, and each is enough to last about 5 cleanings (10 if you're careful with it). They're also cheap – averaging $10-15 per kit. I figure that by the time you crack open that last kit, you'll likely be almost out of ammunition in your stores anyway. Just stick with a reputable brand, and avoid the absolute cheapest stuff.

But let's get back to keeping these things clean in a post-collapse situation. Hopefully you now have everything you need to do that with. But hey, not everything is perfect in this world, so...

Let's say you're out of supplies to keep your favorite firearm clean, or you found a good weapon with a ton of ammo (Hypothetically, let's say you've been a good little prepper, survived the collapse of civilization, and as a reward the SHTF-fairy drops off a pristine M16A1 and a can of ammo? Oh, but she didn't think to include a cleaning kit. Go figure.) Or, let's say you had to bug out in a hurry, and a pistol cleaning kit doesn't make much sense in that bag of yours. So, now what? The need to keep that gun clean hasn't gone away.  You'll want to make sure it does what you want it to do, especially when you need it to do so. Well, good news! You can improvise. At the low-end, if the firearm is truly Mil-Spec, you can get away with as little as using soap and near-boiling water to literally scrub and rinse the thing (the heat insures that things dry off quickly afterward), only needing a light coat of oil when you're done. If you can find/scrounge up some brake-cleaner (or even clean brake fluid, come to think of it), you can use that in place of typical gun solvent. For oil, you can use a rag and (very little!) clean machine oil, hydraulic fluid, or automatic transmission fluid (but use it sparingly! Too much oil attracts dirt and dust.) There are lots of options in a pinch, but use them intelligently, and don't use it as an excuse to skip cleaning your firearms.

By the way, when it comes to cleaning your weapons, get to know the things deeply. Know to always make sure not only that the weapon is unloaded, but that no bullets are anywhere near the table you're working on, period. I always make it a habit to move all the bullets to a bag on the floor, and double-check everything to make sure no bullets can be found in, on, or around the weapon. Know how to field-strip your weapons, clean them and put them back together in perfect working order. Know where all those nooks and crannies are, and how to get the goop, burn-marks, lead/copper build-up, and all that other crud out of them. Get into the habit of giving every square millimeter a close eye, looking for signs of a failing part: minute cracks, worn edges or lips, curling metal, odd discolorations, pitting, and any bulges or warping where there shouldn't be. Replace those parts ASAP (you remembered to store spare parts, right?) Be aggressive about even the slightest sign of surface rust, scrubbing it completely off with solvent and a rag, wiping off the solvent, then scrubbing it again with a lightly-oiled rag.

Even if you don't use it very often (or at all), get into the habit of taking out each weapon you own at least once every year (once every six months in a wetter climate), and cleaning it anyway, searching carefully for rust, cleaning out any dust, and working everything on it until it feels perfectly smooth and natural.

Yes we've been talking about firearms all this time, but let's take a few moments to get into your knives, swords, bows, arrows, crossbows, or maybe the spare trebuchet you may have stashed in the garage. Just because it doesn't spit fire doesn't mean that you can leave it dirty.

Compound bow cams can clog up and the bearings filled with grit. Knives and edged weapons can pit and rust in a surprisingly short amount of time. That crossbow trigger needs to be kept clean and perfectly functional, because you'll never know when your life will depend on it functioning perfectly. You would be amazed at how quickly that something as simple as a recurve bow can get dirty, causing grit to become sandpaper in the string notches, slowly weakening the bow overall.

If you've ever field dressed an animal with a knife, you already know how quickly it (and your hands) can get greasy, hairy, and smeared with gore. Now think about gripping that greasy, gory handle and defending yourself with it. Anything with an edge that gets used at all will get nicks in the blade, and any blade will dull after even the most careful use. To that end, learn how to truly sharpen a knife. Have the right oils, stones, files, and stropping tools on hand – lots of them. Contrary to popular belief, it takes a lot of practice and skill to learn how to do it right, but once you do, you can not only keep your edged weapons sharp, but can actually create an edged weapon out of almost any sufficiently-shaped piece of metal.

So let's sum it all up here, and hopefully, you get the idea by now – you have two things to help make your prepping complete: One, get in the habit of cleaning your weapons every time you use them, and periodically if you don't use them. No exceptions, no excuses. Two, make sure you have enough bits, bobs, and supplies in your stores to help keep those weapons clean (and maintained) for at least 2-to-3 years (or more!) beyond the point where civilization goes splat.

Do this, do it faithfully, and you will find yourself leagues ahead of the prepper crowd. You will be better able to survive. You will be able to hold out long after the wannabe commando types got killed off due to their own jammed, dull, dirty, and broken weapons. That is, long-neglected weapons which failed them at the wrong time: precisely when they were needed the most.

James,
Having just read the letters regarding reloading economics, I noticed the following caveats and had two important points about them:
 
1.  “do not shoot lead bullets in a Glock” because of the polygonal rifling.  Polygonal rifling essentially creates rifling engagement angles that are less than 90 degrees, therefore whatever bullet material you use seals the bore better (because it’s easier to deform lead/copper into a rifling groove that has a more obtuse (open) angle) than a sharp 90 degree angle.    A standard cartridge fired out of a conventionally rifled barrel will travel faster out of a polygonal rifled barrel because of the superior seal that the polygonal rifling creates and that is why Glock uses those kinds of barrels, bullets perform better out of their barrels. Better seal = higher pressures,  higher pressures = higher velocities.   It needs to be noted that the HK USP series of pistols also has polygonal rifling as well as the Baby Eagle line and problem some others that I haven’t listed here.  Lead is perfectly safe to shoot out of Glocks or HKs, as long as you decrease your powder charge.  Polygonally rifled barrels do lead up any more readily than conventionally rifled barrels, in fact, because polygonal rifling seals the bore better the number one cause of leading  is reduced, “gas cutting” the increased pressure does not melt lead bases to any appreciable extent – gas cutting does.  This was all figured out decades ago by better men than me, like Elmer Keith.  Since higher pressures also yield higher temperatures (simple physics) even a conventionally rifled barrel can build up lead quickly if you use hot loads, or try to reproduce +p type ratings using lead or copper plated bullets.  It isn’t lead build up that leads to a “kaboom”, it’s nearly always a compressed load which is far more dangerous in any barrel.  Gas checks (copper jackets that go on the bottom of a lead bullet) are effective not because the leading lip of the gas check hits the rifling and splits to seal the angle of the rifling in addition to shielding the base of the lead bullet.  Don’t believe me?  Check the effective velocities of a gas checked bullet, it’s higher than just lead – less pressure leakage.
 
2.  Copper plated bullets should be treated as if they were lead when calculating your powder charge.  Because the plating is not a “jacket” but a very very thin microscopic coating of copper the hardness of the bullet is still essentially whatever the hardness of the lead that was used in casting it before plating.  The plating process does not harden the lead bullet, it seals the bore better than a copper jacketed bullet – and should be loaded accordingly otherwise you can create higher pressures and you may damage your pistol or yourself.  Always load copper plated bullets as if you were loading lead.  You get less lead fouling with copper plated bullets, but I’ve pulled lead deposits out of a pistol bore that was only shooting copper plated bullets, although it had a couple thousand rounds through it prior to the cleaning.
 
3.  Remember that the higher pressure rounds will have more problems with overpressure than low pressure rounds, typically autopistols shoot 9mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W – I’ll ignore the other more uncommon rounds, so look them them if you’re going to reload for them., as an example only (look up your specific combination of powder, bullet, primer and casing) the following number can give you an idea of the pressures involved:
 
9mm Luger (9x19) is around 34,000 psi
45acp (45 auto) is around 20,000
40sw (40 short and wimpy) is around 32,000 psi
 
ammo manufactures spend a seriously paranoid amount of time calculating not only pressure, but the pressure curve (burn characteristics inside barrel) and they minutely examine the components after firing before determining a load is safe, they do this for each and every “lot” of ammunition they produce, if they change one component then there is a different “lot number” assigned to it and the workup is repeated for it.  Since their powders and components are custom blended and manufactured, they tend to repeat this process a lot.  A typical handloader will not have access to the testing equipment that a manufacturer has and has to be at least as meticulous.  Pressure is king and over-pressure will injure you and destroy your weapon.  In a grid-down survival situation the nominal savings that reloading will yield are offset by the very serious chance a non-expert reloader will inadvertently take.  If and when THSTF I do not plan on shooting any reloaded ammunition out of my autopistols or autoloading rifles.
 
As a side note, a few more thoughts on reloading practices:
 
The typical reloader who uses “junk brass” that is harvested from a shooting range is taking some serious chances.  Without realizing it, a handloader can work up a load that is perfectly safe in a Lake City 5.56 case, and start producing with a large range of brass cases from various manufacturers – without realizing that the internal dimensions of each manufacturers casing are different, in fact the typical Lake City nato 5.56 casing has a thicker web and thicker walls than a commercial Winchester .223 Remington case – so a perfectly safe load in a different case will yield MUCH different results and since we’re worried about pressure (as we should be) we inadvertently are producing loaded cartridges that are quite different while believing we are making a consistent product because we’re using only one type of bullet/powder/primer.  Whenever possible, use ONE head stamp AND be sure they’re of the same year of manufacture.
 
I have reloaded now for 20 years, from .50 BMG to .380 and the one thing I keep as my watch-word is that I’m loading for target ammo only and I am not trying to reproduce factory maximum pressures.  I’ve had to toss out a serious amount of ammo from time to time because I wasn’t as careful as I should have been, and in case you’re wondering – no I never considered breaking apart the casings to reclaim components – why?  Because it’s just not worth the time and potential hazards to re-use bullets that have already been crimped, and powder that may be contaminated by whatever was in the case when I reloaded it or handled it during disassembly.  Sure a lot of old codgers will say that you can avoid problems, but I have a healthy enough paranoia to toss a couple of bucks in the trash (actually I take them to a public range to put in their “red bucket”  I’ve see these same guys pull ammo out of a red range bucket – such disregard for Murphy will surely clean the shallow end of the gene pool at some point
 
It comes down to pressure and amassing as much possible knowledge about interior ballistics as is humanly possible.   Most of the “kaboom” problems that Glocks and other autopistols have had occur when a reloader tries to reproduce a hot cartridge – or as the old competitors used to call it “make major” because before a typical competition each competitors load would be chronographed to insure they weren’t using a “wimpy” load to reduce recoil and thus increase accuracy.
 
I’ve had two kabooms, both were from compressed loads in reloaded ammo (one mine and one a factory reload) I’ve met other people that have had compressed loads from factory ammo, which is a major cause of “kaboom” in police departments across the country as they use duty ammo on a rotational basis during qualifications (use up the duty ammo to issue fresh duty ammo).   I’ve shot a lot of lead out of Glocks, never had a problem – the one I reload for most often is my Glock 20 and 29 – the ultra-hot 10mm.  And in case you’re wondering, reloading for revolvers has a slightly different set of problems that can be just as dangerous as those faced by autopistol reloaders.
 
Remember that no firearms manufacturer will warranty your firearm if you shoot reloads of any kind avoiding lead in Glocks while shooting jacketed reloads is just as much a warrantee problem as the other.    Seek knowledge and understanding, understand why polygonal rifling creates higher pressures and you can anticipate and compensate for it, understand why shorter barrels are less efficient at launching light and fast loads, and a host of other knowledge that is useful.
 
For me the greatest value that I get from reloading is that I’m much better educated than a typical shooter about the products I shoot and it’s a relaxing hobby that helps keep my mind sharp.  When I first started reloading I did save a significant amount of money on ammo, but component prices have skyrocketed since then and the savings are now pretty much non-existent. - Jim H. in Colorado

Dear Mr. Rawles,
This was an excellent article. I have a few comments for consideration. There are several aftermarket barrels available for Glocks to allow shooting lead bullets. Search for "Glock replacement barrels".  Many of the competition shooters I know use them quite successfully.

Reloading ammo or buying factory ammo are definitely not mutually exclusive activities. I do both. My goal it to increase opportunities to keep shooting. Where I seem to save the most is in reloading my own match ammo. Not only do I save money but my groups are significantly tighter with my reloads. The downside I see with reloading is for those of us who can be distracted into endless pursuit of the "perfect" load.

For folks who have a short memory, reloading is a good thing when ammo is either not available or is so expensive it is unaffordable.

Get out and vote. - Jim Z.

JWR,
Just a few observations about R.S.O.'s article.

I had a few issues with R.S.O.'s article on reloading and wanted to share them.

First, if you order powder or primers by mail, there will be a $25 hazardous materials fee for each package (not item, but boxes in which they're shipped) you receive. Also, I have yet to find a business which mixes primers and powder in the same package. If you're going to mail order either, get some friends who also reload to place orders for their needs to defray the costs (Besides, if you don't already reload, you're going to want some help with set up and some instruction, right?).

If you use range brass (and there's nothing wrong with that), beware that some (mainly polymer) pistols, like the Glock, generally have issues with bulged brass at the base. Over time, this brass will not feed reliably. There are a number of methods to deal with this, like roll-sizers ($$$$$) or some specialty dies. Proceed at your peril. You can generally feel this bulge, and many dies do not size the base low enough to completely get rid of the bulge.

If you decide to buy brass (and there's nothing wrong with that), you can lower the cost of purchase by reusing that brass. So, while $.18/round is somewhat expensive for brass, you'll reuse most of it multiple times, spreading out the cost. If you want another way to get bulk brass, just buy loaded ammo, run it thru your favorite unloader (mine's a M1911), keep track of the brass you shoot and pick it up after you're done. Lots of people like once-fired brass better than pristine. (Note--If you shoot bolt-action rifles, you'll get better results from fire-formed brass than from pristine or fully-sized brass. Use a neck sizer only after you fire form your brass, and it'll be custom to your rifle's chamber.)

Your mileage may vary here, but I've had no issues shooting unjacketed lead (moly coated and uncoated) thru my Glock. Granted, I'm more diligent about cleaning the barrel when I shoot lead thru my Glock (which isn't often, I'm not a Glock fan), but have had no ill effects. If you want, Lone Wolf Distributors makes a great aftermarket barrel, and one of the marketing points for it is you can use unjacketed lead in it. The biggest issue with Glock is the fact that shooting reloaded ammo (yours or anyone else's) voids your warranty, tread at your peril.

I recommend specifically against buying any Lee Precision progressive press, which is unfortunate, because most of their other equipment is outstanding an affordable. The reason I recommend against their progressives is the large number of important parts made of plastic--especially the primer feed system. I owned a Lee Loadmaster for several years, and spent a lot of money on spare parts to replace broken ones.

The Dillon 550B is NOT a true progressive press, as it requires a manual index of the shell plate. True progressive presses index the shell plate by using the lever--every time you pull the lever, the ram goes up and down, does all the operations, and the shell plate rotates. The 550B requires you to turn the shell plate by hand after each stroke.

R.S.O.'s point about buying dies made by he same manufacturer as the press is a good one, but not entirely accurate. Almost all dies are threaded the same, so they're theoretically interchangeable. However, the depth of the place where you screw them into the press can vary. If your die bodies are too short, they won't adjust or work properly. I currently use Lee dies on an RCBS single stage press with no issues. Lee dies have the advantage of coming with a shell holder, no other die sets do (at least as far as I can tell).

I wholeheartedly agree with R.S.O.'s point on the manuals. If you use a recipe someone else gives you, you're risking losing vital body parts. Don't be that guy/gal.

R.S.O.'s point about Boxer and Berdan priming is a good one, but many foreign manufacturers of handgun ammo use Berdan primers. Look into the case, and if you see two small holes instead of one relatively large one, it's not reloadable.

When cleaning your brass, a tumbler is not strictly necessary, it's just the most efficient and easiest method. You can clean brass with water and let it dry. When you go thru the sorting operation, make sure you check the cases for dings, dents, Berdan priming, and cracks. Dings and dents may not be a problem, discard Berdan and cracked cases. Also discard any steel and aluminum cases, as they're generally poor candidates for reloading.

R.S.O. is mostly correct that you don't need to lubricate most handgun brass if you use carbide dies. However, having reloaded a bunch of .500 S&W Magnum, I recommend lubing long cases, even if you're using carbide dies--I snapped a Lee Loader trying to resize .500 brass without lube. Additionally, most bottleneck cartridges (like many popular rifle calibers) require some lube to make the operation effective, even when you use carbide dies. I can't say this is strictly true for calibers like .400 Corbon or .357 SIG, but I refuse to own pistols chambered for these cartridges--they are answers to unasked questions, and if you're going to go to the bother of chambering a pistol to mostly .40 S&W or .45 ACP, why not just go with the straight wall version and use heavier bullets?

R.S.O. omitted a step--you have to prime the cases. Make sure you use the appropriate primers. One thing to note, some popular calibers (like .45 ACP) have manufacturers who have switched from large to small primers, so pay attention--especially if you're using range brass. It is generally not smart to interchange rifle primers for pistol primers--there's a reason why they make primers specifically for rifles and pistols. Also, be aware that using a magnum primer in a non-magnum cartridge will give you inconsistent velocity.

Three additional sources for reloading supplies:
www.midwayusa.com (based in Columbia, Missouri)
www.brownells.com (based in Montezuma, Iowa; they recently acquired Sinclair International)
www.grafs.com (based in Mexico, Missouri)

While we are all preparing for something most of us are not financially secure there for we must stretch our Dollars as long as we have them as a form of currency. 

Here in falls the concept of reloading your own ammunition.  Because face it we need to practice and we need to store for when the supply runs out.  Let’s start by doing a little math, Ammo 9mm Luger Winchester USA 115 Grain FMJ 1190 fps 100 Round Box $21.11 x 10 = $211.10 bought online.  Now let’s order the individual component parts online and see how much we save Winchester Bulk Bullets 9mm 115 grain FMJRN = $105.10, Winchester Small Pistol Primers 1,000 = $29.95, Powder 1 pound about $20.00, Winchester Bulk Brass 9mm = $176.30.  Ok total to load your own 1000 rounds of 115 Grain FMJ = $331.35 now you’re saying to yourself that’s $120.25 more than if I just bought it already loaded there’s no savings to heck with this idea right?  Wrong!  Take a look around next time you go to the range or your favorite outdoor shooting spot how much 9mm brass is just laying around.  LOTS and LOTS all you have to do is pick it up, and as for the powder on average you can load 1200 to 1400 rounds of ammo with just 1 pound.  Hmmm, so let’s take just the price of brass $176.30 out of the equation that will leave us with a grand total of $155.05 for 1,000 rounds of loaded ammo that is a savings of $56.05 or roughly 27%.  Greater savings can be had by buying plated and lead bullets. (If you shoot a handgun with a Polygonal rifling such as a Glock DO NOT USE unjacketed lead bullets!)

I think if you have made it this far into the article you are now saying to yourself but the equipment is expensive.  This statement is true for the most part however there are many different manufactures to choose from thus making it a matter of figuring out how fast you want to load your 1000 rounds.  You can get a RCBS ROCK CHUCKER SUPREME PRESS you will need to buy Dies (single stage) for MSRP $ 202.95, or a Lee Breech Lock Challenger Press you will need to buy Dies (single stage) for MSRP $94.00 or a Lee PRO 1000 9MM LUGER (progressive press includes Dies) for MSRP $254.00. Another option is the Dillon Square Deal 'B' (progressive press includes Dies will not load Rifle ammo) for MSRP $379.95 or the Dillon RL550B you will need to buy Dies (progressive press loads Rifle ammo) for MSRP $439.95.  I can go on and find all the presses that are available and put prices in here but then I might as well just open a store and sell the stuff too. (Note to self, find investor open store)  Ok do some more research on your own talk to friends other people at the range find out what they like and WHY.  Before we get too much further I am not employed by nor do I receive any kickbacks from any of the above mentioned Manufactures, however I was at one time employed by Dillon Precision.  Yes I do like there products I have used them for over 10 years and the Lifetime "No-B.S." Warranty is great!  Links to some key manufacturers mentioned are listed at the bottom of this article.

You will need to buy Reloading Dies for most of the machines listed.  The Dies range in price from about $29.95 to $63.95 depending on which company you go with.  If you by a Lee reloader and Dillon Dies you may need to buy 1 more Die for the system to work correctly and yet if you buy a Dillon machine and Lee Dies you may not use 1 of the Dies. My strong recommendation is to use Dies made by the same company that made your Reloader.

Most of the companies also have some sort of case prep Deals (i.e. Starter Kits) these kits should include a Scale that weighs in Grains (the industry standard unit of measure), a case tumbler (the thing that cleans the brass), media (the actual cleaning material), a bottle of polish (so the brass is shiny again), a set of dial calipers (used to measure the dimensions throughout the loading process), and a Reloading manual (this is where we find all the data needed to make SAFE ammo).  On a side note your-cousins-sisters-boyfriend once used X amount of powder Y on a ### grain bullet will cause you to BLOW UP your GUN, HAND, FACE, and other things you DO NOT want to BLOW UP!!!  If someone gives you a recipe for a load look it up in a RELOADING manual before ever trying.  Your Best friend in reloading is your RELOADING Manuel get lots of them cross reference them with each other if it’s not in a book DO NOT TRY IT!!  Most powder manufactures put out FREE manuals every year or so. BUY multiple Manuals from different manufactures they are worth it, lots of research has gone into them so you will not hurt yourself.

Your initial investment will be around $1,000 for one caliber this is a lot of money.  However if money is no longer good for anything other than fire starter then having it will do you no good. Invest in Heavy Metals (lead) keep a comfortable amount on hand.  Set a minimum and maximum number of loaded rounds that you want to keep on hand then set a minimum number of projectiles, primers, and pounds of powder that you want as your supply.  Remember that powder and primers are the only parts of the ammo that may go bad if not stored properly or for too long.  Powder should be bought and rotated often if you buy 2 pounds every time you stock up use 1 from your old supply and put the 2 new ones into your reserve.  Then the next time you buy powder use the ones on the shelf to load and put the new ones in their place on the shelf.  This practice is much like rotating your stored food. 

Loading rifle ammo is a little more complex than handgun ammo but the primary principles are the same with a few added steps.  Rifle brass has to be identified as boxer or Berdan primed, brass cased or steal case.  The Berdan cases have two off-center flash holes and are difficult to de-prime because of this without special Berdan tools and very time consuming.  I have heard of steel cases being reloaded however I strongly recommend against it due to the case being more rigid than brass and possibly having unseen cracks that would cause a catastrophic failure.

The principal steps of reloading handgun ammo.  You will start by acquiring your brass, and then separate it by caliber.  The next step in the process is to clean and polish it this is accomplished by using a tumbler and a medium such as crushed corn cob or crushed walnut shells and adding in a polishing compound.  The polishing compound is not necessary but it does make the brass look almost new again.  Step number three is to separate the media from the brass.  In step four you will start the transformation from fired case to loaded ammo by sizing the brass using hopefully a carbide re-sizer for the appropriate caliber being loaded.  If not you will have to lubricate the brass before sizing.  In step five you will be flaring the case mouth, this makes it easier to insert and seat the projectile.  Step six is adding the proper amount of gun powder for the chosen load.  Be very careful to not over or under charge the load this too can cause a catastrophic failure.  In step seven you will be placing the projectile in to the top of the case so that the properly adjusted bullet seating Die will press the projectile into the case.  Step eight is to crimp the brass and remove the bell from the case mouth, so that the bullet will be held securely.  This will keep the projectile from being pushed back into the case in a semi-automatic handgun or shaken loose in a revolver.  Step nine in this process is to use your micrometer to check the overall dimensions of the loaded round.  The best part of this process is finally here you’ve made several small batches with different powder weights.  You’ve placed them in separate containers and labeled them accordingly, you now need your reloading log book (this is just a notebook that you keep) with the load data entered onto different pages the only thing missing is in the results section.  Now it’s time to go to the range and find out which batch works best in your gun or guns. Don’t forget to enter your results!

The difference between rifle and handgun ammo reloading comes at the beginning of the case preparation.  Rifle brass will need to be measured prior to loading if it is too long you will need to trim it to within the specifications listed in your loading manual.

The reason to reload is so you will be able to resupply yourself and your group with quality low cost ammunition for training and during a SHTF scenario the ability to stay in the fight.

I hope this article has given something to think about and give you another option for procuring one of the three primary supply that are needed in TEOTWAWKI: Beans, Bullets, and Band-Aids you can never have enough.  As always stay alert and Prepare for the Worst and Pray for the Best.

Online Vendor Resources:

www.DillonPrecision.com
www.LeePrecision.com
www.RCBS.com

Dear JWR:
The writer about traditional projectile weapons seems to have missed the most used feather for fletching arrows.  The best ever used that I am aware of is the turkey feather.
They are known to stop 12Ga. birdshot pretty successfully.  That is why turkey loads are more powerful, and contain larger shot sizes. Lesser pellets flatten out and fall off the bird.
Good fletching.  The American Indians then used a fiber (perhaps of hemp?)  to wind them to the shaft of the arrow, after splitting and shaping, of course. Not sure if there was any other kind of adhesive used at that point...wouldn't be surprised.  The American Indians (at least in my area)  used fairly low-power bows.  They used shafts of reeds for arrows, and this was made up for by using obsidian or flint arrowheads. We still can't make a blade sharper than a properly knapped piece of flint. Another skill to learn!  

Thanks for keeping all this going! - Sid C.

I decided to begin approaching the problem of surviving a possible collapse from the perspective of after it happened rather than before. And unless there is some extraordinary and unlikely event that sweeps this nation, one commodity that will certainly be depleted is firearm ammunition. There will be no running up to Wal-Mart or you local gunsmith shop to purchase more. Exotic and uncommon calibers will virtually disappear; whereas the more common will be in high demand. Trade and barter will eventually ensue to replenish to some extent expended rounds; but, that will come from an ever-diminishing original supply. With time, some remanufacturing may take place. Reloading from also lessening stocks of powder, primer, cases and slugs will occur.

So my K.I.S.S. mind-set led me to investigate the more original launched projectile weapon. The good old bow and arrow. After dusting off several old recurve bows I had buried in closet depths and locating some usable bowstrings for them, I turned my attention to a small cache of equally dated arrows I'd found stored with those bows. The shafts were still straight, even on the wooden ones. The nocks fine; albeit, the inexpensive target plastic ones were a bit brittle from having just dried out as the compounds used had lost their plasticizers due to slow evaporation. Worse, the plastic fletching had felt that same effect turning the feathers into crumbling stripes of color glued to the side of the shafts. Even some equally old aluminum shafted arrows with more flexible rubber fletching had fallen prey to the same issue. "When had I last used these?" was my question. Time passes - it had been over 25 years by my recollection.

Forgetting that I was thinking survival post-event, I ran up to my local sporting goods store and was amazed at the current prices for new arrows. I was even more surprised when I visited three of my local infamous Wal-Marts and found only one arrow in stock between them. Inquiring from a sales clerk what was up with that, I learned that "for some reason, we can't keep arrows in stock, they are sold out by the end of the day that they are put on the shelf". I guess I wasn't the only person who'd made the mental leap towards an alternative projectile in my area. Looking about the Internet, I found that the best volume price for a quick cheap wooden target arrow restock was through AllCourtSports.  At $138 delivered, not a bad deal. Almost immediate gratification, and the arrows arrived in good shape, were fairly true and shoot well.

But what about those old arrows laying about? In days to come, my new arrows were surely going to suffer the same fate as those. Add in breakage, loss and deformation, I quickly realized I'd better check out the old skills of making them; or at least, remaking them. So, along with some 17,000 other folks, I watched some videos on YouTube seeing the 'from scratch' art of manufacturing primitive arrows. Some 30 or so videos burned into my eyes later, I'd gleaned the basics. You need a shaft that is straight (or you are able to straighten it), you need a nock cut or fastened onto one end, a point or arrowhead on the other, if you're feeling especially aesthetic you can add your own distinctive 'cresting' - bands of color or paint in general and last, you need to fletch it.

Virtually all arrows I know of only have 3 feathers or vanes. The one perpendicularly mounted to the nock cut/slot called the cock feather and the other two called the shaft feathers mounted around the shaft at 120 degree intervals of the circle. What could be simpler? Just slice and sand off the old fletching and re-glue some new feathers! And after watching the videos, I'd seen just how 'simple' it was to take a feather found or acquired in some manner, slice it along the main vein, trim, glue and tie it onto the shaft. Did I hear, "yeah, right"? Well whoever you are, you've been to this point and know that those fellows are adepts and quite good at what they are doing. The small matter of practical experience and an intimate knowledge with feathers, hoof glues and the patience of Job.

Needless to say, my initial experiments went a bit to the S portion of SHTF. I quickly learned that all feathers are not created equal. Some feathers slice fairly well along the quill/calamus - some don't, some feathers have a disturbing tendency to lose their barbs and vanes just falling apart, and all natural feathers have this real exasperating quality of attracting any glue within 20' and turning that neatly cut and sized portion of a feather into a glob of plumaceous mess. Did I mention patience? And let's not even go into the need for having three exactly shaped and weighted feathers. Just suffice it to say, that is a 'must'.

Quickly deciding that hoof glue was not for me, I upgraded my technique to using modern adhesives. I found the best one to be Loctite Stik' n Seal Outdoor/Exteriores for Metal, Ceramic, Wood, Glass, Rubber, Leather, Manmade & Plastics.  pn.@ upc - o 79340 23782 7, component IDH# 1415813. It has exactly the qualities I'd found I wanted. A fairly quick 5 minutes provided a good gripping tack set to where the new feather/vane will not fall off. Yet, you can still reposition it for over an hour. That same repositioning is crucial to get the 120 degree angle as close to correct as can be between the the three feathers. It, the sealant allows you to bend the bond, yet hold the feather without coming off the shaft to achieve a feather true perpendicular to the axis of the shaft installation. It can be easily applied in the exact stream/extruded size you need to follow the glue side of the feather along the quill and doesn't flow hardly at all once the vane/feather is stuck to the shaft. Finally, the adhesive works equally well with wood, plastic, aluminum and yes - real feathers.

After trying over a dozen caulks, glues, epoxies - all I can say is a 'Thanks' to Mr. Loctite. One small tube is enough for over 50 complete re-fletches. And the biggest benefit I hate to admit, is that if you forget to recap the tube between feathers - the tube doesn't harden. Only a tiny bit at the opening skins over with extremely little loss of adhesive.

The material for the feathers, once I'd made the mental shift from solely 'found in nature' materials in my mind, was the next big decision. After trying feathers found from my local bird population ranging from crows (not too bad actually those), to doves, blue-jays (I really like the color, but splitting them is almost impossible), woodpeckers, cranes, herons, vultures (probably the best natural feather I tried - but those fellows aren't real sociable and their feathers if found are pretty ragged), blackbirds, orioles and even some ducks that have given up on the concept of migration that live around my home year-round; finally I had to come to the realization that feathers are just inferior to manmade materials in terms of uniformity, workability and durability. So I started seeking the best material that I could find that was common and either free or inexpensive.

After carefully removing a couple of remaining still intact plastic/rubber feathers from a couple of my surviving arrows cache I created a template onto a bit of poster board for tracing to any material I decided on. The uniformity issue was now solved. But what material? I needed something thin, weatherproof, easy to shape, flat, pliable enough to bend slightly in an instant as the arrow passed by the bow's arrow rest and recover/return to its needed shape for straight flight. Obviously any paper product wouldn't suffice. Nor would splints of wood, metal or any other hard material. I was beginning to see why feathers had been used for millennia, only to be supplanted by modern plastics once invented. Having already had my share of fun and games with the local avian population offerings, I looked to plastic.

Plastic seems to come in the thickness required by me in either too stiff or too soft of qualities. I tried many. From packaging materials such as vacuum box/wrap used for electronics to containers such as detergent bottles and jugs. None were quite right. Too heavy, too rigid, a tendency to deform or take on a bend that wouldn't be convinced to uncurl. About to give up and while preparing some carrots at dinner time one evening during this experimental period, I looked down at the plastic cutting mat/counter protector I was using at the time. You've undoubtedly at least seen one of these. Approximately 12" x 18" plastic sheets that do not let a knife cut through them easily and perfect for a quick cutting surface on top of you kitchen counter. They are sold in packages of 2 to 10. Not a one-use disposable item; rather, a longer term usage item that usually lasts around 2-3 months or so before you finally score through the plastic during use. Cheap, available anywhere - and best, I had some. They are just the right thickness; however, the issue with as the feathers brush by the bow' arrow rest still remained. A small, minor deflection that was unpredictable and unoffsetable kept happening when I tried the material. New material, that is. About a week later, once again chopping up some onions on an older plastic cutting sheet, I noticed it was time at last to replace the 6 month plus old mat I was using (my apologies Julia Child, but I hate to cook and don't wear out my utensils very fast). I saw a small slice hole had gone through. As I went to the cupboard to get a new mat out of a package there and about to toss out the old mat into the recycle bin - the thought 'recycle' just set off the bells of innovation.

I don't know if anyone has ever really noticed that as a one of those cutting mats get used, etched, marred and worn, they get softer, more pliable, more bendable. So much so that they can easily break along the scored lines. Just like the vanes on a bird's feather do. The only real difference is that nature provides the microscopic barbs that allow the feather to reassemble/rehook-up to a usable flying mechanism. But, the etches and scratches in the plastic mat after being well-used create the closest material I've found that mimics the natural feather. It is just the right 'softness', has the ability to bend in a small wave/curve and recover its original flatness.

The pass-by the arrow rest issue was solved when I tested this worn plastic on an arrow shaft. I found that by selecting material from the area of the mat that had been most used, I'd discovered a free, previously thrown out material that makes for a perfect fletching substitute for natural feathers. All that remained was to cut out some 39 feathers for the 13 shafts I had saved, glue them on and carefully position them, mark/color the cock feather red with a permanent marker and find that I now had the means and method to easily replace the fletching on my old wood and aluminum arrow shafts. It takes about 5 minutes per feather - apply glue to the quill, place the cock feather, wait 5, apply the first shaft feather, wait 5, apply the final shaft feather - rotating the shaft so that each feather is upright at the time of its installation.

I'd say that the one question some friends of mine have asked most was just how did I get the 120 angle right? And without using some elaborate geometric protractor method or something like that?

Whether you remove the old remaining fletching or are starting fresh with a new shaft, the first step is to either re-nock or observe the nock on the shaft. We all know that the nock slips over the bowstring. The cock feather is always the first feather to be repositioned on the shaft. Exactly perpendicular to the nock cut-out. Okay, now how to know where to place the shaft feathers? Especially if the original line of the cleaned-off feathers is missing or on a new shaft has never there at all? The answer is in the nock. Literally. The nock bisects the diameter of the shaft. But it is not a perfect diameter line. It has a width. That width is just slightly more at the bottom of the cut - the bottom of the 'U'. That 'U', the side of that 'U' (there is a reason I keep writing the capital letter) on the side away from the cock feather, due to the diameter of the shaft, the size and proportion of the needed bowstring cut-out size is almost exactly 120 degrees 'around the circle. All a person has to do is draw a pencil line using the 'U' side mentioned to the arrow shaft and that is the point where the nock-most rear of the vane/feather line starts. Keeping the shaft feathers parallel to the first applied cock feather will ensure that the you form the perfect 3 vane triangular arrangement you need. No math, no drafting tools - nothing more that a tiny pencil line or knife score/nick. And as I mentioned above when discussing the adhesive, any minor resetting or nudging can come after the initial first tack.

I found that it is best to create some jig to hold the arrow shaft in place, to keep it from rolling while allowing for the feathers to not touch the work surface below. All feathers/vanes are mounted/glued so that they are standing straight up along the glue line. Glue is best applied to the feather quill, not the arrow shaft. The scratches and etches in the plastic also allow for minor bending and adjustment to the feather during adhesion to the shaft.

All in all, once I figured out the process and the materials, the actual job of re-fletching the arrows worked out to about 30 minutes apiece start to a finished product. A good way to spend some time just rediscovering that our ancestors were far more patient and noticed a lot more than I did at first.

Mr. Rawles,
Kent C.’s article about handloading is a very informative piece.  However, I’d like to provide a little supplemental information.  First off is the matter of cost.  Kent makes the point, with good mathematical support, that reloading doesn’t really save much money when reloading common calibers (your primary guns are in common caliber, aren’t they?), but there are a couple elements he did not mention.  I have a friend who, in conjunction with a couple other guys, put in a large freight order of reloading components for several different common calibers.  We’re talking five-digit bullet counts here, with equal numbers of primers and pounds upon pounds of powder.  After all the math was done, the cost per round was dropped substantially.  While this is a prohibitively expensive approach for all but the independently wealthy, organizing such a group buy could be a good move for members of a group to consider.

Another aspect of the cost factor is the effect on odd calibers.  Common caliber ammo may be cheap enough to offset financial gains of handloading, but the more obscure the caliber, the fewer sources there are for ammo.  Against my advice, another friend (read: spotter) got himself a .308 Norma Magnum.  Its long range potential is excellent, but most of his casings are resized .300 Win Mag casings due to the rarity of proper .308 Norma brass.  When we do find factory ammo or brass for it, he grabs it, but it’s pricey.

The time factor he mentions is also valid, but a lot of us younger folks have more time than money, making it a worthwhile tradeoff, not even counting the skills and knowledge developed by experimenting with handloads.
Another factor to consider is the ability to make customized ammo.  For the group sniper, reloading is almost a must.  A rifle does not develop its best possible accuracy unless the ammo is tuned to the barrel.  Without getting too technical, gun barrels vibrate when the gun is shot.  The frequency depends on many factors, including type and amount of powder.  When a cartridge is loaded in such a way as to make the barrel vibrate at its characteristic frequency, the muzzle remains effectively stationary and a tighter group results.  This can be accomplished either by a barrel tuner, which is an extra attachment that most barrels cannot accommodate, or by tuning the ammo to the rifle.  I have a Savage Model 10 in .308 Winchester that a gunsmith friend built up for me.  With various factory loads, it was at or slightly below 1 MOA.  After fiddling with some handloads, I consistently put up sub-1/2 MOA groups.  This kind of accuracy is hard to buy factory.  You might get lucky, and find a particular factory round that optimizes your rifle’s accuracy.  However, factory match ammo tends to be a lot more expensive than basic range ammo.  If you really want the most accurate ammo you can get, you’ll want to handload it. - John in Spokane

In reading Don's response to my first article, I'm going to write about a subject I was saving for next month, but I think is germane now. And I'll probably forget it by then. Let's talk about reloading, which also gets short shrift in a lot of books.

Note--I'm not going to go into a great deal of technique here. There are books on that. If you like, I can provide my e-mail address and would be willing to answer questions that way. I'm also not going to tell you what brand of press or dies I use. If you want to know, or want my opinions, let JWR know, and I'll get you a private message.

First off, let me dispel the notion that reloading will save you money. I can almost guarantee you it will not. You will wind up spending more initially (on equipment and your first batch of components), then probably the same amount on components as you previously spent on ammo. Here's an example:

A box of generic factory-loaded 230 grain FMJ ball .45 ACP generally costs $25 at a big box store. If you use plated bullets (more on that later), you'll probably spend about $140 per thousand, or $.14 each. A pound of generic pistol powder is about $23. There are 7,000 grains of powder per pound. If you use five grains per round, you get 1,400 rounds out of a pound of powder for a per-round cost of $.0164, which we'll round up to $.02. A sleeve of 1,000 primers is about $32, or $.03 each. If you're cheap like I am and salvage brass from the range, you wind up spending about $.18 per round, or $9 per box of 50. Without averaging out the cost of equipment, you can make just over 100 rounds for what you'd pay a factory to load 50. So, why not just double your shooting for the same cash? Note this doesn't take into account what your time is worth. That's up to you, so I can't put a price on it. That's a really roundabout way of saying you'll be doing the ballistic equivalent of dollar-cost averaging.

There are items I didn't discuss, like buying jacketed bullets (more expensive), moly-coated lead (about the same as plated or just a bit cheaper), or casting your own (time-intensive, but potentially cheaper in the long run--like after you pay for the casting equipment). I also didn't discuss buying brass, which can be really cheap ($.05 per round or even less) or really expensive (brand name brass can cost as much as $.25 per round).

Now we need to discuss setting up to reload. There's need-to-have equipment and nice-to-have equipment. Then there's equipment that depends on your intended volume of reloading.

At the most basic level, you need a press, dies, a powder measure, scale, and a priming system. (Yes, I realize there are volume systems which allegedly obviate the need for a scale. I don't trust them. Tread at your own peril.).

Dies have four basic functions. They make the case round again and eject the spent primer. They "bell," or expand, the case mouth to allow you to put a bullet into it. They seat the bullet to the required depth (more on that later). And they crimp the case into the bullet. There are many quality dies out there at a variety of prices. I personally recommend against Forster or Redding, unless you're loading match-grade (read: sniper-grade) ammo. I have a mix of Lee, Hornady, and Dillon. RCBS also makes quality dies. Any of these four companies are quality makers. Note: Lee dies come with a shell holder for a single-stage press, the others do not. All of them come in handy storage cases.

One of the things you'll have to have is a set of calipers, to measure the overall length of the finished round. Bullets seated too long won't chamber. Bullets seated too short might cause excessive pressures in your chamber. You don't need to buy a set from a reloading supplier (Harbor Freight Tools, Lowe's, and Home Depot also carry them), but make sure you have a set.

The press is what the dies and shell holder screw into and provide the leverage to do the functions mentioned above. There are four basic types of presses. Hand presses are portable and are intended for low volume loading in the field, like for hunting ammo or doing load development.

Single-stage presses are what most people use to start. You perform a single function on the press with one die, then switch dies to change functions. Most people do all of their sizing and decapping first, then move to expanding the case mouth, etc. I have one of these for my low-volume operations, like magnum pistol and all of my rifle loading. Many single stage presses are sold in kits with all of the must-have pieces of equipment.

Turret presses allow you to mount all of your dies on the press at the same time, and switch dies by turning the turret. You could perform all four functions on a single case until you've produced a round of ammunition. I've never had one, so I can't say whether it's worth it.

Progressive presses are the opposite of the turret press, in that you mount all of the dies simultaneously, then the case moves from station to station to complete each step. This is for high-volume reloading and requires a somewhat large dedicated area to do it. Most progressive presses have on-board priming systems and powder measures, which takes care of a bunch of other steps and minimizes equipment requirements. Many people switch to a progressive press to increase their loading rates. I started out on a progressive press, because I was getting into USPSA shooting when I started reloading. Some progressive presses are sold in kits with the most-needed extras.

A powder measure puts the requisite charge of gunpowder into the case. Progressive presses have powder measures on the press itself. For single-stage reloaders, you'll have to mount it separately on your bench. Lee Precision dies come with a dipper to measure powder (I've never used one, because these types of "one size fits no one" solutions don't appeal to me--your mileage may vary).

ALL powder measures work on volume. That's how you can use multiple powders in the same measure. This brings us to the need for a scale. You can use digital or a fulcrum scale, but you need something to measure to a tenth of a grain. I use a digital scale, but you might want a spare in a Faraday cage or a spare fulcrum scale if you're sweating an EMP.

The final basic piece of equipment is the priming system. If you're using a single-stage press, there is a variety of priming systems to use on a press, or you can buy a separate hand primer. I tend to use a hand primer, but that lets me sit on the couch and prime brass while watching a movie or TV (Note: for all of my single-stage reloading, I'm a "coffee can" reloader, more on that in a bit.). Progressive presses have priming on board the press and prime on either the up or down stroke (relative to the movement of the ram or shell plate assembly. I prefer priming on the down stroke, because it gives me more feel for the primer seating. Your mileage may vary.

One thing I didn't mention is a reloading manual. Some are printed by powder manufacturers, others by bullet companies. Lee Precision includes a set of recipes in their die sets (Note: the recipes are pretty conservative, so you won't get maximum performance, but you'll be safe). I prefer the powder manuals, because you get an idea of how the powder performs against a wider variety of bullet types than those made by the bullet companies (who publish against the types of bullets they manufacture, rather than a generic bullet). Some have a variety of manuals and cross-reference them. I tend to use one brand of powder, so I don't have to do that. (Note: Hodgdon Powder is a Christian-owned company, and that's the main reason I use them. That's my only stated preference in this article.)

A couple of other notes. If you buy carbide dies, you won't have to lubricate most handgun brass. If you are reloading long handgun brass (like .500 Smith and Wesson Magnum), handgun brass with a bottlenecked case (like .357 SIG or 5.7x28), or are reloading rifle ammunition, you'll have to lubricate the brass, regardless of the type of dies you buy. Some lubricants will compromise your powder and primers, so I generally relegate those to my single-stage operations. Aerosol lubricants are easier to use than those in a bottle, which you normally lubricate by rolling across a pad.

I also referenced "coffee can" reloading earlier. When I use a single-stage press, I do each operation separately and move the brass between coffee cans during each operation. So, I clean my brass, then put it into a container. Then I size and de-prime, moving from one container to another. If I had to lubricate the brass, I clean it again and put it into a container. Then I prime it, taking from one container, priming the brass, then putting it into another. Then I charge with powder, seat and crimp a bullet, then put it into a container for transport the range.

Now for the nice-to-have equipment. I like to have a bullet puller to correct my mistakes and salvage bullets and brass. I also have a tumbler to clean my brass and save wear and tear on my dies, but you can get the same result by putting your brass in a mesh bag (like the kind ladies buy to wash their delicates) and running them in the dishwasher. Some people have bullet and case feeders for their progressive presses, but I find them too expensive to buy at this time (maybe if I ever win a lottery). The last thing you probably want to have is a case block. At its simplest, this is a block of wood with a series of holes drilled into it to keep them together and keep you from knocking them over and spilling your powder all over the place. You'll only have to do this once to understand.

There are other considerations, but this pretty much covers the basics. If you can, have a friend walk you thru the process and give you suggestions, or check out a book at the library.

To address Don's basic question, I still buy some loaded ammo, even though I reload. Rimfire isn't reloadable, so I buy that, obviously. I don't reload shotgun shells (although I'm considering starting to, so I can generate my own supply). I buy some rifle and pistol ammo to ensure I always have a ready supply, in case I don't have time to reload ammo before I need it. So, the simple answer is, if you're reloading, keep a supply on hand to supplement your reloading. Figure out what you have on hand for components, then buy about half that much in loaded ammo. Use only reloads for proficiency shooting.

For my purposes, I have components for about 500 rounds of ammo to reload at all times. Some, like 9mm or 5.56, I have at least a thousand (I have 3/4 of a five-gallon bucket of 9mm brass, for example). I also have a growing supply of factory-loaded ammo.

I also try to limit my purchases of odd-caliber weapons. 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 Magnum, and .45 ACP are the most common calibers of handgun ammunition in America. .223, .308, .30-06, and 7.62x39 are the most common rifle calibers. Your survival weapons should be in those calibers for defense against humans or taking game larger than rabbits (use .22 Long Rifle for that). If you have hunting weapons not in those calibers, I'd recommend keeping at least 200 rounds for each weapon you intend to employ.

Aside--I recently purchased a self-defense rifle in .300 AAC Blackout, mostly for close to midrange work and the wide variety of bullet weights it can employ. I have 200 rounds for it and plan to get that up to at least 1000.

One thing to remember is that .308 Winchester and .223 Remington are not the same as 5.56 and 7.62x51 NATO, respectively.

A final set of notes-much of the supply of foreign-manufactured ammo is Berdan primed, and is not reloadable (because of how the primer pocket is formed). If you want your factory-loaded supply to be reloadable, look for Boxer primed ammo. Also, steel-cased or aluminum-cased ammunition should never be reloaded. Steel-cased ammo will gall your dies. Aluminum-cased ammo will be compromised after the first firing. Neither will work for you, regardless of primer type.

Good luck, and I wish you happy reloading!

Mr. Rawles,
I am writing in reference to Frog's post about the Mosin-Nagant rifle. I have owned several Mosin-Nagant rifles myself. They were designed to kill enemies of the Soviet Union. They were not designed to necessarily be the safest rifle around. If you're not very careful while using a Mosin-Nagant rifle, it can blow up and injure you. I learned that lesson the hard way in 1998. I also learned about the importance of eye and ear protection while shooting as well. No one should ever fire a Mosin (or any firearm) without eye and ear protection. When my Mosin blew up, I suffered severe burns and shrapnel penetrations of my face. Fortunately, a skilled eye surgeon was able to remove the larger pieces from my eye (there were over 200 pieces in all) and my sight was undamaged. I had an eye hemorrhage and a partially detached retina. I lost 25% of the hearing in my left ear and have lived with tinnitus since. I would only recommend this rifle to someone who had no other options. - Joseph E.

James,
Regarding the article A Second Look at the Mosin-Nagant Rifle, a few months ago we put the Mosin-Nagant Low Profile Side Combo rail for $39.97 on a 91/30. This was an earlier model of the mount currently for sale, and although they said a straight bolt would still work, that would probably only be with a skinny military scope. It would be better to say that it's for bent bolt and make it a half inch lower, but it's still pretty good.

The mount has a groove that hugs the side of the receiver, so getting it on straight was not an issue. We used the the first and third of the three screw holes, and drilled all the way through the receiver. This made tapping a bit easier, The stock was inlet a half inch with hand tools.

We sawed off the bolt and the knob and drilled a 1/4" hole straight down the nub of the bolt handle, all the way through the bolt body. The new bolt handle was a 1/4" stainless steel rod bent in a vise. We filed off the bottom edge of the bolt handle nub to accommodate the inside radius of the new bent bolt handle. The ball was also drilled and re-used. It was all soldered together with silver solder and a small acetylene torch with a tiny blue flame. As a finishing touch, we also drilled a small hole through the bolt handle nub at a right angle to the new handle, drove in a finishing nail as a pin, and soldered that in. The handle will never come off. The feel of the action is greatly improved, and it's like a new rifle. I would say that a lot of the "stickiness" of the Mosin-Nagant is because of the
short straight bolt handle which is much shorter than the Mauser bolt handle.

All this was done for free by a retired machinist with a good drill press and experience using taps, so it worked the first try.

For the iron sight, I put on a Mojo aperture rear sight only. And to improve the stock length I added a size small Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad.

I won't brag that the gun was a bargain - I paid about $120 at a gun shop where I got to pick the best of about eight guns. Some were really beat, some had terrible triggers. This one seemed good. The bore is very good, although the crown shows some wear. A little polish and a shim job on the trigger (as seen on Youtube) got the trigger pull down to about 3.5 pounds and is fairly crisp.

At this point I called it quits because costs were approaching $300 (even with free labor) for the mount, scope, pad, sight, and rifle. But if I had a pile of Mosins, I'd want one with a scope. And the bent bolt will probably outlive the rifle, if I don't care about matching numbers. Be sure to check the headspace before firing.

Sincerely, - Hardy Citrus

Mr. Rawles,
Frog’s article on the merits of the Mosin Nagant was a well written piece, and effectively drove home the main point of having one or two: they’re inexpensive.  At the same time though, there are a couple points he makes which seem a bit optimistic.  He mentions that with a good quality optic, 1 MOA accuracy is not uncommon.  This is true.  I have friends who have achieved such accuracy, but only when using high-quality, modern manufacture ammunition, a good optic, and a good bench to shoot from.  Achieving the same results under field conditions would be quite the feat indeed.  Bearing in mind that the whole point of the Mosin is cost effectiveness, I would argue that an optic of high enough quality to achieve such accuracy will probably run 2 to 3 times the cost of the rifle.  He also asserts that a Mosin is a great budget sniper rifle.  This may be only a difference in definition of terms, but in American sniper doctrine, a sniper rifle is made to be employed beyond 600 meters.  Russian sniper doctrine focuses more on shorter range urban precision shooting, like in the siege of Stalingrad portrayed in the film Enemy at the Gates.  This makes the Russian sniper more comparable to the western Squad Designated Marksman, a role which focuses on targets 300-600 meters out.  Beyond this distance, Russian sniper rifles simply are not built to maintain practical accuracy, nor is the ammo made for them made to such tight tolerances as their western counterparts.  To truly turn a Mosin into a sniper rifle that is up to western standards, one would have to invest much time, effort, and a bit of money into working up hand loads to maximize the available accuracy of the rifle, or buy much more expensive factory ammo.  As Major John Plaster would say, consistency equals accuracy.  Accuracy is everything to a sniper, and in the area of consistency, the Mosin requires so much improvement to raise it to true sniper grade as to negate the initial cost effectiveness.  To be fair, the Mosin really is a fine budget hunting rifle, and a passable mid-range battle rifle.  To the survivalist with extremely tight budget constraints, it would make a decent general purpose long gun.  But to those of us who would take on the role of group sniper, there are far better offerings to be had from Remington, Winchester, Savage, and others.  Surely not as inexpensive, but much better. - John in Spokane

JWR Replies: I must concur. The real bargain tack-driver in today's market has to be the Savage Model 10 series. Used ones can often be found for around $275 to $325 at gun shows (sans glass.) We have a Savage Model 10 Tactical .308 here at the ranch, and love it. The only change we made to it was having a Holland's of Oregon muzzle brake installed.

I got myself into prepping and survivalism after the turn of the century, so my main resource was the Internet. That in and of itself was a whole learning process, as well -- but the scope of this article will focus on what appeared to be an amazing find in that great, infinite Google. $80 for an accurate, reliable, rugged bolt-action repeater that was on-par with a .30-06, ballistically... and had dirt-cheap ammo, to boot? There had to be a catch, and oh, how the forum-goers toting $5,000 AR setups assured me (and plenty of people in similar metaphorical boats) that it couldn't hit the broad side of a barn (from the inside), it blew up, all the bolts stuck, the triggers were horrible and couldn't be fixed, and the corrosive ammo wasn't worth the trouble.

Boy, how I learned how wrong they were. Though I've had a fascination with the rifles for quite some time, I ended up acquiring other weapons first, as fate would have it. However, I've since gotten my own example, and no longer have to bother friends or roommates to get a chance to toy around with one (although an acquaintance at gunsmithing school had a beautiful 91/30 he'd refinished the wood on, himself).

My rifle is a round receiver Tula, 91/30. I was lucky enough to get one with an excellent bore, bolt, and all the accessories (oiler, tools in cloth wrap, sling, bayonet and two ammo pouches), while paying only $90 in-person. $80 online is still a perfectly fair price, even after transfer and shipping -- though I would advise anyone purchasing multiple specimens, or other qualifying weapons, to consider a Curio and Relic license, if that is in your interest.

The rifle's main detriment that I've determined thus far? The sights. They're not bad -- though I'm biased, and apparently an abnormality when it comes to American shooters raised with traditional American guns, for the most part. However, the majority of my open-sight shooting since adulthood has been with an AK variant, which has very similar sights, anyway. That doesn't change what they are, though; crude, dark, and on some guns, not even adjustable to make your point-of-aim the same as point-of-impact. A $5 part fixes this, and I suspect that the better quality sample you acquire, the less likely the phenomenon is. If you're new to Russian sights, try to remember that it's something you get used to. There's nothing directly 'wrong' with them; they're not always as precise, and they're just different.

In the course of my life to date, I've fired three Mosins, including my own. They have all been 91/30s, and I have never seen any of them malfunction, not that bolt actions are particularly susceptible. A common story I found online, initially, had me worried about 'sticky bolt.' Don't believe everything you read, though; degreasing the gun (with one of a variety of methods, or multiple, ideally) will eliminate this problem nine out of ten times. My rifle's action is as smooth as my Mauser. Sticky bolt happens when cosmoline is not completely removed from the gun, and subsequently heats up and turns to a very sticky, unfavorable substance. Removing it is slightly harder after that happens, but still easy, in any case. Make sure you remove all cosmoline before shooting your rifle at all. While it won't wreck the gun, it's just not a good idea to let it build up.

Another problem mentioned for the guns is the relative difficulty of mounting a scope. A traditional job can be done to flop the bolt handle and fandagle a mount like the sniper Mosin variants had, and while those are fine, they are not my recommendation. The Brass Stacker mount goes over the rear sight, solidly locks, and allows a scout-style scope to be mounted -- my choice being a Simmons Prohunter in fixed 4x power. The mount is superior to similar ones not only in quality, but in that it allows the rifle's iron sights to stay on the rifle, unchanged. Any weapon you have for real-world use should have iron sights, even if it also has an optic. Right now, that translates to being able to keep hunting if your scope malfunctions; post-SHTF, that could mean still making accurate hits instead of area-effect fire after an optic goes down. Regardless, a scope is not necessary with these weapons; [the Finnish army marksman] Simo Hayha demonstrated that well enough. My strategy thus far is going to be to scope two rifles (for me and my lady-friend), and keep the rest with iron sights, mainly as backup and hand-out weapons.

If you've never shot a Mosin, and you get an opportunity to, accuracy test it and you'll be surprised. Obviously, surplus ammo is less accurate than current-manufacture, but a scoped 91/30 will absolutely keep up with other surplus rifles. I wouldn't feel under-gunned shooting it against a Mauser, assuming it wasn't sporterized. If you picked a good rifle and use good ammunition, 1 MOA isn't uncommon with quality optics. Iron sights, expect whatever your proficiency level is; my rifle outshoots me, and I'm not a terrible shot, by any means.

One unfortunate thing that is true of Mosins is that the stripper clips suck. No bones to pick about this one; rimmed casings make them awkward. Some are completely unusable, others just difficult, but they're nothing I'd ever trust my life to. Furthermore, they're expensive! While SKS stripper clips are cents a piece, Mosin ones can be as much as $3-5 per clip! For an $80 rifle, that's not worth it, to me -- but they're unreliable, either way, and I thusly recommend sticking to hand-loading [the internal magazine on] these [with individual cartridges]. For what they are, if you're doing everything correctly, an absolute speed-reload shouldn't be as necessary as with other weapons. Make your shots count and learn to load by hand as quickly as possible.

Getting a Mosin quickly teaches you about corrosive ammo. I'm still learning, on that account, but the method I've been using is to disassemble the gun, spray the metal parts down with Windex to soak, and then let more Windex flow through the bore. Apparently, the ammonia is thought to be good for removing corrosive salts, but I can't attest to that. Some people use hot water to the same effect, and I wouldn't feel uncomfortable doing so. In any case, after your corrosion-cleaner of choice, clean the rifle as normal -- though, thoroughly, especially if you don't shoot often or are going to store the rifle for any length of time. Better safe than sorry. Surplus ammo has acceptable, although certainly not outstanding accuracy. Don't be afraid of corrosive ammunition if it's your first experience with it. Again, it's just different; take care of the gun and it'll take care of you.

While the rifles aren't light, they're very well-balanced. A fiberglass stock would help, but again, I don't recommend getting that simply because of the price. Recoil is stiff, but not overly so. If you've fired a .30-06 in a similar configuration, a 91/30 is nothing new. Carbine variants will blow your hat off and singe your hair, though. While they're very cool, I find the longer rifle makes more sense because of the role I'll be describing for it to fill -- and again, because it's much less expensive than its smaller cousins.

With all of this being said, what is a Mosin, to a prepper? I have to preface by making it clear that I understand there are better alternatives, but it needs to be said that there is not a better value in a centerfire survival weapon, especially to a newcomer into survivalism. A Mosin is a budget marksman's rifle, or sniper rifle if outfitted properly. For under a hundred dollars, you have a full-power centerfire rifle with inexpensive ammunition that can take down game animals, and easily incapacitate any threats -- and better yet, at range. While a 12 gauge shotgun can be similarly inexpensive if a good deal is found (and I recommend a Remington 870 per person in your group's arsenal), a Mosin allows you to effectively neutralize threats at a greater distance, with greater accuracy, and significantly less expensive ammo.

Ambush is the prepper's friend. Guns-blazing shootouts are not what you want, whether it's a roving band of outlaws, or coalition forces you're having to deal with. In most situations, distance is preferable, and this also allows greater use of stealth and camouflage, and potentially using the landscape to your team's advantage, as well. Ground forces fear snipers, and deploying snipers effectively makes for an insane force multiplier. An $80 rifle and a little training will take you a lot farther than a spendy AR and no experience.

While I have to encourage everyone to find the autoloading carbine of your choice (I recommend the AK most of all, though I prefer the FAL, excepting its price tag), remember that the longest-serving rifle in history isn't obsolete just yet. They make great gifts and backup weapons, and are easy to encourage new preppers to invest in. Inexpensive, reliable, accurate, and fun as Heck to shoot. If you're new to shooting, get one and practice on the cheap. If you're seasoned, get a few and hide them away -- along with a few spam cans of ammo, of course.

Mr. Rawles,
I am writing with regards to M.B.'s piece. I have had the 12" Ontario machete (economy version) with the the "D" handle for the past two years. I would completely agree that this is an uncomfortable handle which can be difficult to obtain a proper grip on.

However, I solved this problem cheaply with a little bit if DIY, by folding some tough tissue paper and wrapping it around the handle two or three times. I then wrapped the handle and tissue in electric insulation tape, using about two layers of tape.

Since doing this, the machete is much easier to handle and I can get a much firmer grip on it. It has received regular use on the trail, mainly for chopping large kindling or clearing brush, and the new grip has even survived being submerged in water (after I slipped at the side of a river and fell in) without any damage or ill effects to the new grip.

Thank you For the great blog! Regards, - Stephen C.

The purchase of good-quality knives for long-term use can be a huge challenge for preppers. Buying a knife is a lot like hiring a lawyer: when you ask how much a good one will cost, the answer you get is often, "How much would you like to spend?"

A good knife for general usage often starts at $80 to $100, and prices can quickly escalate into the hundreds of dollars. Knife aficionados on the online forums often speak of spending several hundred dollars for the "perfect" survival/tactical/combat knife from a famous custom maker. To collectors and to some users, this is a reasonable price, but many of us on a tight budget can see better uses for such a sum of money. For one thing, we want every adult in our family or survival group to have one or more good, dependable knives. Additionally, anyone who has used knives in the outdoors knows that no single knife can do everything -- we often need a few knives to properly address the large and small jobs that require a knife or other cutting tool. Most of the knives discussed in this article have a maximum price of $25. Many knives in this price range are simply junk, but there are exceptions, some of which are described here. I have personal experience with all of these knives, unless otherwise stated. I've owned them, used them and learned some of their strengths and weaknesses. They come from a variety of places, but none are made in China.

Let's start by looking at what many of us consider to be the essentials, in terms of knives. Rather than looking for a single, "perfect" knife, some of us try to select a knife "kit" for each adult, to better handle a variety of tasks.

THE KNIFE "KIT"

My approach to the knife kit is to obtain one large, fixed blade knife for general use and big tasks, one medium-sized fixed blade or strong folder for general utility, and a multitool or multiple blade pocket knife for small jobs and for tasks requiring special tools, such as scissors, a screwdriver, a can opener, etc. My personal kit consists of three tools: (1) a 12-inch Tramontina machete, (2) either a custom knife I made from a Frosts of Sweden "Mora" knife or a Svord Peasant folder, and (3) either a Leatherman Tool or a Swiss Army "Recruit" pocket knife. I find that these knives allow me to tackle any of the tasks that are appropriate for a knife. My entire kit (with the Swiss Army knife and the Svord Peasant Knife) can be purchased for well under $75.

COMPROMISES IN LOW-COST KNIVES

There is some truth in the old adage: "You get what you pay for." The companies selling high-quality knives for low prices have to make compromises to do so. Generally, this means that most of the money and effort goes into the blade. That's good, because the blade governs much of the knife's capabilities. It is possible for a budget-minded user to address shortcomings in handles and/or sheaths with a few basic tools and a little bit of time. Don't expect Kydex sheaths or exotic handle materials in the low price range. In some cases (most machetes), no sheath will be included, and you may need to make your own or to have one made. Other sheaths may be suitable for carry in a pack, but not on a belt, again requiring the user to make or buy their own sheath if that is not acceptable. Handles may require some sanding or other finish work for best comfort and performance.

Most knives in this price range have thin blades. This is not necessarily a huge disadvantage. Many of the knives carried by mountain men and those who followed to settle the western United States had thin blades. In general, thin blades take a fierce edge with less effort than a thicker blade, and they slice well. A thin-bladed knife is often a good choice for dressing wild game or for preparing food.

Thin does not always mean weak. Machetes are usually thin, yet they are tough and springy. Some small, thin knives can be tougher than you may expect. Some thin-bladed sheath knives can be "batonned" -- pounded on the spine with a heavy stick -- to cut down small trees or to cut larger pieces of wood in a pinch. This is abuse, but some knives -- especially many of the Mora fixed blade knives -- seem to tolerate it without damage. Thin-bladed knives are usually lighter and easier to carry than thicker knives. This is a big factor in a knife chosen to go in a G.O.O.D. bag. Conversely, some thick knives are poor slicers and are heavy enough to feel clumsy for almost any task other than chopping.

Sheaths for smaller knives can be made by the prepper, with either leather or Kydex plastic. Kydex has the advantage of being weatherproof. It is also possible to heat it and form it to make a sheath that holds the knife in place without any straps or keepers. For a very inexpensive sheath -- especially for larger blades, such as machetes -- the plastic in trash cans for home use is very good. It can be cut, drilled and riveted, much like leather, but it's very weather resistant and long-lasting. Trash can plastic is less expensive than either leather or Kydex, yet it can be made into an excellent sheath.

SCANDINAVIAN KNIVES

Low-cost "Mora" knives from Sweden are very popular with outdoor people, especially in recent years. These fixed blade knives come in a wide variety of styles, in both stainless and carbon steel. Handles can be wood or plastic, and sheaths are almost always made of plastic. The blades tend to be somewhat thin, and the blade grinds are different from what most knife users are accustomed to. Most knives have a primary bevel and a small secondary bevel that forms the sharpened edge. With Scandinavian knives, there is no secondary bevel. The primary bevel -- which may be about 1/4-inch (about 11mm) wide -- is laid directly on the sharpening stone. The resulting edge can be surprising sharp. Many people who are not fans of knives have trouble correctly sharpening a knife with a traditional secondary bevel. When they buy a Mora and learn the simple sharpening method, it may be the first time that they've owned a really sharp knife.

Mora knives are very low in price: often in the $10-20 range. The traditional Moras, with a simple hardwood handle and carbon steel blade, are among my favorites. Others may prefer a stainless blade and plastic handle for a low-maintenance knife. In any case, the area at the base of the blade should be looked at carefully. Some Moras have a small gap here, where bacteria and/or moisture can get in, under the handle. In these cases, I simply clean the area with alcohol and apply a small amount of a good grade of epoxy, such as JB Weld, to seal off the opening. If the opening extends down into the handle, I use enough epoxy to completely fill it, with the intention of strengthening the knife as well as sealing the handle/blade junction.

Some Moras come with simple but functional sheaths, while others may not be suitable for daily carry. I generally make a simple leather or Kydex sheath (usually Kydex) as a replacement. By the way, Kydex does not require a suite of expensive tools. My "presses" are made from scrap wood and mouse pads, and I assemble the sheaths with regular rivets made for leather, or with pieces of narrow-diameter, soft copper tubing (from the plumbing section of big hardware stores) flared to make eyelets. I've even used pliers to turn large paper clips into heavy-duty "staples" for sheaths.

A good source for Swedish Mora knives is Ragweed Forge. "Ragnar," the owner, offers the best selection of Mora knives I've seen so far, along with information about sharpening. His customer service is very good, and the prices are fair.

The Ahti "Finman" is a Finnish fixed blade knife, It is very similar in design, and in price, to the Mora knives. Ragweed Forge offers one version, with a stainless blade and a green handle and sheath. It needs to have a handle gap -- at the base of the blade -- filled with epoxy, but it is a very practical and useful medium-sized fixed blade knife. The stainless blade and rubberized handle make it a good all-weather tool. I frequently carry mine as a pocket knife -- in casual pants with generous front pockets.

Another Scandinavian brand to consider seriously is Marttiini, from Finland. Many of us are familiar with their "Rapala" line of fillet knives for fishing. My Rapala is very light in weight and the long, narrow, flexible stainless blade takes and holds a very good edge. It came with a traditional wood handle and a superbly practical plastic-lined "dangle" sheath of good leather. A sharp, thin blade is extremely useful for more than fish, and mine has been our only kitchen knife on some of our trips. It served very well in that role. All it needed to make it ready for use was a tiny amount of JB Weld epoxy around the base of the blade, to seal the handle. It cost me under $15: a bargain. I found it in a large sporting goods store.

OPINEL AND COLD STEEL KNIVES

Opinel folding knives are wonderfully useful. Consisting of little more than a hardwood handle, a blade, a pivot pin, and a rotating collar that locks the blade open, they lock open with authority and are one of the simplest, strongest designs available. The Opinel's blade has a nail nick and the knife requires two hands to open it, like a traditional pocket knife. Because the lock does not engage when the blade opens -- but must be engaged manually -- Opinels may be legal for carry in jurisdictions that ban some "tactical" folders. The blades are flat-ground and are very thin at the edge. As a result, Opinels can be made scary sharp in very little time and are wonderful slicers that hold their edges well. They can be found in a variety of sizes, with either carbon steel or with stainless blades. Although the blades are thin, they are stronger than you might expect and made an excellent choice for a daily-carry pocket knife. Opinels are very inexpensive, as well. Smoky Mountain Knife Works carries several Opinel folders, most of which are in our price range.

Cold Steel used to make their own version of the Opinel: the Twistmaster. With a Zytel handle and a "Carbon V" blade, the Cold Steel version was stronger than the French original, although it tended to be a bit thick at the edge and didn't slice quite as well as the Opinel. The Twistmaster corrected the one shortcoming of the Opinel: in wet conditions, the hardwood handle could swell, making the knife very difficult to open. The Zytel handle of the Cold Steel was unaffected by moisture. Both the Opinels and the Twistmasters (if you can find a used one) are recommended as pocket-sized cutting tools, just as long as you don't try to use them as a chopping tool or a pry bar.

SVORD PEASANT KNIFE

Svord Knives in New Zealand makes the Peasant Knife: a folder that has become one of my all-time favorite knives. It's one of the simplest folders available. The knife consists of two post screws, a blade, two handle scales, and one pin. It can be completely dismantled in a few moments for a complete cleaning. The carbon steel blade has a flat grind, similar to that of the Opinel, and its cutting abilities are similar.

There are no springs in a Peasant Knife. It uses a long tang that sticks out of the closed knife and lays along the back of the handle when the knife is open. The user's hand holds the tang in place and keeps the knife from closing. The tang makes the closed knife somewhat longer than most knives in its size class, but I use it to draw the knife out of my pocket. The Svord Peasant Knife is available with wood, plastic or aluminum handle scales. I purchased mine with the plastic handles, and I believe that the plastic handles are the best choice for preppers. They are strong and light and are textured for a good grip. A wide variety of Svord Peasant Knives can be found at Knife Center. All are in our price range.

TRAMONTINA AND ONTARIO MACHETES

For a large knife, I chose a Tramontina machete with a hardwood handle and a 12-inch, carbon steel blade. The hardwood handle allowed me to customize the machete to fit my hand better, using a pocket knife and some sandpaper. I use the Tramontina machete more as a large knife than as a small machete. Although the blade is long, it is light and thin enough for the Tramontina to be used in the camp kitchen, and it will slice tomatoes or onions with ease. I sharpen machetes with a small file, and the slightly rough edge from the file seems to stay sharp longer than one would expect from a machete blade with a "spring" temper. Machete Specialists offers the 12-inch Tramontina, with the item number TR26620012.

The Tramontina is too light for a dedicated chopping tool. It could be used to cut poles for a shelter or for a stretcher, but if I expected to use it for chopping, I would choose a 12-inch Ontario machete. Avoid the "economy" version of the Ontario that is sold in some places. The original has a 1/8-inch thick blade and is a much better chopping tool. I was also unhappy with the "D" handle models and strongly prefer the original handle type. The exact Ontario machete that I recommend is sold under item number ONCT1 at Knife Center.

I prefer to use machetes as large knives that can be used to chop, rather than as dedicated choppers. Chopping makes noise that can disturb other campers today; after a crunch, it could attract two-legged predators. A small folding saw is my wood cutter of choice, although a sharp machete can be used to split damp kindling in wet conditions, or to make fuzz sticks. I tend to keep my fires small, and I generally do not need an axe or large chopping tool to prepare and maintain a fire.

A short machete is a fearsome weapon, if needed. The 12-inch Tramontina machete is not a heavy chopper, but it's very quick in the hands and could deliver a much more serious slash than most folding knives or small fixed blades. The edge bevel at the point of the blade needs some work with a file to sharpen it properly. Someone seeking an edged weapon should probably look at the 12-inch Ontario machete. It also needs some attention to the bevel at the point. The Ontario's blade is stiffer and heavier than the Tramontina's blade, and it could be a very effective self-defense weapon at close quarters. Longer machetes, on the other hand, handle more like a sword than a big knife and require more skill and hand/wrist strength to be efficient defensive weapons.

SWISS ARMY KNIVES

No discussion of bargain knives would be complete without mentioning Swiss Army Knives. Both Victorinox and Wenger offer some basic knives in our price range. One of my favorites is the Victorinox Recruit. It is a Swiss version of the classic Boy Scout pocket knife. It is inexpensive and tremendously useful as a light-duty, multipurpose tool. Another Victorinox knife has a big following: the Farmer. Although it's a little above our price range, it has metal scales instead of red plastic, and it features the wood saw: one of the most useful of Swiss Army tools. Victorinox and Wenger Swiss Army Knives are available from a wide variety of sources.

A SHOVEL?

I find myself keeping one large "chopper" around and using it frequently: the Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel. Many who have served in the military know the value of a small shovel as a general-purpose digging/cutting/hacking tool. I sharpen the edges with a file to make it a more efficient digging tool, capable of chopping through roots or breaking up hard soil. It could also be used to cut wood, in a pinch. The blade would need regular attention to keep it sharp, however. Heavy chopping can also put terrific stress on a shovel handle. If I planned to do a lot of chopping, I would wrap the area where the blade attaches to the handle with some wire, or with epoxy-saturated cord or twine, to reinforce it. This is the weakest part of any shovel. The Special Forces Shovel can be purchased direct from Cold Steel.

My Special Forces Shovel is kept sharp and has a blade cover made from trash can plastic, with two pieces of nylon webbing and snaps to hold the shovel in place. A few holes drilled near the edges of the blade cover allow my Cold Steel shovel to be lashed to the side of my pack for carry.

The Cold Steel SF Shovel can also be a low-profile weapon. A sharpened shovel, spade, or entrenching tool has been used countless times in infantry close-quarters combat. It can slice like a knife or chop like an axe. If used for a while as a shovel, it will show the marks of a tool and will be less suspicious than a brand-new, razor sharp shovel. Mine travels under the radar and has never been questioned. Its scarred handle and well-used blade make it look like what it is: a small, useful shovel.

CONCLUSION

Choose your tools carefully, and they should serve you well. Don't forget to invest in files, ceramic sticks, sharpening stones, oil, and other accessories needed to keep your cutting tools sharp and in good condition. Carbon steel knives that are used frequently with food can be kept rust-free by drying after use and wiping with any type of cooking oil. Take care of them, and buy a few extras as spares, or as trade goods. Good knives may be hard to come by after a Crunch.

I know a little something about being a first responder to an accident scene. In another life, I was a paramedic, and later in life, I was a police officer. So, I've been to more than my share of accidents, and one thing that was usually needed in many traffic accidents, was a good sharp knife, that could cut a person out of their seat belt, or cut some of their clothes off for urgent medical care. So, I appreciate a good sharp knife, more so than most folks do.
 
Buck Knives (www.buckknives.com) has been around since 1902. No matter how you look at it, that's a long, long time for any company to stay in business. I can't remember exactly when I saw my first Buck knife, but I remember it was one of their fixed blade hunting knives in the 1960s, and later on the famous Buck 110 folding knife, which is widely copied by many. It says a lot when other companies copy your products - it also cuts into the profits of the company that originated with a knife design, too. Imitated, but never duplicated!
 
Some months ago, I received the Buck Knives Responder CSAR-T folder. This is a collaboration between Buck Knives and TOPS Knives - two very well-known knife companies, to be sure. I was immediately impressed with how stout the CSAR-T folder was. It struck me as being US Marine-proof. A lot of folks say, if you want to see how well a product is made, give it to a US Marine - if there is a way to destroy it - they'll figure it out. If a US Marine can destroy the CSAR-T folder, in the course of their duties, I'd be surprised!
 
This rugged folder has a heavy duty blade that is 0.120" thick - it's a modified tanto shaped blade, too - one of my favorite designs for a number of reasons. The stainless steel blade is made out of Buck's time-tested 420HC, with a soft satin finish, that Buck calls a Zirblast finish. The knife is 5-1/4" closed and weighs in at 7.0 oz (9.3 oz carry weight in the  included heavy-duty Nylon MOLLE-compatible sheath). There is also a pocket/clothing clip on the handle for carrying in a pants pocket, too. There is also a reversible tip-up carry option for carrying in the right or left front pocket of your pants. The handle scales are textured black G10 - some of the toughest stuff around for a handle material - it's nearly indestructible! The lock on the folder is a liner-type lock, pretty strong, too!
 
In Buck's press release, it says the CSAR-T is "tough enough to use for prying..." Okay, almost every knife company that I'm aware of, says to not use a folding knife (or even a fixed blade knife) for prying purposes. On a folder, the blade can easily separate for the handle - and it could cause serious injury to the user - on fixed blade knives, the blade can break. So, I've always been of the opinion that knives should be used for cutting purposes, and not as pry bars. Stupid me! Well, I here to tell you, I did some prying with the CSAR-T sample, and it worked, too. No, I didn't attempt to lift my SUV with it, but I did do some pretty heavy prying and twisting into wood and while doing other chores, and the CSAR-T wasn't damaged. I showed the sample around to a lot of folks, including a police officer, and they all commented on how stout the knife was, and that it would probably never break - I concur!
 
Of course, like all Buck Knives, my sample was very sharp right out of the box - I would have been surprised if it wasn't. So, the knife is capable of cutting just about anything you run across. Now, that's a good thing - however, I'd hesitate to use a knife this sharp for cutting away clothing on an injured person or cutting a seat belt - I wouldn't want to lose control of the blade and cause more injury to the person. Well, Buck and TOPS thought about this. At the butt end of the handle there is an integrated glass breaker for tempered glass, and a very efficient seat belt/clothing cutter - that you don't have to worry about losing control of the knife and cutting yourself or the person you're trying to aid. You can't get your finger into the seat belt cutter, either - its practically fool-proof. What's nice about the glass breaker tip on the butt of the knife, and the seat belt cutter is that, you don't have to deploy the main blade to use either of their extra tools - kool!
 
Buck and TOPS wasn't content with all of the above, and wanted to add a little something more to the CSAR-T, so they added a bit-compatible handle cut-out, and you can use various hex tools - Buck offers this tool set as an option to match it all. So, you can do something other than just cut or break tempered glass with this folder.
 
I wasn't about to attempt to break the tempered glass on any of my vehicles, and I couldn't get anyone to volunteer their rig's glass either. So, I found an old broken window in my carport - don't know why I still had it there, but it was there. I took the CSAR-T sample by the handle and only lightly tapped on the glass, and it shattered into several pieces. So, I have zero doubts the glass breaker feature will break a tempered windshield on a vehicle. As to the seat belt cutter - I wasn't about to cut any seat belts, either. But I did have some Nylon material laying around, that is almost identical to seat belt material. I'm here to tell you, this seat belt cutter simply zoomed right through this material like a hot knife through butter. So, this would be a great tool to have at an accident scene, where a person is trapped by their seat belt - and I've seen this happen numerous times, too. For some reason, the seat belt release won't release - and you have no choice but to cut it to free the person.
 
I know, a folding knife isn't meant or designed to be a throwing knife, but I just had to try my hand at it. The CSAR-T failed as a throwing knife...well, I just had to do "something" to prove this folder couldn't do it all.  The knife is handle-heavy, and no matter how many times I threw the knife, I couldn't make it stick - the handle always hit first. Ok, ok, it wasn't a fair test as the knife wasn't designed for this chore - but I still had fun and there was no damage to the knife either - that's a good thing.
 
As a self-defense tool, the CSAR-T would really shine, too. There is enough blade length there to do some serious damage in slashing or stabbing techniques and the blade is super sharp. And, should you choose to not use the blade against someone, you can still use the knife as an impact weapon - striking first with the front of the handle - and if that doesn't discourage an attacker, then strike with the butt end of the handle, where the glass breaker is - that will make a person wish they had chosen another person to attack.
 
Like many Buck Knives, the CSAR-T folder is a bit hard to find. Buck sells them as fast as they make them. And, to top it all off, there are a couple other CSAR models you can choose from, too. They even have some fixed blade models. Full-retail on the CSAR-T (Model 091) is $147 and you get a lot of knife for that money, and it has the Buck/TOPS name on it, too. Check one out, you'll like it! - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Mr. Rawles:
A few years ago, my wife and I left our Texas ranch for a three month long hunting safari that took us from Africa to Scotland. We traveled with three rifles, a double in a large African caliber, a .458 Lott bolt, and .300 Winchester Magnum bolt light rifle. As we would transit Schiphol in the Netherlands both ways, I had to apply for two transit permits for the firearms and ammunition as well as for firearm permits in both Tanzania (a former British colony) and in Scotland. Even though I was a setting judge at the time, I had to obtain obligatory character references from the ‘high sheriff’ of the county where I resided. Of these, the transit permit was probably the most difficult as it was literally ‘Dutch’ and for some arcane bureaucratic reason, the office in Holland only turned on the facsimile machine during their operating hours. Stories are legend about expensive firearms being confiscated during transit of Holland and safaris ruined, so given the time delay between application and license, several communications were needed to ensure receipt of the application.

Upon arrival in Houston, we learned the outbound flight to Holland was delayed by one day.  With three month’s baggage and three rifles, we were stranded in Houston Hobby Airport.  Tiredly, we loaded everything on the tram and set off for the airport hotel. At the hotel, the manager advised we wouldn’t be allowed to keep the rifles in the room with us. I made quite a scene and demanded detailed receipts for the rifles that I valued in total at more than $80,000. The manager decided he didn’t want to be responsible for anything of that value so the rules were relaxed and we kept the rifles with us.  So much for the "hotel rules." Due to the delay, our transit permit through Schiphol was out of date and there was no way to determine if the Dutch would seize the rifles.

We arrived in Africa exhausted following a 24 hour flight but happy to see our firearms. Tanzanian officials examined each rifle, checked barrel lengths and serial numbers against permits, and after a small gratuity, issued the firearm licenses. We had a great time in Africa successful shooting many species including several cape buffalo and a wonderful roan antelope on the last day. Of course that last shot delayed our departure from camp and everything was a mad rush again. We boarded KLM in our safari clothes, transited Schiphol to Edinburgh arriving in a snowstorm. Scottish authorities at the airport showed no interest whatsoever in the rifles or ammunition. Baggage and rifles were loaded into a Range Rover rental and off we went in search for our hotel where we would stay for a few days before driving up into the highlands for a stag hunt.

Dressed for equatorial Africa, we received more than a few curious stares in the hotel lobby. The proprietor wanted to see our rifle permits and again lock up the weapons. As he had what the British call a ‘proper’ storage facility and was willing to issue appropriate receipts, I readily released the rifles into his custody.  I overheard comments about 'those crazy Texans' as we walked away.

We enjoyed Edinburgh for a few days before departing to the highlands. Upon arrival at the hunting manor, a wonderful eighteenth century edifice, the rifles were unpacked and serial numbers again carefully checked against permits. I re-cleaned the rifles (always a good practice because of the possibility of temperature differential induced condensation during travel and need to check for travel related damage).

The barrels were separated from the receiver of the double rifle and each stored separately in two safes as were bolts from the other rifles and ammunition. The next day, a constable arrived to verify proper storage of the rifles. He counted the ammunition for the two heavy African rifles and commented those rifles were ‘too big to shoot here’ and further that the associated ammunition would be recounted upon leaving Scotland.

The next day we set out early in pursuit of highland stag. The professional hunter would not allow me to carry the .300 Win Mag (it would not be ‘proper’). Only when the game was sighted and animal selected, did he hand me the rifle. Quite a difference from Africa where we never went anywhere without our rifles or for that manner, anywhere else I have hunted.

Our Second Amendment freedom should be cherished. It is unique among the world’s nations. Sincerely, - Panhandle Rancher

I have received many requests to test and evaluate the Cold Steel "Bushman" line of knives that Cold Steel is producing. I've been a big fan of Cold Steel products since the very beginning - I'm sold on their products. However, for some strange reason, I never requested anything from the Bushman series of knives.
 
My friend, Lynn Thompson, who owns and operates Cold Steel, isn't afraid to back up his products, and does so, in a series of videos on his company web site. On the web site, you will see all manner of Cold Steel products being put through a variety of torture tests, that would make other knife makers shudder. Thompson isn't afraid to show you how his knives are tested - sharpness is only one of the tests - and to be sure, Cold Steel set the standard in my humble opinion for super-sharp knives many years ago. Lynn puts all his cutlery through things that you and I wouldn't even think of - to prove to his customers just how strong and well-built his cutlery is. You really need to watch the various videos on the web site to appreciate the torture Cold Steel knives go through - no one else in the cutlery field are doing this. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time on the computer watching all the videos - its worth it.
 
First up for test and evaluation is the Pocket Bushman - and right up front, I'll tell you, this is a spartan-looking folder - it's not going to win any beauty contests. Nor was it designed to. The 4116 German stainless steel blade, is razor-sharp out of the box, so be aware of that. Also, be sure to read the warning that comes with this knife before opening it. The blade length is 4-1/2", so there's plenty of blade to get most jobs done from survival to self-defense. Now, the handle is manufactured out of one piece of 420 stainless steel and it's bead blasted to cut down on reflectivity. You have to closely examine the one piece handle to sincerely appreciate how it's made - it's one flat piece of stainless steel, that is cut to the right dimensions and then folded over onto itself, to form the handle. We are talking super strong. I tried bending it with my bare hands - didn't happen.
 
The weight of the Pocket Bushman is 6.1 ounces, so it's not exactly light - nor is it too heavy, either. overall length of the knife, in the open position is 10-1/4" - it's a handful, no doubt about it. The blade is of the clip point design, and hollow ground from top to bottom, with just enough belly to be useful for all sorts of tasks, too. A dual thumb stud is there for opening the knife one-handed - more on this in a moment. There is also a pocket/clothing clip, which can be moved from one side to the other for ambi pocket carry for right or left handed carry, too. There is a 550 Paracord lanyard in the butt of the handle as well.
 
The overall appearance of the Pocket Bushman is very sleek and smooth as well. Now, for the thumb studs for one-handed opening. Yeah, you can open the Pocket Bushman with one hand, but you can't really open it "fast" - there is a lot of resistance from the locking mechanism. So, don't think you are gonna whip the Pocket Bushman out of your pocket and flick it open fast with one hand. Now, that's not a bad thing, either. The patented internal Ram-Safe locking mechanism is the strongest I've ever run across - this knife is a virtual fixed blade when fully opened and locked. On the Cold Steel video of the testing of this knife, they place 250 pounds of dead weight on the lock and it doesn't fail - and I believe the lock can take even more weight before failing. That is very impressive.
 
Now comes the "trick" to closing the blade, once you open it. I showed the Pocket Bushman to several people, and they couldn't figure it out - until I showed them. You must pull on the lanyard cord, which then releases the lock and you can close the blade. It takes quite a bit of effort to pull on the lanyard to get the lock to release, too. If you're a petite woman, this folder probably isn't for you - and I'm not a sexist, either - just being realistic about the strength and effort required to unlock the blade.
 
As a rule, I don't recommend any folding knife for chopping chores. However, with the 4-1/2" blade and long handle, you can actually do some light chopping chores with the Pocket Bushman. I chopped some fairly large branches off a dead apple tree in my front yard without a lot of effort. I was impressed, to say the least. The blade never loosened, nor did the lock show signs of giving way, either.
 
The Pocket Bushman isn't gonna win any beauty contests, but it wasn't designed to. This knife is designed to save your butt when the chips are down - using it for survival, or self-defense - this hummer won't let you down. You would think that a folding knife that is this strong, and super-sharp, that can take anything you can throw at it, would cost a lot - it doesn't! I was more than a little surprised to see that full-retail is only $42.99, and you can find it for less than that on the 'net if you shop around. To be sure, if this knife were a hundred bucks, it would be worth the asking price. This may just be the last folding knife you'll ever need - this baby isn't gonna fail you, under the harshest of conditions. With that said, "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder, and I find the Pocket Bushman a real "beauty" in my book. There's no reason this knife shouldn't be high on your list of cutlery for survival purposes.
 
Next up are the Bushman and Bowie Bushman, fixed blade knives. The original Bushman has been around for a decade now - and that says a lot about the design and strengths of the knife. To underscore this: I was once told by the owner of a major knifemaking company that a really good knife design typically has about a three year market life. After that, the design doesn't sell well any longer. Think about it...
 
Okay, we once again come to a knife that won't win any beauty contests, and once again, it wasn't designed to. It was mean to be a very affordable and nearly indestructible fixed blade do-it-all knife. There are a few differences between the two fixed blade Bushman knives, and needless to say, one has a Bowie-style blade and the other is more conventional. The original Bushman weighs in at 9.8-oz, and the Bowie 10.1-oz. both have a 7" blade made out of SK-5 High Carbon steel, that has a protective black coating the help retard rust - and Carbon Steel knives will rust if you don't take care of them. The overall length of both knives is 12 1/4" from tip to butt.
 
Unlike conventional hollow handle knives - which the Bushman is - the hollow handle isn't a separate part of the knife - the hollow handle and blade are all once piece. The blade and handle are expertly forged out of one piece of SK-5 Carbon Steel - as you will readily see once you handle a Bushman. There isn't any screw-in cap on the hollow handle of the Bushman, instead you can pack whatever survival supplies you want in the handle and then close it off with some duct tape, or whatever you have on-hand - even stuffing it with clothing or mud would work.
 
Both fixed blade Bushman knives come complete with a Cor-Ex sheath as well, and there's a pocket on the front of the sheath for carrying other things, like a multi-tool, sharpening stone or whatever you might feel you need - even fishing line and tackle. I was honestly surprised, that the Bushman came with a sheath, especially considering the full-retail price of only $37.99 for your choice of blade styles.
 
The Bushman have been torture-tested by Cold Steel. Be sure to watch their video. You'll be amazed, by what these knives can do. One test included putting over two tons of weight at the handle/blade junction and it didn't fail. Wow!
 
While not designed as a throwing knife, the fixed blade Bushman can be used for throwing. I don't recommend you use the knife as a throwing knife in a self-defense situation, but you can have a lot of fun in your backyard just throwing the Bushman and watching 'em stick in the target. It doesn't take a lot of practice to get the blades to stick in a target, either. And, like all Cold Steel cutlery, the Bushman were shaving sharp right out of the box, and held an edge a good long time - even after doing some serious chopping on some dead trees on my small homestead.
 
You can also attach a pole/shaft to the hollow handle, and use the knives for self-defense that way, or even use 'em for hunting small game by taking careful aim and launching the Bushman at your game. To be honest, it didn't take a lot of practice to consistently hit a makeshift target I set up in my yard - but the old broomhandle I was using broke - it was already broke from the broom head - but it broke again after several throwing sessions. You can find a good wood shaft to attach to the Bushman, making it into a virtual spear - and it's lots of fun, too.
 
So, once again, we have a couple Bushman knives that won't win any beauty contests, and they weren't designed for that. Lynn Thompson, designs his knives for hard use. That's not to say Cold Steel doesn't have some beautiful knives in their catalog - about 95% of their knives are a thing of beauty in my eye. But the Bushman series of fixed blade and the folder, weren't designed as beauty queens, they were designed for the worst conditions you can submit any blade to, and they will hold-up to all you throw at 'em. What's not to like here?
 
As already mentioned, either of the fixed blade Bushman knives retail for $37.99 each - and there is no reason you can't get one or two of these babies and toss 'em in your e-box in your car, or your bug out bag. I can't think of any other knives, in this price range, that can stand-up to the same torture - it's just that simple in my book.
 
As I stated at the beginning of this article, I've received more requests for me to test and evaluate the Cold Steel Bushman series of knives, than any other products. I've got to admit, I'm sorry I didn't request a Bushman many years ago. I kind of put it off, since the Bushman series are  inexpensive knives, assuming that they were more of a gimmick than anything. I hate admitting I'm wrong - but I was. The Bushman series are knives that won't let you down, and you can certainly afford them on just about any budget. Get one or two, or all three - and you'll thank me. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

JWR:
Just a note about current firearms inventories at the major distributors from a 25 year industry veteran.  A majority of the medium to large size firearms wholesalers are experiencing significant stock shortages and inventories are at a “historic low”.   AR and AK inventories (regardless of manufacture or builder) are drying up very fast.  Most wholesalers are not taking back-orders from dealers on these items until the smoke clears.  Even handgun inventories are starting to get very thin, especially center-fire semi-autos.  The situation on ammo is better, but many industry retail purchasing agents coming out of this year’s SHOT Show where warned by several major ammunition manufactures about this year’s third and fourth quarter demand will likely outstrip availability and most manufactures are at, or near full capacity. 

But I have some good news for reloaders:   Most major brands of powder, primers, and bullets are back in stock to pre-2008 levels and primer prices have come down considerably in the last 12 months (at least at the wholesale level).  Group buys from major inter-net component providers can give you the lowest delivered cost, especially with rising shipping and hazmat fees.  Take the time to talk to your dealer about your local situation and act accordingly. - Rick S.

JWR Replies: I have noticed that guns shows have become noticeably more crowded in recent months. Even a tiny little 25 table show at a nearby Elks Lodge was so packed that I could scarcely walk from table to table. There is definitely some well-justified angst in the country about the upcoming presidential election. The general consensus seems to be that President Bolt Hold Open (BHO) will take the gloves off, if he gets re-elected. We can expect a flurry of executive orders that as a minimum would ban the importation of most semi-auto firearms, 11+ round magazines, and all military gun parts sets. Stock up, folks!

James Wesley:
For use as an unobtrusive and inexpensive alternative to purpose-built weapons safes, I recommend finding an old, non-functional soda vending machine. Remove the guts (we call it the 'stack') and refrigeration system, but leave the lights in the door. (Be careful, the light ballast wiring will bite: 5,000 volts).
 
Tap into the 110 Volt AC wiring on the vending machine to power your Goldenrod Dehumidifier.
 
Store your valuables inside where the guts used to be.  Lock the door and keep the key.  [If it will be at your private business but in a location that might ever be in view of the public,] you can leave the machine plugged in, with the lights on, and an 'Out Of Order' sign taped on the front. Consider this instant stealth storage. - Tom K.

After being raised on my grandfather’s farm, spending time in the military and being a first responder for the last 15 years, it is strange to find myself being a Newbie in the daunting task of creating an emergency preparedness cache for my family.  I now find myself living in a suburban/rural area of a major metropolitan city and a long way from where I grew up and started learning about some of the skills needed to survive.  I've always considered myself to be a prepared, self-sufficient individual.  I've hunted small and large game, I've backpacked in the backcountry for weeks at a time and I'm trained in emergency medical skills.  But when I started to delve into the world prepping, it became immediately clear how unprepared I am.

For the last five years I have been consumed by the post-apocalyptic genre.  I've read The Road, the Dies the Fire series, One Second After, and Patriots.  Recently I've read The Jakarta Pandemic and Lights Out and Survivors.   I've watched movies like The Road Warrior series, I Am Legend, The Book of Eli and Contagion.  All of these allow you to insert yourself into survival situations both in the science fiction sense and in the all too real possibilities.  I've also attended briefings and taught classes on surge capacity events and pandemic flu scenarios.  But for some reason, I awoke one day to realize that I do not have the resources to provide for my family during a natural disaster or when the grid goes down much less the three days that the federal government recommends.

So where to start?  That is the million dollar question.  Actually for my family of four it is probably the $10,000 dollar question.  But for someone who is going through the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University program, that expense really isn't in the budget.  So again I ask the question, where do I start to prepare my family to be self-sufficient on a budget yet obtain all the necessary items?

Well, I have turned to books like, How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It, "Patriots and The Jakarta Pandemic.  Although some of these books are works of fiction they are filled with great examples of what a prepared family looks like.  I have scoured the Internet and quickly become sucked into great web sites, messaging boards and YouTube channels like; sootch00, SurvivalBlog, and The Survivalist Blog.  The information shared by these experts and those contributing with their first hand experiences provide invaluable experience.  I also get sidetracked by clicking on the advertisements on the sides of the pages and quickly get sticker shock on some the items that I decide I "must have."

The first area that I have been making slow progress at over the last year is my selection of firearms.  I had some of the basics from growing up hunting like, a 12 gauge shotgun and a .30-30 Winchester.  I also acquired some more from my father’s estate which added a nice little .22 LR Marlin.  There were some others that I have used to trade and start to finalize my collection.  I have added a bolt action .308 and a 1911 .45ACP.  The final rifle I will add to my collection will be a semi-automatic rifle.  I will be able to buy this rifle by selling two remaining pistols and then using the money to purchase the parts to build a reliable AR-15.  This weapon system has come a long way with all of its customization and accessories from when I used to hump around with a M16A2 in the early 1990s.  By purchasing the different parts and assembling it on my own, I keep the costs down and take pride and ownership in my rifle.

The food preparation has been my biggest hurdle so far.  I have become bottlenecked at this point.  There are a lot of great companies and products out there that allow you to customize for each individual member of your family right down to their age and caloric intake.  Do you want regular canned goods, dehydrated or freeze dried products?  If you buy bulk do you want to bag it yourself in mylar bags, with oxygen absorbers and five gallon buckets with Gamma Seal lids?  Do you buy new food grade buckets or do you stop at all the grocery store bakeries and ask for theirs. Or do you just buy a whole package from one of the discount membership stores and have it all delivered to you in neat boxes and #10 cans?  Did I mention cost?  This is where I have friends say that since the end of the world is coming anyway, just put it on a credit card and forget it.  These are also the same people who would tell me that tithing at church is ridiculous when we are living on a tight budget to pay off the expenses we already have.  Is there a balance?  I believe I have found one for our family.  It involves using the "extra" money that comes in occasionally with overtime and starting a food cache with regular canned foods and other staples with a long shelf life that we typically use throughout the week.  This method will allow us take advantage of the 10 for $10 sales and other specials at the local grocery store.  I believe this will allow us to get into the habit of rotating foods and at the same time begin to get a sense of security in knowing my family would not have to go to the local food distribution center during a time of shortage.

There are many other areas that I feel that I have a decent start on.  I've had a water storage supply for the last few years.  I have both the 6 gallon containers and the smaller 2 liter bottles.  I also know where the closest supply of fresh water is, outside of the water main supplying my house.  These containers get rotated out at day light savings time, along with my smoke detector batteries.  Since my family enjoys camping we have those supplies such as tents, sleeping bags, large and small stoves and warm rugged clothing and shoes.  One of my weaknesses is flashlights, meaning I can't pass the latest and greatest version at the checkout counter at the hardware store.  We also have candles with matches and lighters.  We have recently begun to grow a garden in a raised box.  Granted, this does not provide enough food for long term storage like canning but it has given me the confidence that I can recall those skills shown to me by my grandfather and the 4-H club.  I have multiple first aid kits around the house and in the vehicles.  They are smaller versions of what I use at work.  Although I am not trained in advanced life support, my basic life support skills will help stabilize most injuries.  The other training that I have received in the hazardous materials spectrum gives me the ability to isolate and deny entry into my home from others on the outside to protect my family from whatever bug maybe going around.

I also need to create a plan for long term sustainability.  As mentioned, we are gardening on a small scale.  There needs to be forethought to where a large, diverse and sustainable garden would be planted.  We are fortunate enough to have large lots in our suburban neighborhood that would provide ample growing space.  This leads me into my next thought of neighborhood cooperation.  Since those open spaces don't belong to me, and my family alone cannot begin to plant, grow and harvest it all by ourselves, especially if it needs to be done by hand, we need to gather support from our neighbors.  This support would not only be for growing but for equipment, supplies, transportation and security.  Now this is a big list of ideas to suddenly spring on your neighbors but it can be done overtime.  If you don't even know them, the best place to start is to invite them over for dinner.  You can get a good impression on most people by sitting down and breaking bread with them.  You may be surprised to find out that they have their own emergency cache set up!  If not, then there is no time like the present to start.  It could really create a sense of community within your neighborhood by getting to know them and call them friends, instead of someone who you sometimes wave at from cross the street.

So is this a complete plan?  Far from it!  It feels like I've just opened the box of a 1,000 piece puzzle.  I can see what the finished product should look like on the front of the box and I've found most of the border pieces and I've even put a few of the easy parts of the picture together but it's far from done.  I'm still finding the best web sites to gather information from, the best products to provide food, water and security for my family and I've just begun to find others in my circle of friends, neighborhood and community who share the desire to be prepared.

James,
First of all thank you for running SurvivalBlog as it is has been a valuable source of information. Years ago, you mentioned Zanotti Armor as a high quality gun safe company, I'm glad you did, as I am now a very happy customer! I ordered the ZA-3 6-foot--the largest safe available from the company--and it fits my needs perfectly. It only took two of us to move all the [modular] pieces to the basement and assemble the walls. It required two extra pair of hands to assemble the top and door. I ordered the safe in June and received it in March. The customer service was excellent throughout the whole process and even after the safe arrived. At the beginning when I asked for a quote they steered me in the right direction and even when asked for certain features, such as lighting, they let me know that I could get what I wanted locally and for less money.

After installing the safe I contacted the company to ask what paint I should use on a couple of scratches in the front due to our hurried assembly they sent me a small bottle of touch up paint at no charge. Great safe and a great company. I only have one issue with the safe - it makes my gun collection look small! I guess I'll just have to start filling it up soon! Thanks, - John in Wisconsin

I don't recall when I first started carrying a pocket knife, but I'm pretty sure it was back in the 3rd or 4th grade. And, yes, back in those days, a kid could carry a pocket knife to school - and the police weren't called, nor were you suspended. Almost everyone carried a pocket knife back then - my how the times have changed. These days, most schools have a zero tolerance for any sort of "weapon" on school grounds - heck, some kids have been suspended or expelled from school for simply drawing a picture of a knife or a gun. What insanity!
 
Then we have many states that limit you to the size of a folding knife you can carry. Some states won't allow you to carry a knife with a blade more than 3" long these days. Some states have shorter limitations on the blade length - some longer. Many states won't allow you to carry a "switch blade" knife - which is technically an "automatic" opening knife. And many jurisdictions won't allow you to carry an assisted-opening folder, that they are now claiming are "switch blades" - ignorance is bliss. Even in my home state of Oregon, many police officers are ignorant of the law when it comes to someone carrying an automatic knife. Many police officers believe automatic knives are illegal in Oregon, even though there are several makers in Oregon, producing automatic folders. A note to any Oregon police officers reading this: Automatic folders are legal to carry in Oregon - so long as they are not concealed. Yes, even pocket carry is legal, so long as part of the knife is exposed - as in a pocket/clothing clip, or in a belt sheath. If you don't believe me, then check the laws for yourself, and don't assume that just because someone else told you that an automatic knife is illegal to carry that it is - they are wrong!
 
I enjoy reporting on knife companies that I have visited, especially those in Oregon. I've done several factory tours of Kershaw Knives over the years, and I visited their new factory some years ago, and had free-reign of the place, and could take any photos I wanted, and talk to anyone who worked there. To be sure, Kershaw turns out a lot of knives these days - maybe more than any other US knife company. And, Kershaw has expanded several times since my last visit, and they usually manage to keep up with demand.
 
I'm writing about two different knives in this article: one is an Every Day Carry (EDC) folder, from the standard Kershaw line, and the other is from their Zero Tolerance line - their rough and tough, military/law enforcement cutlery. First up is the Kershaw RJI Model #1985ST this is an excellent EDC folder for all manner of daily chores. And, yes, this knife is from the international line - it's made in China. I have learned that knife makers can get as good as they knife as you want from overseas, too. In essence, if you want a $1 knife, you can have those made, if you want a $500 knife, you can also get those made to your specifications.

The RJI was designed by custom knife maker, RJ Martin, and it comes with a 3-1/2" blade, with a Tanto-style point on it. The Tanto point is fairly thick on this one - thicker than on many other knives, so you can take on some tough piercing jobs, and there is plenty of belly to slicing and dicing, too. The blade is made out of 8CR13MOV stainless steel - and I have no idea what it is, other than it works and performs like a really good medium stainless - it comes with a razor-sharp edge and it held the edge a good long time, and was really easy to re-sharpen, too.
 
The handle scales on the RJI are made out of 3-D machine G-10, some super-tough stuff, to be sure, one of my favorite handle materials. There are also stainless steel liners, and the knife is a liner lock. Best of all, the RJI is an assisted-opening folder. There is a "kicker" on the back of the blade, as well as dual thumb studs to get the blade started, and after about 20-degrees, of opening, the assisted mechanism takes over and opens the blade the rest of the way - it's very quick, and I found the "kicker" worked easier and faster for me. And, we also have a pocket/clothing clip on the handle scales as well. The blade is also partially serrated, too.
 
The clothing/pocket clip can be moved around, for right-hand carry, the knife can be carried tip up or tip down, and for left hand carry, the knife can be carried tip up. So, you have a few options on this folder that you won't find on other knives in this price range. the knife only weighs in at 4.4-oz, so it is a light-weight for the most part. This is the knife you'll reach for, when you have all manner of cutting projects, be it opening packages from UPS or slicing and dicing in the kitchen, to whatever you might throw at it. And, the best part is, full retail is only $44.95 - and I checked around on the Internet and found these knives as low as $24.95 - and that, my friends, in a steal-of-a-deal for a knife that is "this" good, and has top-notch features - without a doubt, this is an absolute best buy in my book.
 
The second folder I tested is from the Zero Tolerance line, and the ZT line is made in the same plant as Kershaw's other US-made knives - they don't have a separate plant, as many believe. Kershaw came up with the idea for super-tough fixed blade and folders, designed for harsh military and law enforcement use - these knives aren't your every day carry blades, although some can be used that way. However, given the design and material used in the ZT knives, you are gonna want to save these for the tasks they were designed for: combat and self defense. I usually have at least two knives with me at all times - one in my left front pocket for EDC chores, and one in my right front pocket - and this one is reserved for those "just in case" situations - where a life might depend on the use of a strong, sharp and properly designed knife for saving lives. And, I might also have a little folder in a pocket for opening packages and the like, too.
 
I tested the Zero Tolerance Model 0200, and that model really caught my attention for a number of reasons. First of all, I like big knives, be there folders or fixed blade knives - and the 0200 comes with a 4" 154CM stainless steel blade - this steel used to be used almost exclusively by custom knife makers because it is spendy, to say the least - factory knife makers just didn't want to use this steel for a long time, thinking consumers wouldn't buy knives that cost more money than knives with less expensive stainless steels. However, educated consumers are willing to put out for top-notch knives, with really good stainless steel blades.
 
The ZT 0200 was designed by custom knife maker, Ken Onion, and he is one of the best around. I once interviewed Ken, on the phone, from his home base in Hawaii, and he is a hoot to talk to - just a lot of fun - down-to-earth, too. Onion has designed a number of knives for Kershaw and the ZT line, too. The 0220 is a professional-grade folding combat knife, designed to survive harsh real world situations. The 4" blade is of the recurve design - which means it has some "belly" to it. If you were to measure the blade length on a recurve knife, and then measure the actual cutting surface, you'll find the cutting surface is actually longer than the length of the blade. If you are involved in any knife of self defense situation, you'll quickly realize that you'll be using slashing movements, and the recurve style blade gives you a little more cutting surface, as well as "grabbing" and pulling into the blade, whatever it comes into contact with - it cuts deeper and cuts longer than other blades.
 
The precisely centered point on the 0200 is perfect for piercing tasks as well. the 154 CM blade is also (black) Tungsten DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coated, it helps protect the blade. Now, my sample 0200 was in my pocket, I didn't get the pocket/clothing clip attached to my pants pocket for some reason, and the knife slipped down into my pocket, where there is a lot of loose change. I didn't catch that this happened for a couple days, and when I pulled the knife out of my pocket, there were scratches on the blade from the loose change. A minute with some oil and extra-fine steel wool, and the scratches were taken completely off the DLC coating - I was amazed, to say the least.
 
The thick handle scales are 3-D machined G-10, and like I said, I like this stuff - super tough, and the designed pattern machined into the handle scales grip you back, under all manner of harsh conditions. The 0200 comes with dual thumb studs, and a "kicker" on the back of the blade--also for rapid opening. Once again, I preferred using the kicker to open the blade - it is not an assisted-opening folder, but it opens sooooo smoothly, you will think it's assisted. I'm talking super smooth opening. The blade locks-up with a thick stainless steel liner lock--quite a strong, positive lock.
 
There is also a nice sized lanyard hole in the butt of the 0200, and if you work over water, you'll want to attach a lanyard to your knife - nothing worst than losing your knife over water. (Kiss it good-bye once it falls into a lake, stream, or river.) The pocket/clothing clip can be mounted in any one of the quad positions on the handle for tip up or tip down carry - for right or left handed carry. What's not to like here? The knife weighs in at 7.8-oz, so it's not a light-weight folder, then again, once you see and handle the 0200, and understand how it is over-built, you'll appreciate the weight and the materials used in making this knife. Also, the pivot pin for the blade - it's stout, too - not some little skinny pin, it's big and you can adjust the blade tension with a wrench - there is a nut on the end of the pivot pin. This knife is so over-built, it's not even funny.
 
I tested the 0200 into some stacked cardboard boxes, and I could easily penetrate the full-length of the blade to the handle when I stabbed into the cardboard. Also, the slashed at the stacked cardboard boxes, and the 0200 really ripped into this material - it grabs it. So, I can only imagine what it would do to clothing or flesh if a person were to slash into it. The top, back of the blade is also "raised" just a little bit, and there are friction grooves machined into this area, for a positive thumb placement in the fencing grip, which is the grip most used in knife fighting.
 
The design of the handle - it flows with the design of the blade - hard to explain, but the handle just feels perfect in my hand, as well as other people I showed the knife to. Every one that tried it said how good the knife felt in their hand. And, if a knife feels good - that's a big part of the battle when choosing a knife - any knife. The handle of the knife is of the open design, it allows dirt, lint and other crud to escape, instead of building up inside of the handle.
 
I honestly wish I could report something negative about the ZT 0200, but I can't. The knife is just a fantastic design, and executed with some of the best materials around. It should last you a lifetime, and it won't let you down, if you give it just a little bit of care every now and then. If this knife were made by a custom maker, I would expect to pay $600 or more for it - and if it were hand made by Ken Onion - we're talking thousands of dollars. Yes, his knives demand that kind of money. However, the ZT 0200 only retails for $200, and I've found it on the Internet for around $140. Granted, it's a little spendy, but once you pick one up, you won't want to put it down. And when you see how well-made this knife is, and you can appreciate the best materials used, you'll think like I did: "This is another steal-of-a-deal" - even if it is a little bit spendy! - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

James,
its time for like minded  people  to take off the blinders and use logic and intelligence in their planning. Firearms will play a major  part in survival of our people and nation.
This role will be larger than anyone cares to  admit. Because of this reliance, our weapons will need to be the most dependable guns we can acquire.
 
My experience goes through 30+ years of gunsmithing, military service during the Reagan years, and contractor with a notorious private security firm in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During these years, I have learned a lot about the serviceability of weapons in the field.
 
The most distressing news I have to share  with your readers is the AR/M4 type weapons are too maintenance reliant compared to other available weapons. Yes they are accurate,easy to carry and easy to use.  But they are weak. If the stock tube(receiver extension) is damaged in any way, the weapon is rendered useless.
 
The following list of weapons are ones that I have seen time and again stand up to excess abuse and still perform  under battlefield condition.  (Please keep in mind only some of these weapons are available to civilians.):
 
Remington 870
Remington 24
Glock 17 and 19
M240 series
SIG 500 series
AK type weapons
Croatian made sidearms (Springfield XD series)
Browning Hi-Power
G36 series rifles
SIG pistols - P226,228,229
M203
M2 .50 caliber
 
The following list are weapons which I have seen fail numerous time under battlefield conditions:

M16A1, M16A2, M4
SR25 (Stoner AR-10)
MK19 Automatic Grenade Launcher
M60 LMG
M9 Beretta
 
With all of this in mind, its time for people to realize that unless they are a trained gunsmith and have excess parts available, then they will be out of luck when stuff hits the fan.
 
For those civilians who can accept advice, buy either a Glock or an XD, a Remington 870, a Remington 700,and a good quality AK. And of course buy plenty of magazines and ammunition for them. You won't be disappointed.  Learn how to use them and take care of them. Not enough can be said for the need for proper maintenance.  Take care of them and they will work when you need them. - Casey B.

Some people say you can’t prepare for every situation.  I say, you can because every situation has one common element that can and will hurt you outside of the event itself: other people.  Lets face it, if you die in a storm, a nuclear/biological/chemical event, or terror attack, then you are dead.  There is nothing from stopping God’s will. 

You don’t prepare for those events, you prepare for surviving those events.  There are many events, (and not far-fetched crazy extreme events) which people should be prepared to deal with to protect themselves and their families when it’s over and you are alive. Some include:

1. Storms (Hurricanes/tornados/floods/earthquakes, droughts, Tsunami)
2. Financial collapse
3. Biological emergencies (natural or weaponized)
4. Chemical emergencies (Living near DuPont?)
5. Nuclear emergencies (Attack/Power grid failure resulting in leak)
6. Civil unrest (Riots/Revolution/Civil War/Race war/Looting)
7. Power Grid failure (EMPs/Solar flares/ attack on grid)

The interesting fact is that just one event on the above list, can and will cause another on the list.  If you don’t believe me, look at Hurricane Katrina. Not only did this storm devastate a region, but what else happened? Civil Unrest, chemical emergencies from refineries, Biological emergencies with contaminated water and disease from bodies, and financial collapse of the region and lets not forget the looting and power grid failures. Look at the recent tsunami in Japan.  No one ever dreamed the nuclear reactors would so easily fail, melt down, leak, or kill (wait for it). The Japanese can probably site all the above listed events as a result of an earthquake. There is a common denominator shared by each item on the list that represents the biggest threat to survivors, outside of the event itself: People.

People will react in the most amazing ways after a horrible event.  Events like these bring out the best and worse in people.  This was seen in New Orleans. I was there in the aftermath. I saw the best and worst in mankind – Mostly the worst.  Normal, law-abiding people (well, it is New Orleans), when put in a survival situation, will kill you, if the stress of the event makes them believe they need your stuff to stay alive.

The dichotomy is that people are the biggest threat, but you can’t survive without the cooperation of other people.  You can’t make it through the listed events alone; you have to rely on other people to pool all your resources to survive. Every event on that list will cause people to lose their minds and cause chaos. Give it a couple of days, then the looting, crime and civil unrest explode like a powder keg.  Sure, you can crawl in your bunker, but for how long? You can buy 20 guns, but you can only shoot one at a time. You need to get organized, with a group of trusted friends/family, to provide, protect and plan your hopefully short term situation.  The well-organized, well armed groups will get passed by the marauders for easy pickings down the road.

Just in the last 10 years or so, we have seen some horrible events that touch every item on the list above….9/11, Hurricanes in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,, Haiti, Japan's Tsunami, Worldwide Earthquakes, Eastern Seaboard Power failure shutting down New York, Euro collapsing, Japans Nuclear reactor failures, Iran’s Nuclear prowess, Missing former Soviet nuclear devices, Los Angeles riots, Tornados Midwest rampage, Ohio/MS River flooding, Texas droughts, and I could list a whole page .
Preparing doesn’t sound so crazy now does it? It’s not some right-wing doomsday fantasy, but if it makes you concerned, perhaps it should – No one is saying we should build an underground bunker (although I would love to).  All I am saying is having a plan, with people you trust while pooling resources just may save your life.

So now you realize you aren’t crazy- lets take a look at the basics:

What are the basic needs we will need as human beings?

1. Water
2. Food
3. Shelter
4. Security

WATER – Take stock if you are staying put or bugging out. You have what is available to you, but I would recommend having 3 sources of water either in my home or bug out location.

1. Natural water sources (Creeks, rivers, springs that flow year round)
2. Well water (How is it powered? Electricity/ manual pump/ solar?)
3. Water storage (Ponds, stock tanks, water catch systems, barrel storage, bathtubs)
4. City/County (Keep in mind this source is dependent on upkeep by people who will not be showing up to work in our scenarios)

FOOD - I know a lot of people have their 3-day bug out bag with survival food bars handy, but I believe you need to take stock, not only of your pantry, but other potential sources in your locations.

1. Stored and saved canned goods with shelf life and extended life usage.
2. Staples (oil, flour, beans, wheat, salt, sugar- Think food grade barrels)
3. Natural Resources (Fish, wildlife in area for meat, Feeders/traps/snares)
4. Seed (growing, farming, reproducing your own food – heirloom seeds)
5. Livestock animals
6. Food as a trading commodity (honey, spices,  alcohol, Etc)

SHELTER –We have our homes we currently live in whether its an apartment, house etc. Think about if you leave or bug out, it’s important to have shelter not only where you end up, but keep in mind it may take a few days to get there. Do you know anyone between you and your bug out location? Is there someplace safe you can leave a cache?
Some things to think about shelter:

1. Size, capacity (how many are in your trusted circle? Will everyone fit?)
2. Power options (propane, electric/generator, wood for warmth)
3. Portable/semi permanent (shipping container, RV, tents, Trailer)
4. Underground (storm shelter, root cellar, buried shipping container)
5. Ability to create lean-to and basic shelters
6. Alternate locations (when things get too tough, you may need to relocate)
7. At your bug out location, is there a secure place, if there is a bio event, that someone can be put into quarantine until incubation period is satisfied before joining the rest of the group?

SECURITY – This means a lot of things to a lot of people.  Lets list out a few things that are important keeping in mind safety in numbers- however a smaller group of well prepared and well trained people can be the most important asset of security.

1. Personnel (large enough to make the average band of marauders move on to easier targets)
2. Weapons  (pistols, mid range, long range firearms.) One important need for quiet registered suppressed smaller caliber weapons for stealth and hunting.  This will be very important- Texas is mostly flat and sound carries for miles.) It is good to have .22, .223, .40/9mm, 12ga, 30.06/.308, 7.62x39. These are most plentiful and easily found.  Stealth and being quiet is something that not many presently talk about, but will be important.  If someone is looking for food/water etc, man-made noises are a beacon for people to come and find you. At some point, you will want to put your big bang stick away and opt for suppressed/small caliber or conventional bows.
3. Ammunition: Having similar calibers among your group members makes ammo go further and able to work with more than one weapon. This coordination could be extremely important in long-term situations.
4. Night Vision (or Thermal but expensive) There are many Gen 1 NV scopes out there that are priced so reasonably that they make it a must.  Those who own the night, control the day.
5. Dogs (trained ones, not purse dogs)
6. Fuel (including storage- This will make you mobile while gas is scarce)
7. Alternate Transportation (ATV, Bicycle, UATV, mopeds) Don’t laugh – You can ride 10-to-20 miles on a bike without being in Olympic shape.  How long does it take to walk 10 miles?  Not so silly now is it?  Do some research on the Japanese in WWII being able to move mass amounts of troops in a short timeframe catching their enemies by surprise.  And bike is quiet…….

Now that we have some of the basics identified, there are other things that could have been listed above that many of us have lying around or have access to its usefulness.  I like to refer to these items as assets.  You should put a checklist together of your assets, keeping in mind, some assets are intangible.  Here is a quick list of both:

ASSETS

Communication. This is number one for a reason- ham radios, CB radios, Walkie-talkies, field phone with wires, and radios. Information equals knowledge, and knowledge is power.

1. Boats (rafts, canoes, jon-boat, fishing and pontoon, inner tubes/pool toys- sometimes you need to get across a river/creek and need to keep stuff dry and they take up no space at all – deflate and use again later)
2. Vehicles (some of us have multiple vehicles…or toys, that carbureted vehicle can be more valuable than you know if there is a solar flare or EMP)
3. Trailers (we have a lot of stuff and people to bug out)
4. Generators (these need extra fuel so prep accordingly, and don’t forget the oil)
5. Tools (welder, chain saws, wire cutters, bolt cutters, etc)
6. Bikes (these don’t need fuel and can get you miles in minutes)
7. Land/property (even if it is not ideal bug out territory, it could be used as a cache to store items in alternate locale, or a safe place to stop and resupply to your ultimate destination)
8. Reloader (The ability to load and reload your own ammo is a huge asset)
9. Medical equip (all inclusive down to the band aids – don’t forget toothaches and tools for extraction if necessary) People never think about dental as part of their first aid kit…until they have a cracked tooth or toothache.
10. Silent weapons (crossbows, bows, arrows/bolts, snares/traps)
11. Fishing Poles (self explanatory)
12. GPS/Maps (You need both because at some point tech will fail, oh yes, learn how to use a compass with that map) You don’t need static electricity with a needle on a pool of water- Bear Grylls is cool to watch, but go buy a handful of cheap compasses and put them in everyone’s bag and teach some online land navigation basics.
13. Force multipliers (trip wire alerts, motion sensors, noise making material for areas you cant always see) An easy fix, battery operated motion lights.  If you need eyes in a location you can’t see at night – Set these up in those hard to see areas – It’s like having an extra person to alert you. Fishing lines and cans with rocks will make noise when tripped.
14. Battery charging devices (Commercial, solar,  also think non conventional like a stationary bike with a belt to an alternator to battery to inverter to outlet) Hook it up to a wheat grinder and make some flour.
15. Alternative energy (like my bike idea above, there are available sources on the market like solar, wind, hydro- research hydro – It only takes 10 foot of head to turn a turbine – I would love to explore this idea with my creek)
16. Wood (Gotta have heat in winter, and have to cook)
17. Clothing for all seasons (doesn’t hurt to have chest waders, mosquito netting, and sewing kits for repairs.  Not everything needs to be military or camo )
18. Hammocks – I’m getting everyone in my family hammocks with a cheap tarp to go over the top.  There is a whole group of campers out there using only hammocks – Very cool, light weight and fit into the 3 day bug out bag nicely.

Now lets look at a list of what I call Intangible Assets.  What knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) do we bring to the group that can be passed along or taught?

1. Training  (Firearms, tactics, military, safety/chemical, survival)
2. Certifications (CPR/First Aid, EMT, MD, paramedic, dentistry)
3. Skills (Farming, hydroponics, carpentry, mechanics, cooking, fishing, welding)
4. Knowledge (Can you fix things? Make things, butcher, chemical knowledge, canning, pickling, reloading, armorer, water purification)
5. Abilities (climb trees, make candles, negotiate, bow hunt, make a zip line, fish with a net. Think outside the box)

These are just a few things to think about when starting to prep.  Take your own inventory, and then take the next step. This step is just as important as your safety.  Unless you are going to live by yourself in a bunker (Okay, perhaps I have bunker envy)- you need to incorporate your trusted inner circle to share your ideas and make a plan. Choose wisely- I have seen a lot of people utilize their family- Most of the time, that works. But some folks don’t live near their family, or if they do, they don’t always get along with an in-law or each other.  Don’t be that guy that chooses his best friend that doesn’t believe in prepping, and if by chance they do, won’t prepare, wont bring anything to the table and will end up mooching off of your hard work and the others in your group.  Here are some things to keep in mind when you find your bug out group.  Ask the hard questions with your group now.

If you plan on leaving your home to your bug out location, you may be faced with some tough decisions, table these with your group and ask:

1. How many people are invited to the location?
2. What is the group going to do when some other “friends” not in the trusted circle show up?
3. Uninvited family vs. uninvited friends – Is there a difference? Oh yes!
4. When others show up looking for a handout or help- what are we prepared to do?
5. In a bio situation (bird flu) how long should you quarantine others before letting them into your location- What if they are sick – What is the group prepared to do? What if they are family?
6. Leadership roles vs. democracy vs. clans (family leaders)
7. What are group pooled items vs. individual (mine) items.  What is shared vs. kept?

Meeting with your trusted inner circle (bug out crew) of people now and discussing these items will be crucial down the line.  Lets face it, it’s hard to find couples that all like each other much less entire families. Face the fact and embrace the fact there will be disagreements in advance, No one will ever completely agree on everything- That is reality.  These disagreements may become amplified in a stressful environment, but come to grips with it together and talk about it now. Talk about that family or group that finds you and wants to join your group to bolster their security (who, what when where, why and how- will be the name of that game). I can create an endless number of scenarios for and against accepting – But the group needs to come to an agreement.  What style of leadership are we going to use? Talk about it now.

Have a plan and several routes that everyone knows to get to your bug out location.  This is where communication devices are essential – Know what routes are inaccessible, have your back-up routes from each alternate points of entry (back up routes to your back up routes) Timing will dictate your routes.  Depending on situation and spread of the event, smaller towns that you would normally drive through could be barricaded and controlled by organized militias/groups like you, limiting access. This goes for any area.  Think of your bug out location, you may want to limit the access too, out of fear of travelers/hordes looking to pillage.  Depending on the situation be prepared to negotiate, barter, trade and or shoot your way to your bug out shelter. You may end up using all those methods along the way.

Bug out to a secondary location comes with its own set of pros and cons.  To me, the hardest question is: When is it time to bug out? No one can predict the best time, but I will say before all of the gas is used up. In our area of South Texas, you can hear a V-8 engine a couple miles away.  Remembering that a panicked society wants to take your stuff because they did not prepare and believe they will die without your stuff-What I am trying to say is err on the early side of bugging out.   The Bottom line is that if you wait too long, you will have herds of “zombies” trying to catch, shoot and kill the caravan of people who still have gas and a way out of town. 

At this point, being quiet is the name of the game. Noise attracts attention- Hunting is a good example; an AR-15 is deafening and can be heard 5 miles and more away. If you use it, use it only once. You will have everyone’s attention waiting to vector the second shot and move in that direction. Get skilled with a bow/crossbow or get a suppressed weapon. .22s are relatively quiet and are good small game calibers. Generators are loud and will attract attention. What are some fixes? Underground, ventilated areas/ mufflers? This opens the door to learning to trap, lay snares, or take serious advantage of the hog trap.  Stock up on rat traps and keep them at your bug out base (the snapping closed kind).  Not for rats, but for small game and birds.  These force multipliers will help you catch your needed protein.

As your group comes together, start training together.  You can start out with a  “survivor man” weekend where you can try your wares. Sight in all your weapons, start fires utilizing various methods, cook using only a fire-pit.  Walk your perimeter, know your weak spots, where are you vulnerable?  Where are the best vantage points on the property, escape routes, choke points, fallback areas, and cache spots.  Bring the families out.  Make sure everyone of responsible age knows how to load, fire, unload each weapon system each family owns. Make training weekends fun, but cover the basics and have everyone hone a skill. If they don’t have one, have them choose one, learn it well, and teach the rest of the group. Empower everyone in the group because we all need to not only feel we contribute to the whole, but we actually all really do need to contribute.  Make weekends to learn how to:

1. Fish
2. Shoot
3. Plant/Harvest
4. Gather
5. Hunt/trap
6. Security patrol/force multiplier utilization
7. Communications
8. Prepping vehicles/Trailers/ bags with supplies (what should be in them)
9. Survivor man trips using your 3-day bug out bag. Know what works and what doesn’t.
10. Make flour from wheat and bread from flour.
11. Make alcohol – Uses are many, from drinking, fire starting, trading, sanitizing, cleaning wounds, sterilizing….and did I say drinking?
12. Bee keeping many uses from pollinating, honey, candles, trading. Edible honey was found in Pyramids buried for centuries.

Each aforementioned training topic could be a whole chapter in a book.  Remember there are no wrong ideas, some may be misguided or implemented incorrectly, but most of us have not gone through this before. Getting ideas together is the first step to getting prepared which leads to taking action and responsibility for you and your loved ones which just may save your life one day. Good luck to us all – we might just need it.

Many, many years ago, when I started wearing reading glasses, I found that I wasn't seeing the sights on some of my handguns and rifles as clearly as I would have liked. With age, comes reading glasses for many of us - just a fact of life! Now, while I could see the sights on my rifles - without reading glasses - the sights were a bit fuzzy! With my reading glasses on, the sights were sharp, but the target was blurred. Grrrr!
 
I did find though, that rifles with peep sights were much easier to get a good sight picture without resorting to reading glasses. I talked to my then optometrist at the about this - and he was also a member of our shooting club, and an avid shooter himself. He told me that there was just "something" about looking through a (rear) peep sight that caused us to get a better sight picture with open sights. I got to thinking about that, and started doing a little unscientific experimenting myself, with military rifles that had peep sights. Well, I'll be, sure enough the rifles with peep sights gave me a better sight picture than other open-type sights, especially the old buckhorn style of open sights.
 
Skinner Sights are hand crafted in Andy Larsson's small shop in St. Ignatius, Montana, machined from sold steel, stainless steel or brass bar stock. All the parts are hand-fitted to close tolerances. Andy says he works hard to design sights which are not only extremely functional and rugged, but to also complement the firearms they go on. He makes a limited number of high-quality sights, at a reasonable cost to the customer. The sights are inexpensive, but they are not cheaply made, and his customer service is second to none, too. If something goes wrong with your Skinner Sight, at any time, and need to be repaired, return them to Andy and he will make it right - at no charge.
 
Now, I like shooting a lever-action rifles, like Marlin, Winchester, Rossi and many other brands of lever-action long guns. While not my first choice in a SHTF situation, they would serve to fend-off some bad guys, as well as filling the stew pot, too. But all these guns have Buckhorn-style open rear sight - they are okay, but I can't do my best shooting with these types of sights. Sure, you can scope most of these lever-action rifles, but it detracts from the overall appearance of these guns, in my humble opinion.
 
I was first told about Skinner Sights by Tim Sundles, who operates Buffalo Bore Ammunition some months ago. Andy Larsson and I had a bit of a time connecting for a while - mostly due to something going wrong with my e-mails to some folks. For some strange reason, a lot of e-mails didn't get delivered since last December. Matter of fact, I'm still getting returned e-mails after more than three months - just didn't get delivered for some reason. Computers and the Internet - they are wonderful inventions, when they work as planned. In any event, Andy Larsson and I finally connected, and he sent me several of his sights for test and evaluation.
 
I received the Skinner Sights "Tactical" rear sight for a Marlin Model 336 - and Andy also sent along a fiber optic front sight to go with the rear sight. I also laid claim to Skinner Sights, rear sight for the Marlin Model 39 - and Andy also sent me a brass front sight to accompany the new rear sight. Now, the Marlin Model 336 rear "Tactical" sight is a peep sight affair, but it has "wings" on either sight of it - to help protect the peep sight from knock around damage. The sight is fully adjustable for windage and elevation, too. The no-snag profile and protective shape of the sight assures quick-handling and performance in the most demanding situations.
 
Many military battle rifles and many dangerous game guns, have been fitted with peep sights for the last 70 years. There is a good reason for this. They are the fastest and most accurate iron sights you can put on a rifle. Not all peep sights are equal, either. The Skinner Sights will not shoot loose and afford a great sight picture, too. Skinner sights are easy to install, they fit the current screw holes on the guns they were designed for - and screws are included with all sights.
 
A very close examination of the "Tactical" rear peep sight for the Marlin Model 336 shows the attention to detail, and how well-made the sights are that Andy Larsson is making. We're talking super-tough sights. No fears of these failing you, period! The front red fiber optic sight that came with the rear sight, gives you an outstanding sight picture - very fast to pick-up, too. What's not to like here?
 
The Marlin Model 39 sights I received were every bit the equal in high-quality construction as the Marlin Model 336 sights were, with the exception that this rear sight didn't come with protective "wings" - it's just a simple peep sight - well, "simple" isn't being fair - they are very strong and well-made, to be sure. I elected for the blue steel rear sight instead of the brass one - just thought it would give my eyes a better sight picture. Most of the time, Larsson says that this rear sight will work with the factory front sight height. However, if you have problems, consult the Skinner Sights web site, it's a wealth of information that you can use. The removable .096" sight aperture allows marksman to use a fine aperture or a much larger ghost ring. Other size apertures are available from Skinner Sights.
 
Skinner Sights are designed to give you the same sight picture as the M-16/AR-15 line of military and civilian rifles - as well as many other military rifles. No wonder these sights seem like an old friend to my eyes! When you look through (not "at") a peep sight,  you automatically focus on the front sight - which is what you are supposed to do. It simply makes one a better shooter, and isn't that what we all want to be? Better shots?
 
What the consumer is getting in a Skinner Sight, is an American-made product, produced in a small shop, by a fellow who really cares about the shooter, and is mighty proud of the products he is turning out. He's also offering an outstanding product, at decent prices. The Marlin Model 336 blued rear peep sight sample I received sells for $75 and the front fiber optic sight is $20 - those are bargains in my book. The Marlin 39 blued rear peep sight sample sells for $59 and the brass front sight is only $16. Again, a bargain if you ask me, for the quality you are getting.
 
Andy Larsson has a lot of different sights for various rifles, and is developing newer and more exciting models. He's not sitting on his rump - he's busy experimenting with new sights. He's proud of his company, and proud of the quality of sights he's producing. Tim Sundles at Buffalo Bore Ammunition told me I'd really like the Skinner Sights - and I do. I plan on reviewing more models for different long guns in the future, and I'll keep SurvivalBlog readers updated.
 
If you want a superior sight for your lever-action (and other) rifles, then take a close look at Skinner Sights - they have a web site just loaded with all the information you could possibly want - one of the better web sites to offer the consumer information they want and need if you ask me. Remember, Skinner Sights are American-made.  - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Hello James,
Just a short article for the financially stressed who want a battle rifle. Not all of us can shell out $1,500 to $2,500 for the latest battle rifle with $800 to $3,000 worth of optics on it. But there is hope for us. Here in the south, you can usually pick up a good used Norinco (read Chinese) SKS for $150. (But I've heard that they cost more, elsewhere.) I have one that I found that was in excellent condition. These are very reliable weapons with chromed chamber and bore. One with some surface rust may go for $100 if the guy is desperate for cash. A friend bought one like this last month, for$ 100. It was a little rusty and scratched up, but functional. The guy needed beer money, sad. If worst comes to worst, go to a gun show with $200 in your pocket. You should secure an SKS and have money left over for a USA steel 30 rd. or TAPCO 20 round detachable magazine, or two. You can find, at the same show, a black plastic sporter stock, used for about $35, or so. I did, and so can you.

Note: The sporter-stocked SKS doesn't freak out most policeman. But one a folding job with pistol grip, and Picatinny rails all over it probably will. Trust me!

Now, you need better sights. My SKS did not shoot good groups (8-9 inch @ 100 yards.) like my AR-15 does (1.5 inch @ 100 yards.) I'm 68, so did not like the open sights. I replaced them with a $26 Williams peep for some improvement, but the eye is still too far from the peep for a moving target. Went to Tech sights web site and found two styles of rear-mounted peeps for the SKS. I took a chance and risked $45 for the TS-100 model plus $6.00 shipping. The improvement was astounding! I now have over 50% plus more sight radius, from front to rear. Group diameters are cut in half, and this with El-Cheapo Russian ammo. Most aftermarket stocks for the SKS will accept the detachable magazines. If not, then you can carefully file them out so as to accept them. The best for me, was the American made 30 round steel magazine. It feeds flawlessly with any type of ammo. In my experience the Tapco 20 rounders re good too, but will not feed reliably with Brown Bear ammo. I called Tapco, and the man said this was becoming a common complaint. The coating on the Brown Bear sticks to the sides of the plastic mag body if you load it to full capacity. With only 10 or 11, it will do fine. With the cheap stuff, the Tapco magazine works well, but not as perfectly as the steel magazine. YMMV! I also avoid using the TAPCO magazine for the  hollow point ammo. I'm shooting FMJ pointed from now on.

Okay, we've got your SKS, say $150, plus the sporter stock for $35 (at a gun show), two steel 30 round USA mags at $40 (gun show), and the tech sight @ $51 Priority mail from Tech Sight.   Comes to $276. The sights are new, all else may be used, but in nice condition. Well done. One of the best features of the SKS is the cheap ammo. I just ordered another 500 rounds of Tula pointed 7.62x39 from a distributor for $104 plus $22 shipping. I can live with this!

Don't just buy this and throw it in a closet. Work with it, shoot it, clean it, learn to field strip it, and care for it like a newborn child. Use real gun oil on it, never WD-40. BTW, The bolt has to be withdrawn to insert these magazines. If you shoot it dry, the carrier catch should hold the bolt back so you can easily remove the mag. If sill loaded, you must pull the bolt back and hold it back while removing the mag. Takes 3 hands at first, but you will soon learn the easy way to do it. You ARE going to practice doing this, I'm sure. Right? Any rust on it? Get #0000 Stainless Steel wool (the finest), and make a one inch diameter ball of it. Soak this with gun oil and RUB. This will remove most light rust, but will not affect any remaining finish. Rubbing with a copper penny (pre-82) held in small Vice Grips pliers will remove more stubborn rust. Copper won't scratch steel! These served me well in my 10 year stint in gun repair. My apologies for so much of this being out of sequence, but I hope you can acquire your own Battle rifle. Not the best, but acceptable, until you can do better. Remember the old military saying "take care of your rifle, and someday it will take care of you. As we approach the precipice of TEOTWAWKI I wish each of you my best. Make sure Jesus Christ is your Savior, so you won't have to go you know where. God Bless you. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ. - Mack, in Lower Slobovia

Much has been written about what particular guns are best for home defense and SHTF, but I haven’t seen much about taking care of these weapons when gunsmiths are not around.  Let’s look at what typically causes firearms to fail. 

As a gunsmith, the main cause of firing malfunctions I see is dirt.  This can be crud built up from dust collecting in oil forming a grease-like substance, or rust, or build-up from burned powder (carbon), or residue from the casings or shells.

The second most encountered problems stem from magazines, or broken or weak springs.  Lost pins or screws, and broken extractors or firing pins tend to be the next [most common] group of failures.

So how do you prepare for these problems?  First, if you don’t have an owner’s manual for your gun, go to the manufacturer’s web site and download one.  It will give you information on proper operation, how to field strip the gun for cleaning, and lubrication instructions.  If it is an older gun, you may be able to find a manual at StevesPages.com.  The next document you should have is an exploded parts list and instructions on disassembly and assembly of the firearm.  Many of these are also available at StevesPages.com. 

The next thing you will need is a good cleaning kit.  Be sure you have lots of patches, and extra bore brushes for your particular caliber.  A chamber brush is also helpful.  There are all types of bore cleaner solvents.  Pick your flavor.  Here is a recipe for a great bore cleaner that you can make up yourself.  It was invented by C.E. ''Ed'' Harris. You can always bottle some of it for barter later.  It is the widely-used “Ed’s Red” (ER).   This cleaner has an action very similar to standard military issue rifle bore cleaner, such as Mil-C-372B. Users report it is more effective than Hoppe's for removing plastic fouling in shotgun bores, or caked carbon fouling in semi-automatic rifles or pistols, or in removing leading in revolvers. It is not as effective as Sweets 7.62, Hoppe's Bench Rest Nine or Shooter's Choice for fast removal of heavy copper fouling in rifle bores. However, because "ER" is more effective in removing caked carbon and abrasive primer residues than other cleaners, metal fouling is greatly reduced when "ER" is used on a continuing basis.  It is inexpensive, effective, provides good corrosion protection and adequate residual lubrication so that routine "oiling" after cleaning is rarely necessary, except for long-term storage of over 1 year, or harsh service environments, such as salt water exposure.

CONTENTS: Ed's Red Bore Cleaner
1 part Dexron II, IIe or III Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF), GM Spec. D-20265 or later.
1 part Kerosene - deodorized, K1
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TT-T-2981F, CAS #64741-49-9, or may substitute "Stoddard Solvent", CAS #8052-41-3, or equivalent, (aka "Varsol")
1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1.
(Optional up to 1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon. It is okay to substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store)

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS FOR "ER" BORE CLEANER:

[JWR Adds This Warning: All of the usual precautions for handling caustic and flammable solvent fluids must be taken, such as wearing goggles and rubber gloves.]

Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use a clean 1 gallon metal, chemical resistant, heavy gauge PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are also okay. Do NOT use a HDPE container, which is permeable, because the acetone will eventually evaporate. The acetone in ER will also attack HDPE, causing the container to collapse, making a big mess!

Add the ATF first. Use the empty ATF container to measure the other components, so that it is thoroughly mixed. If you incorporate the lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking precautions against fire. Pour the melted lanolin it into a larger container, rinsing the lanolin container with the bore cleaner mix, and stirring until it is all dissolved. Divert a small quantity, up to 4 ounces per quart of the 50-50 ATF/kerosene mix for optional use as an "ER-compatible" gun oil. This can be done without impairing the effectiveness of the remaining mix.

Label with necessary SAFETY WARNINGS: RIFLE BORE CLEANER, CAUTION: FLAMMABLE MIXTURE, HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.  Flammable mixture! Keep away from heat, sparks or flame. FIRST AID, If swallowed DO NOT induce vomiting, call physician immediately. In case of eye contact immediately flush thoroughly with water and call a physician. For skin contact wash thoroughly.

The lanolin can be found at better pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens.  Ask the pharmacist, they usually have it in the back, not out on the shelves.

Ed’s Red will not dissolve copper fouling, so have some copper remover solution on hand.  Be aware that the ammonia in the copper remover can damage stock finishes, and will dissolve brass bore brushes.  Have some extra brushes on hand, or use a stainless steel brush.

The next item to have on hand is a quality gun oil.  They are all pretty good.  Note above that you can make your own from ATF/kerosene mix.  If you want to improve on this, add a little lanolin.  The lanolin provides longer term protection, since some of the other ingredients will eventually evaporate.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING "Ed's Red (ER)" Bore Cleaner:
Open the firearm action and ensure the bore is clear. Cleaning is most effective when done while the barrel is still warm to the touch from firing. Saturate a cotton patch with bore cleaner, wrap or impale on jag and push it through the bore from breech to muzzle. The patch should be a snug fit. Let the first patch fall off and do not pull it back into the bore.
Wet a second patch, and similarly start it into the bore from the breech, this time scrubbing from the throat area forward in 4-5" strokes and gradually advancing until the patch emerges out the muzzle. Waiting approximately 1 minute to let the bore cleaner soak will improve its action.

For pitted, heavily carbon-fouled guns, leaded revolvers or neglected bores a bronze brush wet with bore cleaner may be used to remove stubborn deposits. This is unnecessary for smooth, target-grade barrels in routine use.

Use a final wet patch pushed straight through the bore to flush out loosened residue dissolved by Ed's Red. Let the patch fall off the jag without pulling it back into the bore. If you are finished firing, leaving the bore wet will protect it from rust for 1 year under average conditions.

If the lanolin is incorporated into the mixture, it will protect the firearm from rust for up to two years. For longer term use Lee Liquid Alox as a Cosmoline substitute. "ER" will readily remove hardened Alox or Cosmoline.
Wipe spilled Ed's Red from exterior surfaces before storing the gun. While Ed's Red is harmless to blue and nickel finishes, the acetone it contains is harmful to most wood finishes.
Before firing again, push two dry patches through the bore and dry the chamber, using a patch wrapped around a suitably sized brush or jag. First shot point of impact usually will not be disturbed by Ed's Red if the bore is cleaned as described. It is always good practice to clean your guns twice, two days a apart whenever using corrosively-primed ammunition, just to make sure you get all the corrosive residue out. [JWR Adds: If in doubt about the priming used in any batch of military surplus ammunition or any ammunition of any description that is made in Eastern Europe or China, clean your guns repeatedly!]

Remember, after cleaning, you can apply a thin layer of oil to protect from rust.  Blued or parkerized finishes will still rust.  But notice, I say “thin”.  Excess oil will attract dirt, and can freeze an action in very cold weather.

Now, for spare parts.  Replacement spring sets are available for most guns, usually for about $10 to $20.  They are inexpensive, and can be purchased from www.Brownells.com  or www.Midway.com.   The other items I would recommend are replacement pin kits, a spare firing pin, and a spare extractor.  If you have an odd or old gun, you may be able to find parts from Numrich at www.GunPartsCorp.com.  Some guns like an AR-15 have critical spare parts kits available for around $35.  Even if you don’t feel comfortable replacing some of these parts, gunsmiths will be around, and if you have the parts, and diagrams, they can fix it for you.

Recommended tools would include a basic gunsmithing screwdriver set, some pin punches, a plastic faced or rawhide hammer, needle nose pliers, and some sort of vise, with padding for the jaws.  Specialty tools might be a broken shell extractor for your caliber rifle.

Battery powered optical sights are great, but be sure to have spare batteries, and some sort of iron back-up sights in the event they break.  Extra magazines are also essential.

I don’t want to get into specific guns to buy, but I would recommend a “reliable” one.  Cheap or worn-out guns should be replaced now.  You can keep old ones for barter, but don’t rely on them for yourself.  Also, some guns can cycle reliably on any ammo you feed it, while others are very sensitive to different loads and brands.  You may not be able to have the luxury of buying the exact brand that you like in a SHTF situation, so maybe it is time to trade for one that is happy with anything.  Most new guns need at least 500 rounds run through to properly break them in.  Another good reason to practice!

Another good source of information on particular firearms are the gun forums online.  For instance, GlockTalk.com, AK-Builder.com, FALFiles.com, or AR-15.com. You will learn pretty much all that you need to learn from them.  Just remember, as with this and any info you find on the internet, use common sense applying it.

James,
I'm writing to follow up on the recent SurvivalBlog article ".22 Handguns and Other Options For Self Defense". Another consideration to keep in mind when discussing the .22 rimfire: In a TEOTWAWKI situation the need for stealth will be paramount. The .22 LR cartridge lends itself to silencing better than any other caliber. [JWR Adds: Most of the "Target"-designated .22 LR loads are subsonic.] I think the legal purchase of a suppressor in the U.S. ("All NFA rules apply") should be very high on the “to do” list of every “prepper”. The ability to silently eliminate pests, and to take game (in extremis) could go a long way in keeping you under the radar.
  
I’ve heard the old argument about being put on a Government “list” by buying a $200 transfer tax NFA item (suppressor, full auto weapon, short barreled rifle or shotgun) but the truth is that if you have bought any type of firearm, been on Internet sites such as this, or bought any number of items with a credit card or over the Internet you are already on one or more likely many “lists”. - Regards, - R.A.S.

James:
R.F.D. is spot on with the write-up, on .22 LR and to take this a step further,  everyone should do their own "field tests". Most people (My estimation) can not or will not spend enough range time to be proactive in having the hands on experience to get not only the right weapon but equally important the right caliber for them and/also the first hand knowledge of what they can do to both living tissue or objects.  I have over my learning period of 50 plus years and hundreds of thousands of rounds shot, understood that I wanted several calibers and types of guns for my use. For distances under 50 yards, maybe a hyper-velocity .22,  under a 100 a .223, up to 200 yards a .30-06, over 200 yards  my caliber of choice is a .375 H&H magnum.  Again my choices. 
 
I differ in my opinion about the .22 rimfire round, be it a Short, Long, Long Rifle, or the hyper-velocity Long Rifle hollow point.   In first hand experience at a shooting range in Kansas City, Kansas years ago I saw first hand an accidental shooting where one shot to the chest with a standard 22 LR bullet that entered and exited a man's chest killing him on the spot.  My years of outdoor shooting and hunting with most calibers and types of firearms allowed me to to make my own choices on what I determined worked for me.   As everybody has an opinion, the old adage "Do not believe anything you hear and half of what you see"  has worked for me.  As an example take a unopened Number 10 can of any type of food that has gone bad and use it for a target, lets say 20 to 30 yards,  using a .22 pistol or rifle (several barrel lengths in the same caliber would give you a hands on demo of velocity loss in short barrels)  and using a .22 LR CCI Stingers (which is considered to be a hyper-velocity hollow point)  watch what happens to the can when hit.  Its going to enter the front of the can with a pencil size hole but on the backside it will either split the can by exploding the contents or at the very least exit with a slightly larger hole (due to expansion of the hollow point bullet) with a bulging of the can due to energy transfer and a not so nice effect on the contents of the can.  Also try one-gallon plastic jugs filled with water, etc and you will get a  impressive result also.
 
In tests I have used .25 caliber, thru 9mm and .38, on junk yard autos in comparison to hyper-velocity 22LR ammo. Most automobiles are like tanks on the first round hits sometimes it will penetrate sometimes it will not.  I have been amazed that a standard 9mm and .38 Special round may not even penetrate the glass on the first round, though subsequent rounds may.  On metal and even plastic they can be even more limited.  But taking the same vehicle, and given it a hose down with CCI Stingers will be impressive.  I used to ask people if you had a situation where two combatants where only armed with pistols or were at a 100 yard distance shooting at each other one shooting a .22LR with Stingers versus the other armed with a 9mm or .38 Special, then who do you think is going to come out the winner?  My vote is for the person with the .22 LR every time. 
 
I have in my past poached deer at night for food, using a .22 LR hyper-velocity hollow point ammo. A double tap to the head at no more than 20 yards and I never had a deer that survived.  A body shot to the torso, might take one down, but as a hunter the only method is to humanely harvest the animal [with head shots].  In a worst case situation, I am not worried about being humane, just putting the threat down or out of action.   So my advice is make your determination through actual field testing in order to get it right for you. Bottom line, any gun that shoots is better than no gun. Furthermore, shot placement is also a big factor, with several rounds to ensure the outcome is on your side. 
 
Happy Trails, - John in Arizona

Sir:
J.S. did a pretty good review of multi caliber weapons ("Introduction to Multi-Caliber Guns by J.S.") but he forgot the time honored Thompson-Center (T-C) Encore and Contender, now owned by Smith and Wesson single-shot firearms.  
 
The Encore and Contender firearm lines not only allow changing barrels but to convert from pistol to rifle and back again by not only switching barrels but stocks, forearms and grips.  Encores are the larger frame and can handle almost any cartridge that you can.  You can buy barrels from 12 gauge to sub-caliber Hornet based wildcats and with either an offset barrel or a modified firing pin assembly even .22 LR, Long or Short.  There are also muzzleloading barrels in several calibers made for them.  
 
The Contender now being sold in the G2 version is a smaller frame than the Encore that switches between rim and centerfire cartridges with the flip of a lever on the hammer.  Earlier Contenders are not as strong as the G2 version and need to be checked for stretched frames if bought used.  The contender is a 20 gauge and smaller firearm with many common rifle and pistol rounds chambered in the many barrels that have been made for it.  Barrels are interchangeable between Contender and G2 Contender frames but not between the Contender and the Encore frames.   
 
T-C has just introduced a new multi cartridge rifle that is a magazine-fed bolt action repeater with a three-round magazine called the Dimension that has interchangeable barrels, magazines and bolts from .204 Ruger to .300 Winchester Magnum.  It is an interesting firearm that fills some needs. - Lowell K.
 

Captain Rawles,
I just wanted to add to the very well thought out and well-written article, Introduction to Multi-Caliber Guns by J.S. 

He mentions that the .454 Casull can also handle .45 Colt, the new Smith and Wesson .460 S&W Magnum revolver will fire .460 S&W Magnum as well as the .454 Casull and .45 Colt cartridges.   That gives you three options if you were considering a large bore revolver.
 
Keep up the good fight. Thank you - Brad M.

There have been dozens of articles on survival firearms on SurvivalBlog, and many of them focus on the “bare minimum” and/or doing the most with the fewest firearms.  None of us wants to fall into the trap of over-emphasizing firearms at the expense of food, water, arable land, and other supplies for balanced preparation.  We all know of “that guy” with 100 guns and a case of MREs who considers himself prepared for anything.  This is especially important when you’re looking to bug out WTSHTF; it’s very difficult to reconcile leaving firearms behind and, say, 50 long guns + 50 handguns + ammo & accessories can easily fill a truck all by themselves.

I wanted to focus on firearms that can either fire multiple calibers without modification or with fairly minor modification --- no unscrewing of barrels with special spanner wrenches, etc.  There are two purposes behind multi-caliber guns (or MCGs) for the prepper:  to increase the flexibility of the firearm to use found or bartered ammo, and to increase the utility of the firearm (reduced recoil, hunting a larger variety of animals, etc).  The big reason behind most of these for the non-prepper is cost of shooting, which is related to the prepper concern of cost of stockpiling.

I am splitting MCGs into two categories, those that require no modification and those that do.  Some of these are basic knowledge to old hat gun nuts, but talk to any gun store employee and they will tell you there is no such thing as “common knowledge” when it comes to guns.

If I get anything wrong please let me know!  I’ve shot plenty of these but far from all, a lot of this is research.  If in doubt, read the manual that comes with the gun, manufacturers are getting quite savvy at covering their butts with warnings against cartridges that will chamber but aren’t meant for the gun.

MCGs not requiring modification:

Most MCGs that don’t require modification to shoot multiple calibers typically just fire cartridges of the same bore diameter but differing power.  Less powerful cartridges are often cheaper and put far less stress on the weapon (increased longevity).  I list the longest cartridge first.

.22 Long Rifle (LR) / .22 Long / .22 Short:  Nearly all revolvers and tube-fed, non semi-auto (bolt, level, pump) rifles that fire .22 Long Rifle will fire their older, weaker .22 Long and .22 Short cartridges just fine.  Semi autos designed for the .22 LR won’t cycle these weaker cartridges but can be used as a single shot.  The utility is questionable as .22 Long and .22 Short are much, much less common than .22 LR.  .22 Short is fine for pest control in built-up areas but in a true grid-down SHTF scenario I think subsonic .22 LR will be much, much more useful.  Also, the shorter cased .22 Long and .22 Short can build up lead in the chamber (making shooting .22 LR difficult until cleaned) and worse, with continued use can fire-cut the chamber directly in front of the case and ruin it for .22 LR shooting.

***I am not aware of a single firearm that can safely and accurately shoot .22 LR and .22 Magnum (also called .22 WMR) without modification due to the wider case of the .22 Magnum.  .22 Magnum won’t chamber in a .22 LR gun, and while .22 LR will slip just fine into a .22 Magnum chamber, it will cause split cases, jammed cylinders, and other problems.  There are a number of revolvers that can shoot both with a cylinder change that I’ll dig into later in the article.

.357 Magnum / .38 Special:  Probably the most common MCG combination.  Any .357 Magnum revolver and lever / pump action rifle will fire .38 Special.  Both are extremely common.  From a prepper standpoint, I believe one should always get a .357 Magnum versus a .38 Special gun, it’s going to be built much stronger, fires both rounds, and will be just a fraction heavier / larger.  Most .357 Magnum semi autos will not cycle with .38 Specials.  The newer Coonan Arms .357 Magnum pistols are built to use .38 Specials with a special weaker recoil spring.

The most unique variant of the .357 Magnum MCG is definitely the Phillips & Rodgers Model 47 Medusa revolver.  These were low-production in the late 1990s and are exceedingly hard to find and expensive when you do run across one.  They were designed to fire just about any non-bottlenecked pistol bullet (rimmed or not) in the .355-.357 bullet diameter range.  This is 25+ cartridges and includes the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .380, 9x19mm, .38 Super, etc.  They are still in use by the Navy SEALs as they can be fired underwater.  I consider this the ultimate long-term SHTF centerfire handgun, although parts are hard to stock up and a single gun might run you $1500 or more.

.44 Magnum / .44 Special:  Pretty much the same dynamic as the .357 Magnum / .38 Special, although .44 Special isn’t very common and not a discount from “Wal-Mart” .44 Magnum for the shooter/stockpiler.  .44 Special is much more tolerable and easy to shoot than full-bore .44 Magnum loads if you’re considering how to arm your less gun-savvy or smaller-statured friends WTSHTF.  The only .44 Magnum semi-auto pistol I’m aware of, the Desert Eagle, won’t cycle .44 Special.

.327 Magnum / .32 H&R Magnum / .32 S&W Long revolvers:  The new .327 Magnum will fire all three while the .32 H&R Magnum can also fire the .32 S&W Long.  None are very common, the main selling point of the .327 Magnum is that the guns typically hold 6 cartridges versus a snub nose .38 Special or .357 Magnum that holds 5.  Not much SHTF utility here.

.410 bore / .454 Casull / .45 Colt:  There has been a recent crop of .45 Colt revolvers that can also fire .410 bore shotgun shells (Taurus / Rossi Judge series, S&W Governor, etc).  I’ve had the pleasure of shooting an early Judge and think it’s a great pest control gun but fail to see the utility in it WTSHTF.  Perhaps more useful are .454 Casull / .45 Colt revolvers as the .454 can be used on medium to large game along with predator protection while the .45 Colt is a better fit for self defense against two legged varmints.  If you’re convinced you need a shotgun revolver, get a S&W Governor as it will fire .45 ACP as well, kind of a poor man’s Medusa in .45.  The Taurus Raging Judge will fire .410, .454, and .45 Colt but is a big handgun and weighs more than 4 pounds, empty!

While any .454 Casull will fire .45 Colt, don’t try .454 Casull or .45 Colt in any .410 bore shotgun unless it explicitly calls for it.  A good rule is any smoothbore .410 shotgun is only designed for .410 shotgun shells; you’re not going to hit anything smaller than a bus with a .45 Colt out of a smoothbore, and a .454 Casull round just might blow your gun/face up. (It has five times the maximum pressure of a .410 shotgun shell).

MCGs requiring modification:

The sky is the limit with MCGs that require some modification to shoot additional calibers.  New cylinders, barrels, upper receivers, etc turn one firearm into two or more.

.22 Long Rifle conversion kits for semi-auto pistols and rifles:  This is such a great concept that nearly every popular centerfire pistol and rifle has a conversion kit.  Originally popular with military forces for cheap target practice, this has bled over into the civilian shooting community that likes cheap practice too.  For the prepper, this allows one to use one gun for defense / big game hunting and quickly convert to hunt small game.  Also, one can easily and inexpensively stockpile tens of thousands of .22 LR, in a long term SHTF scenario you can keep your guns running longer.  I’d sure rather have a Model 1911 in .22LR versus a butcher knife spear for example.  Below I have listed some common guns that have kits available.

1911s
ARs chambered for 5.56x45mm / .223
Mini-14s chambered for 5.56x45mm / .223
AKs chambered for 7.62x39mm
FAL and clones
G3/HK91 and clones
HK93/33 and clones
UZI
Glocks
Beretta/Taurus 92-style pistols
Browning Hi-Power
SIG-Sauer P series
CZ-75 series

.22 Long Rifle / .22 Magnum switch-cylinder revolvers:  These are revolvers that will shoot both calibers with a simple spare cylinder.  The most common is the well-made Ruger Single Six Convertible.  Harrington & Richardson makes a cheaper knockoff that lacks the transfer bar safety and polish of the Ruger.  Great utility to use two very common cartridges.

.357 Magnum or .38 Special / 9x19mm switch-cylinder revolvers:  Perhaps less well known are the switch cylinder .357 Magnums to fire 9x19mm (although more common in Europe).  Ruger makes a convertible Blackhawk single action.

.45 Colt / .45 ACP switch-cylinder revolvers:  Ruger also makes a Blackhawk convertible for these two calibers.

Rossi Wizard Series:  A couple of years ago Rossi came out with a line of single shot long guns that, with a barrel change, could convert to a large selection of rimfire, centerfire, muzzleloader, and shotgun cartridges.  Now one rifle could be an inexpensive .22 LR, a deer-slaying .30-06, a muzzleloader for that hunting season, and a 12g shotgun for birds --- or anything in between.  Of course, the drawback is it’s a single shot, but the utility is hard to ignore, especially the youth models.  Find out what the most popular calibers are in your area and get a Wizard with those barrels just in case.

7.62x25mm Tokarev / 9x19mm switch-barrel conversions:  Although they can be tough to find, most pistols in 7.62x25mm like the CZ-52 and Tokarev clones have had 9x19mm barrels made for them.  Great way to make these handguns more useful in a SHTF scenario as 7.62x25mm isn’t all that common.

.40 S&W / .357 SIG switch-barrel conversions:  Most popular pistols in either caliber have a barrel available for the other.  If you have one, get the barrel for the other caliber.

I am aware of switch barrels to convert Glocks and SIGs in .40 S&W or .357 SIG to 9x19mm, not sure if there is another pistol this conversion is available for.

10mm / 9x25mm Dillon switch-barrel conversions:  There are 9x25mmD barrels available for 1911s and Glock 20 pistols (perhaps others but I’m not aware of them).  9x25mmD was designed for competition shooting and produces enormous flash and noise.  It does not have much SHTF utility, in my view.

In addition to 9x25mm Dillon, there are switch barrels for the 10mm Glock 20 for .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and even special order .38 Super (these are NOT the same as the stock Glock barrels for their respective models but are special fit for the Glock 20).  The Glock 20 is a pretty amazing gun that can fire 5 calibers with a barrel change and has a .22 LR conversion kit too.  And, since it shares the same frame as the .45 ACP Glock 21, you could get a complete .45 ACP slide & barrel for your Glock 20 to make it a Glock 21 (and then, naturally, get a .400 Cor-Bon barrel for it, see below).  Or go the other way and start with a Glock 21 and get all the Glock 20 stuff.  Great pistols, not a huge surprise they are so popular.  Apologize if anyone went cross-eyed trying to follow this explanation!

.45 ACP / .400 Cor-Bon switch-barrel conversions:  Many pistols chambered for .45 ACP have .400 Cor-Bon barrels available.  Most of the time these don’t require a new recoil spring.  The .400 Cor-Bon is a poor man’s 10mm and is simply a .45 ACP necked down to a .400/10mm bullet.  .400 Cor-Bon never gained much popularity, but there are some that convert their .45 ACP to a 6” barrel .400 Cor-Bon for hunting and predator defense.  For preppers, not sure it’s truly worth the money unless you want one handgun for human and predator defense.

SIG P250 Pistols:  The P250 is a pistol from SIG that can change calibers (.22 LR, 9x19mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) by changing the slide and barrel assembly (and magazines) much like an AR upper.  More expensive than, say, a Glock 22 with a .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and 9x19 barrels but throw in the .45 ACP which a .40 S&W Glock can’t do.  With all of the kits you have a handgun that covers almost every common pistol caliber.  I’d still rather have a Glock 20/21 will all the accessories as described above.

The less common EAA Witness full sized pistols can switch between .22 LR, 9x19mm, .38 Super, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, 10mm, and .45 ACP by changing the slide assembly and magazine.  Each kit is about $200.

AR Upper Receivers:  I saved the best for last, this is where most of the MCG action has been in the last 10+ years.  An entire new family of cartridges has been created around the constraint of the AR-15 magazine well width and AR-10 cartridges like the .243 Winchester have gained popularity as well.  Buying an upper is almost always going to be less expensive than a complete rifle, and if you put a lot of money into a lower with an aftermarket trigger, high-end stock, and grip why not stretch that out to several platforms?  Of course, the big drawback is one lower, one shooter --- bad if you need to defend your retreat and none of your buddies bring a rifle.  Some may come to the conclusion that 2-3 complete ARs are better than one lower and 5 uppers.  If you’re going to make the leap, I am of the opinion that a 5.56x45mm base rifle + pistol caliber matching your sidearm + 6.5 Grendel long barrel with scope + .22 LR conversion kit would be the most effective and efficient setup.  Note that, even pinching pennies with lower end upper assemblies, this will be almost $3,000 before optics.  For $2,500 you could buy a basic AR, an inexpensive pistol carbine like a Hi-Point or Kel-Tec SUB2000, a budget long range .308 bolt action rifle, and a .22 LR kit for your AR (or basic Ruger 10/22 rifle) and have 3-4 complete guns.  It’s not for everyone and your mileage may vary.  I honestly don’t see much utility in multiple uppers for AR-10s as, beyond .308 and .243, the cartridges are just not all that common. 

Now, the newly announced Colt CM-901, with its lower receiver that can adapt to both AR-15 and AR-10 size uppers, will be a great SHTF platform if it works as advertised.  You could have a CQB 5.56mm carbine and a long range .308 in one platform.

Upper calibers for AR-15 type guns (available non-custom):
5.56x45mm / .223 (of course)
.22 Long Rifle (although the conversion kits are going to be cheaper by a long shot)
5.45x39mm (super cheap surplus ammo but filthy and often corrosively primed!)
7.62x39mm
6.5 Grendel (great long range cartridge)
6.8x43mm SPC
.300 AAC Blackout (great for suppressed rifles)
9x19mm (also great for suppressed rifles)
.45 ACP
.40 S&W
10mm
.50 Beowulf
.450 Bushmaster
.458 SOCOM
.30 Remington AR
.243 WSSM (Olympic Arms)
.25 WSSM (Olympic Arms)
.300 OSSM (Olympic Arms)
.204 Ruger
5.7x28mm
.50 BMG single shot (not sure how great these are, but they’re available)
And more…

Upper calibers for AR-10 type guns (not all are current production):
7.62x51mm / .308 Winchester (of course)
.243 Winchester
.260 Remington
7mm-08
6.5 Creedmoor
.338 Federal
.284 Winchester
.450 Marlin
.358 Winchester
.257 Roberts
Entire WSM family
Entire SAUM family

I hope this detailed look into multi-caliber guns gives good food for thought, especially if you’re looking to build a small battery of flexible SHTF firearms that’s highly portable versus a huge, difficult to move stockpile at your permanent live-in retreat.

The art of making usable material out of the skin of animals has been in practice since the beginning of mankind. Hide tanning is one of the oldest skills known to man that is still in practice today. I'm sure that with the economy the way it is anyone who isn't rich and in their right mind won't want to pay the going price for quality leather, much less traditionally tanned leather. 

Not only is the making of leather an old practice but it was used all over the world and to a certain extent, still is today. Leather can be used for anything that needs to be durable under hard conditions such as shoes, saddles, and armor. However, the American Indians tanned a more supple, softer leather than the stiff, rugged tacking leather that we know of and are used to often known as buckskin. While being almost as durable as the shoe leather of the English settlers, it was also just as soft and porous as a cotton T-shirt. It has been told that George Washington actually ordered white buckskin pants made for his soldiers to reduce resources spent on fabric and sewing. However, with the introduction of the industrial revolution, the former art of tanning using bark and brains was replaced with chrome tanning and other chemical tanning agents. Buckskin was then replaced with denim and other strongly woven fabrics. The convenience of this “new” material out sold the small cottage business and the art of brain tanning all but disappeared. Bark tanning on the other hand is still used today and encouraged in the US to protect the environment rather than the use of toxic chemicals.

I became interested in tanning after my dad shot his first deer. While always having been raised under the classic motto of  “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”, I wanted to try to tan the hide. Being only about 14years old at the time I didn't really have a lot of money to spend on chemicals and professional tanning equipment. Instead started researching the original methods that could be done with nothing more than what was found in the woods or that I could make myself. So I gathered the materials I needed based on what information I had read. Even though I read a book on brain tanning and several online articles, it still took a lot trial and error for me to figure it out. I completely destroyed about 5 or 6 deer hides before I got 1 deer hide decently tanned.

Now, if we look at the practical aspects of tanning in the light of a preparedness lifestyle; we see many more uses to leather than what meets the eye. For example, If the grid was to go down and society as we know it goes back to a hunter gatherer environment, then being able to make and provide your own clothing could be critical to your survival. Needless to say leather would outlast anything that could be woven or spun and in turn also be twice as warm without sacrificing physical comfort or ease of use. Leather can also be a great bartering tool. Even now, the going price for brain, egg, oil ,   buckskin is anywhere from $15 to $25 a sq ft and bark tanned leather for about $10 to 15 a sq ft. In a post apocalyptic scenario, that could equate to canned goods or ammo.  Did I mention that leather tanned using the traditional methods is can even be eaten? If you boil buckskin, the preserved fibers in the hide basically disintegrate into moist, soft, spaghetti like texture. No, I've not eaten buckskin so I can't really say how it tastes, But I know people who were daring enough to try it and they liked it. If you've ever eaten brains, tongue, liver, you lunch meat from the local grocery store I think it can be done.

Judging from my personal experience, learning to tan is not something anyone will likely learn in any one article or book. For me it took trial and error, for others it took someone showing them or giving hands on experience in a class or personally. That is why it is important to research and learn this fabulous skill. For me, perseverance was key. Even though I had completely ruined at least 5 different deer hides before I ever got the 1 tanned it made the difference between me knowing how to keep my family clothed; during a sustained collapse or not. I believe tanning is and important skill to learn, and in hopes of inspiring someone to begin learning on their own I will outline the three basic steps in tanning. Since I've only tanned deer hides so far, I will explain as though it were with a deer hide. I do plan on tanning different kinds of hides and furs, but for now, I stay busy with deer hides.     

First, you'll need to gather the tools.  You'll need the following tools:    a scraper, five gallon bucket or two, some cord (optional), either 1 pound of pork or cattle brains (that is, if your not using the brains that came with the animal.), or about 6 eggs, or one bar of you favorite smelling bars of soap with about 2 cups of any kind of non petroleum based oil, a basic understanding of the tanning process, and a lot of willingness to work. I use an old scythe blade as a scraper because it is just sharp enough to scrape off the hair, flesh, and membrane and not so sharp that it will cut up the hide. Whatever tool usually works fine as long as its not too sharp.

Three basics step are required to successfully tan deer hides, scraping, dressing, and tanning. There are quite a few variables as far as how to complete each step, different tools for each step, and so on. Do remember that even if you were to try and tan really traditionally using one method of a certain American Indian tribe for instance, you would have to pick which tribe because they all had different methods. Every tanner has a special formula or secret ingredient that supposedly makes the hide greater in some way. The best thing for any interested beginner is to just try a few different ways of tanning on some hides for themselves and find out what works best for them.

Scraping- the first thing you need to do is get your hide ready to scrape. If it was in the freezer, thaw it using some hot water just so that it gets back to being flexible and loose just like it did when I came off the animal. If you got it from a friend or a butcher who salted it, than you'll want to scrape all of the salt off, or just proceed to fleshing.

The first part of the scraping process is to flesh the hide. The goal of this part is to get all of the big chucks of meat, fat, and membrane off of the hide so that all you can see is the white part of the hide. Its up to you if you save the hide junk or not. I don't because I don't need it, but I know people who use it as dog treats. I know that the Inuit Indians up north save all of that stuff for tallow and to eat in stews and such. Who knows, if we ever come to TEOTWAWKI, than I might just be eating some hide meat.

Next you de-hair the hide. There are many ways to go about this step; I soak the hide in a wood ash/water solution known as the buck. This is to raise the pH of the hide toward the alkaline side of things so that the emulsified oils can penetrate later when you dress the hide. The other purpose of the buck is to swell the hide so that the hair will slip and kind of fall out on its own. This is a good step, but isn't necessary. Some people just soak it in water until the hair slips. I've done both and always prefer to buck the hide. It make everything much easier!

Now that the hide has been fleshed and de-haired, the flesh side of the hide has to be scraped again to get all of the membrane off. Even though that side has already been scraped, there is still an underlying layer of membrane called the Hypo-Dermis. that should be removed. If the hide was bucked, then it has to be done because the membrane has been stained by the ashes which might cause skin issues if it's left. If you just soak it in water really good instead of bucking the hide, you don't have to worry about that as much. In fact, some people leave the membrane because it gives a nice fuzzy feel to it. I don't like the fuzzy feel, so I don't keep the membrane.

Now that the hide has been successfully scraped, it should be rinsed thoroughly to get all of the hair and junk off of it. If the hide was bucked than it would be a good idea to either give it a vinegar bath, or soak it in a creek. The reason being that the alkalinity needs to be rinsed out either by balancing the pH levels with acidic vinegar, or by a constant current to whisk the alkalinity out of the hide. I use vinegar because we always have it in our house and it's easily at my disposal. But if we needed that vinegar for preps because the grocery store is being looted you can bet that I'll go down by the creek to rinse my hides! Just remember that if you use vinegar to only use about 1/4 cup per 3 gallon. A little goes a long way.

Dressing- This is the easy step. A lot of people really freak out about this step, but since I'm crazy enough to mess with dead animal skin, I guess I'm crazy enough to mess with dead animal brains! In truth, however, I seldom tan a hide with just brains. Since not every one who gives me deer hides also gives me the head and I simply refuse to spend money on tanning, I have to conserve my brains (thus the title). But, since we also try to save soap for washing, oil for cooking, and eggs for eating, I somehow have figured out how to mix them all together into one happy family. I also never mentioned that you can also use the liver and eyes. A little too grotesque? Well then there's also corn, jojoba berries, yucca root,  and even aloe juice. The goal is to coat the inner fibers of the hide with emulsified oils so that when you soften the hide it doesn't stiffen up. The hide becomes stiff because of the individual fibers in the hide locking together

There is a couple of things that needs to be done to get the hide ready for the dressing. Once the hide is rinsed, all of the moisture needs to be wrung out really good. And when I say really good, I mean REALLY good! The idea is to have it as dry as possible without getting it too dry. What I usually do is I get a strong stick, like an axe handle, and throw the top of the hide over the clothes line pole. Once the hide is over the pole so that there's more hide hanging off of one side of the pole than the other. Then put the other end of the hide over the end that's already on the pole so that there's a hide loop. Roll the two sides of the hide together and put the stick in the middle of the hide loop. Twist it until you can't twist any more then hold it until the water leaving the hide becomes just a drip and untwist then twist the other way and repeat. Once the hide is wrung as wrung gets, (trust me, you'll know) you'll need to stretch it back open so that the hide is all white again. Remember that the hide will still be wet in some spots and this is fine. Nobody is going to get every last drop of water out of the hide. Besides, you'll have to wring it after it is dressed and re-dress it a few times before the hide is ready to soften anyway.

Dressing the hides goes as follows: get about 2 cups of whatever emulsified pudding you plan to dress the hide in, mix it with 3 to 5 gallons of hot water, and work the hide into the dressing. A good dressing to start with would be about a half dozen eggs of any kind , or about 1 pound of brains. Once the hide is worked into the dressing thoroughly, leave it for a while and wring it again. I usually wring my hides at least 3 times to make sure that the dressing penetrated all of the pores good enough. Should the dressing not penetrate good enough than stiff spots will occur resulting in a hide that is not uniformly soft.

Tanning - First, the hide needs to be softened.  This is done by working the hide continuously until it is completely dry. If the hide is not dry by the time you quit working it, than it will get stiff.

There are 2 different ways to soften hides, 1) hand softening, 2) frame softening. The first hide I ever tanned was hand softened and I vowed to myself that I would never do it again. There is nothing wrong with the method itself, it's just that I couldn't figure it out and when I tried, I failed. I feel lucky that I  eventually tanned 1 hide using that method.

The general idea behind hand softening is simply to keep stretching the hide in multiple directions constantly. Some people use a steel cable pull the hide against the cable using a back and forth motion. On the other hand, some simply stretch the hide between their knees. The benefit of this method is that at any moment that you might need a break, you can put the hide in an airtight bag so that is doesn't dry out and get back to it when you have time. One way or the other, it is important to keep stretching and working hide until it is dry.

I on the other hand prefer to frame soften. Using this method requires some wood to build a frame with, some cord to lace it into the frame with, and a stick to soften it with. The benefit of this method is that the hide stretches wider and thinner rather than in whatever shape that it happened to be in when it finished drying. Yeah, you can't put a bag on it when your ready to quit, but the hide also dries faster because more of it is exposed to air at once. However, the key still is to work the hide until it is completely and uniformly dry and soft. If the hide should try to dry up, take it out of the frame and throw it back in the dressing before it dries too much. Otherwise you'll have a dried up, stiff mess that won't take the dressing as easily.

Once the hide is softened, jump up and down in celebration, because the hide is tanned! Now, you have the option to either smoke the hide, or leave it white. Wood smoke has a natural chemical in it known as formaldehyde that will create tiny little “bridges” between the fibers that you worked to hard to preserve so that should the hide ever get wet it would retain it's softness. A lot of people actually machine wash their hides to knock the smoky smell off of them. Also, smoking the hides gives them some color. What color depends on what kind of wood is used, the moisture level of the wood, how old the wood is, etc. I've gotten shades everywhere from light tan to dark brown.

There are a few different ways to smoke hides. Some people make a tepee and drape the hide over the fire. I've tried this method before and didn't like it because it took too long to completely smoke the hide. Instead, I glue the hide together lengthwise leaving one end open so that it resembles a case or a pouch. I then tie cord to the two top corners of the “hide case” and hang the hide from a branch, pole, or anything of the appropriate height. Once the hide is hung as described, I get a old coffee can, build a fire in it,  let the fire die so that its only coals, then put my smoking material on the coals so it produces smoke. When I get my smoke, I put the hide over the coffee can and tie it on so that the smoke goes into the hide and create almost a balloon with the smoke in the hide. Using this method requires that the holes be sewn shut so the smoke doesn't leave the hide. Once the hide is smoked it will last a very long time. I suggest washing it a few times, hanging it on the clothes line overnight, soaking it in water or something to knock the smoke smell off of it.

As I mentioned before, learning to tan from a single article on the internet is not likely. It took me hours and hours of research, talking to people on online discussion forums, experimenting with different methods, and a lot of trial and error. This article is really nothing more than a teaser and a crash course on some tanning basics. I encourage anyone truly interested in preparing or survival skills in general  to educate themselves in this incredibly rewarding and useful art.   

Disclaimer:
I am a novice enthusiast. I will no doubt get concepts, practices or terminology wrong, in spite of a fair amount of research.  Forgive this please…..

I blithely lived out 51 years of life with a gun phobia. I have no idea why they scared me so, but scare me they did, and so I spent the bulk of my life with a generalized “guns must be bad because I’m afraid of them; they hurt and kill people” mindset.  My darling husband wasn’t really into shooting, when we married and since. He had an old .22 rifle that  he traded for in 1976 that was used maybe once every 2-3 years to shoot at a “varmint“, and I remember 2 or 3 occasions of going out plinking with someone’s handgun, that I wouldn‘t (couldn’t!) participate in: that was as far as our household ever got with firearms. And of course with my phobia I was always insistent that the .22 stay in the garage, or the shed, or the barn. No dangerous guns in my house, no sir.

Then came March of 2008. My “awakening“, my “becoming aware”. It started with Chris Martenson’s Crash Course, wandered into SurvivalBlog, and soon I was on my way toward becoming a full fledged prepper. So with my reading, and my believing of what was is coming down the pike in terms of our sustainability and survivability, firearms became a subject I was going to have to address. The simplistic liberal teachings I had always believed, that “guns kill people”, therefore “less guns means less killing“, were teachings that I soon realized I needed to really think through. Was it just my phobia? Was I being rational with my gun bias? What did statistics say? Why do people keep guns in their households? What is this 2nd Amendment stuff I keep reading about, and why might it be important? How does one’s personal morality fit with gun ownership? So I started reading and I started thinking. It seems silly and redundant for me to go into all of what I learned/came to realize (preaching to the choir here, I know!), and would take too long; suffice it to say that I came to see that the use of firearms in defending oneself and one’s family against thieves and killers, or unconstitutional governments or gangs, is not an immoral choice. I came to see the truth in the saying (paraphrasing here) “when guns are illegal, only criminals will own guns”, and I came to see that guns can save a life in more-than-equal measure to taking one. Ultimately, embracing preparedness finally did what nothing else could do for me: I saw the need for not only having guns in the house, but for learning how to use and care for them myself.

How did I start? was deathly afraid of the things.  My first step was having my husband bring the .22 into the house. I looked at it and I lived with it, every day. It was never shot, but just having it in the house was a necessary first step for my phobic self. After a few weeks I felt ready (gingerly, very very gingerly) to handle the rifle, to have my husband explain to me how it worked, what it ate for fuel, what safe handling of the thing meant. I kept telling/reminding myself that I was committed to learning about firearms, committed to getting over this phobia. This would be a recurring thought-process throughout my entire journey: “mind over matter”. It became easier as time went by, as I discovered that shooting can actually be fun. But early on it was a struggle. I had to work through safe use of firearms = handling = familiarity = beginning acceptance. Handling and learning about the gun helped immensely.

After a few months I felt ready for some back-pasture plinking. Not so scary anymore, actually kind of fun. Familiarity with the gun was working. Feeling safer and more competent with what I was doing was working. But it was time to take things to the next level, a level I couldn’t achieve with my husband. So sorry, but husbands as a rule are not good gun-trainers with gun-newbie wives. They are not as concerned with safe practices as we are, and they have the “I’ve always done it this way so this is the way you do it” -  mentality. (Gotta love ‘em, but don’t always have to learn to shoot with ‘em.) And of course in my case, I have a husband who hans’t done a whole lot of shooting himself. It was a classic case of the blind leading the blind.

How to start some gun-education for me? I thought about seeking out area gun ranges or clubs to find professional training, but found none closer than 25 miles away, my work schedule was problematic, and really I still felt too intimidated with my lack of gun knowledge to try them for starter training. I don’t even know what gun(s) I should learn to shoot! What now? Hallelujah - Women On Target (WOT) days to the rescue! I don’t remember how we found out about them…..online?  (My journey towards firearms has been in conjunction with a woman friend), but we did indeed find out about this wonderful resource. WOT days, sponsored by the NRA, are an absolutely excellent resource for women wanting to learn about firearms. A full day of shooting, with caring and patient instructors, in all manner of firearms, with a fine lunch and an affordable price - this is a day not to be missed. The workshops are short and low-key, suitable for novices and more experienced shooters alike. They are set up to just allow women the experience of shooting a variety of guns with no performance pressure under safe and comfortable conditions.  Newbies are welcomed and coddled, and the instructors at all of the workshops I attended just wanted you to be successful at some manner of shooting. They went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and safe and competent. And the women-only camaraderie makes the day way fun, everyone supports and cheers achievements, and there’s great swag at the end of the day too!

We shot all manner of guns: different high-powered rifles, various sizes/calibers of handguns, shotguns, black-powder rifles, and archery was included too. It is an opportunity to figure out just what kind of gun you/a woman is most comfortable with. I initially thought that while I had my bit of background with a .22 rifle, I needed to learn to shoot a handgun, as a handgun is obviously the best choice for women. I wanted to learn what was the best handgun for me. Well, surprise. After my first two WOT days (I have since attended a third), I realized that I am a shotgun woman. Can’t explain it, there is no reason for it, but out of all the shooting I did, the shotgun was the gun for me. It was the fun factor. Both workshops used both semi-autos and pumps, and I immediately gravitated to a pump action shotgun as a firearm I could actually have fun with. It was a defining moment. (A confession: pumping that action is downright sexy.) I had found a firearm that “spoke to me”, and therefore one that I was interested in learning about and becoming competent with. This, it seems to me, is where a newbie interest starts, with finding a firearm that has the fun factor.  My friend who has attended all the workshops with me is starting to become a high-powered rifle aficionado, against all odds. She, like me, had started this learning process thinking that a handgun was what she wanted to focus on, but her exposure to target rifles convinced her otherwise (and I see venison in my future as a result of her unexpected affinity for the hunting rifles. The woman is uncannily accurate for a newbie!) . Bottom line: a WOT day can start the process toward learning what firearm is the one a woman naturally gravitates to. The one she can have an interest in and wants to earn competence in. The one that has some fun factor. And that is the gun that the newbie woman should focus on, whatever it may be.

Because let’s face it, a modern life is a busy life. Full-time jobs, children and grandchildren, homemaking and caretaking: adding a new hobby/learning-experience can be a hard thing to fit into the day. So even though learning a firearm is serious business, finding one that she finds fun to shoot means that she will find/make the time to practice and learn. I think this is such an important point that it cannot be overstated: you have got to find a firearm that your woman can have fun with, before she can or will commit to learning and training.

As for me, deciding that I wanted to learn to shoot a shotgun ended up being the way around the last vestiges of my phobia, with it becoming something I so enjoyed doing. Yes, I should become familiar and proficient with handguns, and rifles, and other tools of self defense. But I have to start somewhere, and since I realized that I am never going to be a true gun freak, it made sense for me to focus my energies on the one gun I truly enjoy shooting. I must have my own shotgun. I want to learn about and become familiar with and practice with and become competent with my very own one gun. I looked around for recommendations. After extensive internet research and lots of  local “good ol boy” questioning,  I decided that the Remington 870 Youth Express 20 gauge pump action was the gun for me. Ease of use, affordability and reliability were all criteria that the Remington seemed to offer. And my research told me that a 20 gauge shotgun makes a decent home defense weapon.

And they were right. Oh, she’s a honey! I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying shooting this gun. I’m not yet terribly proficient in target-shooting (though I ain‘t half-bad, either) but I am at this point quite competent in proper shouldering and follow through (no bruises!), quick loading and safe carrying. My accuracy will improve as I practice more out in the pasture with the cheap manual clay-thrower we got for me, We are able to get out for practice about twice a month. I’m so far sticking to 2 ¾” field loads in it; later I want to branch out to practice with buckshot, which load I understand is more suitable for home defense - I will have to learn to switch out the choke tube. And we last month installed a sling on my shotgun, so that I could/can now tote my gun cross country or in the field easily, if a situation would require it. Perhaps later I could even be responsible for putting some meat on the table!

My gun phobia is all but gone. (I am, however, left with a very healthy respect for safe practices. I joke to my husband that there are none so safe with a gun as the formerly gun phobic. We know that all guns are always loaded, and always know exactly where that barrel is pointed.) And my beginner training continues. My friend and I this fall attended a three-day Becoming an Outdoor Woman (BOW) weekend that my state holds - another remarkable learning opportunity for women.  Three days of  3 and 4-hour workshops in all sorts of outdoor skills, with lodging and meals - it’s a kind of “summer camp for women“. I of course signed up for all of the beginner shotgun workshops, and learned so much more about my shooting stance, and sighting, and the classroom instruction on how a shotgun actually works was fascinating (go figure: that I could come to enjoy a classroom lecture on how a shotgun works!) I came away with a new appreciation, and new tools, for learning how to use my shotgun.  My goals for the coming year are to attend an Appleseed Weekend and a Hunter’s Safety Course.  Both seem basic and must-do in my newbie quest toward firearm learning, safety and competence. I have also now found a “mentor”, a friend of my husband who will help me learn disassembly, cleaning, and choke tube switching of my shotgun. And I am looking again at the gun clubs within driving distance, that I dream of perhaps setting up some more-professional one-on-one training for me. I'm learning all of this slowly but surely.

So, there is my little story. I understand that I am nowhere near ready to repel a home invasion, or to be asked to join the 673rd Shotgun Infantry Fighting Rebels (Hey, I can see it happening). Still, I am starting to feel empowered, and competent, and oh so much more self-sufficient. (And I’m having a lot of fun too!) It is a wonderful thing, this feeling of knowing that whatever may come in the months and years ahead that I am better prepared to defend myself, my family, my homestead. And my feelings of empowerment are something that I think any gun shy or gun phobic woman can come to embrace, with proper and patient exposure and instruction.

(An aside: At this point in time [December 2011], I really hope to be given the time to get more proficient with my gun, before I have a true need for it. I worry more and more that such time is running out. I wish that I had started earlier.)

In summary:

(1) Try to get her involved! Think of ways to get your newbie woman to see the wisdom of having shooting skills. Think of ways to expose her to firearms. Exposure can grow into acceptance. Acceptance can grow into enthusiasm.
(2) Consider WOT and BOW. See above, and Google for information on programs in your state.  Women-only workshops can help take the fear, the mystique, and the performance pressure out of shooting, and allow her to find the “fun factor”.
(3) Find the firearm she considers fun. It doesn’t matter which one or type, if she can find the fun in shooting it she will be more likely to want to learn. Any start is a good start toward learning shooting skills.

God bless, happy shooting, and may we never need to raise our guns in fear or anger.

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.

Many of us have, within our Bug Out Bag some kind of basic survival fishing rig (like those sold at Ready Made Resources or Camping Survival) be it a simple hook, line, and sinker tucked away in a plastic case, in the handle of a survival knife, a pill bottle, plastic pack or metal tin, or a slightly more elaborate setup that might include a small fishing reel and telescopic rod or a small Yo-Yo fishing reel.  Regardless of what rig you possess at the time TSHTF, it is important to have some general knowledge and ability in order to accomplish the desired outcome while fishing—and that is catching fish.   Let’s face it, those of us that have never fished for anything with the exception of the remote control between the cushions of the sofa, could benefit from some tips to increase our chances, especially if it means the difference between a much needed meal or going hungry for yet another day.

Introduction
For the sake of brevity, the focus of this discussion is going to be on the simplest of fishing transactions.  There are an overwhelming variety of fishing styles (sport, spear, bow, nets, etc.), methods (bottom, top water, drift), types of equipment, locations, environments, etc. that can be included in the discussion, but the scope of this writing will be limited to freshwater, a simple fishing setup such as what is found in a typical off-the-shelf or homemade survival kit and what is typically available in terms of the live bait. The goal will be to increase the basic familiarity of it to the prepper  or the  persons in a G.O.O.D. situation that has little to no knowledge about the act of fishing and may be forced to act in that capacity to generate sustenance to survive.     

Contrary to what you may think, successfully fishing to the desired outcome is not necessarily easy and likely one of the more difficult foods to get from the water, but it’s certainly not impossible.  There are many considerations and factors that go into a successful fishing event and some of them include, fishing equipment being used (rod and reel, net, archery, spear, trapping, etc.), weather conditions (heavy rain, full sun, snow), body of water being fished (stream, pond, lake, river), bait available, time of day (dawn, noon, dusk), and season (spring, winter, summer), clarity and depth of water, temperature of the air and water, and the amount of cover in and around the water just to name a few.  Many of the negative factors, some more than others, can be overcome with experience and knowledge.   The argument can be made, that for the time and energy invested, fishing is not the best plan to procure a meal (I’ve gone home on more than one occasion with an empty stringer)--but given a particular situation it just may be your best opportunity at that moment. 

Equipment
The typical survival fishing setup provides the bare essentials to fish-- a hook, line and possibly sinkers—and doesn’t involve legalities such as licenses and other regulations.  If you are going to practice your skills please make sure you comply with all federal/state/local laws—or get the permission of the land owner if you are going to practice on a private pond or lake.  The line and sinkers are designed to get the bait and hook down to where the fish are at.   It is important that you inspect your fishing line and the knot at the hook.  Don’t wait until you need it to find out that the heat has weakened or frayed your line to the point that a slight pull would result in it snapping—that is the last thing you want to happen when your next meal is on the other end.   Monofilament lines (common type of fishing line typically used in survival fishing kits) will breakdown over time and that effect is accelerated with the addition of heat.  It may be worth your while to invest is a small spool of high quality 8-10 pound test braided fishing line available at any sporting goods store or section in one of the big box stores.  This braided, or multifilament line has greater strength and durability when compared to monofilament, but it is more expensive and not without its unique issues.  If you can’t keep the entire spool in your BOB, create a mini spool using a small piece of cardboard and wrap as much as you can (space permitting) around it.  Consider (safely) including a couple of larger sewing needles in with your fishing line—this can help stitch tears, mend other items during the course of your travels , and provide you many other uses should the need arise.   

Your knot on the end of the fishing line is just as important as anything else.  If this is the weak link then you can say good bye to a hook and your dinner.  It is essential to know how to tie a good knot and one or more that meet the needs of your applications.   Animatedknots.com , Realknots.com or Netknots.com are just a few good sources of animated/pictures of knot tying examples.  Additionally, there are several resources (such as knot cards) concerning knot tying for your BOB available at Camping Survival.   Knowledge of knots in a practical or an outdoor survival situation can’t be overstated.  Some of the considerations, other than fishing requiring knowledge of knots include:  lashing/securing/binding items together, climbing, creating a loop, splicing ropes, tying bandages, are just a few.           

It may also be in your best interest to invest is some additional hooks.  They are light and don’t take up a bunch of space and it is almost assured you will lose some in the course of fishing.  There are a wide variety of hooks for different purposes.   In this case we want to stick with bait hooks.  These type hooks are designed with small barbs on the shank of the hook to help hold the bait in place.  From my personal experience the size of the fish I wish to catch and the bait I’m using determines the size of the hook.   In my kit I carry #12 to #8 sized hooks because my primary target will be the pan fish family, a plentiful and easy to catch fish such has bluegills, sunfish, and crappies.  A smaller hook is a good compromise because not only can you catch small fish, but also larger fish. The reverse is not always the case.  My goal is to obtain as much food as I need, as fast as I can, with as little effort as possible.  This family of fishes has very rarely let me down over the course of 30 years of fishing.  Now if I catch a good sized Trout I will certainly be better off in terms of the amount of total protein, but I am relatively sure I can catch more bluegills in the same amount of time (if at all) than it would take me to catch a 4-5 pound trout or bass with a survival rig.

Fishing with a bare line is not impossible but adding that line to a moderately thick green branch can: aid you in getting that hook and bait closer to your next meal, allow you to hold that bait over the target longer, give you access to additional areas that require additional reach (working around a muddy river bank keeping you from slipping in, working in and around cover, placing the bait into a quite pool, etc.).   Select a limb that will withstand a significant amount of pull from the top one-third of it without snapping, rigid is good but you want the limb to flex some (absorb moderate pull) without snapping.   Keeping your line far enough from the tip of the stick, using a pocket knife or something similar, bevel in a smooth notch into the wood all the way around the stick (must be very smooth to ensure the line does not get accidentally frayed or cut by a rough spot on the wood).  Make sure you don’t go in too deep into the wood and unintentionally make it too weak in that area.  If the limb is thick enough, it should easily withstand a 1-5 pound fish--but take the extra precautions and test it.  This beveling will keep your line from sliding off the end of your makeshift “pole” (if you have one, you can also use an eye screw attached to your pole as a fastening point too).   Tie a sufficient length of fishing line for the depth and distance you will be fishing (using a hitch knot or something similar) around the notched area.  Make sure that it is tight enough that it will not fall off or be pulled off when a fish is hooked.  Add your fish hook on the other end of the line and sinkers if you have them (these help get your bait down to the level where the fish are).  Here again, use a good knot, as it would be a bad thing to lose both your meal and a hook at the same time. Not that you have too, but if you want to add a home-made bobber, try this.  Simply find a twig, ¼ inch or slightly thicker, about 1-3 inches long and trim all the bark off of it (contrasting color in the water).  Then bevel evenly around the circumference of the stick, like you did with your fishing pole, but more toward one end, not exactly in the middle.  Determine the level you want your bait to be at, based on how high the bobber will be on your line—high is deeper, lower is shallow.  Once that is known, you can attach the bobber to your main line.  Take the main line, place it against the bobber.  Using a small length of extra line (or small wire, rubber band, etc.), simply wrap it tightly a few times around bobber and main line forcing it into the beveled area (toward the bottom) of the bobber and tie off with a tight knot.  A rubber band would make this process even easier and allow you to quickly adjust the depth if needed plus they are helpful for other things as well.  With a little ingenuity you can make a bobber with just about anything that floats.  This is just one variation of a home-made/survival fishing pole set-up.  There are many interesting creations out in YouTube to give you some idea on how to create your own.  Find one you like, build it, experiment, try it out and share it with others if it works.       
Bait
The next component to a successful survival fishing undertaking is bait.  Here again, the focus will be on the natural side of things or what might be available in and around the body of fresh water where you would be fishing.  Yes, you can fish successfully with artificial lures, flies, and plastic imitation baits but that will likely not be in your standard kit unless you supplemented it with those items (and if you did that, then you are likely proficient in this skill and will find this article to rudimentary for your purposes).  When searching for bait, look into and around the water for sources of food that the fish consume.  If you see tadpoles in the water, mussels, or crawfish, that would be a good bait to use.  You might see grasshoppers or other insects floating in the water or around the shore—if they can fit on your hook those would also be great bait items.  A general rule of thumb:  big bait, big fish, small bait, small fish.  Some suggestions for bait include:  tad poles, small frogs and toads, fish eggs, grubs, beetles, millipedes, crickets, worms, crayfish, larva, freshwater crabs, minnows, fish fry (young fish), caterpillars, fresh water shrimp, mussels, etc.  Look in or under rotten logs or stones, high grass (for hoppers), around the shore line, under rocks in streams, or under plies of leaves--but always use caution.  Take some time to explore the area and don’t be afraid to try different baits out.  Sometime fish can be as finicky as people in what they choose to eat.  Also—word of advice:  if you are not sure what it is, don’t take a chance on getting bit or stung—you can’t afford that in a survival situation!  Move on to something safer and surer.  Always keep your situational awareness in active mode.

Setting the hook, especially in sport fishing, is a very import part of the “catch”.  Since this discussion involves a survival situation the focus is on catching food not sport.  For the most part, when fishing with live bait, many fish will quickly ingest the bait since it is real and something they recognize and regularly feed on.  In a situation such as this, the fish will likely swallow the bait and hook itself—what is often called a gut hook.  This significantly increases the mortality in a sport/catch and release situation (hook removal).  In a normal situation you will want to avoid this and can do so with a quick hook set.  There may even be legal requirements in your area on how to handle a “gut hooked” fish—so be aware.   However, in a survival situation hook setting is another important step in securing food.  Once you feel the weight of the fish (tug), simply snap the rod (or line) in an upward motion and to the left or right. If the hook sets, you will feel the fish fighting (pulling) on the other end.  The goal is now how quickly you can get that fish safely out of the water.  Remember different fish species have different biting patterns, some are aggressive and some light biters.  Here again, practice and learn from your experiences.             

After you catch your first fish, you can cut open the abdomen, and remove the intestines and other organs.  Cut open the stomach and examine the contents and that will tell you about the fish’s diet.  Examples of this can be seen at the Hi-lakers web site. These parts of the fish can also be successfully used as bait as well.  When using “live” bait the goal is to keep it that way.  Hook the bait in such a way that it appears natural (hook hidden) and that it will stay alive as long as possible.  For example, if you are using a minnow as bait, you want it to be able to swim around; therefore you hook it thru the tail, or the lips, or under the spine (from the top of the fish). No, it won’t be hidden but it will stay alive longer.  If you bring the hook too close to the spine, you will kill the fish or at a minimum paralyze it.   The same can be said of frogs, crayfish, or freshwater shrimp, hook them in a way that they will stay alive longer.  With crickets, grasshoppers, grubs and worms their life span is significantly limited in the water—unless they have scuba gear.  With these baits the important thing is to secure the bait and hide the hook!  Of note, it is an important fact to point out that many times the bait you may collect can also double as food for you.  So if you can’t catch a fish, at least you can eat the bait.  Frogs, toads, crawfish, worms, crickets, and grubs in sufficient quantities can provide substance.  Just do your homework so you know how to identify the good stuff and ways to safely consume it.  

Location, Time, Temperature, Weather, the Moon, and Seasons
Finding the best location to fish can also mean the difference between a full stomach and an empty one.  Generally speaking, fish need cover for protection and to provide them sources of food.  Cover comes in a variety of forms both in the water and out of the water.  Some examples of cover in the water can be a sunken tree, a bank of lily pads or aquatic weeds,  large rocks, bottom drop-offs (underwater ledges), or an undercut river bank (safety first—don’t stand on it if it could collapse).  Out of water cover includes overhanging trees or bushes that shade the water or fallen trees.  These are all areas where you would want to place your bait.  Water patterns and formations can also provide successful opportunities to get to fish.  Here you need to look for quite or still pools of water (in rivers and streams) behind rocks and fallen trees , feeder streams into lakes or rivers (these provide cooler water, oxygen, and food), or look for deep holes in rivers or streams where fish might “hole up”.  Often, in clearer water, you can spot fish.  In these situations you want to present your bait up stream (if there is current) and allow it to drift into the area where the fish are waiting.

Remember:  your approach to the fishing location should be done slowly.  Limit any vibrations that you might send in your advance to the area.  Fish are very sensitive to vibrations and will spook easy.  Also if the water is clear your movement or shadow, if you cast one, will likely be seen by them.  While fish do have the ability to see, the distance and definition of what they see depends on the species and environment.  Rule of thumb:  walk slowly, tread lightly, and watch the shadows.  If you do spook them, give it a few minutes as they might return to their feeding area once they feel (no pun intended) the perceived threat is gone.  
Along with location and cover-- time, temperature, lunar cycle and weather also work with you or against you.   Knowing the best time of day to fish often depends on the family of fish you are going after and the location you’re fishing.    Much like us, they need to replenish their food banks after an evening of rest. Commonly, fish start to get hungry and feed just before dawn and into the first hour.  White Bass, for example, at a certain period of time in the wee hours of the morning, will simply go crazy chasing (feeding on) shad and then just stop.  It’s really an amazing event to be in the middle of and quite illustrative of feeding times and it brings up another good point—an obvious sign that fish are feeding is that they are breaking the surface of the water going after food or their food (as in this case) is breaking the surface of the water trying to get away from the predator.  The other optimal time for most fish to feed is just after sunset.  That doesn’t mean you can’t catch fish during the day, it just means it might be more difficult and require more effort.  You might have to fish at different location (in cover), run your bait deeper, or use different more appealing bait, or a combination of all three.

Here is something my grandfather taught me at a young age:  just before a storm, fish increase in their feeding.  I’m not exactly certain why, but I have been told that fish sense the change in barometric pressure and this is one of their reactions to it.  This may be due to experience and the lack of or difficulty in the fish locating food during or after a storm.  Regardless, it is indeed a good time to fish.  However, it can be a very dangerous time to which I can attest first-hand.  Two near miss lighting strikes during separate events (one shore fishing, one on a boat), convinced me that it’s not worth it.  If there is a thunderstorm in the forecast, I stay indoors.  Again, you have to weigh the risks—hunger pains versus possible death—it doesn’t take much convincing on what to do in my book.  But then again, maybe the rewards outweigh the risks in a certain situation.  You will have to make the call. 

The lunar cycle also effects the feeding cycle of fish.  When the moon is full and when it is waning (illuminated surface as seen from Earth is decreasing), is another good time to fish.  Again, depending on other conditions, temperatures (water and air), weather, season, it can certainly affect your outcome.  Likewise, if you have the majority of positive possibilities on your side you increase your odds but there are no guarantees.   
 Seasons play a part in the successful outcome of fishing.  Keep in mind that most of the freshwater fish families spawn in the spring (exact times vary).  Spawning occurs in the shallows (bedding) and often around areas that provide cover in the water (logs, aquatic plants) for protecting the young fish and to also keep food in close proximity.  Also, shallow water provides warmth while coming out of the winter season.  Because of the energy it takes to spawn and the warming effect, a fish’s appetite increases.  Also in the fall season is a good time to fish as well.  The temps (water) have to drop significantly enough to signal the fish that winter is coming.  This tends to spur the fish into action—to put some extra calories on before the slower feeding season of winter.  During the winter months, fish tend to go into deeper (warmer) waters.  For more information on the topic of when to fish, take a look at this free PDF resource that you can download and/or print. 

Preparing the Catch
For additional information concerning the preparation of your recently caught meal, take a look at these diagrams.  The process is fairly straight forward:  scale it, gut it, skin it (depending on the fish), cut/fillet it, and then cook it.  Here are two guides (one and two) to help you through the process and another with a good diagram.  There are also numerous videos on YouTube, some quite entertaining, that can give you an idea of how to prepare and even cook your fish.     

Precautions
In a SHTF scenario you will certainly need to take any necessary tactical considerations while fishing.  Watch your back.  It’s hard to concentrate on catching your next meal while making sure that you don’t become a victim or another predator’s next meal.  As it has been said, safety (and security) is paramount! 
Take the time to put the knowledge you gain into action.  Practice knot tying, rig preparing, finding and using different baits, locating good fishing areas, and actually do some fishing now, while things are relatively normal.  Then take the time to clean, prepare and cook the fish you caught.  Fishing is a fun sport and most kids enjoy it as well--so bring them along.  Fishing, like any sport requires practice and is a diminishing skill.   Through your experiences, you can better define what works for you, as well as the gear you will or won’t take with you in your G.O.O.D. kit or Bug out Bag.  Remember always obey the laws that apply in your area, respect property owners rights, exercise any needed precautions and safety requirements (weather, equipment, situational/threat awareness, environment, etc.), and if you need any licenses or tags make sure you get them as required.   Please also respect the areas that you fish in and leave them in better condition than you found ‘em!  Best wishes on catching those fishes!

I am a father of three and have one on the way. My oldest is now almost 20 years old. One thing I have learned over the years as a father is not to underestimate children and young adults.

I am pretty blunt and a straightforward guy, if anyone gets anything from what I share it is this….if you love your children then do not shelter them, prepare them!
Let’s tackle the big one first, children and gun’s. When my oldest was around four years of age he had a rare opportunity for someone so young, he got to see first-hand what guns do. We were elk hunting and a friend of the family had the good fortune to take a bull elk very close to the cabin. We had just sent our friend on his way after breakfast and not even four minutes out the door we heard the shot. We came right away to see if help was needed and arrived at the downed bull just as our friend did. We got to watch as this magnificent animal drew its last few breaths of life.  At this point in his life my son had seen guns being fired and he had also seen the animals we harvested and had even seen us butcher them, but at this moment you could see the understanding click behind this child’s eyes, even at age four he got the connection between guns and what they could do. I knew right there and then I would never have issues with him being safe with guns.

Eight years later a couple of friends and I were asked to take a large group of “Gun Virgins” to a rock quarry and  give them an introduction to guns and let them try to do some shooting. It was interesting to see the reaction to some in the group when I arrived at the quarry with my twelve year old son. I learned something that day and so did they. See even though these people had an interest in shooting guns they had still been brainwashed by pop culture and lack of education from their own parents about guns. They were taught that guns were evil and wanting to shoot them was practically a sin that they as adults had a right to partake in even though it is basically wrong, like pornography, alcohol, or adultery. Not all them thought this way but it was disturbing learn that some did. To them shooting a gun was something they would like to experience but never would involve a “child” because a child automatically did not know as much as an adult and could not possibly know all the evils of guns as they did as an adult. I was beside myself at the thought and was reminded of the experience of the Elk and I decided right then and there who was going to conduct the review of basics in gun safety for the group of 20 plus people before they got to shoot! My two friends that knew my son and myself thought that this was a great idea, but there was much grumbling from the group of the idea of being taught by a twelve year old. I pointed out that I trusted my son more than any adult I knew on this earth, because I knew what he was taught and what he wasn’t first hand. There is no room for pride in gun safety, even if the president of the NRA himself was there that day and he did something wrong I would call him on it and so would my son (of course we would do so respectfully). By the time my son was done and they were given the okay to shoot they were starting to understand also. To my son guns were not evil and wanting to shoot them was just plain fun, nothing to feel guilty about. He also demonstrated that he knew they could be dangerous and that he was taught how to properly handle them and he was teaching them.

I could go on about how guns are not evil but that would digress my own point which is that they are not unlike any other tool, they have a use and a function, and the biggest factor in safety of any tool is knowledge of how the tool works and should be properly used. Your kids probably know more than you do about how to use your computer or DVD player, and most likely no one showed them how to use these things. They can figure out how to load and use a gun on their own, you can’t rely on keeping children safe from the dangers of guns by keeping them away from guns, they need to learn and you need to be involved in that learning so you know what they know. Heaven forbid that my life or the life of my wife would someday depend on our children knowing how to properly use a gun, but if that they day ever comes we are as prepared as we can be.
I met an elderly man one day that told me that in Physical Education when he was a young school boy they could sign up for a segment to learn things like knife safety. As a father the thought made me smile as I had just learned from my youngest son that it was mandatory that he learn dancing in PE, could you imagine if I went to the school board and asked them to replace dancing with knife safety! The same thought also saddened me, to think that our society has gotten to the point that knife safety would never ever be considered for topic related to our schools again. Let the children learn how to put a condom on but heaven forbid they learn how to properly handle the most basic of tools in human history. Look on any emergency preparedness list and you will most likely find a knife near the top of the list. It is the most basics of tools and yes it can be dangerous if handled improperly so why not start learning to use one when you are young. Earlier I stated that knowledge is safety but so is experience. I have been carrying a pocket knife for as long as I can remember. My knife gets used almost every day, and yes even the most experienced knife user may cut themselves every once in a while, but the fact that I have never seriously cut myself as an adult I attribute to the fact that as a child I was taught to properly handle a knife and was allowed to carry and use one every day.

During the summer months my children usually carry their knives. But during the school year since they cannot carry even a little gentlemen’s blade in their pocket during school without fear of being expelled they end up forgetting it even on the weekends when not in school. This gets explained to me often by my children as I always ask where their knife is when they ask to borrow mine. This bothers me because being prepared means more than knowing how to use your tools but having them available when you need them. This is one of the reasons I keep asking “where is your knife?” even though I know and understand the answer, so maybe they will remember to keep it with them when not at school.  As a side note my fourteen year old daughter seems to remember more often than the boys to carry her knife, I think this is because she likes to shock people when there is a rope or something to be cut and she is the one that produces the right tool for the job!

I believe that our society is doing a disservice to our up and coming generations, by teaching them that they do not have to think for themselves and that if they just follow simple rules like do not touch knives and do not touch guns they will be magically be safe. We are also creating an environment where parents are afraid to teach their children certain things. I was sitting at the table with my father and my four year old grand niece, my father had a package that he needed to be cut open, and he handed it to me and asked me to open it. When I took out my knife to do so, my grand niece looked like she was going to have a heart attack. She looks at my father and states “your kid has a knife” as she pointed at me accusingly. You never have seen the old man so confused. It was really cute the way she referred to her Great Uncle as “your kid” but really disturbing that she was already brainwashed into believing that knives are evil weapons. She is a smart four year old, so I asked her what else was I supposed to use to open the package. I got two rounds of the answer “knives are naughty and bad” before she gave it some thought. She finally got the message that they are not naughty and they are not bad but can be dangerous and therefore she is not to touch one until her parents are ready to teach her how to properly use it. Both her parents are hard working ranchers and use knives every day. The answer of “knives are naughty and bad” came from her less than one year experience at pre-school.  I thought about this the other day at my work when a similar situation came up when a Design Engineer asked me if I had something to open up a blister package with. I pulled out my pocket knife and handed it to him. Should have seen the look on his face it scared him to death. Now here is a grown man who you know has had to have used knives in the kitchen before but was scared to death of the one I pulled from my pocket. All because he probably was never taught how to properly use one and was probably brainwashed as a child that “knives are naughty and bad”.

I am not advocating that it is blindly okay to go give your children knives or let them shoot guns. Just like I do not think there is something magical about the age eighteen or twenty-one that all of a sudden enables a person to know how to handle guns or knives I also do not think there is a certain age to start children. You are their parents if you work with them (and that is the key, to work with them) you will find out how much responsibility they can handle and understanding they can absorb.  I think you will learn if you challenge them they will surprise you, my four year old grand niece understood the why knives are dangerous when I explained it to her but not all four year olds would. But she is safer now because someone took the time to explain it to her. She will grow up better able to handle a knife than that Design Engineer. One of the things I have learned as a father is that all children are different. My oldest son started shooting when he was five, my youngest when he was eleven. It wasn’t that one was more mature than the other at five it was that he was mature in different ways. Kids respond to being given responsibility, the key is to challenge them but only put on them what they can handle. I have only written of Guns and Knives so far but I testify that letting my children learn responsibility in areas that society has deemed adult only has had many positive side effects. In many ways my children are better suited than many adults I know to tackle what life throws at them, and it is not just father’s pride that makes me say that. I have had many experiences where my children were willing and able to tackle learning new things that seem to intimidate many adults.

When the world comes crashing down, I would rather rely on my own children than most adults that I know.  And they are still very happy and well adjusted children none the less! This is because I love them and therefore have prepared them by teaching them all that I know.

It's nice when a real survivalist designs something, instead of an arm chair commando or wannabe survivalist. The late Ron Hood was well respected in the survival field, as a true expert in wilderness survival techniques. Hood collaborated with Buck Knives (www.bucknives.com) , to come out with the Hood Hoodlum fixed blade survival knife. Unfortunately, about a week after the knife came out, Ron Hood passed away - a loss to us all, and he will be missed.
 
Ron Hood also spent 20 years teaching accredited college courses on survival skills. Not too many survival instructors I've heard of that have taught accredited courses on survival in college. My late friend, Chris Janowsky, who ran the World Survival Institute up in Tok, Alaska used to teach the US Marine Corps survival instructors winter survival skills, and Chris could have easily taught accredited college courses on survival techniques. But there just aren't too many survival instructors out there these days who have the background and know-how to teach accredited college courses.
 
As soon as I received the press release on the Hoodlum, I requested a sample, that was in January 2011 - and I only just received my sample a few weeks ago. Was it worth the wait? You bet it was! As SurvivalBlog readers know, I'm a fan of big knives, especially if you are dealing with wilderness survival. There's more tasks that you can accomplish with a big, stout, fixed blade knife, than you can with a small folding knife.
 
The Buck/Hood Hoodlum has a 10" blade made out of 5160 spring steel, and the overall length is 15.5" - so you know you have a big knife in your hand. The blade thickness is 3/16th of an inch - thick enough for tough chores, and thin enough to make the knife balance nicely in the hand. The Hoodlum really shined at chopping chores around my small homestead, and it would easily chop through some fairly thick tree limbs. There is also a small "cut out" in the blade backbone for scoring bone, to bending wire, to removing pots from the campfire. The knife is plenty big enough for defensive/offensive purposes, too. The handle is made out of Micarta - I would like to see G-10 handles scales, as it is stronger than Micarta - and who knows, maybe Buck will come out with a G-10 handle version. There is also a lanyard hole in the butt of the knife.
 
The Micarta handle scales can be removed - if you have a multi-tool - and you can create a spear by lashing the Hoodlum to a tree branch. There is also a very well made MOLLE compatible, heavy-duty black Nylon sheath, with a front storage pocket - read: sharpening stone or multi-tool pocket, and the sheath is lined, to prevent the knife from cutting through should you take a fall. As big as the Hoodlum is, it balances very well, and only weighs-in a 14.6 oz. Best of all, the Hoodlum is made in the USA - after Buck Knives moved to Post Falls, Idaho, they have been having some of their knives made overseas - not a bad thing, as it saves them and the consumer money, and you get as good of a knife as you want from overseas. Still, it does my heart good to see any products that bear the Made In The USA moniker stamped on 'em.
 
I showed the Hoodlum around to quite a few folks, and the first thing they all said was "wow" when they pulled the knife from the sheath. They were totally impressed with the overall length of the knife, and secondly, they couldn't believe how well-balanced the Hoodlum was. And, they all commented on the outstanding sheath. Then "the" question - "what's this cut-out in the handle for?" In short order, I explained that the Hoodlum was designed for hard-core wilderness survival, and the "cut-out" was for scoring bones from game animals they might take, as well as for lifting a pot off the ol' camp fire - I could see the light bulb go on over their heads. Something sooooo simple, yet soooooo useful on a big knife!
 
The 5160 spring steel is made out of carbon steel, but there is a coating of some type on the blade, to help prevent the blade from rusting. Still, it's a good idea to keep a coating of Birchwood Casey Barricade (formerly sold under the trade name "Sheath") on the blade to prevent rust from getting a foothold. I use Barricade on all my guns and knives - even the stainless steel ones (remember, stainless means they "stain less") and they can still rust if you don't take care of them. In a wilderness survival situation or a SHTF scenario, you have to take good care of your weapons and tools - you may not have a second chance if you tools and weapons fail you when things go bad.
 
I found the Hoodlum to be very fast in the hand using slashing moves. However, the knife wasn't designed as a stabber - but I could still stab into stacked cardboard as deeply as I wanted the blade to go. Never mind what Hollywood might say about knife fighting - when it gets down and dirty, most knife fighting will be slashes and not stabbing - although, a finishing move might entail stabbing. Still, it's best to slash as the arms, hands and legs of an attacker - cut those tendons and they can't hurt you any longer.
 
I also used the Hoodlum around the kitchen for cutting chores. While it's not any sort of a paring knife, it was great for slicing ham slices for Christmas. It also chopped various veggies with aplomb, too. I took the knife up to one of my rural shooting areas on top of nearby mountain, where poachers are always dumping illegally taken deer carcasses, and used the knife to easily chop through the bones on the carcasses - so it is a great chopper and easily broke through the leg and hip bones of deer carcasses without much effort. And, before I get a ton of e-mails about the poachers, I have called the local fish and feathers guys numerous times - they are aware of the area - but are so short-staffed, they can't sit there and watch for poachers to dump the carcasses all the time. I despise poachers! And, I have turned in a few when I saw them doing things that were illegal.
 
If the SHTF, or we were faced with an end of the world situation, I wouldn't hesitate for one moment, to grab the Buck Hoodlum and bug out for the boonies, with this being my only knife. It would take care of all the wilderness survival tasks I could possibly ask of it. Now, the good news - at least I think it's good news. I honestly expected a knife of this quality to be in the $300+ price range. However, Buck's full retail price on the Hoodlum is only $230. Yes, I know, it's still a good chunk of change, but you are getting a lot of knife for the money. BTW, these can sometimes be found for as little as $116 on Amazon.com and eBay. If you were to have a similar knife made by a custom knife maker, it would easily sent you back $400 to $500 - depending on who makes it for you. And, as always, shop around on the 'net, and you'll find the knife a bit less than retail - but be advised, they are a little hard to find right now - they are in great demand from those who are in the know.

Hello James:
I thought that the post on barter micro stores was superb.

I think additional consideration should be given to "dispense-from-bulk" strategies.  1 pound of petroleum jelly in single use (0.5g) pouches costs $48 from Sam's Club.  35 pounds (5 gallon bucket) of petroleum jelly costs $90 from an on-line candle supply company.  Similar cost spreads run between single serving bottles of vodka and one gallon bottles and salt in bulk and single serving packets.

It is pretty obvious that you will need a secondary container to carry the bulk materials if you are going to put the micro-store on wheels.  There are some very large syringe bodies available from farm supply stores that make dandy grease and petroleum jelly dispensers.  They are also graduated with markings on the side to add some credibility to the amount dispensed.  Virtually any kind of bottle can be used to dispense other liquids.

And while I love Tabasco sauce as much as the other man;  there are some significant logistical advantages to dried pepper flakes.  They are easier to measure out of bulk and I think they are easier to store.  Any Ziploc type bag will do.  Another advantage is that the seeds are usually viable.

Best regards and may the blessings of the season shower upon you. - Joe H.

JWR:
I enjoyed the article last week on stocking a barter store. Back in 2006, I read where you suggested that ammunition in the most commonplace calibers would be a good thing to sock way as a barter item. That was truly sage advice. Ammo is great because it is durable, divisible and desirable. Like you say, you can't shoot a burglar with a Krugerrand. I took your advice in big way, and now have a handsome stack of ammo cans that covers one whole wall of my basement.

My modus operandi for my ammo investing is to never pay retail! I buy ammo only when I can find it is deeply discounted in retail stores. I also constantly watch for ammo at garage sales, guns shows, CraigsList ads, and even stores that are going out of business.

I followed your advice on calibers [like 5.56mm NATO, 7.62mm NATO, 12 Gauge, 7.62x39, 9mm, .45 ACP, and 22 LR], but I went more heavily toward the Russian calibers like 7.62 [x39mm] for the AK, the long 7.62[x54r] Russian for the Mosins, and 5.45 [x39mm] for the AK-74s.

While about 90% of what I've put away is in commonplace calibers, there were some bargains that I abso-tively couldn't pass up. This included: Seven boxes of .250-3000 Savage that I got for $4.50 per box at a garage sale, five boxes (250 rounds) of .455 Webley [revolver ammunition] that I got from a guy advertising on Craigslist, some .243 [Winchester], some .40 S&W, and 200 rounds of uncorrosive FN-made 7mm Mauser that I picked up in trade for some old webbing and canteens at a gun show. That deal worked out the same as if I'd paid just $3 for each box of 20.

About one-third of the ammo that I've put away is .22 rimfire--most of it's .22 Long Rifle, but also some .22 Magnum, and a bit of the scarce .22 W.R.F. and .22 Auto stuff. I can predict that .22 shells will be be traded like cigarettes were, in the [World War II] POW camps, and behind the Iron Curtain.

I should also make mention of the fact that I store all of my ammo in GI ammo cans. Every investment should be well cared for. Ammo will last a hundred years (or more) if you store it in cans with good seals, and you throw a silica gel packet in each can. I also have quite a few ammo cans that I've filled with magazines and stripper clips. Most of the magazines I've accumulated are M14, M16, M1911, M9 (Beretta 92), HK 91/G3, FN [FAL], Glock (the most common ones), [M1] Garand clips, Mini-14, M1 Carbine (30 round bananas) and various kinds of AK mags. Those too, will be like gold, someday.

My wall of ammo is the perfect barter item. I am certain that it will trump just about anything [in barter], when times are hard. I'll just parcel it our real slowly -- never letting on to anyone just how much I have. I'll be a secret millionaire, in a Mad Max world.

Thanks again for all the great info that you put out in SurvivalBlog. All of the other prepping blogs are just a pale imitation. I gave SurvivalBlog 5 Stars in the Reader's Choice Awards. - Clement in North Dakota

JWR:
This was a great article, I'd already acquired some extra of most everything listed, here's a couple of thoughts...

Hopefully, things will calm down eventually to have a secure mini-store selling to strangers, but I had stocked up extra initially and primarily just to help my closest neighbors. Some I'll gift preps to, some I'll trade, but with all it will be done with an eye towards also maximizing and enhancing our own security here.

I want to convert those close by, best I can, from future potential roaming threats into, as much as possible, useful cooperative allies. I want to be surrounded by a buffer of ever more self-reliant and self-supporting helpful neighbors for mutual aid & protection.

I'd also much rather get a heads-up of any threats detected well before they get to our immediate Area of Operations (AO) and hopefully then already thinned out some, too, if need be.

With that in mind, regarding the list...

Ammunition; extra would go first to trusted capable neighbors who could then enhance our own local security, especially those who are open to working together in a coordinated way. I also have some extra  weapons, beyond our groups needs, for this purpose. Also, extra ammo in some calibers that I don't even have weapons for that are locally popular.

I've also put back an additional half dozen cheap FRS radios with rechargeable batteries, to be deployed only to those neighbors who are capable and willing to participate in establishing a com net for mutual aid and defense.

Taking excess paper wealth, after one's personal family preps are largely squared away, to get some extra preps for barter, sale or charity is good, but then always looking first to deploy them where they'll best serve to enhance your own family security, too, is  even better. - C.S.

I love these muffs. I've had a pair of Pro Ears Gold Predator earmuffs for 18 months, and I haven't found a flaw. So let me tell you what I've found that's good: The first thing one needs from muffs is noise suppression, obviously. The Gold series have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 26. There are several factors that contribute to an NRR, one of which is frequency dependent. Pro Ears seems to have picked frequencies that are specific to shooting. The muffs have proven adequate for large bore rifles, .44 magnum revolvers and even make standing in the arc of a muzzle brake tolerable. They seal well around the ear, and are contoured to allow clearance of a rifle stock without bumping or dislodging.

Now to comfort, and back to those seals. The ear cups are a firm foam with a light leather cover. I've worn them for hours in hot or cold weather with no discomfort. They're hardly noticeable. There are
also convenient replacement parts available for maintenance.

These are active muffs, which mean they normally amplify, and shut off when noise passes into unsafe levels. The response time on these is claimed at 1.5 milliseconds. Most active muffs work by clipping the signal—they simply shut off. The Pro Ears work by signal compression and limiting—reducing amplification on a curve. It's more natural sounding, less jarring, and means no odd static sound when working around equipment at the edge of the safe level—rather than cutting in and out, they attenuate the noise.

In addition, they're equipped with a standard 3.5mm jack to allow iPod or radio use while working. The headphone sound quality is excellent, with two separate circuits, rather than a single split circuit. The batteries are easily changed, though I've not had to often. [They use the now fairly common size "N" batteries.] In addition, they shut off automatically after four hours to conserve battery life. If you're still wearing them, the knob on each muff is easily reached, and clicking them off and back on resets them. The volume level is adjustable, and the halfway setting is comparable to normal hearing. One can hear conversation, hand tools, movement, with weapon or industrial noise attenuated without obvious dips in sound.

As with many professional products, these are not inexpensive. However, with a five year warranty and readily available replacement parts, they're a better investment, in my opinion, than cheaper, shorter-lived muffs. They retail at $329.95, but are available in many outlets at good discounts. [JWR Adds: Pro Ears Gold Predator earmuffs are available through Amazon.com for around $283.]

Disclaimer (per FTC File No. P034520): SurvivalBlog accepts cash-paid advertising. To the best of my knowledge, as of the date of this posting, none of the advertisers that sell the products mentioned in this article have solicited me or paid me to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price gear in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. I am not a stock holder in any company. I was furnished a free pair of Pro Ears muffs by a third party who is sponsored by Pro Ears, as payment for other work. I have no direct interest in Pro Ears. - SurvivalBlog Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson

I've been a prepper for over 40 years, starting back when we were called survivalists. I still have the .22 rimfire AR-7 rifle and Ruger Mk. II pistol bought in the 1970s, as well as other gear. I've also always had a bug-out-bag (BOB) in my vehicles, and still do today, even though I'm retired to my retreat.

Over the years, the contents of the BOB changed as new items came out or old ones were discontinued (or discredited -- remember the Aqua Timer?). My BOB got larger, as I was now packing for two and my bug-out location got further away. I still unpack and examine it every year and replace what's needed.

I've also made BOBs for my wife and interested family members and friends. Since Hurricane Katrina, I've had more inquiries about my kit. When I show it to them, some are overwhelmed by the number of items, the complexity of some pieces and the amount of knowledge needed to make the BOB items work together. For instance, everyone knows hand sanitizer keeps your hands germ free; most are surprised to see how it can act as a fire starter as well.

I found that most people want to know what to pack now, but don't know where to start or what to get first. As an answer to them, I've come up with a five-level system for BOBs. This is based on many writings in books and online, as well as my own experience. There are other BOB-level articles and I've consolidated everything I've learned over the last four decades into this system.

This is a work of personal opinion, based on both study and practice. It is done from the perspective of an urban/suburban East Coast resident, living in the temperate Mid Atlantic region. Other areas might require for some modifications, but not many, I would think. I've include some explanation for items listed; I advise my friends to research further themselves. I've also taught skills for those interested (most recently, showing that you can boil water in a plastic bottle). For the beginner, this system hopefully breaks down BOBs into bite-sized chunks and lets them get geared up to a basic level quick. As is often said, any preparation is better than none.

THE SYSTEM  
Let's begin with some basic concepts. A BOB is intended to give you the tools and supplies you need to get from point A to point B. In its simplest form, it would be what you'd need to get home from work, school, or the store. A more intensive situation might see you having to evacuate from your home to a friend or relative's home. You might just have to flee a dangerous situation (think of the videos of New Yorkers fleeing the Towers as they collapsed).

In order to create our levels, we'll make certain assumptions, beginning with your transportation options. All the levels assume you are on foot. While you may not usually travel on foot, the difference between driving home and walking home may be substantial, and the likelihood of a vehicle breakdown, traffic gridlock, or the lack of fuel can't be discounted.

I don't list carry bags for the levels. Each level should have its own carry bag, the type and size depending on your situation and needs. You should assemble the items first, and then find an appropriate size and style case for them.

All of the levels are cumulative; each level assumes you have all of the lower level items with you.

LEVEL 1 -- EDC   
Any emergency kit begins with those items you want to have on your person all the times, referred to as Every Day Carry (EDC). These are the essentials you would never want to be without and they form the basis for all the other levels.

As numerous sources have stated, there are 3 abilities you will always need to have in a survival situation:
- the ability to cut things
- the ability to tie things together
- the ability to set things on fire

If you think about it, you could do all these things if you were set down in the wilderness with no tools at all. Rocks of certain types can be broken to form razor-sharp shards. Vines and bark can be braided to make cordage. And you really can make fire by rubbing two sticks together. The only thing you would need is knowledge and a lot of practice doing these things. Also a great deal of luck.

The knowledge part is crucial: you want to learn how to do these things, and others. Gear can be lost, broken, or stolen. Knowledge can't. Knowledge trumps gear, always.

These three basic actions, however, will be easier to do with some simple, small items you would always carry on your person.

The EDC level items are as follows:
- a knife;
- a butane lighter;
- paracord.

First, a knife of some type. It doesn't have to be big, it only has to be sharp. Depending on your situation, a good folding knife is likely the best choice. Pick one that has a blade lock. A multi-tool will work, as would a Swiss Army knife, although some models don't have a blade lock.

A butane lighter will provide you with hundreds of lights, and is much smaller than the number of matches you'd need to carry to light a fraction as many fires. They also are not as susceptible to moisture as matches. Matches are a 19th Century item; lighters are modern and better.

The best cordage you can carry is 550 paracord. Paracord has a core made up of 7 strands of nylon twine, and each of the 7 strands is made up of smaller nylon fibers. The outer sheath is a woven mesh of nylon fibers as well. A 5 foot length of paracord could be disassembled to make 30+ feet of twine, as well as hundreds of feet of small strings that can used as fishing line, dental floss, sewing thread, sutures and for repairing gear. The easiest way to carry it is as a paracord bracelet or fob attached to a zipper, your key ring, or your knife.

Once again, you should have your EDC on you every time you leave your house, no matter how short your intended trip.

LEVEL 2 -- CORE
The situation is this: you are on foot, trying to get home, which may take you a couple of days. You are in a civilized area; that is, you are in an urban, suburban, or populated rural area. Civil disorder is non-existent or minimal. Some businesses are open, and items and services can be purchased, although it is not business-as-usual. The weather is not severe and you are dressed appropriately. Water is available, but it will need filtering to be drinkable. You have nothing worse than minor injuries and do not need medical attention.  Basically, you need to walk home and can't/won't be able to get help doing so.

The Core level assumes you have your EDC items with you. Some of the Core level items you will also likely have on you as a matter of course, like a cell phone. Nonetheless, they are listed.

The Core level BOB includes the following:
- a map of the area;
- a poncho;
- a lawn & garden trash bag;
- a filter straw;
- a cell phone, with charger or extra battery;
- a quart sized ziploc bag;
- a bandana;
- 10 coffee maker filters;
- 3 energy or candy bars;
- a packet of tissues, or toilet paper;
- 1 pair of socks;
- $150 cash;
- small first aid kit.

The Core level kit will fit into a small travel bag, or one of the many gear bags made for outdoors or the military. Many women could carry all these items in their handbag.

The poncho gives you extra protection if it rains or is windy. It can be one of the cheap disposable ones. The trash bag acts as a sleeping bag; get in it and put the poncho over it. Get the thickest mil bag you can find.

A bandana (not a handkerchief) can function as a dust mask, a triangle bandage, a filter for water, a cleaning cloth and many other things.

The coffee filters are used to pre-filter water. Pour the suspect water thru a coffee filter into the ziploc bag. Drink the water from the bag with the filter straw. Don't use the bag to collect the suspect water; get an empty plastic water bottle and use that.

Changing your socks if they become wet will keep you going better than trudging through with only one pair.

Cash will allow you to buy things, even if the power is out (although some stores may not even take cash without the electronic cash register to record the sale). No bills larger than a twenty, and primarily carry fives and tens. Coins can be carried; stick with quarters and dollars.

The first aid kit needs some band aids, a small mirror (something in the eye) and anti-bacterial ointment. You will also want medication, including 3-days worth of any necessary prescription meds, OTC pain relievers (aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin), stomach upset meds (Pepto), and an anti-diarrheal. Include a few safety pins, and 1 or 2 sewing needles.

LEVEL 2A -- CORE+
While not as essential, you would want to add the following to the Core level BOB as soon as you can:
- a compass;
- gloves and a hat;
- shoes;
- jacket/windbreaker;
- a weapon.

If your daily footwear isn't good for extended walking, you'll need to have a pair of broken-in walking, hiking, or athletic shoes. These can be kept in a small bag in your office and your car, so they are always within reach.

The inclusion of a weapon should be carefully considered. We are talking about a low-level emergency at this point. Police are still on the job and would not be expected to suspend normal enforcement of weapons laws. Guns likely require a permit to carry; knives are usually less-objectionable, if they have a blade less than 4 inches long. A fixed blade is stronger, but a good-quality folder will do the job. The knife can be the same as your EDC knife, if that one is big enough for defense. Chemical spray may be legal for carry, but this varies by jurisdiction, even within one state. A stick that functions as a cane or walking stick may not arose suspicion.

All weapons require training and practice. You should familiarize yourself with any weapon you put into your kit. If you have a gun, you would include enough ammunition to reload it once (total of two full load outs).

LEVEL 3 -- EVACUATION
At this level, you face a greater emergency, one that requires you to evacuate where you are. This could be your workplace, your home, or a public area. You are on foot, in a civilized area (not in the wilderness). Stores are not open where you are, but may be where you are going. The weather is not severe and you are dressed appropriately. You have no major injuries. You may be on your own for up to 7 days.  

The Evac level assumes you are carrying your EDC and Core level BOB.

 The Evac level BOB includes the following:
- the Core+ level additions:
            - a compass;
            - gloves and a hat;
            - shoes;
            - jacket/windbreaker;
            - a weapon;
- ID & essential papers;
- $150 cash;
- 3 changes of underwear;
- 3 pairs of socks;
- a N100 dust mask;
- goggles;
- a canteen with cup & cover;
- a metal spoon or spork;
- water purification tablets;
- additional food;
- paracord;
- 2-3 butane lighters;
- a radio;
- advanced first aid kit.

The items that were additions to the Core level BOB are now essential. You will need the compass to make sure you are following your map. This is a skill you should practice beforehand. All items listed are in addition to the prior levels items (i.e., $150 cash in addition to the $150 in the Core level).

Additional clothing will become important in a week's time. Extra socks and underwear will keep you healthy and clean, particularly if it is raining or wet. Goggles and a mask will help you get out of an area filled with dust or smoke.

You will want to have identification, including more than just your driver's license. You will want insurance information, a credit card, telephone numbers (not just in a phone that may die). These can be paper copies in a wallet; you might want to also have electronic copies encrypted on a small jump drive.

A military-style canteen with a cup can be had at any surplus store. The canteen should be filled with water and refilled every 6 months or so. Some covers come with a pouch for water purification tablets. The cup acts as a cup or a pot to heat water in.

More energy bars will help, but for a week's trek, you'll want more kinds of food. Include canned meat, coffee or tea, bouillon or soup mix. You want things that don't need cooking, just the addition of hot water. 

You'll want to have 25 ft. or more, of paracord.

You can add a couple of twenty's to your cash, and balance out the rest in paper and coin.

The radio should be a unit that gets AM, FM and weather channels. A radio that operates on several power sources (battery, crank, solar, 12v, 110v) is best.

The advanced first aid kit would include a triangle bandage, tweezers, scissors, scalpel blade, gauze pads, gauze dressing, tape, more medication (allergy, nausea, topical cream). You can buy a pre-made kit, but it should be augmented.

If you didn't bring a weapon in the Core level kit, you need one now. If you have chosen a firearm, include a total of 40-50 rounds of ammunition.

You will not be allowed into a public shelter with a weapon and may have to surrender your entire kit. It is unlikely you'll get it back. If you must use a shelter, hide your kit outside somewhere and hope it's still there when you leave.
 
LEVEL 4 -- WILDERNESS
We're now talking about staying alive completely removed from civilization. There are no stores, or houses, or any other habitation. You are on foot, the weather is variable. You have no major injuries. While this may seem unlikely, we have read in the news of such situations, usually involving stranded motorists, or people on wilderness excursions.

It would be reasonable for the wilderness hiker to have all of these items, and more, when heading out on an excursion. Most people who head out on long car trips, however, won't prepare as thoroughly. You should not make a trip through remote areas without these items.

The Wilderness level assumes you have EDC, all Core level, and all Evac level items with you.

The Wilderness level BOB includes the following:
 - a tent;
- a wool blanket;
- a sleeping bag;
- an axe, or saw;
- snares;
- a full fishing kit;
- a rifle, with 100 rds. of ammo;
- a fixed blade knife;
- 2 gallons of water;
- a firesteel, plus tinder;
- a mess kit;
- sharpening stone.

This level of survival will require you to live in the open for an extended period of time, perhaps weeks. You will either need shelter, food and water, or the ability to make or procure it. You will certainly struggle if you have not learned wilderness survival techniques and practiced them.

A small tent will keep you from having to create shelter every day if you are on the move. A wool (or other warm material) blanket and a sleeping bag appropriate for the climate will keep you warm inside the tent.

An axe will allow you to construct any sort of shelter or furnishings, given a source of wood. You'll need a larger knife, capable of handling tougher work.

Snares, or snare wire, and a fishing kit appropriate to your area, will give you the ability to gather food while doing other chores, or even while you're sleeping.

If you have chosen a handgun for your defense weapon at the Core + level, the rifle will function primarily to provide food, as well as signaling, and will also give additional protection. The rifle should be sized to the region you are operating in and the game available.

Two gallons of water will last a few days, and the container will allow you to carry more water, once you have located and sterilized it. Rather than using your filter straw, you should use the water purification tablets and boil any open water you find. A mess kit allows you to boil water, and cook and eat food.

A firesteel produces a shower of hot sparks, even in wet conditions. These are enough to ignite dry tinder. You may have to replace the tinder you carry with natural materials you find.

Regular use of your knives and axe will dull them, making them dangerous to use. Sharpen them regularly with a stone, steel or other device.

LEVEL 5 -- TEOTWAWKI
The End Of The World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI). Too much to write out every time, even the acronym. Some refer to it as SHTF, for "Schumer Hits The Fan". I'll just use Fan" to describe this sort of event.

Most folks think of a fan event as the result of a nuclear war, an asteroid strike, or the ever-popular zombie apocalypse. A kit for this level doesn't actually exist. There is no way you can store, carry and maintain everything you would need to survive the rest of your life with no outside assistance. Of course, if life is (mostly) wiped out by a pandemic, there'll be plenty of stuff lying around. But if you made it, so did others.

In reality, a fan event would be incredibly intense, but local. Think of the hurricane in Haiti, the tsunami in Indonesia, or the earthquakes in Mexico, Turkey, or the Philippines. Extreme weather in the USA isn't a good example, as we are so large that help usually arrives within days, if not hours (Hurricane Katrina being the worst example). Your Evac, or Wilderness level kit would get you through that, at least in this country.

Still, there is the remote possibility of a global fan event that changes all the rules, for everyone. In that situation, there're few places to bug out to, and the idea of a Fan level BOB is silly. Still, in the event you have somewhere to go, and to keep this article complete, I'll give you my idea for a Fan level BOB. Basically, you have everything to survive in levels 1 through 4. To prepare for Fan level, you need tools that will allow you to evade, escape, or fight.

The Fan level BOB includes the following:
- BDUs;
- footwear;
- gloves;
- battle rifle, plus ammo;
- additional ammo for handgun;
- optics for the rifle;
- night vision device;
- suppressors for handgun and rifle;
- tools of a trade.

The military equipment and weapons will help keep you alive in a Fan event better than commercial available versions. Real military equipment and clothing is better quality and more rugged than what you get in the store. Our army doesn't wear khakis and sneakers into combat for a reason. Get real mil-spec clothing and equipment where you can.

Staying out of sight is a better option than trying to survive a firefight, however. Optics and night vision equipment will help keep you apprised of what's ahead (and behind) so badness can be avoided. Suppressors are legal now, and would allow you to take game without drawing attention.

Let's face it: if you're alone in this situation, it's a question of when, not if, you'll stop surviving. Your only hope is to join a group, the larger the better, and try and make a life for yourself. The skills you've learned preparing for levels 1-5 will be a start. Unless they already know you, an established group will likely only take you in because you have value to them.

Medical, construction, electronics, farming, you'll need to have some skill to offer to a community that's probably patched together from the remains of the surrounding area. Having a trade. and having the tools necessary to conduct that trade, will go a long way to making you a priority for inclusion in a community.

The even better answer is, of course, to start or join a group now. If you find like-minded folks, you can all begin learning the skills necessary, as well as acquiring the tools and equipment you'd need in a Fan event. That will give you the best chance of not just surviving, but living to an old age.

The incredibly large volume of information available regarding emergency preparedness and survival is both wonderful and terrible at the same time.  There’s enough information to keep an enthusiast occupied for years and enough information to keep beginners away for the rest of their lives.

It can be a very daunting task for a new or inexperienced person to try and decide where and how to begin.  Should a beginner attend survival training, have a year’s supply of food, have their home hooked up with backup generators, move to the country, live off the grid and have stockpiles of firearms with thousands of rounds of ammunition? 

Depending on where you are researching, some people will claim that if you don’t have these levels of preparedness then you are doomed.  Is the saying, “If you can’t do it right then don’t do it at all” really the way to think when it comes to survival? 

Don’t get me wrong.  I would love to live off the grid, have a year’s supply of food stored away, have a stockpile of firearms and attend weeks of survival training.  But, the fact is I can’t afford that.  Not many people can.  These can be great long term goals but it’s not a realistic start.

My goal in this brief writing is to “ease the mind” of the people that want to start preparing themselves for emergencies but are on a limited budget and may be intimidated by the overwhelming amount of information available.  I want people to know that many times “something or anything” is better than nothing.

So to answer by question from above, is the saying, “If you can’t do it right then don’t do it at all” really the way to think when it comes to survival?  I say no. 
My experience in the area of survival began early in my life. I spent a lot of time exploring the woods and thorny brush of South Texas.  I quickly became handy with a machete, confident with firearms and learned the importance of hydration and taking care of wounds. (And I learned real fast what a diamondback rattlesnake looks and sounds like.)

I spent nine years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper.  My first four years were in the infantry and I finished my time in as a combat medic.  I believe my experiences and training in the military have greatly contributed to my skills and confidence in being able to take care of myself, my family and others in an emergency. I do not consider myself an expert at survival and I would not describe my level of preparedness as even close to 100%.   But, I’m always working to improve my situation and I believe I know just enough to help guide a beginner in the right direction.   

In my opinion…
The best start is what you are doing now; seeking information.  “Knowledge is Power.”  What an amazing and true quote. I believe the Internet is wonderful! I have found that browsing multiple blogs and YouTube channels on survival, self-sufficiency and homesteading to be a useful resource.    You do have to remember though that just because something is published on the Internet doesn’t mean that information is the best or even true.  But, if you compare enough similar opinions and observations made by others you can begin to catch on to what ideas and concepts are legitimate and reasonable. That’s what makes the Internet so great because you can quickly compare multiple sources.  Remember also that you don’t have to study individual sources exhaustively or go back to the creation of the blog and read everything that’s ever been posted on it.  Begin by searching for information that currently interests you. 

Some folks will tell you not to rely on the Internet because if someday the “stuff hits the fan” you will not have access to it.  That’s certainly possible but remember I’m trying to help get the ball rolling with someone that’s new to this.  The Internet is the easiest, quickest and most cost effective way to initiate someone to the world of survival. You can work on purchasing books and other literature as the opportunity arises and you decide where you need to concentrate.  You will find many references to great books as you explore and learn about survival on the Internet.

Three of the most important “needs” when it comes to survival are shelter, food and water.  If I had to start with nothing and begin building a new preparedness kit from scratch my first tool would be a knife.  A knife can aid you in procuring all the above needs more than any other tool can.
Does it have to be a certain type or brand of knife?  No.  Some knife enthusiast may tell you that if you don’t have brand X then you are wasting your time.  I disagree. 
There are some high quality, durable and expensive knives available.  But you don’t have to start with those.  If you don’t have a knife then get one, any knife.  Try to get the best knife you can reasonably afford.  If this happens to be a $5 knife from the flea market then that is better than nothing.  A more versatile knife will have a combination plain edge and serrated edge.  If you choose a folding knife try to get one with a lockable blade.

One unfortunate caution regarding knives is your local ordinances.  Some jurisdictions have particular rules about blade length, lockable blades and various other irritating rules.  You might want to speak with one of your local law enforcement officers and inquire what the policy is and what is generally enforced.

Next you need to think a little bit about what you are building your emergency kit for.  The beginner should build a general purpose “survival kit.”  As you learn more you can create specialized kits/bags. You can have a kit to help you escape the city (bug out bag), survive in your home (bug in bag), get home from work (get home bag), hiking/camping survival kits and many others.  I will describe a few things the beginner may want to put in their kit next.

Without the knowledge of how to use the tools you have most of them would be worthless.  I recommend the next “tool” to be some type of compact book on survival. As you read through it you’ll quickly see how versatile that knife is. There are many good books that discuss various methods of building shelter, finding and making water safe to drink, getting food via hunting, trapping and fishing, making fire and performing first aid.  Collins Gem used to make a small durable survival book that would fit great into a small general purpose survival kit.  Try to find something like that.

After that I would get something to make fire with.  Actually, I would get multiple things to make fire with.  The survival books discuss in great detail how to make fire with friction devices. (Rubbing sticks together.) You can learn how to do that stuff when you have time.  For now, get a couple lighters, matches, flint/steel/magnesium fire starters or all three.  Upgrade as you learn more or your financial situation improves.  Most lighters are inexpensive and reliable.  Get these first.  Matches are great backup but need to be protected from moisture.  Magnesium fire starters are reliable as well but I recommend you practice and become proficient with them before making them part of your kit. 

The next two things to get before the precedence of items gets too subjective are a water container and a shelter device. 

A couple factory sealed 16 oz plastic bottles of water (the typical container so many people drink out of these days) are good because they can be kept safe to drink for long periods and don’t take up too much space. A drawback to these is they are not very durable. Some type of metal container is important as well so that new sources of water can be boiled to make safe.  A military style canteen with matching metal cup is a good inexpensive option.  As you develop your understanding of water procurement and how to make it safe you can purchase water purification tablets, filter straws and learn many of the other methods of gathering and making water safe to drink.

Depending on the situation, shelter can be one of the first priorities in an emergency.  For example, if you were caught in a snow storm it wouldn’t matter how much food and water you had.  If you couldn’t get to shelter you would quickly be in a deadly position.

One option is to get an emergency blanket.  Those are those compact aluminum foil looking blankets.  (Space Blankets) They do a surprisingly good job of retaining heat, are inexpensive and are very compact.  You can wrap yourself up in them, use them as overhead protection, lay on them as a barrier between you and the ground or a multitude of other uses. 
The military style ponchos are nice also.  They are made with durable material and they have grommets on them so that you can tie rope or other binding material to facilitate making shelter.  And of course they have a hood on them so that you can wear them over your head and body to protect you from adverse weather.  One drawback to this style of poncho is they don’t roll up particular small.  They are fine for medium to large kits but do not fit well in a typical compact survival kit.

The importance of other items in a survival kit are very subjective to an individual’s personal philosophy on survival.  Many lists and recommendations can be found on the Internet.  First aid accessories, rope, flashlights, mirrors, fishing line and hooks are some of the other items to consider.

Would a person ever be worse off for having an inexpensive item?  Yes, it’s certainly possible and this must be considered when making a purchase.  An example would be a fire starting device that doesn’t actually work.   So you would be worse off because you thought you had something to protect you but find out when it’s too late that you don’t.  (This underscores the need to test your equipment.)
Don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from making that first step towards self-reliance and being prepared for emergencies.
Don’t be intimated by others who might make you feel that starting small is a waste of time or that the top of the line most expensive product is the only viable option.
Gain control of your destiny. Go get that knife, now.

Mr. Rawles:
I would be interested in your comments on the AR-57 conversion for AR-15s and its potential use after SHTF. - Mike K.

JWR Replies: Mostly for purposes of experimentation, I bought both rifle and pistol AR uppers in the 5.7x28 caliber. (I own just one "Pistol " marked AR lower, sans buttstock), and also have a 10"  5.56 barrel for it.) En toto, I have put nearly a thousand rounds through my two 5.7 uppers. I found that the pistol upper in 5.7 functions well, but the rifle upper in 5.7 jams frequently for some reason that has been difficult to trace. These jams smash the cartridges, and are slow to clear, since they necessitate removing the magazine. That was disappointing.

The top-mounted magazine allows very low prone shooting, but I found that it was almost a three-handed operation to swap magazines. I can't imagine ever having it be as quick and convenient as traditional magazine swaps. That would take a lot of practice.

Most importantly, since it is still essentially and oddball caliber and under-powered, I consider the 5.7x28 cartridge a substantial STEP DOWN from the 5.56 mm NATO in power and range. So I plan to continue to use my 5.7 uppers as transitional trainers for my younger children, and perhaps some varmint shooting, but nothing more.

In essence, the AR-57 has good looks, but it simply doesn't have a lot else going for it, at least in the context of disaster preparedness. My recommendation is to skip it unless you plan to carry an FN Five-Seven as your primary sidearm. Again, since it is an unusual chambering, that approach would necessitate laying in a lifetime supply of ammunition. Buying guns in oddball calibers goes against the conventional wisdom of common standardized calibers for survivalists.

James Wesley,
I thought some of your other readers might like this. It is a conversion kit that turns your Ruger 10/22 into a takedown rifle.

It is also is available in a short-barreled rifle (SBR) configuration. [This requires a $200 Federal Transfer Tax, for U.S. residents.]

Either of these configurations could easily fit in a gym bag or backpack. - Adam P.

JWR:
When I took the Appleseed training program almost everyone there was using either Ruger 10-.22 or Marlin Model 795

Academy Sporting Goods is running a Black Friday special on the Marlin Model 795 this Friday and Saturday only for $89. That is about $40 off the regular price -- a great deal for the money. - Bryan E.

Good Day, Mister Rawles:
In regards to the letter advocating bird shot rather than buck shot I humbly offer the following. Of all factors that come to play in choosing ammo for your bug-out, my opinion is that the cost of the ammo should rank close to the bottom of said list. Your cheap and plentiful ammo supplies should be at your retreat but no expense should be spared in ensuring you have the best gear to get you there.

Buckshot has a chance of stopping someone on meth. Bird shot? Less so. The archives of many a law enforcement agency will back that statement up. If you're banking on a head shot with the birdshot shells then best of luck to you.

The compromise is that you carry both but you only chamber the bird shot cartridge as the moment requires, or if you're paranoid that your avian appetizer will get away while you're chick-chacking the right ammo into place then keep a round of bird shot in the chamber and the rest of the tube full of something more substantial. Then, if some random crack-head tries his luck you can gather some definitive results in the field for yourself rather than finding out the hard way that you might have been wrong.

Seems prudent to me. Kind regards, as always. - The Apple Islander

James Wesley:
After reading many of the articles about buying a gun on a minimum budget I have to agree with everyone who said to buy the Ruger 10/22. It is a very good QUALITY gun. I personally love shooting mine. When at my local gun store and range I had the choice of picking up a very nice Ruger 10/22 with four magazines for $180 or picking up a random off brand .22 for $60.00. I think when it comes to this kind of purchase you really get what you paid for. I personally got a really nice Ruger at a great price and not an off brand piece of junk. The other reason I bought the Ruger was because it is easily customizable, the parts are common, and the ammo is DIRT CHEAP!

Personally when thinking about a hand gun for a minimal budget; I think you really have to reverse engineer the question. I think you have to think about ammo first. The ammo is a residual charge compared to a gun which you only purchase once. Personally you want to buy something in a common cheap round. The reason why I say this is because shot placement is the most important, and to get better at shot placement you have to practice. When you practice you send lead down range and when you are dealing with expensive rounds it empties your pockets very fast. I personally like my .40 S&W it has some stopping power and when bought in bulk it is pretty cost affective round. When talking about a very cost affective round I would consider the 9mm or the .38. They are both very common and cost affective. WTSHTF they will be the easiest to find because of how common they are. I know neither of these rounds have as much stopping power as others but once again I think the most important thing when shooting is shot placement.

Personally I am thinking about investing in a .357 because it has such a wide range of ammo it can shoot at different power levels.

Also check out TargetSportsUSA.com Great deals on ammo when bought in 1,000 round boxes and they do free shipping when purchasing in 1,000 round quantities.

Best Regards, AZAM in Pennsylvania

James,
The response letter to Guns for a Tight Budget Minimalist Survivalist by S.M.O. caught my attention.  While S.M.O. makes some valid points, I would like to expound on some of his points and offer some other observations. 

I agree that the Ruger Model 10-22 semi-auto .22 Long Rifle carbine is a fine tool for the survivalist.  In fact, I believe that this rifle is such an asset that it should be the first gun that everyone buys.  It has been around for years and has proven itself to be dependable, accurate and reliable.  It is arguably the best quality for the money of all the comparable semi-auto .22s on the market.  In addition, due to it's popularity, it has a wide array of accessories (both Ruger and aftermarket) to allow the owner to customize it to his/her own tastes.  It's even produced in a compact version for women, youth or any body who just wants a more compact rifle.  Ruger has recently begun producing a 25 round magazine for the 10-22 which is based on the design of the original 10 round magazine.  As opposed to some of the aftermarket magazines, the Ruger BX-25 works.  It typically gets five star reviews on all of web sites that sell it.  I recently purchased one to see for myself.  It functioned perfectly in my rifle as well as in my brother's 10-22.

Although S.M.O. did not say as much, I have heard others imply that the .22 Long Rifle cartridge as inadequate for personal defense.  While I would not recommend the cartridge as a one-and-only defensive weapon, I certainly believe that it can play a role in defense.  During my 28 years as a detective I have seen several people killed with a .22 Long Rifle.  The cartridge is certainly capable and, as is the case with most bullets, bullet placement is critical.  Since the rifle has negligible recoil and is capable of utilizing a large capacity magazine, it is possible to watch where the rounds are going and to observe the effect of each round on the target.  

In a Get-Home situation, this rifle with the factory 10 round magazine and one 25 round magazine and 200-300 rounds of ammunition would provide for both food acquisition and a level of security with a minimum of weight and bulk.  The weight and bulk of the average AR or AK would probably be more than the 10-22 and 300 rounds of ammo combined.  And the weight and bulk of each additional 30 round magazine would be more than the 300 rounds of .22 ammo.  

The objective in a Get-Home scenario is to get to your destination as quickly as possible with as little trouble as possible. That means minimal contact with other people who might want to rob you and/or to kill you.  One of the attributes of the .22 is that it is relatively quiet.  A single round fired to take a bird or squirrel for food would not be as likely to be heard by a potential enemy as would a center fire round.  Also, shooting a quail with a .223 will provide you with a hand full of bloody feathers for supper.

I also take issue with the notion that 12 gauge bird shot is inadequate for defense.  Bird shot is designed to kill ducks, pheasant, rabbits and other comparable size game at ranges out to about 30 yards.  I am confident that it would be effective on a person out to about the same range.  I also believe that it would be very effective on a person out to about 20 yards.  Whether the shot penetrates to vital organs is not the ultimate determinate of effectiveness.  If an assailant received a load of bird shot in the face, assuming that he was not immobilized, I doubt that he would still be focused on continuing the attack.  I suspect that he would now be focused on determining if he could still see, determining the extent of his wounds and determining how quickly he can get out of the field of fire before he received another load of shot.

12 ga. buck shot costs about $1. per round.  Thirty dollars will buy you about 30 rounds of buck shot.  Thirty dollars will also buy you about 100 rounds of bird shot.
I like having some buck shot on hand, but I would probably feel better armed by having 300 rounds of bird shot than just 90 rounds of buck shot.  The best option would probably be 200/30.  Also, don't forget that you might want to shoot a bird once in a while.

I get the impression from various sources that there are a number of people who keep all of their high capacity magazines loaded just in case TSHTF.  That practice is largely unnecessary and it could cause magazine springs to weaken over time causing failure to feed malfunctions.  Until The Schumer actually does Hit The Fan, it makes more sense to only keep one or two magazines loaded at any given time and to rotate magazines every two or three weeks.  When TSHTF, then it would be wise to load all magazines.  The percentage of magazines loaded at any given time should be proportionate to the level of threat.  The last thing you want to be doing during a fight is to be loading magazines.  Loading magazines requires fine motor skills.  Fine motor skills are the first to go in a stressful situation.

Which brings us to S.M.O.'s statements on rifles other than semi autos for defense.  While I don't discount the effectiveness of actions other than automatic, the type and capacity of the magazines is the reason that these are not the best choice for combat.  That and the fact that they are not designed for sustained fire as the military clone rifles are.  All of these other than semi-auto action rifles have magazines far smaller than the average military clone rifle.  Unless you are talking about a bolt action rifle that can be loaded with a stripper clip, you are faced with extracting cartridges one at a time from a box or a belt or a pocket, orienting the cartridge and inserting it into the magazine.  This is much slower to begin with than removing a box magazine and inserting another box magazine.  And when you inject stress into the mix, the process becomes almost impossible.  And that makes the stress even worse which translates directly to your accuracy when you are able to shoot.  Add darkness to the mix and you can see how difficult it would be to try to use anything other than a semi auto with a box magazine or at least stripper clips in a combat situation.  - G.R.

JWR Replies: In recent years, a general consensus has developed that "magazine springs taking a set" is more or less a myth IF a magazine are properly constructed. There is no need to rotate them to let springs "rest."

JWR:
Regarding to the recent post by John concerning tight budget armaments I have a few suggestions. Over the past year I have acquired a small collection of Hi-Point weapons and I absolutely love them! They are american made, reliable and oh-so economical.

Mother's day before last I was looking for a unique gift for my wife (who also happens to be the mother of our five children!). I began thinking handgun. But, with the five kids and an aspiring 40 acre farm/retreat, budgets are almost always tight. Add to this the fact that my wife is a new shooter and I was not certain she would take to it, I didn't want to drop a big load of cash on a fancy piece that stood a 50/50 chance of becoming a paper weight. So, after a bit of research I settled on the C9. What a neat little gun! She loved it! Unfortunately, so did I. To avoid being an Indian Giver I was forced to buy a second one for myself, which has become my everyday concealed carry piece.

Both guns have shown near flawless performance. In fact we have had only a couple of mis-feeds, all with Bitterroot Valley Ammunition Company (BVAC) hollow points made from once fired brass. All other ammo has been perfect, and the more we shoot them, the smoother they get. As a side note, they love any and all +P rounds. I should note that in general I really like BVAC's ammo, but have relegated the reloads to practice, and keep something new and nasty in a +P self defense load in the "Serious" magazines.

The best part: Brand-New retail on these bad boys is less than $170, so you can get pistol, holster and a couple of spare mags for about Two Bills.

Next up in the Hi-Point product line is the TS9 carbine. I can't say anything bad about this one either. It is light, handy, surprisingly accurate, and has not had a single problem with any kind of ammo. I added a stock mounted magazine holder (carries two spare 10 round mags, one on either side of the stock) and other than that left it as is. This little carbine is a great home defense weapon, an excellent trunk gun, and light enough to carry forever. With good +P hollow points it is more than able to bring down mid-size game (think feral hogs and black tail deer) at open sight ranges. As an added bonus the carbine magazines also work in the C9 pistols, which is a big cost saver when stocking up, and handy in a tight spot! Brand-New the TS9 carbine runs just a shade over three hundred, and if you haunt the pawn shops you can find them in the two hundred range. If you don't mind the "Planet of The Apes" look, the original version can be found even less expensively.

Last on my list of super bargains is the Maverick 88 12 gauge pump action shotgun. These are built by an offshoot of Mossberg, and with the exception of the placement of the safety they are near identical to the 500 series pump guns. Mine has an 18.5 inch barrel, and a 5+1 tube. Stocks are black synthetic, and it came with a full stock and a pistol grip ("cruiser style"). The pistol grip went in the parts bin after the first box of shells, the "cool factor" was not enough to offset the "Oh god, I think my thumb is broken" factor. I have been very pleased with the gun so far and have fired everything from 2 3/4 field loads to magnum turkey loads, as well as all manner of slugs and buck shot through it. On sale at a little gun shop in North Carolina I picked it up new for $249. It is a tasty little "Zombie Gun" at a price that most budgets can absorb. If I were in a TEOTWAWKI situation and could have only one firearm, I'd take this one. The versatility of the 12 gauge is unbeatable- small game, large game, hominids of questionable intent, or the walking dead are all susceptible to one load or another!

I have been very pleased with the Maverick as it came out of the box, but if you want to trick it up and rail it out, it will accept most of the multitude of accessories made for its cousin the Mossberg 500.

These are my top three suggestions for the budget minded or financially-challenged prepper. With a bit of huntin' and peckin', you should be able to pick up all three for less than $800 (about half the cost of a single top shelf M4gery). Compounding the savings, this combo leaves you with one caliber and one gauge of ammo to stock, and only one type of spare magazine to buy (although I recommend a small number of the original 8 rounders for the C9, they fit flush to the grip). This arsenal would also be light enough to add to a "Camper-Hiker-Survival-Bugout-Kit."

SurvivalBlog readers may recall that I've previously tested the Triple Eight Professional SOL Knife.  The 888 SurvivIt Tool is more versatile, and a bit more robust. The blade is AUS8 steel, and the handle is epoxy-painted steel.  It's assembled with machine screws and good quality pivot and fittings, so maintenance and repair is easy, though I don't expect it will need much.

The edge was not quite as sharp as I like, and I had some trouble cutting leather thong with the hook.  The serrated section, however, as short as it is, zips through heavy nylon, leather and plastic easily.

The handle is tiny, but comfortable enough even in my largish hands, and is well-designed.  I tested it in a hammer grip to chisel, in a standard grip to shave and whittle, and in a side grip for both drawing cuts and scraping. 

The edge geometry is excellent, and I was able to jab the blade well into various woods, both in the woodpile and on treated lumber in the shop.  It sliced into wood corners easily, sawed twigs, and scraped tape, bark and leather.

The mechanism is strong and sound and remains in place while the knife is held.  Keep in mind that there is no guard.  This is a compact tool, and its diminutive size means there are some compromises necessary.  Once you have a good grip, it remains easily in hand and is safe to use.  Just don't get careless.

In addition to the belt clip, there's a convenient thong hole for either neck carry, or just for a retention cord.

The suggested retail price is $34.95, but is usually available for less at most retailers.- SurvivalBlog Editor At Large, Michael Z. Williamson

Editor's Disclaimer (per FTC File No. P034520): SurvivalBlog accepts accept cash-paid advertising. To the best of my knowledge, as of the date of this posting, none of my advertisers that sell the products mentioned in this article have solicited me or paid me to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price gear in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. I am not a stock holder in any company. Mike Williamson was furnished one 888 SurvivIt Tool for test and evaluation, which he intends to keep for his personal use. He has received no compensation or inducements from Triple Eight.

James Wesley:

I agree wholeheartedly with your recommendation to seek affordable training through the Appleseed program. My wife and I were privileged to participate in the Appleseed event presented at the NRA Whittington Center a couple of years ago, and found it to be excellent marksmanship and safety training as well as a wonderful historical learning experience. At the end of the program, the range master told the story of a "dangerous old man" in the Revolution, and presented Rifleman patches to me and another "seasoned citizen". One of the many Boy Scouts in attendance blurted out: "Wow, look, two dangerous old men!"

I also agree with the recommendation to consider a WWII era bolt action military rifle as a cost-effective Main Battle Rifle. However, such weapons, while powerful, are also heavy, bulky and may be difficult for a new shooter to master. I'd like to propose some other ideas:

For a primary learning, small game hunting and "survival" tool, I'd propose a semi-automatic Ruger 10/22 rifle. I'd look for a used rifle in good condition, which should be available for under $200. A used rifle may be found with a scope already mounted for little additional expense, although a scope is not really a necessity. A simple nylon strap sling is an important accessory, as are extra magazines. I'd recommend sticking with original Ruger factory magazines rather than after-market, for best reliability. The 10/22 will function fine with inexpensive "bulk box" Federal or Remington .22LR ammo available at Wal-Mart and other discount outlets. I've had better luck with the Federal brand, personally. A 10/22 is easily customized if desired, but is perfectly capable in it's standard format. My wife used a 10/22 with an upgraded trigger and Tech Sights (http://www.tech-sights.com/ruger3.htm) military style aperture sights at Appleseed. While a .22 caliber rifle is not ideal for self defense, it is light, easy to carry, accurate and puts out 10-25 rounds (depending on magazine capacity) very quickly. In a self-defense scenario, just remember to aim carefully and shoot till the threat is stopped, which is good advice whatever the weapon used. I personally believe that this is the first weapon any new shooter should acquire.

Next, for personal defense, I would recommend a handgun in a caliber of at least .38 Special. While a semi-automatic Glock or similar weapon in 9mm, .40 S&W or .45 ACP might be ideal, they are still in the $450+ range, and can be somewhat complicated for new shooters to learn to operate. In this case, I would keep an eye out at pawn shops, gun shops and gun shows for a used but not abused Ruger Security Six, Service Six or Speed Six 4" barreled revolver in .38 Special or .357 Magnum (the .357's will also chamber and fire .38 Special ammo, which is less powerful, lower recoil and less expensive for training ammo). Smith and Wesson .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolvers can also be found at fairly reasonable prices, particularly "police trade in" Models 64, 65, 10 or 13, as well as the Ruger GP100 in .357. I'd recommend the medium framed, six shot, 4" barreled service weapons over a smaller five shot "pocket" type revolver. I wouldn't overlook a good deal on a six shot Ruger or S&W with a 2.75" or 3" barrel, although they usually command a premium over 4" models. I found a dirty but very functional Ruger Service Six stainless steel 4" .38 Special at a gun show for $225. Once it was cleaned and polished, it looks and functions like new, is very accurate and is one of our primary "house guns". Service size revolvers like these were the main sidearm of law enforcement and security officers for many years, and still provide a simple, durable, reliable and inexpensive personal defense weapon for a new shooter. The heft and barrel length are sufficient to dampen recoil to a manageable level, while providing the accuracy necessary to learn to shoot well. Ammunition cost can be moderated by using the most inexpensive .38 Special lead or full metal jacketed ammo for training, and buying more powerful .38 Special +P (or .357) hollow points for self defense use. A wide variety of ammunition is available in either caliber and such revolvers are generally reliable with all types of ammunition of the proper caliber. A 4" barreled service revolver can still be carried concealed in a well made "pancake" or "belt-slide" high ride belt holster, and rapid reloads can be facilitated using HKS or Safariland Speedloaders or Bianchi or Tuff Products "speed strips". Again, it's important to remember that handguns are low powered weapons and "one-shot stops" are basically a myth, so accurate shot placement and multiple shots must be expected to stop a threat. For a definitive primer on shooting a double action revolver, see this excellent new book by Grant Cunningham: Gun Digest Book of the Revolver.

For hunting and self-defense, another inexpensive and versatile weapon to consider is the 12 gauge shotgun. Available ammunition ranges from relatively light recoiling "bird shot" loads up to heavier recoiling buckshot loads for self defense to very stout recoiling rifled slug loads for deer, bear or other large animal hunting. Do not use bird shot loads for self defense, as the small, light pellets simply don't penetrate reliably enough to reach vital organs. I recommend the "tactical" 2-1/2" eight-pellet 00 buckshot loads as best for self defense, while reserving bird shot loads for practice and bird hunting. Used Remington and Mossberg pump action shotguns (generally with a capacity of three to five rounds) should be available for under $200. An even less expensive and simpler alternative is a single shot, break open shotgun such as one made by H&R. These should be available used for around $100. Be aware that either version, but particularly the lighter single shot, will exhibit fierce recoil with the heavier self defense loads. For survival use, a simple sling is a useful accessory, along with a butt stock mounted "ammo cuff" or a receiver mounted (pump version only) "side saddle" ammo carrier to hold extra ammunition. Barrel length should be no shorter than 18.1" to remain legal in the U.S. Many pump action models have replaceable barrels, allowing the user to switch between a longer barrel for bird hunting and a shorter barrel for self defense. Consider the "youth models" also, which generally have a barrel length of 20-22" and a shorter butt stock, which make them light and handy to carry and use, as well as being a better fit for smaller statured shooters. My son, now a grown man, grew up shooting a single shot H&R youth model shotgun, and can still make amazing wing shots with that little gun! See the YouTube video of Clint Smith for his ideas on using a simple, inexpensive shotgun for self-defense. I highly recommend Clint Smith's series of videos as training tools for a new shooter interested in self defense.

Finally, in lieu of a bolt action or semi-automatic battle rifle, I'd suggest that a new shooter consider looking for a good used lever action .30-30, either a Marlin 336 or Winchester 94 model. You can sometimes find old "house brand" versions of the Marlin, such as the Montgomery Ward "Western Field" at very inexpensive prices. I personally prefer the Marlin 336. These rifles are smaller, lighter, quicker into action and easier to carry than a WWII bolt action rifle. The .30-30 cartridge is superior ballistically to the 7.62x39mm AK-47 round while exhibiting lower recoil than the larger WWII rounds such as the 7.62x54R, and is available virtually anywhere rifle ammo is sold. The lever action rifle can be a very viable personal defense tool as well as a big game hunting tool, and has the advantage of not being a "military" weapon that might bring undue attention from authorities. As with the shotgun, a buttstock mounted ammo cuff and a simple sling are useful accessories. For personal defense, I don't recommend mounting a scope, although scope mounting is simple on the Marlin version. See Clint Smith's video on "Learn to Use the Gun You Have": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzXR24J1wgE.

There are many different opinions on this subject, and you've just read some of mine. I'd like to emphasize that it is not a question of what is the "best" weapon, but what weapons can you afford to purchase and provide with adequate ammunition in order to learn to shoot them well enough to defend yourself if necessary. Don't obsess over the "power" of the particular ammunition or how many rounds of ammunition your weapon can spew out. Concentrate on learning to operate your weapon reliably while placing however many rounds available on target accurately and consistently. These suggestions will allow you to achieve this goal without spending too much money, and provide you with a lot of fun in the bargain! - S.M.O.

Dear Editor:
I am 24 years old and struggling to get a career started in a field other than hospitality. I cannot afford a retreat, and have not had much luck joining other groups due to my lack of skills to the level desired, and my lack of money to afford all the prerequisites many groups have. My question is how can I best prepare to live out of my backpack in a tight spot? I have been training in certain areas like physical fitness and minimalist hiking. I did just obtain my Wilderness First Responder from Wilderness Medical Institute. I also hope to obtain an EMT certification this winter. I have put together a bug out bag that I'd call 90% complete. One thing that's missing is any firepower. I simply cannot afford even the cheapest AK-47 firearm as well as the ammunition and training. What would you recommend? Cheers, - John 

JWR Replies: If you look around, you can buy a Turkish contract Mauser 8x57mm for less that $90, a Mosin Nagant 7.62x54r for less that $100, or a Yugoslavian Mauser 8x57mm for less than $200.  Big 5 Sporting Goods stores often have military surplus rifles for sale.

Watch your local newspaper classifieds ads for private parties with guns for sale. Also check the Big 5 sale flyer, weekly. ( Enter your own ZIP code to see the location of your local store.) You might also find a bargain at a local gun show.

As for low-cost training, I have just one word for you: Appleseed.

I think many of us grew-up, with a .22 caliber rifle of some sort, as our first gun. I still remember getting my first .22 rifle when I was down in Kentucky, back in 1967. My grandmother took me down to Sturgis, Kentucky to visit her sister, whom she hadn't seen in 40 years. I met all manner of country cousins that I didn't know I had. I remember walking through the tiny downtown area of Sturgis, and I stopped in the Western Auto store. I was surprised to see that they carried all manner of firearms. I was literally like a kid in a candy store.

I was only 15 years old at the time, but I spied a bolt-action .22 rifle for only $19.95 - I had that amount in my pocket and then some. I told the man I wanted to buy that rifle. I still remember what he said to me that day "boy, I don't think I know you, are you from around here? I explained who I was, and that I was there visiting my Aunt Catherine. Little did I know at the time, that she was one of the richest people in town, and owned the coal mine - where most of the folks worked at the time. The man called my Aunt Catherine, and told her I was there and wanted to buy a rifle. She asked the man, "does he have the money?" And, he told her I did, she said "well, then sell him the gun..." Remember back then, we didn't have the 1968 Gun Control Act, and it was easier to purchase firearms. You simply paid your money and walked out with a gun.

I honestly can't remember how many rounds of .22 ammo I fired through that bolt action rifle during the two weeks I was down in Kentucky. However, I believe it's safe to say, I easily put a couple thousand rounds through that gun - hunting rabbits and birds, and "killing" all manner of tin cans and rocks. My two favorite country cousins, Mo' and Abner taught me how to shoot and took me shooting all over the countryside. I also shot my first 1911 .45ACP during that visit, as well as a couple of rifles.

My own two daughters were both given .22 rifles when they were only four years old, and they are still avid shooters to this day. So, I still believe a first gun for a child, or even an adult, is a good ol' fashion .22 rifle of some sort. And, if you are serious about survival, you need to have some sort of .22 caliber firearms in your battery.

I received an ISSC M22, .22 LR handgun for Test and Evaluation for SurvivalBlog. Upon first opening the box, I was struck at how closely the M22 resembles a Glock Model 19 9mm handgun. The gun not only looks like a Glock 19, but it also feels very Glock-like as well. The M22 has a 4" barrel inside of an alloy slide, mounted on a polymer frame. The gun weighs 21.4 ounces empty, without a magazine in it - again, very Glock-like. The magazine holds 10 rounds of .22 LR ammo. The rear sight is adjustable for windage, and the front sight can be easily removed and replaced with (supplied) front sights of different heights to change your elevation - I found no need to change the front sight that was installed on the M22.

The trigger-pull on the M22 is smooth and broke at a nice even four pounds. The Glock line-up of pistols have what the BATF calls a double-action only trigger (it's not - really). The M22s trigger is single-action only. There are several safeties on the M22, some are visible and some are passive in nature. You'll note the slide mounted safety and the trigger safety right off the bat, the others are passive in nature - this is one very safe handgun to be sure. When you apply the slide-mounted manual safety, if also (safely) drops the hammer. So, when you are ready to fire, you'll need to put the safety in the fire position and thumb cock the hammer - not a big deal!

One thing I really liked about the M22 was that it felt like a "real" gun - it didn't feel toyish, like many .22 handguns do. The frame has finger grooves on the front strap - again, a nice touch! The polymer frame has texturing for a secure grip. There is also a Weaver-style rail on the frame for mounting a laser or light, as well.

I was anxious to get out and fire this pistol - I just knew I was gonna like it. The gun didn't disappoint me or my wife, who also loved it. We put many brands an varieties of .22 LR ammo through the gun with zero malfunctions. The gun shot to point of aim at 25-yards and you can't ask for better than that. While we didn't measure any groups on paper, the gun hit whatever we were aiming it at - we "killed" all manner of rock, tin cans and other targets of opportunity while testing this gun. It was just plain fun to shoot.

If I had one complaint it would be, the gun only came with one magazine. It would be nice to have had a second mag with the gun. However, your  dealer should be able to order additional mags for you - they run around $25 to $30 each. I found the M22 also fit most holster designed for a Glock 19 pistol, too. Again, this is a nice touch, so you should be able to easily find a good holster for the M22.

Now, I wouldn't carry any manner of .22 caliber handgun for self-defense on purpose. However, I wouldn't hesitate to carry the M22 afield for small game hunting and plinking. And, if push came to shove, the M22 with 10+1 rounds of .22 LR ammo would sure make a bad guy wish he were some place else if he were shot with this pistol. While the grand ol' .22 caliber isn't known as a man stopper, I think it's safe to say that thousands of people have probably been accidentally (or on purpose) shot and killed with this round since in was invented. Still, having the M22 on your hip is better than a pocket full of stones or a handful of sticks to use in a self-defense situation.

The ISSC M22 is manufactured in Austria - just like the Glock is. I honestly couldn't find anything to fault with the M22. It performed perfectly with a wide assortment of .22 LR ammo with no malfunctions of any type. It hit whatever I, and my wife were aiming at. And, it comes with the accessory rail on the frame for a laser or light. The gun is lightweight and easy to handle, too. The only minor drawback I can report is that, ISSC says to not use Break Free Powder Blast on the gun, it will cause the finish on the slide to start flaking or it can discolor the slide. I guess if it were me, I'd steer clear of using any sort of spray cleaner on the M22, just to be safe.

In all, I put more than 500 rounds of various .22 LR through the M22 - and some of the ammo was dirty and corroded, and there were no problems encountered during my testing - that's a great gun in my book.

You can get your M22 at your local FFL dealer. Full retail is only $299.99, but you will usually find the M22 discounted. So, if you're in the market for a well-made and good performing .22 handgun, take a serious look at the ISSC M22, I think that you'll like it. - Pat Cascio, SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor

Jim:
In a recent article, Jerry M. mentioned:

“One more thing worth mentioning is the small rifle and small pistol primers are the same size cups, same as the large rifle and large pistol primers are the same size. The cups on the pistol primers are a little thinner than the rifle, for obvious reasons, most rifle firing pins hit a lot harder than pistols do. I have used rifle primers in pistol rounds, and they seem to work fine. You might run into problems on S&W revolvers, using rifle primers, if you have the spring tension screw backed off to get a lighter trigger pull, but this could also happen with pistol primers, if backed off too far. Men sometime do this for wives who have trouble shooting double action, don't! Your taking a chance on a misfire when you do this. And never use a pistol primer in a rifle round, the cup is too thin and if the firing pin penetrates the primer, you will get gas back in your face.”

To add emphasis and a clarification to Jerry's warning: Rifle and pistol primers may have the same diameters, but they don't have the same height. Using a large rifle primer in a pistol case will cause the primer to protrude above the case head, since large rifle primers are deeper (taller) than large pistol primers.  Worst case, a semi-auto pistol (like a Model 1911) could be “slam-fired” or even double (go into uncontrolled full auto fire).
 
Please use the correct primer for the cartridge you are reloading! - J.B. in Tennessee

Having spent my teenage years in my dad's commercial reloading shop, circa 1955 to1958, I learned quite a bit about reloading ammunition. Back then we loaded mostly .30-06, .30-30 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .300 Savage, 250 Savage and other old calibers that were excellent deer and elk rifles. Long before the magnum mania came about, these rifles were killing big game, and doing it quite well.

Many today find this unbelievable, but back when the silver certificates were money, and fiat currency was only a dream of the globalist bankers, you could buy a pound of DuPont 4895, a box of 100- .30 caliber JSP bullets, and a box of 100 Large rifle primers for less than $5! And the best Winchester and Remington .22 Long Rifle cartridges were 50 to 60 cents per box of 50!

But those days are long gone now, and JSP bullets of all kinds now run well over $20 a hundred, and $30 for the specialty bullets. And today the gun manufactures are under the illusion that you have to come out with a new caliber every year, just like the auto industry, to sell guns to the public. This one has a little more destructive bullet and is 30 FPS faster than the last caliber that came out, But I'll guarantee you the deer or elk has no idea how fast the bullet was that took him down, whether is came at 1,600 FPS, or 3,500 FPS, he's just as dead. And remember, before 1900, all bullets traveled at less than 2,000 FPS, and many were in the 1,200 to 1,500 FPS category, and  they killed everything that walked the American continent.

Most people on fixed incomes are always looking for alternatives to the high prices of ammo when making other preparations for the coming collapse. Well, a bullet mold for each rifle and pistol caliber you own is a good investment. And some old advise from Elmer Keith, always get the biggest bullet that will function in the calibers you shoot! And I feel most of the time, this is very true, especially with cast bullets. But there are exceptions with mold and bullet designs. I like the Lee mold 121 grain plain base truncated cone in the 9mm, which I find also works well in the .380 ACP. But I shoot the 195-200 grain dome bullet in the .38 Special.  I still have the first mold that I bought for  $6.00 complete with handles, a Lyman 357446 Semi Wadcutter (SWC) 160 grain. And I wouldn't shoot anything less than a 230 grain in the 45 ACP, I've seen too many failures of the lighter weight JHPs. But that's a personal choice. In the old S&W .45 ACP revolvers (Model 1917 and 1934 Brazilian) I like the 255 grain Keith SWC with 5 grains of Unique powder, which seems to drop badly if shooting over 150 yards out of the Commander size M1911 autos.

By the way, don't get caught up in the gun writers in the gun magazines. They are writing for the money, and get most of the things they write about from the factory for just writing an article about it. I use to get a kick out of Charles Askins, one article the revolver is much superior to the auto loader, the next month or so, the auto loader was better than the revolver! It was just a matter of who sent him what at the time, which was the better gun.

If you are just starting out with your preps, Watch the yard sales and pawn shops for bargains on reloading equipment. I suggest an old Lyman lead pot that can be used over a fire, along with their dipper. The electric pots work great, as long as you have electric power. I have an old Saeco 20 LB. electric pot that I had repaired several times over the years when the wiring got too hot and shorted out, last time I just tore it apart and now use just the pot in a wood monkey stove, as it fits good in the top front wood feed hole. And seems to heat faster than it did with electric power.

Now after years of loading ammo, I say there is no round that can't be reloaded if you have the proper tools. I have reloaded the steel Russian 7.62x39 rounds, that they say are not reloadable, But with inflation today, you pay more per primer for the 550 mm Berdan primer package of 250 primers, than you do per loaded round for the surplus 7.62x39 ammunition! But I do keep a couple packages around just for drill! Also note that the Berdan primers come in several sizes, so you have to figure out what you've got before you buy a package of the wrong size. But RCBS does make a good decapping tool, that works better than filling the case with water and [hydraulically] popping them out with a stick the right size!

Getting back to the cast bullets, a friend who lives in California just told me you can't shoot lead bullets anymore in California, because the California Condor is swallowing them when eating dead game and dying of lead poisoning. And if you believe that one, I have some beach front property near Las Vegas, Nevada I'll sell you, real cheap! I think the liberals and bunny huggers slipped one over on the hunters and shooters of California.

I cast a Lyman .311041 179 grain gas check bullet, for use in the .30-30, also shoots well in the .308 Winchester, .30-06, 7.7 Jap, 7.65 Argentine, and .303 British. It has a flat nose and feeds without danger in Winchester and Marlin tube feed magazines. I prefer the old Lyman .311314 -180 grain gas check bullet In the military rifles as it's a spitzer shape and doesn't drop as fast as the flat nose for longer shots. But my favorite bullet for .30-06 is the Lyman .311224- 220 grain gas check bullet which comes out of my mold at about 225 grains. For the newcomers, a gas check is a small copper jacket that goes on the base of a cast bullet, if there is a recess for a gas check. It seals the gases that might blow by on a plain base bullet. I use beeswax for fluxing the lead pot, keeps the metal melted so the tin or hard metals don't float to the top and get skimmed off as slag. or candles work well too if you can find them cheap, but will catch fire if pot gets too hot. in fact I make all my own bullet lube, melt bee's wax in a coffee can, add graphite, and a wax toilet seal ring found in most plumbing shops, Wal-Mart, or Home Depot. And pore it into the bullet sizer hot. The only bullet lube I buy today is SPG Black powder bullet lube and TC Bore Butter from Dixie Gun Works in Union City, Tennessee. They also have many other black powder shooting supplies.

Now for the survivalist, the one powder that can be used in any rifle,  pistol, or shotgun is Unique. You can come up with a shootable loading for any rifle, pistol or shotgun using Unique. Incidentally, I use Bullseye in the small pistol calibers .25 ACP (a totally worthless caliber) the .32 ACP, and the .380 ACP. And in case this nation gets into civil war, after the fiat dollar collapse, Bullseye pistol powder has a very high burning rate. You really have to be careful when using this powder, I've seen lots of good S&W and Colt revolvers over the years, missing the top half of the cylinder and the top strap folded up, from people starting out reloading, and thinking 3.0 grains of Bullseye couldn't possibly be enough powder, like the book says, and triple charge it. I believe you can get something like 15 grains of Bullseye in a .357 mag case and still set the bullet on it, but if you do, you have just turned your favorite handgun into a hand grenade! (Very dangerous!) So don't exceed what the reloading manuals says as a maximum charge with any powder. That brings up another good point, get a good reloading manual, I've got dozens I've bought over the years, but always seem to go back to the Lyman Reloading Handbook as it seems to cover a lot more than most.

I have made many of my own powder dippers, as in survival reloading you can't take along a powder scale and measure if you have to bug out. I use to keep a Lee hand press and set of dies with dipper and powder, bullets, and primers in a .50 caliber ammo can, with a hundred cases and bullets, (my grab and run box) when I worked nights at the sheriff's office as dispatcher. On a quiet night I could load a hundred rounds of .38s or 9mms and sometimes .45 ACP. It sure beat watching television!

To make my dippers, I take a fired cartridge case close to the size powder charge I need, pound a 5 inch piece of brazing rod flat on one end and solder it on the base of the case, then take an old piece of antler, preferably a contoured tip, cut it off, and drill a hole in the cut off end, and epoxy the rod into the antler. Then start dipping powder, and using your scale weigh it, and file off the opening until it gets down to the powder charge you want, then run the burr remover around the inside and out side of the case mouth to remove the burrs. I find this is just as accurate as using a mechanical powder measure, once you get the hang of dipping powder. Lee also make a kit full of plastic dippers, but I prefer to use my own, in case I don't have a pair of glasses handy to read what's on the plastic dippers, to make sure I have the right dipper.

Paper patching - This never took hold in our military, but was quite common in all of Europe back in the 1800s. Our Buffalo hunters did get into the paper patch bullets from the Sharps rifle company. To paper patch, you use an under sized bullet and cutting a parallelogram out of cotton bond paper, dampen it then starting half way down the bullet wrap the paper, the cuts should come out together, meaning the first wrap should have a wrap of paper over it, but have it come out to where the last wrap butts against the first with no overlap, Then twist the paper hanging over the bottom to where its flat against the base of the bullet,then trim off the excess.  It will tear when you stick it into the case if the cuts overlap on the sides and cause a bump. I have several molds I've had made for paper patching, but never used them yet, other than the 460 grain 45/70 bullet, over a charge of 58 grains of FFFG [black powder] with a felt wad soaked with Bore Butter. Loading black powder is a whole different science, and if you get into it, you'll find some very accurate ammo can be made up with black powder loadings.

The art of paper patching can be a benefit in survival conditions as you can patch up a .243 bullet to shoot in the 6.5 mm, the 6.5 mm up to 7mm, the .270 bullet to shoot in a 30 caliber, or the .30 caliber to shoot in the 8mm Mauser, and it's all in cutting the right [thickness] wrap out of cotton bond paper.  That is if you don't have the right bullets for the right caliber!

Something I might mention for survivalists is chamber adapters. I have adapters for most of my .30 caliber rifles that will shoot .32 ACP ammo from a .30 caliber rifle. This is legal, but very quiet, as you fire a .32 ACP out of a .30-06, as the bullet travels down the barrel some of the gas bleeds around the chamber adaptor, lessening the report, plus the fact that the 32 doesn't break the sound barrier, you don't have the loud supersonic crack that is normal for the .30-06. Good for shooting rabbits while deer hunting. I'm loading a Lee Mold 100 grain cast round nose in the .32 ACP over 2.0 grains of Bullseye, and I think I might be a little hesitant about shooting the 71 grain FMJ down the .30 caliber barrel, as most are .312 to .314 Diameter. I have a confession to make here, a while back a guy gave me a hand full of very old .32 ACP ammo, with steel jackets. I wanted the brass but was to lazy to use the puller, and took an old Mark 4 British .303 out with the chamber adaptor and started shooting up the .32 ammo, about the 5th or 6th shot, shooting at a 6" rock about 75 yards out, I didn't see any impact, so I shot 2 more rounds and then the lights came on after seeing no impact, maybe I should pull the bolt and check the bore. Well I had about three of these stuck in the barrel about 4" from the muzzle. I tried in vain to knock them out with a rod and mallet, no dice. so I took the rifle over to our local gunsmith to see if he could get them out. No way, so I now have [shortened it to become] a British .303 carbine with no flash hider! A lesson learned the hard way, no Jacketed bullet use in the adaptors, from then on!

Accuracy - No question in my mind after years of shooting cast rifle bullets, if you use the right bullet material combination, lead, tin, antimony, and good bullet lube, the right powder charge, you'll find cast bullets can be just as accurate as any of the expensive jacketed bullets on the market. Most shooters know every rifle barrel has it's own vibration, and finding the vibration of your barrel can be tricky. I had an old 1903 Springfield sporter with an old 4X Weaver scope on it, and the Government ammo would shoot a 3" group at 100 yards, I started loading a 165 grain JSP-BT (Jacketed soft point boat tail) and pulled that down to 2" I started backing down the powder charge 1/2 grain at a time, and got down to 45 Grains of IMR 4895 and it was breaking one hole! This is an impossibility for most old military Springfield's. But at 45 grains I found the rifle barrels vibration point.

I experimented with cast bullets in a Ruger Mini-14 .223, all I had was a 44 grain gas check round nose mold so I started experimenting with powders and loads. When I got it up to where it would cycle the action, I was shooting about a two foot group at 100 yards, and the barrel was leading something fierce. So I started backing it down to where I was shooting a 6" group and working it like a bolt action! I gave up. So I found an old Rockchucker .224 bullet forming die and press, at a very good price, so I bought it, including about 1400 .224 copper jackets. Well, having a metal lathe, I took a 7/8x14 hardened bolt annealed it and bored it .225, and made a .217by 4"  post with a shell holder base, re-hardened the bolt and base, and now I make .224 jackets from .22 Long rifle brass. It's a long, slow process to make bullets this way, but it will function the autos, and it's very accurate. You have to find clean 22 brass, anneal it in the oven for 3 hours on "Broil", CCI stinger nickel plated brass makes pretty bullets. About another hour in the oven, but you have to check them close for cracked and overlapped tips. those shoot okay in a .22 Hornet or .223 at lower velocities, but not in full house loads. Then you have to cast the cores, I cut the core mold into the back side of an old .50 caliber ball mold that was rusted I found at a yard sale. I take the cores slip them into the .22 LR jacket, tap them with a rubber mallet to set them into the bottom of the jacket, then run them into the die to form the .224 bullet. Then after you make up 500 or so, put them in the brass tumbler for a couple hours to clean them up. they come out 62 grain, the Stinger brass come out a little heaver, almost a hollow point. The home made bullets from .22 LR brass seem just as accurate out of the AR, Mini-14 and .223 bolt rifles and shot out of the .22-250 at around 3,400 FPS--very accurate.

Now I'm working on developing a similar die set for .30 caliber. One more thing worth mentioning is the small rifle and small pistol primers are the same size cups, same as the large rifle and large pistol primers are the same size. The cups on the pistol primers are a little thinner than the rifle, for obvious reasons, most rifle firing pins hit a lot harder than pistols do. I have used rifle primers in pistol rounds, and they seem to work fine. You might run into problems on S&W revolvers, using rifle primers, if you have the spring tension screw backed off to get a lighter trigger pull, but this could also happen with pistol primers, if backed off too far. Men sometime do this for wives who have trouble shooting double action, don't! Your taking a chance on a misfire when you do this. And never use a pistol primer in a rifle round, the cup is too thin and if the firing pin penetrates the primer, you will get gas back in your face.

Well reloading in my case is a necessity, being on Social Security I can't afford to buy anything but .22 Long Rifle ammo. But I think over the years I have loaded enough ammo to keep my grandkids shooting for life. Keep a good supply of powder and primers, and bullets if you can afford to buy them in bulk. My main powders are IMR 4895, 3031, Unique, 2400, and Bullseye, yeah, I'm old school. Bullseye is good for .38 Specials, using the 200 grain cast dome bullet with 3.5 grains of Bullseye I get 2,000 loads from a pound of powder. I have tried most of the new powders, but always go back to my old mainstays. (I hope I didn't insult anybody by saying the .25 ACP was worthless!) I load 0.7 grain of Bullseye with the 50 grain FMJ for my daughter in law, she has an old Colt Junior that her dad gave her, and she loves it. But in most cases the .22 Long Rifle is a much better choice than the .25, and lots cheaper! Incidentally, loading that .25 ACP with 0.7 grains that comes out to 10,000 rounds from a pound of Bullseye. And about 3500 rounds of .32 ACP from a pound of Bullseye. And if you buy these powders in the 4 or 8 pound containers that's a lot of reloading! I just wish the 4895 would stretch that far, but I get something like 145 rounds of .308 from a pound, depending on which bullet I use. I really like the Sierra 168 grain JHP-BT, that's about as close as I've come to the 173 grain FMJ military match bullet.

One main thing about reloading, keep in mind that alcohol and gunpowder is a bad mixture, and pay attention to all the operations, if somebody comes in and wants to talk, quit loading and talk. And over load is bad, but a round loaded with no powder is much worse, the primer, most of the time has enough power to put the bullet into the rifling just far enough to chamber another round! And if you don't catch the mistake and fire the following round you blow the barrel, and possibly ruin the action! Not to mention part of your face! So pay attention, and follow the manual closely, and don't use a load from memory, always look it up and make sure it's right! And never shoot somebody's reloads that you don't know, better to pull them down and reload them yourself than take a chance on blowing up a gun!

Survival reloading may come sooner than we'd like. I have Lyman 310 [hand reloading press] tools for several calibers but I don't care for the neck sizing only, and the load aren't interchangeable from one rifle to another of the same caliber. I much prefer the Lee Hand Press that will take your regular die sets. the only problem I've had with the Lee was there is no hole for the primers to fall out of the ram, and If you don't dump it regular it gets so many primers, that you can't pull the shell holder out of the ram. I drilled a hole in the front of the ram, and that solved the problem. Then I pulled one apart removing a sized .30-06 case from the die, the hand press is engineered for push action, and not pulling. When I got the replacement part I poured fiberglass resin with patches of aluminum screen in the hollow, and so far haven't pulled it apart again!

I've seen some reloaders mount a reloading press on the back bumper of their pickup, this is okay out in the country, but It wouldn't fly in the big cities where the anti-gun crowd lives, and driving on dirt roads doesn't do the press parts any good, plus they have to unscrew the handle every time it's not in use! Just watch the yard sales, pawn shops and junk stores and mainly estate sales, relatives that aren't into shooting usually have no idea what the dead uncle had invested and what everything is that he had in his shop! Many times you can buy a fortune in ammo brass and loading equipment for pennies on the dollar at these sales! And I have picked up loads of reloading stuff at sales from people who have no idea what the stuff was used for, and when you tell them it's for making bullets, they don't really want it around for fear the kids might get into it and get hurt.

One final note on cast bullets and killing game. I brain tan deer and elk hides. And if the animal is shot with a cast bullet, there is no blood saturation or fragment holes on the hide. Just a small size hole through both sides. When people offer me a hide, I ask what the animal was shot with, and if they say a .300 Magnum or 7mm magnum, I tell them no thanks, too much bullet damage, I've tried to save some that had about a 12" circle of small fragment holes and blood saturation around the exit hole, and I end up loosing most of the bullet exit side of the hide! So when the dollar fails and you were too late to buy more ammo, I hope you were wise enough to buy the dies and molds for the guns you have. Plus the pot and dipper. And the dozens of other tools that expand you capabilities in reloading.

I don’t know exactly when my husband and I first discussed preparing for emergency situations and stockpiling, but we began keeping a small notebook in 2009 to inventory items we purchased to stock pile in case TSHTF or in the event of TEOTWAWKI. Our main concern was economic collapse, followed by civil unrest and the resulting lack of availability of food, water, and other necessities and the possibility of being unable to move about freely. We read some books, including Patriots by James Wesley, Rawles, One Second After by William Forstchen and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. This fueled our desire and the urgency to build a stockpile and be prepared for whatever might come.
 
When we first began to prepare, both for personal protection and stockpiling items of necessity, we weren’t sure exactly how to tackle it. We just took one step at a time - we bought a large bag of rice; we bought some canned goods; some sugar, some dried beans. We began investigating, looking at web sites, lists of suggested items, how much food is needed for two weeks, for three months, for a year. How much water was needed. It was a bit overwhelming, but we just kept adding a few things at a time. We started picking up extra canned goods on most grocery shopping trips, looking for the ones on sale. Since we started, food prices have increased substantially and economical choices are much harder to find. Coffee has skyrocketed! We love our coffee and made sure we have a percolator style coffee pot so we can make coffee whether on the propane grill or an open fire! We also make an effort to keep at least two extra full propane gas grill tanks on hand.
 
We started to store our collected items by putting most things into food grade plastic bucket containers - we had lots of empty cat litter containers - and labeling the top and front with identifying info and keeping them in a storage closet. However, as we accumulated items, the containers stacked up and the ones on the bottom were the oldest and would need rotating out the soonest. So we had to come up with another plan. We rearranged some furniture in "the junk room" and bought a steel storage shelf with 4 levels each supposed to bear 1,000 lbs. and we unloaded most of the buckets. I first put everything on the shelves by date, but later found I couldn’t get to what I was looking for easily for use and rotating. So, I unloaded the shelves and started over, stacking cans by contents (e.g., corn, beans, meats, fruits, etc.). This seems to be working much better. We soon filled up that shelf and got another one. We still keep some things in the buckets (e.g. sugar, dried beans - things in plastic bags) stored between the two shelves and clearly marked. Now, there are areas for canned foods and other boxed and container foods, pasta, condiments, sauces, spices, jellies, syrups and honey, as well as medical supplies, toiletries, toilet paper, sleeping bags, tools, duct tape, lighters and matches, candles, oil lamps, etc. We also found a solar lamp to add to our collection and ordered a small crank/solar emergency radio with multiple types of recharging outlets.
 
We feel we have made a good beginning. We still don’t have an accurate calculation of how long our supplies will last. We are now using the stockpile shelves as an additional pantry, and when we use something from the shelf, we put it on the shopping list for replacement, and of course we are always adding extra items as well. We know one thing for sure - we still don’t have enough water stored and that is a very challenging situation as it takes up so much space and we live in a modest house on a small property. We mostly have bottled water and are contemplating how to set up other methods for water collection and storage. We have a few water purification tablets, but consider these as sort of "last resort" items and pray we don’t ever need them! However, we do live on a small lake and could at least retrieve some water for cleaning, toilet flushing, etc. from the lake. There are huge catfish in the lake but we figure they won’t last long when TSHTF.
 
One of the next things on our to-do list is to take a new inventory - since we put up the big shelves we stopped writing everything in our little book. I am creating an inventory sheet that I hope will make it easy to both add and delete items for keeping an accurate inventory.
 
On top of all the other possible scenarios we are faced with today, we live in the New Madrid Fault Zone, so earthquake is always a looming possibility. It’s a fairly large, urban area where thievery, violence, rioting and a very real need to protect both our home and ourselves in the event of any kind of major disruption is entirely likely. We both have concealed carry permits and have also been stockpiling ammunition and investing in firearms and necessary accessories. We have attended gun shows where we have found some great prices on additional magazines for our weapons. (The gun show was also one of the only places we’ve ever seen a copy of Patriots !) So far, aside from buying in bulk when possible, we were surprised to find that Wal-Mart has the best prices in our area on the ammunition we need.
 
We have found that shopping for stockpile items, going to the range and out to the country to shoot, as well as attending gun shows, are entertaining activities that we can do together and with a few like-minded friends. One of our local shooting ranges has "Date Night" where for one set price you can get two meals in their great little restaurant, two targets and two boxes of ammo, and we’ve enjoyed this outing several times with other couples. We can even take a long gun to these date nights. It’s an enjoyable evening out as well as an opportunity to hone our skills.
 
In addition, we go target shooting at another location available to us which is most helpful as it is outdoors and we have more freedom to handle our firearms in a manner less restricted than at the range. My mother gave me a 20 gauge shotgun for Christmas last year because our 12 gauge was so heavy and just too big for me. I love my little Mossberg. I finally got to take it to the country and shoot a bit at some clay pigeons. Next time I plan to shoot it at a paper target so I can get a good idea of the pattern of the shot when fired and what type of shotgun shells I want.
 
These activities have enhanced our abilities as well as reinforced our mind set to be physically, mentally and spiritually prepared. Even though our state does not require a firearms training certificate to be approved for concealed carry, we live just across the state line and decided to take that state’s required course and were really glad we did. I was tickled pink to be named "top shot" in our class and they really ribbed my husband about being nice to me! We returned later for a level II tactical training class as well. Our increased level of confidence provided by the firearms training was most helpful, and we were made familiar with the laws concerning carrying firearms in our area.
 
Stockpiling and prepping has been an exciting project for us. We do have some close friends who are like-minded and we exchange ideas and they are also beginning to stockpile. We try to be careful who knows about our stockpile and have found it to be a bit of a challenge to strike the right balance between caution and encouraging others to be prepared. I find I want to tell people "hey, you need to be storing up food and stuff" but my husband is more cautious. We do feel blessed to have a core group of friends who are thinking about these scenarios too and we hope to be an encouragement to each other as time goes by and to find ourselves and our friends prepared for any eventuality. Another challenge is considering how much is needed in order to share with others - we have elderly neighbors and some family nearby.
 
One of our biggest concerns is the possibility of needing to bug out. It’s one thing to have a wonderful stash secure at home, and if we have an earthquake or other natural disaster, we’ll be set and feel pretty secure assuming the period of down time won’t last too long. However, in the event of economic collapse, an EMP, or some other more permanent disaster, and if civil unrest occurs, we are still too close to the "big city" and would want to be out of this area. Our financial situation has not permitted us to move away to a safer area of the country yet; we are constantly looking at real estate for sale with acreage and trying to find something we might be able to afford and that has a well or a spring for water and other desirable features. I am guessing this is not an uncommon concern. Much of what I read is obviously written by folks with financial means to choose great property in the best areas. We have to tackle this from the perspective of basic, middle class, in debt, paycheck-to-paycheck Americans. Just not stressing out over the financial aspect is a victory!
 
I work downtown in an urban area of approximately one million people including the surrounding area. Home is about 25 miles away - a minimum 40 minute drive. I have a backpack in my trunk with emergency food - a couple of those three day compressed blocks, the dried type - and some nuts and dried beef, some water, a few tools and other essentials such as extra clothing, shoes, a radio and batteries, butane lighter, poncho, flashlight, and various other items. Assuming I can get to my car which is parked in a concrete garage attached to a high rise building, I would at least have something to take with me as I begin the trek towards home. There are many bridges, overpasses, creeks, and miles to cross and many hours before I would make it home. To be out, alone in the city, in the dark, would scare me to death. I pray by being mentally and spiritually prepared, I could manage to do what I must. My husband and I have discussed this possibility and under the scenario that I would even begin to walk home, we decided it would be best for him to wait for me there - if I can’t travel the roads home, he wouldn’t be able to get to me either. He works just three miles from our home so we felt it would be best for him to go there and wait.
 
These are some of the many things we have contemplated so that in the event of an emergency, we will at least have considered what action to take. We were reminded in our handgun training that if you haven’t at least thought ahead of time about something that may happen, it takes your brain several seconds to react. If you have already thought about it, your reaction time is much faster - if somebody kicks in your back door, what do you plan to do? Also, having a plan will help prevent panic.
 
We both know that we need to be more physically prepared than we are now and we are not young anymore. This is one of the next things on our agenda - survival training! We know if we are forced out of our easy lifestyle, we are going to need skills, energy and stamina, as well as calm minds and hopeful and determined hearts. We feel we are spiritually fit and this gives us courage and confidence.
 
If we’ve invested time and money preparing and nothing bad happens, then great; but we don’t even want to think about what it would be like if something bad happens and we haven’t prepared. It’s a win/win situation to prep.
 
We still feel we are beginners, even after a couple of years, but we have learned a lot along the way. We hope that others who are unsure about what to do, where to begin, and how to go about preparing for the future, will be encouraged to just take it one step at a time, one can, one box, one jar, one weapon, one list, one day at a time and be amazed at how quickly their stockpile will grow, and how confident and enthusiastic they will feel as they make progress. We certainly do.
 
So, kindred spirits, just begin!

Twenty years ago, when I first started writing about guns, I also edited and published a rag called "Police Hot Sheet." It was a pull-no-punches magazine reviewing firearms, ammo and gear. The very first companies to supply me with their products were Black Hills Ammunition and Taurus Firearms and to this day, both companies keep samples of their products coming my way.

Over the past 20 years, I have easily fired hundreds of thousands of rounds of Black Hills Ammunition, and not once did I have a problem with any of their ammo - reloads, factory seconds or their brand-new ammo. I wish I could say the same for some of the big-boy ammo companies out there, like Remington and some of the others. A little over a year ago, I had my youngest daughter out for a shooting session with a Beretta M9 - for some reason, the US Army didn't seem fit to give my daughter any handgun training - even though she's a Combat Medic. I had one of the bulk boxes of 9mm FMJ from Remington on-hand for her shooting session. We were a bit disappointed in the quality of the Remington UMC ammo - we had about 5 or 6 problems with that 250 rounds of ammunition. Most of the problems we had were either dead primers, or primers that were put into the shell sideways - yes, you read that right - the primers were placed sideways! Obviously, there wasn't any close final inspection of the ammo before shipment.

As I said, I never encountered a single problem with Jeff Hoffman's Black Hills Ammunition in more than 20 years of shooting it. I've watched Black Hills Ammunition grow from a very small operation, to where they are now - located in a huge plant with dozens and dozens and dozens of employees. For those of you who aren't aware, Black Hills provides a special 5.56mm round to our Special Forces guys - no other ammo company is producing this ammo that I'm aware of - only Black Hills is producing it. Our Special Forces guys demand the very best for their missions, and Black Hills is helping out with special ammo for them. I'm also told, and I believe it's true, that Black Hills is now producing some of the "standard" 5.56mm ammo that our other troops are using 'cause the other ammo makers can't keep up. To be sure, ammo for our military is produced differently than commercial ammo is. For one thing, the bullet is sealed around the neck to waterproof it, as is the primer.

I shoot more Black Hills than any other ammo! Yes, Jeff Hoffman, keeps me well-supplied for my test and evaluation in the many firearms I've tested over the past 20 years, and he always tells me to never let my ammo locker get too low. And, as soon as I place an order for some more ammo, it usually goes out in the next day or two - that's service! I've probably fired more of the Black Hills factory-new ammo, than their reloads or factory seconds, too. As good as their reloaded ammo is, I'd have no problems carrying it for self-defense, using their JHP ammo, of course. That says a lot in my book. Factory seconds - I've had some of this - and it has been dirty or dented .223 Remington ammo - I'm not sure if this stuff is available to the general public. Jeff would rather see us worthless gun writers burn this ammo up, instead of destroying it - thanks Jeff!

To be sure, Black Hills is what I call "Premium" ammo - I think their brand-new ammo is a step above what you get from many of the big-boy ammo companies. Each round of ammo is personally hand-inspected before it leaves the factory. And, Hoffman only uses the finest components to produce his factory-new ammo. I have tried, many times over the years, to roll my own ammo, to see if I could equal or exceed the accuracy of Black Hills ammo. I only came away equaling the Black Hills .300 Winchester Magnum load - remember, I said I equalled the accuracy of the Black Hills .300 Winchester Magnum load - I didn't exceed it. That says a lot! I don't do as much handloading these days as I used to, just not enough hours in the day. I've always found reloading to be very relaxing - but maybe that's just me! In any event, with all my years of experimenting with different loads, I've never once exceeded the accuracy I get from Black Hills.

The Barnes, all-copper JHP bullets - they have the deepest JHP cavity I've even seen on any JHP bullet. To be sure, make sure you keep small children and pets away - they might fall into that deep bullet cavity, never to be heard from again. Ok, I'm joking about that - but these bullets do have the deepest JHP cavity I've ever seen.

Black Hills has you covered with most calibers, especially self-defense loads. They also have you covered with FMJ handgun rounds for target practice, using either their reloads or factory-new ammo. When I carry a 9mm handgun for self-defense, I like to load my magazines with +P or +P+ JHP ammo, and I believe the 9mm can use all the help it can get to penetrate deep enough, and the bullet needs to expand enough to get the job done. Black Hills has you covered with several different loading in 9mm. They have a new 9mm load. that has the all-copper JHP from Barnes Bullets called the TAC-XP and it's a +P load. I only just received this one, and I haven't had a chance to do much testing, but the results look very promising.

I have shot the Black Hills .40 S&W 140 grain Barnes TAC-XP load, this is another JHP load, produced using all-copper - no lead at all. These bullets won't come apart when they expand - that's a good thing - as a lot of JHP bullets come completely apart when they start to expand and/or hit bone. The Barnes TAC-XP bullet won't come apart. This round is coming out of my Glock 23 at around 1,100 FPS - that's moving along and the recoil isn't too bad, either. In my limited and unscientific testing - shooting into water-filled milk jugs and various other liquid and semi-liquid targets [such as pumpkins], I'd estimate that these bullets are penetrating at least 25% deeper than conventional JHP do - and once again, the bullet stays together.

I've also used the .45ACP 185 grain TAC-XP +P from Black Hills, and this baby is coming out of a full-sized 1911 at right around 1,000 FPS - you know you've touched-off some power in this round. Again, this bullet appears to penetrate about 25% deeper than conventional JHP bullets do, and I haven't had one bullet come apart - they all expand nicely and stay together - what's not to like here?

The Barnes-loaded rounds are only available right now from Black Hills in 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP. However, I expect they'll expand this to include other self-defense calibers as demand increases. I'd like to see this bullet offered in .380 ACP - that would really give that little round some extra "oomph" that it needs. I believe a .380 ACP is best reserved as a back-up to whatever my main gun is. Now, you don't have to fire-off a lot of e-mails to me about this - it's my personal opinion on the .380 ACP round. I know, I know, lots of bad guys have fallen to this round, but I just prefer something a little bit bigger these days. Yes, in the past, I've carried a Walther PPK/S in .380 ACP as my one and only carry gun - but that was many decades ago.

The Black Hills Barnes TAC-XP ammo is spendy, to be sure. I'm not gonna quote prices here, as each dealer sets their own selling price. If you order directly from Black Hills, they can give you a price. Again, this is "Premium" handgun ammo, and expect to pay more for it. Then again, I don't expect you to go out "target shooting" with this round. You'll want to make sure it functions in whatever guns you want to stoke with this great ammo, before you trust your life to it. And it's always a good idea to fire at least 100-200 rounds of a particular brand and type of ammo through your self-defense carry gun, to make sure your gun will function with it. I used to tell my firearms students to fire at least 200 rounds through their guns before trusting them to function with whatever ammo they wanted to carry in their guns. However, with the price of (good) ammo today, I think 100 rounds is a fair test. And, I have tried this new ammo with the Barnes bullets in several different handguns, and had zero problems with feeding and extraction.

Now, many shooters get carried away with numbers, and folks like big numbers when it comes to velocity and Foot Pounds of Energy (FPE). Don't be fooled by a lot of the gun writer hype when it comes to numbers. Faster doesn't always mean better. There are a lot of factors at work when a bullet hits a body. In the case of the Black Hills 9mm round, they are showing 368 FPE from the Barnes bullets, in the .40 S&W 416 FPE and the .45 ACP is at 411 FPE. There are many factors going to work when a bullet hits a body - it depends on the clothing and/or winter coat someone might be wearing, as to how deep a bullet will penetrate and expand. It depends if a bullet hits bone, or if the attacker is high on drugs. There's no magic bullet that will guarantee that with one shot, it will stop an attacker in his tracks. I always tell my firearms students to keep shooting until the threat has stopped being a threat. It is simple as that!

If you're in the market for more conventional JHP rounds for your carry gun, Black Hills has you covered with any number of rounds to pick from. And, keep in mind what I just said in the above paragraph, there are no magic bullets - you still have to place your rounds on-target and hit vital organs and/or blood vessels to stop an attack. And, for a lot of years, conventional JHP have been doing the job nicely. I've taken a lot of small to medium game with Black Hills handgun ammo using JHP rounds. But I think Black Hills is really onto something with their new line-up using the Barnes all-copper JHP bullets. Time will tell if I'm right, and I think I am - this time around.

Jeff Hoffman, over at Black Hills Ammunition deserves your business, he honestly is one of the "Good Guys" in this business. He and his wife Kristi, have worked hard over the years, to give the shooter the best ammo they can produce, at a good price. And, if it matters to you, Jeff Hoffman is also a part-time law enforcement officer in South Dakota - he gives to the community - so that's another reason he deserves your business. Give Black Hills a call, or check out their web site. I'm betting good money, you'll find a lot of different types of ammo you'll be able to use. And, as an aside, they are producing one of the widest assortments of .223 Remington ammo that you'll find. They have FMJ, JHP, Hollow Points and Soft Point rounds that will take care of you and your AR-15.  They have light bullets and heavy bullets - if you can't find what you're looking for at Black Hills, then you won't find anyone else who is making a .223 Remington round that you're looking for.

I can't speak highly enough about Black Hills Ammunition. In 20 years of using it, I've never once been disappointed in the performance and the high-quality of their ammo. They are good people to do business with - and anyone who says other wise is looking for trouble from me! - Pat Cascio, SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor

Sir:
I think you might enjoy Jörg Sprave's slingshot channel on Youtube.com. His videos on his home made slingshot weapons, I mean he is something else!!  he has a slingshot rifle with scope, a pump action repeating slingshot sort a rifle or pistol device, one that shoots machetes (yikes!!!) and a cannon slingshot, etc, etc, etc.  I like the pump action job.  He even has a tutorial video on how he makes it.  He shoots .50 caliber lead balls and I think it is comparable  to  a firearm for knock down power and penetration.  he tests it on ballistics jell and it is impressive.  I think you will enjoy looking at his videos, just type in Joerg Sprave in the search engine at Youtube.com and he has his own "Sling Shot Channel".  - Darrella

JWR:
There is a great reference for barrel cleaning and break-in procedures that is available free on web, courtesy of Krieger--a well known barrel maker. It is a reference worth printing out. - J. McW.

Jim,
Just a quick note on the letter about home made gun solvent. He mentions that "All of these solvents comes in colored glass to keep out sunlight."
He goes on to mention hard liquor bottles as a possibility. My problem with them is their size. You can get the "pocket flask" but most often you see 750 ML and 1.5L bottles. Common old beer bottles will work just as well, may be easier to find, and will hold more manageable amounts.

For labeling such recycled bottles I like to use a medium Sharpie [permanent marker] and plain white paper with a wrap of clear shipping tape. Go all the way around the bottle with at least an 1/8 inch over lap onto the glass and between multiple rows of tape if needed. The tape is tough, UV resistant, and cheap.

James,
In the home-made gun solvent article, hydrogen peroxide is mentioned. It shouldn't get near any aluminum parts as it can induce corrosion, pronto. We have been advised in aviation facility where I work that any solvents and cleaners used on aluminum surfaces should specifically state whether it can be used on aluminum and absolutely should not contain peroxide. I'd hate to see a reader clean a nice lightweight 1911 with aluminum frame with something containing peroxide, only to get pitting and corrosion as a result.
 
BTW, I've picked up the Kindle version of "Survivors" and gifted one (so far) as well. Thanks for SurvivalBlog and all you do. God Bless, - G.R. in Texas

Jim:
One needs to avoiding cleaning [complete] polymer guns in an ammonia solution, as the ammonia will do irreparable damage to the plastic. - J.D.F.

JWR Replies: Those two warnings should not be ignored. Do not use this cleaner for Glocks, Springfield XDs, or other polymer-framed pistols or guns with any aluminum parts unless you have removed the barrel and are cleaning the steel parts nowhere near the gun's plastic or aluminum parts!

Dear Sir,
I write to correct a glaring omission in the now-archived SurvivalBlog article "How to Butcher a Squirrel", by B.T.: There was no mention of scraping the "Vel" from inside the skin as this is the only fat available on a squirrel or rabbit.
 
Eating only lean meat protein can take a lot of energy to digest and if under cooked it may result in it taking more energy to digest it than you get from it so you deplete your reserves instead of adding to them.
 
Without this fat you have wasted the energy held within. Many of your trappers in the 18th century died of starvation while eating scores of rabbits, I would not want the mistakes of history to be repeated by those who do not know them.
 
Also I did not see any reference to Hantavirus or removal of the gall bladder or the inclusion of the  heart, liver and kidneys in the stew.

You do not know me but I have been living the life all my life. I was taught how to skin and dress a rabbit without a knife as well as how to cook it in its own skin--no waste!
 
My warmest regards and best wishes in the success of your new book, - Gavin W.

Sir:
I'm a benchrest shooter and gunsmith, and I use quite a bit of cleaning solvent. When I used to buy it, I would buy it by the pint bottles. While not terribly expensive, it was still a cost. I asked fellow shooters what they used and most did as I did, buy it. Then I asked a very successful shooter what he used and he said "my own brew"! Just what I wanted to hear. He was nice enough to share his brew mixture, and that is all I've used since.

There are a couple main things you're trying to do, or combat, with cleaning solvents: carbon fouling and copper fouling. Carbon is the byproduct of the burned powder. Copper fouling is bullet jacket material that has plated itself in the bore. If you used lead bullets, you would have to contend with that, but I don't, so this is targeted for using copper jacketed bullets. Carbon is probably the toughest to get rid of, it is extremely hard and stubborn. It can build up and degrade accuracy. The best way to keep it in check is to not let it build up in the first place, by cleaning when the barrel is new and not shoot a hundred rounds before cleaning. But sometimes you have to deal with what you have, now. Copper fouling does the same thing, it builds up in the barrel and just keeps getting worse.

If you get a used gun and it is fouled pretty bad, you may want to use something other than this cleaner at first. Abrasive cleaners (JB's, Iosso) do a good job of getting through this stuff. It takes some elbow grease to work it back and forth and you need to keep changing patches, but it will get through it. Once the rough stuff is gone, then using this mixture cleaner will get the rest. [JWR Adds: The general consensus is to avoid abrasive bore cleaners, unless it is absolutely necessary. In my opinion, on a very pressing emergency would dictate that. Otherwise, nothing more abrasive than a brass bore brush should ever be used.]

[JWR Adds This Warning: All of the usual precautions for handling caustic and flammable fluids must be taken, such as wearing goggles and rubber gloves.]

So how to make it? There is an initial expense to this, but it goes a long way and my formula makes quite a bit. First, go to a GM car dealer, and buy a few cans of "GM Top Engine Cleaner", ask if they have it in the metal can. It is my understanding the newer Top Engine Cleaner comes in a plastic bottle, and may not be as effective. I'm not sure since I have the metal can cleaner. I would think it would still work okay. It comes in a 15 ounce can and it the basis for the cleaner. It has the chemicals in it for fighting carbon deposits. [JWR Adds: Very similar products are sold under various brand names as Upper Cylinder Lubrication & Injector Cleaner.] You can scale how much solvent that you want to formulate in a batch by the number of cans of Top Engine Cleaner that you buy. The second ingredient will be the hardest to get, and that is strong ammonia. Ideally, find a blueprint shop, large printing shop, and ask if they have 28% ammonia. It comes in a gallon jug. Trust me, don't sniff it, it will clean your sinus' like you've never known. The next ingredient is Marvel Mystery Oil that you can get in most auto parts stores. Lastly is regular Hydrogen Peroxide which you probably already have.

Get a colored glass container, brown, blue, something that is tinted. All of these solvents comes in colored glass to keep out sunlight. Some of the whiskey/bourbon/scotch bottles are brown and work fine [if prominently labeled "Poison" and with a description of the contents.]. Shake and pour in a 15 ounce can of top engine cleaner. Measure 25 ML of ammonia, 5 ML of peroxide and 5 ML of Marvel Mystery Oil and dump it all in. It won't explode, don't worry. Shake it all up and you have a top notch bore cleaner. The Top Engine Cleaner goes after carbon deposits, the ammonia and peroxide attack the copper fouling, and the MM oil acts like a penetrating oil that helps get under the deposits and keeps the bore conditioned.

The ammonia reaction to copper fouling will turn a white cleaning patch blue, or rather the patch will pick up the blue tint from dissolving the copper. It a good tell-tale indicator of how well the barrel is cleaned. You don't have to get every last bit out, but if there are heavy deposits, it will be a deeper blue, when getting fairly clean, it will be a much lighter blue.

I use this on all of my rifles, and for pistol barrels. Most of my rifles are bolt actions, and cleaning is easy, but use a bore guide to keep the cleaning rod from damaging the barrel. If you have an lever gun or semi auto, you may have to clean from the muzzle. Beware that you can severely damage the end (what is called the crown) by letting the cleaning rod drag over the edges of the barrel end. I would recommend getting a "coated" cleaning rod to help with this, but still, go slow and watch the rod position to keep it centered in the barrel.

There are a couple substitutions I've heard that you can use Mercury Quicksilver Gear Lube. It is a product made by the Mercury Outboard Motor company. It must have the same properties as the Top Engine Cleaner". The ammonia is the toughest to get, and may even have some restrictions now, given the state we're in. You need the strong stuff. The 28% I referenced is what I have. Most blue print shops now use large copy machines instead of the old "blue prints" where the ammonia was used. You may be able to find some strong ammonia at commercial janitorial suppliers. You can substitute Kroil Penetrating Oil for the Marvel Mystery Oil. Kroil is a penetrating oil, not exactly easy to find but it is available. - W.S.

I am writing our family’s security preparations, specifically the weapon selection and breakdown per family member. I will also describe our “Battle Rattle” (web gear) and survival kits.
  
First, a little background and base information. I am a retired US Army First Sergeant with over 30 years of military service. I have performed multiple jobs of my lengthy career, mainly in the Combat Arms. I was a Mortarman and Automatic Rifleman in the Airborne Infantry. I was a Unit Armorer, Supply Sergeant and Rifle Platoon Sergeant in the Mechanized Infantry and a Scout Platoon Sergeant and Cavalry First Sergeant in a Brigade Reconnaissance Troop. Those were all active duty positions. I was also a Military Policeman for two years in the US Army Reserve. I retired in late 2010.

My family began preparation for crisis, disaster, TEOTWAWKI in March of 2011. Our efforts have been adversely impacted in that the Veterans Administration has not yet paid my award for Service Connected Disability. I have been waiting almost a year. But, I collected and saved some things over three decades in the Army. I believe that this military equipment will be very valuable in any survival situation. I owned several guns before we began preparation for the pending tragedies. We have purchased multiple weapons specifically for WTSHTF. We have four members of our “Nuclear Family” as Jerry Ahern defines in his book Survive!: The Disaster, Crisis and Emergency Handbook. I have a wife and two teenage sons. I wanted each family member to have both “stand off” and short range firing capabilities. I consider “stand off” to be a rifle or shotgun with slugs and short range to be a pistol.

I will carry a Bushmaster M4 Carbine. This is the civilian version of the U.S. military’s main assault weapon. It is a 5.56mm (.223 Remington) rifle. I also have a Colt Gold Cup Series 70 M1911A1 Cal.45 pistol for a short range weapon. I built my web gear using the vest type suspenders (as opposed to the old LC-1). I kept the two small arms ammunition cases on the pistol belt so to free up the ammo pockets on the vest for a hand held radio, GPS and some survival supplies. This set up holds a lensatic compass, 2 one-quart canteens, a canteen cup, pistol holster, fixed blade knife and a small buttpack. The web gear is a complete survival kit containing all the basic necessities for shelter (poncho and emergency blanket), water storage/purification, First Aid, sanitation items (toilet paper, baby wipes, soap), food procurement (fishing kit), plus several pocket knives and multi-tools (pliers and hammer types). The web gear holds about 200 rounds of 5.56mm ammo for the M4 and 50 rounds for the M1911 pistol.

My oldest son is assigned a Mossberg Model 88 12 gauge pump shotgun and a Smith & Wesson Model 19-4 .357 Magnum pistol. His web gear was built using the LC-1 suspenders and a cotton-web pistol belt. I attached a larger buttpack on this Load Bearing Equipment (LBE). It essentially hold the same survival items as my set up, with the addition of wire saw and a snack bag containing trail mix, Slim Jims, Beef Jerky, Nutri-bars and Jolt gum. He has the same 2 one quart canteens, canteen cup and 2 ammo pouches as me. With the addition of a shotgun bandoleer, he can carry 100 rounds of mixed 12 gauge ammo (slugs and “00” buckshot), plus about 80 rounds of .357 Magnum (6- in the cylinder, 4-speedloaders + a box).

I am giving my wife a Savage Model 24J over/under .22 LR/20 gauge combination rifle/shotgun. She also has a Walther PPK .380 handgun. She purchased one of those tactical vests that the SWAT teams use. We hooked the vest on a civilian fanny pack, the kind with the Nalgene water bottles on both sides of the zippered pouch. The vest / fanny pack combination is also a complete survival kit. Combining the sling on the rifle/shotgun and a sleeve on the buttstock, there is 20 rounds of mixed shotgun slugs and numbers 3, 4 & 6 shot. I inserted a prescription pill bottle in one of the shotgun shell loops on the sling. It holds 27 rounds of 22 Long Rifle. She can carry about 40 rounds total for the shotgun, 200 rounds for the .22 rifle and 74 pistol cartridges (3 x 8 round magazines for the PPK .380, plus a spare box of 50 cartridges.) Granted, the Savage over/under is not a great defensive weapon. But, it is a diverse tool for hunting food.

Since my youngest son is somewhat leery of rifles or shotguns with strong recoil, I have assigned him my Henry AR-7 Air Force Survival Rifle. As with the Savage 24J, it would not be my first choice for security. I will point out that the magazine holds 8 .22 LR cartridges. I purchased three additional magazines (to supplement the two that come with the rifle) and affixed a small pouch to hold the magazines on the inside of the buttstock. In very short order, he could put out a hail of .22 LR rounds. I also gave him a [Hi-Standard] Sentinel 9-shot .22 revolver. His web gear consists of the fanny pack with the two Nalgene water bottles.      

In addressing the rucksack / backpack assignments, I will open with stating that I am still using my large frame rucksack that I had as a paratrooper in the early 1980’s. It may be more than I should be carrying with my current medical conditions, but I believe that I am mentally strong enough to push myself into bearing that weight. Periodically, I will “Ruck Up” and go for a Forced March to prove that I can still handle the weight. I have always subscribed to the theory that “It is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it”. On the outside of the military ruck I attached an entrenching tool (small, folding shovel), a 24” machete / saw, a 2 quart collapsible canteen and a small hatchet. I won’t go over all the contents of the rucksack, but I will say that it holds similar provisions as the web gear survival kit, but in greater quantity or more elaborate spread. For example, the first aid kit in the ruck is larger than the buttpack. Where the buttpack contained a $2.50 Space Blanket, the rucksack has the military version of the $12.95 All Weather Blanket. I will credit John D. McCann’s book Build the Perfect Survival Kit for helping me choose the contents.

My wife and kids have smaller backpacks. They are using the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) camouflage pattern medium rucksacks that Army National Guard Recruiters give out as enlistment perks. They are frameless packs with multiple, zipper-closed compartments. They hold complete survival necessities, including ponchos, poncho liners, folding saw or hatchet, mess, sewing, fishing, fire starting and first aid “kits”. There is also space for emergency blankets, Mountain House or MRE entrees, Datrex Rations, toilet paper, baby wipes and a waterproof box holding insect repellant, sunscreen, Chapstick, water purification tablets, baby powder and a small tune of Curel hand cream.

Our packs are more “Survival Kits” than full “Bug Out” Bags”. We each have a separate bag with clothing, more rations, personal hygiene items and a few manuals such as Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties: and JWR's How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It. We also carry an assortment of other books on wilderness survival, first aid, prescription drugs, and home remedies.

I carry a versatile hand truck in my SUV. The cart will hold our Bug Out Bags, a case of bottled water, 1 case of MREs and a milk crate with auto items (larger First Aid Kit, tow rope, folding shovel, field shower, roll of garbage bags and camp toilet seat). This ingenious item is lightweight, but strong enough to hold 400 pounds. It can be set up as a cart on four wheels and be pushed/pulled down any hard ball road. Or, it can be stood up as a hand truck on two wheels and be dragged through the field. (My plan to affix a police ballistic riot shield to the cart has not yet been fulfilled).We also have a collapsible hand truck for any last minute, additional items. Of course, we would only be using these hand trucks and carts if we were forced to walk to our “Bug Out Location”. Our intentions are to “Bug In” at our home. One quick note about storing weapons in my truck: I do not carry all these weapons and bulk supply of ammunition around with me during routine use of the vehicle. In my mind, such practice would not be very reasonable. I do keep the AR-7 Survival Rifle and the Savage Model 24J over/under .22 LR/20 gauge in the truck for most travel within our region. My wife and I both have concealed weapons permits in our home state. At any given time, I have the Colt .45 Auto and she has the Walther PPK .380 or Smith and Wesson .380 Bodyguard. We each purchased at least four extra magazines.

In closing, I feel compelled to state that we prefer a “Bug In” over “Bug Out” scenario, if we are to face any type of crisis or disaster situation. I am confident that we have covered the required security considerations with the mixture and breakdown of weapons on hand. The topography of the land surrounding our home allows us to engage potential threats with all four “Stand Off” weapons: M4 Carbine, AR-7 Rifle, Mossberg Shotgun and both barrels of the Savage over/under system. The handgun calibers: .45 ACP, .357 Magnum  and .380 Auto are ample defense in protecting us in the odd event that robbers penetrate our perimeter. I have plans to enhance our capabilities with the purchase of additional weapons: Ruger Mini-14, Remington 870 20 gauge Pump, Smith and Wesson Governor .410 gauge/.45 Colt, S&W Model 686 .357 Magnum (4” barrel) and Springfield M6 22 LR /. 410 Gauge. My oldest son questioned why I am looking at new revolvers instead of new automatics. I reminded him that a revolver has less moving parts to lube, higher potential to break/jam/malfunction and does not have to be disassembled to clean. I also reminded him that an $1,800 Kimber .45 Auto is reduced to single-shot by a broken magazine spring.

JWR Adds: Instead of buying a Ruger Mini-14 as you mentioned, I'd instead recommend buying a second M4gery. This will give you commonality of training, magazines, accessories, and spare parts. I'd also recommend a .44 Magnum revolver, rather than a Smith and Wesson Governor. Both .410 buckshot and slugs are poor man stoppers, and most factory .45 Colt loadings are very mild. (They are loaded that way with liability in mind, since there are large numbers of Colt single-action Peacemakers still in circulation, and some of these date to before 1896, when Colt switched from iron frames to steel frames.) Furthermore, .44 Magnum and .44 Special have a wider rim than .45 Colt. Most revolver extractors can "miss" the scanty rim on .45 Colt brass, causing a very slow-to-remedy "extractor over rim" jam. This sort of jam is a nuisance at the range, but in the midst of a gunfight it could prove to be either indelibly memorable, or tragic.

One of my consulting clients recently bought several Bed Bunker gun vaults and I had the chance to examine them. This product is an unusual horizontal home gun vault design that replaces your bed's box springs. These vaults have two major advantages: 1.) They don't take up any more floor space than your current furniture, and 2.) They will probably be overlooked by most burglars that are in a hurry. (And statistics show that most burglars are in a hurry. Typically, they are in a house for less than five minutes. The bad guys can't attack a safe if they don't know that it is there.)

I was pleased to hear that these vaults are manufactured in Spokane, Washington. That minimizes the shipping costs for those who live in any of the American Redoubt States, and you can feel good that you'll "Buy American". In this case, you'll even "Buy Redoubt".

Bed Bunkers are built with welded 10 gauge steel in the body and a 1/4-inch thick inset steel door that weighs 140 pounds just by itself. The hinge side is backed by a very heavy flange that protects the vault against attacks where the hinges might be cut away. Because of the flange, that would be a huge waste of time for burglars. The basic unit (twin bed size) weighs about 650 pounds. The vault's pair of cylinder locks are a robust "bump proof" and relatively pick-proof lock variety with cylinders and keys that are made in Israel. These vaults have a two-hour house fire protection rating. At around $2,000, they are relatively expensive per cubic foot, compared to traditional upright gun safes. So I would mostly recommend them to families where space is at a premium. One of the vaults that I examined was a double vault where the two Bed Bunkers are bolted to a welded spacer, providing a platform for a king-size bed. The combined empty weight is 1,450 pounds, so it would be exceedingly difficult for burglars to tote that vault away.

The legs on these vaults have threaded attachments, with a very long adjustable length of travel. They can be screwed all the way in so that the vault nearly touches the floor. Or they can be completely removed, allowing you to bolt the vault to the floor, with lag bolts. For the greatest security, I recommend bolting your safe down. By attaching a long dust ruffle, you can make a Bed Bunker disappear from view. (Use a 14-inch dust ruffle if you don't use the vault legs.)

As with any other home security purchase, be sure to keep quiet about it. Do not mention to friends or relatives that you've bought a vault, and swear your kids to secrecy. Just remind them that if they blab about it, then a possible consequence is that burglars will steal a portion of their eventual inheritance. When burglars learn of a lucrative yet hard target, they'll probably come equipped with a cutting torch that can defeat even the best gun vault. So remember: Loose lips sink ships!

Lastly, be careful about where you leave your vault keys. Don't just put a vault key on your key ring. It is best to establish a well-hidden yet quickly-accessible place to store your vault keys. A fake electrical outlet box is one well-proven ruse. (Unless you live off grid, every room in your house probably has several outlets, so an extra one won't be noticed by all but the most sophisticated burglars.) Another good hiding place is a fake can of shave cream in the bathroom drawer.

Disclaimer (Per FTC File No. P034520): Bedgunsafe.com is not a SurvivalBlog advertiser. They have not solicited me or paid me to write any reviews or endorsements, nor have they provided me any free or reduced-price merchandise in exchange for any reviews or endorsements. I am not a stock holder in any company.

Jim,
Regarding the Henry [AR-7 pattern] survival rifle, I feel it is important that readers be made aware of the front sight - in case anybody is considering ordering one before actually handling one. The front sight blade is a piece of plastic which is easily bent slightly with side pressure, and can easily be moved side to side with thumb pressure. I almost purchased the Henry survival rifle to carry in a backpack, in case a disturbance required me to walk a significant distance home. But without reliably accurate sights a firearm is worthless, and I have no confidence that the current production AR-7 front sight will not be moved off zero.

The Marlin Papoose, which you recommended, is also a very good rifle which takes down into a compact package. However, I decided to buy a [Ruger] 10/22 and a Boyd's folding stock. With the 16.12 inch barrel and stock folded, the rifle fits into a school-type backpack along with basic survival gear for a two day walk home. On the range I can get 2.5 inch groups at 100 yards with the stock barrel and Federal Auto Match ammo. - Brian in Washington

The debate on firearms manufacturers and caliber are endless, so each person must in the final assessment decide what works for them and theirs, having over 50 years of shooting, gunsmithing experience, and having taught firearms safety, I would like to offer a insight on a wonderful .22 rimfire rifle that is available from Henry Arms Company.  It is called the U.S. Survival Rifle .22. (A very appropriate name, for current conditions in this world).   I first owned a variant of this little rifle back in the 1980s when it was called the AR-7 and enjoyed the unique shooting and storage aspects that this rifle offers.  The rifle is a breakdown unit where the barrel, receiver, and two supplied  8 round magazines, store in the butt stock and has the ability to float.  The size when broken down and stowed is approximately 16.5 inches by 6 inches.   This unit is great for a bugout bag, boat, backpack, etc.   This rifle is available on line from GunBroker.com for about $200 and that includes shipping [to your local FFL], for a high quality, dependable 22 LR that's a winner have several of this, that I carry in each one of my vehicles and have in my general prep units. 

The reliability is fantastic, having shot nearly 30,000 rounds thru them, without one misfire says a lot about a rifle. OBTW, I prefer CCI Stingers or Velacitor Hyper .22 LR ammo. It has several features I enjoy, the orange front sight, built in mounting rail on the receiver for a scope, makes this a great gun to have around.   My experience is that any gun that has little recoil, or noise that makes it hard to adapt to most people who do not have shooting experience is a blessing.  As far as caliber, I would not wish to be in range being shot at with a .22 LR hyper velocity hollow point, and this gun has a 8 round semi-auto capability that can lay down some lead rapidly, if required.  Also it can carry a magazine in the receiver along with 2 extra magazines in their storage area in the butt stock, (it only comes with two mags, you would need to buy a third), this gives you 24 rounds on hand.

For those on a tight budget, this rifle compared to the average handgun is a steal. Consider that for about $800 you can purchase four rifles (which could help arm most of the average family), instead of buying one average-priced handgun of any caliber.  There are several YouTube videos about this great little gun. It also does not draw attention the way most assualt weapons do.  With the ever-increasing controls by the Washington anti-gunners that are always in work, having this. 22 LR rifle in your survival  planning should be prime consideration.   

God bless this great country and also this blog. - John in Arizona

JWR Replies: There have been several AR-7 makers since the 1960s, starting with late, great Arma-Lite company in Costa Mesa, California. Over the years, I've owned AR-7s from three different makers. They are indeed reliable guns, and being so compact and lightweight, they fill an important niche in family preparedness planning. They are also useful for firearms training of children. (Although I've observed that the single-shot Chipmunk teaches much better fire discipline.)

Unfortunately, all of the AR-7 rifles have rather crude peep sights that make them unsuitable for precision pest shooting, which is one of the main chores of .22 rimfires. There are grooves for a scope mount, but unfortunately scopes with this type of mount have very poor "return to zero", when dismounted and re-mounted. So there goes the gun's "everything fits in the stock" advantage. Therefore, unless space and weight are at an absolute premium, I instead recommend buying the stainless variant of the Marlin 70P "Papoose" takedown rifle. Granted, they weigh more than an AR-7, and they don't float, but they are better suited to scope mounting which in my estimation makes them a better choice.

Jim:
I just wanted to drop an alternate product use suggestion. In my gun closet I have a mesh over-the-door shoe organizer that mount to the doors by hooks. When I swing the door open to get to the gun safe I have loaded magazines in easy to grab and recognizable rows in the shoe holder. I also keep other small parts like extra scopes, bipods, and other detachable items in the compartments.  It is four pockets across and six down, for 24 total pockets. Each pocket will easily hold two loaded AK magazines or three AR magazines.  This gives a ready reserve of 72 loaded AR-15 magazines that are taking up essentially zero [floor] space. - M.A.T. in Virginia

Over the past couple of years I have had a few people, two in particular, hint to me that it would not be a bad idea to begin picking up a few extra non-perishable items on my weekly visits to Wal-Mart or the local grocery store.  I began realizing, like most of the population, when me or my wife go to the store, we normally only pick up a "few things", or just enough to get us through the week.  However, thanks to their continuous subtle remarks, and the assistance of the many fine web sites, this one being a major one, we have finally decided to actually start preparing for a real TEOTWAWKI and WTSHTF scenario. In only a couple of months, I feel one hundred times more prepared than before I started learning and made a choice to start living this life.  Now let me state,  I am no where close to the magnitude of preparedness we would like to be, with a single income and family of four, the money is hard to stretch to get all of the preparation items we would like.  However, the fact that we are now at least no longer oblivious to the fact that not IF but when something of great magnitude will happen (EMP, Major Rapid Decline of the Dollar, really any number of unknowns) will happen, I know I sleep better with just the small adjustments we have and will continue to make.

Convincing The Spouse
I will be the first to admit that I was not sure how the wife would see my new outlook on life and what the future holds.  We are a middle income family of four in a mid-western city with a population of a little over 500,000.  We have always been able to go down the street for fuel or a couple miles to the local grocery store or a few miles to Wal-Mart.  Now I have to get my wife to understand that in some time in the future, that gas station down the street will not have fuel in the tanks, and the local grocery store will not have food on the shelves, and the Wal-Mart will not have batteries.  And so I associate it with something she understood.  Since she for some crazy reason has gone out on "Black Friday" looking for the best deals, I associate what this would be like if you took the trampling at the Target store on Black Friday that killed a lady x10.  In explaining to her, that scenes like this will be common when TSHTF, she begins to listen.  And with the help of a few books and showing her some great survival sites, she is more than happy to join me in this life alteration.

Small Changes That Will Make a Big Difference
As with every single person or family, how you prepare will be different.  My family is still in what I consider to be in the first stages of preparing, things we have begun doing or already have had in place include:

Batteries, Radios, and LED Flashlights
These are available from eBay, Wal-Mart, Harbor Freight, and many other sources. As far as flashlights go I have begun to rely solely on LED flashlights for many years now.  I am a Fireman, and even in the darkest, smokiest conditions, I have found that Light Emitting Diodes (LED) bulbs far outperform traditional Halogen bulbs.  This is not to even mention the extended battery life an LED light will give you.  As far as batteries are concerned, I have not bought into the rechargeable batteries, not that I do not believe that these can be very beneficial in a worst case scenario, but I just have not yet invested in the solar powered equipment to charge them when/if the power grid goes down, plus factor in the fact that they do not hold a charge anywhere close to the amount of time a lithium battery does without continuous charging.  I will continue to stockpile my traditional batteries.  Radios will drawl minimum power from your batteries, and can/will give you vital information as to what is going on in the world, given the stations are still broadcasting

Five Gallon Food Grade Buckets
The ability to purchase fifty pounds of rice today for under twenty dollars, and be able to store it in a Mylar bag inside of a 5 gallon bucket that will last for 25-50 years seems like an insurance policy that not one of us can afford not to purchase. Let alone the uses these buckets will provide after the food inside has been used, for example; hauling and storing water, using as a toilet, using to start seedlings or covering plants from the cold, hauling fish, small game, berries.  We must remember that once production of items such as these cease to exist, what we have, is all that that we will have. Once-used buckets are often available free from local and large chain bakeries. I have not been charged once for them.

Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers
I found 10 large bags for 5 gallon buckets and 20, 1,000cc Oxygen Absorbers (2,000cc per 5 gallon bucket/pail) on eBay all for twenty dollars, total.  These bags and O2 absorbers will not only kill and keep out any unwanted pests or bugs, but will extend the life of any food that it contains by many years.

Dried Beans, Rice, Pasta, Water, Canned Goods
You have to do your research here for the most product for the least amount of money, look for sales, and when you find them, load up!  I for one can not go out and purchase two years worth of food in just one week, so this is an on-going process for me and my family.  For example, my local grocery store is offering, ten cans of Chefboyardee products at 69 cents a can. ($6.90 for 10 cans.)  That is about what a can of green beans or slice carrots costs, however, with these I am getting servings of vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, and numerous other vitamins. I think I have found the perfect survival food!  Plus, with an expiration date well into 2013,  I know I would feel comfortable with my family eating them well after that date, this is a good long term storage food.  Also, if you have not stored enough dog food for your K-9 friend, he or she will have no problem with cleaning up your left-overs, whether it be rice (one of the main ingredients in many "top brand" dog foods anyway, not that it's right, but it is one of the main ingredients in many) or half a can of raviolis (waste nothing). [JWR Adds: Whenever anyone mentions canned soup, chili, and ravioli in SurvivalBlog, I get letters that complain: "What about all that salt?" Well, relax: High Sodium Levels Protect Healthy Hearts, European Study Suggests. Yes, there are healthier foods available than Chefboyardee, but it sure beats eating your lawn.]

Guns and Ammunition
Having a means to protect your family, your shelter, and your food will be paramount.  You do not want to be easy prey for the hundreds of thousands that have not been preparing.  Trust me, these people will be everywhere, the same people that are so adjusted to the government making sure everything is in order, and the same people that think food just magically appears on the shelves and fuel is always in the pumps.  When the food is not on the shelves, and no fuel comes out of the pumps, they will eventually go to desperate measures to attain these things, especially the food.   I would also like to add that I have some friends that continually tell me which guns that I should have because when TSHTF this is what everyone else will be using because these guns are so common, and I am going to want to be able to take their ammunition that is laying around, but every time I hear this, one of my favorite quotes from the movie We Were Soldiers comes to mind:   Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: I think you oughta get yourself an M16.
Sergeant Major Basil Plumley: Sir, if the time comes I need one, there'll be plenty lying on the ground."

Security / Dogs -
In relation to security, better than an alarm system, with the exception that they do not require electricity or power.  I have also found that the majority of criminals these days look at alarm system decals or actual systems as nothing more than maybe a nuisance.  Even if your alarm system is connected to a monitoring system, the alarm first has to be sent to the alarm company, the company then has to try to contact you for your "security word/phrase" to find out if this is a false alarm, then, after multiple attempts of not being able to contact you, they then contact your local 9-1-1 system, who then has to contact a beat officer in your area, then, this beat officer, whom is complacent of "system alarms" because he has made hundreds of security alarm calls which 99.99% of the time are false, takes his time getting to your residence because his Standard Operating Procedures (S.O.P.s) do not allow him to run red light and siren to your residence.  How long do you think this all takes?  Trust me, a good watch dog is worth a hundred "monitored" security systems   

High Power Pellet Gun
A decent high powered BB and/or pellet gun will easily shoot 1,000 feet per second on the low side, easily hard enough to kill a bird, squirrel, or rabbit with the right placement (especially with a Polymag Predator pellet).  Memories of picking off birds and squirrels (food) as a youngster has made me decide to add this gun to my list.  Add in the fact that ammo for one of these guns is extremely inexpensive.  This gun will also serve me well teaching my sons to shoot.  As well as the quietness of this tool while hunting, not to alert anyone nearby, makes it a nice addition.

Fishing Throw Nets
I already love to fish and have plenty of gear, and after some thought, decided to buy a couple more throw nets.  We have a water source near, and if TSHTF, I will be fishing to supplement feeding my family.  I'm not going to be out there looking for an exciting top water bite, especially early on I will want to get there, pull some fish out, and get back.  I have a couple of 6' throw nets (opens to a 12' diameter) that I have caught everything from small Shad and Bluegill,  to over three pound Bass and much larger Carp. It is quick and efficient.  Many times while catching bait or just practicing throwing this net thirty or forty feet away from a friend or my wife that is fishing with a rod and reel, I get called a cheater because while they are catching nothing, I am pulling in net after net full of fish.  However, these nets definitely take some practice, throwing them is easy, getting them to open up to a nice circular pattern to entrap the fish is another story.  Put me and my net up against anyone and their rod and real for five or ten minutes, and I guarantee I will come away with more fish then them. Many more fish.  Get one now, and learn how and where to throw it.

Fire Starters
Matches, lighters, magnesium fire starters, once TSHTF, and it will, these will fly off of the shelves.  Simple items like these, that people walk by everyday will become scarce in the future.  I recently purchased  a decent full tang knife with fire starting capabilities on Ebay for only $10, things like this will be worth their weight in gold.   How else are you going to boil that water to make it safe to drink, or cook that 200lbs of dried beans and 200lbs of rice in your food storage? 

Iron Skillets
I work at a Firehouse that has been there for 30 years, and we still use the same iron skillets they did when the Firehouse was opened, this is where I began using iron skillets.  They are virtually unbreakable, and would also work very well in a solar powered oven since they are black in color.  At home we have multiple that we use in everyday cooking (10" and 12" Pans,  Pots (Dutch Ovens), Tortilla Warmers), easy to clean, and everlasting.  Once you start using iron cookware, you will never go back to your old stuff, try it.

Life Saving References
There are so many good survival books out there now, don't rely on the internet to be there when TSHTF.  Print your favorite articles and guides, but hard copies are a must have.  The information in these books will be priceless, they will be your new guides to modern day living.

I know I have left more than a few things out, but this is just some of the initial important things (to us) we wanted to start with.  The list will honestly never end, and this is something that you have to continually monitor and add to.  Best of luck friends, and I'll see you on the other side of civilization as we know it. - St. Croix

A relative newcomer on the firearms scene is German Sport Guns (GSG) which, as the name implies, are guns made in Germany. GSG firearms are imported into the USA by American Tactical Imports (ATI) and they are causing quite a stir these days. Under review here are the GSG-5 and the GSG-1911 firearms. The GSG-5 is a "clone" of sorts, of the HK94 semiauto carbine (patterned on the Heckler & Koch MP-5 submachine gun) - except it's semiauto only and it fires .22 Long Rifle (LR) cartridges. The GSG-1911, is a virtual "clone" of the legendary 1911 .45 ACP handgun, except it is .22 LR only.

I happened upon the GSG-5 about a year and a half ago, at my local gun shop. There it was, hanging on the wall, and for all appearances, I thought it was a Heckler und Koch Model 94, semiauto, 9mm carbine. The gun looks "that" good! It only took me a minute or so to make a decision to purchase the GSG-5. About a week later, I purchased another GSG-5, this one slightly different than the first. Both GSG-5 models have what appears to be a suppressor on the barrel. However, they are for looks only, and are not sound suppressors. One false suppressor is quite a bit larger in diameter than the other. For some reason, the BATF, told ATI, that they believed these larger false suppressors could be converted into real suppressors, and they had to be removed, and replaced with the smaller diameter false suppressor. Personally, I don't know how people were converting these hollow aluminum tubes into real suppressors. But the BATF employs a lot of boneheads, who have nothing more to do than come up with this garbage. I sent my larger diameter fake suppressor to ATI and they sent me the smaller diameter fake suppressor free of charge.

The GSG-5 comes with one 22-round .22 LR magazine, and I immediately purchased a dozen more - they are selling for around $20 each. ProMag magazines also makes an after-market 22-rd magazine for the GSG-5, and they also work flawlessly, and are priced a few dollar less than the originals. So often, after-market magazines don't work very well, but these are an exception.

The sights on the GSG-5 are adjustable. You can change windage with the rear H&K style drum sight, as well as elevation. I used the lowest elevation setting, which has a buckhorn style sight and left it at that. The other adjustments have a peep rear sight on the drum, for raising the impact of the bullet. The front sight is easily removable and you can change the height of this sight with the additional front sights that came with the gun. I saw no need to change out the front sight, as the gun was hitting where I wanted it to hit. Still, the sights are there if you need them.

The forearm, butt stock and pistol grip are all made out of plastic, which makes the gun very light-weight. The upper receiver appears to be either zinc or aluminum, with the lower being made out of polymer. The gun operates with a blow-back bolt, which is the way all .22 semiauto rifles work, no big surprises there. The charging handle is on the front-left of the upper receiver, just like it is on the real H&K MP-5 or Model 94. You pull the charging handle back, lock it in place, insert your loaded magazine, and release the charging handle to chamber a round. The safety is ambi, and easily reached with the thumb, too. Trigger pull was more than acceptable, and I saw no need to fool around with it. No sling was provided, but it's an easy and cheap fix for anyone.

The GSG-5 models I purchased have the sliver/gray finish on the upper - it's the collector's version, celebrating the first year of production. Current GSG-5 models have an all-black upper.  The magazine release can be operated one of two ways, with either a push of a button to release the mag, or pressing forward on the paddle. I personally prefer the paddle, as it seems quicker and more secure. The HK MP-5 can be found with the paddle, and most H&K Model 94s can be found with the button magazine release.

I've literally put thousands of rounds of .22 LR ammo through my GSG-5 samples - albeit one was given to my wife for a birthday present, she still let's me shoot hers. I've had very few malfunctions of any sort, and all were ammo related - either the rounds didn't fire, or there wasn't enough "oomph" for the rounds to push the bolt back far enough to fully eject the rounds. The guns don't appear to be ammo sensitive at all, and that's a good thing. So many .22s are very ammo sensitive these days, especially .22 handguns, that you have to find just the right ammo to make the guns function.

I've used the GSG-5s for hunting "big" game in my front yard - moles! I've literally lost count of the number of moles I've taken with the GSG-5s, but it's been quite a few. Whenever I see a new mole mound coming up in my rural front yard, I reach for a GSG-5 with a 22-round magazine in-place, and unload the entire magazine into and around the mole hole - dead mole! Some folks in the area use a 12 gauge shotgun for moles, and they make a bigger hole than the moles were making. I prefer using the GSG-5 for mole eradication. In my neck of the woods, the GSG-5 can be found for $400--give or take a few bucks, and for a mean-looking .22 rifle, it is a great deal.

I recently purchased the GSG-1911, and it looks for all the world, like a full-sized Government Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol, except it shoots economical .22 LR ammo. The GSG-1911 is made out of aluminum for the frame, slide, and most major parts. However, most of the innards are genuine all steel 1911 parts - nice touch - should you want to change some parts out, or have spare parts on-hand. The GSG-1911 is very-well made and nicely fitted - better fitted than many 1911s I've owned over the years. The GSG-1911 takes a proprietary 10-rd magazine, however, I expect we'll see after-market mags coming down the pike soon. The GSG-1911 model I picked came with a threaded barrel and had a fake aluminum suppressor on it - it has a very "kool" factor look to it. The fake suppressor can be removed quickly by hand, and you can put a thread (provided) protector on the threads to protect them from damage.

The GSG-1911 is very popular with folks who want to put a real suppressor on them, and who are willing to jump through the red tape and hoops that are required for purchasing a real suppressor with a $200 Federal tax stamp. I just like the super-kool look to the gun with the fake suppressor on it - and it does nothing to reduce the sound signature when the gun is fired. Take note, BATFE: The fake suppressor is for looks only.

Three-dot sights adorn the slide of the GSG-1911, and they are eye-catching, too - neat! The rear sight is adjustable for windage. And, if the point of impact isn't to your liking, there are additional front sights provided with the gun, along with an Allen wrench to swamp 'em out. My gun shoots where I want it at 25-yards, so I haven't changed the front sight. Both the front and rear sight are made out of tough polymer.

There is an ambidextrous safety on the gun, and it's fitted nicely, it clicks on and off with authority. It's actually better fitted than safeties on many .45 ACP 1911s. Personally, I can take or leave an ambi-safety, and I prefer a 1911 without 'em. The grip safety - it needed a little bit of stoning. I had to press the grip safety completely in before it would release and allow the gun to fire. I'm surprised this one slipped through quality control from GSG. If you know anything about 1911s, you can easily correct this if your sample has the same problem. It only took me about 10-minutes to get the grip safety to release where I wanted it to.

Trigger pull! It's outstanding, even though the gun has the Series-80 firing pin safety - which I see no need for. GSG did a great job on the trigger pull - mine breaks at slightly less than four pounds, and it's crisp and smooth, too. Again, I've run across a lot of 1911s that didn't have a trigger pull any where near this good. I saw no need to change the trigger pull on my sample.

Take-down of the GSG-1911 is similar to that of a genuine 1911, with a few exceptions, and an added step or two - it's all there in the instruction manual, and read it before you attempt to take the GSG-1911 apart for regular cleaning and maintenance. Also, if you have a mind to tear the gun completely apart, there are some added parts in the gun, that you need to know about - or you might lose them - I lost a spring in the mainspring housing - it holds in a magazine safety, so the gun can't be fired without a magazine in place. Luckily, I keep a lot of spare gun parts around my digs, and it only took a minute to replace the spring that went flying. The lost spring will show-up eventually, but I wasn't gonna start tearing my office/gun room apart looking for it. Just be advised, if you are removing the mainspring housing, do it slowly and keep it covered with your hand, so when the spring pops out, you'll have it in your hand, instead of it flying across the room.

The GSG-1911 is now my new mole hunting gun. I can sit on my front deck or in my front yard, with the GSG-1911 in my hand or holstered, and I can unleash 10-rds of .22 LR ammo into a newly forming mole hole. The GSG-1911 sample I purchased has an accessory rail for mounting a light or a laser on it, and this gun won't fit in all 1911 holsters. I can place mine in a Blackhawk Products Serpa hip holster, which is made for 1911s with or without rails. (Most molded leather holsters will not accept a 1911 with an accessory rail - be advised!)

I've had zero malfunctions with my GSG-1911 sample. The gun is rated to operate best with high-velocity .22 LR ammo. However, I've used standard velocity .22 LR ammo without any problems at all. The GSG-1911 with the fake suppressor and accessory rail sell for around $360 in my neck of the woods, and the model without the fake suppressor and accessory rail are about $30 less. Spare mags for the GSG1911 run around $30 to $35, not too bad, all things considered.

In the grand scheme of things, I think everyone needs some kind of .22 LR in their survival battery. A good .22 is certainly great for taking small game. However, if all you have on-hand is a .22 rifle or handgun of some type, you can sure make the bad guys wish they had chosen another house or property to attack. Sure, the .22 LR isn't a real man-stopper, but it's better than a sharp stick or throwing rocks. And, it's sure better than going hand-to-hand with an intruder. Truth be told, there's probably been more people killed with the "lowly" .22 than any other caliber. And, I'm willing to bet good money, that more game has been taken with a .22 than any other caliber.

There are a lot of different .22 firearms on the market these days. Of course, the gold standard is probably the Ruger 10/22 rifle, followed by the Ruger .22 pistol (one of the many versions) and they are great guns. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen guys bring tricked-out 10/22s to the gun shows or gun shop and they want to trade them for something else - after they've invested a thousand dollars to make that 10/22 look like some kind of "assault" rifle. With the GSG-5, you have the super-kool look to it - it looks like an H&K MP5 or HK94, without you having to add anything more to it. It also works, and works well. The GSG-1911, again, there's nothing you have to do to it - and with the fact suppressor on the barrel, it also has the super-kool look to it - and those who don't know better, will think you are shooting suppressed .45 ACP when you touch off a .22 LR round.

In a survival situation, you always have to look at how much ammo you can afford to buy and stock pile. With a good .22 rifle and handgun, like the GSG models, you have great guns to start with, and there's nothing more you need to do to them, except buy some spare magazines. And, you can easily stock-up on ten thousand rounds of .22 LR in short order. That's a lot of fun shooting, as well as a lot of ammo to have on-hand for target shooting, pest shooting and small game hunting purposes.

By the way, GSG also makes an AK-47 clone, again, in .22 LR if you like the look of AKs and want to have any inexpensive to shoot trainer with the same ergonomics. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Dear Mr. Rawles:
As a Texas rancher, I understand the difficulties associated with fence building and repair. Too much fence building in a short amount of time will run off a good ranch hand. Mudflap's comments about proper clothing and hydration when fence building are right and should be given attention. We use twisted smooth wire (no barbs) for horse pens but to contain cattle, barbed wire is necessary. Good gloves are essential. Pigskin gloves are very barb resistant. You will be nicked by the barbed wire, so stay current with tetanus shots. Every vehicle on my ranch has a set of fencing pliers and other fence repair items because I have discovered many small repairs over time to be much easier than waiting for things to get so bad entire fence sections need rebuilding. Many small repairs over time is also much easier than continually tracking down stray cattle.

Six wire barbed wire fences are stronger and seem to function longer than those with fewer wires. They also catch more tumbleweeds and blowing debris which in high wind conditions can bend T posts. We go on tumbleweed patrol during sustained wind conditions. I can walk across the prairie and maybe see one rattlesnake but let me work on a fence and they are everywhere. My wife was bitten by a rattlesnake a few years ago and almost died. After that, we got really serious about rattlesnakes and wear pistols in flap covered holsters at almost all times when doing routine ranch work, and at all times when fence building. Flapped holsters are a must in our windy and dusty climatic conditions. They also protect the pistol against wear and damage and help preclude loss, especially when on horseback. Sure these holsters are slow but so is a dirt clogged weapon and where the wind blows almost all of the time, a weapon can clog in one day. Graphite rather than oil helps reduce dirt problems. Blowing dirt also causes magazine feed problems so we use flapped holders for them as well. We disassemble magazines routinely for cleaning but I digress.

Many fencing problems are caused by not placing rigid poles (steel pipe, creosote dipped wood, or cedar) at intervals in a T post fence. We use six to eight inch oil field pipe either driven into the soil with a ram or set in concrete both at low spots to keep a tight fence from pulling the T posts up, and on ridges which seem to be weak places for wind and animal caused shear forces.

We take extra time with T post clips to ensure both ends are securely wrapped around the barbed wire. This causes the wire to be pulled up tightly against the T post. It can be tedious but I believe greatly improves the integrity of the fence. Western union and other type splices can work with barbed wire but I have found that pairs of high tensile crimp style tube splices per wire splice to be more trouble free in the long run. Tab through the photos to see how these are crimped. A well built fence (and it must be surveyor straight - vertical T posts with tops all aligned) will always need less care than a shoddy fence.

At every point where a barbed wire fence changes direction we use six to eight inch pipe braces set in concrete. Such a brace consists of an eight foot long vertical pipe at the point of direction change (three feet buried in the ground) flanked by similar pipes on either side in line with the old and new fence directions. The three vertical posts are connected by five foot runs of horizontal pipe welded a foot below the tops of the vertical pipes. A front end loader is essential because these size thick walled pipes when welded together into a brace, may weigh a thousand pounds. Wooden posts are easier to work with and steeples easy to use, but nothing lasts like thick walled oil field pipe. We wrap several turns of a short piece of barbed wire around the vertical pipes leaving two wire ends, one about two feet long and the other four feet long. The shorter free end is wrapped tightly around the the longer end. The fence stretcher and splices are then used to connect the free end of this wire to the long run on down the fence line. This is the only way I have found to ensure taught wire runs using when metal pipe braces. We strive to get it right the first time.

A good quality fence wire stretcher is also important. T posts can be difficult to pull out of the ground if a fence line is being moved. We use a T post puller T-Post Puller. Everyone should have a Hi-Lift Jack and they work well with a post puller, but if I'm moving a line of fence, we usually have a tractor with a front end loader on site so I chain the T post puller to the front end loader in order to pull up the posts. The loader bucket is also a good place to store the pulled T posts. The higher on the T post the puller is placed, the less chance of bending the post.

I hope these comments help. The only thing I like about fence building is the end of the day. - Texas Rancher

After first picking up your book "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It" on a whim, SurvivalBlog.com has definitely changed a lot about how I live my life, particularly in how I choose to spend money.  As a prospective medical student, I can't buy a retreat property and set it up the way I should (however much I want to).  However, there are many things I have found I can do.  After reading The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason years ago at the encouragement of my Dad, I started to set aside 10% of what I made for investment purposes.  I had a nice little amount saved when I came across SurvivalBlog.  A lot of the things said about the dollar's decline made a lot of sense to me.  However, while I do believe a serious collapse is possible, and I want to be prepared for it, I have a limited amount of funds.  Therefore, I wanted to put the bulk of my funds into something that will help me prepare should something go wrong, be a good investment whether collapse happened or not, and be something I could enjoy no matter what.  That being the case, the two things I have spent most of my money on are guns and books.  While guns fit all the parameters of what I listed above, books are not really a great investment if you plan on getting your money back later on or plan on turning a profit.  

My library is now loaded with most of the survival fiction suggested on the SurvivalBlog bookshelf, a fair number of the other recommended books, and books I personally felt could be of some use (Falcon Guides, books on how native Americans lived, how Civil War soldiers lived, books that would just be an entertaining read, and so forth).  I frequently stop at a used bookstore on my way back from volunteering in the hospital Emergency Room.  Used bookstores are a great way to find books at low prices.  I am blessed to have a rather large used bookstore near my home.  Amazon is of course another great resource but they are usually (but not always) a little more expensive and you just don’t get to have the same browsing experience as you get at a brick and mortar store.  I must take this opportunity to thank Avalanche Lily for recommending The Sign of the Beaver  and The Crispin trilogy.  In elementary school, my school sponsored an event we were allowed to pick out a free book once a year.  Because The Sign of the Beaver had an Indian boy on the cover, and I was interested in Native American life as well as being part Native American myself, I chose it.  I remember I thought it was too long and difficult to read, so I put it on my shelf and mostly put it out of my mind until I saw Lily's recommendation.  Needless to say I changed my view on the length and difficulty of the book and even though it is a "children's book," I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The first Crispin book has proved to be entertaining and informative as well.  I find books written for children can be great resources especially in the realm of survival.  These books tend to cut survival skills down to their basics and are written...get this...so even a child can understand it.  While knowing the exact angles at which to place your sticks to start a fire may be useful, knowing that you should make a stick tepee will probably work just as well.  I am not saying you should do away with the "real" manuals (I have many), but children's books would make a great addition.

I mentioned volunteering in the ER earlier.  I mainly started volunteering to get experience for medical school, but I have since come to enjoy my time spent up there.  You get to help people and gain valuable experience, if not in the way you think you would.  While I am allowed to observe the treatment of trauma patients, I really don’t get a good idea of how I would be able to treat them.  Give them a shot of this, run this kind of iv, order this test, and usually they are sent off pretty quickly for an xray or CT scan and I don’t get to see much after that.  However, the real experience comes in watching how the staff interacts with the patients and their families.  We have a large variety of people come to be treated.  We have truly crazy people, people who are just a little crazy, people who can’t speak English, people are in serious pain, people who are homeless, criminals, violent people, hypochondriacs, etc., etc., who are seeking treatment.  It is interesting to see how each situation is dealt with.  The hospital staff has done a great job of adapting to each situation.  From a survival standpoint, while I may not be too much closer in being able to take care of your gun shot wound, I feel I am much better prepared to deal with people in crisis situations and I would recommend a stint as a volunteer in the ER to anyone (if you can handle it).

Now on to the stuff everyone likes to talk about: guns.  Before I started reading Survivalblog, I had a Springfield Armory XD-M .40 and a Ruger 10/22.  Now, I have in addition to these: a Taurus TCP .380, a Walther P22, a Remington 700 VTR in .308, Remington 870 Marine Magnum, an AR-15 with a great set up, a Saiga 12, an Arsenal SGL21 AKM, and a DPMS LR308AP4 (also with a great set up).  I have also purchased a Gamo Whisper pellet rifle, a Crosman 760 Pumpmaster that shoots both BBs and pellets (definitely worth the $30 at Wal-Mart), and a Bear Super Kodiak recurve bow.  I figured that with the exception of the air rifles and maybe the bow, these weapons would at least hold near their value regardless of the value of the dollar.  Plus, I now have a nice battery for defense, a great hobby, and a lot better chance of getting some meat for the table whether it is with a bullet, a shotgun shell, a BB, or an arrow.  

The main reason I started to write this was about turning tangibles into tangibles.  Some of you may be thinking, man, he has to save up for medical school, how did he get all those guns?  Like I said, I had been saving up on the side for years and taking a small percentage for investment (which I have now decided is guns) each week.  Also, I am a deal hunter.  Almost all of the above weapons were purchased at gun shows or off of Armslist.com.  If your state has one, another great place to look is a state gun forum (not run by the state...just in your state).  However, with my gun fund now depleted, I have to get creative.  So, I turned to Craigslist.  What do I possibly have that I don't need/want anymore that is worth anything and/or may not be worth anything soon?  As a 20-something, I have acquired a rather large assortment of video game systems over the years. While I may keep my xbox 360 as a luxury in a post collapse situation (as one survivor of the Argentina collapse wrote about), I feel fine about getting rid of my old and/or seldom played systems that are just taking up space.  I also have DVDs.  

While I plan on keeping a few around for my personal collection and as possible luxury items, I have many that I am sure I will never watch again.  With the advent of Blu-ray, Netflix, Comcast on demand, etc., the time to get out of DVDs seems to be yesterday.  The good news is they haven't yet become worthless.  While a used VHS sells for around 20 cents now, a used DVD can still get you $2 to $10, depending on the title).  This may not sound like much but if you have a large collection, this may be the way to get that new concealable .38 Special revolver you've had your eye on.  And if you have a complete boxed set of a popular show, even used you could be looking at the $100-$150 range.  
Now is the time to trade in some items that will wind up in the free box at a garage sale for something you can actually use.  Of course, video games and DVDs are not the only tangibles you can convert.  Look for opportunities to take items that you don't use or don't want anymore and turn them into something you really want.  It is easy to just let your junk sit where it is, take up space in your house, and lose value.  You might be surprised how much you can get for your junk and how good you will feel to be rid of it.  On a side note, you can also re-purpose your junk.  My mom wanted to get rid of some inexpensive porcelain figures and decorations.  After an attempt to sell them in a garage sale, these became my new bb targets.  I am looking forward to seeing what other suggestions are out there for tangible conversion. Turn your soon to be worthless tangibles into tangibles that have value now and could become invaluable in the future.

One final thought:  We have all heard of your three Bs: "Beans, Bullets, and Band-aids".  This is a great way to summarize necessities of survival and for the fear of becoming the 20 "Bs" of survival or the 30 "Bs" of survival, it should probably remain the three Bs.  However, I find the six Bs of survival being closer to my mentality:  Bible, Books, Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, and Bullion. - T.N.

I like it, when an ammo maker isn't afraid to experiment, or push the envelop a bit, especially in handgun calibers. Let's face it, given a choice, when things go bad, it's better to have some kind of .223 Remington, 7.62x39 or .308 Winchester rifle in your hands. However, that's not always possible, so we are "stuck" carrying some kind of handgun, and it's usually carried concealed, for self-defense purposes. If I can get a little boost in power from my handguns, then I'm certainly going to take a close look at doing so.

SurvivalBlog readers have seen me mention Buffalo Bore Ammunition a number of times in my articles. I've only been shooting their ammo for eights months or so, as compared to some other big-name ammo companies. However, I'm extremely impressed with what I'm seeing coming out of Buffalo Bore these days. When Buffalo Bore was started, back in 1997, Tim Sundles, who owns and operates Buffalo Bore, was only making big bore loads, like heavy .44 Magnum and the like. He wasn't making ammo for most handgun calibers, however that has all changed, and for the better.

One thing I like about Buffalo Bore is the fact that Tim Sundles, actually tests his ammo in real guns - not pressure test barrels. What better way to get a true reading of what ammo will do, than by testing it in real guns? Buffalo Bore ammo isn't for all handguns, be sure to read the warnings on the Buffalo Bore web site, as to which calibers or loads shouldn't be used in certain guns. The .40 S&W +P load that Sundles puts together shouldn't be used in a straight-from-the-box Glock. The load is hot, and Glocks don't have fully supported chambers - I've had some .40 S&W loads let loose in some of my Glocks chambered in .40 S&W. FWIW, it was not Buffalo Bore loads, rather reloads from UltraMax ammunition. Luckily, neither myself nor my gun were damaged - but it was a wake-up call, to be sure. I refuse to use any UltraMax ammo in any of my guns any longer. I contacted UltraMax several times about this, and never received a reply - that tells me a lot about them - they apparently don't care! Tim Sundles tells me that the 4th Generation Glocks have a better chamber, but it's still not fully supported. So, if you are intent on shooting Buffalo Bore .40 S&W +P loads in your Glock, then have the barrel replaced with one that has a fully supported chamber.

I've never been all that thrilled with the .380 ACP as a self-defense round, at least not as my main gun in that caliber. I readily admit that I like the micro .380s that are on the market, and they make a dandy back-up gun, to whatever my main gun might be that I'm carrying. Still, the .380 is marginal as a stopper if you ask me. I now carry Buffalo Bore 90 grain .380 JHP +P rounds in my Ruger LCP, and these babies let you know that you have something there that will get the bad guy's attention. This load is screaming out of a little Ruger LCP at around 1,150 f.p.s. with a muzzle energy of around 270 foot pounds. We're talking energy around that of some .38 Special loads.

Buffalo Bore also makes Full Metal Jacket .380 loads, for those who want a little more penetration in this round, as well as an all-lead round. I note on the Buffalo Bore web site, that they are now offering the .380 ACP round with the Barnes solid Hollow Point load - this should penetrate a bit more than the standard JHP round, without losing any weight or having the bullet come apart. I haven't tested this load yet, but I will.

Many folks carry a 9mm handgun of some type, most like the idea of having a lot of rounds in their guns - I have no problem with that! With the proper loads, the 9mm is a good stopper. Buffalo Bore offers quite a few different 9mm loads, to include JHP and FMJ, in various bullet weights, as well as in +P and +P+ loadings. Now we're talking serious attention-getting loads in your self-defense handguns. Once again, check the Buffalo Bore web site, to see if these loads are safe to use in your handguns, and also check the owner's manual that came with your handgun, to see if these Buffalo Bore loads are safe to shoot in your particular model of 9mm pistol. Most gun companies will tell you to not use +P+ 9mm loads, and it's not because these loads aren't safe in their guns, it's because they accelerate wear on guns fed a steady diet of these hot loads.

Most police agencies have abandoned the 9mm in favor of the .40 S&W round in their handguns. However, prior to the .40 S&W coming along, law enforcement was using +P and +P+ 9mm loads in their guns, and they had outstanding results in putting the bad guys down. When a new load came along, they all wanted it - and most police departments dumped the 9mm in favor of the .40 S&W or the .45 ACP. I find that I can shoot a 9mm handgun faster, and with more accuracy on-target, than I can with a .40 S&W loaded handgun. Recoil has a lot to do with it - not that I find the .40 S&W recoil to be objectionable, it's just that I can get the front sight back on target faster with a 9mm than I can with the .40 S&W. Buffalo Bore has 9mm loads in 115 grain, 124 grain and 147 grain bullet weights, with +P and +P+ loadings in many of these bullet weights. I personally like the 124 grain JHP +P loading, as I feel it gives me the best compromise between deep penetration and bullet expansion. And, this is just my personal choice, you may want to go with one of the 115 grain JHP loadings for more expansion and less penetration. Or the 147 grain JHP with more penetration and less expansion. Truth be told, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Buffalo Bore loads in 9mm. Buffalo Bore also offers some FMJ loads, and I think they would be great for carrying in your handgun when you're out in the woods - you'll want that extra penetration if you run across big game - where the vitals are buried deep.

I can often be "caught" carrying a good ol' 1911 of some type - it's my preferred handgun type and round for fight stopping power. I cut my teeth on a 1911 .45 ACP pistol way back in the 1960s, and it's still my favorite type of handgun to shoot. I just find that I can shoot a single-action 1911 faster and with greater accuracy than any other handgun type - simple as that. Sure, the 1911 is bigger than many semi-auto handguns, and a bit harder to conceal, but it's worth the effort if you ask me. If I knowingly head into harms way, and all I can carry is a handgun, the 1911, chambered in .45 ACP would be my gun of choice. Now wonder so many SWAT teams carry the 1911 chambered in .45 ACP. It's a proven gun and proven round.

Buffalo Bore has you covered in all manner of .45 ACP rounds, with JHP, FMJ and all-lead bullets, ranging in weight from 185 grain all the way up to their 255 grain hard cast bullet. The 185 grain JHP +P round screams out of a 5" barrel 1911 at around 1,150 f.p.s. with 540-foot pounds of energy. Their 230 grain JHP load is coming out at about 1,050 f.p.s. with 490 foot pounds of energy. You can check out the Buffalo Bore web site for full details on the various .45 ACP +P loads they offer. And, don't be misled by the numbers - the feet per second and the foot pounds of energy don't tell the whole story - it's real-life results that count, and the .45 ACP is well-documented in gun fights over the past 100 years and it gets the job done, so long as you put the bullet where it's supposed to hit. I should mention, that Buffalo Bore also uses a low-flash powder in their handgun loads, and this is great for saving your night vision, if you have to fire your handgun at night.

The Buffalo Bore 255 grain hard cast .45 ACP+P load would be my first choice in a trail gun, if I were heading out to the woods for a day or hiking. It'll penetrate deeply, and the bullet won't come apart on dangerous game - you could do a lot worst than this round for a trail gun, if you ask me. On big, dangerous game, you have to have a lot of penetration in order to reach the vital organs, if you want to stop an attack.

I like the 10mm round, at least, I liked it in the original loadings - the current crop of 10mm loads have all been reduced down in power, to the point, where they are about the same as a .40 S&W round. Only a couple of companies make a full-powered 10mm load these days, with Buffalo Bore being one of them. The original 10mm loadings were approaching that of the .41 Magnum, and that gave one cause to sit up and take notice. I still remember my first 10mm handgun, it was the Colt Delta Elite, and you knew you had some real power in your hands. The gun was not only good for small to medium game hunting, it was also a great stopper in the JHP loadings. Of course, those full-powered loadings took their toll on lesser handguns, and the Delta Elite was really getting loose after a steady diet of full-powered loads. Colt discontinued the Delta Elite some years ago. However, I'm happy to report, they have re-introduced it, and they look better made than the originals do.

If you have a 10mm handgun, and you don't load your own rounds, then you'll want to contact Buffalo Bore and get some of their outstanding 10mm loads. The 180 grain JHP rounds are screaming at 1,350 f.p.s. with about 725 foot pounds of energy - we're talking serious power from an autoloader. Want something that penetrates deeper in a 10mm load? Take a look at the 200 grain FMJ load, that is 1,200-f.p.s. with 640 foot pounds of energy, that will penetrate extremely deep on any animal. Buffalo Bore is also offering a 230 grain hard cast 10mm load, that should take care of most of your medium sized game out in the boonies.

As already mentioned, if you want full-powered 10mm loads, then take a close look at the Buffalo Bore line-up, they have what you're looking for. Most big-name ammo companies are only offering 10mm loads that are reduced in power, down to the point, where their loads are no more effective than then .40 S&W is. The reason for owning a 10mm handgun is the major power-factor.

I have tested a lot of .44 Magnum loads from Buffalo Bore over the past eight months, and they have about the largest selection of .44 Magnum loads that I've ever seen. If they don't have what you're looking for, then you aren't looking for the right load. I like the .44 Magnum, it has taken all manner of big game all over the world. While it's not the ideal round for elephant, rhino or cape buffalo - it can take them with the right load, and of course, the proper shot placement. I like the idea of a .44 Magnum because you can load 'em up high, or load 'em down to .44 Special velocities.

Please read the warnings on the Buffalo Bore web site, about the use of some of their .44