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Preparedness Through Joining the National Guard, by Christopher D.
Several months ago, a man wrote an article for the SurvivalBlog detailing the ups and downs of being a prepper while serving on Active Duty. As a former Active Duty soldier I could appreciate what he was saying but more than anything else I found myself being thankful that I was now doing my prepping while serving in the National Guard.
Many preppers join the local volunteer fire department or rescue squad in order to learn valuable skills for free that could help in an emergency. They also do it so that they can learn skills that will help pull their communities through during tough times. I would like to propose that some of the readers who are of this mindset could gain much by joining the National Guard.
I have been in the Army seven years now. I started on Active Duty serving in Georgia, Germany, and Iraq. After three year I moved back home and joined the Guard. I am currently wrapping up a tour as the commander of a 170-soldier Military Police (MP) company. Like anything else, the Guard has its positives and negatives and I’d like to provide readers with both so that they can make an educated decision about what I think is a great opportunity. (Full disclosure: I like my job.)
First, the positives:
1. Job training. Hands down, from a survivalist mindset, this has to be the best thing that the Guard has to offer. The training for jobs in the Guard is the same as what you’d receive on Active Duty. The difference is, while it’s common for Active Duty soldiers to stay in the same carrier field for the duration of their career, Guardsmen often end up training in more than one field for a variety of reasons. I have soldiers who started out as mechanics who retrained as Military Police after a few years because there were more opportunities for career development in our MP focused unit. Likewise, in my unit we are authorized three medics up to the rank of Specialist [E4] (the fourth enlisted rank in the Army). When they decide that they want to pursue their Sergeant stripes, they will either go to another unit that has slots for a medic at the rank of Sergeant (there are two such units within 25 miles of us) or retrain as Military Police to pursue one of the many slots available in that field for the rank of Sergeant and beyond. The point is that the choice is theirs. How valuable would it be for you to train as a mechanic, infantrymen, medic, MP, or chemical specialist? It is not uncommon for some of my older soldiers to be formally schooled in up to three different Military Occupation Specialties (MOS).
2. Learn additional skills beyond your MOS. Every one of my soldiers has practiced putting in an IV, knows how and when to use a nasopharyngeal airway, and can perform a range of basic first aid tasks. Two of my soldiers have been school trained as armorers as an additional duty to their primary job. I put everyone on the range 2-3 times a year firing 9mm, 5.56mm, 7.62mm, .50 cal, 12 gauge, and 40mm. Our people know how to maintain and fire a variety of pistols, rifles, machine guns, shotguns, and other less common weapon systems. We practice navigating alone or in small groups cross country using a map and compass. We also train everyone on basic hand-to-hand combatives. Finally, our Military Police soldiers get trained on collapsible batons, OC, and soon, Tasers.
3. Continue to live where you want. One of the big complaints of preppers on Active Duty is having to move every few years. In the National Guard you choose your armory (presuming they have an open slot) and you can live anywhere that you like. In my state 90% of counties have at least one National Guard armory. As you go up in ranks you may have to go to another armory that has the slot that you want but you’re never forced to do so. If the openings don’t exist for your career track at your armory, you can always retrain into another field where the slots do exist.
4. Be a leader when trouble strikes. When society gets shaken you will likely be called upon to stabilize and sustain your city, state, or nation. Some would see this as a downside as they would prefer to hunker down when things get bad. I see it instead as a positive. Even as a mere mid level leader in the Guard I have the ability to make decisions that will help restore towns to a state of normalcy. This was proven to me when our company was charged with restoring law and order to a coastal Mississippi town in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. We fed people, stopped the looting, and gave the utility workers the support that they needed to restore basic services. Not only was it a rewarding experience, but it also pulled me into the survivalist community. I promised myself that my family would be prepared when disaster struck.
5. Local in focus, global in reach. Unlike the Reserves, National Guard soldiers serve at the direction of their state’s Governor. If this sounds odd to you, remember that before 1933 the National Guard Bureau was called the Militia Bureau. If you’re interested in helping in natural disasters, the Guard is the way to go. I’ve responded to tornados 30 miles North of my home as well as hurricanes 500 miles South. I’ve even conducted exercises in South America and Europe with the Guard. The President can always federalize a Guard unit, but at our core, we’re a state asset.
6. Learn even more skills outside the Army. The GI Bill and Tuition Assistance can help you go back to school for vocational, college, or post graduate training with little or no out of pocket expense.
7. Gain an extra paycheck. Not much more to say on this one. Live off your civilian job salary and you can just apply your Guard paycheck to paying off your house or any other debts that you have faster.
8. Gain full time employment. While the Guard is traditionally a part time force (usually one weekend a month, two weeks a year… though the War on Terror was stretched that), there are some full time jobs out there. Put in some time and prove yourself and you could serve full time from your hometown. Of particular interest to people who understand the threats that exist domestically are the Civil Support Teams (CST) that each state has that’s composed of Army and Air National Guardsmen. These are the first responders for just about everything that a terrorist might level against us here at the home front. All the soldiers in a CST serve full time and represent the best that we have for detecting and dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats.
9. The camaraderie of a group of like minded individuals. It’s good to know people in your community that you can count on in a pinch. Plus the Guard can be a good networking opportunity if you’re looking for employment in an emergency response field (police, fire, EMT, etc.).
And now, the negatives:
1. Overseas deployments. Sooner or later you’re probably going to go to Iraq or Afghanistan if you’re in the National Guard. If you have a family, this is definitely a negative. However, for some of you the experience that this brings would be invaluable in a survival situation. Just prepare your family to operate without you, preferably in conjunction with the support of trusted friends and neighbors. Know also that the Guard has really made headway since the wars started in providing dwell time to its soldiers. Current deployment cycles attempt to limit a unit to one deployment for every five years.
2. Some units in the Guard lack vision and don’t train hard. It pains me to say that but we must remember that the Army is a microcosm of the society it serves. Some leaders are no good and some units are lazy. My unit trains hard and the soldiers appreciate it. We take every opportunity to learn and grow. Not every unit is like that. If you join a unit that’s sub par, work to change it from the inside. If the culture of that unit is beyond your ability to fix, request transfer to another one.
3. If you’re thinking about joining the Guard now, you just missed some of the best enlistment bonuses in decades. Work closely with your local Guard recruiter (located at most Guard armories) and see if the field that you’re interested in still offers money up front to help kick your prepping into high gear. Not all the bonuses are gone but several of the bigger ones went away a few months ago.
4. Leaving your family during the height of an emergency. I alluded to earlier, but it’s worth repeating given the audience. It is all together possible that when your family needs you the most, you will get called away to help other people. This is a chance that we take along with our brethren first responders. Police, Fire Fighters, EMTs, Doctors, Nurses, and Guardsmen… if we hold to our oath then we’ve got to go where our community needs us in an emergency.
If you’re thinking about joining, grab a friend in the Guard and ask a lot of questions. It’s not a small step because it requires many years of commitment. I think it’s worth it, though. Hopefully this article has answered your questions regarding the Guard as means to serve your community and grow your personal skill set in preparation for a survival situation.
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Letter Re: An Outward Bound Prepper's Perspective
Hi Jim,
I’m new to your site and books but not to the concepts and precepts. My dad had a survivalist/self-sufficient mindset with a cool mix of Native American philosophy and know-how. I didn’t eat store bought meat or baked goods until I was 10 or 12 and thought processing shoulders of venison in the kitchen was the norm. We had a huge garden and fruit tree orchard. My mom was a master at canning; although I think it should be called "jarring" because you’re putting it in jars, not cans. He collected, traded, and rebuilt guns and amassed quite a collection. I grew up reloading cartridges and sanding/staining stocks and thought nothing of it at the time. He taught us to hunt, fish, camp, garden, live off the land and many other things that I took for granted at the time. He passed away last year but his lessons and way of being in the world still guide me to this day. From reading your novel I now know why he left us a 25 pound bag of really, really old silver coins.
As I have been reading your book and the blogs posts, I keep jotting notes to myself of things that have expanded my knowledge or ones that I would “pipe-in” on. I keep thinking I should read the entire archive of blogs first before piping in but realize that might take a very long time. I get bogged down in all the heavy duty technical talk and find myself putting it down or signing off for awhile. I feel very simplistic compared to a lot of the bloggers and find that I’m beginning to questions my own philosophies and preparedness. I’ve been stashing stuff for 20+ years but it has always been with the mindset of whether it can fit in a backpack or the back of my truck. I’m more of the Doug Carlton type. I can fill a backpack and disappear into the woods for many, many months and live very comfortably. And yes, shock-shock, I am a woman of small/lean stature.
I spent 10 years working for Outward Bound and 25 years backpacking/exploring North America . I’ve extensively scoped out where I would head and have created some caches along the way. I lived the majority of two years “out” and was amazed when I returned to “civilization” how much I appreciated instant fire, instant hot water, instant heat, real beds, not camping in snow, and not having to sleep with my boots in my sleeping bag to keep them from freezing overnight. Still, with all my experience and skill, the more I read of your book and blogs the more I’m wondering: Did I miss something?
I was reading through the Retreat Owner Profiles and kinda felt inadequate until some thoughts started hitting me. Could these people live/survive without the majority of all this stuff? If they had to choose 10 items, other than what they were wearing, to survive what would they be? (Hint: one of mine is heavy duty paper clips). If they had to choose three items what would they be? Do they know how to find dry wood and start a fire when it has been raining nonstop for two days? Could they curl up under a Ponderosa Pine without a tent and sleep a rainy night away? How would they react around bears, mountain lions, and the sorts? What if they got hurt out in the woods, could they handle it? How “tough” are they without their guns? The questions just kept coming and I started feeling less inadequate.
Since discovering your web site and starting all the reading my thoughts are definitely evolving. At my house I have been stashing for years what I call “luxury” stuff that would be part of a stable retreat. Within a year I will be getting a healthy inheritance and you now have me seriously considering creating a retreat at one of my “finds” from all the years of exploration. Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and British Columbia have been my playgrounds for years. Over the last 20+ years of “playing” I have been honing in on where my bit of wilderness would be.
Also, thanks to you and your web site, I am now going to go back and take my brother up on some of his recent offers. One of which pertained to my dads extensive gun collection. I was home a couple of months ago and my brother took me into the “secret” room that housed a lot of my dad’s “toys”. We grew up calling them “toys” because my dad was somewhat adamant about people outside the family knowing anything about his extensive collection of guns, knives, arrowheads, old coins, et. cetera. I was staring at a room full of guns (amongst other things) and he told me take whatever I wanted. All I took was one small handgun because most of them are what I call “guy guns”. They were big, beefy, heavy, etc. Now I am thinking even if I can’t use them, I can trade them for something more my size. Without having me ingest an encyclopedia on guns, what would you suggest? I’m 5'5", 110 pounds, with small bones. I have access to most any new gun at cost or below cost. My brother would tell me not to by new but to go with unregistered older models, but some of the newer ones are seriously slick.
I have lots of thoughts and tips about living/surviving in the woods but it seems a lot of your web site is devoted to established retreats and I’m not there yet. So, I will keep reading and evolving my thoughts. You got me digging out all my old topo maps of the western states and going back through my experiences there. I am going to Oregon in a week, Utah in three weeks, and northern Montana in a couple of months. I had planned on just doing more re-exploration but will now have a more focused approach. So, thanks! Take care and keep your socks dry, - Sharon
JWR Replies: It is a pleasure hearing from a reader with extensive backwoods experience. You will find that invaluable. I often say that there is no substitute for hard-earned practical experience. It comes with some years, and with putting one foot in front the other, over hill and dale--chalking up considerable mileage off of pavement.
As for your firearms question: My wife is 5'4" and is under 100 pounds. Her primary rifle is a Valmet Hunter .308 semi-auto, which is a rifle generally carried by much larger shooters. The trick was having both the stock and barrel shortened, so that the rifle would fit her properly. She also had a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad installed. That rifle has taken a lot of deer in the past 15 years, since it has also been used by our teenagers, while growing up. Don't miss some of the letters in the SurvivalBlog archives about gun choice for smaller shooters. Just type "small-statured and shooters" into the "Search Posts on SurvivalBlog:" search box at the top of the right hand bar.
Good luck with your search for a suitable retreat. For my selection rationale, and some detailed locales suggestions, see my book "Rawles on Retreats and Relocation".
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The Meme of Crushroom: A Key Retreat Architecture Element
One bit of retreat architecture that I've often recommended to my consulting clients who are designing (or retrofitting) retreats is the inclusion of a protruding entryway foyer, that I call a crushroom. Passing this advice along to you gives me the chance to employ one of my horrible puns: The Meme of Crushroom. A crushroom is a controllable confined space, typically an entry foyer, that can be covered with small arms fire or subjected to irritant or obscurant smoke or sprays. The outer door (or barred gate) to the crushroom is normally left open, but has a spring loaded self -closure device, and an automatically-engaged remote-controlled lock release mechanism. Think of it as a box trap for Bad Guys. Have you ever visited a Big City apartment with a communal door where you need to get "buzzed in"? In this case, the Bad Guys will have to be buzzed out of your crushroom
The home invasion threat can only be expected to increase in coming years. I anticipate greater use of dynamic-entry tools by home invaders. For instance, they will soon use commercial or improvised door-entry battering rams and Hallagan tools—like those used by firemen and police entry teams. This means that standard solid-core doors by themselves will be insufficient. In a worst, case, thugs might even use vehicle-mounted battering rams. In such circumstances, it will be wise to have the extra layer of protection afforded by a crushroom.
You should position the outer door to your crushroom one of its side walls, rather than lined up with the entrance door to the house. Having this 90-degree turn and allowing just a four foot space in front of the house entrance door has several advantages: First. it makes it impossible to use a long battering ram--since it limits the length and "throw" of a battering ram. (Even a very stout door, hinges, and doorframe will not withstand the impact of a 10-foot-long battering ram that is manned by a team of thugs). Second, it removes direct line of sight into your house. This is useful for light discipline, in a grid-down situation. (When you are likely to have electric lights in your house interior, but your neighbors won't.) Lastly, the crushroom wall opposite your front door provides another layer of ballistic protection--it would have to be knocked down before your front door could be attacked.
Picture this: With your intrusion detection security system, you see one or more thugs approach your house. They are acting "hinkey", or outright aggressive--perhaps rushing in to conduct a home invasion robbery. Then they proceed to try to kick down your front door. But lo and behold, they don't succeed, because you've built your door and barred it to Rawles specifications. (Strong enough to resist even a small battering ram, and armored against small arms fire.) Using your intercom-loudspeaker, you sternly warn them away. But since they have bravado to spare and have never before encountered a door that they couldn't kick in, they persist with their futile leg exercises. At that point, you already have your telephone in hand, and have dialed 911. (That is assuming your are in pre-Schumeresque circumstances, when there still is a police or sheriff's department willing and able to respond.) You then flip the switch, releasing the crushroom's outer door. It slams shut, and locks. Now, the thugs feel trapped, crowded, or crushed in the close confines of the foyer. They will then almost surely turn their attention to kicking at the outer door (or barred gate). At this juncture, you have several "continuum of force" options:
A.) You shout a stern warning and then hit the switch releasing the outer door and "buzz them out." This is effectively just letting them go,, with a warning. Such a course of action is recommended only in current day "peaceful" circumstances.
B.) Using your exterior loudspeaker, you spend five minutes sharing the Gospel with the thugs, then you hit the switch to release the outer door.
C.) You pull a wire that is attached to the pin on a smoke grenade in the decorative "overhead light fixture" in the foyer, and simultaneously start playing your retreat's PSYOPS tape over your exterior loudspeaker, at around 60 decibels. This combination (especially a violet smoke grenade and a tape of Jimi Hendrix playing Purple Haze) is sure to make the thugs think twice about coming back.
D.) You pull a wire on that is attached to the pin on a CS tear gas grenade, and simultaneously start playing your retreat's PSYOPS tape at around 90 decibels. This, (especially a tape of Credence Clearwater Revival singing Bad Moon Rising) will probably make the goblins soil their trousers and reconsider their life of crime.
E.) You slide open an armored gun port, and protrude the muzzle of your favorite large-caliber lead dispenser.
F.) Any combination of options B, C, D, or E, in whichever sequence seems apropos, given the day's relative Schumer Index and the prevailing exigency of the circumstances.
Alternatively, your crushroom could normally be kept locked from the outside. This will provide a valuable delay for even the most ambitious dynamic entry by home invaders. It will also provide you a safe place for you take delivery of mail and packages with some "stand-off" distance.
Four Important Provisos:
1.) Only build a crushroom if you are also going to first upgrade your front door and doorframe to very stout specifications, and the surrounding wall is of similarly stout (i.e. masonry) construction. The last thing that you want to experience is a bunch of enraged bad guys actually entering your home.
2.) Do not mention the purpose of your crushroom to friends, neighbors, or even relatives. It should outwardly just look like either a "mud room", a "weather airlock", or perhaps a "Spanish style" foyer, with "decorative" heavy wrought iron bars. If you are indiscreet, word of it may get around, and then at best you'll get labeled as the local survivalist whacko. Or at worst, word will get as far as the local band of goblins, and whilst sharpening their knives they will deviously plan to bypass your crushroom entirely. They may decide to either bushwhack you while you are out splitting wood, or invade your house via your roof, with a chainsaw or a fireman's metal-cutting rescue saw.
3.) I most strongly encourage readers to use your crushroom's outer door as a mantrap (and any of the other active measures that I've mentioned) only in truly post-TEOTWAWKI circumstances. As I've noted many times before in SurvivalBlog, we live in an extremely litigious society. Displaying the audacity to actually hold bad guys in place until the gendarmes arrive could be grounds for civil lawsuits (for false arrest, excessive use of force, mental distress, etc.,) and possibly even criminal charges. In essence, if you hold someone in a citizen's arrest in excess of what a jury of your peers deems justifiable and reasonable, then you could conceivably be charged with felony kidnapping. Here, the "Reasonable Man" standard will probably be applied. (Black's Law Dictionary defines citizen's arrest as: "The apprehending or detaining of a person in order to be forthcoming to answer an alleged or suspected crime." See: ex parte Sherwood, (29 Tex. App. 334, 15 S.W. 812).
4.) Be sure to provide yourself a way out of your crushroom, in the event that the outer door closes unexpectedly when you don't have a door key in your pocket. Perhaps a spare key that is very well-hidden behind some molding.
For further background, see this letter in the SurvivalBlog archives on "man trap" architectural features.
Some Suggested Suppliers:
Door closing springs. Check your local Yellow Pages for "Fire Door" hardware suppliers. Your local locksmith probably knows of a supplier, or may have a pile of used one in his back room. For a man trap, the faster the action of the door closure, the better. Hence, a traditional coil spring action is preferable to the more modern, slower pneumatically-dampened springs. Think in terms of cattle chute hardware, rather than what you'd likely see on shopping mall doors.
Door release solenoids. (You've probably seen these on fire doors at hospitals and other public buildings.) Note that in circumstances where grid power is iffy, you can substitute a mechanical release, activated by a simple pull-cable and cotter pin.
Door lock & release solenoid ("buzzer lock") mechanisms. Search for local suppliers with a the web search phrases "mantrap" or "common door buzzer lock". To provide sufficient "hold the goblins in place" strength, you may have to use multiple locking solenoids--at the top, middle, and bottom of the door--that are engaged and disengaged simultaneously.
CS tear gas grenades. These are available from police supply houses. In most states it is not illegal for citizens to possess them. But by their company sales policy, most police supply houses will only sell these to orders placed on police department letterhead. But I've occasionally seen gas grenades sold at at gun shows, and they also come up from time to time on firearms auction sites like GunBroker.com and AuctionArms.com. For example, see this current GunBroker auction. Be sure to consult your state and local laws before buying these or similar pyrotechnic devices.
Gun Ports. You might luck into some of these at a scrap yard (from a retired bank armored car), but more likely you will have to fabricate these yourself, or have a welding shop make them for you. Remember: Gun ports work both ways, so you will want a thick, well-braced, sliding backing plate that latches securely. Specify everything for the ports very thick and very stout. Any exposed hardware should be large-diameter and welded in place, once assembled.
Exterior (weather resistant) loudspeakers. Rather than buying new (and expensive) speakers, try placing a "wanted" ad in Craigslist. It is amazing to see what people have salted away in their garages and attics.
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Two Letters Re: Cost Comparison: Factory Loads and Reloaded Ammunition
James,
Grandpappy isn't comparing apples to oranges correctly. His reloaded ammo pricing is for premium self defense bullets, which cost $150 or so per thousand. Most people are going to reload cast lead, which would cost $50 or 60 per thousand for a .40 S&W for example. If you price new premium self defense ammo, like Doubletap, it is going for around $700 a case. If you purchased new brass (why?) Hornady or Speer premium SD bullets, you would still be able to build your own (which we supposedly should not due to legal concerns) SD ammo for half the cost. And practice? Much, much cheaper with lead bullets.
Recent online ammo vendors (who have in stock) are trying to charge almost $500 for a case of .45 ACP 230 grain hardball (look at Natchez). You can load 230 grain lead roundnose (LRN) and duplicate the factory load for maybe $130 or so with good hard cast bullets included. Compared to today's ridiculous ammo prices, you can make up the cost of your reloading setup in a case or two of ammo. Anyone who wants to shoot more than 500 rounds a year should be reloading. Thanks! - M.S.
Jim:
Grandpappy had a great article on reloading, but what about time? Time is money. Reloading is very time consuming. Between [the time required for] collecting the fired brass, sorting the brass, cleaning [or tumbling] the brass, de-priming the brass, adjusting brass specs to factory (sizing, case length, primer pocket, etc…), this alone is a huge labor and use of time.
This, and my worsening eyesight that keeps me from enjoying precision hand loads, is why I gave up on reloading and sold all my equipment and supplies. BTW, I made a bundle of cash selling my new and used brass and primers. Wow! I quadrupled my money.
No one seems to factor in time. I don’t know about you, but have a long list of to-do projects and brass prep is not one of them.
I’m sure glad I bought hard and heavy in ammo back in the old days. I’m set for my life and probably the life of my kid too. - Robert
JWR Replies: I agree that reloading is time-consuming, but it is a valuable skill. For anyone that makes a six-figure salary, it is probably not worthwhile as a hobby at the present time. But for the rest of us, that don't make that much money, and a have a bit of time on our hands, it is well worth doing. It is particularly worthwhile for students and retirees. I love listening to music, and find that since it is a relatively quiet activity, reloading is a soothing, almost cathartic experience. But, of course, "your mileage may vary." Regardless, it is a valuable skill. I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers at least take the time to learn how to do it, and lay in the appropriate tools and supplies. Reloading capability might prove invaluable in a long-term collapse.
OBTW, don't overlook taking the same humidity precautions for powder and primers that you do for loaded ammunition. On that note, I should mention that I prefer using used Tupperware boxes for storing primer and percussion caps. They are airtight, yet they pose less of an explosion risk than metal ammo cans, in the unlikely event of a house fire. (I look for Tupperware containers whenever I go to garage sales, thrift stores, and farm auctions. Powder cans seal quite well by themselves. Again, for the sake of fire safety, they should be stored in a "blow open" plywood cabinet. Again, resist the temptation to store it in something confining like a 20mm ammo can.
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Cost Comparison: Factory Loads and Reloaded Ammunition, by Grandpappy
There are some significant cost differences between reloading shotgun shells and reloading pistol and rifle ammunition.
The following cost summaries illustrate these differences (all cost data collected in June 2009):
Pistol Ammunition Summary:
$0.270 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
$0.206 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
$0.064 = Cost Savings of Reloading one Used 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
Rifle Ammunition Summary:
$0.800 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
$0.480 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
$0.320 = Cost Savings of Reloading one Used 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
Shotgun Shell Summary:
$0.240 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
$0.410 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
-$0.170 = Additional Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
Shotgun Slug Summary:
$0.631 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
$0.738 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
-$0.107 = Additional Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
A more detailed cost analysis that supports the above numbers appears at the bottom of this article.
The above data is based on average costs as of June 2009. I did not select the lowest possible cost nor the highest possible cost for each item. Instead I used the average cost.
If a person wanted to prove a specific point then he or she could easily select a set of extreme cost data that would support his or her point of view. For example, a person could compare the cheapest reloading materials to the most expensive factory-loaded ammunition and show a large savings. Or a person could compare the most expensive reloading materials to the cheapest factory-loaded ammunition and show a loss.
Since I am not trying to encourage or discourage reloading I used the average cost numbers for each material to provide a more balanced perspective.
The above data suggests that the average person could save a little money by reloading pistol and rifle ammunition.
On the other hand, the average person would save money by purchasing new factory-loaded shotgun shells instead of reloading empty shotgun shells.
The above conclusion is the same one I reached in 1974 when I first investigated the costs of reloading ammunition. In 1974 I could save money reloading both pistol and rifle ammunition but I would have paid a premium if I had tried to reload shotgun shells.
The above analysis does not take into consideration the cost of the reloading equipment. If a person were to invest $290 in reloading equipment plus $40 in one set of reloading dies in a specific caliber, then that person would need to reload the following number of empty cartridges to recover the cost of the total investment of $330:
5,156 Pistol Cartridges = $330 divided by $0.064 savings per pistol cartridge, or
1,031 Rifle Cartridges = $330 divided by $0.320 savings per rifle cartridge.
This clearly illustrates that a person would need to reload a lot of ammunition in order to break even on his or her investment of $330 in reloading equipment that includes one set of reloading dies. Therefore, the average person would probably be better advised to invest in new factory-loaded ammunition if he or she can still find it available for sale.
However, if factory-loaded ammunition becomes increasingly difficult to find, or if its price continues to increase, then a person might want to consider the reloading option as a viable alternative.
Some additional information about the reloading process is at the following page on my web site. This following web page also discusses the art of bullet casting and how to reduce your lead bullet cost to approximately $0.05 per bullet using clip-on lead wheel weights and ordinary solder that contains tin:
How to Get More Ammunition During Hard Times.
A general discussion on how to improve your marksmanship ability when shooting at paper targets is at the following page on my web site: How to Hit the Target Bull's-Eye.
The following detailed cost information is provided to support the cost data at the beginning of this article. This cost data is based on the average costs for each material as of June 2009:
Pistol Cartridge (40 S&W 165 Grain FMJ):
$0.030 = Primer Cost ($29.99 per box of 1,000 divided by 1,000).
$0.016 = Average Powder Cost ($15.79 per pound divided by 959 cartridges per pound).
$0.160 = Average Bullet Cost ($15.99 per box of 100 divided by 100).
$0.206 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 40 S&W Pistol Cartridge.
$0.270 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 40 S&W Cartridge ($13.49 per box divided by 50 rounds per box).
Rifle Cartridge (308 Caliber 165 Grain):
$0.030 = Primer Cost ($29.99 per box of 1,000 divided by 1,000).
$0.120 = Average Powder Cost ($21.99 per pound divided by 184 cartridges per pound).
$0.330 = Average Bullet Cost ($16.49 per box of 50 divided by 50) .
$0.480 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 308 Rifle Cartridge.
$0.800 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 308 Cartridge ($15.99 per box divided by 20 rounds per box).
Shotgun Shell (12 Gauge 2.75-Inch #7.5 Shot):
$0.039 = Primer Cost ($38.99 per box of 1,000 primers divided by 1,000).
$0.049 = Average Powder Cost ($18.49 per pound divided by 378 Shells per pound).
$0.290 = Average Shot Shell Cost ($50.99 per 11-pound bag divided by 176 Shells per bag).
$0.032 = Average Wad Cost ($7.89 per bag of 250 Wads divided by 250).
$0.410 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell.
$0.240 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell ($23.97 per case of 100 shells divided by 100 shells per case).
Shotgun Slug (12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Slug):
$0.039 = Primer Cost ($38.99 per box of 1,000 primers divided by 1,000).
$0.107 = Average Powder Cost ($18.79 per pound divided by 175 Shells per pound).
$0.560 = Average One-Ounce Slug Cost ($13.99 per 25 Slugs divided by 25).
$0.032 = Average Wad Cost ($7.89 per bag of 250 Wads divided by 250).
$0.738 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge Shotgun Slug.
$0.631 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge Shotgun Slug ($9.47 per box of 15 slugs divided by 15 slugs per box).
The cost of the empty metallic brass shell case and the empty plastic shotgun shell is not included in the above figures because those items are being reused and therefore they may be considered a “sunk cost.” A sunk cost is an expense that was incurred in the past and it is not relevant for future purchase decisions. In other words, after you have paid for the factory-loaded ammunition, and you have fired that ammunition, then you have the choice to either: (1) discard your empty shell cases, or (2) re-use those cases. If you decide to re-use your fired shell cases then you do not incur any new additional expense.
Sales tax and/or shipping expenses were not included in the preceding data. These costs would be unique to your geographical location and they would equally impact all the above costs by the same ratio.
The above costs for new factory-loaded ammunition are based on the cost of that ammunition at a Wal-Mart in the southeastern United States as of June 2009.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Note from JWR: »
It Matters Not Whether Inflation or Deflation--You Need to Protect Yourself, by Gentleman Jim from Colorado
No matter who you are, where you live, or whatever your political proclivities, economic trends such as inflation/hyper-inflation/deflation simply don’t care which party you belong to, who you voted for, or whether you’re believe in Keynesian “prime the pump” spending by the government, or not. The laws of economics may be somewhat fungible and give us surprises from time to time, but overall:
* They don’t care whether you love the earth, hate the earth, drive electric tiny-cars or huge Hummers or travel by foot or horse.
* They don’t care whether you’re in a blue state or a red state or a purple state or a pink state.
* They don’t care whether you rent a tiny apartment in the city or own 10,000-acres of ranch land with a huge mansion thereon.
Let me say it one more time: inflation, hyper-inflation and/or deflation don't care who you are! They’re like unwelcome guests who stop by uninvited and visit you and help themselves, no matter who you are or where you live or what you believe.
Did you know that in the modern history of our world, there are over 500 currencies (systems of money) that simply no longer exist? Yep, the only folks that even know about all those currencies are the coin collectors and a few historians.
* But almost universally, they all share one feature: they died due to hyper-inflation and subsequent devaluation.
* In nearly every one of those cases, the corresponding governments fell, and quite often the societies pretty well ceased to exist—they were subsumed by other nations with stronger currency.
Can’t happen here? Please, do some reading and allow yourself to be impartial.
* Check out the recent cases of [mass] inflation and hyperinflation in Zimbabwe and Argentina.
* Look back to Germany’s Weimar Republic in the 1920s—it is quite easy, via the Internet, to find pictures of everyday Germans taking a wheelbarrow full of money to the store to buy just a loaf of bread.
* Look back to the 1930s in the United States…when the devalued dollar led to such extreme measures that in 1933, FDR confiscated nearly all of the gold in the country—and reimbursed owners at a fraction of the value of their gold (absolutely true statement; I have a copy of the Executive Order, if you’d like to read it).
o Yes, households were allowed to keep a small fraction of their holdings, no more than $100 worth of gold, and also numismatic collector's coins were exempted.
o Yes, industrial concerns and business were allowed to continue storing “appropriate” amounts of gold for things like making jewelry, etc.
o The point here is—the government literally came and took people’s gold from them…at bargain basement prices.
o Today…what might they take? Your 401(k)? Your military retirement pay? Your teacher’s retirement pay? Your extra cars--and the government gets to define what constitutes “extra”. After all, it isn’t fair for some to have, and others not, right?
· Scary? Over-wrought?
· Again, read the 1933 FDR gold confiscation order. It is real, it happened, and you can even look it up on the Internet or any encyclopedia.
Now then…if you’ve read this far…you’re probably asking yourself the question: “Okay, so what should I be doing about all this? What should other people be doing about it?”
First and foremost…try to staunch (or at least quell) the storm. Contact your city, county, state and federal officials, representatives, senators, presidents, etc.
· Ask them…beg them…demand of them…that spending be reigned in.
· That our governments at all levels live within their means.
· That taxes be kept at lower levels.
Because if we don’t get our spending under control, all of us will suffer. From the top to the bottom, east to west, north to south, rich to poor, old to young.
* Do something…now…before it is too late. Reign in our governments’ spending before it is too late!
Second: You need to start considering the possibility that the looming storm will break right down on top of you…me…us…our children…our grand-parents…everyone we know.
* So, yes, you need to prepare yourself against that day. You don’t have to believe Armageddon is here, to read a couple of history books and understand what happens in a classic deflation—inflation—hyperinflation—government collapse type of situation. And, fortunately, there are some common-sense things you can do to at least reduce the eventual impact on yourself and your loved ones.
For example, pay off all debt. Immediately! Okay, if not immediately, pretty darn fast. Remember that during the Great Depression, many a farm was foreclosed upon because there was a mortgage on it, but sometimes for only a few hundred dollars. It’s just that no one had even that few hundred dollars with which to redeem that mortgage, and thus family homesteads were lost forever.
Understand that one day your bank may close or be closed. Your bank accounts may not be accessible for days…weeks…or even months. It doesn’t really matter if those accounts are FDIC-insured for up to $200,000. If you can’t get it out for six months…and inflation is running at 20% per month…your money will be worthless by the time you can get it out. So, buy a safe and keep a few thousand or few hundred dollars stashed away, just for emergencies. How much do you need to stash away? That is up to you and your particular circumstances. But you should break up the currency into mostly tens, fives and ones…and probably 30% of it should be in coins (quarters, dimes, nickels—but don’t bother with pennies). (BTW, don’t let the neighbors know that you’re doing this!)
If you have the resources, it would be exceedingly wise to store some silver and gold coin, preferably in coin form. Since most of us can’t afford that buy-in prices of gold (now well over $900 per ounce), that means buying silver. Survivalblog has some excellent recommendations in this area, and you should check that source. However, for most of us, you can break it down into two easy-to-remember areas:
1) Pre-1965 U.S. “junk silver” coins (back when U.S. coins were still mostly silver-based, at about 90%). These include quarters, dimes, half-dollar and dollar coins of the era. But check the silver content of half-dollars—those made from 1965 to 1970 are only 40% silver. Look at places like SurvivalBlog and Coinflation.com to understand why buying pre-1965 coinage is a good idea; for this article, suffice to say that these are a good idea. Your budget will of course determine how much of these you can buy. Potential sources include local coin dealers, local coin collectors (potentially the cheapest sources, if you can find an elderly couple who are liquidating their collections), eBay, Goldline.com and many others. You should be able to buy these junk silver coins for between 10 and 12 times the face value of the coins selected, depending on your source.
2) U.S. Silver Eagle coins. Now, many smart folks like Jim Rawles of Survivalblog are not fans of the Silver Eagle series of coins—check his web site for those opinions. On the other hand, I am personally of the opinion that Silver eagles represent a very strong option. They are obviously more valuable than the pre-1965 junk silver coins, and thus you can get a great store of value into fewer coins. After all, the space considerations of storing a zillion dimes and quarters is pretty significant. Plus, they get very heavy very fast. Silver Eagle coins, on the down side, may represent too large a store of value in one coin….you don’t want to be buying a loaf of bread with a U.S. Silver Eagle, when a 90%-silver Mercury Dime will do the job.
1. On the other hand, I can’t see anyone carrying thirty pounds of silver through what could be very dangerous streets, on their way to try to bribe some embassy official to provide a visa to a more stable country. Heck, even the Silver Eagles might be too big and heavy for that purpose, so you probably will need to have some gold coins, as well.
2. Don’t laugh too hard at that concept. Remember, gold & silver were how many Jews and other ethnic minorities bought their way out of Nazi Germany and occupied Europe, at least in the early years of the Hitler era. Today, a few of the minority farmers in the Zimbabwean countryside are using gold & silver to buy passage to safety, once they have been driven off their farms by the mobs.
If you can afford to buy some gold, as well as silver, be sure to include a lot of the smaller [fractional] gold coins. You don’t want to be getting out a hammer and chisel, trying to cut a gold coin in half, in the middle of a long immigration line. But never forget that U.S. government has confiscated gold once before (1933), and could well do so again. You might want to be discreet in how you purchase, store and transport your gold.
Finally, remember that such silver and gold purchases are not investments. They are insurance! Just as you pay “XXX “dollars a month for your auto, home or life insurance, yet count yourself lucky if you never have to make a claim for your policies’ benefits…you should look at Gold and Silver the same way. Try to buy consistently over time, and try to buy a little more whenever the prices drop some.
* But recognize that you are buying insurance against the partial or total devaluation of our nation’s currency. Don’t expect to make any money off of these purchases in an investment sense—but I’ll bet you sleep better at night, once you have stored a small amount of silver & gold in your home safe.
Third, you need to invest in commodities and hard assets—“things.” The good news is that you can do this without owning 50 guns or living on the Canadian border.
* If you think inflation/hyper-inflation is coming….having a few months of food in the pantry is a sure money-maker.
* If you believe deflation is coming…having some food on-hand is even more important—because in a deflationary environment, many farms will be going out of business and cease production…meaning that no more how little it might cost or how much money you might have…if the corn is never grown in the first place, it can’t find it’s way to your dinner table.
If you find the pantry & storage room getting cluttered with canned goods and boxes, invest in some shelving units. I recommend specialized food storage shelving units such as those sold at Rocky Mountain Home Solutions (Disclosure: my wife owns and operates this company.) Or, check out the various advertisers on SurvivalBlog
* Think about buying a four-wheel drive SUV or truck. If not, at least make sure your vehicles are in good repair, with excellent tires and brakes, recently tuned-up, and with new air filters.
* Buy some new/extra camping supplies…and then use them to take the kids camping this summer. You’ll save money over hitting places like Disney World or Six Flags, probably have more fun, get closer to your kids, create some lifelong memories, and then still have the camping equipment that could be used “just in case.”
* Think about a means of self-defense, keeping in mind local, state and federal laws.
1. How, How Much and What Kind are completely up to you, within the bounds of your budget and your good conscience.
2. One good rule of thumb is that for any means of self-defense to be useful, you must also invest in initial and ongoing training.
3. So, if you want to use judo or karate as your self-defense means, then you need to stay in shape and practice on a regular basis.
4. If you want some knives—you need to take a couple of courses on how to effectively defend yourself without risking harm to yourself or innocent bystanders.
5. And if you buy a firearm of some type, then you really need to know what you’re doing. Don’t put yourself in a bad situation by not knowing how to handle your weapons. This is not meant to discourage you from owning firearms—we own several—but to emphasize that they require an investment of your time and attention, as well as money. [JWR Adds: Get training from well-qualified instructors. Start with an NRA firearms safety class. Then take advantage of the inexpensive training offered by the RWVA (the Appleseed folks) and WRSA. Then move on to advanced training offered by schools like Gunsite and Thunder Ranch. As time and budget allow, move on to advanced force -on-force training.]
6. And of course, firearms require an investment in ammunition—or you risk having only large clubs to defend yourself with.
After taking these initial steps toward preparing for an uncertain future, consider other resources for further information and “next steps. Obviously, SurvivalBlog is an excellent source—very even-handed and stays on topic. We’ve also found the Mountain Steps Blog to be a great source of straightforward, honest advice—perfect for the beginning or “early” preparer. Stay away from any radical blogs that focus on conspiracy theories and potential violence—they simply spend too much time focusing on “why” things are happening, and you probably don’t have the time for that. Instead, focus on preparing for a broad spectrum of potential scenarios that will give you the widest scope of options in any real-world emergency.
Well, that’s probably enough advice for now. I hope some of you have found it useful, and perhaps even inspiring. As my old basketball coach used to say: “Don’t be caught watching the paint dry!!” Do something, because anything is going to be better than nothing.
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Welcome to the Savage World of the Year 2009
"Welcome to the savage world of the year 2009". That
was the tag line of the 1992 sci-fi film Freejack
, starring Emilio Estevez.
Do you remember it? The movie that featured Cadillac Gage V100 wheeled APCs painted in bright colors? My old
friend All-Grace-No-Slack-Really-Reformed Kris just reminded me about this movie.
Kris
noted: "It
was a bit corny but it had some good scenes and characters such as Amanda Plummer
as
the gun-toting
nun." This film provides an insight on what futurists then thought
2009
would be like, as well as a retrospective on life in 1992.
Let's look back at 1992: It is amazing how much the
world has changed since 1992. To me, it doesn't seem that long ago. In 1992
I was 32
years, old, and our first child was an infant. In 1992, .308 ball cost $180
per thousand rounds, a Colt M1911 cost around $350, and cases of MREs could
be bought at gun shows for around $30 each. Back in those days, I was running
a mail order business from home, selling magazines. I was buying M1 Carbine
15
round magazines
in cases of 100, for $90 per case, and re-selling them by the onesees
and twosees for $3 per magazine. (One of my "get rich slow" ventures.) In 1992, you could still buy a plane ticket for
cash, and stroll right up to the departure gate without a ticket in hand. Yes,
there was a metal detector, but you could board a commercial flight with a
pocketknife with a single-edge blade less than 2-1/2" long. (Remember when knife catalogs had "Airline approved" models?) In 1992, gasoline
was $1.05 per gallon ($1.09 for premium), and a good loaf of bread still cost
49
cents. In 1992 you
could take a car trip into Mexico or Canada, with a smile and the wave of your
state driver's license.
In 1992, I owned a small ranch near Orofino, Idaho.
House prices there ranged
from $39,000 to $155,000. (In 1989, we had paid $29,000 for an
unfinished
house on 40 acres.) Silver started that year at $4.20 per ounce, but drifted
down to under $3.70 in December. (It was still in the midst of a two-decade
long bear market.) A semi-auto AK-47 cost $179, an AR-15 was around $500,
and an M1A was $800.
Fast forward to 2009: The local gun shops are chronically
short of ammunition, and what little they do receive from their wholesalers sells out immediately, at an average of $1 per round. Today .308
ball costs
$900 per thousand rounds, a Colt M1911 costs around $1,200. A case of MREs
can cost
upwards of $90, and a loaf of bread is anywhere from 99 cents for the dreadful
"air bread" to $4.69 for the good stuff. Gas is back up to more than
$2.50 per gallon. A semi-auto AK-47 costs around $700, a low-end AR-15 is around $1,200,
and
a standard grade
M1A is $1,600 if you can find one. Today, people line up like sheep
and remove their shoes before boarding an airplane, and opening a checking
account requires umpteen pieces of identification. Now, thanks to "Homeland
Security" regulations, they will
turn you
down if
you don't have a physical street address. (BTW, that gets a bit sticky here
in The Unnamed Western State, where lots of my neighbors live so far back
in the
boonies
that
they don't have a street address. The bankers get all befuddled if you start
quoting the Township, Range, and Section numbers of your quarter-section.
In 2009, house
prices are still plummeting from their 2006 highs, but still quite "spendy." A
house around Orofino with a good spring now costs around $400,000. Who knows? In the current bear market, the price of houses may not bottom until they are close to their
1992 levels. Oh, and wait a minute! Firearms manufactuers are now working around the clock, and prices are expected to soon come back down. In 1992, a Steyr AUG cost $800, but then
they peaked in 2008 at around $4,000. But now new production AUGs
(made by Steyr in the US) have hit the market for under $1,800. You gotta love a free market economy. Maybe the more that things change, the
more they remain the same.
The "Freejack" script was loosely based on Robert Sheckley's novel "Immortality, Inc." The screenwriters had a few things right, but plenty of things wrong. For example, the "destroyed ozone layer" hasn't wrecked our health. And I don't feel at risk of my brain being hijacked. But, then again, I don't own a television.
« Letter Re: Storing Paper and Envelopes |Main| Welcome to the Savage World of the Year 2009 »
Letters Re: Advice for an M4 and AR-15 Newbie
Some tips to ad on to your good advice [in reply to the letter "Advice for an M4 and AR-15 Newbie"]:
The field manual is good, but these two books coupled with some classes from Front Sight, EAG Tactical, Magpul Dynamics, Viking Tactics, Vickers Tactical, CSAT (Paul Howe), or another reputable school are the most valuable.
Green Eyes and Black Rifles: Warriors Guide to the Combat Carbine
by Kyle Lamb.
The M16/M4 Operators Handbook by Mike Panone. Kudos to the writer for "buying right, buying once" with the LMT. That is a very nice rifle.
Regarding spare parts: The BCM SOPMOD Extractor Upgrade kit is a "must have" in the spare parts bin.
Regards, - Matt L.
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Letter Re: Advice for an M4 and AR-15 Newbie
Hello JWR:
I recently bought my first AR-15[-family firearm], a Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT) Defender Carbine. I was wondering if you had any advice as to a good starter "book" on the AR generally, but also one that would assist in my rifleman's training. I am an intermediate shooter on rifle, but am finding the AR to be a beast unto itself as far as "how" to shoot it.
Can you recommend any text on complete takedown, best cleaning practices, replacement parts, and marksmanship with the M4 version of the AR would be very helpful. Thanks! - JB in Michigan
JWR Replies: In terms of field stripping and general maintenance, the Army's old standby M16 User Manual (M16A1 Rifle Operator's Manual TM 9-1005-249-10
) will suffice, but it is so simplistic (small format, and little more than a glorified comic book) that it is probably not worth paying more than two bucks for one. Look for these in bargain bins at gun shows. OBTW, I noticed that it is also available as a Kindle book
for 99 cents.
The US Army's M16/M4 marksmanship manual is available for free download. FM 3-22.
Walt Kuleck and Scott Duff's The AR-15 Complete Owner's Guide: (AR-15 Guide Volume 1)
is a bit dated but still quite good, and discusses spare parts. (Note: Although I authored the chapter about AR-15 magazines that is included in this book, I do not earn any royalties from the publisher. (That chapter was based, with permission, on my AR-15.M16 Magazine FAQ which I make available free of charge.) OBTW, Walt Kuleck and Clint McKee also authored a companion AR builder's guide, which is particularly useful in these times of scarcity: AR 15 Complete Assembly Guide (AR-15 Guide Volume 2)
You might also look for a US Army armorer's manual: Rifle, 5.56MM, M16A2 W/E/ Carbine, 5.56MM, M4 Unit and Direct Support Maintenance Manual TM 9-1005-319-23&P
Note: In hard copies, army field manuals (FMs) and Technical Manuals (TMs) are fairly expensive to mail order, but they are often available inexpensively in PDF format in compilation CDs from folks like
Survival eBooks. As I recall, this compilation CD includes FM 3-22.
In terms of weapons handling and tactical use (fire and maneuver), I strongly recommend getting a copy of The Art of the Tactical Carbine DVD
. (At first glance, this DVD might look like just a promotional piece for Mag-Pul, but there are actually some real gems included!) I also recommend the book "Some of the Answer: Urban Carbine" by firearms trainer and M4 guru Jim Crews.
Spare Parts:
Ideally, it would be best to a have a complete spare carrier assembly, to provide a quick "in the heat of battle" replacement in case you break a firing pin or extractor, or you have the misfortune to gall an ejector. In-the-field swaps are possible because 99% of AR-15 bolts are "automatic headspacing", if the bolt and barrel are both made to proper specifications. Hence bolts or complete bolt carrier assemblies are drop-in replacements. If you are on a tight budget, get just one each of these critical high breakage/high loss subcomponents from the bolt carrier group:
- Firing pin
- Firing pin retaining pin
- Ejector
- Ejector spring
- Ejector retaining pin
- Extractor
- Extractor retaining pin
- Extractor spring (with nylon insert)
The only other parts that I've seen break (or get lost) are ejection port cover springs and buffer retainers. However, both of those are non-critical to the function of the rifle. Buttstocks and handguards also break. (Albeit, less frequently). If you have a generous budget, get spares of all of those in addition to a complete spare bolt carrier assembly, and perhaps even a complete spare lower parts kit ("LPK").
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Letter Re: Keep Ammo in Original Boxes?
Mr. Editor,
I've purchased ammo for self protection and for future barter. Is it best
to keep the ammo in the original boxes (e.g. the nice green UMC boxes with
the
plastic
insert that holds the rounds in place) and put those boxes into ammo cans?
Or should I just dump all the ammo into an ammo can loose? I could fit many more
rounds in each can by dumping them in loose, but I'm concerned about impacting
the future barter value of the ammo. And also, if I end up selling
some of
the ammo before TSHTF,
I would imagine keeping the rounds in the box would make the seller happier.
Any thoughts?
Thanks for what you do. - Alex
JWR Replies: Unless space is at an absolute premium (such
as for someone on a live-aboard boat) I recommend that you leave ammo in the
original factory
boxes, as it will be worth far
more in
barter, or in an eventual cash sale. Just as importantly, you will also be
able to keep "like
lots" together.
(Usually lot numbers are printed on the inside of the box
flaps.) There are sometimes subtle differences between lots, and the point
of impact can vary
a bit. This particularly
important for long range rifle shooting. Also, although they are rare, ammunition
recalls are not unheard of. Without lot numbers you'll have no way of
correlating
ammo
lots to
recall notices. And, needless
to say, store those
in mil-spec
ammo
cans
with
soft
seals.
« Letter Re: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Difficulty Racking Pistol Slides |Main| Note from JWR: »
Unconventional Wisdom for CCW Permit Holders, by Mike U.
Personal Background:
I am 65, have never been active duty military, nor in law enforcement. I have,
however, legally (licensed CCW)
carried a concealed handgun on a regular, daily basis, for most of my adult life.
This includes CCW permits in Oregon, Washington,
Alaska, and Indiana. When specific circumstances justified doing so (in my personal
opinion at the time), I have also carried concealed in California "from
time to time" without a CCW. I helped teach a concealed weapons class when
living in Alaska by demonstrating how to carry effectively,
regardless of weapon size. I have also had no fewer than seven instances in the
last forty years when
I have had to legitimately use a concealed handgun for personal defense of self
or others. These include a home invasion attempt, an attempted "run my wife
and I off the road" on a dark, deserted stretch of highway one night, two
serious mugging attempts, two cases of effecting citizen's arrests at gun point
for attempted thefts while working as a late night cashier at a convenience store,
and (most recently), intervening in a domestic dispute gone bad where the male
half attempted grave bodily harm on his (ex)fiancee by taking a shot at
her in front of my house. Please note my use of "attempted" in all
of the above cases. Thanks to my being legally armed at the time, none of them
were successful. Equally fortunate, all were successfully resolved without my
actually having to fire a shot in any of them (although three were really, really
close). The above is just to support that my personal opinions below are based
on many years of actual street experience as a civilian carrier of a legally
carried concealed weapon.
Legal Considerations:
There was a recent post about an individual in Washington State who was pulled
over for a routine traffic stop. Said individual happened to have two loaded,
concealed weapons in his vehicle, one handgun and one rifle. What said individual
did not have was a CCW. In addition to whatever resulted from the traffic stop
itself, both weapons were confiscated and the individual ended up with a conviction
for carrying a concealed weapon without a license.
I too been pulled over for routine traffic stops while carrying concealed,
once in Anchorage, Alaska (failure to signal a lane change) and once in Seattle,
Washington (cracked windshield). In Anchorage, I immediately informed the officer
that I was licensed and carrying and asked if he wanted to secure the weapon.
His reply was "No. You have done what you are required by law to do -
inform me that you are carrying. It is safer for both of us if you just leave
it in
the holster."
The difference between Anchorage and Seattle is that the two officers in Seattle
did want to secure any weapons. By the time I was done divesting myself of
any questionable items, there were two J Frame S&W .38s (both with Crimson
Trace laser grips), a Colt Mustang Pocketlite .380, a Benchmade lock-back folder,
a
Leatherman Wave, a Swiss Champ knife, a canister of Pepper Spray, and an ASP
tactical baton on the hood of my car. Reaction to what the liberal media would
describe as a walking arsenal? One officer turned to the other and said "S***,
he's got better gear than we do."
In both cases, I drove away with nothing more than a verbal warning, one to watch
my lane changes and the other to get my windshield fixed. I have always suspected
that my being legally armed and cooperative was a factor in receiving verbal
warnings instead of written tickets.
I am a Life Member of the NRA, as pro Second Amendment as anyone reading SurvivalBlog,
and personally believe that the only two states that have "got it
right" are Vermont and Alaska, both of which allow concealed carry, with
no permit required [even inside city limits]. Having said that, I also recognize
that the remaining 48 states
DO
have restrictive laws governing the carrying of concealed weapons. I also recognize
that, at least for the time being and immediately foreseeable future, they
also have functioning law enforcement and judicial systems. While I may agree
with
the sentiment that no law abiding citizen should be required to have a license
to exercise rights guaranteed under the Constitution, I also have no sympathy
for anyone who assumes that position, gets caught, and ends up paying the legal
price.
The question I would ask anyone who is considering carrying concealed without the necessary legal permit is this: Is the exercise of your principles worth
the risk of losing the weapon(s) you are carrying, a criminal conviction that
will probably result in failed background checks for any future purchases requiring
Federal paperwork, and the distinct possibility in today's political environment
of the stop/conviction triggering a search warrant of your home (and subsequent
confiscation of any weapons found there) because DHS criteria suggests that
you are obviously a dangerous extremist, if not an outright terrorist? Let
your conscience
be your guide. Just be sure to very carefully think through the potential ramifications
of your actions.
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM:
The absolute Rule Number One of gunfights is simple and basic: Have a gun.
Not only do I totally agree with Rule Number One, but without
exception, all other considerations in the concealed carry
decision process are insignificant compared
to Rule Number One.
Rule Number Two generally involves weapon choice - revolver versus semi-auto.
Depending on who is on the soap box at the moment, myriad reasons will be
Rule Number Three generally involves the best caliber. As with the revolver
versus semi-automatic decision, one size does not fit all. While there is much
truth
to the old statement that a 9mm may expand but a .45 will never shrink, the
size of the hole is of far less importance than the location of the hole. Bore
diameter
is nowhere near as critical as shot placement.
Rule Number Four deals with the How and Where to carry. The vast majority of
gun writers/instructors teach/preach strong-side hip, preferably in an inside
the waist band (IWB) holster. This is an excellent choice. But as with Rules
Two and Three, one size does not fit all. There are numerous reasons why this
may be a less than optimum method of carry, depending on specific circumstances
at the time.
Rule Number Five is to always carry at least one reload of spare ammo in either
a spare magazine for a semi-auto or some kind of speed loader for a revolver.
I totally agree about carrying spare ammo. I just don't necessarily agree on
the best way to do it.
Rule Number Six is to always use "aimed" fire by
focusing on your front sight.
Rule Number Seven is the true weapon isn't the gun; it is the person holding
it.
UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM:
Rule Number One: See above. No disagreement here at all.
Rule Number Two: See Rule Number One. Whether it is a revolver or semi-auto,
your first choice should be the biggest (in terms of both
caliber and capacity) that you will always have with you.
A $2,000 tricked-out custom [Model] 1911 with all the latest bells and whistles
is worthless if it is back
home in your
gun
safe
(you do have a gun safe, don't you?) when you need it on the
street. Having a carry gun that you don't carry all the time because
it is too big, too heavy,
interferes with your clothing style, or any other lame excuse you come up with,
makes no sense at all in my book. If you have made the decision to carry, then do so.
Period. No exceptions. It makes not one whit of difference if that choice is
a revolver or semi-auto as long as it is one you will always have
on/with you. It makes a whole lot of difference if it is at home and
you aren't, regardless
of type.
Rule Number Three: See Rule Number One. Years ago (before the days of high
performance JHP bullets) caliber choice did make a difference
in terms of proven street performance.
After many, many years of documented shootings, the 125 grain JHP .357
Magnum still holds the position of number one, one shot stop performance. It
is followed
very closely now by the .40 S&W, with the .45 ACP marginally behind the
.40. Today's high performance loads for .32 and .380, however, are vastly superior
to the old 148 grain lead round nose .38 Special police loads, which were notoriously
poor stoppers.
The point is that the caliber itself is not the key factor.
What is the most effective (note that I said effective and not largest) caliber
that you can
comfortably handle and reliably control? My daughter and a personal friend
of ours both have
a medical condition which makes it physically impossible for either of them
to control any semi-auto chambering more than a .380. "Muzzle flip" with
heavier loads will literally dislocate their wrists because most of the recoil
force is transferred directly to the wrist joint. Both of them, however, can
very easily and comfortably control full frame .45 revolvers. This is because
grip angle on the revolver transfers recoil into the web of the hand between
the thumb and pointer finger and then in a direct line through the
wrist and down the forearm. Not only is perceived recoil considerably reduced,
actual
recoil force applied to the wrist joint is in fact reduced.
Re-stating Rules Two and Three: See Rule Number One. What works best for you?
You need to stop caring about what works best for someone else. Concentrate
instead on what works best for you and in a type/caliber configuration
that you will always have with you. Front Sight's motto of "Any gun
will do, if you will do" is absolutely true.
Rule Number Four: Are you ready? Can you guess? See Rule Number One. There
is no question that a good IWB holster is one of the most effective ways to
carry
(and more importantly conceal) any handgun, especially
full frame revolvers or semi-autos. Because the holster and lower portion of
the
weapon
are inside
the
pants, nothing is visible below the level of the belt. Being inside the pants
also allows you to cinch your belt tight, pulling the entire gun frame into
your body instead of allowing it to flop outward, "printing" on your
shirt or jacket. This is especially important if you are carrying a small revolver
in a belt holster because they are "top heavy" with a tendency to
have the butt of the gun flop or sag away from the body. But unless the IWB
holster
is properly designed to stay open with the weapon removed, it is virtually
impossible to re-holster the gun one-handed.
But as effective as it might be, an IWB is not always your best choice. Do
you spend most of your working day behind the wheel of a vehicle? Try drawing
from
a strong-side hip IWB holster some time while you are sitting behind the wheel,
with your seat belt going over your jacket. Under these circumstances, a good
shoulder or cross-draw holster would be infinitely more practical. Or maybe
you work in an office that doesn't have air conditioning in the hot and humid
summer
months. I can guarantee you that your co-workers will find it odd or strange
that you are the only one in the office who never removes your coat. Been there.
Done
that. Switched to a different carry method.
Rule Number Five: Again, See Rule Number One. Given the proliferation
in recent years of high capacity semi-autos using double stack magazines capable
of holding 15 or more rounds, there is a tendency for the neophyte (and even
some with more experience who should know better) to assume that spare ammo
is
unnecessary. The logic runs "If I can't resolve the problem in 15, or
17 or 19 rounds, I won't need spare ammo anyway." I don't care who the
manufacturer is or how high the quality of the product, if it is mechanical,
it can break
or malfunction. Or, as I read recently, "Anyone who tells you they have
never experienced a breakage is either lying or they don't shoot enough." With
proper training, you can very quickly clear typical semi-auto jams or malfunctions.
But if the magazine itself fails (like having the floor plate come loose,
dumping all remaining rounds on the ground), the only way
to get back in action (short of picking up one round at a time from the ground
and hand feeding it
in the chamber), is having a spare reload.
In spite of the argument that revolvers are more "functionally reliable" than
semi-autos, they are not immune to problems. Older style firing pins can break.
Inadequate crimping can cause bullets to pull forward from the case, locking
up the cylinder. The early-production Model 586 L Frame S&W .357 Magnum
had a design flaw that would cause primers to back out of the primer pocket,
which
would
also lock the cylinder, preventing cylinder rotation. There is no "rack
and tap" clearance
drill for a locked up revolver cylinder. The only remedy is disassembly, which
is best left to a qualified gunsmith. I was fortunate that my 586 locked up
on me while testing it at the range and not in the middle of some serious social
interaction. Or I should say, the 586 that I used to own.
Where I personally differ from Conventional Wisdom is that I don't carry spare
ammo for my primary strong side hip holstered weapon (either a Browning Hi-Power
in .40 S&W or a Kimber Gold Match 1911 in .45 ACP). I carry a spare
gun (Taurus 605 .357 Magnum with a 2-1/2 inch barrel). What I give up in the
way of spare
rounds (5 rounds of. .357 vs 10 .40 or 8 rounds of .45) I more than gain in
speed and versatility. This is what is known as a "New York Reload" based on NYPD's
famed
Stake-Out
Squad. Simply put, the fastest reload in the world is a second gun.
That by itself is enough reason for me to carry a spare gun instead of spare
ammo for my primary. But there are other reasons that, again for me, are even
more important. If you are ever faced with multiple assailants and are with
someone, tossing them your spare magazine won't do either of you much good.
Tossing them
your spare gun might. What if you are out with your family some dark and rainy
night and your car breaks down in a questionable area, requiring you to walk
for help? (Yes, you should have a functioning cell phone for those situations.
Is it fully charged? Do you have a charger in the car just in case it isn't?
Are you in a dead zone with no phone reception?) If it is necessary for any
reason for you to leave them while you seek help, do you take your gun with
you (leaving
them defenseless), or do you leave your gun with them (leaving you defenseless)?
This becomes a non-issue with a spare gun.
What if you are assaulted (mugged) on the street and your assailant grabs your
gun hand/arm, preventing you from accessing your strong side weapon? This also
becomes a non-issue if you are carrying two guns, strong and weak side, allowing
you to quickly access a weapon with either hand. One of the two previously
mentioned mugging attempts involved two assailants who positioned themselves
in front and
behind me while I was walking down the street one night. The only reason
the lead assailant was unable to pin my gun hand/arm was that I had deliberately
positioned him to my left when passing him. When he suddenly lunged at me,
grabbing and pinning my left arm against my side, I was still able to access
my weapon
on the side away from him. Needless to say, he did a very quick "oopsy
two-step" while
disengaging from the encounter. That was forty years ago and when I first started
thinking through the wisdom of carrying a second gun.
Before anybody says/thinks that the other reason is that this acts as my back-up
gun, no, it does not. I refer to it as my secondary/spare, not my back-up.
I do so for a reason, that reason being that my true "back-up" is
either one of those previously mentioned J Frames or the Colt Mustang in my
left front
pants pocket. If you are beyond remedial math skills, you quickly realized
that 1+1+1 = 3. The small J Frames or the Mustang are my always guns.
I switch between
the J's and Colt based on the pants I'm wearing at the time. If the pockets
are deep enough, I carry one of the Smiths. If not, I carry the Colt. Either
way,
if I am wearing pants, I will always have one or the other
on me, even inside my house.
As an aside, legality of carrying multiple weapons (even with a CCW), varies
from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In some states, the CCW allows the holder
to carry whatever make/model/caliber and number of guns that suits their individual
fancy. Not so in others. Some states are so restrictive that the CCW is weapon
specific, including right down to make, model, and serial number. You are allowed
to carry the exact weapon shown on your CCW and nothing else, period. Act according
to what is allowed in your jurisdiction. The best advice if you live
in one of the more restrictive jurisdictions is this: Move.
Rule Number Six: Once again, see Rule Number One. There are a number of very
good "pocket" (Always) guns that don't even have effective front
sights. Full size weapons that do have decent "standard" sights may
be very effective in well lit situations but become virtually worthless in
the dark.
Sorry, but you simply can't focus on your front sight if you can't even see
it in the first place.
There are three effective ways to address this potential problem: glow in
the dark "night sights," laser grips, and "pointer fire." Higher
end (read more expensive) guns may come already set-up with night sights, or
more recently, even Crimson Trace laser grips. Decent after-market night sights
can be picked up for between $70 and $100, depending on brand, plus installation
cost if you have it done by a gunsmith. Crimson Trace grips will run, on average,
plus or minus $300 depending on make and model of the gun. Of the two options,
there
is no question that laser grips are the more versatile choice. You have to
be
looking down the top strap of the gun to see and use your night sights. Not
so with lasers. Lasers are also an effective "force multiplier." Putting
that red dot on someone's chest will almost always immediately cause them to "reconsider" whatever
it is they are doing. End result is problem solved without your having to actually
pull the trigger. Believe me, you really don't want to have
to pull the trigger if you can avoid it. I am such a huge fan of Crimson Trace grips
that my Hi Power, Kimber, Taurus, and both J Frames are all equipped
with them (as do my son-in-law's three
and my daughter's two carry guns). My only carry gun that doesn't is my Mustang.
And the only reason it doesn't is that always doesn't make
grips for it.
Pointer fire doesn't work? Tell that to Bill Jordan, one of the fastest and
deadliest real gunfighters of the last century. Or Thell Reed and
Arvo Ojalla, both of
whom were almost unbelievably proficient at "hip shooting." Remember
the old Gunsmoke television program, which always started with Matt
Dillon having a classic "walk
and draw" face-off on Main street? His "opponent" in that clip
was Ojalla (who spent much of his career training Western actors). Ojalla's "trademark" trick
was to place a target 21 feet away. He would then, in one continuous motion,
throw a knife at the target, draw, and fire a single action Colt - from "the
hip." The bullet would hit the target first, followed almost immediately
by the point of the knife going into the bullet hole.
I personally "honed" my gun handling skills in the days before it
became common knowledge that "pointer fire doesn't work." My "test
fire" procedure
for any new carry gun is six full loads (magazines in a semi-auto or cylinders
in a revolver) at a standard silhouette target 21 feet down-range. I use 21
feet because contact to 21 feet is the distance at which the vast majority
of actual
gunfights take place. My first load is aimed fire, center of mass. My second
is aimed fire, head shots. My third is slow and deliberate strong hand pointer
fire. This is followed by the fourth load of rapid fire strong hand pointer.
The fifth and six loads are slow and rapid weak hand pointer fire. If I cannot
consistently keep all of my rounds on target at 21 feet, I
don't carry that gun. I do the same basic drill whenever I add laser grips
to a new carry gun,
with
two modifications. I eliminate the two rapid fire sequences and move the target
back to 25 yards. All "sighting" is then done using just that red
dot on target. It should be obvious, but I will say it anyway. Pointer fire
becomes
even more effective if you have the added visual benefit of a red dot on target.
In this regard, weapon choice can and does make a huge difference. Some guns
are "natural pointers" in that the grip angle naturally aligns the
bore with the shooter's hand, wrist and forearm. The gun "points" where
the shooter points. Probably the two best grip designs for "pointability" in
the history of firearms are the Colt Single Action Army and the High Standard
Sentinel. As a general rule, with some exceptions, most revolvers are reasonably
good natural pointers. This is not at all true for semi-autos. Some are excellent
while others are absolutely horrid. You test this by holding the gun naturally
in your hand, waist high, and point it at a target. Does the bore follow a
straight line through your hand, wrist, and forearm? Or does the muzzle point
up (or down)
from a line running down your arm? If it does, you would have to make an unnatural
compensation in your grip by "cocking your wrist" to bring the gun "on
target" with pointer fire. Learning to be able to consistently do that,
especially while under stress, isn't worth the time, trouble, or ammo expense.
Choose a different gun to carry.
When time and distance are appropriate, absolutely follow conventional wisdom.
Focus on your front sight and use sighted/aimed fire. But I would strongly suggest
that you have an effective, workable, fall-back option for those situations where
conventional wisdom might be found lacking in real life.
Rule Number Seven: Don't ever bluff with a loaded gun. Under the law,
you will be held to a higher standard of conduct just from the mere fact that
you are
armed. If you are not mentally and emotionally prepared to pull the trigger
if put in a situation that justifies doing so, then don't carry a
gun. And don't
ever make the mistake of thinking that someone is going to immediately comply
with your wishes just because you pull a gun on them, because an uncomfortable
percentage of the time they won't. What are you going to do after you draw
down on them and they then tell you "You don't have the (whatever) to
use that" and
keep on coming? You are either justified in using deadly force or you aren't.
If your immediate situation does not justify deadly force then keep
your gun in your holster.
Besides, it isn't the gun itself that compels compliance, it is how you present
yourself. Do you come across as confident or fearful? Resolute or timid? What
does your manner and attitude convey to the other person? And I don't mean
acting aggressively, either. Very often, the difference between having to actually
pull
the trigger or not hinges on the other person's perception of your willingness to
do so if necessary. Or stated differently, if they believe you will, you probably
won't have to.
One of the two late night convenience store incidents involved two very "mouthy" individuals
who proceeded to tell me "You think you're such hot stuff with that piece?
You better remember that there are two of us and just one of you." And this
was while they were being held at gun-point. Their attitude suddenly changed
when I held up the J frame in my hand and said "Two to one? No. I count
it five to two."
An even stronger example of the impact of "presentation" wasn't even
included in my list of seven incidents. That was the night I backed down seven
Gypsy Jokers (outlaw Biker gang) without ever giving the slightest
indication that I was even carrying. After a fairly tense few minutes that
included numerous
threats concerning what they planned to do to me (during which I never once
raised my voice or even flinched), one of them talked the rest into leaving
the store.
That particular individual came back to the store by himself a couple of nights
later. I thanked him for defusing the situation. That's when he told me "You
should have been making wet spots on the floor. You weren't. I didn't want
to find out why not."
Two weeks later, he came back in, by himself. Only this time, he cornered
me in the back room when I had both hands full of empty six packs of bottles.
He also pulled a knife on me with the comment "Now I've got you where
I want you." I simply said "Whenever you're ready, make your play.
All I'm going to do is open my right hand and then put two just above your
belt buckle
before the first bottle hits the floor." He responded with "You're
not that good." I answered with "You think not. I think I am. Whenever
you're ready to find out which of us is right, go for it." His parting
words before he left the store (after putting his knife away) were "You're
not worth it." I never saw him again. He may not have believed that I
was good enough to pull it off, but he knew I was sure going
to try. He also knew the
other side of the coin to Rule Number One: Never bring a knife to a gunfight. "Presentation
and Perception" were the keys that kept a bad situation from getting worse.
Oh, and this incident was also not included in the list of seven because I
didn't actually "use" the gun that I was in fact very mentally
prepared to.
ADDITIONAL UNCONVENTIONAL TIPS:
Since I have already pretty well belabored Rule One (it does not really matter
what you carry, as long as you carry something), I am not going to spend any
more time discussing weapon or caliber specifics. Instead, I am going to focus
strictly on Rule Number Four - the How and Where of carrying in a less than
conventional or textbook manner.
There are essentially just two basic ways to carry a handgun: With or Without
a holster. There are, however, numerous specific ways to do both.
True holster carry includes strong and weak side hip (inside and outside the
waist band), cross-draw, shoulder (vertical, horizontal, and upside down),
ankle, and pocket. There are also variations, such as groin and belly band,
that technically
fall within the "holster" category but which are not in fact actual
holsters in the traditional sense. There are also multiple different ways to
attach a holster to a belt (clips, snaps, slots, paddle), as well as many different
styles of belt holster. Depending on specific circumstances at the time, I
have experimented with every one of the above (and others) over the last 45
years.
Whichever type is used, however, the crucial factors are comfort, concealment,
and accessibility. All three are important. Which of these is most important,
however, depends entirely on individual circumstances. As with Rules Two and
Three,
there is no pat answer. It all depends on the individual and their reasons
for carrying
in the first place. For someone who would be fired on the spot if caught carrying,
absolute concealment is obviously more important than comfort or accessibility.
By the same token, if you work in a high risk environment, accessibility will
have the greatest importance. If neither of these circumstances is present,
you would probably be more likely to opt for comfort first.
If the carry method isn't comfortable, you will violate Rule Number One and
leave the gun at home when you should have it with you. You will also have
a tendency
to constantly readjust or reposition it, which is a classic "tell" that
you are carrying. If the carry method doesn't adequately conceal the weapon
(gun is visible because it is carried too far forward on the hip, allowing
it to be
seen if the covering outer garment is moved aside when retrieving something
from a pocket, it is worn such that the gun butt "prints," or the
barrel can be seen beneath the bottom edge of the covering garment, as examples,)
two less than desirable results occur. The first is that you immediately lose
any
surprise advantage should you be put in a position of actually needing to use
your weapon. The second, depending on jurisdiction, is that you very well may
also lose your CCW. My Indiana CCW allows either concealed or open
carry. With my CCW, I am still legal, even if my weapon should become visible
(such as
having my shirt catch on the back of the chair at the restaurant recently,
exposing
my weapon). This is not the case in all jurisdictions. Exposing your weapon
in public in some jurisdictions is grounds of and by itself for automatic cancellation
of your CCW. The third, accessibility, should be obvious. If you can't quickly
and easily get to it if you should need it, strict observance of Rule Number
One won't do you much good.
The two key determining factors in holster selection can be summed up as lifestyle
and dress code. What do you do to earn a living? Do you work in an office behind
a desk? Drive a truck or taxi for eight hours? Stand on your feet all day long
working retail behind a counter? Are you retired? Are you required to wear
a uniform at work (company logo type thing?) Suit and tie? Coveralls (mechanic
in a shop for example?) Casual attire? How can you best achieve the three critical
factors (comfort, concealment and accessibility) in your specific situation?
A holster that works extremely well in one scenario may not work at all in
another.
You may prefer a particular mode of carry but your job or required
dress may prevent it. What works best for you for your
specific circumstances at the time?
I have already mentioned the difficulty of drawing from a strong side hip
holster when buckled up behind the wheel of a vehicle. You can encounter similar
problems
when seated at a desk, even without a seat belt. If you are sitting close to
the desk (legs under the desk, hands and arms on the desk), the gun barrel
will come up under the front edge of the desk when you draw it, unless you
first push
yourself back from the desk to give yourself adequate clearance.
There are four realistic holster options for desk work: ankle, cross-draw,
shoulder, and Cavalry. The "best choice" depends on a number of factors.
Do you wear your suit/sport coat while working at your desk or do you take
it off? Do
you (for whatever reason) only carry one gun? How much of your working day
is spent at your desk versus out and around? What is your commute situation?
Do
you drive or take public transportation? Best choice? The reality is that answers
to these questions may determine your choice for you. As I said earlier, what
works extremely well in one scenario may not work at all in another. You need
to balance the totality of your carry requirements in making your
carry decisions.
If you work in shirt sleeves all day long at your desk, an ankle rig may be
your only truly practical choice for concealment and accessibility. Your desk
will
prevent anyone from the front or side seeing it and it will be instantly "at
hand" if you need it. It becomes increasingly less practical, however,
if you don't spend all day in the office and/or commute by driving.
Wearing a "covering garment" greatly expands your options, whether
that garment is a coat or sweater, preferably with front buttons. Either a cross-draw
or shoulder holster will put your gun very close "to hand" by allowing
you to sit with your elbow on your chair's arm rest, arms crossed in front of
you, and your hand inside your coat or sweater. A cross-draw holster lessens
the risk of catching the gun barrel on the front edge of the desk compared to
strong side hip, but it is still a potential if you are sitting too close. You
avoid this by simply "rocking back" in your chair as you draw. As
your upper body goes back, your gun easily clears the front edge of the desk
as you
draw.
The "type" of shoulder holster directly affects both accessibility
and draw. Horizontal rigs naturally position the gun above the desk edge. Simply
execute your draw. An upside down rig has the same potential for catching under
the front edge of the desk as strong side hip or cross-draw. You avoid the desk
edge by doing the same "rock back" as with a cross-draw. A typical
vertical shoulder holster, however, presents its own little twist to the draw
depending on how tall you are and your "torso length" relative to positioning
with the front edge of the desk. Draws from a vertical shoulder holster are executed
with a "forward and down" motion. Unless you sit high enough, the front
edge of the desk will also interfere and get in the way of your clearing the
holster and acquiring your target. If you are tall enough to clear, simply execute
the draw. If not, again do a "rock back" in your chair to gain the
needed extra clearance.
My personal preference if I am wearing a coat or sweater, however, is a Cavalry
draw. It is called this because that is the way Cavalry troops carried their
handguns in the 180os - strong side hip, gun butt forward. The classic picture
of Wild Bill Hickock also demonstrates this method of carry. He wore a sash
with a pair of Colt 1851 Navy Cap and Ball revolvers stuck butts forward in
the sash.
As a point of historical trivia, this method of carry is the fastest known
way to draw and fire a single action revolver while seated at a poker table.
With
modern weapons and holsters, use a left hand holster for a right hand draw
(and vice versa). The gun/holster is worn high, butt against your side (lower
rib
cage). You draw by simply reversing your hand (palm out, back of your hand
against your side). Grasp the butt of the gun and then snap your elbow back
in against
your body. This action brings the gun out of the holster in a horizontal sweep
above the edge of the desk. Pull the trigger when the muzzle goes "on
target." I
prefer this method because it works equally well for sitting at a desk, driving,
or walking down the street. [JWR Adds: From a safety standpoint,
be advised that this carry and presentation method also "muzzles" your legs
if you you use your strong side hand, which is a no-no.]
Ankle holsters can be a practical option, but other than for desk work as described
above, I personally feel they should be reserved strictly for deep cover back-up
guns and not for your primary gun. They may or may not be comfortable because
they have a tendency to chafe on your leg and ankle. To assure concealment,
you also need to pay strict and careful attention to the cut of your pant leg
for
both tightness and length. If your pant leg isn't long enough, it will ride
up and over the holster, exposing your weapon. If your cuff is too tight, accessibility
will be excessively (dangerously) restricted. My main objections to them, however,
are speed and vulnerability while drawing. Of all of the holster options, an
ankle rig is probably the slowest from initiating your draw until time on target.
And I really don't like the idea of having to either kneel or bend over to
get
at my weapon if I am in a literal face-to-face encounter with someone.
The only holster style that I have absolutely no use for is Small
of the Back (SOB). They are effective for concealment. They are also
just as accessible (for speed)
as a strong side hip holster, and probably faster than a shoulder or cross-draw
rig. The down-side is that they are not particularly comfortable when seated
because the gun rests right against the spine. And this is why I don't like
them. I don't dislike them because they are uncomfortable. I dislike them because
they
are dangerous. If you ever slip and fall flat on your back (or get pushed violently
against a wall in a physical confrontation) while using a Small of the Back
holster, you run an extremely high risk of having your back broken from the
impact of
hard steel directly against your spine.
There isn't much that needs to be said about shoulder holsters, except for
the upside down (old Berns-Martin) style. This is one of only two holster styles
I personally know of where you can access and draw your weapon just as easily
(and quickly) with either hand. In one sense, it is a vertical rig because
the
barrel points straight up, with the gun butt pointing toward the rear. If worn
on your left side, you simply reach across with your right hand, bringing it
up to grasp the gun in a natural grip. You access it with your left hand by
reaching up under the covering garment, curling your hand/wrist to also grab
the gun with
a natural grip. The draw itself is executed by "rolling" your hand
in a circular motion toward the rear, down, and then forward and up. Another
thing I like about this design is that you can stand with the gun already grasped
in your left hand (the outer garment drapes over your wrist and conceals your
gun hand) and no one facing you has the slightest clue that you are in fact
armed. They just think you are standing with your hand on your hip. At least
they did
when I "demonstrated" this very draw while working at the previously
mentioned late night convenience store. An upside down shoulder holster also
tends to conceal better than vertical or horizontal rigs because the top strap
of the gun is forward, reducing "printing" potential compared to
the butt making obvious bulges under the covering garment.
I mentioned that the upside down shoulder holster was one of only two styles
allowing quick and easy access with either hand. The other is a cross-draw
holster where
you
reach across with your strong side hand or use a Cavalry draw with your weak
hand. The problem with this approach (and cross draw in general) is that positioning
the holster far enough forward on the hip for easy access with your strong
hand too often places it in a position where the covering garment no longer
adequately
conceals the weapon.
Pants pocket carry can go under either category - with or without a holster.
Conventional wisdom is to always use a pocket holster because it keeps the
gun in a constant position, preventing it from shifting around in your pocket,
as well as breaking up the outline of the gun. The other aspect of conventional
wisdom is to never carry anything else in the same pocket at the same time
-
just the gun and holster. While I can understand the logic of both points,
and agree in principle, I personally don't care for and therefore do not use
a pocket
holster myself. I also carry a money clip and small change purse in the same
pocket, which I personally use to break up the outline.
Either way (with or without a holster), do not carry any gun with a standard "spur" hammer
in your pocket. There is excessive risk of the hammer spur snagging on fabric
when you draw the gun. The only way to avoid this is to place your thumb against
the back of the hammer and doing so prevents getting a proper grip while drawing.
You want either a round hammer like the Colt Mustang and some Browning models,
or a hammerless model (the correct technical terminology is internal hammer
but most people just call them hammerless) like the S&W 442 or 642 revolvers,
something with a hammer shroud like the S&W Bodyguard, or one of the smaller
double action only semi-autos that don't have an exposed hammer.
I mentioned earlier that a J Frame or Colt Mustang is my "true back-up" gun.
The reality is that it is actually my primary, in that it is the one I would
probably be most likely to draw first. The reason is that surprise equals (or
beats) speed. Most people stand around with a hand in their pocket, just looking
relaxed (or slovenly depending on how fastidious you are). Well, when I am
standing there with my hand in my pocket, there is a gun already in my
hand (which takes
care of any shifting around problem from not using a pocket holster.) Someone
might anticipate, and block, a sweeping motion to draw my strong side hip weapon.
They wouldn't even see it coming when I pulled the gun out of my pocket because
it would be totally unexpected. The surprise factor is also one of the reasons
why, contrary to conventional wisdom, that I personally keep my money clip
in the same pocket as my back-up gun. If I have been targeted for a strong-arm
or
mugging attempt because someone has observed me putting my folding green in
that pocket, then that is what they are going to expect to see when I remove
my hand from
the pocket - not their worst nightmare. At contact range (which is when this
scenario would go down), I feel just as adequately armed with a properly loaded
.380 as I would with a .45.
There are also two particularly effective ways to carry without using a holster
at all. One is if you are wearing a suit or sport coat and the other is if
you are wearing a vest or coat with flap front cargo pockets. When I used to
work
in an office where circumstances pretty much dictated taking my coat off during
the day (hanging it on the back of my chair), and I therefore could not use
belt or shoulder holsters, I carried the gun upside down in my strong side
inside
coat breast pocket. I would place my checkbook in the pocket and the gun in
behind it, using the checkbook to break up the outline. With the barrel pointing
up,
the butt would be toward the rear (same as an upside down shoulder holster).
To draw the gun, grasp the edge of the coat with your right hand, just above
the pocket opening. Then reach in with your left hand and pull the gun straight
up out of the pocket, using your right hand and the coat to shield the gun
from view. Once the gun clears the pocket, simply flip it out with your left
hand
into the palm of your right hand. If you are being mugged when doing this,
make your motions slow and deliberate while saying something like "Take it easy.
I'm just getting my wallet." That's the Teddy Roosevelt approach to Diplomacy
- saying "Nice doggie" while you reach for the big stick.
For cool and cold weather, my carry number (since I can) more often than not
goes from three to five. I still carry strong side, weak side, and pocket.
But I will add an outer garment with two flap front cargo pockets, into each
of which
will go one of the previously mentioned J Frame Smiths. Now when I am standing
around, keeping my hands warm in my pockets, I am hanging onto two guns,
not one. And I never carry anything other than hammerless J Frames this way.
The
reason I will only use hammerless revolvers is that, like the fastest reload
being a second gun, the fastest draw is no draw at all. It would definitely
ruin the vest or coat, but with the hammerless revolvers at arm's length distance,
I can shoot right through the pockets without needing to first draw the guns
from the pockets. And I can keep on shooting them until they run dry with no
fear of either a hammer or slide catching on fabric. If you try that with a
semi-auto,
you will get one shot before the gun jams with fabric in the action
[or short cycles]. You might not get any with a regular revolver if the fabric
gets between the hammer and
the frame. Like I said, you will definitely ruin the coat. In addition to bullet
holes, you might (probably will) also set the coat on fire. But if you ever
are in this situation, a ruined coat will be the least of your concerns.
The other mode of holster-less carry that needs to be mentioned dates back to
frontier days and is typically called the Mexican Carry: shove the gun in your
waistband. I only have one word of advice for this method: Don't. There simply
is no way the gun will stay in the same position. It will shift around, slide
down inside your pants (and maybe even down your pants leg), or simply fall out
onto the ground. And this is just with normal activity. Add running or wrestling
to the equation and it will go where it shouldn't even faster. The only guarantee
is that it won't be where you put it when you need it.
Movement:
One final aspect of carrying concealed needs to be discussed and that is how
movement affects concealment. Before you start carrying, you tend to not think
about how various movements affect the drape and fit of your clothes. That instantly
changes as soon as you strap on a gun. For discussion purposes, I am going to
assume a coat as the covering garment in all cases.
Example one is a strong-side belt holster. Assume you are in a store and have
to reach something on an upper shelf, such that you have to stretch to get
it. If you reach for it with the same hand/side as your gun, that stretching
action
will cause your coat on that side to "ride up," potentially exposing
your weapon. This is a perfect example of why an IWB is particularly effective
for concealment. But if you reach with the opposite hand, the same action will
cause your coat to ride even lower on the gun side, maintaining concealment.
Now you want to get something on the bottom shelf. If you simply bend over at
the waist to get it, your covering garment will pull tight over your weapon,
causing it to "print." You quickly learn to avoid bending over under
any circumstances. Instead, kneel down, keeping your back as straight as possible
while doing so.
Do you spend much time around people who like to "hug?" If you do,
it is important that you initiate the hug. If you hug them first, their arms
will be forced to go around, outside of, yours. This prevents them from feeling
your concealed weapon when they hug you first with their arms inside of yours.
Also protect your "personal space" when in crowds to minimize/avoid
detection from someone bumping into you.
Proper positioning of belt holsters just rearward of the body's mid-line greatly
reduces potential exposure from a frontal view. But it doesn't eliminate it.
Minimize the number of things you carry in your strong-side front pants pocket
to reduce potential for exposing your weapon when retrieving something from
the pocket. Also learn to "sweep" your covering garment into a blocking
position, locked in place with your arm, when you reach into the pocket. The
other high potential for frontal exposure is if your coat gets blown open by
the wind.
My personal approach is to carry something else on my belt in front of my weapon.
I use a .45 caliber double magazine pouch on my left side. I have a Streamlight
Stinger flashlight in one pouch and my Leatherman in the other. I wear a double
Swiss Army pouch with my Swiss Champ and miscellaneous small items on my right
side. Both are worn just to the rear edge of my front pants pockets, far enough
back to avoid blocking easy access to my car keys and wallet on the right and
my money clip and small noise maker on the left. The concealment advantage of
doing this is that both are thick enough to cause my coat to drape over them,
thereby reducing potential printing of the two holstered guns. They also shield
the guns from frontal view by being in front of the guns. Someone's eye will
be drawn to them first and not see the guns. You can further reduce potential
for the wind to blow your coat open by carrying a tube of fishing split-shot
weights in your outer pocket. The added weight greatly reduces, if not outright
eliminates, the wind from flipping your coat open when you least expect it.
As for actual "fit," there are some other things that need doing,
depending on your chosen carry method. If you choose a shoulder rig for use
with a suit
or sport coat, you need to have the carry side tailored for extra room to prevent
printing. If you choose an IWB belt holster, you need to wear pants one size
larger than normal to provide adequate room for the gun and holster. If you
don't, your pants will be uncomfortably tight. You also need to use a belt
one size
longer than normal. Speaking of belts, avoid fancy leather dress belts. They
are too thin and do not provide sufficient support. You want thick, reasonably
stiff leather, and preferably 1-1/2 inches wide in most cases. Narrower does
not provide enough load bearing support and wider may not fit your belt loops.
You also want the belt to fit as snugly in the belt loops as possible to reduce
shifting.
The preceding are just a few thoughts and ideas from an old Maverick with
close to half a century of walking heavy. Always remember Rule Number One -
and do
it
in
a
way that
works best for you and not what someone else who doesn't know your circumstances
tells
you is "the best" way to go.
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Unconventional Wisdom for CCW Permit Holders, by Mike U. »
Letter Re: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Difficulty Racking Pistol Slides
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I recently purchased a Kel-Tec P3AT [.380 ACP pistol] and I am having problems
physically pulling back the slide and loading/pushing down ammo into the magazine
because
I have moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. My doctor advised me to wear wrist splints
to decrease the pain of my carpal tunnel syndrome and the numbness that goes
along with it. Wrist splints have helped me greatly (in combination with several
other approaches), but they have also significantly reduced the strength I have
in my wrists and hands.
Do you have any specific advice regarding building up
hand and wrist strength in order to overcome this issue? Unfortunately, I do
not feel comfortable talking with my doctor about owning a Kel-Tec and my need
to have stronger hands and wrists. Also, if you do give me advice, please keep
in mind that I am a 5' 5" female who weighs about 110 lbs. (Bench pressing
250 lbs is not a viable option for me.) Carpal tunnel is fairly common within
the general population and I wouldn't be surprised if other Survival Blog readers
are having the same problems I'm having. Thank you.
God Bless!, In Christ Jesus, - Heather
P.S.: The You Tube clip on Archie Bunker and gun control [that was posted yesterday]
was priceless. I laughed
so hard that my stomach ached
JWR Replies: First, I must ask: Are you trying to pull the
slide back by grasping it with your thumb and forefinger? Forget that. The
method now preferred for all shooters is to cup your
entire hand around the top of the rear-half of the slide, grasping with your
whole hand, and pull it back sharply. Use plenty of force, "as if you
are trying
to rip the slide off the pistol." (That is how one of my pistol-shooting
instructors described it ) If need be, you can actually use the combined strength
of
both
forearms by pulling backwards with your non-shooting hand, and simultaneously
thrusting slightly forward with your shooting hand.
Consult your local physical therapists about hand and arm exercises. They'll
have advice on specific exercises and frequency/duration of training sessions
in a regimen that will avoid repetitive
stress injuries. .
If that doesn't work for you, then you
need to go to your gun shop (or better yet, for the chance to do private transactions,
to a gun show)
and try "racking" several
other brands of pistols, the same way as I described. Ironically, depending
on the spring tension, some larger guns
may actually be easier for you to manipulate. Find one that you can handle
better than the Kel-Tec, and do a trade-in. (Hopefully, BTW, that will be a
.40 S&W, since
.380 ACP is a marginal man-stopper, at best, and 9mm is only a bit better)
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Note from JWR: »
Zero Your Rifle with Just Two Rounds, by Pete C.
What makes our rifles fun? Shooting them! However, we have all seen first-hand
the spike in ammunition prices since the 2008 Presidential election. American’s
in fear that they will soon not be able to get ammunition because a possible
government bans, smart bullets schemes, etc; citizens have been stockpiling
ammunition causing a stress on the market. This in turn causes shortages
and prices rise.
Here I will discuss a simple and inexpensive way for you to stop wasting
ammunition and money; and zero your battle rifle (or any that you might “come
across” during a TEOTWAWKI situation) with only two rounds. If you have
been in the military, you know that the current procedure for zeroing the M16
type of rifles wastes time and ammunition. The military will allow up to eighteen
rounds of ammunition (in three round shot groups) to be fired per soldier in
order to zero their weapons. This allows several variables such as breathing,
trigger squeeze, stock weld, etc. to affect the zero.
Borrowing techniques from expert hunters, everyone can easily streamline their
zeroing procedures and only use two rounds of ammunition to quickly zero their
weapon. This method works whether zeroing iron sights or scopes, and it will
work on many different kinds of rifles with reliable adjustable sights (AR-15s,
AR-10s, M1As, FN/FALs, etc). The purpose of this method is only to provide
the shooter with a
weapon
that
places rounds on target. It does this while saving time and ammunition.
Required Items:
- A safe shooting location (range) providing at least 25 meter shooting
distance.
- One solid bench rest (many ranges have these for use, or they can
be purchased from many gun shops or on-line, ranging in price from $50
- $150 or more,
but then it is yours.
- Your chosen weapon (for example, an AR-15 using
iron sights)
- 25-meter zero target (for example, an E-type silhouette)
- One extra E-type silhouette
(cut out from another zero target)
- Staple gun and tape
- Eye and hearing protection
Zeroing Method
Place the mechanically zeroed weapon (See FM3-22.9 at the link below on mechanical
zero) securely in the bench rest and use the adjustments on the rest to put
the rifle sights directly over the center of a 25-meter zero target, or the
desired aim point and fire one round at the target. To compensate for the weapon’s
recoil, you should (if needed) again use the bench rest adjustments to move
the rifle sights back over the desired point of impact. Make sure that your
weapon is on safe.
Now walk downrange with the extra cut out E-type silhouette and tape it directly
over the impact point of the round fired. Walk back to the weapon (still secured
in the bench rest) and carefully move the sight picture directly over the taped-on
target. To do this, simply raise or lower the front sight post for elevation
corrections and turn the rear-sight (windage) knob either left or right to
make corrections.
You should now have your sights aligned precisely over the actual point of
impact on the target. If you have been careful not to make the rifle slip within
the bench while making the adjustments, it should now be zeroed. To confirm
the zero, simply move your sights back over the original target (using the
adjustments on the bench rest) to the desired point of impact and fire a second
round. If the rifle is zeroed, this round should hit the desired point of impact.
Get up and move again downrange to confirm the hit. If the round is not at
the desired point of impact, simply repeat the procedure from the second round’s
point of impact on the zero target. This simple procedure allows you to zero
a rifle quickly by moving the point of aim to the point of impact.
The use of a bench rest eliminates the need to fire three rounds of ammunition
to obtain a shot group before making sight adjustments. If the first round
is not true, the second (confirmation) round will alert you to this fact, and
you could than repeat the process.
Yes, there are other items that you can purchase that will assist you with
getting a weapon zeroed. Laser bore sights for example are great and easily
obtained from gun shops or on-line sites and range in price from $40 - $150
or more. With these items, you can zero your rifle quickly without even firing
a single shot saving both time and ammunition. However, if you do not have
the correct caliber laser or insert sleeve to change to a different caliber;
or the mini-watch batteries run dead and you have no way to replace them, the
laser bore sight will do you no good. If you already have one though, don’t
get rid of it. Sometimes there may be a situation in which you are in an area
where discharging of a firearm to zero may not be possible.
In addition, there is a wonderful company called Shepherd Scopes that developed
a patented dual reticle system that gives you a point of reference inside the
scope allowing you to zero the scope/weapon with just one shot from a bench
rest position. These scopes however range in cost from $700 - $800 apiece.
I would rather spend funds on purchasing more ammunition, as we all know from
reading SurvivalBlog.com, that ammunition could one day be more useful than
silver for the purposes of barter.
In closing, zeroing your rifle makes it more effective. This expedient two-round
method will give you confidence that your sights and bore are aligned even
if you happen to “pick-up” or borrow a weapon from a friend; have
limited time or limited ammunition. Understand that different positions, body
armor, winter clothing, etc. will change your head position, but your bore
and sights will be properly aligned/zeroed. Having a zeroed weapon is a fundamental
you can build on. The rest is up to you. Good-luck and God Bless!
References:
- Ammo Price Hike Has Many Biting the Bullet
- WorldNetDaily, There
was ammo on these shelves …Nationwide shortage leaves gun owners scrambling,
paying extra, Zahn, Drew,
March 31, 2009.
- FM 3-22.9 Rifle Marksmanship M16A1, M16A2/3, M16A4 and M4 Carbine
- Shepherd Scopes
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Letter Re: Gun Show Report--A Window of Opportunity?
Jim,
On Sunday, I attended what is billed as the largest gun show in North Carolina
and thought you and your readers might appreciate an update.
What I saw lead me to believe that supplies of black rifles and magazines are
catching back up to demand but that ammunition and reloading components remain
in short supply -- especially primers.
When I attended the November show, I had to wait in line 30 minutes or so just
to get in. I heard the March show had a two hour wait. Today, there was no
wait at all. It was crowded inside, but not jammed like the first post-election
show. Still, a healthy amount of business was being conducted, far more than
two years ago when I last attended as a dealer.
My first stop was to pick up the smokeless powder that I use to load .223.
It was sold out at my normal dealer. They had a big sign that said "No
Primers." I
found another dealer and bought two pounds. The price was reasonable. He had
only magnum pistol primers in stock. He told me the price as $48 per thousand,
but he expected it to settle back down in three months. I did not see any other
primers in the entire show. Several folks were selling bags of 100 pieces of
brass, but no one was selling 1,000 piece bags of it
or other large lots, and prices were up. So brass and primers remain in short
supply. Possibly it is all going to commercial ammunition production.
I was surprised to see that there were lots of new black rifles available --
more than I had expected. There were plenty of AR-15s well as AR uppers and
lowers. Despite wider availability, prices remain high. The cheapest plain
vanilla AR-15 that I saw was $1,080, with most guns starting at $1,200 and
anything with an adjustable buttstock and rails instead of the older forearm
starting
at around $1,600. In fact, I would say $1,600 was the average price for a Bushmaster
or a S&W M&P. Of course, there were still $3,000 guns for sale, but
no one was showing much interest.
Stripped lowers from the lesser-known manufacturers were going for about $139
and full lowers with an adjustable buttstock from Rock River Arms were $359.
I was looking for a spare bolt and bolt carrier, but never found one. I also
saw that part kits for lowers were in short supply. So if you are planning
on piecing together a gun, it might make more sense just to buy one complete.
You could wait weeks for parts and possibly spend even more when all is said
and done.
AK-47s were widely available, as were the Ruger Mini-14 and Mini-30. AKs were
running in the $600 and up range while SKSes were closing in on $400. A CETME
rifle with a Century Arms receiver that cost $300 five years ago was not going
for a shockingly high $1,295. I only saw one Springfield Armory M1A. It had
a stainless steel barrel and was $1,695. FALs were scarce and at least as pricey.
Based on this show, magazines seem to be back to reasonable availability. Used
AR-15 magazines were $9. New .223 alloy magazines from C-Products or DPMS were
starting at $15 at most sellers. MagPul polymer magazines were $25 to $29,
depending on the model. They were some available, but limited quantities.
Pistol dealers were doing a very robust trade. I saw many more people buying
pistols than I did long guns. There were dealers with 20 tables just lined
up with Glocks, Springfield Armory pistols, SIGs, Smith and Wessons, Kahrs,
Kel-Tecs and just about anything else you could see. Every pistol dealer had
people sitting in chairs filing out paperwork.
Rifle ammunition was in decent supply. I saw at least three dealers that had
stacks of 1,000 round cases of new, commercial .223/5.56 from Federal XM193
and/or PMC for $459 and up. Many others had Wolf, Bear or other Russian or
Eastern European ammo. There were also folks selling "remanufactured" ammo
-- 500 in a .30 caliber ammo can for $275. Since this was the second day of
the show and near the end, I was surprised at this availability -- all the
anecdotal evidence I had heard lead me to believe cases of .223 would be sold
out. .308 ammo was harder to come by, with very little domestic production
available. There was a moderate supply of Russian calibers and one guy had
a pallet of 8mm [Mauser] that didn't seem to be selling.
Pistol ammunition was much more scarce than rifle ammo, especially in common
calibers. I saw only one dealer with .380 (for $35 a box) and only a few with
9mm. Dealers
had signs saying "No 9mm" or "No .45 ACP." Self defense
ammo with a good hollow point, such as Gold Dot or Ranger SXT were going
for $45 or $50 for a box of 50 rounds. There was more .357 and .40 [S&W]
and good supplies
of less common calibers like .44 Special. I only saw one dealer with bricks
of 1,000 .22 LRs, but plenty were selling the small 50 or 100 round boxes.
If this one show is any example, I would say that the industry is doing a good
job or meeting the increased demand for firearms, albeit at the expense of
the secondary market. Demand remains high, but is down from the surge in the
months immediately following the election, and supply is now catching
up. The
threat of additional legislation, assault weapon bans and magazine bans remains
and is likely to grow rather than recede. As a result, this may be a good window
of opportunity to buy a new firearm. While it is possible prices will drop
if we reach an over supply situation, I personally think that is unlikely in
the next two or three years unless the Republicans win an awful lot of seats
in the next congressional election.
The strong sales of pistols and lack of availability in pistol caliber ammunition
leads me to believe that many people are worried about rising crime and are
arming themselves. This is consistent with the up tick in people taking concealed
carry courses. One has to wonder if the same lines that produced pistol ammo
have been converted over to rifle calibers and if we are destined to see shortages
in one or the other for some time to come.
Finally, the recent sales explosion in firearms and the sudden lack of availability
in the market should be a lesson to anyone sitting on the survival fence. Do
not put off your preparations any longer. A sudden change can suck all the
supplies out of the pipeline and result in months of backorders for long term
storage food, water filters, medical supplies, etc. The just-in-time supply
situation is a precarious one and any small shock can upset the balance, resulting
in shortages and price increases. - Captain
Dave
« Letter Re: Responding to a CBRNE Event, by J. Paramedic |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Question on Commercial Parts and Critical Spare Parts for M1A Rifles
Jim,
Love your site. I have a question in looking through blogs regarding M1A rifles
I found some folks complaining about failures with recent M1A rifles that
didn't have USGI parts
and replacement with genuine USGI parts was not even offered. I wanted to
know your opinions and recommendations regarding this
rifle without genuine USGI parts especially the extractor. Thanks, - Joe
JWR Replies: The biggest problems with M1As seem to be the
commercially-made bolts and operating rods. Some of
those are fine, but at different times those produced by several makers has
suffered from poor quality control. But short of sending your parts in for
precision gauging and Magnaflux
non-destructive testing (NDT), there is no
way to be sure whether or not \your parts came from good batches. Some might
suggest that if you simply replace those two
parts with original "in spec" (non-reject) USGI parts then you'll have a very
reliable rifle. But that is a very expensive proposition. USGI M14 op rods
now sell for up to $450! I recommend that you consult the folks at Fulton
Armory. They are
extremely knowledgeable, and they can provide you with information on your
current M1A/M14 parts
(even for Norinco
M14s). If need be, they can sell you genuine, top quality replacement parts.
In addition to upgrading
(or confirming proper quality of) your bolt and op rod, you'll of course
also want to buy some crucial spares, most notably extractors,
ejectors, firing pins, handguards, and operating rod spring guides.
FWIW, six years ago I sold all of my M1As and bought L1A1 rifles.
This was back when M14 magazines had jumped to $70 each, and L1A1 magazines
were
$12 to $15 each. I did this because the functionality of the two rifle designs
is roughly comparable. Only one of my M1As had been scoped. But the proceeds
from selling the M1As (and eight spare magazines for each) gave me enough cash
to
buy one additional L1A1 rifle, scopes for every rifle, 20 spare magazines per
rifle, and two spare parts sets (everything except receivers), and a tackle
box full of even more spare L1A1 parts. My family is now much better prepared.
But I must admit that I do miss my Super Match M1AE2. That rifle was insanely
accurate, for a semi-auto rifle.
« Note from JWR: |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re Advice for College Students Living Abroad
Hi,
I'm a student from Singapore studying overseas in Australia and I'm also a
Christian. I have been following your blog for quite awhile, and there are
some things I would like to ask.
First, what advice can you give to students studying overseas? As a student,
I stay on my own in a rented place, and probably will have to move every six
months or so, so stockpiling food and goods are only feasible for about a month
or two worth of food, as I will have to shift everything I own on my own to
my new place whenever I move. That being said, I have roughly about a month's
supply of food stored up, but it is mostly in rice. If things go bad, I won't
be able to eat well, but will survive (I stocked up on some vitamins as well.
Not healthy I know, but better than nothing.). Additionally, what kind of food
should I buy and store? Currently, I am thinking about baking hardtack, as
they are easy to make and store well. I also have about 20 liters of water,
and am able to purify more than 100 liters of water using water purification
tablets and I also have a bottle of plain bleach.
As I am not in my home country, and if anything happens, I have no 'safe' place
to go. Other than going into the bush, which will not happen, as I have no
bush skills, the only choice I have is to hunker down and try, if possible,
to get a flight/ship back to Singapore. With such limited options, I am worried
about what to do WTSHTF,
which is ever more likely, given the current swine flu going around. While
I do know a family staying in a relatively rural area,
I do not know if I am able to get there as their acreage is quite a distance
away from my place and I have no transportation. Also, I am not sure if they
are prepared and stocked up for any crisis, so there is no guaranty that they
will be able to take me in. I would greatly appreciate some advice over this
issue, as it is the most important issue, and also advice on whatever you think
I am lacking in below.
Supplies: I have managed to gather some stuff over time, some medicine/first-aid(learned
some first-aid when younger, and still know the important stuff), lights (some
military stuff, since I have done my national service, a couple of wind up
torches as well for backup/indefinite use), fire starting equipment (lighters,
matches, fire starters, candles, no flint due to being unable to find someplace
that sells it), lightweight cooking equipment (billycan, metal bowls and tins,
utensils). Not much, but been trying to convince my parents to send over some
more supplies I have, which are mainly military stuff (nothing illegal, but
will raise some questions; excuse is they are for paintball, etc). Additionally,
for food I have about 10 kg of rice, plus enough canned food for a week (or
more, if I ration it), 6 liters of packet milk, about 20 packets soups, cooking
spices (very good for making whatever you have taste better), salt, etc. For
toiletries, I got plenty of toothpaste/toothbrushes, toilet rolls (about 2
months worth), soap/shampoo, etc.
Self defence: Nothing much, since there are strict airport rules, and can't
get a gun over here or in Singapore either. I keep a Swiss army knife on me
all the time, but that is mainly for use as a tool, as normally there won't
be any time to take it out. I learned tae kwon do when young (almost
got my black belt, but was unable due to circumstances), and am trying to learn
more
methods
and techniques of fighting. If it comes down to a fight, I am fairly confident
that I can hold my own against one or two people, but I have been trying to
improvise weapons that will allow me to escape. I have been trying to find
a place to learn Krav Maga, which is an Israeli martial art designed to teach
you to fight anywhere, any how, and
any time, against multiple opponents that may or may not be armed, with various
weapons. They focus on being ready to fight at all times using whatever it
takes to survive (aka all the dirty fighting techniques). I think that it is
a very useful martial art to learn, as it is the most realistic form of combat,
and teaches you how to improvise on the spot (They have two rules: 1. survive,
2. Try not to hurt your sparring partner.). In any case, I think the most important
thing to have is to be aware of your surroundings and people that are around
you. An armed man is hard to be beaten, unless taken by surprise, and an alert
man is hardly ever taken by surprise. As a side note, I recently bought a slingshot,
not that I expect it will be of any good for defence, but rather more for hunting
small animals if things really go south. Just need to get around to practicing
with
it.
Day to day carry: I carry with me a Swiss army knife, some medicine/first-aid,
water purification tablets (for 20 liters), a small LED light, a lighter and
some money in small notes in a small pouch close to me everywhere I go. Planning
to add on another pouch with more medical supplies, especially for this swine
flu outbreak. I also have a SOG multi-tool that I can add on, but chose not
to as people will really question what I am doing with 2 knives and all those
stuff. Also, wherever I go, I also bring along at least 1 liter of water, a
torch, a poncho, additional first-aid supplies, hand sanitizer, a bar of soap
and a couple of cereal bars. If I am on a long trip (more than a day or a few
hours by car), I would bring along additional stuff, like more fire starting
equipment, extra food, extra water, a spare torch, and a spare change.
Skills: I learned basic first aid when young, learned tae kwon do,
crude fire making (not too good), cooking, sewing (very basic, mainly for repairing/modifying
clothes) and cycling (although my area is very hilly, so I hardly cycle). I
am trying to learn more skills, like bushcraft, Krav Maga, hunting (doubt I
will be able to), and brush up on my fire starting skills, although in light
of the recent bushfires, it may be a bad idea. Also I am handy with simple
repairs (mainly a crude temporary fix), and like to innovate and make new stuff.
Swine Flu: I have been trying very hard to raise my stock of food and medicines
ever since I heard about the swine flu, but due to time (university) and financial
constraints, I can only stock up so much. I have been buying paracetamol tablets,
aspirin, face masks (box of 100, plus various other dust masks), anti-bacterial
hand gel, hydrogen peroxide, and am looking for surgical gloves, proper N95
equivalent face masks, Sambucol, more water purification tablets, antibiotics,
Betadine, bandages, etc.
Economic crisis: I have been looking around for a place to purchase silver
bullion with whatever spare cash I have, but have been unable to find a dealer.
I am hoping to get at least 150 ounces of silver in 1-ounce to 10-ounce bars
before the economy gives way, which I suspect won't be long. I pray it doesn't
happen,
as my home country will be hit really hard as it is focused heavily in the
financial sector, but being a realist, I think eventually my family will have
to move over to Australia, as at least it has farmland, natural resources and
a very social welfare-focused government as well.
Thanks for all your effort to educate people about the coming world situations
and how to prepare for it. What you are doing can mean life or death to many
people in the future when the world crashes and burns. - DieReady
JWR Replies: By all means, do team up with a rural family,
if you can. If you cache a large quantity of food with them, you will be assured
of being welcome there WTSHTF,
since you will be a benefactor for the family. In such circumstances, food
is a much better investment than silver! If you can pre-position your storage
food and
most of
your gear
there, you can
plan
to
bug out via
mo-ped.
There are two ways of looking at obstacles to preparedness: 1.) As reasons
to give up,
or 2.) as
challenges
and opportunities
for
growth. For example, your hilly terrain can be seen as an opportunity to build
strength
and endurance, rather than as an excuse for not bicycling. And just because
you can't find a local martial arts center that teaches Krav Maga, don't lapse
into inactivity.
Study whichever art is available locally. Just be sure to
find the best full
contact dojo in town. Furthermore, don't look at airport
security restrictions as a the lowest common denominator for
your
self defense preps. If you are going to be in Australia for an extended period
of time, then there is no reason why you shouldn't go ahead and purchase a
few key "dual use" self defense items, such as a half dozen 15 minute
road flares, a machete .,
and a six-C-cell
black MagLite ..You might also see if these is a local archery club--perhaps
affiliated with your local university. Practice at least twice a week with
your slingshot! They can
indeed be quite useful if
you
take
the
time
to
practice.
For your silver
purchases,
be
willing
to look
further
afield
for
dealers, or if
need
be, to
buy from a
reputable
mail
order dealer. Concentrate on the positive aspects of prepping, shepherd your
available funds, train consistently, and you'll make
progress!
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Letter Re: Life Under South Africa's Gun Laws, by Joe Ordinary Voortrekker
This article is a response to a large and glaring preparedness
dilemma for myself. Being a law abiding citizen I cannot willfully put myself
or my family into a situation where we can be held legally liable for the commission
of a crime. If I had a ‘run-in’ with the law because
of my beliefs on firearms and freedom, it can and will put my family at risk.
Unfortunately we live in a country where the liberty of its
citizens is at the mercy of the State. South Africa is for all intents and
purposes a ‘Free and democratic’ country. However, our government
is an openly socialist government. They require the dependency of its citizens,
every law that is passed is to ensure a more conformist and dependant populace.
One of the laws that was passed was the Firearms
Control Act of 2000. It is
another of a long stream of attempts to remove the right to bear arms in South
Africa. This act and the previous one allow for highly controlled and restrictive
legislation. Below, I will give a brief overview of the pertinent points as
it relates to the rights of individuals to keep arms. It is however, the root
of my dilemma. No
matter how many or types arms I would like to possess, or what types and amounts
of ammunition I would like to keep, I am controlled by the State every step
of the way with 101 different [regulatory details.]
Before I get to South African firearms legislation, let me give you some insight
as to where my thoughts stem from. Basically, after reading through the Profiles
of survivalists on SurvivalBlog,
and the recommendations of the most esteemed JWR. I could see no way that I
could become ‘squared away’ on the arms and ammunition side. Our
laws in South Africa are just too restrictive! That however has changed, as
there is a way. All it took was a little bit of lateral thinking and a copy
of "Patriots"
.
Well actually the other way around, the lateral thought came after the second
reading of "Patriots".
In this article I’m going to talk from a South African perspective and
relate this information from our view. What I am hoping and intending is that
it will get people to think through their firearm purchases and utilize every aspect or at least as many aspects as possible of the law
for their own benefit. The South Africa situation may or may not apply to you,
however this article is not intended for the US readers of SurvivalBlog, but more to people that live elsewhere and to give
them the hope that there is potentially a way. The idea is to think laterally
and use the rights that have been allowed you in every way possible.
Here is a brief synopsis of how the South African Firearms laws are applicable
to ordinary citizens. For the ‘casual’ owner, people are restricted
to a maximum of four firearms. The breakdown is as follows:
- One Handgun
- One Shotgun
- One Rifle (Not Semi Auto) (With associated proof that you hunt)
- One Casual Sports
shooting firearm ([another] one of any
of the above)
Only one of the first two (Handgun/Shotgun) may be designated a self defense
firearm and there are legal ramifications if you shoot someone in self defense
with another firearm. If you are a dedicated
sportsman/hunter/collector you are able to increase your firearm collection,
but always under strict monitoring and conditions. And you have to have proof,
proof and more proof.
Also we need to re-license every 2, 5, or 10 years depending on the type of
license. Along with additional costs, competency tests, fingerprints, home/safe
inspection and vetting of you by your family and/or neighbors, etc etc ad nauseam.
The way that I see this is that the Government wants the public disarmed, and
they are making it harder and harder and a real pain in the sphincter to re-apply
for their licenses, so most guys just give up and hand their weapons in.
With Ammo, you may only possess a maximum 200 rounds of any of the calibers
that you are licensed for. Possession of a single [loaded] round of any other
caliber is illegal unless you are a licensed cartridge collector. (This is
another painful exercise, and will not assist in stockpiling ammo) As for components.
Bullets, brass cartridge cases and magazines are not regulated. However primers
and propellants are. With primers, no more than 2,400 of any size. In addition,
so are some spare parts, barrels, sears etc. (BTW, a spare barrel is
considered a firearm in South Africa [, since pressurized gun parts are regulated.
Effectively, the barrel rather than the frame or receiver is considered the
"firearm"])
As an aside, I have watched the debate on concealed carry in the US with interest.
In South Africa we are legally bound to carry [handguns] 100% concealed, no
open carry, unless you are in Law Enforcement. So the question is with laws
like this, how does one stockpile firearms and ammo? And what is the best way
to get the maximum out of the minimum we are allowed to possess.
The only way that this can be done is to prepare for possible scenarios that
may develop in the future. This is the tack that we have taken:
1) Get legally
diversified with the correct calibers.
2) Keep only calibers that allow you to maximize your long term defense potential
3) Stock up on unregulated items that will allow for barter even if it’s
not one of your calibers.
Okay, so I just mentioned that one needs to have the correct calibers This
is, as everyone knows a very subjective statement. So how did we decide what
the correct calibers are? In a scenario where there is true TEOTWAWKI then
there will be a source of readily available arms and ammunition. Courtesy
of our Law Enforcement and Military. Looking at these services, we see that
the following calibers are the most common.
12 Gauge Shotgun,
5.56 NATO (AKA .223)
7.62 NATO (AKA .308)
and 9mm Parabellum (9x19mm ["Luger"]).
My logic and methodology here is to maximize my options in terms of usable
and obtainable ‘components’ while still keeping within the framework
of our legal system. I have also decided that we will not
apply for further weapons licenses as I do not want nor require the additional
infringement of my privacy nor the ‘red flags’ that
come with owning a ‘large’ firearms collection. So based on the
highest
OPSEC possible in this situation, here is what we have done.
For a handguns I have chosen a .45 ACP my wife a 9mm Parabellum
For shotguns we have both chosen 12 gauge Pump actions
For casual Sports Shooting my wife has chosen a .22 LR pistol, and I have a
scoped and suppressed .22LR rifle.
For hunting rifles I have chosen a .308 and my wife a .223
So our choices above keep us [both] at the four gun limit, no additional background
checks and gives us a broad spread of calibers that will allow us to store
primers, powder, and some ammunition.
On the unregulated side we have and are currently stocking up on the following.
Virgin and fired brass in all of the above calibers, in addition to this we
add any fired brass that we can scrounge. Various design and weight
bullet moulds with the same methodology, factory made bullets in rifle and
handgun
calibers. Reloading dies, in any and all calibers that we can get. However
we do concentrate on the dies for the brass
that we have. (There is no point in having dies and no brass.) Cleaning kits
and components, and lead and tin stocks, as well as reloading presses. For
[rifle and pistol] brass
reloading,
we have standardized on Lee brand turret presses
and the single stage RCBS Rockchucker as most can be had at very reasonable
prices on the secondhand market here. For shotgun shell reloading we have standardized
on Lee Load All.
Now the logic behind this. If ever the SHTF in a big way, we will be able to
drive off most attacks, however if this degenerates into an extended and protracted “Patriots"-like
scenario we should have all of the ‘makings’ to use captured weaponry
as well as being able to supply and reproduce the correct ammo for such captured
weaponry.
There are a few points to remember.
1.) Pressure and primer differences in military and civilian ammo. Know
what
you are doing or don’t do it!
2.) Always stay within the law, while the law is the law. Becoming an illegal ‘arms
hoarder’ will get you into a heap of trouble, which
only leaves your family at risk.
3.) OPSEC, OPSEC, OPSEC don’t brag around the braai (Barbecue) as to what
you
will do when TSHTF. Or what you have stockpiled, hidden, buried etc. Personally,
I find that very few people in South Africa have a preparedness/survivalist mentality.
If you start discussing what you are doing be circumspect in every
aspect.
Finally, as an aside, Just this last week we were given detailed information
about
the preps of a ‘new age’ religious Doomer ("The
sky is going to fall in 2012") that lives just outside a small town over
400 kilometers away. This person has told her family about her preps and this
news has
now traveled all over the country. We now know almost everything that she
has
done
including evacuation and storage details. The family (rightly?) believes she
is
a nutcase and actively ridicule her preps. [An OPSEC breach like this presents]
a very
scary
scenario.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Sambucol and the Cytokine Storm »
Letter Re: Caught Between OPSEC and a Hard Place
Jim,
A friend of mine had a recent encounter with the police that illustrates the
importance of Operational Security (OPSEC),
even for the tiniest details. My friend is a survivalist and keeps both an SKS (unloaded
but with ammo nearby) and a CZ handgun (loaded) in the cab of his truck.
This is basically
what Boston T. Party and
others recommend: a handgun instantly at the ready and a rifle nearby. My
friend does not have a CCW permit and in Washington State
you must have a permit to have a loaded gun in a vehicle. He was pulled over
while driving on the freeway, and his conversation with the officer who pulled
him over went something like:
Cop: “I pulled you over because you failed to signal when you changed
lanes…”
My Friend: “Oh, that’s odd, I know I used my signal.”
Cop: “…And I see that you have an NRA sticker on the back of
your truck. Do you have any firearms in the vehicle?”
My Friend: “Yes.”
Cop: “Get out, I’m going to search the vehicle.”
After searching and finding the CZ, the cop arrested my friend for having
a concealed weapon without a permit (note that the gun was “concealed” in
the car, not on his person). With my friend locked in the back of the police
car, the cop proceeded to hold the SKS up in the air on the side of the freeway,
checking the chamber to see if it was loaded (while hundreds of people drove
by). I’ll skip the rant about this incident further lowering my already-low
opinion of the Police, and concentrate on the OPSEC implications.
The cop never asked permission to search the vehicle: he informed my friend
that he was going to search. My friend likely did not commit any traffic infraction,
and was probably pulled over just for having an NRA sticker. He is now facing
misdemeanor charges for carrying concealed without a permit; If he is convicted
he will have a criminal record. The CZ has been confiscated and he will never
get it back.
Like many people, my friend did not want to get a CCW permit and put his name
on a government list of people who carry weapons; he saw getting a CCW as a
breach of OPSEC. He chose to exercise his Second Amendment rights despite an
unjust state law and he carried without a permit. If he hadn’t committed
another, tiny breach of OPSEC, he would not have gotten caught. It’s
sad that we’re at the point where even being seen as a supporter of the
NRA has become a breach of OPSEC, and something we must hide from the police.
Because of this incident I will be removing the NRA sticker from my own vehicle
soon. - “Big D” in Washington
JWR Replies: To begin with, your friend handed his exchange
with the officer the wrong way. He could have maintained his privacy and his
Fourth Amendment rights by not answering the officer's question or by changing
the subject, when the officer went on his "fishing expedition." I
am a Christian and I don't believe in bearing false witness, but there is no
Biblical
admonition
about opening one's mouth. In fact, there is just the
opposite: See: Proverbs 18:7: "A fool's mouth is his destruction, and
his lips are the snare
of his
soul."
I
also recommend
the "Don't
Talk to the Police" lecture by Professor James Duane, that
has been mentioned before in SurvivalBlog. I consider it "must" viewing
for teenagers
and adults. I also recommend studying the book You & the
Police!
by Boston
T. Party.
And, yes, it is a sad state of affairs when we have to hide our political
affiliations when traveling public highways.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Upgrades to Your Bug Out Vehicle, by Nickey C. »
Letter Re: Question of Sealing Primers and JWR's Notes on AR-10 Magazines
Sir,
I want to thank you for your advice to obtain a 308
battle rifle. Last year I held off on buying one until December as I felt my
AR-15s
were "good enough". I paid around $1,600 for an Armalite AR-10. That
same rifle model now sells for more that $2,000 (if you can find it).
I
have
also
acquired
another
AR-10 lower that I am building for a "longer range" 308 rifle. I have
also been purchasing a lot of Lake City once fired brass and 147 grain FMJ components
and slowly reloading my ammo supply. Here is my question: Is it better that keep
powder, primers, cases, and bullets separated or just load everything up and
store it that way? I am worried about powder/primer long term storage and wonder
if its easier to keep powder and primers in original packaging for really long
term storage. I recently went to the range and shot off some ammo I reloaded
back in 1993. I had about 10 rounds with primer failure . My previous house basement
was flooded in 1998 and I think this ammo was in the basement at that time. So
now I am pulling those older bullets and am having to reload them as I suspect
more primers will fail.
Another question: Is there a way to quickly and cheaply waterproof loaded
cases at the primer and case mouth? I have thought about clear nail polish.
Regards, - Eric
JWR Replies: I advise that you go ahead and assemble those
components, whenever you have time available. A lot of things can go wrong
(fire, broken pipes,
flood,
etc),
so loaded
ammo
will be much safer than storing components. Store all of your ammo only in
military surplus ammo cans that still have nice soft seals. Include a small
bag of silica gel desiccant in each can. (It doesn't take much to suck up
the atmospheric moisture in a space that small.)
Don't attempt to seal case necks with lacquer, or you will cause erratic velocities
and possibly cause failures to completely chamber rounds. (The same effect
as
improperly
trimmed brass.)The US military arsenals have actually used tar to seal their
bullets, but I don't recommend doing so. (Not unless you want to set up a hot
tar bullet-seating assembly-line, and do the requisite pressure tests!)
For the primer pockets: Use
an tiny extra fine tip brush and red lacquer paint--available
from
any
hobby
shop.
Don't use clear lacquer. It is important to use a colored lacquer, so that
you don't lose track of which primer pockets have already been sealed. Some
folks
recommend
using just a single cat's whisker type brush. One ring around the edge of the
primer is all that you need. It takes just a tiny bit for each primer. Just
one ounce of lacquer will last you through
years of primer sealing if your are careful to keep the bottle
tightly sealed.
OBTW I recommend that you stock up on magazines for both your current AR-10
and your planned AR-10 "build". Those magazines are already scarce--now
up to around $80 each--and they may be $200+ in just
a year.
If you want to have a dozen or magazines per rifle, then it might very well
be worthwhile to order two replacement AR-10 lowers from Sonju
International in Kalispel, Montana. They make an excellent machined-billet
lower
receiver variant that the dubbed the "SI-AR-HK" that
can accept HK-G3 alloy
magazines (that are available as military surplus for as little as $2.20 each!)
Then, after those
lowers (and a box of 100 magazines from a vendor such as Scorpion
Arms arrive), you
can then sell off your current Armalite-made lower receivers and magazines
for an obscene profit that will infuriate Chuck
Schumer.
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Letter Re: Rethinking Uncommon Rifle Chamberings
Mr. Rawles-
I read "Patriots:
A Novel Survival in the Coming Collapse" a
couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it. Thank you.
I wanted to mention: I try to follow conventional wisdom about caliber choices
for SHTF weapons.
Interestingly, in the current ammo shortage, it’s still
somewhat easy to get ammo for oddball calibers. For example, if one needs 7.5x55
Swiss, 7.65x54R Russian or 7.5x54 French, many online dealers have it in stock,
while 9mm, 45 ACP,
12 gauge buckshot, 308, 223, 7.62x39 etc., are very hard to come by. For people
who don’t have the budget to stockpile a lot of
ammo, this may justify keeping at least one [rifle chambered in a] non-standard
caliber in the arsenal. The
bolt action Russian, Swiss and French rifles are relatively inexpensive, sturdy,
and hard hitting. The fact that the ammo is in good supply during a nationwide
ammo shortage is a bonus.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Preparing Your Family for "Interesting" Times: A Covenantal Christian Perspective, by Jim B. »
Letter Re: Canadian Gun Shows--Behind The Power Curve
James,
Just sending this letter as a quick update to the situation with ammunition
and "black
guns" or defensive weapons in Canada. Contrary to what many people think,
Canada does allow citizens to get licensed and own firearms of most types.
Basically anything except full auto weapons unless you previously owned one
years ago and were grandfathered after that particular portion of Nazi legislation
was implemented.
This last weekend I was fortunate to attend Canada's largest gun show in western
Canada located in Cow Town, Calgary, Alberta. This gun show is nothing compared
to the big shows across many of the US States (about 500 tables) however, none
the less, it is an opportunity to meet with all the big vendors from across
the country and pick up ammo and supplies with cash for OPSEC reasons,
while you still can.
Its interesting to note that like the USA, supplies are rapidly drying up as
far as defensive firearms, loaded ammo and reloading components but not yet
reaching the levels of devastation as seen in the USA., yet.
What we are seeing is this, because of the lag time with bureaucratic red tape
processing of ammunition
and firearms coming into Canada
from the USA, there are a number of good-sized stockpiles of ammo and firearms
that are still trickling through Canada Customs and into the local guns shops
six months after the orders were placed which was about the time the supply
runs began in the USA. I fear however that this will very soon no longer be
the case due to the supply issues south of the border. For those in the know,
we recognize that our window of opportunity to purchase such items is rapidly
coming to a close. Massive supply runs have not yet begun, however supplies
are drying up rapidly as preppers and those ahead of the ball are consuming
the majority of the common calibers and associated reloading components.
Also very interesting: The vast majority of gun shop
owners and vendors up here are completely asleep at the wheel where the supply
issues are concerned. Many of them actually think that the delivery trucks
will always be there to bring stock for their shelves. I've actually heard
comments
from such people as this "The government will not allow this to happen
as it will hurt the firearms industry". What have they been smoking?
When I was at the show in Calgary this last weekend, it was rather humorous
to approach many of the vendors who had the only significant quantities of
the major calibers of ammo at this show (.45 ACP, .40 S&W , 9mm , .223,
etc) and simply walk up to them, ask them how much for case lots of ammunition
and then actually haggle with them and eventually purchase it at a much lower
price than they were originally asking. If these folks knew that their supply
was near complete extinction they wouldn't even be selling it or would at least
jack the price in accordance with the principles of supply and demand. But
it was great for me, though. No complaints.
It was a good show where Canada was concerned, mainly because we mopped up
what the golden horde was willing to trade for soon to be useless paper dollars
(big laughs over that) and we were able to get the supplies that we know will
soon be gone. We have reason to believe that the last of those cross-border
ammunition imports might be done and over with and we will shortly see panic
hit the regular gun crowd in Canada who will be left to fight over the odd
box of shotgun slugs and pistol rounds at best.
Thanks for all you do. I hope this information is of interest to fellow Canadian
SurvivalBlog readers.
-
Luke
Duke
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Letter Re: How to Spot a Front Sight Graduate
Jim,
I get e-mails from Front Sight students all the time reporting to me how they
often draw a crowd at shooting ranges as people marvel at their marksmanship,
speed, and gun handling. The question they are always asked is,
"Where did you learn how to shoot like that?" Of course they respond
with "Front Sight!"
Well here is a twist on that experience from someone who recently e-mailed
me:
Dr. Piazza,
I just wanted to send you this e-mail and let you know
about an experience I had several months ago.
I work part time at a shooting range in Wheat Ridge, Colorado and my sister
hosts Ladies' Night there.
I was invited as a guest speaker teaching the ladies how to clear rooms in
a structure with a weapon and a light.
During a break, one of the ladies went into the range to shoot her handgun.
I was walking by and glanced in the window and noticed her well placed shots...
two to the thoracic cavity and one to the ocular cavity.
Immediately after her shots I saw her blonde pony tail swing from side to
side, demonstrating an obvious
trademark of fine training... She was doing an After Action Drill.
I put on some "ears and eyes" and went into the range to observe her flawless
techniques.
When she was done she turned and saw me watching her and smiled.
I said, "You've been to Front Sight, haven't you?"
She replied, "Yes. How did you know?"
I told her I could tell from the professional techniques she was using.
She started talking to me about how proud of herself she was and her increased
self confidence since attending your Four Day Defensive Handgun Class.
She told me about the Color Codes of Awareness that you teach and that she
is now always in Condition Yellow... relaxed, but alert.
She said that she didn't want to brag but she felt she had now reached a
level of Unconsciously Competent in her weapons handling-- meaning her skills
were now reflexive.
I told the other ladies to watch her and learn, or better yet, attend Front
Sight.
I just wanted to pass this along to you.
Keep up the good work.
Kelley "Badger" Sands
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Well there you go... If you want to spot a Front Sight graduate look for
the smiling, confident, relaxed yet alert person with the well placed shots
and flawless, professional technique!
And if you want to be that person, (or you
want your spouse to be that person) take advantage of my "Get
a Gun" training & gear offer before the price increase. - Dr. Ignatius
Piazza
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Home-Made Super Cat Alcohol Stoves »
Two Letters Re: Knob Creek Report on Ammunition, Magazines, and Parts
Jim, I also have been a regular attendee of the Knob Creek gun show in Fort
Knox, Kentucky for the past 8 years and would like to add a little more insight.
I always attend the October show and occasionally attend the April show. Times
being as they are I made an extra effort to attend last week and bring some
first timers with me. The shock started Friday morning when the booths opened
at 9:00am. My first encounter was Hi-Tech Ammunition (St. Louis) table. They
were already out of all rifle and pistol powder. Only remaining was some military
surplus machine gun powder. The I went to a Wolf ammo supplier to only to find
7.62x39 was now $375/1,000. Their 9mm Federal was $325/1,000. I was not going
to buy more since I already had an ample supply from the October show. ($185/1,000
for 7.62x39 and $175/1,000 for 9mm). In six months did the price really double?
Yes it did and where will it be next month. I already new and expected .223
to be over $400/1,000 and was right. .223 is easy to reload for under $200/1,000
so its back to my basement married to my Dillon 550B.
Rifle and pistol prices are also hair raising issues. I have been tracking
the costs of AK-47s
extensively for the past two years. Since the October 2008 show AK-47s went
up 50%. What used to be $375 for a Romanian WASR-10 is now $600. Any Hungarian
or Bulgarian varieties that were $500 to $650 are now $700 to $950 and I did
not see one Yugo AK in the three days at the show. SKSes
were selling for $300 and up.
Your earlier Knob Creek reporter summed up the magazine market perfectly.
Mags were available but the prices were all over the place, but mostly
up. Once fired brass was very hard to find. I also heard that the
dealers bought everything up on Thursday before the show started. Everything
I wanted was gone, extremely limited or twice the price. What a depressing
show. I had to the same conclusion to start shooting the AK-74 round
(5.45 mm) but when everybody catches on its going to be the same problem we
have right now. - John at the Trading Post
Dear James,
Yesterday you included a note from a reader who had attended the Knob Creek
Shoot. In it he wrote: "On the whole, the current situation seems to
favor those moving into the AK-74 realm. AK-74 [parts] kits were $495, receiver
flats were $12, transferable receivers were $60 and the ammo was $300 per
1,300 rounds (in sealed tins). There never seems to be much competition for
that ammo. I am thinking about getting a 5.45mm AK."
If you have standardized with the AR-15 platform,
you can still use the 5.45x39 ammo which is still relatively cheap these days.
Smith & Wesson makes both a full carbine and an upper in 5.45x39. AIM
Surplus has the upper only available for $569. They also have the Russian
53 grain FMJ available
for $149 per 1080-round can. This is where I bought my S&W flat-top
upper.
I know there are other companies which make uppers in 5.45x39. If you already
have an AR lower
and want to take advantage of the price differential, this may be the way to
go. - John R. in North Carolina
JWR Replies: That is a good point. For someone that does
a lot of .223 target shooting, this os presently a good option. Let's do the
math: Typical 5.56mm NATO ball (such as Winchester white box was $5 a box three
years ago. It is now $15 per box. Suppose that you were to buy three 1,080-round
cans of 5.45x39 ammo for $450. The equivalent quantity of 5.56 ball would cost
a whopping $2,430. That is almost a $2,000 difference! Even after the expense
of buying a dedicated 5.45x39 upper receiver assembly (around $800 for a nice
one, presently), you'd still be nearly $1,200 ahead and would significantly
reduce wear to your original 5.56.barrel.. It is also just the trick for that Red
Dawn
scenario.
It won't be long until folks catch on, and the supply of 5.45mm ammo dries
up, so don't dawdle. If you currently own an AR-15 or M4, buy several cans
of 5.45 ammo now. Just be willing to be on the back
order list for a 5.45x39 upper receiver assembly for several months. Come next
Fall, you'll be laughing all the way to the bank shooting range
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Backpackers of the Apocalypse: Selecting and Ultra-Lighting Your Bug-Out Bag, by John the Midwestern Hiker »
Letter Re: Knob Creek Report on Ammunition, Magazines, and Parts
Jim,
I just got back from attending the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot near Fort Knox,
Kentucky. I have never seen the ammo situation as bad there as it was on April
3rd to April 5th. I took four other people that have never been there and told
them that they would
be able to satisfy their needs at this show over any other. Boy, was I wrong!
Supply on certain items was either non existent or had decreased dramatically.
Several nationwide ammo dealers didn’t even show up and I have seen them
there for 10 consecutive years.
9mm +P+ Israeli SMG ball or tracer – last November.was $100 now $150 per thousand
(Pat's Reloading told me that they had gone through four Semi-trailer loads
of the stuff and this was nearing the end of it.) I loved this stuff because
I
couldn’t
even touch the components for $100, especially tracer.
.223 Israeli ball was $375 per thousand at Pats reloading
.223 Israeli tracer was oddly less expensive than
ball at $149 per 500. I looked through mine and about 10% appears to be Lake
City (early to mid-1990s). Purchased
at Pat's Reloading
.223 Federal 2008 production XM193 was $450 per 500. Don’t even think
about what that equates to, "per case".
9mm was in somewhat short supply. I heard one supplier tell a customer that
he brought two pallet loads with him, but the dealers bought it all before
the show even opened.
7.62x39 Last November Golden Tiger was $180 a case. I didn’t see one
single case of the stuff and Wolf was $300 a case.
7.62x54R was holding steady at $160 for two sealed tins (about 880 rds)
30-06 Greek sealed tins of 240 rds was up from $59 to $100.
.308 South African $90 per battle pack of 200 rds.
While there was some pistol ammo, it was not stacked up by the pallet load
as usual and self defense loads were either in short supply or exorbitant in
price. I did somehow manage to stumble into some Blazer nickel plated case
165 grain solid point 40 S&W ammo for $15 per 50 and some .223 IMG (Guatemalan)
that was boxed but tarnished for $375 per 1,200 round case. Time to dig out
the reloader and supplies.
On the Magazine front, nearly all [of the once inexpensive and plentifull magazines]
now have jacked up [prices].
DSA still had nice metric FAL mags for $7 and 30 round [.308 L4] Bren gun mags
that fit FALs (inch and metric) for $30. I would have bought some but I am
still
mad at them at playing "the DSA waiting game" for some [FAL] receivers. I have
waited on two of those receivers now for going on a year, continually being
promised that they
"have
them in stock", and being sent my money back twice. This is my
forth go around with them 1997, 2001, 2003 with only one [order] being successful.
[Minor rant snipped.]
AK magazines: still some around for $12
G3 aluminum mags $5
[HK] G3 steel and CETME were all $15 except for one guy who still had them
for $5
Cope's Distributing was completely out of the used (law enforcement trade-in)
Glock and SIG magazines that they formerly had for $10 each. They did have
some KCI Korean Glock
magazines
for
$12
that looked respectable and see to have a good reputation so far.
SVD and Romak 3 mags had dropped from $100 to $60 (for a 4-pack) in November.
Now back up to $85.
AR parts kits were in short supply. Model 1 sales sent a reduced table and
barely had anything. a FFL dealer behind me at the Doublestar/J&T Distributing
table told me he had bought 55 full kits from Model 1 Sales and he would be
sold out in 2-3 weeks so he was buying more from J&T. The owner of J&T
told me that she ran out of stuff before the show even opened to the public
and had to send a van back to load up with more stuff. J&T’s cheapest
kit was $555 without a chrome bore. They sold out of kits by noon and were
going to have to send another van back for more.
On the AR-15 lower receiver front, a FFL dealer friend of mine there told me
that the log jam for receivers appeared to have eased as he was able to buy
them
for
$88 wholesale once again and take delivery in a reasonable amount of time.
On the whole, the current situation seems to favor those moving into the AK-74
realm. AK-74 kits were $495, receiver flats were $12, transferable receivers
were $60 and the ammo was $300 per 1,300 rds (in sealed tins). There never
seems to be much competition for that ammo. I am thinking about getting a 5.45mm
AK.
« Two Letters Re: TEOTWAWKI Medical Skills: Thoughts on Becoming a "Woofer" (Wilderness First Responder) |Main| Notes from JWR: »
My Initial Experiences with Concealed Carry, by AceHigh
As I started my journey into preparedness, one of the areas I pursued was getting
my Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) license (sometimes called Concealed Handgun
License (CHL) or Concealed Carry License (CCL)). I thought it might be helpful
to Survival Blog readers to share my recent experiences related to obtaining
my CCW license and getting to a point where I felt comfortable carrying a
concealed weapon in public. I know there is some concern regarding obtaining
a license that puts you on record as a gun owner/carrier, but that is the
trade off of being able to legally defend yourself and is a decision each
of us must make.
In a full TEOTWAWKI situation, concealed carry is likely not much of an issue,
as most everyone will be carrying openly. However, it is possible, if not likely,
that a less than full TEOTWAWKI will occur where there is increasingly more
crime and yet some semblance of law enforcement is still in place. This limbo
between where we are today and complete lawlessness may last a long time. You
could be considered a criminal by illegally carrying a concealed weapon for
self protection.
First, a little background regarding CCW. Most states are either “shall
issue” or “may issue” in regard to CCW licenses (nice of
them to offer something already provided for by the Second Amendment). Both
Illinois and Wisconsin do not allow concealed carry at all and a few other “nanny” states
(California, New York, New Jersey, etc.) are “may issue” and only
provide licenses in very limited circumstances. There is a complicated set
of state reciprocity (which states will honor another states license), especially
considering that many states offer non-resident permits and a few states only
honor resident permits. The best source I have found to understand the laws
pertaining to individual states is the HandgunLaw.us
web site. Even though
there are sporadic attempts to nationalize concealed carry, I do not believe
this
will
happen which is probably a good thing (the federal government, especially the
current one, would likely make things much worse).
I applied for and subsequently received my CCW license about 18 months ago
in Idaho, my state of residence. My first several months of carrying a concealed
weapon was limited to having my gun in the car (in a somewhat hidden spot)
anytime
I left the house. My concern was that, even though I had some experience shooting
handguns and rifles, actually carrying a weapon in public carries a high level
of responsibility and I did not have enough confidence in my ability in handling
the weapon or in having the proper mindset as to how to respond to the variety
of situations that could present themselves.
I made one of the best decisions of my life when I attended the Four
Day Defensive Handgun class at Front Sight. Not only did those very intense four days enable
me to gain familiarity and confidence in handling my Glock 23 but started me
down the road to good marksmanship. The range work (about 75% of the class)
focused on gun handling safety, proper mechanics for drawing the gun and shooting,
and shooting accuracy. Just as important was the classroom work at Front Sight
where they discussed a wide range of topics related to self defense, including
the legal ramifications of even a justified shooting and the color codes of
awareness. The most important thing presented was that you should only present
your weapon if you are in fear for your life or grave bodily harm and, if you
do present your weapon, you should be prepared to shoot until the threat is
stopped. This may sound simple but there are many shades of gray here that
each individual must come to grips with.
One of these gray areas involves protecting others. Of course, there is no
question regarding protecting my family who would get a higher priority than
even myself. My personal decision is that I would also use deadly force to
protect my friends. Here is where it starts to get gray. Do you protect acquaintances
or strangers? While it would be very difficult to stand by and let someone
be harmed or killed when you could have done something to stop it, the real
issue is: Do you know enough of the circumstances about the event? How do you
know for sure who the bad guy is? Is the person holding the gun seeming to
threaten someone an off duty cop or even another CCW who is restraining a bad
guy? You certainly cannot count on presenting your weapon to get everyone to
stop until it can be sorted out. Chances are pretty good that the bad guy (or
the off duty cop) holding the gun will not surrender and you will either be
shot or have to shoot them.
Another gray area is: how far do you go to protect your stuff? You are only
legally able to shoot someone if you are in fear of your life or grave bodily
harm. In most states, you cannot legally shoot someone who is just taking your
stuff. For example, if someone pulls a gun (or knife) on you and demands your
wallet, you could shoot them if you were in fear for your life. However, if
you see someone stealing you car and you shoot them while they are driving
away; you are likely in deep trouble. An exception (in most states),
called the Castle Doctrine, is that you do not have to be in fear for your
life if
the bad guy is inside your house. Be sure to check your state
laws on use of force!
Prior to the class, I had begun to read the defensive handgun forums primarily
regarding hypothetical and actual defensive scenarios. I highly recommend these
forums. My favorites are: Defensive
Carry Forum, Concealed
Carry Forum,
and the Glock
Carry Forum. Even though there are many different
opinions expressed on these forums, hearing them helps to solidify your own
mindset
as to what you would do in a variety of situations. It is important to think
this through thoroughly prior to carrying a weapon because there will likely
not be time to do so when a situation arises.
The main point is that you need to go out of your way to avoid a gunfight.
This is illustrated by the fact that in a gunfight, you risk everything (including
your life) and don’t win anything. The ramifications to your life of
even a good shooting are such that it is something to be avoided if at all
possible. Those ramifications can include financial ruin, losing your job,
tarnishing your reputation (at least among the non-violent types), or even
incarceration. Now that I am armed, I am more able to resist the macho urge
to stand up to someone because I know that escalation could be deadly. It also
doesn’t hurt to have witnesses that say you tried to walk away or de-escalate
the situation in case the unavoidable does happen.
After attending the Front Sight class, I made the leap and started carrying
in public all of the time. This is where you start to figure out the type and
manufacturer of holster which is going to work best for you. Most people end
up with a drawer full of holsters since it is difficult to evaluate a holster
without wearing it with different clothing options and sometimes in different
positions for some period of time. Again, the defensive handgun forums can
provide a wealth of opinions regarding the variety of holsters available. Some
holsters are adjustable for height and/or cant, which make them more versatile
but also extend the time to figure out the most comfortable concealed position.
I could write many pages on all of the options and types of holsters available
since I did considerable research and tried many of them personally.
To simplify, the most common holsters are either OWB (outside the waistband)
or IWB (inside the waistband). They can be worn in various positions (usually
described but referencing the numbers on a clock with straight ahead being
12:00). Many people carry “behind the hip” at 4:00-5:00 (for right
handed people) or 7:00-8:00 (for left handed people) with some amount of forward
cant (grip of gun forward and barrel angled toward the rear). That cant (typically
10-20%) allows for a more natural grip on the gun for drawing from that position
as well as provides better concealment than a straight drop. I could never
get comfortable with this behind the hip position, maybe because I am not very
limber and I have bad shoulders making it difficult to reach behind my hip
both for getting the holster positioned initially and for access to the gun
when needed.
The 3:00 position allows for a straight draw and is the most comfortable, even
when sitting. Since it is on the apex of your hip/waist, it is a little more
difficult to conceal but is a good option in winter when jackets and coats
are common. You just need to make sure that you won’t be put into a position
where you will need to remove your cover garment. I have found that a fleece
vest works very well to conceal a handgun at 3:00 and you can still wear and
remove a heavier coat and keep your weapon concealed.
I have gravitated toward “appendix carry” at about 1:00-2:00 using
an IWB holster, especially in the summer. It allows for excellent concealability
and access and can be concealed with just a light shirt. This position also
allows you to be able to visually make sure you are not “printing” (outline
of the gun showing through your clothes). There are a large number of IWB holsters
available and some of them allow a shirt to be tucked in between the pants
and the top of the gun if you need to have your shirt tucked in. I did have
to go up one size in pants to accommodate the holster and gun being inside
the waistband.
Cross draw is another option and works well for people who spend a lot of time
driving. Other options that have drawbacks but may be useful for some people
include SOB (small
of back) holsters, shoulder holsters, and ankle holsters.[JWR Adds: As
previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog I consider SOB holsters too much of a
risk for back
injuries, particularly for anyone on horseback, or that is riding motorcycles
or ATVs.]
I use a fanny pack (worn in the front) sometimes, especially when hiking.
A
fanny
pack
in
public
tends
to scream “gun” to
most law enforcement and some bad guys. For women, carrying in a purse is an
obvious
choice. However,
you have to be very careful not to set it down anywhere where someone else
could get access to it. A purse can also be the target of someone trying to
snatch it, which not only deprives you of your means of self defense but gives
your weapon to your attacker. There are other options that each individual
should look into to meet their specific need.
To maintain and even improve the level of proficiency gained at Front
Sight, there are a few approaches. The obvious one is to do a lot of shooting.
With the cost of ammunition these days, this can be very expensive. A .22 conversion
kit for your carry gun will help to minimize the cost of putting a lot of rounds
down range. An alternative is to mix in dry practice. Personally, I like to
try to maintain 10%-20% of my practice time as live fire but sometimes that
is even difficult to achieve. Dry practice can help to maintain muscle memory
for drawing, sight acquisition, trigger pull, and even malfunction clearing.
An obvious important safety concern when dry practicing is to absolutely
insure that the gun is unloaded. I know that sounds pretty basic but a clear delineation
of
starting
and stopping
dry practice will help to eliminate a very bad experience of a
negligent discharge. Unload the gun and double check that it is unloaded. Then
remove all ammo from the dry practice area. Check again to make sure the gun
is unloaded. Even then, make sure you dry practice target has a good backstop
and make sure you never point the gun at anything you would not want to destroy.
At the end of the dry practice session, remove any dry practice targets, load
and holster the weapon, and go as far as to say out loud, “The weapon
is loaded and dry practice is over.”
I have applied for and am awaiting receipt of my Utah non-resident permit which
will make me legal in more states (33 states in total). I am also planning
to attend Front Sight again in a few weeks and take the Four Day Practical
Rifle class to gain more proficiency with my battle rifle. I even talked my
wife
into taking the Four
Day Defensive Handgun class at the same time. - AceHigh in Idaho
« Letter Re: Recommendation for the Book "One Second After" |Main| Note from JWR: »
Tantalum Tom's Front Sight Extravaganza
About 250 people were there the recent week that I took the four
day Defensive Handgun course at Front Sight. I was the only bozo
who slept in their car outside their gates the whole four days. I couldn't
afford
a hotel.
That
budget item was
a "make
or break" issue for my trip. I learned that a zero degree rated sleeping
bag might be an overly optimistic rating. But, there is basically unlimited
unimproved
camping
space there on BLM land.
Bring your RV,
or a much better sleeping bag for winter camping there. There is even a dirt
airstrip on the charts a couple of miles
away if you're a pilot.
I'm not a professional pedagogist, but I can recognize extremely high quality
teaching methods. This place has it. Technical vocabulary
was not used unless defined and explained earlier. One step built on the preceding.
Two steps forward,
half step back to review, continue, unrelenting and informative. I believe
I was mostly in the category of unintentionally incompetent. I knew a thing
or two, but came to realize, there is more to learn than I realistically can
foresee myself learning. I'll try though. I believe they left out many basic
firearms details for sake of time. (e.g., “This is a cartridge, primer,
gun, etc...)
Two guns used by classmates broke while I was there. Both were M1911 style.
For one, they gracefully loaned him a gun to continue, as he had no backup.
One
other
gun
(Glock .45)
was malfunctioning
often. I blame that squarely on the user though, as he was the only one who
had mistakes during dry practice. Bang when there should be click.
The lectures were eye-opening, lively and fun! The lecturers have definitely “been
there done that.” Imminently knowledgeable in all matters of handheld
weaponry. Cops, Sheriff's Deputies, EMTs,
Paramedics, etc. One rangemaster there had 30 years in Army special forces
training. Not a single Mall
Ninja.
I have never had a gun on my person for any extended length of time. I learned
a great lesson, It feels great to be armed.
There were more women there than I'd ever seen at any weapons venue! (I haven't
been to many though.) My guess (not an estimate) about 30-to-40.
I met R. from Utah. I
recognized the story they shared in a lecture to one that I'd read here at
SurvivalBlog! Their story will now be incorporated into
the Front Sight lectures!
While there, malfunction drills are taught. Live rounds are discarded on the
firing line during this procedure. Our range master said it was undesirable
to re-use those rounds, but he wasn't going to stop us from retrieving them.
He called them “range carp” Good to fish for, but not to eat. [After
the range closed, with permission] I was able to secure several hundred 9mm
rounds, about one hundred .45s and about thirty.40 S&Ws,
and I could have left with many many more had I been even a
bit more aggressive in their collection and also scrounged at the other firing
ranges. Great barter item, Great price.
Their claim to teach people how to shoot better than 95% of the people who
carry guns may be outdated. The FBI special
agent in my class mentioned that the things they were teaching at Front Sight
are
now taught in many police academies. He could
be wrong, I don't know. [JWR Adds: Imitation has always been
a high form of flattery. In fact, many of the techniques taught at Front Sight
are derivations of what was taught by the late Col. Jeff Cooper, back in the
days of Orange
Gunsite. Front Sight has refined and updated them, and has had the opportunity
to teach them to a much larger audience, ]
Everyone in my class improved. The “ragged hole drill” with
five rounds live fire, five clicks dry then five rounds live fire again really
worked, for everyone. Dry
practice
is the way to go!
Count one through five, prrress!
As they said, paraphrased and modified, “90% of shooting is getting
the gun out and pointing in”
I graduated! After not visiting a shooting range in more than 1-1/2 years,
I think that's a decent achievement.
I have just purchased a Glock 22 in .40 S&W. This is due to the fact that
I rented their gun, a Glock 17. These guns are almost identical, except their
chambering. I now have muscle memory for that frame, and I don't want to re-train!
Also,
because I just shot 600 rounds though a Glock with no malfunctions
whatsoever. The Glock 22 .40 comes standard with a bigger boom than
the Glock 17 9mm. Sadly, however, I still live in California, so I am limited
to and 10 round magazines. [JWR Adds: I recommend that California
residents go a step further and buy a Glock or XD pistol chambered in .45 ACP.
As long as you are limited to 10 rounds, then you might as well have a more potent
caliber. There is something just wrong about having a gun originally
designed
to hold 15 to 19 cartridges neutered into a 10-rounder, by legislative edict!]
I plan on prepping my resume to see if I'm up to the greater challenge to
take their instructor development course. - Tantalum Tom
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Recommendation for the Book "One Second After" »
Letter Re: Lessons Learned by the Victim of a Home Burglary
Jim,
I’m writing you today after our rural home/retreat was broken into while
we were at work. I thought it would never happen to me, Oh, was
I so very wrong. First things first, thank you for convincing me to purchase
a safe and after reading the suggestion many times in you blog I eventually
bolted it down. This is the only thing that saved me from losing the
safe and all of its contents. The Sheriff told me of another burglary
where the didn’t have his very large ("they can’t
move it--its too heavy") safe bolted down and they took the whole thing.
After much thinking, online research and discussions with the local locksmith/safe
dealer with 40 years of experience, I have some suggestions that may be of use
to my fellow SurvivalBlog readers:
ANCHOR YOUR SAFE!!! I cannot stress this enough. I had a fairly
low end safe and they were not able to get into it (they almost did) nor were
they able get it out of the house. The Sheriff's deputy estimated they worked
on it for two to three hours to no avail. These thieves tore a wall out to try to gain more access to it.
I have decided that a safe is my final line of defense from a burglar.
First thing, put gates at the entrance to your retreat and lock them as I now
have. Put all tools out of sight as the thieves used my hammers, pry bars to
work on the safe. Reinforce the door jambs in your home. I have added 3-inch
screws to the door hinges and a steel plate behind the striker plates with
3 inch screws. If your budget permits add an alarm with an outside strobe light.
This may or may not help depending on where your home is located. We are on
a paved county road with our retired neighbor who has a line of sight to our
home a quarter mile away. If it would happen again our neighbor would be there
in short order. As for dogs, I don’t know, I have three and they did
not stop them. From what I have gathered unless you have a trained security
dog they don’t help
much, they just kick them out the door and go about their business. Don’t leave
keys/combinations in your home while away. They opened every cabinet door,
drawer, trunk, dresser, night stand, picture frames and closet in the house
and emptied them. There was only one cabinet door they didn’t open which
was the one with my truck keys in it which was in the driveway.
Don’t put anything in or under the beds, ours were all flipped upside
down. Don’t leave any firearms out and loaded while away, you don’t
want to come home and be confronted by your own weapon in the hands of a criminal.
Do what you can now before a burglary to make your home less inviting
to a thief. If they want in they will get in
given enough time. I feel bad saying this but if your neighbors’ home is less secure than yours they will go visit your neighbor. My worry now
is they have been in my home, will they be back since they know I may have
something worth getting.
After a lengthy discussion with the locksmith/safe technician. The strongest
way to secure to concrete is the Powers/Rawl brand wedge bolt +. Don’t
use the lead "bullets" or drive in anchors. He told me a story of removing
16 safes for a chain of stores that were bolted down with these style anchors.
If you can get a pry bar started under one corner you can pull them right out. The wedge bolts cut threads in the concrete with no inserts.
He stated you will pull the floor out of the safe before the anchors pull out.
If you’re anchoring to a wood floor and you have an unfinished basement
you should use a steel plate. Use 1/8” or 3/16” [thick] flat steel
plate large enough to catch at least three floor joists. Screw the plate to
the bottom
of the floor joist. Use an extra-long drill bit to drill down from the safe
thru the steel plate. Get hardened bolts long enough to be installed from the
bottom, cut a piece of pipe slightly larger than the bolt but shorter than
the floor joist is tall and slide it over the bolt as you are installing it.
This will make it very difficult to cut the bolts as the pipe will spin freely
on the bolt. Be sure to "double nut" them inside the safe. The last step is to weld the bolt heads to the steel
plate.
Thanks for all the good information on your blog. I hope maybe someone reading
your blog my find some of this info useful and maybe prevent someone from entering
their home. I didn’t sleep well for a week, the
wife and I are still a little on edge and everyone who drives by is suspect!
This makes you feel very insecure knowing someone has been in your home and
went thru all your things. I wish I would have made our place more secure before
and maybe this would never have happened! The Sheriff told me this is getting
much more frequent and I agree it will get worse. God Bless, - Jason in Missouri.
JWR Replies: Thanks for that letter, Jason! Hopefully it
will motivate folks to up their level of home security and vigilance. I agree
that the home gun safe should be the last line of defense. One intermediate
line
of
defense
is concealment.
Burglars cannot attack a safe if they don't know it exists. See
the SurvivalBlog archives
for a variety
of articles and letters that discuss hidden rooms, such as this
one, or this
one, both from
2007.
« Letter Re: Successfully Trolling Craig's List |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: A SurvivalBlog Reader at Front Sight
Dear Mr. Rawles:
As I write this, I am returning from the four
day Defensive Handgun course at Front Sight. I would like to share my thoughts on the whole thing with
you
and
your readers,
plus maybe share some advice that others may find of value.
First off, if any of your readers are on the fence about signing up for the
class, I strongly urge them to do so. When Front Sight says
they will get you to a point where you can deliver two shots to the thoracic
cavity from a concealed
holster in 1.4 seconds, they aren't kidding. You will see a marked improvement
in your shooting skills in a remarkably short amount of time. Bad habits you
may have developed over the years will start to fall away, and you'll find
yourself adapting to the "Front Sight way of shooting" relatively
quickly. While I didn't graduate with distinction (May I never see another
Type III malfunction ever again!), I did finish the shooting portion of the
exam just 11 down, and finished up second in the class shooting tournament.
And no, I still can't believe I shot the hostage in the finals.
If you do decide to sign up for the class, here's some good advice for you
to follow.
1. It's okay to be overwhelmed at the end of the first day. They are going
to throw a ton of new information at you on that first day. Everything from
your
stance to the way you do a chamber check will be under intense scrutiny, not
to mention the fact that you're fighting years of muscle memory that fly into
the contrary of how they are trying to teach you. Don't worry about it though,
it will get easier. Just do your dry fire practice, do it correctly, and you
will be good to go on the second day.
2. The Nevada desert is a harsh, inhospitable climate, even in March. It doesn't
matter if it is hot or cold, the desert will dehydrate
you if you're not careful. Believe me, I learned this the hard way and almost
ended up in a hospital emergency room because
of it. I didn't take care of myself as I should have, and it ended up being
a pretty painful four days as a result. Even now I wouldn't say I am still
not at 100%. Learn from my mistake and make sure you drink lots of water and
Gatorade.
3. Do not expect to do much of anything but go the academy, shoot, clean your
weapon, and sleep. You are going to be at the academy for anywhere from ten
to twelve hours a day, a good chunk of it on the firing line. You will learn
a lot, but it will be a very intense experience. I suggest you have all your
logistics in place before the training starts so you don't have to worry about
it. Get your food, laundry, water, and everything else you may need taken care
of before the training starts so you won't be wasting valuable rest and relaxation
time later. Also, if you can help it at all, buy your ammo, holsters, and anything
else you may need before getting there. The pro shop is well stocked, but it
is not cheap. Save yourself a lot of money and come fully prepared.
Remember, none of this is meant to scare anyone off. Believe me, even after
my battles with dehydration and the like, I would take this course again in
a heartbeat. It's probably the best instruction you'll ever get in
the art of pistol shooting. I can't recommend it enough! Sincerely,
- Tim R.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Walk!, by Snolden »
Letter Re: Ammunition Shortages in U.S. Might Become Chronic
Hi Jim,
A man with the Customer Service department at Midway explained that backorders
are expected to continue and there appears to be no reduction in demand.
Browsing
their
web site,
I
see 'expected' delivery dates pushing further into the future, and up to
six weeks delay for the less expensive and common caliber hunting bullet,
mostly .30
caliber
bullets. Many premium bullets are also on 'back order' since my last visit.
And now, even less common caliber bullets are backordered as well as other
reloading components and reloading tools. The shortage at Cabela's also
continues. The Civilian Marksman Program (CMP),
advises that delivery could take 100 days for their still inexpensive M2
ball (.30-06) for the M1 Garand [and
many other] rifles.
I believe that you've mentioned the possibility that "Ballistic
Wampum" could
be more useful than silver for the purposes of barter. The ammunition and component
shortage is making a me believer. If events unfold as they might, the shortage
could become increasingly severe and chronic. It may actually now be easier
to obtain silver than bullets or certain and popular loaded ammunition. Over
the last two years, I've done better with ammunition than silver, and have
decided to trade in silver if necessary, for bullets. In memory of the Lone
Ranger,
silver would be a poor substitute for lead as the sectional density of a sliver
bullet would be significantly less and therefore less effective. As I am no
Lone Ranger, I would need all the advantages possible, and rather have the
good stuff.
More folks are waking up everyday, and I suspect most of them will feel the need
to protect and feed themselves. Many of those folks will be without the means
to do as they discover that they cannot afford buy a good supply or any supply,
and if able, may find that shipment could be months into the future. The Fed's
recent action makes continued and escalating hyper inflation a given. If delivery
in months away, prices might change, or delivery might become impossible at some
point. I'd error on the side of caution. - E.L.
« Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Life's Lessons and the Foundations of Preparedness, by A.B.
We may soon depend on all of what we have learned over the years. Putting
all of the threads of knowledge together into a tapestry of self-sufficiency,
and survival capabilities, is part of the lifelong quest for our family’s
security. We learn from many sources and experiences such as: family, church,
friends, teachers, teammates, co-workers, reading books and SurvivalBlog, and
hopefully from our mistakes.
Preparedness Skills from our Grandmas and Grandpas
The foundation for preparedness begins with my childhood in Michigan. We
lived in Lansing where my great-grandmother was next door and my grandmother
lived
next door to her. My father was born in great-grandma’s house after
the family moved to the city during the early 1900s. My sisters and I spent
weekends and summers alternately at my mom’s family dairy farm, which
was just outside of the city, and at my dad’s family cabin “up
north”. These were the richest times of my life. We knew all of our
grandparents and some of our great-grandparents very well. My great-great-grandfather
still
lived in the old log cabin when I was born in 1956. We have been fortunate
to have had five generations alive consistently from then until now. The
wealth of love and knowledge you gain from your extended family is irreplaceable.
The “old timers” told stories of hardship during the great depression
and the dust bowl era (we live an area that was the largest prairie east
of the Mississippi.) Memories of crop failures with tales of early and late
frosts
were passed down. There were also hunting and fishing stories passed down
as we learned to hunt and fish with older family members. There were bigger
than
life lumberjack stories and stories from Prohibition and the World Wars.
I learned to safely handle and accurately shoot a .22 rifle with peep sights
when I was six or seven years old. I walked the roads with my grandpa squirrel
hunting. We ice fished on local lakes and went to Tip-Up
Town USA every year.
All
of
this adds to ones persona and the early experience helps awaken the necessary “survivalist” traits.
On a working dairy farm you rapidly learn about life (and death). Animal
husbandry and caring for the land lead to sustainability. Animals do become
food and
harvesting the crops sometimes seems little reward for the hard work. The
milking must be done every day and chores do not wait. As a kid I learned
to drive
tractors and pick-ups to and from the fields. We mowed, bailed and then stacked
the hay in the mow. Alfalfa, oats and corn were the field crops. Pigs, chickens,
and sheep were raised along with the dairy cows and we cleaned the barns
and spread manure.
Knowledge is passed down from generation to generation such as when to plant,
where to plant, when to harvest, and how to raise the animals. There were
many topics of conversations at the Sunday breakfast table. Many things are
debated
and discussed after chores and before Church. Most times the conversations
continued outside the Church after the sermon. It was the only time you saw
the other farmers. When you are a little guy you tended to be quiet, pay
attention and learn.
Grandpa was a farmer and Grandma was a one room school teacher. Grandma also
taught vacation bible school during the summer break. Us kids learned how
to tend good gardens and helped preserve the food we raised. We took care
of the
barn animals while the uncles milked. We hauled water to the bull pen and
helped milk as we got older. Survival skill sets from the farm come from
being part
of a close knit community with a solid work ethic. There are strong religious
underpinnings with good people engaged in caring for one another as well
as the animals and the land.
Preparedness from "Roughing It”
The log cabin “up north” had a well-house for getting water and
an outhouse for getting rid of water. There was a wood fired cook stove for
heat and kerosene lamps to play cards under. There was a red checkered oilcloth
on the table with cane chairs around it. The place was originally homesteaded
by my great-great-grandfather in the late 1800s (a few electric lights
were added at some point.) We used to go up on Friday night after Dad or
Grandpa got out of work. The next morning started with an awakening trip to
the outhouse
and then fetching a bucket of water from the well house and kindling for
the wood stove. On a cold morning you stepped lively until the fire was going.
Once the stove was hot, Grandma would cook buttermilk pancakes on a griddle
that my great-grandmother had used in the lumber camp. Eggs and bacon sizzled
in a cast iron skillet. Clothes were washed on a washboard in a wash tub and
then
hung
out to dry. You took a bath in the river. During the summer we would fish
morning and evening and water ski on the nice days. The family summer vacation
was
spent camping in a tent along the river or at a state park. The old cabin
was also used for small game hunting in the early fall and deer camp in the
late
fall / winter. We would take walks in the woods and look for morels and other
edible things like may apples, hickory nuts or raspberries and huckleberries.
Animal tracks were learned and followed with hopes of a glimpse. Life was
considered sacred unless needed for food and being a part of nature became
obvious. A
leave no trace and waste nothing ethic was being born.
Opportunities for further wilderness and pioneering skill development were
provided by Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. My mom and dad were actively involved
in Scouting when I was growing up. Teamwork and sharing responsibilities
for the group were learned. Outdoor cooking and keeping things sanitary were
heavily
emphasized. Food poisoning is no joke – we had one patrol that damn near
killed us with their meal. We learned to wash our hands and boil the crap out
of everything. Hiking and backpacking skills were beginning to be developed
in the Scouts. We day hiked a 20 miler once a year on the Johnny Appleseed
Trail - the Scouts version of the death march. You had to carry a full pack
if you wanted the patch. We also hiked the Pokagon Trail in northern Indiana
and learned to camp in the winter.
While living in Pennsylvania (later in life) I started winter backpacking with
a few of my buddies. We went in the winter both for the solitude it offered,
and
to learn the special skill sets required for survival in the cold. There
are beautiful views from Seven Springs and other spots along the Laurel Highlands
Trail during the winter. This experience then led to the development of technical
mountaineering skills. The books Basic Rockcraft, Advanced Rockcraft and
Knots
for Climbers were memorized along with study of the book Mountaineering:
The Freedom of the Hills. Skills were practiced and ingrained.
My first solo backpacking / climbing trip came in the summer of 1980 in the
Organ Mountains of southern New Mexico. I later solo climbed most of the
4,000 and 5,000
footers in New England (many in winter). I met a like minded climber on one
of those hikes and we made a summit bid on Mt. Rainier in June of 1998. I
also began
the solo circumnavigation on the Wonderland Trail that year. I set the first
tracks both that year and when I completed the circuit in June of 2001. Map
and compass skills were required. Primitive camping
while carrying everything you
need to survive for two weeks is a tough proposition. It was tough in my 30s
and 40s. It’s even harder now that I am in my 50s. G.O.O.D. to
the deep woods is doable but it would be a hard life.
Responsibility and Teamwork
We learned to be responsible and self-sufficient during our childhood. We learned
to play without other kids around and had chores to do for our allowance. I
learned to gather the wood and light a fire as soon as I was old enough. You
pumped the
water and filled the reservoir if you wanted warm water for washing up. You
learned to use guns and knives as tools while you learned hunting techniques
and cleaned
the game for the table. Being a responsible hunter meant taking ethical shots
and using what you kill. Catching and cleaning fish, then cooking or smoking
them were all part of being a good fisherman. To go along with these survival
skills you also need the ability to share knowledge and work as a team.
Most of the skills you learn will help you to fend for yourself one way or
another. The only problem is summed up with the statement “no man is an island”.
You will need others sooner or later. My sisters and I developed basic teamwork
skills while setting up camp. The girls helped mom and I helped dad. We had a “system”.
This was carried further in Scouting. Some Patrols set up tents while another
set up the kitchen. These valuable lessons were used later in life as I went
through boot camp and during service in the military. I served on small boats
as part of a search and rescue team in the USCG.
Teamwork helps to overcome the steep learning curve and high risk of being
a self-sufficient survivalist. You can do things as a team exponentially quicker
and safer than you can by yourself. Your bunkmate becomes your partner in boot
camp and later becomes your shipmate. You learn “one hand for yourself
and one hand for the boat”. As a team you can survive what would kill you
alone. In a bad storm someone has to steer while someone bails out the boat.
One person couldn’t do it. Avalanche in the back country is another perfect
example - by yourself you are probably dead. Doing things alone is great - but
it may cost you your life. Skill and knowledge can’t cover your a** like
a buddy. It’s nice to have someone else on the rope with you; they are
your only hope.
Teaching everyone at least something you know and learning from everyone something
you don’t know can only make the group stronger. If someone gets sick
or is tired someone else can step up. CPR is
a good example here. In the back country one person can’t help himself.
One person helping may bring back the life but it better happen quickly. Two
people allow you to send someone for
help while
rendering aid until you are too tired to continue. Three people allow almost
indefinite support. Two can alternate CPR while waiting for the one who left
for help to return with the defibrillator. If help is real far away, then it’s
done. There is a point of no return. Remote locations usually cross that point
which is a distinct disadvantage (unless the SHTF).
Without teamwork you will usually die if something bad happens. Everyone has
to be a good shot. Everyone needs to be able to render first aid. The group
is only as strong as the weakest link and precious resources are spent covering
someone’s a** that’s not up to speed. Teach and learn and cross train.
Remember what you did as a kid and don’t sell the kid’s of today
short. Teach them the skills they need and allow them to grow into the responsibility.
Being part of a team or extended family that functions like a team is fun. The
action of being responsible for one another is at the root of any team.
The
Prepared Family
The family is the primary source of knowledge. Some survival skills to learn
right along with reading, writing and arithmetic are: swimming, knot tying,
fire building under all conditions, where to get water and how to make it safe
to
drink, safe gun handling and accurate shooting, hunting in fields and the woods,
fishing in rivers and on lakes, first aid, camping, boating, gardening, making
things “homemade”. You can’t start learning or teaching these
things too soon.
10 years ago we moved back home to Michigan after living all over the USA.
I had come home for my Grandpa’s funeral and was returning to New England.
Something was wrong and I couldn’t put my finger on it. That’s when
the light came on and as I drove it became apparent that I was going the wrong
way – both figuratively and literally. We were chasing the so called “American
Dream”. Losing my grandfather and returning to the north woods had shown
me where home really is. It is with family and God and where your roots are.
I had drifted away from the true values I had learned early in life.
I resigned my position, cashed out the 401(k), and bought the homestead from
grandma. We planted 24 fruit trees and installed irrigation systems for the
gardens. We
pruned the grape vines back and tended to the asparagus beds. My wife renewed
the old flower beds and I have replaced the split rail fence. We re-roofed
everything. The folks put down another well up the field and had another septic
system installed
for their travel trailer. We had a 100 amp power drop installed and we also
buried a power cable from the field to the trailer for a 12 volt system (small
scale
solar and wind).
I once again could use guns after living in the tyranny of Massachusetts. (I
refused to get an Firearms ID card so my guns never left the house in 16 years.)
I taught a niece
and nephew to shoot with the same .22 that grandpa used to teach me with almost
50 years ago. My nephew, now an 8th grader, got his first deer this past year.
No one believed him when he came home and told them. He did it on his own.
Things have now come full circle in our life. My grandma lives with us in her
old house through the summer. My sisters are both Grandmas themselves now and
they are taking care of our mom and dad. The kids have great-grandparents and
a great-great grandmother. My understanding wife of thirty years and I live
here on the homestead as stewards of the family heritage. The whole family
gets together
up here once or twice a year. We know how to provide for and take care of each
other. If the SHTF my sisters and the rest of the family will head up here
to the homestead and once again adopt the ways of our Great-Great Grandpa and
Grandma.
Everything we have learned through our lives will serve us well. Skill sets
from the north woods and from the farm are derived from living simple, living
manual
and living with nature as part of nature.
We used to fall to sleep on a feather tick mattress while listening to rain
tapping over our heads in the loft of the old log cabin. Bedtime stories were
told as
we drifted to sleep and the whippoorwills sang into the night. We didn’t
think that the day would come that just about all of what we learned from our
family and from our life would come into play. Thank God for our tight family
and all of the distilled knowledge passed down to us. I now live in a home
built over the site of the original log cabin and now we have 7 generations
since my
great-great grandparents first cleared this piece of land. It looks like we
will be talking of another “Great Depression” soon and the complete
cycle renews. Do we learn from our mistakes?
Preparedness Skills and Materials
We’re preparing for the future and I hope to teach what I can to as many
people as I can before it’s over. We can survive well if we draw on one
another’s strengths and knowledge. It starts with the family and moves
out to the extended family then to the neighbors and on to town folk and into
the blogosphere. Many people have grown up in similar circumstances and have
similar experiences. We must practice our learned skills and trades all of
the time to stay fresh and perpetuate our way of life. We must keep acquiring
new
skills and more materials for survival. Preparedness is a constant quest.
Survival trades that I've learned:
ASE Certified Master Auto Technician
Journeyman Machinist and Apprentice Welder.
Experience with all aspects of house construction from framing to finish work,
including house wiring and plumbing for water, gas and DWV systems.
Professional ditch digger and home brewer of beer.
Survival tools, equipment, and material acquired over the years:
Comprehensive set of Snap-On hand tools, diagnostic equipment and garage.
Several redundant computers and complete wi-fi coverage with satellite internet.
All of the carpentry, plumbing and electrical tools needed to build a house.
All of the tools required to garden both manually and with gas engines.
Fence building tools and supplies.
5,500 watt gas generator.
Wood stove and saws, axes, mauls, wedges.
Stores of food, bits of gold and silver, books and manuals, and lots of lead.
Survival firearms battery:
Auto-Ordinance Model 1911A1 .45 ACP (I qualified Marksman in USCG)
Stag Arms AR-15 with 20” Bull barrel, 5.56 (I qualified Expert in USCG)
Marlin .22 WMR (squirrel / varmint gun)
Mossberg .22 LR (shot this since 1962)
Ruger M77 Mk II .270 Win. (my deer rifle)
Winchester Model 94 .32 Win. Special (got my first deer with Grandpa’s
gun)
Mossberg 12 ga. 3 -1/2” Ulti-Mag in Camo (turkey / duck / goose gun)
Winchester Model 1897 12 ga. 2-3/4” (I've shot this gun since 1969)
Reloading equipment and supplies (loads for Barnes Bullets)
Survival Quest 2009 (the final pieces I'll need for grid down and
"zombies"):
Ruger M77 Mk II .300 Win Mag with optics
A manual water pump (the old pump is
gone)
Wind turbine and photovoltaic panels for water pumping and power generation.
Battery bank and inverter
More kerosene lamps
Night Vision for the AR-15
Radios
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All »
Letter: Full Capacity Magazine Price Inflation and Scarcity
James,
I too purchased a PTR-91 [HK91 clone] rifle and ordered
50 magazines from PTR 91 Inc. The shipping was reasonable and when I received
them, there were [actually some free "bonus", for a total of] 55
magazines. They ranged from good to like new condition and had dates all the
way from 1963 thru early 1990s. For $107 delivered, I got 55 magazines and
a very big smile on my face. - M.E.K .
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All »
Letter: Full Capacity Magazine Price Inflation and Scarcity
Greetings -
Just wanted to say "thank you" for suggesting the PTR-91 as a battle
rifle option. I will freely admit to getting caught up in the AR-15 hysteria
but I have come to my senses and saved money thanks to SurvivalBlog.
German surplus G3 alloy military surplus magazines in good to excellent condition
are easily available in quantity for $3-to-$4 each. Contrast that with AR-15
mags at $15+
each,
and that's a 5:1 ratio. Or, for the same $90 folks are paying for a single AR-10
mag, they can get more than 25 surplus G3 mags, shipped! In addition, while
AR-15s are nearly impossible to find at $1,000 or less, I am finding PTR-91s
on the
shelf for $1,100 just waiting to be bought. Yes, 7.62mm NATO is more expensive
than 5.56 NATO, and the G3 mags are only 20-rounders, but all in all I can't
think of a better, low total ownership cost battle rifle than the PTR-91. -
JT in Michigan
« Three Letters Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
How Many Magazines is Enough?, by Cowboy
It's nice to know how many guns you have to
share amongst those mags, or better yet how many magazines do you have to share
amongst multiple like model rifles or pistols for that matter. That's how I
count them to see if I feel like I have enough or not. Plus, I like to count
in the possibility of adding another gun or two into that particular category
at a later date since buying extra mags is always cheaper than adding a new
gun. If nothing else, extra mags are a great investment for later sale or barter
especially if the current snake oil salesman in charge signs a new assault
weapons ban into law.
As an example, I got caught with just a couple of AK and AR mags when the Assault
weapons Ban (AWB) took effect in 1994. This was before the "preparedness
mindset" for
me
which
came later in 1996 when I found JWR's novel draft "The Gray Nineties" [--an
early draft edition of "Patriots" ].
I was not nearly so gun market savvy as I am today. I was the typical gun owner/collector
with one each of several guns without any thought to caliber consolidation or
commonality of magazines for logistics purposes. In the same vein I may have
had a couple 20 round boxes of 223 or 762x39 ammo laying around with really no
thought of having anymore than what I needed to go to the range one time for
about an
hour's worth of shooting. In hindsight it was absolutely shameful--like 99% of
the sleeping gun owning public.
Then the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was signed into law and there was a run
on certain guns, ammunition, and magazines--much like we are seeing now--that
swept the country overnight. Back then, I was way behind the
curve on that
and
I got
caught off guard. At the time $6 for a nice but used USGI M16 magazine was common
and a new mag might set you back $10. Overnight if you could even find some for
sale you had to pay double or triple that. Same with Glock magazines as another
example. They went from +/- $15 for a new one to $40-$45. [JWR Adds: In
1999,
I saw
gun
show dealers asking and getting $75 each for 13 round Glock 21 magazines,
and
$150 each for 33 round Glock 17/18/19 magazines!] This
market
environment
went
on
for
the
10
year
life
span
of
the
AWB
until
it
"sunsetted"
in 2004.
Prices
went down and availability went back to normal until just before the 2008 election.
Since 2004 I have been eagerly buying all the magazines I needed, or thought
I
might
ever
need in a lifetime. I learned my lesson. In anticipation of the election
I was counting on the ignorance and gullibility of the general populace so I
made a last bulk purchase of magazines. Good thing too! Just this past summer
(2008), I bought a little over $1,000 worth of various magazines, and in particular
Glock 17 magazines from my favorite place. At that time they were $16.99 all
day long. The election came and now they are $24.99 from the same place, and
even so they are still the cheapest I can find among my many regular sources.
More recently, SIG magazines for have gone up at most places for instance. Pre-election
they usually went for right at $30. One of my regular places has gone up a little
bit to $33, but I've seen that most other places have jacked them
up to $40. It was and is the old "short supply and high demand" syndrome,
due
in part to all the panic buying that could have been avoided if done a little
bit
at
a time
like I've done over the past five years.
As bad as the prices got then, what's going on now is far worse in terms of availability.
Having lived and financially suffered through the '94 AWB, I still can say I've
never seen anything like this before. This is easily twice as bad as
the '94 AWB, and no legislation is even close to being signed into law yet. I
lived and
paid
dearly through the '94 AWB and I feel like I can speak on the topic of what's
happening in the gun market right now with some authority. In other words if
you find a deal where they haven't gouged the prices, then I recommend buying
extra beyond your immediate needs. Knowing what you know about your arsenal of
freedom,
I'd say stop buying guns and concentrate on ammunition and a few more magazines
as a priority. You can't drive a Corvette if you can't afford the gas, so to
speak. The mistake they made in 1994 was not going after the ammunition and they
realize
that now. If the majority of gun owning America is still anything like I was
back in 1994, any possible self defense in a civil unrest situation would be
short lived without adequate ammunition supplies already in place. And who's
got time to reload the one or two magazines they got with the rifle in the middle
of a fire fight? When it comes to magazines, more is better. I suspect this mood
has improved among gun owners in general and that the lesson of the '94 AWB still
smells fresh to some. As evidenced by my coworkers who come to me for 'gun advise",
I still believe the majority are gun rich, but magazine and ammunition poor so
to speak.
Now that I've gone on entirely too long you should have noticed the theme: Buy
more magazines where you need them and even if you don't as long as the prices
aren't gouge level. Buy more ammunition for your major battle rifle caliber at
every opportunity because it certainly isn't getting any cheaper and availability
is scarce. Look at Ammoman.com and AIMSurplus.com.
They are just plain out of all the common caliber ammunition. That is very telling,
but it also concerns
me the most. In case you feel overwhelmed at the very expense of it all, I give
the example of a co-worker who recently got on the same page via my Christmas
gift of JWR's novel "Patriots" ..
On pay day this coworker without fail goes to the local Horse Tack & Gun Shop
and buys two or three twenty round boxes of commercial
.223. Whatever he can afford that pay day. Although he was quite behind the 8
Ball in the beginning, he has over 500 rounds now and he just picked up three
extra M16 magazines. His little bit at a time strategy is working nicely, and
I have seen his overall mood improve as his supply grows along with his confidence.
He has also has been using the "copy can" method at the grocery store
and his progression in that department has really improved his state as well.
As a general recommendation I advise the following with the caveat that you add
the same minimum amount of used generic (cheaper) magazines for range use. I
know it's extra money but you can't go wrong by then adding a second batch of
new factory magazines as you can locate and afford them until you've doubled
that original minimum. I can assure you they will make a nice investment later
down the road. Keep those brand new magazines back in the "break glass in
case of emergency" box. That will be your long term storage box that you
don't touch until TSHTF.
Buy .50 caliber ammo cans for a
safe place to store magazines, with a bag of desiccant thrown in for good measure.
I've
actually
vacuum
packed
mine
for long term rust free storage. Keep the used but reliable generic mags about
for immediate availability and for range use. [Some snipped, for brevity.]
As a absolute minimum I recommend the following. Hopefully you are in or can
get into a position to consolidate caliber and like model firearms if for nothing
other than a logistics standpoint. Having to find, purchase, and store several
different calibers, and multiple types of magazines can make an already expensive
proposition downright discouraging.
(10) Ten brand new magazines per main battle rifle (This under most circumstances
should equate to basic load + spares)
(7) Seven brand new magazines per pistol (This also under most circumstances
should equate to basic load + spares)
and,
(1) Main Battle Rifle per adult or responsible teenager
(1) Main Sidearm per adult or responsible teenager
And of course, in my opinion one of the most often neglected items: professional
training, and appropriate web gear to carry those magazines and your sidearm.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle, by OddShot »
Letter Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter?
Hello Jim,
Been learning a lot from Survival Blog, thanks for the great work. I'm just
wondering if sterling silver and 14 karat [gold] jewelry (plain [rings or
chains], or gemstones would make good bartering items? Have been thinking
of selling them and using
the money for preparedness, etc but wondered about this.
Thanks very much for all the useful information. - Mrs. H.
JWR Replies: Although at first blush keeping jewelry on hand
might seem practical, in actuality its drawbacks outweigh its benefits. Perhaps
metals, but gemstones are a definite no. Gemstones--either diamonds or colored
stones--will not be trusted by 99% of your potential
bartering partners. Gold or silver chains might be
trusted by some trading partners, but only if they were clearly marked for
their purity, and if you
were to carry a compact
pennyweight scale, to establish the weight of the chain (or a chiseled-off
length of chain).
Parenthetically, I should mention that as first popularized by the "Flying
Tigers" (AVG) in China, early in World War II, some
military aviators, Special Forces soldiers, and mercenaries have habitually
worn heavy gold bracelets. They have worn these with the
intention of
being
able to
trade links
from
these
chains
for assistance
from villagers, if they should become stranded in Third World countries. This
is a sort of a "Get Me Home" insurance policy. These chains are often flaunted
at VFW halls
and have been touted by a few armchair survival writers, but I have my doubts
about
them working
well in post-TEOTWAWKI First
World countries. Ironically, your average First World urbanite or suburbanite
is actually far more ignorant about precious metals and testing their
purity
than the
average "ignorant" Third World peasant. (Many peasants know how to use a touchstone
and even and more sophisticated merchants would know how to do an acid test,
while the average American would be clueless about any of that!)
In my estimation the "precious metals chains" approach to barter will have
very limited utility in most anticipated post-collapse situations, The biggest
problem
will
be convincing
your bartering
partner that the gold or silver that you are offer is genuine, confirming
its purity to the nearest half-karat value, and establishing its weight and
hence its value. It is far far easier
to have
a
pocketful of widely recognizable pre-1965 mint date circulated "junk" 90%
silver US dimes, quarters
and half dollars. And of course there is always "Ballistic
Wampum." Someday soon, common caliber ammunition may become the
coin
of
the
realm.
My advice to anyone that has set aside any "extra" (non-heirloom)
jewelry, earmarked for barter: Sell it, and use the funds
generated
to buy pre-1965 90% silver US dimes, quarters and half dollars,.
« Letter Re: Some Observations at a Recent Gun Show |Main| Two Letters Re: Storing Food Without Refrigeration »
Letter Re: Supply and Demand at American Gun Stores
James,
We finally caught up on magazine sales in late February, filling our
last outstanding back orders, and I actually have a limited number of C Products
AR-15 magazines in stock and some Magpul PMags (which I really like). The
manufacturers tend to send out a half of an order and then a few weeks later,
the balance of it. They are clearly allocating inventory across their customer
base and I would estimate that they are running two to three months behind.
The delivery situation is getting worse, and my guess is that new orders
placed today would likely arrive in June or July.
Almost anything related to AR-15s/M4s is backordered. Spring
sets, repair kits, accessories, bolts and bolt carriers, etc. Even magazine
repair kits have dried up. I probably
have close to $4,000 worth of merchandise on back order from Brownell's for
our web-based store. Prices are rising as well. Wholesale cost on Glock magazines
have jumped to what used to be our retail sales price. We've seen a 60%
jump in the
wholesale price since the election.
The ability of these producers to ramp up production is limited. Many are running
extra shifts or hours on existing machines, but none of them want to add new
equipment because the capital expense will take so long to recoup. If the law
changes and their products are suddenly banned, their income will drop off
a cliff and the new debt burden could just force them into bankruptcy that
much sooner. So the pipeline is constrained due to the uncertain future. This
is another lesson in why it is better to prepare sooner than later.
My advice for anyone who wants to buy ammunition by the case lot and black
rifles is to try GunBroker.com.
I do not sell there, but I have been doing some personal buying there. Sellers
have items in stock, but prices are not
low as the auction format tends to float prices up when demand is high. Still,
you can buy ammo by the case, complete guns, complete lower [receiver]s and
stripped lowers as well as magazines and accessories.
I wish you continued success, safety and security, - Dave of (Captain
Dave's)
JWR Replies: That matches what I have been seeing. As recently
as September, an AR-15 "Lower Parts Kit" (the hammer, trigger, sear, pistol
grip, trigger guard and assorted
pins, springs
and detents needed to complete building a stripped AR-15
receiver) was selling for as little as $49. Today, they are very scarce, and
selling on Gunbroker.com for as much as $125 each! There are so many folks
frantically parting-up ARs that there is a genuine shortage of not just the
receivers themselves,
but also the little "fiddly bits" piece parts!
« Letter Re: Best Shotgun Pellet Size for Home Defense? |Main| Letter Re: Supply and Demand at American Gun Stores »
Letter Re: Some Observations at a Recent Gun Show
JWR,
I attended a gun show in a Southern state this weekend and wanted to share
my observations. I got there very early and was among the first ten in line.
By the time we were allowed to enter, the line was out the door of the building and around the corner. I'd estimate
around three hundred people in line. I left the show a mere hour later and
the room probably had in excess of eight-hundred people and the line was still quite long.
Ammo, of course, went fast. I was able to acquire all the ammo I desired, in
all my favorite calibers, with no problem, from my regular favorite vendor.
His prices were the same as four weeks earlier, which both surprised and pleased
me. Other ammo vendors were doing brisk business, as well, but some of their
prices were dramatically higher. By Sunday afternoon, my vendor had extinguished
their bulk ammo supply in .223.
My attendance was centered on finding a good deal on an AR-15 full upper, at
a decent price (a relative term, of course). Most AR-15 full uppers were going
for between $700-$1100, depending on manufacturer and features. The vendor from whom I'd planned on buying was,
surprisingly, not there. The very last table I came to, however, had five AR-15
carbine A3 uppers, made by Model 1 Sales, the vendor from whom I'd hoped to buy. Mine came out to $611
with bolt carrier assembly and charging handle, which was easily the best deal
at the show, since I'd seen the same basic configurations for $100-$500 more. Most astonishing was the deal I found on
Sunday when a vendor was laying out a used DPMS AR-15A2 in excellent condition
for a scant $799. She wouldn't hold it for me and by the time I returned with the necessary funding five minutes
later, it had been sold. Most fully assembled ARs, used or otherwise, were
going for $1,100-$2,500.
Magazines are definitely going up in price, dramatically. The [formerly
inexpensive fairly plentiful US government] contract O'Kay Industries AR-15 mags are
now $12-20 in used condition, and new ones are $15-25. P-MAGs at the show were
$28-35 and obviously becoming
scarce.
Springfield XD9 factory mags were going for $28-40, way up from the $21 each
that I had paid
just two months ago.
One last note. I picked up an ARMS rear sight #40 for $110 and even managed
to run across a brand new Vortex flash hider for $60 (I've been searching for
one for several months now). Average prices there, I guess, maybe a little high.
I've also noticed more and more private sales by people buying and selling
person to person, increasing one's odds of finding a good deal. Just the sort
of activity that makes Charles Schumer's hoplophobic blood curdle. I spent $1,500 at this show and got probably half
of what I could have bought a year ago for the same money. I suspect this time
next year will find me saying the same thing again. Ordnance...at inordinate prices.
May God bless your continued endeavors, - Shrike
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Some Observations at a Recent Gun Show »
Letter Re: Best Shotgun Pellet Size for Home Defense?
Hello.
This morning I read the
recent SurvivalBlog letter asking about buckshot, bird shot, and slugs for
shotguns.
Since this was a question of home-defense and you had mentioned The Box O'
Truth web site, I wanted
to direct you to this
article.
Apart from my feeling that a rifle is a better tool for home-defense, what
I really wanted to point out was the collection of links from The Box O' Truth,
especially their articles #20 and #42.
If you are going to use a shotgun, it's not enough to say "Okay, I've
got such-and-such Buck in there, I'm good." Make sure that you know your
weapon. Take it to the range and use your preferred load (and take the time
to research various loads from various manufacturers to find the one that works
best for you and your shotgun [and your home and/or retreat defense situation]).
Make sure you know how that shotgun and load patterns at 3 yards, 5 yards,
7 yards, 10, 15, 25, or whatever the longest distance is in your home (if not
sure, then measure!). Make sure you know how it will behave so you
can know what shots you can safely take and what shots you cannot safely take
[given the available backstops. I don't believe the original poster's Mossberg
Mariner has a changeable choke, but if other readers do then they
should bring their choke tubes to the range and try them out as well to see
if a different choke will work better for their needs. Yes, this costs time
and money, but if you're intent is to defend your life, then I'd like to think
the time and money is well-invested.
#4 buck? 00 buck? Either way it's going to be a bad day for
the recipient of the pellets, but do mind how that number of pellets ends up
patterning, and be sure you can account for every pellet. The last thing I'd
want is for most of the pellets to end up in the bad guy and some of the pellets
to keep flying [through interior sheet rock house partitions] and hit an innocent.
Again, it's not necessarily one pellet size or
the other, but knowing how that load will behave and how you have to work with
it.
Finally, if you do choose to work with a shotgun, check out Box O' Truth #83
for some good tips on fighting with one. This
article has some tips and links
as well. The bottom line: Know your tools, get training, and
practice practice practice. Thank you. - J.C.D.
« Letter Re: The Impact of FDIC Insurance Rate Increases on Small Banks |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Best Shotgun Pellet Size for Home Defense?
Sir;
I recently got a Mossberg "Mariner" [12 gauge pump action] shotgun
as my main home defense type gun. What size shot should I use for home defense?
(The owner
of my
nearby gun
shop
said
to
use
#8 bird shot,
since
buckshot or rifle[d] slugs
'will go
though
two
houses." Is that true?) Thx, - Perry Noid in St. Paul, Minnesota
JWR Replies: I'm afraid that your local gun shop owner was
spouting some oft-quoted urban folklore. For some genuine, Grade-A, tested truth
on this subject, see this
Box 'OTruth article.
For what it's worth, I am still a big believer in
using #4 Buckshot for home defense. To my mind, it strikes the ideal balance
between penetration and likelihood of a high number of vital organ pellet hits.
The
standard factory 12 gauge 2-3/4" load of #4 buckshot contains 27 pellets
of .24" diameter. That is definitely a home-invasion countermeasure!
« Letter Re: US Dollar Slide Versus Iraqi Dinars |Main| Note from JWR: »
Self Defense and Christianity, by Tim P.
When Christians talk of self-defense and their reaction to violence in general,
they frequently speak of turning the other cheek. While I would not attempt to
dissuade someone from that point of view I have always been against that type
of pacifism in the face of violence – particularly in the case of deadly
violence. In the extreme example of self-defense against someone who wants to
kill you – people who advocate turning the other cheek advocate throwing
away God’s gift of life or worse yet not defending those you love when
their lives are threatened. That I could not do, after all Christ Himself said:
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John
15:14
Also, according to the Old Testament people are allowed to defend against thieves.
“If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender
is not guilty of bloodshed” Exodus 22:2
Trying to steal the rest of your life – or the lives of your loved ones – is
certainly stealing from my point of view.
For those of you who will say we should turn the other cheek and depend upon
the police or government, to defend us from deadly threats or criminal activity – would
you bet your life on it? Is paying someone else to defend you and yours somehow
more honorable and Christian? Even if the police just happen to be in the area
at the critical moment, the courts have determined that government has
no duty
to defend any particular citizen. Please read that sentence again! This
may seem hard to believe, but it is from an appellate court decision in the case
of Warren
v. District of Columbia circa 1981. A group of women were attacked in their
home and called the police for help. The police failed to respond and for the
next
14 hours these women were under the direct control of the brutal intruders. The
women later sued, but the court found in favor of the government under the fundamental
principle of American law that a government and its agents are under no general
duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any individual
citizen. Most people have no idea that this is the case. You cannot depend upon
the government to protect you. If you don’t believe me look up the case
for yourself.
Why, you may ask, would I want to write about this? It may seem far removed from
our church today. However, there have been a number of cases lately where churches
have been the target of violent and deadly attacks. In just about all of them
the people there were probably under the assumption that they were immune from
these attacks. A few recent examples of these attacks are the Tennessee Valley
Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee where two congregants were
killed
in
July
of 2008, The New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado where another two
were killed
in
December of 2007 (this church had armed guards so they were prepared for something
to happen), thus only two members were killed. The First Congregational Church
in
Neosho, Missouri where three were killed in August of 2007, the shooting at The
Ministry of Jesus Christ Church in North Baton Rouge, Louisiana in May of 2006
where
fie were
killed, and the shooting at the Living Church of God in Brookfield, Wisconsin
where
seven were killed
in March of 2005. I could go on but I think my point has been made.
Whatever the reason for the attacks our course is clear: we, as Christians, must
defend ourselves and our church against such attacks by whatever means available.
This has been how some of these shootings were stopped. In one case the shooter
was subdued by members of the congregation, in another the shooter was killed
by a member of the congregation who was serving as a guard. In the others the
shooter killed himself or just left the church when he was “done” with
the shooting. Which outcome would you prefer to see? The shooter subdued or killed
by the congregation or to be allowed to shoot until he is “done?” I
prefer one of the first two options.
Am I advocating armed guards at our church? I am not, I just want people to know
that it can happen and we can and should be prepared to defend ourselves – to
throw the good book at our attacker! After all, when protecting one's family
or neighbors, a Christian is unselfishly risking his or her life for the sake
of others. How can that be a bad thing?
Let us look at turning the other cheek, as Jesus says: “If someone strikes
you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew
5:39
Yet even Jesus did not do this in the literal sense! When he was struck in the
face by one of the officials while being questioned by the high priest he does
not turn the other cheek. Instead he says:
“If I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke
the truth,
why did you strike me?” John 18:23
We can see too from his actions that Jesus himself was not completely non-violent.
After all, he did go after the moneychangers in the temple with a whip!
“In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and
others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and
drove
all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the
money changers and overturned their tables.” John 2:14-15
If someone came after you with a whip and overturned your tables and generally
made a wreck of the area, would you say that was non-violence? No you’d
probably call the police and want him taken away! Was Jesus turning the other
cheek in this case? I think not. He saw a wrong and righted it through violent
means. Also, prior to his crucifixion, Jesus revealed to his disciples the hostility
they faced in the future and gave them the following advice:
“But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet.
Whoever
has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword.” “The disciples
said, ‘See, Lord, here are two swords.’ ‘That is enough,’ he
replied.” Luke 22:36 & 38
He asked if they had weapons. When they said they did he did not rebuke them,
but instead said they had enough. To me this is proof that they were allowed
to defend themselves if needed.
Later, when Jesus is betrayed by Judas at the Garden, Peter draws his sword and
asks,
“Lord, should we strike with our swords?” Luke 22:49
He apparently does not wait for an answer and strikes Malchus, the servant of
the high priest and cuts off his ear. This does not make Jesus happy and he says:
"Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" John
18:11
And [a parallel verse] from Mathew:
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for
all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my
Father,
and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But
how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Mathew
26:52-54
Note that Jesus does not rebuke Peter for trying to defend Him. He rebukes him
for trying to change what must happen, the pre-ordained future that God has laid
out for Jesus. Despite the appearance of their being outnumbered by the others,
Jesus says He could call in more than 12 legions (a legion is 1,000) of angels.
This would easily overpower the group of people there to assist in and/or view
the arrest of Jesus. In Mathew’s version He does say that those who draw
the sword will die by the sword, but is that an admonition against all use of
weapons to defend oneself? The people coming to arrest Jesus were not threatening
His life at that point, so Peter really had no justification for violence against
them.
This being said, it is clear to me that defending Christianity using violence
is not allowed. If your religion is being attacked or you are being attacked
for your religion, you are not allowed to use force. In fact, I believe that
this is the true meaning of turning the other cheek. True Christians do not attack
people who attack their faith. They turn the other cheek – they take the
abuse of their faith. For example, Stephen does not fight back or even try to
escape when he was stoned for his testimony about Jesus.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed,
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried
out, "Lord,
do not hold this sin against them." Acts 7:59-60
And Jesus says that Christians will be persecuted to the end.
“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end
will be
saved.” Mathew 10:22
Of course it is a personal decision to defend yourself or others. However, in
a fallen world like ours, we all need to think about these things ahead of time
so that we have an idea what course we may take if we are ever put into the position
of having to choose. It’s too late to do much thinking at that point, that
is the time for action. - Tim P.
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Two Letters Re: Advice on Night Vision Gear
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I have been reading your site for almost a year now and am grateful for your
advise. I've read both Patriots and Retreats. Currently, I live in suburban
Detroit and am looking for a farm out in the country. I'm good on food and
many other items, but question my weapons battery. BTW, both my wife and I
have attended the excellent training at Front Sight. Currently I have three
handguns: an XDM-40 with four mags, Steyr M40 with four mags and a Taurus
PT92 9mm with two
mags. My long guns include two short-barrel 12 gauge shotguns with one having
a dedicated
light, one DPMS {AR-15 clone] .223 with dedicated light and Trijicon ACOG 4x32
scope, one DPMS .308 AR-10,
and one Ruger 10/22.
Crossbows are on my wish list. I have between 1,000 and 2,000 rounds of ammo
for each weapon. I want
to buy more ammo as well as reloading equipment and supplies.
I want to buy a scope for the 308 and decided on a Leupold Mark-3 4.5-12x 40mm
scope. My concern is night vision. Do I get a dedicated night vision scope
for the .308 and forget the Leupold, or a stand alone [hand-held] night vision
glass? What good is it to see with night vision, if I can't see it thru the
scope
to shoot?
I don't think I'll need night vision in my subdivision, until I purchase the
farm, but think I should get it now well it is still available. Of course my
budget and lovely bride will only go for so much. Can you please advise?
Thanks so much, - RP
JWR Replies: Assuming that it is equipped with a flash hider,
you should set up your AR-10 with an AN-PVS-4 Starlight scope, as your dedicated
night-fighting rifle. With a throw-lever scope mount and a flip-up back-up
iron sights (BUIS),
you can quickly detach the Starlight scope and use the
AR-10
for daylight
shooting. (But of course be sure to do some target shooting tests to insure
that the scope has correct "return to zero", when re-mounted. Be
patient and plan
to
buy bolt action .308 (such as a
Savage Model 10) for daylight long range shooting. (That
is where
the Leupold Mark-3 4.5-12x 40mm
scope that you mentioned would be most appropriate.)
And BTW, buy more magazines! With a renewed Federal ban now looming, you
should acquire at least six spare mags for each handgun, and at least eight
spares for
each battle
rifle.
Buy them now,
while they are still affordable. Full capacity magazine prices are likely
to
triple or quadruple if the Federal AWB is
renewed.
Hi James,
I've been reading your blog for the last two years. Let me just tell you that
you've been an inspiration to my family and my friends. We have recently acquired
a country property here in Canada and are in the process of building our retreat.
One thing that I have completely ignored, was the need for night vision equipment.
In the country, in remote locations, or when the grid goes down, it is almost
completely dark at night. I mean you cannot see two feet in front of you.
I've been researching what is the best night vision equipment to use for patrolling,
security and combat. I think I'm going with Gen2 goggles, but there is this
one product called SuperVision by company called Xenonics. But I'm not sure how it works and whether it is suitable for retreat
defense.
Looking at different night vision products, my question to you is: What is
the best option for avoiding night vision device (NVD) detection [by an opponent
that has their own night vision gear]?
The IR beams that some equipment generates or IR gun
sights will be visible to someone using passive NVD, right? I'm just thinking
that the best night vision equipment will be the one that has no signature, or are all NVDs visible to other NVDs?
Another problem I see is that most firearms leave flash signature. Does the
Vortex [flash hider] eliminate the flash completely? I think defending your
retreat at night is a completely new ball game, there are many things that most of your readers might not be
aware of or experimented with. I think NVDs are a must, just like the firearms.
Without a good night vision equipment you cannot defend your retreat at night
unless you get a good illumination from the moon. Thanks, - Peter
JWR Replies: Let me begin by stating forthrightly that
the claims of the makers of Supervision are more marketing hype than substance.
They do not perform well out in the boonies where there is not much ambient
light. Instead, go for mil-spec Gen 2 night
vision gear, or better yet Gen 3 if you can afford it.
Vortex type flash hiders reduce muzzle flash by about 90%. This
video clip shows the dramatic difference of a rifle with and without a
flash hider. (Can you see why I've had the muzzles threaded on all my bolt
action centerfire
rifles?)
For versatility, I prefer weapon-mounted scopes that can be detached for use
as hand-held monoculars.Make this your first purchase. If
you have a big budget, then you can go on to buy goggles, but get your weapon
sight
first.
You also asked about opponents equipped with vision gear being able to detect
you. In brief: If you use active IR devices (illuminators or lasers), they
can definitely be seen! But it is important to note that even "passive"
night vision gear casts a back-light. (This is the light of the image that
you are seeing being cast on your face.) Through another NVD this looks like
a bright flashlight! For this reason, I discourage SurvivalBlog readers from
buying any night vision scope that does not have a baffled ("flap") eyecup
type eyeguard. (The baffle only opens when you have the scope pressed up against
your eye, minimizing back-lighting.) This fault is common with nearly all of
the commercial night vision gear on the market. (But some of these scopes can
be retrofitted with mil-spec eyeguards.)
My recommended suppliers for Starlight weapon sights and goggles are JRH
Enterprises and Ready
Made Resources. For full mil-spec units as well as spare intensifier
tubes, talk to STANO Components.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Two Letters Re: Advice on Night Vision Gear »
Three Letters Re: The Feeding Frenzy Continues--Gun Store Shelves are Depleted
JWR:
I saw the article on how Cabela’s shares surged based on gun sales.
Let me tell you, we are in the midst of a feeding frenzy here in Colorado.
First, its not just guns, its all of the accessories as well. I had to return
some items from Christmas to Sportsman’s Warehouse and found that the
whole gun department was basically empty. They only had some black powder firearms
and a couple of shotguns. Nothing else. I had run into this before Christmas
when I bought my two oldest boys new elk rifles – and got the last .308
bolt action and the last .30-06 bolt action to be had. But I figured after Christmas things would be better. Well, they
are not. So unless you shoot something
odd like a .22-250 forget getting ammunition right now let alone a gun. And
the cleaning kits were sold out as well. And holsters, ammo belts – you
name it and if it was shooting related it was gone.
Now in my wanderings in the store I also found that communications
gear is also disappearing off the shelves. I had a brief conversation with the kid
that was working there and it turns out that this is another trend they are
seeing. Basically all of the walkie-talkie units that can take ear buds or
microphones are gone. The only things left are some cheap FRS units. The same
thing was at work with the flashlights – all of the better units (like
the Surefire models) were gone. I begin to wonder what is at work here – am
I being paranoid or is this the next run on “near tactical” equipment?
Now I shoot as much as I can when I am in country so I go through a lot of
reloading supplies and bulk ammunition. I have been told by some of the national
dealers that I buy from (in bulk lots of 10 cases per caliber per order) that
they are almost all sold out as well. One sales person related to me that they
had run through over 10,000 cases of .223 that week alone and could not keep
any in stock. Common calibers are gone – 9mm, .45 ACP, .38/.357, .223,
.308, 7.62x39 – and less common ones such as the .40 are hard to get.
So unless you happen to be shooting something that is very uncommon, keep your
eyes open. I did however with a week of scrounging manage to come up with
one box of 7.62 match grade ammo – the 175 grain M118 loading. Fortunately
my long range precision gun likes this ammo so I bought it.
This is one trend that if you were not way out in front and loading up on ammunition,
guns, and accessories, you would not be able to catch up now. - Hugh D.
Hi Jim,
FYI, just got done shopping at Midway [for ammunition handloading components]
and all of the .308 150 grain soft nosed bullets priced at $25.00/100 and
under are
gone.
All
gone!
This
includes
all round
nose and flat point for 30-30. Only some of the
premium stuff is available. The next best
deal is a Lapua 150 grain at $42.00/100. Guess I'll have to top off with
the only decent spitzer, a 125 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter at $22/100 if I can't
find 150 grainers
elsewhere. I suppose these can be reliable through a[n M1]
Garand and are
certainly adequate for deer. I've also shopped all over for loaded 9mm Luger
JHP and
it's all gone as well. Yes I shoulda got the XD-.45 instead,
yet common ammunition that can be shared with the rest of the family and
in case the gun fails
the ammo would not be wasted. I have plenty, but more would be nice. The
same can be said for the cheap 7.62x39 and M2 ball (.30-06). All gone, everywhere.
There does appear to be some 7.62 NATO out
there.
Cabela's seems to have a fair selection of all .308 spire point bullets
and 9mm/.45ACP
JHP,
and a very limited amount (500 rounds) of the cheap 7.62x39, and limited
quantities
of .223 and .308.
The run on ammunition continues and is amazing. A report from the latest
gun show in our area described [buyers with] dollies stacked with cases
that emptied the place within
three hours. What is the most shocking is that reloading components are also
disappearing. - E.L.
Jim:
News of the [U.S.]Attorney General asking for renewal of the Assault Weapons
ban (on behalf of Obama) went out across the Internet last night [Wednesday,
Feb.
25th.] Here was the result I saw: There was a line of about eight guys
in front of my local gun shop this morning, waiting for the doors to open.
This was at 9 a.m. on a Thursday morning, mind you. I was one of them.
Most of the guys looked to be in their 30s and 40s--so we were taking time
away from work to be there. (In my case, it was a "dental emergency".
Obama has
me grinding my teeth at night!) We got in the door, and I immediately saw there
wasn't much left on the shelves--mostly just pump [shot]guns
and
bolt-action
[rifle]s.
There
were
just
two centerfire semi[automatic]s in the rack: some POS no-name
AK that
looked like it was built from a beater parts kit, and one of those woosie S&W AR[-15] clones
with no flash hider on but with the Mossy-Breakup camouflage
paint job. Those both sold in the first few minutes. The owner said that he
doesn't
expect
[to
receive] any more black
guns for three or four months!
One thing you definitely
had nailed: They did not have a single high-cap magazine
left in the store,
except the
one
that
came
in the
mag well of the AK I mentioned.
I cleaned out the last of their .45
and .308 ammo--just a few boxes. There was not a round of 9mm, .223, of
7.62 [x39mm] Russian to be found. Those was some slim pickin's! I wonder:
What will they have
left by
Saturday night? - Ray H. in Virginia
« Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals |Main| Note from JWR: »
Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression - Part 2: Developing a Home-Based Business
Yesterday, in Part1, I discussed the "safe" and counter-cyclical occupations
for the unfolding economic depression. Today, I'd like to talk about one specific
approach:
self-employment
with a home-based business.
I posted most the following back in late 2005, but there are some important
points that are worth repeating:
The majority of SurvivalBlog readers that I talk with tell
me that they live in cities or suburbs, but they would like to live full
time at a retreat in a rural area. Their complaint is almost always the same: "...but
I'm not self-employed. I can't afford to live in the country because I can't
find work there, and the nature of my work doesn't allow telecommuting." They
feel stuck.
Over the years I've seen lots of people "pull the plug" and
move to the boonies with the hope that they'll find local work once
they get there. That usually doesn't work. Folks soon find that the most
rural jobs typically pay little more than minimum wage and they are often
informally
reserved for folks that were born and raised in the area. (Newcomers from
the big city certainly don't have hiring priority!)
My suggestion is to start a second income stream, with a
home-based business. Once you have that business started, then
start another one. There are numerous advantages to this
approach, namely:
You can get out of debt
You can generally build the businesses up gradually, so
that you don't need to quit your current occupation immediately
By working at home you will have the time to home school your children and
they will learn about how to operate a business.
You can live at your retreat full time. This will contribute to your self-sufficiency,
since you will be there to tend to your garden, fruit/nut trees, and livestock.
If one of your home-based businesses fails, then you can fall back on the
other.
Ideally, for someone that is preparedness-minded, a home-based business should
be something that is virtually recession proof, or possibly even depression
proof. Ask yourself: What are you good at? What knowledge or skills
do you have that you can utilize. Next, consider which businesses will flourish
during bad times. Some good examples might include:
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctioning of preparedness-related products.
Locksmithing
Gunsmithing
Medical Transcription
Accounting
Repair/refurbishment businesses
Freelance writing
Blogging (with paid advertising) If you have knowledge about a niche industry
and there is currently no authoritative blog on the subject, then start your
own!
Mail order/Internet sales of entertainment items. (When times get bad, people
still set aside a sizable percentage of their income for "escape" from
their troubles. For example, video rental shops have done remarkably well
during recessions.)
Burglar Alarm Installation
Other home-based businesses that seem to do well only in
good economic times include:
Recruiting/Temporary Placement
Fine arts, crafts, and jewelry. Creating and marketing your own designs--not "assembly" for
some scammer. (See below.)
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctions of luxury items, collectibles, or
other "discretionary spending" items
Personalized stationary and greeting cards (Freelance artwork)
Calligraphy
Web Design
Beware the scammers! The fine folks at www.scambusters.org have
compiled a "Top 10" list of common work-at-home and home based business scams
to beware of:
10. Craft Assembly
This scam encourages you to assemble toys, dolls, or other craft projects
at home with the promise of high per-piece rates. All you have to do is
pay
a fee up-front for the starter kit... which includes instructions and parts.
Sounds good? Well, once you finish assembling your first batch of crafts,
you'll be told by the company that they "don't meet our specifications."
In fact, even if you were a robot and did it perfectly, it would be impossible
for you to meet their specifications. The scammer company is making money selling
the starter kits -- not selling the assembled product. So, you're left with
a set of assembled crafts... and no one to sell them to.
9. Medical Billing
In this scam, you pay $300-$900 for everything (supposedly) you need to start
your own medical billing service at home. You're promised state-of-the-art
medical billing software, as well as a list of potential clients in your
area.
What you're not told is that most medical clinics process their own bills,
or outsource the processing to firms, not individuals. Your software may
not meet their specifications, and often the lists of "potential clients" are
outdated or just plain wrong.
As usual, trying to get a refund from the medical billing company is like trying
to get blood from a stone.
8. Email Processing
This is a twist on the classic "envelope stuffing scam" (see #1 below).
For a low price ($50?) you can become a "highly-paid" email processor
working "from the comfort of your own home."
Now... what do you suppose an email processor does? If you have visions of
forwarding or editing emails, forget it. What you get for your money are instructions
on spamming the same ad you responded to in newsgroups and Web forums!
Think about it -- they offer to pay you $25 per e-mail processed -- would any
legitimate company pay that?
7. "A List of Companies Looking for Homeworkers!"
In this one, you pay a small fee for a list of companies looking for homeworkers
just like you.
The only problem is that the list is usually a generic list of companies, companies
that don't take homeworkers, or companies that may have accepted homeworkers
long, long ago. Don't expect to get your money back with this one.
6. "Just Call This 1-900 Number For More Information..."
No need to spend too much time (or money) on this one. 1-900 numbers cost money
to call, and that's how the scammers make their profit. Save your money --
don't call a 1-900 number for more information about a supposed work-at-home
job.
5. Typing At Home
If you use the Internet a lot, then odds are that you're probably a good
typist. How better to capitalize on it than making money by typing at home?
Here's
how it works: After sending the fee to the scammer for "more information," you
receive a disk and printed information that tells you to place home typist
ads and sell copies of the disk to the suckers who reply to you. Like #8,
this scam tries to turn you into a scammer!
4. "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!"
Well, this one's at least half-true. To be completely true, it should read: "Turn
your computer into a money-making machine... for spammers!"
This is much the same spam as #5, above. Once you pay your money, you'll
be sent instructions on how to place ads and pull in suckers to "turn
their computers into money-making machines."
3. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
If you've heard of network marketing (like Amway), then you know that there
are legitimate MLM businesses based on agents selling products or services.
One big problem with MLMs, though, is when the pyramid and the ladder-climbing
become more important than selling the actual product or service. If the
MLM business opportunity is all about finding new recruits rather than selling
products or services, beware: The Federal Trade Commission may consider it
to be a pyramid scheme... and not only can you lose all your money, but you
can be charged with fraud, too!
We saw an interesting MLM scam recently: one MLM company advertised the
product they were selling as FREE. The fine print, however, states that
it is "free
in the sense that you could be earning commissions and bonuses in excess of
the cost of your monthly purchase of" the product. Does that sound like
free to you?
2. Chain Letters/Emails ("Make Money Fast")
If you've been on the Internet for any length of time, you've probably received
or at least seen these chain emails. They promise that all you have to
do is send the email along plus some money by mail to the top names on
the list,
then add your name to the bottom... and one day you'll be a millionaire.
Actually, the only thing you might be one day is prosecuted for fraud.
This is a classic pyramid scheme, and most times the names in the chain
emails
are manipulated to make sure only the people at the top of the list (the
true scammers) make any money. This scam should be called "Lose Money
Fast" -- and it's illegal.
1. Envelope Stuffing
This is the classic work-at-home scam. It's been around since the U.S. Depression
of the 1920s and 1930s, and it's moved onto the Internet like a cockroach
you just can't eliminate. There are several variations, but here's a sample:
Much like #5 and #4 above, you are promised to be paid $1-2 for every envelope
you stuff. All you have to do is send money and you're guaranteed "up
to 1,000 envelopes a week that you can stuff... with postage and address
already affixed!" When you send your money, you get a short manual
with flyer templates you're supposed to put up around town, advertising
yet another
harebrained work-from-home scheme. And the pre-addressed, pre-paid envelopes?
Well, when people see those flyers, all they have to do is send you $2.00
in a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope. Then you stuff that envelope with
another flyer and send it to them. Ingenious perhaps... but certainly illegal
and unethical.
From all that I've heard, most franchises and multi-level marketing schemes
are not profitable unless you pick a great product or service, and you
already have a strong background in sales. Beware of any franchise where you
wouldn't have a protected territory. My general advice is this: You will probably
be better off starting your own business,
making, retailing, or consulting about something where you can leverage
your existing knowledge and/or experience.
---
In closing, I'd like to reemphasize that home security and locksmithing are
likely to provide steady and profitable employment for the next few years,
since hard
economic times are likely to trigger a substantial crime wave. After
all, someone has
to keep watch on the tens of thousands of foreclosed, vacant houses. (If not
watched, then crack cocaine addicts, Chicago syndicate politicians, or other
undesirables might move in!)
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Navigating by the Stars »
A Know-Nothing Gun Buyer Illustrates a Fatally-Flawed Approach to Preparedness
Introductory Note from JWR: The following was posted at the
Mike's Madhouse forum, one of the Baen's
Bar Forums. (This is the forum moderated by SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large, Michael
Z. Williamson.) It
illustrates
how
incredibly
naive
some
newbie
gun
owners
can
be. It also underscores a couple of my oft-repeated mantras: Survival
is
not
about
gadgets.
It is about skills. And, tools without training are
almost
useless.
Owning a gun doesn't make someone a "shooter" any more than owning
a surfboard makes someone a surfer. Reading this letter made
me laugh hysterically, but it also made me sad to think that for each "rescued'
newbie
that
is successfully mentored by a skilled shooter,
there are probably one or two others that remain blissfully ignorant. Even worse,
some of these latter-day gun owners might think that merely buying several
thousand
dollars worth of guns and paraphernalia has somehow made them "prepared." Here
is the post:
"This last week I had a conversation with a associate at work. First let me
tell you about him, he's a little liberal and by that I am saying someone who
is left of Obama. He starts up the conversation with "you know about guns right, could you teach me how to shoot my guns," at
this point I am speechless, I mean this person is about the most liberal person
I know. First I have to pick up my jaw and my hamster fell out of his wheel
is laying on its back doing the kick'en chicken. Flabbergasted that I am I
ask what type he owns and he tells me that they are "those M16 machine
guns and a 45 cal automatic."
Having known him for about six years and he is a friend (we agreed to not talk
about politics and religion years ago) I asked, "What does your wife think
about the guns?" He answered: "Oh she knows we bought two of
each" (Jaw on floor, Hamster now in critical condition), you have to know
his wife more to the left than him, and the last time she visited [my home]
I had to swear that all the guns were locked up so the children were safe.
The first
thing I ask, do you have a gun safe, answer: "No and don't worry
we haven't bought bullets yet." I tell him sure, I will walk through weapon
safety and will teach him to shoot. By the way where did you buy the weapons?
His answer:
The local local "sporting
warehouse" . I told him to bring the weapons Friday and I will go over
range and weapon safety, and we'll go to the range on Saturday (today).
On Friday
afternoon he brings the weapons and accessories over. Now I won't say the salesman
saw them coming but, he sold him: two Pelican rifle cases with locks,two
Blackhawk drag bags, two Pelican pistol cases. The "M16 machine guns" turned
out to be a pair of S&W M&P
PSX [semi-auto only M4 clone
rifles] each with a Trijicon ACOG and with
a green laser and forward
pistol grip with flashlight and with bipod and only one magazine
[for each emphasis Mike's] about the only missing accessory is the
latté maker (a whole 'nother story)
Now I have seen decked out M4s before but this was ridiculous. With all [items]
mounted weight about 15 lbs unloaded. The .45 turned out to be a Kimber
SIS with 2 magazines and a shoulder holster and a belt holster with a gun belt,
magazine holder. Now he isn't hurting for money but this is taking him to the
cleaners. So first thing I start taking off cr*p, laser goes, pistol grip with
flashlight goes, I start to take off the Trijicon but did you know that the
M&P does not come with
iron sights?
I had to ask [facetiously] why they didn't get a laser for the Kimber. His
answer "It's
on order."
Next, I put all the excess stuff in the handy Pelican box and walk
through weapon safety. If you notice there were no eye or ear protection,
cleaning kits [included] with all this gear [that he was sold].
First thing, I show them how to disassemble and clean the M4 and Kimber.
I decided that we would start with the pistol and that I would bring a 22
for them to start with. The range went well we started with the targets at
5m then to 7m, 10m and so forth.it went flawlessly. No great groups but at
least they were hitting the targets. We shot about 500 rounds of . 22 and ended
with 200 rounds of .45.
They had fun and [I helped to create] another [enthusiastic] gun owner. I
got them to start using a my favorite gun shop for their future purchases.
(She liked my SIG P226
and wants one now).
We stopped at the warehouse [store] and returned some of the
excess equipment, about $1,500 worth. I told them to practice the basics,
and then if they wanted to they could get other accessories. I will be taking them to a different range tomorrow for the M4. Wish me luck. Now, if
I could only revive my hamster!"
« Letter Re: A Source for Potable Water Storage Tanks |Main| Product Review: Shelf Reliance Cansolidator - Addendum, by Michael Z. Williamson »
Letter Re: Christianity and Self-Defense
Mr. Rawles,
First of all, thank for providing the incredible resource of Survivalblog.
I have only been a reader for a few months, but it has been an eye-opening
experience. I was raised in a conservative, Christian home and my father
was only a "casual" gun owner. At first, when reading the opinions
on your blog, I was skeptical about owning firearms. I had never owned a
gun in my life and only shot one a couple times. In actuality, I had never
really thought too much about guns. However, after reading your reconciliation
of Christianity and self-defense and my own study of the Scriptures, I determined
that preparing to defend myself and my family is the right thing to do. I
recently purchased my first gun, a 12-gauge Remington 870 Express Synthetic
18" [barrel] shotgun, at a local gun show. I also attended the two-day
shotgun course at Front
Sight in
January. I now feel fairly confident in the handling and defensive use of
my shotgun.
I was hoping to get your opinion on something that still bothers me, however.
While I now believe it is prudent to provide for my own self-defense, I have
to wonder if there is a danger of putting more faith in guns than in God? For
example, see the following:
Psalms 20:7-8: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will
remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: but
we are risen, and stand upright."
Psalms 44:5-7: "Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy
name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust
in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our
enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us."
Isaiah 2:22: "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for
wherein is he to be accounted of?"
Your blog seems to discuss guns, body armor, and hardened defensive structures
pretty extensively. Is this something you have considered before? What do you
think is the correct balance between guns and God? At what point does someone
cross the line where they begin to put all their faith and trust in their guns
and their own preparations? How do us Christian and otherwise religious Survivalblog
readers avoid crossing that line? Thanks again! - DR
JWR Replies: Thanks for re-opening this topic. First, you
mentioned Psalm 20,. It noteworthy that this psalm was an admonition to Israel's
kings to not raise
too large an army rather than saying the nation should not have an
army to defend itself. (That psalm ties it to several other verses that warn
against "multiplying chariots".)
Certainly, there must be a balance struck when preparing. It is foolish
to trust just in just your own preparations. We need to trust in
God's providence and
his protection for his Covenant people. But at the same time we need
to heed the prodding of the Holy Spirit to prepare for our family's safety, housing,
nourishment,
and security.
Trust in God is a wonderful and crucial aspect of preparedness (it is to me!)
but we should not expect manna to fall from heaven, nor walls of flame to spring
up
between
us
and
those
that would do us harm. Some Mennonites, for example, eschew all means
self defense and decry even the willingness to defend oneself or one's
loved ones. That, in my opinion is taking "turning the other cheek" (Luke
6:29) to an extreme that is not scripturally founded.
Exodus 22:2 provides Biblical justification for killing someone if he intends
to forcibly rob or kill another man: " If a thief be found breaking up,
and be smitten that he die, [there shall] no blood [be shed] for him." Exodus
22:2 (KJV)
And Jesus teaches that it is wise to be armed, in Luke 22:35-36 (KJV): "And
he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked
ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take [it], and
likewise [his] scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment,
and buy one."
In an article titled: What
Does The Bible Say About Gun Control? Larry Pratt keenly observed the
difference between self-defense and vengeance:
Resisting an attack is not to be confused with taking vengeance
which is the exclusive domain of God (Rom. 12:19). This has been delegated
to the civil magistrate, who, as we read in Romans 13:4, ". . . is
God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for
he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an
avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."
Private vengeance means one would stalk down a criminal after one’s
life is no longer in danger as opposed to defending oneself during an attack.
It is this very point that has been confused by Christian pacifists who would
take the passage in the Sermon on the Mount about turning the other cheek
(which prohibits private vengeance) into a command to falter before the wicked.
Let us consider also that the Sixth Commandment tells us: "Thou shall
not murder." In the chapters following, God gave to Moses many of the
situations which require a death penalty. God clearly has not told us never
to kill. He has told us not to murder, which means we are not to take an
innocent life. Consider also that the civil magistrate is to be a terror
to those who practice evil. This passage does not in any way imply that the
role of law enforcement is to prevent crimes or to protect individuals from
criminals. The magistrate is a minister to serve as "an avenger to execute
wrath on him who practices evil" (Rom. 13:4).
Jesus taught both to turn the other cheek and to be well-armed
to defend oneself. The important factor is having the wisdom to know when to
employ either approach depending on the circumstances. I pray, for wisdom,
discernment, and discretion, daily. I don't seek out trouble, and
in fact I have moved my family to a remote, lightly populated region in good
part to avoid trouble. But if unavoidable trouble
comes my way, I want to have the option of resisting force with force.
And I only have that option if I am armed and trained.
Some critics of armed preparedness cite Matthew 26:52-54 (KJV), which descries
how Jesus responded when Peter cut off the ear of a high priest's servant,
using a sword: "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into
his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest
thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more
than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled,
that thus it must be?"
In context, Jesus is telling Peter that it would be suicidal to fight in that
particular situation, since they were quite outnumbered. And of course Jesus
knew it was in God's plan for him to be arrested, tried, crucified, and resurrected.
Jesus told Peter to put his sword in its place –which
was back in his belt. Jesus was telling Peter in effect that "there is
a time to fight, and this, my friend, isn't it." He didn't command him
to "throw that sword away", or "surrender it", or to "stop
carrying it". After all, according to Luke, Jesus had just recently ordered
the disciples to arm themselves. The reason for the arms was
obviously to protect their own lives when traveling--not to protect His
own life, which He intended to sacrifice, to pay for our sins, once and
for all.
The Old testament teaches both to be armed, and to be trained. We
read in Psalm 144:1:
Blessed [be] the LORD my strength,
which teacheth my hands to war,
[and] my fingers to fight:
Yes, as Christians our battles are mainly spiritual, but we must also be prepared
to defend our lives, and the lives of our loved ones, against evildoers.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Recommendation for Mara Helland »
Letter Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits
JWR;
One option to consider for a Concealed Carry Permit would be to apply
for a non-resident permit from the State of Florida. Florida's Dept of Agriculture
issues permits to non-Floridians and the application process and requirements
are less restrictive than in my home state of Arkansas. The training requirements
are very generous. Along with traditional types of training, they will accept
firearms training courses conducted by your state or any NRA-certified instructor;
a hunter's education course, or even a Form DD-214 for military members or
veterans. The cost is reasonable and Florida
has one of the best reciprocity programs in the nation. [JWR Adds: Florida
concealed carry permits are recognized
in 23 states!]
For OPSEC,
holding a Florida non-resident permit in another state allows the holder a
little anonymity against the release of public records. Just a
few
days ago, I came across an Excel spreadsheet listing names and addresses of
every permit holder in my state plus the state of Tennessee. The list did not
disclose the names of Arkansas or Tennessee residents that hold Florida permits.
The application process is very straight-forward and can be requested on the
Florida web site.
- RDC, Arkansas
« Letter Re: Kids and Home Security |Main| Note from JWR: »
Perspectives on Prepping on a Very Low Income, by Kuraly
I was raised in a missionary family, on nine different mission fields around
the world. At the age of nineteen, I went out to serve the Lord on my own in
the former Soviet Union. I had no formal Theological training, but was accepted
by the missionary societies of my denomination because of my experience under
my father and my willingness to go to dangerous areas.
I married, and my wife and I have now six children. A few years ago, due to
some changes in my theology, I fell out of favor with my denomination and had
to return home to the USA. I was faced with a situation of suddenly having
to feed and care for a large family with: 1. no formal education/training/skills
of any kind and 2. very little understanding of the southern American culture
that I found myself living in. I was forced to take very low-paying jobs and
survive on a low-income.
With our savings we were able to buy a small rural house and 7.5 acres in the
southeast. We were able to pay cash, I wanted it to be ours with no strings
attached, regardless of what the future held. I figured that at the very least
we would have a roof and some plantable land. I bought in the area my parents
lived in to help care for them as they progressed in years.
Our income is very limited. I work at just above minimum wage. I work a full-time
job and another part-time job. I am thankful that the Lord provides.
As I studied current events I became concerned about the possibility of a world-wide
economic and/or societal collapse of some kind, or a societal break-down here
in the USA resulting from any number of possible reasons. I had witnessed the
chaos of the nineties in the former Soviet Union, had watched doctors and physicists
sweep streets and live off of potatoes and bread for months on end, and I was
concerned about my responsibility to feed my family should a similar collapse
happen here.
What can you do when you have very limited means? Actually there is much you
can do. It amounts to setting goals and getting your family on board with you.
The first thing I did was (after my wife and I had many long talks and she
began to see things in a similar way), I gathered the family around and explained
everything to them. I explained about our limited means, exactly how much money
was coming in, how much went to utilities, fuel, etc. I explained what I believed
the dangers were. I explained what we needed to do as a family. Let me interject
here that after being born and growing up on a third-world mission field, they
were far from spoiled children! They were accustomed to living in tight quarters,
washing in cold water, eating cheap, and basically just "roughing it."
My first priority was for two weeks worth of provisions. We began to buy a
few extra cans of food when we went shopping. I set a goal of 20 dollars per
week for prepping. Some weeks ten dollars of canned goods and/or dried foods
like rice, beans or noodles, and ten dollars in ammo or medical supplies. Some
weeks just food, some weeks just extra gasoline. We bought gas cans at thrift
stores and garage sales for a dollar apiece, Large scented candles (better
than nothing) at closeout sales and garage sales for 30 and 50 cents, and just
about anything we could scrounge that might come in handy if the lights went
out. It did not take us long to build up enough supplies to last two weeks
in an emergency. We had enough gasoline to drive to work for two weeks (if
needed), enough food for our family plus a little extra, and candles, radios,
batteries and other odds and ends to get by.
I had also along the way added
to my ammunition stocks for my Winchester .30-30, and my bolt-action .22 LR.
After we reached the point where we felt we had enough for a two-week catastrophe,
we began to focus on the six-month time frame. This opened up many entirely
new possibilities. since the food required for this amount of time was such
a major expense, we had to make sure that it would last for several years.
This raised the issue of long-term storage in buckets, mylar bags and oxygen-absorbers.
We had to save for months to buy an order of oxygen-absorbers and mylar bags
on e-bay! We found low-cost buckets and began to fill them with rice, feed
corn, corn meal, noodles, beans etc. Anything that was inexpensive. We taught
the children to like corn-meal mush and grits since they might get quite a
bit of it one day!
Gradually we worked our way up to 30 buckets. At this point I made a strategic
decision. I decided that we needed to invest our extra funds in gardening.
Not entirely stopping the food storage, but reducing it in favor of procuring
means and experience in growing and canning our own food. We began to buy canning
jars and lids to put away in the attic for the future. My father gave us a
tiller with a blown engine which we were able to get fixed, and we began to
garden. The first garden was not very well thought-out. Some things grew, some
did not. But we learned. We learned first-hand what pollination means and about
soil fertility. We learned about bugs and blight. We gained valuable experience.
We also invested in chickens, and watched some of them die, some of them be
eaten by neighbor's dogs, some get eaten by our dogs, and the hardy survivors
begin to lay eggs. We watched them eat their own eggs and learned to give them
calcium. We let half of them free range and half range in portable pens that
we built which have an open floor that we could move each day to fresh grass.
We learned how to make them roost and lay where they were supposed to.
We bought some rabbits and learned a lot, real fast! We experimented with many
types of portable cages for rabbits which would allow us to move them from
one grassy spot to another without giving them time to dig a burrow. Sometimes
we would wake up and find rabbit carcases torn to shreds, because a neighborhood
cat had gotten to them. My kids handled most of this, and they learned things
the hard way.
If you haven't figured it out yet, We were totally green. I spent my life traveling
and overseeing the translation of Christian literature into foreign languages.
My wife is a musician. We had zero experience at any of this, and no one around
that we knew to advise us. We had to learn everything from scratch. We bought
a goat and promptly saw it attacked and killed by a stray dog. That hurt,
financially as well as emotionally. After sending the dog to join the
goat "on the other side", I bought another goat. and then another.
These have survived. We have learned to care for them.
Gradually I am seeing my children grow confident in their relationship to the
animals under their care. Gradually we are learning the needs of these animals
and how to make them produce for us. If we had had some kind of hands-on training,
it would have saved the lives of a lot of animals, but we didn't. I am happy
to announce a much higher survival rate for animals that we bring home now.
I felt like I needed a greater firearms capability (what man doesn't?). I thought
long and hard. At first I bought a Mosin-Nagant since they were so cheap ($75)
and the ammo was dirt-cheap as well. I then began to consider what type of
semi-automatic I could afford. I looked at the prices of ammo which was very
critical since I would have to train my entire family to shoot. At the time
the best deal for us appeared to be the SKS rifle.
It was cheap (a good quality Yugo[slavian SKS] was less than $200), dependable,
semi-auto and the ammo was
very cheap at the time. I later added a cheap 12 gauge pump, and last but not
least,
a
17 round Bersa Thunder 9mm. After purchasing these guns I began to pick up
ammo for them when I could find it on sale. I have gradually gotten up to about
500 rounds for each of them.
I then turned my attention to our home and it's defense. While we live in the
country, we are close to our neighbors 100 yards +/-, about five miles from
a small town, about 15 miles from a large town, and about 90 miles from Atlanta
(upwind fortunately). My greatest concern is our proximity to the road. The
house is only about 65 feet from the dirt road in front of our house. A looter
or burglar/rapist could be at the door or windows before the dog barked. In
response to this my next expenditure is to be fence posts, fencing, and barbed
wire, along with a row of thorny bushes in front of the wire next to the road.
Our house is a soft target, offering no ballistic protection. My remedy/forlorn
hope is to have plenty of sand and gravel on hand, and to start checking the
thrift stores for pillow cases to buy and store. perhaps we would have time
to bag up sand bags and at least harden up certain corners or rooms of the
house. We also have several large piles of sandstone (we live on top of a mountain)
which could be placed strategically and then perhaps sand bags on top of that.
We could also cut logs and add that to the mix.
Our water supply is a [grid-powered] electric well. This is one of my biggest
worries. We have made it a priority to buy a generator at least strong enough
to run
the
well and freezers for an hour or two a day. I know that this is only a temporary
solution but is about all we can handle right now. I am very thankful for the
non-fiction writing contribution about the siphon pumps for wells such as mine,
that offered up new possibilities which I have not had time to address yet.
We also have a neighbor 1/4 mile away which has an artesian spring on his property,
though it has extremely high iron content. I have purchased two 330 gallon
plastic livestock watering tanks and several drums which I can fill at the
first sign of trouble. I can also load them on my little trailer and pull them
down to the neighbor's to fill up from his well. I just need to check on the
ramifications of the high iron content.
I am also trying to fill up as many containers as possible with gasoline. I
add Sta-Bil and plan to use/rotate it yearly (as long as the price stays low).
I would like to keep at least 250 to 500 gallons on hand at all times. I buy
old gas cans at yard sales and just found a source for cheap 55 gallon drums
with sealed lids ($3). I may start using them instead.
Our immediate plans are to build more pens and raise more chickens and goats,
maybe a pig or two. We also look forward to planting a much bigger garden this
spring and maybe use some of our hard-won experience of last year. We also
want to involve the kids in martial arts classes if we can afford it, as well
as herb-collecting hikes from the local community college field school (which
are free and fun). We want to spend more time with them in the woods and in
the garden so that they feel comfortable there and begin to think about survival
from their own perspective. We also are beginning to exploit the library for
free resources for them to study on various topics.
The future of this country looks grim. As Christians we have "read the
back of the Book" and we know Who wins. Our responsibility is to be good
stewards of the talents we have, perform our duties as husbands and wives,
mothers and fathers, and ultimately, to trust Him for that which is beyond
our vision and power.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Preparing Your Feet for TEOTWAWKI, by The Surgeon »
Three Letters Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits
Sir:
Some states allow for the public release of permit holders names and sometimes
address. Newspapers have requested these lists (since they are public information)
and then published them.
Other states (like Minnesota, and others) makes it a crime to release to the
public who is a permit holder. - X.
James,
This headline says it all: Dateline Feb. 17, 2009 in The Miami Herald: Florida
can't keep up with concealed weapons permit requests.
Regards, - Jim H.
Mr. Rawles,
Thanks for your very reasonable and level-headed response on concealed carry
permits. I agree that you they aren't for everyone! I wish that I
lived where I only had to worry about predators with four legs. But living
where I do (in
Virginia), we have lots of two-legged predators and I would
feel naked without my XD .45. (I got the "Compact" version.) I used to
carry a Commander-size Kimber 1911, as I used to be a M1911 Die Hard, but nowadays
I practically
speak Croatian.) [JWR
Adds: To explain his comment to the uninitiated, the Springfield Armory
XD-series auto pistols are made in Croatia.] My family will soon have two XDs,
since
my wife
is signing
up
for the Front
Sight "Get a Gun" package deal. We want to get back out
there while the weather is still cool. (Summer at Front Sight is an oven set
to "BROIL".)
Their
XD package is an amazing bargain, and the training is superb. It is absolutely worth
the travel expense! I recommend
it
to everyone
that reads SurvivalBlog. Put that training at the top of your "Priorities list."
Without proper training you are just a "pistol owner", not a competent shooter.
I had no idea how incompetent I was until I went to take the training. It takes
some humility to admit that, but I really was incompetent, and just thought that
I was good shooter.
By the by, I am buying every XD magazine that I can lay my cotton-pickin'
hands on at a good price. Since
they
are imported, these mags could be under risk of an import ban, soon. One
of your recent posters mentioned he saw high mag prices at gun shows. That
is
true, but there
are
still some bargains out there, by mail order. [JWR Adds: I
highly recommend 44Mag.com, CDNN
Sports, MidwayUSA,
and Natchez
Shooter's Supply, as low-costs sources for full capacity magazines.
Buy plenty, now, while they
are still reasonably-priced!]
My XD is a my constant companion, kinda like an American Express card. I "don't
leave home without it." - Riggins in Virginia
« The Winning Edge: Safe Dry Practice, by John Parker, Jr. |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits
Jim,
Thank you for your excellent site. I'm here every day.
My wife and I are considering getting Concealed Weapons Permits. Do you recommend
getting a permit? Is it a good idea, or is it a red flag that would attract
the unwanted attention of our government officials? Do you have a permit? I
would appreciate your insight. - The Forester
JWR Replies: I do not have a CCW permit,
but I have the benefit of living in an open
carry state. I don't issue any blanket advice on concealed carry. Everyone
has to weigh the risks and benefits of licensure for themselves, in their
own particular circumstances. Since I live in a lightly-populated region
with low crime, I decided that the high profile that goes along with getting
a CCW permit wasn't justifiable. I am far more worried about being mauled
by a bear when out berry picking than I am getting mugged. Street crime is
virtually unheard of here in TUWS.
(Robert Heinlein was right: An armed society is a polite society.)
Again, the decision on whether or not to get a CCW permit is personal judgment
call. For many SurvivalBlog readers living in high crime areas, getting a permit
would probably be advisable.
BTW, I wouldn't be surprised to see Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and perhaps
the Dakotas all "going Alaska" in the next few years--dropping the
requirement for a CCW for carry inside city limits. This has been the case
in Vermont since time immemorial, and the
CCW permit requirement for inside city limits was recently dropped in Alaska.
(In many southern and western states it is already legal to carry conceal outside of
city limits.)
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits »
The Winning Edge: Safe Dry Practice, by John Parker, Jr.
I’ve often been asked for advice on how a shooter can improve his or her
proficiency at arms, and it seems that the questioner is almost always expecting
some magical tidbit of “gouge” that will bring out their “A” game.
Apart from analyzing form and talking about mechanics, one thing that I universally
recommend, and almost always find lacking in the normal routine of many shooters,
is dry practice.
The term “dry practice” includes many things, but to put it simply
and encompass all applications, it is firearms training conducted without live
ammunition. Far from a replacement for live fire training, dry practice is, however,
an essential and exceptionally useful tool in improving everything from presentations
to reloads to trigger control and beyond. Its application to a program of training
can help with any firearm related endeavor, and if you aren’t doing it
now, you should consider adding it to supplement your live fire training.
So, how does one go about this dry practice? First, one needs a safe place to
conduct it. We are training without live ammunition, but human fallibility still
applies, so a safe backstop is requirement number one. In the event that a live
round finds its way into the mix despite all our precautions, which we will discuss
shortly, a safe backstop will limit the event to an embarrassment instead of
a possible tragedy. I often use a 40mm ammo can filled with sand to affix my
target to, and place this in front of a stout exterior wall. Basement walls are
ideal for this. Ballistic panels, such as those made by Second Chance and Point
Blank, also work well to affix targets to, and you are really limited only by
your imagination, as long as your backstop will reliably stop the caliber of
arm you intend to conduct training with, even if you were to not strike your
intended aim point. Targets can be anything from the actual targets used in a
competitive discipline to scaled silhouettes replicating distance in the confines
of the practice area to squares of tape or target pasters. Col. Jeff Cooper even
recommended
the “televisor” as a dry practice aid, as he stated he could get
along quite nicely without it. (Placed against a safe backstop, of course!) Your
mileage may vary on this one, for many reasons. I would recommend saving yourself
a potential television replacement trip to Best Buy and using more mundane targetry.
Other considerations for the training area include floor composition—when
conducting pistol or carbine reload drills you don’t really want to be
dropping magazines onto a concrete floor hundreds of times (cardboard and carpet
are your friends!)—and also separation. You want your practice area well-defined
so that all sources of live ammunition can be kept out, and your mental focus
can be devoted to the task at hand. One final note: no mirrors. While one may
think that a mirror will help to observe and debrief practice sessions, their
effect is always negative. Your attention will be focused away from where it
should be, and the result will be negative training. No mirrors on the backstop,
no mirrors anywhere in the area. If you want to be able to debrief performance,
use a video camera.
Additional equipment includes dummy cartridges and “snap caps”. Snap
caps, for the purposes of this treatise, are generically defined as inert cartridge
simulations which include a semi-rigid or spring loaded surface in the primer
area to cushion firing pin or striker fall. Some arms designs are better suited
than others to omitting such aids, but I’ve always thought it wise to use
them in all my dry practice to avoid striker/firing pin abuse. Snap caps can
be found in nearly any caliber or gauge from Brownell’s, Midway, and other
sources, and are made by A-Zoom, Armsport, Precision Gun Specialties, and other
manufacturers. When practicing reloads and manipulations, dummy cartridges can
be used to add appropriate “heft” to magazines. One does not reload
with empty magazines, so it should not be so in practice. Dummy cartridges can
be obtained from the same sources as snap caps, or can be manufactured if one
is a reloader. I use cartridges reloaded with appropriate real projectiles sans
primer and powder. My manufactured dummy rounds for this purpose are all marked “DUMMY” on
the side of the case with a blue Sharpie pen, and projectiles are likewise colored
blue. For dual purpose training aids on the cheap, dummy cartridges can be assembled
with short length of nylon rod of the appropriate diameter (available at any
hardware store) inserted into the primer pocket. The nylon rod will cushion the
firing pin fall and last for a good long while.
Apart from these items, the appropriate firearm, magazines, holsters, and magazine
pouches, are of course requisites, as is a container for live ammo downloading
at the entrance to the practice area for use when practicing with a carry weapon
that is normally kept loaded and on the person.
Dry Practice Safety Rules
This brings us to safety and prep. First and foremost, eliminate all sources
of live ammunition. When entering the practice area, download your carry firearm,
if appropriate, and place all rounds and loaded magazines into the live ammo
container at the entrance to your practice area or range. A sealed container
is best. Pat yourself down and check weapon condition before proceeding. Enter
your practice area. I keep dedicated practice magazines and snap caps/dummy
rounds in a box that gets placed on a stool in my practice area. Ensure that
this box
is visibly different from the live ammo container. Now, inspect all magazines
and training cartridges to be sure they are what they are supposed to be. Inspect
the primer
area of all dummy cartridges, and check weapon condition again. Do
this every time you begin practice. If, for any reason, you are interrupted
during your training, stop everything, and do not begin again until you have
come back
and completed the inspections again. Now conduct your training. Dry practice
sessions
should be no more than 15-30 minutes depending upon the discipline and intensity.
After this, we get into the realm of diminishing returns and incorrect repetition.
At the completion of training, Stop. Flip a mental switch
out of practice mode. No more trigger squeezes, no more manipulations. Check
weapon condition. Police
up training aids and store them. Exit the training area and place the weapon
in the desired condition at the live ammo area. Done.
So what do we actually “practice” in dry practice? As stated before,
these sessions can be put to a myriad of uses. I tend to begin and end each
and every session with pure fundamentals. Stance, grip, sight alignment, sight
picture,
slow steady trigger “roll”, drop the hammer/striker on a snap cap,
follow-through, recover, repeat. For pistol, I include dominant hand and less-dominant
hand only work as well. In the meat of my sessions, I pick out several items
to work on ahead of time and concentrate on these areas. This is a great opportunity
to work on presentations, especially in the case of pistol if you are unfortunate
enough to be limited to live fire at a facility that frowns on holster work.
End each presentation with sight alignment, sight picture, and I mix it up
between stopping there and continuing through to trigger actuation. This prevents
creating
a conditioned response of always pulling the trigger after presenting your
weapon. Work slowly and concentrate on form at first, gradually pick up to
full speed,
then push it past your limits a bit. Don’t get too carried away here,
and if form deteriorates, it’s time to pull it back. After pushing it
past the redline, I always come back to slow and deliberate again, and finish
with
normal full speed. This formula works for just about any area in which you
wish to increase speed. Rifle bolt manipulations for hunting arms, tactical
and speed reloads,
malfunction drills, assuming firing positions, and many other drills can be
incorporated. Drills do not always have to include trigger actuation. One of
my staples is
multiple target drills where I simply practice taking a sight picture on each
of several Aimpoints, working on decreasing my target to target splits. Your
imagination is the limit here, and further guidance on dry practice drills
can be obtained from numerous books by the best and brightest in the shooting
world.
On frequency of practice, this is up to the shooter. When deployed in harm’s
way, I have dry practiced nearly every day in one form or another with primary
and/or
secondary weapons systems. When stateside, my frequency drops off a bit depending
on the minutiae of everyday life, but at a minimum, I can find at least one
or
two times a week to devote to dry practice, no matter how hectic things get,
and usually more. It’s not hard to find 30 extra minutes a week if you
make it a priority. This small investment in time will quickly show its many
rewards in your live fire training. Remember to use a safe backstop, separate
yourself from all live ammo, check and recheck weapon condition in all phases
of practice, and remember, above all, that you are handling a live firearm—do
not treat it as anything else, and remember to observe all basic safety rules.
« Letter Re: It Looks Like the End is Beginning |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Gun Show Report--The Full Capacity Magazine Feeding Frenzy Continues
Mr. Rawles:
I took your
advice you posted last year and have been investing in some high cap
magazines. I've bought about $2,000 worth since the [November 2008 presidential]
election,
and I haven't had any second thoughts. Thank you sir, your advice is making
me a tidy profit. The 75-round
Romanian [RPK]
drums that I bought for $135 each the day after the election are now going
for $250
each.
And the
31-round
Glock 9
milly magazines
that I paid $33.50 each for are now going for $65 each. Oh, I found +2 [magazine
floorplate extension]s for those, so now they are all 33 rounders. I figure
those mags will
be over $100 each in a couple of months.
My real coup de largesse was this past weekend, when I went to a
local gun show here in Texas. (There is a gun show just about every weekend,
somewhere
in Texas. Some just take a day of driving to get to!) The place was a mad house. It
took 30+ minutes to stand in line just to pay to get in the door. People were
buying mil surplus ammo and magazines like crazy.
Basically the ammo and mags were all sold out by noon on Saturday. And most
of the "black guns" were sold
out
buy
the
time they closed the doors Saturday night. Prices on magazines have basically
doubled since the election.
Anyway, just after the show opened,
I was scanning the tables, looking for high cap magazines--what else--when
I spied
a Mini-14 GB
stainless, with an original Ruger-made 30-round magazine tucked up next to
it. I was about to ask [the seller] if he'd sell the magazine separately, when I glanced
at
the
gun's
price
tag:
$400! I just about died of an infarction on the spot. That is a great price
on a fairly scarce model. (The "GB" is the LEO-sales
model, with factory-installed flash-hider.) The seller--a nice old gentleman
and
a Korean War vet--said that
he had put
less
than 500 rounds through it. The rifle's looks matched the story, so I whipped
out
four Franklins and a copy of my driver's license to show I was
"Free, white and 21". Anyway, we got all set (private party sale--my only way
to business) to get the gun out the door, and the old timer says, "Oh
wait, don't forget the [factory shipping] box, and the magazines, they come
with
it." He
reaches under the table and lifts up a shoe box full of original Ruger 20s
and 30s,
some of
them
still
in
the white boxes! I nearly had a second heart attack. There were
11 [magazines in the box, of which] six were 30 rounders. That's like $900
worth of magazines,
these days! Later at the show I also scored four 20 round Beretta M92 "Robocop"
mags, two [Steyr] AUG 42-rounders
for $30 each, five AR-10 mags
(for just $40 each--I've seen them advertised on Buddy's board for $80 apiece!),
a
half-dozen
"Okay
[Industries]" M16 mags,
and big box of nearly new [Austrian] STG[-58] FN/FAL magazines--which
for some weird reason are still around $15! I bought
23 of those. I talked the guy down to $12 per, since I cleaned
him out.
Speaking of FAL .308 mags, my next purchase (already agreed, by phone) will
be a DSA [FN/]FAL clone. I have to drive 115 miles each way to pick it up.
I found it private party, [listed] on GunsAmerica.com.
I'm now tapped out, but my dad
is
lending
me the cash. I explained the situation, and he says that it is wise to buy
it. [He said:] "We'll have a good chuckle about the price, in a year or two!"
Here is my strategy on mags: Buy what you can, while you can--while
prices are still halfway reasonable. I don't own a Beretta
92, an AR-10, or an AUG, but I figure I can always trade [for what I need] later.
And I practically had to buy that FAL, since I found all those magazines.
(What a great excuse to buy a gun.) My only regret is that I didn't have
the cash to buy more magazines
at the show.
At
the rate
prices
are zooming,
Beta [C-MAG]s will pretty soon be back to $750 apiece, just like during the
[1994 to 2004 Federal "Assault weapons" and 11+ round magazine]
ban. .
Thanks again for your advice, sir. Your were right about silver. You were
right about magazines. And for that matter you were right about derivatives,
too. The world seems more and more like the first chapter
of "Patriots"
every day. (What, were you psychic?) I'm taking [your novel] to heart. I got
all my "beans", and "bullets" in hand, now I just have to work on the "Band-aids".
Thank
You,
Sir!
- Matt
E. in Texas
(Soon to be a 10 Cent Challenger and an Appleseed qualified rifleman.)
JWR Replies: I'm glad to hear that you stocked up. You won't
regret it. Those extra magazines will make fine barter items, both before and
after a "Crunch." OBTW, I'm not the only that is one advocating investing in
magazines. The following is
from
a
recent
e-newsletter from firearms training guru Gabe
Suarez:, advocating preparedness: "...Then get as many magazines
as you can justify. Glock magazines are going for about $35 now. A year ago
they
were
under $20, and dealer price two years ago was about $12! At the height of the
assault on freedom known as the Crime Bill, they were selling for $125. Forget
Ameritrade, buy magazines."
« Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood Survival -- Part Deux - Galt's Gulch vs. Idiocracy, by E.B.
Introduction
This is a response to a
previous article written by the esteemed
Dr.
Richard of the Virginia Prepper's Network. Dr. Richard and I agree completely
on a
great many issues but disagree on the issue of the Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood
Survival. Here are my thoughts on the issue:
Dr. Richard makes some good points with respect to the desirability of an
informed and prepared neighborhood, but in the end it all depends on your particular
neighborhood and neighbors. Because I saw the collapse coming in 2005 I sold
my home in Northern Virginia at what the Washington Post called the
absolute peak of the market and put the proceeds into physical gold and silver
when
gold was trading around ~$400 an ounce and silver at ~$7. BTW, the guy who
bought my home tried to sell it less than a year later for significantly less
and could find no buyers. My goal was to move to low cost Austin, Texas where
I could be near my dad’s ranch which I could then get prepped to survive
the coming economic collapse. Unfortunately my wife thought I had gone completely
insane which along with other disagreements on the health of our children (She
believes in vaccination, sugar, aspartame, fluoride and AMA monopoly medicine
and I don’t) led to a divorce. Now I rent a single family home to be
near my ex-wife and kids where I can spirit them to safety when the SHTF. While
I have never been to Dr. Richard’s neighborhood the detailed description
(cul de sac, all single family homes on relatively large lots, high income/
high IQ neighbors in a development of less than 400 homes in a somewhat rural
area) sounds infinitely more survivable than mine.
My situation is much different. My neighborhood is a mix of single family
homes and townhouses with a much greater density than Dr. Richard describes.
The neighborhood is lower income / lower IQ as well. There is an apartment
complex about a mile away and I once found a cocaine baggie in the parking
lot while jogging through it one day. Unfortunately because I am so busy I
haven’t met as many of my neighbors as I would like and the ones that
I have met are essentially completely clueless to the realities of the world.
My neighbor with the most raw intellectual horsepower is a software architect
in IP security but he still hasn’t figured out that fire can’t
melt structural steel and giggled when I tried to explain the realities of
9-11. He is morbidly obese, addicted to sugar and nicotine, and completely
unarmed. Not exactly the guy you want to have your back fending off looters
and brigands. My second smartest neighbor is an engineer for an IP hosting
company. I spent 30 minutes one day taking him through the physics of WTC 7
and how 47 story modern steel framed skyscrapers don’t collapse completely
and symmetrically into their own footprints at freefall speed defying the laws
of physics. I thought I saw a glimmer of understanding but I never heard back
from him. I am assuming he went back to the TeeVee set. When I jog through
the neighborhood at night the street is lit up with the glow of flat screen
mental prisons.
Anyone that has ever unplugged someone from the matrix understands how difficult
and time consuming it can be to educate and free a single mind. I have a good
friend who is an entrepreneur/small business owner and has held VP level positions
at international networking companies. I have been working on him for years
and even after his son had a febrile seizure 24 hours after getting vaccinated
he is mad at me for trying to warn him and continues to see the same doctor
that potentially crippled his son. My ex-wife has P.hD and I can’t get
her to stop giving our kids fluoridated water even though the practice is opposed
by 14 Nobel Laureates, 2,100+ health professionals, and the EPA’s own
scientists through their union. If I can’t convince my own ex-wife to
quit giving her kids water “medicated” with a chemical used as
rat and roach poison which has been linked to lower IQ in 23 peer reviewed
studies from around the globe then how I am going to educate and convince dozens/hundreds
of acquaintances and strangers on the realities of the world.
So, since neighborhood survival is not an option for me then creating a survival
retreat with a self-selected group of individuals is my #1 strategy for survival
in an economic collapse. Compare some of the qualities and skill sets of our
group and those we are speaking with vs. the TeeVee bums in my neighborhood.
• A general contractor who is a firefighter / EMT in his community with
skills in general carpentry (framing, form, and trim), basic electrical, plumbing,
HVAC, masonry, roofing, and siding. Skilled in basic small engine repair, hand
tools, and appliances. He is taking classes in sustainable agriculture and
automotive repair.
• A retired naval Commander (helicopter pilot) with special operation experience
that has been working on his retreat for years.
• A world class software and information security architect.
• A C-level executive and former military intelligence officer.
All are completely aware, completely awake, completely armed, with good to
excellent preps and are already in high gear improving their skills and doing
what it takes to get ready for the coming collapse.
Now add the advantages that a remote survival retreat offers over attempting
to survive in an area populated with completely clueless starving TeeVee bums.
•
Security – Hidden from looters and brigands who would be more than willing
to kill for your stored food and supplies.
•
Rural Location – Self-sufficient agriculturally with farmers, dairymen,
and cattle ranchers. Plentiful wild game and plentiful wild edible plants.
•
Self-selected compatriots – Honest, trustworthy companions that are completely
prepped for the collapse and have a diverse blend of excellent skills to weather
the storm.
•
Designed for a collapse – Wood stove, solar power, well water, fruit
trees already planted, etc.
So while I wish Dr. Richard the best of luck I am headed to Galt’s Gulch
with other members of the intelligentsia. It doesn’t mean that I am not
willing and/or trying to help my neighbors, in fact I am having a large number
of them over next week to try to explain the realities of the coming collapse
but at the end of the day I must protect my family and myself and a self-selected
group of intelligent people awake to the realities of the world secure in a
remote retreat represents the best odds of survival.
Even if you are going to bug out here are some tips to help the folks who must
prepare for themselves:
Educate, Educate, Educate - Give DVDs, send links to web sites like this, Virginia
Prepper's Network, SurvivalBlog, WhatReallyHappened.com, InfoWars.com, and
SteveQuayle.com. When you pass along DVDs specify that the recipient must pass
it along to someone else and specify that the next recipient must pass it along
as well.
Share your Bounty and Improve Your Own Chances - I am sharing some of my storable
food with a neighbor with the caveat that we would share when the SHTF. If
I successfully bug out then they keep all the food for themselves. If I am
trapped in the neighborhood then I have improved my chances for survival with
diverse food stores.
Arm Them With Knowledge - Take your neighbor to the Appleseed Project and turn
a rifle owner into a Rifleman.
Plant an oversize or community garden - Share the costs of sod, seeds, and
the rental of a tiller.
Store Extra Preps for Friends and Charity - I have stored extra food for charity
and even stored items like diapers and wipes for a low income couple who live
in my neighborhood. I have cached food, money, and silver for the employees
of my business as well in a location they can access in an emergency.
« Letter Re: Gaining Situational Awareness and Old-Time Knowledge |Main| Note from JWR: »
Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals, by Eli
I sat down to see what I could offer to share with other SurvivalBlog readers.
Many topics have already been covered, so I will attempt to go somewhere new.
I am a law enforcement officer by trade, and hope to provide a unique perspective
as such. I have seen shootings, stabbing, burglaries, robberies, etc. I have
served both search and arrest warrants. I work in the southwest US, and have
worked in very affluent areas as well as very poor areas. What follows are
some observations of my time on the job, relating to a few different areas
and crimes that occur. Hopefully some people will get something out of this.
None of this is to be construed as legal advice, strictly observations. All
are very applicable to everyday life, and will be highly applicable at TEOTWAWKI .A good teacher once said “I am not showing you the way, only
A way.” I
apologize in advance if I jump around between topics:
1- SHOOTINGS-
Of all the shootings I have seen, whether officer involved or not, shot placement
has been the key to success (success being the death or incapacitation of attacker).
Regardless of bullet or weapon type, a solid hit will end a fight. I have seen
Black Talon .45 ACP ammo through the stomach fail to incapacitate someone, as
well as .223s with poor shot placement fail to stop an attacker. Both subjects
lost a lot of blood, but were able to continue to fight. A few recent shootings
involved 9mm FMJ ammo. All were fatal, and all were solid hits to the heart/lung
area. The take home lesson is that shot placement is key to survival, regardless
of caliber. Obviously, proper ammo choice with proper shot placement is best.
(I know it has been discussed before, but bird shot is not an effective defense
load)
So how can we improve our shot placement? Shoot more. Dry fire. Practice. Then
practice some more. If you do not shoot, learn. Whether you are a beginner or
advanced shooter, do not forget to work on the basics- sight alignment and trigger
control. There is no substitute for trigger time and fundamentals. 22 conversion
kits are widely available for many guns for practice at reduced cost. AR-style
sights are also available for 10/22s if you prefer that route over a conversion
kit. Shorter, more frequent practice sessions are more beneficial than infrequent
longer sessions, whether live or dry fire.
After improving static shooting skills, focus on stress shooting. Attend a training
course. Practice what you learn in the course. A 2-4 day course will expose you
to a lot of new ideas. It is up to you to reinforce them [with practice] when
you
return home. Only through repetition will these movements become second nature.
Join
a local
IDPA league.
The stress of competition will help. Become physically fit. Studies with police
and simmunition/judgmental shooting scenarios showed that the more
physically fit an individual, regardless of all other factors, the more likely
they were to succeed on the simmunition portion and the less mistakes they made
on the judgmental portion. (Think about how sports teams make more mental errors
late in a game when fatigue sets in) All subjects showed an immediate increase
in heart rate and blood pressure. The more fit individuals showed a more rapid
return to normal levels, often before the end of the scenario. Combine physical
exertion with shooting. Try doing sprints/pushups/jumping jacks, then shooting.
Use your imagination.
Learn to clear a malfunction on your weapon. All guns will jam at some point.
Ejected shells have bounced off walls and landed back in an open recoiling action.
Strange things happen. Know your chosen weapon’s action of arms. Learn
to do so with economy of movement. You can purchase dummy rounds or assemble
them from spent cases. Throw a few into your magazine next time you shoot, and
clear the malfunctions as they happen. It will also show any flinching problems.
Teach someone else to shoot. You will be amazed at how much you will learn teaching
someone else.
2-BURGLARIES
A-Points of entry-
Residential burglaries are an all too common occurrence. The most common points
of entry I have seen are door and open windows. For some reason, crooks have
an aversion to breaking windows on houses, though it will happen. (Perhaps
the Broken Window Theory is true…) “Smash and Grab” activity
does happen, but tends to be more vehicle related. (Practice good OPSEC in
your vehicle.
Do not leave valuables in plain view. Do not place gun stickers on your vehicle,
etc)
A few bad guys that have been willing to talk have mentioned that you
can shut a door after kicking it in, but a broken window is harder to hide
from neighbors.
Go and look at your front door. Find your lock plate. When a door is forced,
this is the part to give, with the plate coming loose and breaking the trim.
Get a screw driver, and remove one of the screws. Realize that this is what
is securing your front door. Now go buy longer screws, and replace them immediately.
A security door is also a huge plus, as it opens out and requires different
techniques
to remove. They are not fool proof, but do more to make someone choose another
house which is the ultimate goal.
Open windows are the other really common method of entry. Any time any work
is done on your house, check all of your windows. It is disturbingly common
for
workers or anyone in your home to leave a window open in a unused room, or
unlock a seldom used door and then return later. Follow workers when they are
in your
house (Side note on this… I recently had a water heater replaced. I would
have done it myself, but it was still under warranty and was free. While chit-chatting
with the worker, he asked if I was a cop. I told him no, then asked why. He
replied that the only people who watch him work tend to be cops. Just like
you are observing
others, do not forget that you are being watched as well.) Sterilize your house
prior to allowing workers in. Do not leave out firearm accessories, bank statements,
etc. Bars on windows are also effective in limiting possible points of entry.
They may be against fire code (check your jurisdiction), and reduce points
of exit as well. Roll shutters are another really good option here. Many newer
homes
have a window to the side of the front door. Consider a metal grate or something
similar inside to prevent breaking the window, then undoing the locks. These
windows, even when frosted, also provide a visible indicator about how many
people/when someone is coming to the door, eliminating surprise.
B- What is taken
Cash, firearms, jewelry, electronics, tools, credit cards, personal info, bank
statements. Anything that they can pawn or trade for drugs. If you go on vacation,
take your spare vehicle keys with you. A recent trend has been to load up the
second car parked in the cover of the garage, then drive it away with all of
your stuff. Buy a gun safe, preferably a heavy one. Don't forget to lock your
safe (No, I am not kidding about this.) Bolt your safe down. I have seen studs
cut
from
the
wall
to remove a safe. I personally have not seen one pried from the floor yet,
although I am sure it has happened. Bolt it to both floor and walls
and be safe. Write your serial numbers
down also, especially for firearms. (Be very careful with this list,
for obvious reasons, especially with private party gun sales. Keep a copy somewhere
other than your safe also) It is very hard to prove ownership or log an item
as stolen without the serial number.
3-ROBBERIES
Robberies occur all the time, everywhere. Situational awareness is the most
beneficial for preventing these. You are most vulnerable at times of preoccupation.
Fumbling
with keys, exiting/entering a car or residence, running with your headphones
on, etc Carry bags in a manner to leave your gun hand free, assuming you are
carrying concealed. Pay attention. Pause before entering exiting anywhere.
Stop, look, and listen. Take a few seconds to do this anytime you enter or
exit anything.
Make it a habit. You see all the time on surveillance footage of people walking
into a liquor store as it is being robbed. Try to stop, look and listen before
you enter the store. After you enter, step to one side and do it again. Park
in well lit areas. When in your vehicle, keep your doors locked. Do not pull
up directly behind the car in front of you and box yourself in. Know where
exits are in restaurants and businesses. Listen to your hunches. Home invasion
robberies
are increasingly common as well. Security doors pay huge dividends here. Even
a highly trained SWAT team
either has to pry or yank these with a vehicle, before dealing with the interior
door. This buys you time. Time equates to
distance
and options, which equate to safety. Have a dog, and lock all of your gates.
See above about window bars. A fenced yard helps. Most states have laws that
recognize fenced yards as having a higher expectation of privacy than a non-fenced
yard, and a corresponding reduced standard for lethal force action inside said
fence. (i.e. the "reasonable person" test, an intruder climbing over a locked
gate into a yard with a dog would be expected to be a greater threat than an
intruder
that
was at the front window of an unfenced yard.)
It is not unreasonable if the “police” come
to your door to ask to see a badge, preferably a commission card, as these
have an officer’s photo. Look though a different window and see if a
car is outside. Call the agency they say they are from and verify they are
who they
say they are. If in doubt, wait and verify. Keep your doors locked when you
are home, not just when you leave or before bed.
Police are not trained to look for "bad guys." They are trained to
analyze behavior and patterns. When something looks out of place, it is cause
for concern.
4-BUILDING CLEARANCE/HOME DEFENSE
A-Offensive
I work nights, so most of this section will be related to this. I have approached
many houses. Let me walk you through what is typical for my squad. Hopefully
it will grant some insight into the mind and method of potential attackers.It
starts outside of the residence, down the street. Turn off your vehicle lights
before you turn onto the street. Park your vehicle so it is not in plain view.
Take advantage of other parked cars, as well as the shadows in between street
lights to conceal your car. Exit the vehicle quietly. Do not slam your doors.
Turn of/disable your vehicle dome light prior to opening your door. Secure any
loose or rattling equipment. Stop, look, and listen while still at your car.
Let your eyes adjust. Identify the target residence. Depending on the threat
level of the suspect or call type we number anywhere from two to six. Approach
the house, again taking advantage of lighting and concealment. At the house,
stop, look and listen. Are there motion lights? Video cameras? Is there a fence?
Is the entire yard fenced? Is the gate locked? Are there cars in the driveway?
Are the hoods warm? Most residences have an exposed front and a fenced back yard,
so we will assume that is the case. Is there an alley? If so, send one or two
people to cover points of exit/look through rear windows. What do you hear? Television?
Fighting? Screaming? A shower? A racking shotgun? Whispering? Is there a barking
dog? (Pepper spray is effective and commonly used to silence barking dogs. Many
SWAT teams now carry suppressed weapons strictly for this purpose. Many cops
also carry dog treats.) Look at windows. Can you see through the blinds/curtains?
Do an experiment at your residence. Turn on an interior light in a room, and
go outside to the window. How much can you see in? Can you see through the corners?
What about where the curtains are supposed to come together at the bottom? Do
this for all the windows. What do you see inside? How many people? Men, women,
children? Are they calm? Are they armed? At the front door, we unscrew light
bulbs, adjust cameras, cover them with rubber gloves if they do not move. Spray
paint would be effective also at taking care of cameras that do not move. Consider
installing a light fixture with a completely surrounded bulb, one that takes
a screwdriver to change, or mounting it higher up.. When you knock on the door,
move away to a position of cover. Again, stop look and listen. Does the television go
off? Who yells to who to get the door? Corners of buildings provide more “cover” than
the middle of a wall, as most construction backs multiple 2x4 or 2x6’s
up at this location. Have someone watching through a window. Usually by shadow
or change in light you can tell when someone is coming to the door, and often
how many.
When entering a house
The most common mistakes when clearing a residence are noise discipline and speed.
Slow down. Do not move faster than you can take in important details. Be as
quiet as possible. The idea is to catch them before they catch you. They are
waiting
for
you. Do
not give them any advantage.
There is much debate about building clearance, and many schools of thought. Here
are some
universal points to all methods:
You need at least three people to be safe. Never search by yourself. More people
are better. Cover reflexive angles of one another. Smooth is the goal. Do not
stand near the walls. You do not want to risk giving away a position by running
your equipment against a wall. This also gives you more options should you engage
and have to move. Move slowly (one minute per hundred square
feet is not unreasonable).
When “pieing” [or "pie slicing"] a room, examine each new
degree
of
the
pie from top to bottom , and back again. Hunters will understand this better,
but
you
are
not looking for a whole person. You are looking for parts. A toe, an ear, an
elbow. Likewise, when clearing, have your upper body move before your lower body
(i.e., lean and clear, then move your feet underneath you….repeat….practice
with a friend/spouse or a mirror [with and absolutely cleared and double-checked
firearm])
and keep your elbow tucked under your weapon, so the first thing the bad guy
will
see
is half
the
barrel
of your
gun
and half
of that eye. (Notice I said “that” eye. Learn to shoot with
your off hand, and practice. It is impossible to safely clear a house with the
gun
in
one hand the entire time.) Practice house clearing. Get a friend, family member.
Go through your home. Go through theirs. Take turns being the good guy/bad guy.
Do it during the day. Do it at night. Repeat. People hide in all sorts of places.
Cupboards, washing machines, inside couches, between mattresses, etc. Do not
move past anything you have not cleared. You do not want to be worried about
something behind you while clearing. If a door is locked and you have to bypass
it, get creative. Lean something up against the door so you will know if it is
opened behind you. Tie it shut. Do not make more noise than you need to. Do not
be afraid to kneel or squat when pieing. People are expecting certain things.
Think outside the box.
As far as lights go, there are two schools of thought. The first, turn on lights
as you enter the room. You can see, but the enemy can also. The second, use a
weapon mounted or handheld light. You can illuminate an area, kill the light,
then move. Try both and see what you prefer.
B-Defensive Measures
Consider all of the proceeding section of what attackers do. Apply this to
your
home. Imagine you are at home, watching television. The neighbor’s dog
starts
barking, or your's does. The dog suddenly stops. You still get up to investigate,
wisely.
You go to turn on your outside light, and the bulb does not work. At this point
in time the hair on the back of your neck should be standing up. Pay attention
to all of the small things. You check your security camera, and suddenly it’s
looking at a view of the wall. If a security camera is not working, blocked,
etc, lights not working, dog stopped barking (or still barking like mad) these
are
clues
to put on your vest and load your weapon. (You do always put on your vest and
grab your weapon when you go to investigate bumps in the night, right? )
Look at your home. Put up a fence around your entire yard. Build a full size
fence, not a half one. Clear an area for 8-to-10 feet on either side of the fence,
the
entire way around. Do not take the time to put up a fence and then provide an
easy means over it. Lock the gate. Get two or three large dogs and let them have
free
roam of the yard. They make “shake” alarms for fences that will go
off when the fence is disturbed. They can be made to ring your cell phone (As
in your phone rings, you answer, a computer voice states "You have a fence
activation on the north side of your property."). Look at your outside lights
also. Where are the dark spots? Where are blind spots that you cannot see from
your windows? Consider discrete mirrors in strategic locations to check blind
spots. Mount your lights high so they cannot be unscrewed, and get fixtures that
protect
the light bulb. Install security cameras. Consider a few camera pointed towards
your house, possibly under eaves or overhangs that will be easy to miss. Where
are your children’s rooms in relationship to yours? Where are the bullets
that you may be shooting going to be flying? What walls can be made bullet resistant?
I have been in homes where the people literally filled the half walls
at the top of the stair case with sand/sand bags to provide a fortified fighting
position
for the family. Other ideas include surplus vests, Kevlar sheeting,
etc stuffed
in this area. Another option is to fortify your children’s rooms if they
are on the other end of the home, but this also provides an intruder with a potential
stronghold. Consider interior flood lights. The same people with the sand bagged
half walls had flood lights above the stairs, facing down. With the positioning
of the lights, it blinded everyone to the defenders at the top of the stairs.
Every home has ambush spots. When you are practicing clearing your house, think
about what spots give you problems. Blind corners or multiple doors in close
proximity are nightmares while clearing. Find a spot on the far side of the room
or down a hallway where you can view these problem areas. One where you can view
a problem area and fortify is an ideal location. Stairwells make good options.
While you are practicing clearing your house with someone else, take turns being
the “bad guy.” See where you want to hide, where you have the best
advantage.
I hope this helps. People often talk about hardware versus software. In these
tough economic times, hardware is not easy to come by. Software is cheap. Try
to still obtain what you can when you can, but focus on learning skills--any skills.
Plant a garden. Change your oil. Help someone with a construction project.
Read a book. Learn to bake bread. Learn to distill alcohol. Reload. Take a
first aid course. Cook with your food storage. Volunteer somewhere where you
can
learn something. Practice bartering your skills for goods or services. YouTube
is an amazing resource out there if you are unsure how to do something and
don’t know anyone that can teach you. If you already have skills, teach
them (while still learning new ones.) Spread the word to those that will listen.
Post a youtube video about preparation, or about any skill that you have. Teach
someone to shoot. You can pick up a surplus Mosin-Nagant rifle and 500 rounds
of ammunition for around $150, depending on where you live. Encourage everyone
you know to buy one or two.)
TheBoxOTruth.com is
a great resource also regarding questions about ammo ("I wonder what
happens if I shoot layers of sheet rock with
"X" caliber...") Show your friends SurvivalBlog. Sow the
seeds of preparation in all you come across. Continue to prepare, pray,
and be safe. - Eli
« An Invitation to the Baen's Bar Forums, by Michael Z. Williamson |Main| Letter Re: Some Thoughts on Economic Stimulus, From a Macroeconomic Perspective »
Letter Re: Getting the Right Training and Preparing Methodically
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I wanted to thank you for what you are doing and your work. I think that the
reality is that you are saving a lot of people's lives in addition to helping
people to continue to be "in" the world but less and less "of" the
world. I have been able, in turn, to pass along to other people a lot of
things that I have learned from you and your readers, and I hope help them
to focus and remain calm in their preparations. (I have also pointed them
all to your web site).
Now three things that I have done/learned that I would pass along to your
readers:
1) I did get some guns and ammunition recently following the information I
learned from your web site and novel. Then I found a man that would teach me
basic marksmanship - again as your advice suggested, learn the tools you could
be relying on. After just one day of proper training I was shooting better
than 90% of the yahoos at the range that had far better gear than I have. It
cost
me a little money But I am better equipped, more confident, and have a foundation
to build upon - add each day I am at the range I am better and better. So I
would tell your readers that if they just "think" they know what
they are doing, then spend a little money and really learn what
you are doing.
2) I bought and read "Patriots". It was a good read, but sobering.
At the same time, it helped me frame better the "problem" I am trying
to solve. And while I hope it never gets that bad, it sure allowed me to get
some perspective
and begin to work things out in a way that fits my scenario. My advice would
be for others to get your book and read it.
3) I purchased the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course. When
I first started this process a few months ago, I was very overwhelmed. I noticed
your course and its price and I thought - "Too much." However, after
reading the blog for a month or so and after reading your your book, I felt
you could be trusted and that your course was not "hokey." I have
been very, very pleased. It is practical, well organized, and adaptable. There
is
a saying "How
do you eat an elephant? - One bite at a time." And your course helped
me to get things aligned so that I could eat things "One bite at a time."
I have been working on a one year preparedness program since the week after
Christmas. I am probably 75% of the way toward where I want to be. The remaining
25% is probably one-half just finishing purchasing and storing some things
and
one-half
understanding
if my retreat location can handle some of my "plans" and if not,
[then determining] what is Plan B.
My family and I would not be nearly so far along without your help. I wish
we had started this process long, long ago, but c'est la vie. We are
on our way now!
May God bless you and your family, Kind Regards, - Jay
« Letter Re: Advice on Shogun Selection--Do I Need a 3-1/2" Chamber? |Main| Product Review: Shelf Reliance Cansolidator, by Michael Z. Williamson »
Letter Re: Gun Ownership in Chile
Hello JWR,
I hope everything is going well for you and your family! Every day that passes
makes me realize how blessed I am to be out of the states and living at a great
retreat location in Chile.
I was reading your site yesterday and saw your article asking for information
about foreign gun laws. I recently purchased a new shotgun in Chile and will
share that experience with you. First, I don't think most Chileans follow the
gun laws here. The law is that you must register every weapon you own, and registration
is limited to three per person, but no limit per family. That means I could register
three in my name, three in my wife's name, etc. Laws state you must keep your
weapon in your home and if you transport in somewhere else, you must ask for
permission and get a form to do so. If you are stopped by the police and have
a weapon without the transport form, they have the right to seize it. (I have
been stopped many times for a registration check, and they have never searched
the vehicle or asked about weapons, so this is a very remote possibility in normal
times, IMHO).
From those restrictions, you can see why I feel most Chileans don't follow the
law. I wanted to ship down my grandfather's old Mossberg, but since it didn't
have a serial number, and the associated government paper hassle, I just bought
a new one here. When buying from a dealer, you have to follow the rules, and
being a foreign national residing here, I went along (for my first). I wanted
a basic Mossberg pump action 12 gauge, and the dealer informed me I had to pass
a hunting exam before I could buy the gun. He gave me some example tests, true-false
questions, and I went to register for the test. Not being a native spanish speaker,
I was a little worried about the exam. It cost about $24 US to get a study book
and pay for the test. The exam covered all the separate hunting laws for the
country, broken down by state. I had to know the dove daily limits for a region
1,500 miles from my house! Unbelievable. I managed to luck through the test and
pass with a 70%, even though none of the test questions given to me by the dealer
were on the test- wouldn't you know it!
Once I had my hunting license I returned to the gun dealer/ sport shop. I paid
for the gun, and then they took me to the local Chilean army office to register
it. On the way, the dealer casually mentioned I had to take a test there to ensure
I knew the proper care and maintenance of the shotgun I was buying! I had no
idea what those names were, so I had about 10 minutes to learn what a sight,
breach, stock, etc were called in spanish, and I lucked my way through another
multiple choice test on basic maintenance, and how many shells I was able to
buy
at a time, etc. What a pain! Now you see why I think most chileans skip this
law. Everyone was quite nice and helpful, it was just the process that stank.
The next step was needing the police to check my residence on the application
to ensure that I lived there. Well, I live 150km from this town, and I could
not take possession of my gun until my residence was checked. For this reason
I used a friend's residence in the town. I was checked out and returned the next
morning for my shotgun. What an ordeal. Total cost, not including the shotgun
itself, was about $60 US. Fortunately, now I have my legally registered shotgun,
even though it is registered at a residence far far away, so it would take some
searching to find me if the officials were so inclined. Obviously my next weapons
purchase will be from an locals to skip the whole bureaucratic nightmare. Since
I live way off the beaten path and know the local police, I am not worried, but
the national system here is set up for potential confiscation if necessary- remnants
of the 1970's and the civil war/Pinochet days.
Hope you find this informative. Chile is a great country for old German rifles
and such like. I look forward to getting a Winchester .44-40, .357, and other
weapons off of the grid. I've actually had my folks bring down boxes of rifle
shells and deer slugs in their airline luggage- no problem with customs. In other
news, I now have my pigs, chickens, and the sheep are on the way! Fresh eggs
and ham through any crisis! Best wishes. - Bruce
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Gun Ownership in Chile »
Letter Re: Advice on Shogun Selection--Do I Need a 3-1/2" Chamber?
Jim:
I am soon buying my first shotgun and wanted to know if you would
recommend it. It is a Remington 870 Express Super Magnum which handles everything
from light 2-3/4" loads to heavy 3-1/2" magnums interchangeably, in
a ribbed 28" barrel. I am looking at it for home defense. Best regards, - Greg
JWR Replies: The 3-1/2 inch chamber is only an issue here
in the US when shooting at high-flying ducks and geese, using the now-mandatory
steel shot. For home defense, a
3" chamber,
or even a 2-3/4" chamber
on the older guns is sufficient. Don't pay extra for a gun with a 3-1/2"
chamber. Spend the difference on getting a spare 20" barrel with slug
sights. That is the barrel that you will want for home defense. OBTW, for
the greatest versatility, try to get all barrels with "Rem-Choke" screw-in
choke
tubes.
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Bloom Where You're Planted, by Gertrude
I write this to encourage everyone to begin preparing right now, whatever your
financial situation and physical location in life. We are one of the many
families that don’t live in a sparsely populated western state and
don’t
have a retreat that is fully stocked, off-grid and off-the beaten path. But
we are very aware of the precarious situation that our country is in and we are trying as best we can to be prepared. Doing a little
bit consistently every day will add up very quickly and you will be better
prepared every day as you go along. Doing this will also do wonders for your
mental outlook.
To give a little background: our household consists of my mother and myself,
along with four cats, three dogs and a flock of chickens. My mother is 79 years
old and I’m a retired 57-year old woman. My sister and brother-in-law live about a half-mile
away and our niece and her husband live next door. Both of my parents grew
up on farms and we always had a big garden and plenty of fruit trees when I
was a child. We live in a semi-rural area about three miles from a small town.
There are no interstate highways nearby.
The people here in our community are pretty self-reliant. People still hunt,
fish, and grow and preserve their own vegetables and fruits (although not as
much as in the past). We have about five acres of land with a small fruit orchard
and garden area. We don’t have any mortgages or car payments to worry
about, but we also don’t have the financial resources to retreat to another location. Are we fully prepared? Of course not. I don’t
think anyone is ever fully prepared, but we are much better prepared than we
were last year and we were better prepared last year than we were the year
before
that. This is because of consistently doing something every day to prepare.
As I sit here typing this, our supper is cooking on the wood stove while my
mother is in the living room quilting and our alarm systems--our three dogs--are
outside keeping an eye on things. The coffee pot is ready to go on the stove
for supper later. The chickens are happily occupied in their area. Our pantry
is stocked with wheat, rice, beans, store-canned goods as well as home-canned
vegetables, fruits, and meats and various other food and non-food items. We
have another separate storage area for paper products, medical supplies, batteries,
cleaning supplies, etc.
We didn’t have the wood stove, chickens or bigger-than-average pantry
storage a few years ago. Back then I would have said we were above-average
in “preparation mentality” but my eyes were opened when I began
doing research on the subject of preparedness. It began when I wanted to be
prepared
to
survive a possible flu pandemic. I quickly learned of other things, such as the possibility of EMP strikes,
electric grid
going down in general, Peak
Oil problems, you name it. My first reaction was
one
of panic, but that subsided as my mother and I began “putting feet on our
prayers.” We started small, buying more food each week when grocery shopping.
Then we decided to go “whole hog.”
The first thing we did was buy a wood stove. We now have three heating systems:
[a heating] oil furnace, gas logs operated on propane and the wood stove. We
use the wood stove most of the time in the winter now. Although it’s
not a [broad-top] cook stove, we do very well cooking meals on it. We perk
the coffee for supper most nights even if we don’t cook the main meal
on it. We have lots of wood on our land, but aren’t physically able to
cut the wood ourselves so we buy it locally, and my brother-in-law has supplied
us with wood (my sister and he have a wood stove too). We have three able-bodied
men in the family (brother-in-law, nephew-in-law and nephew) who can and will cut wood if need be.
The next thing we did was install a manual well pump. We’re on well water
but we needed a way to get the water if the grid goes down. I began researching
manual
well pumps and my brother-in-law installed one for us. Last summer, we
worked on what has probably been the biggest project of them all: building
a chicken house and fenced-in chicken yard. Our chickens are what I suppose
you’d call semi-free range. They have a 24x24 foot yard to roam in. My
mother was the chief architect. She designed the chicken house herself. We
first had to clear the land, then we prepared the foundation for the house.
After that came the actual building of the chicken house.
Although we have a pick-up truck, my nephew was using it at the time, so I
would go to the local Big Box building center and buy as much wood as I could
fit into the car and bring it back. We’re proof that you can pretty much
do what you set your mind to do if you’re determined enough. We worked
steadily every day except Sundays at building the chicken house and got it
done. Then we had to clear the land for the chicken yard, and after doing that
we began digging the holes for the fence posts. The only thing we had any outside
help with was installing the poultry wire for the fence. We needed my niece
and her husband to help us get that pulled tight enough. We finished the entire
operation by putting netting over the entire chicken yard to keep out hawks.
We now have a great flock of chickens. As I write this, we have about eight
dozen eggs in the refrigerator. We share [the eggs] with my sister and husband,
my
niece and her husband and my nephew and his wife. The dogs also get a scrambled
egg dinner about once a week. We haven’t bartered any eggs yet, but we
know that’s a possibility down the road if economic conditions warrant
it.
Somewhere in the midst of all this preparation, we bought a Country
Living grain mill (the manual kind). Mother has done most of the grinding
so far. She’s baked whole-wheat rolls and loaves of bread with the wheat
we bought and ground ourselves – yummy!
Our garden suffered last summer, because we were so busy getting the chicken
flock project set up. Our goal for this summer is to have as big a garden as
we can manage. We do have a stock of garden seed laid back. We’ve already
stocked up on lots of canning jar lids. We already had a good supply of canning
jars and rings but I plan on stocking up on those, as well.
One of the big things we need to do next is prepare in the area of self-defense.
We have a rifle and recently bought a S&W 9mm handgun. We also have my
late father’s 38 Special revolver. We have magazines and ammo and plan
on stocking more ammo. My brother-in-law (a former Marine) is going to train
me on the handguns and rifle. If there is one thing I regret in life it is that I didn’t take advantage of the fact that my
late father, who was a police officer, wanted to train me in the use of firearms,
but I was a wimp. I’ve always believed in the right to bear arms, but
was actually a little afraid of using guns, mainly because I’m so nearsighted.
But I’ve gotten over that now. After one very short session with my brother-in-law
going over firearm basics with me, I’m excited about getting proficient
in their use because I can actually understand how the darn things work now!
I believe we’re doing pretty good at blooming where we’re planted.
We can garden, sew, quilt, cook (don’t laugh – a lot of people
don’t
know how to do that!), crochet, can and preserve food, and we’ve don
pretty well at carpentry. In addition to my retirement pension, I also have
a second
stream of income doing manuscript typing at home.
To summarize, I encourage anyone who feels paralyzed by current events to
get up and get going. Start small: buy a few extra groceries each time you
shop; stock up on non-perishables; prepare a first aid kit; and take a first
aid course. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. And, most importantly
of all, never stop learning. Before you know it, you’ll be a lot more prepared than you ever knew you could be. - Gertrude
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Two Letters Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale »
Four Letters Re: Preparedness Through Tapping in to the Craig's List Culture
Sir;
By way of profession, I am a CPA (M.S. in Taxation), economic survivalist
by persuasion. One thing you may want to caution readers about is the Internal
Revenue Services' position on bartering income. Always, always, always talk
to a competent tax advisor regarding your particular situation. Under the current
administration, self-sufficiency activities such as bartering with others for
services or goods may be considered a reportable and taxable activity on the
part of both parties.
Just a "heads up" to all, we all want to stay within the letter of
the law. Thanks for the listen - C.
Sir,
Craigslist can be frustrating, for example, you see a super deal, you
call early, have the cash and can buy now, but the seller says, "well,
some guy called at 6 a.m. and is coming to buy it this Sunday. Sorry." Out
of politeness, you didn't want to call at 6 am, but because you didn't, you
lost the ability to buy the item because the seller is a "first call-first
serve" seller, and not a "first cash-first serve" seller.
On the other hand, it is irritating when you set an appointment, spend $20
on diesel to drive to the seller's home, and arrive to find someone else loading
the item in his truck. Maybe sellers ought to put a Terms-of-Service in their
ads! (I personally am a First-Cash seller, but cancel later appointments immediately
upon sale). - Willow, in Texas
Jim:
[Because of their posting rules], one must be very circumspect in listing
or putting a "Want to Buy" (WTB) ad on Craigslist.com if
it concerns guns, ammunition, or reloading.
They will delete your posting in a "New York Minute". - D.O.
JWR Replies: I've seen the same thing happen, many times. Do
not mention firearms in the title line of any Craigslist post, even
if you live in an ultra-conservative state like Wyoming. Some hoplophobic do-gooder
will indeed zap your post almost immediately. I've heard that it is best
to "bury " mention of your willingness to swap "sporting goods" in
posts on other topics. For those that specifically want to trade a firearm
or ammunition, I recommend advertising on a regional gun board, such as the
Northwest Firearms Board. , or in one of the many local newspapers or
advertising giveaway papers (such as the "Nickel" and "Penny
Saver" type papers) that offer free or low-cost classified ads.
Mr. Rawles:
Even though Craigslist does
not allows firearms and ammunition advertisements, it is still beneficial sure
to check the Sporting Goods section. In my my local
Craigslist there are "47 speed bicycles, AK brand", and similar items regularly
for sale. - J.M.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Solar Water Disinfection and Pasteurization, by Ariel »
Letter Re: Advice on Accurizing a FAL or L1A1 Rifle
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I was lucky when I purchased a Century Arms L1A1 (British
Commonwealth inch pattern FN/FAL) Clone a few years back. Not only does it
function flawlessly,
it also can use both metric and inch pattern magazines reliably. I purchased
the rifle at a gun show for $400. Like I said, I was lucky.
I see that in the past few years you have changed from the M1A to the L1A1
as your primary weapon. I could do the same, if I could get anywhere near the
accuracy from the FAL that I get from my AR. But the accuracy of this ugly
FrankenFAL clone is just okay--not great, not terrible. I'd like to improve
upon that. Do you know of any reputable companies that sell accurized FAL uppers,
and would it be as easy to upgrade for accuracy as to simply add a new upper
(like with an AR) and maybe a trigger job?
Thanks, - Steve E., Loyal 10
Cent Challenge Subscriber
JWR Replies: Since the serialized upper receiver
on a FAL or L1A1 is legally the receiver, here in the US you can't just buy
one by mail order. (That is the part that is subject to FFL controls,
in interstate commerce). This is often confusing, because with the more ubiquitous
AR-family
rifles, things are just the opposite: The serialized lower is
restricted, but the unserialized upper is unrestricted. This is the case simply
because one day back in the 1950s, Eugene Stoner decided to stamp the serial
number on the convenient broad slab expanse of the trigger group ("lower
receiver") of his new AR-10 design,
rather than on the part that everyone else would consider the "receiver."--the
chunk of metal where the barrel is attached.
OBTW, if I ever establish my own Libertarian Seastead or island nation out
in the Pacific, I will decree that it is illegal to put serial numbers on any "Books" made
there. Then, we will proceed to shower the Peoples of the Earth with good tidings
of unregistered receivers, via convenient Internet mail order. (Yeah, I know,
only in my dreams...)
The accuracy problem with your Franken-L1A1 is likely due to just the
last 20 millimeters of barrel rifling, at the muzzle. L1A1 muzzles
were often butchered by the Neanderthal gunsmith imposters at Century Arms,
when they welded their ugly Section 992(r)-compliant intra-ban muzzle brakes
on.
So
I recommend
that you have a qualified gunsmith shorten your barrel by an inch, and either
crown it, or install a proper American-made L1A1 style flash hider, or install
a
Vortex-style flash hider from "Moses". You will likely see you
group size cut in half.
The trigger pulls on most FALs and L1A1s are usually decent, but if your rifle's
is particularly bad, then trigger work is available from T. Mark Graham at
Arizona Response
Systems (ARS).
Since the lower on a FAL or L1A1 is a non-restricted part (unlike an AR-15
or AR-10), you can mail the lower to ARS
for a trigger job with no lasting paper trail. I highly recommend their gunsmithing
and metal finishing work.
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Letter Re: Advice on AR-10 Rifles (Updated)
Mr. Rawles:
I'm thinking about buying a Bushmaster AR-10 type rifle that comes with with
one
clip.
What
features
should
I
look
for,
especially
these days? Are the magazines an issue? Thanks, - C. in Oregon
JWR Replies: Let me start with a pet peeve. The
terms clip and magazine are not synonymous. A clip holds
cartridges only at one end, whereas a magazine complete surrounds a cartridge.
In the
context of modern detachable magazine battle rifles, a clip is what
is used to fill a magazine. Please do not call a magazine a clip,
especially around children. They are impressionable, and I 'd hate to see
another generation growing up to use faulty nomenclature.
In today's frantic market the over-riding concern
for AR-10 buyers is interchangeability of magazines. Some
brands of AR-10s will accept inexpensive metric FN-FAL magazines, while others
will accept
only
purpose-built AR-10 magazines. Let me explain:
Only a few brands of AR-10s take the plentiful FN-FAL
magazines. The brands that can accept FAL magazines
are American Spirit, Bushmaster, and
Rock River Arms (RRA) . (BTW the
new RRA LAR-8 will take metric FAL mags and "inch pattern" L1A1 magazines,
with the large forward locking lug.) FAL magazines are still fairly inexpensive--as
little as $14 each. I recommend that you buy 25+ of them.
Someday, you'll be
glad
that
you
did.
The Armalite, Knight Armament (KAC), and DPMS brand AR-10s take only purpose-made
AR-10 magazines. As reader "Mr. Smith" pointed out, the KAC and DPMS can use
magazines interchangeably but the Armalite lower uses a magazine that is not
compatible with the other two. M14 magazines
can be converted, but only to fit the Armalite AR-10.
Mr. Smith also mentioned that CMMG
is about to produce AR-10 lowers that will take very inexpensive German Army
surplus G3 magazines! These are compatible with DPMS
upper
receivers. For anyone that plans to build a new AR-10, this is the lower
to use! It is noteworthy that
CMMG also makes a lower that is compatible with DPMS-type AR-10 magazines.
MagPul Industries announced 7.62x51 polymer magazines for the KAC and DPMS
AR-10s at the 2009 SHOT Show. Based on the
track
record
of their
polymer 5.56
magazines, these should be great. They key question is: Will they make it into
production before a new Federal; ban is enacted?
The going rate for 20 round Armalite, KAC, and DPMS steel AR-10 magazines
is $65 to $75 each, and climbing. That means buying 20 spare magazines
will nearly double the acquisition cost of a rifle. Yikes! If you know
anyone that owns those brands of AR-10, tell them to buy plenty of spare
mags, soon.
After the upcoming ban, they
will be $200+ each. I'm not kidding.
The bottom line: In today's market, unless you are absurdly wealthy, you should
buy only AR-10s that can accept standard metric FN-FAL magazines, or HK G3 magazines!
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Letter Re: Mini-14s as Battle Rifles?
Hello,
Is a Ruger [Mini-14 .223] Ranch Rifle a good low cost battle rifle choice?
Apparently they are not for anything past "medium range". (Honestly I don't
know what that
means.)
Although the new Mini-14s [with] 580[-prefix] serial numbers are supposedly
more accurate at longer ranges than previous Ranch Rifles. I am interested
in
going to
an
Appleseed
event sometime later this year and was wondering if this might work for their
program. Also if it is a good gun I was going to go ahead and buy the 20 round
factory Ruger magazines. Thanks, - Clint C.
JWR Replies: In my opinion, even the latest production variants
of the Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle are a marginal compromise choice for a .223
battle rifle. But they might be a good choice for folks in California,
where many other semi-auto rifles are already banned
by state law. But be advised that they won't be exempt
from the proposed Federal ban. (Yes, "Ruger
Mini-14" is on the updated ban list. They made it under the radar
back in 1994, but they won't in 2009.)
The drawbacks to Mini-14 Ranch Rifles that I can see are:
1.) The fragile
flip-up rear sights on the earlier-production guns. Buy a couple
of spares, even if you plan to use the provided scope rings.
2.) Their expensive
magazines.
(Buy only original
Ruger-made 20 or 30 round magazines, and get at least eight of them.
(The after-market magazines are most often junk that often do not feed
properly.) AR-15s
are inherently more accurate than Mini-14s, but they
do
require more frequent cleaning. It is noteworthy that magazines for AR-15s
cost less than half as
much as original Mini-14 magazines.
3.) They lack a flash-hider. But this can
of course be quickly remedied with an aftermarket
flash hider (such
as those made by Choate), most of which do not require gunsmithing.
4.) Their marginal accuracy, compared to ARs. From what I've heard, with
the possible exception of the new 580-series (et sequitur), Mini-14s
shoot groups that average nearly twice as large as
an AR
with the same barrel length. This is a function of the barrel-to-stock contact
at the lug at the front of the handguard. (Design demerits to the late Bill
Ruger!) Yes, they can be tinkered with, but why pour money into a rifle to
make it shoot straight, when you can get the same accuracy "right out of the
box" with an AR?
5.) They lack the ubiquity of the AR-15 series. This has implications
to everything from availability of magazines, to spare parts, to accessories
(you can get anything imaginable for an AR), and to even training. Anyone that
is prior US military service from around 1966 onward will likely already know
how to handle, shoot, zero, and field strip an AR, because they
are mechanically almost identical to M16s and M4s. In contrast, Mini-14 mechanical
training is something that is well-known by former prison guards, more
than anyone else.
So, all in all, I'd opt for an AR-15 clone or M4gery rather
than a Mini-14. The AR's accuracy, profusion of available spare
parts, and readily-available magazines gives them the edge.
But again, for
someone living
in one of the
gun-deprived states,
a Mini-14
might make sense. The other notable exception is in tropical
climates,
where if you buy the
all-stainless steel composite-stock Mini-14 variants, they'll
have better long-term resistance to corrosion than ARs.
As preciously discussed in SurvivalBlog, the next step
up from an AR or AK would
be an HK91 clone,
such as those made by PTR91 Inc. (Formerly JLD), and up until some recent legal trouble, by Vector Arms. The 7.62mm NATO cartridge is far
more capable than 5.56mm NATO,
especially beyond 250 yards. The magazines for HKs are also dirt
cheap. (As little as $5 each for German surplus G3 alloy
magazines. That might make a big difference in the near future, since
another 11+ round magazine production ban looks very likely.) I'd recommend
buying an HK91 clone if you can afford it--that is if
you
can even find one,
is today's frantic market.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| More Predictions for 2009, by Roger Wiegand »
Another SurvivalBlogger's Experiences at Front Sight
Mr. Rawles,
I finally had a chance to use the Front
Sight certificate that I won in your
writing contest. I took the Practical Rifle class and it was great. My shooting
improved dramatically in just a few days. I wanted to get out of the Washington, DC area for the inauguration of Barack
Obama and shooting an AR-15 rifle
seemed like an especially good diversion. Its a long trip for me but
it was worth it and I hope to make it again and send my boys when they are
old enough.
I was able to use frequent flyer miles for the ticket (my friends in the industry
encourage me to use them while I still can, which is not easy). The hotel was
discounted to about $45 per night, since the casinos are starting to hurt with
the worsening economy. The class itself was free [with the gray course certificate]
, but it did cost me about $250 for rifle rental and ammunition (bringing a
rifle would have meant another bag fee and possibly another fee for an oversized
bag.)
Anyway, I can say that the folks art Front Sight are a professional
organization and I recommend them highly. I thank you again for
the certificate. - J. Britely
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The Big Roller Coaster is Picking Up Speed
The following are few random observation on current events:
1. Economic News
1A. The recent turn for the worse for Great Britain's economy has sent shock
waves around the globe. I expect this bad news continue, and intensify in the
months to come, especially once the full implications of the Credit Default
Swap (CDS) derivatives fiasco become known.
1B. It is interesting to see that the COMEX
spot silver and spot
gold markets are breaking
out of their doldrums. Apparently, the big investors have come to realize that
there
are
simultaneous credit market-spawned economic problems in North America, Europe
and Asia. With the markets for currencies, bonds, equities and real estate all in
turmoil globally,
precious metals are rightly seen the only truly safe refuge for wealth preservation.
There will surely be some more scary pull-backs on rumors of central bank
metals
sales, but I think that this could be a major turning point for the metals
market. There is now a general sense of panic in the air, and the smart money
is heading for the exits.
2.) Gun Control on the Fast Track
2A. Ever since BHO was elected, gun, ammo, and
magazine buying in the US has been at an almost frenzied pace. People can
see what is coming. This is taking place even though there
is
not yet
a scheduled
congressional floor debate of the proposed re-vamped "Assault Weapons" and
"High Capacity"
magazine ban. This begs the question: What will the market be like once the
debate is in full swing? Methinks
that prices will at least double overnight. And then what will prices
be like if an when a bill is passed? (Needless to say, that would be a Very
Bad Thing. So please contact your Congresscritters, and do your best to stop
any and all gun legislation.)
2B. I do my best to avoid tenuous conspiracy theories, but the timing of last
weekend's Miami Viciousness with a ubiquitous Kalashnikov seems just
a tad suspicious:: "These
are weapons of war, and they don't belong on the streets of Miami or any
other
street in America," Mayor Manuel Diaz said. The Mayor and Miami's Chief
of Police "both
demanded immediate reinstatement of the ban on assault weapons. The Mayor
said [US Vice President] Biden has assured him the Federal
ban on assault weapons
will be reinstated in short order." [Emphasis added.]
2C. The BHO Administration has wasted no time rolling out a series
of Executive Orders (EOs). Both
my gut and my informants inside the Beltway tell me that another EO will
soon be added to the list with an importation ban on detachable-magazines
semi-auto rifles (and possibly pistols),
and for all magazines over 10 round capacity.
The
recent CBS Evening News piece on the gun-buying boom is evidence that
this trend is big. It is so big that not even the Katie Courics
of the world can ignore it. (Although they will do their best to soft-pedal
it, and
to deflect attention away from
the
BHO Administration's civilian disarmament agenda, which includes renewal
of the 1994-to-2004 Federal Ban, but with no sunset
clause.)
The two preceding data points are evidence that the "news velocity" in America
has increased and will continue to increase in the weeks to come. One could
compare
the economy
and politics for the next 8 to 15 years to a roller coaster ride. The ride
has already started. It is dark. Nobody can see the track ahead. There have
already been
some frightening
dips and turns. But we are now nearing the big Deep Drama point on the track--you
remember it--the one where everybody screams.
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Letter Re: The Sad State of Private Firearms Ownership in Australia
Jim:
I'm a SurvivalBlog
reader in Australia. I want to describe the current situation for Australian
gun owners, but first a bit of background information is needed
to compare then and now: I
grew
up
in
Australia
in the
1960s. My parents came here in the 1950s from a war torn Europe to have
a better life here in a climate away from the cold and starving masses in Europe
after
the war,
the so called “gun culture” in Australia was very free then, you
could go on public transport with a 22 rifle tucked under your arm after a
days shooting on the range or from shooting rabbits on many small acres dotted
around
the big cities, no one accosted you or thought anything about it, people chatted
to you and asked how the says hunt went.
Driving through country areas was an experience! lot’s of people had
gun racks in their back window of their pick-ups, and it was common to go out
and
bag 50 or 60 rabbits in a young boys lazy afternoon.
I grew up being the proud owner of a Remington 22 pump action at 13, and have
owned many guns over the years, to have a license then was a mere formality
and paying a small fee, up till 1998 in Australia you could legally own pump
actions,
semi autos and lever guns of all types, AR-15s and FN-FALs were
very common along with AK copies, SKSes, etc.
That has all gone and an entire era has disappeared. Today in Australia, you
pay a fee of AUS$200 for three years, then pay a another $30 to transfer
a firearm to your name before you buy one you like, the ammo must be stored
away
from the gun and you must have a approved steel safe suitably bolted to a brick
or concrete floor/wall, now you must have the police inspect your beloved new
toy and of course its registered!, also you must have the ammunition pertaining
only to the guns you have in your safe, heaven help you if its different from
your guns.
The Police have the authority to randomly inspect your car while out on a hunting
trip and often can and do searches of your vehicle to or from a hunting area,
needless to say semi-autos are verboten! And our own version of Handgun Control,
Inc (Yes we have those fools here too !) constantly screech about the “gun
culture” in
the US, (I lived in the USA for several years and thoroughly enjoyed my time
there and most enjoyed the freedom to carry a handgun there. And I understand
if it was not for the American servicemen we would be speaking Japanese, that
must always be remembered ).
Australia is not what it once was, now it’s a benign dictatorship. (Those
are harsh words but true never the less ) Both the main parties support the
strict system
we have, in truth real freedom to possess firearms for self defense purposes
has never occurred,. The Police here have all the best equipment, the unlimited
budgets and power and backing of the state, there really isn’t much difference
between the thugs of Nazi Germany and now. Did you know Australia has one of
the highest rates of home invasion in the western world ? (It ranks about
5th or 6th )
Now the precursor for all the anti-gun push was supposedly a man called Martin
Bryant who many claim shot and killed 35 people.
"No action can really be understood apart from motive which prompted it." Arthur
Schopenhauer. 1851.
For the record, Martin Bryant never had a trial by jury, he received a pre-sentencing
hearing and all files pertaining to his case have been locked up under an act
of secrecy for 30+ years. Now I ask are they the actions of open and honest
Government? Jim, in my mind there is no question that this was deliberately
foisted on the Australian people to facilitate disarmament, Australia today
is a poorer
place,
both morally, spiritually and physically. To own a rifle today will set you
back quite a large sum of money and the costs are onerous, for example to
buy common 22 [rimfire] ammunition will set you back AUS$700 for 5,000 rounds!
and the
costs keep going up (never down ) woe to you if you shoot and intruder in
your home, all the onus is on you to prove your innocence, in all probability
you will lose all you own to get a win in the courts.
I subscribe to what
the US Constitution stated. The Founding Fathers envisioned a
peaceful country without foreign involvement or even a standing army, so
the Constitution states that appropriations for
the army can't exceed two years (Article I, Section 8). Alas, our Constitution
has been ineffective in curbing the war racket. Unfortunately, the US seems
to be heading toward monarchy. No standing armies for Australia or the USA…….my
country is involved in two wars now, Australia has no place in Iraq or Afghanistan,
period end
of story! I will protect my family, my wife, my children, but not foreign
interests
or oil politics. To that end I prepare my family
By the way I want to state as a born again fundamentalist Christian, I see
firearms as a God given right and most definitely not a “sport”.
Since
when is owning a gun [to defend life and liberty] a sport? If it’s a
sport it can be legalized away (which is exactly what has happened in this
country),
there
were over
1 million firearms owners in this country, but you know something? no one voted
the lying self serving politicians out over the issue!
On a final note, I would have to say that if there is in the US about 360,000
people in the survivalist movement, over here the number can be counted in
as few as 20,000, a tiny number, even fewer in the Christian circles I travel
in , I find that saddening as most Christians here as anti gun and handgun
inc, we are marching to abyss , but I for one wont go down without doing my
bit to prepare my family for what’s ahead. Regards - Alan C.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Do-It-Yourself FIFO Canned Food Storage Bins--Made From Cardboard »
Two Letters Re: How to Approach Shooting
Mister Rawles,
My husband and I have two editions of "Patriots",
both heavily highlighted. I shudder to think that your books sounds all too
prophetic
about
now.
I've seen you reference The
Appleseed Program [of rifle matches and clinics]
on your web site, but I can't determine if you have ever been to one of our
events.
If you haven't,
it is
truly worth
the time, since we are about more than just marksmanship. That is just the
hook
to get people to come.
We teach the history of the beginning of the Revolutionary War and the mindset
of the people involved. Somehow Appleseed changes people. It gets people off
their rears to come and it gets prompts many to take up the call to spread
the word of involvement. It gets people thinking. Appleseed has given me hope
that there are good committed people out there and that with them, not all
of America is lost. It has also proven to be an excellent way to meet like
minded people. If the worst comes to pass, I have the marksmanship skills to
survive and I now know many others who do as well.
My husband and I are new instructors, as we have taken up the call. We are
involved in teaching in the Southwest, but there are classes around the country,
so everyone should be able to find one relatively close by. The training is
highly effective and I have yet to see anyone, even experts, leave without
some new skills.
Sincerely Yours, - G.F.in New
Mexico
Hello Jim,
A little follow up to MJM's article on basic marksmanship. He is 100% spot
on. The fundamentals and basics of marksmanship are the foundation that all
shooting is built on. I would recommend seeking out NRA high
power competition to improve their rifle shooting skills. High power shooters
are
always looking
for new people and welcome them with open arms and are willing to teach.
Plus the matches are just plain fun and gives you goals to strive for and
measure your progress against. Also don't forget Fred's Appleseed program
as well. Take care, - Jeff in Ohio
« Letter Re: Military Surplus Watertight Containers for G.O.O.D. Vehicle Boxes |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
How to Approach Shooting, by M.J.M.
I am a basic Marine who has been blessed with learning marksmanship from
some of the best practitioners in the business of shooting. No, I am not
a sniper
or a silent but deadly snake eater from a recon unit who is speaking from
high atop a lofty pillar to the masses. Simply, I am a regular guy (with
very little prior experience) who is well trained in the art of marksmanship
who feels comfortable with a gun in his hand. Furthermore, I simply enjoy
shooting and am fortunate enough to be able to do it as part of my working
life. Like everyone else who reads this web site, the present and future
state of our society concerns me. As a result, I vowed that I would contribute
something to this that might help people with similar views/concerns.
While at a gun show recently, I was personally
overwhelmed by the volume and cost of the high tech firearms and accessories
available to the public. Most of it was truly amazing stuff. Laser range
finders, laser sights, holographic sights, night vision scopes and ultra
bright lights name just a few of the accessories that one can attach to a
weapon to become more lethal. However, this stuff was amazingly expensive
and complicated to use. I also found that many of the vendors really didn’t
know their own products. Unfortunately, many were there only to make a buck
and take advantage of the new hot gun market that has been created by the
recent election results. This bothered me because I wondered what a novice
shooter would think while swimming around in this sea of cool, yet complex
stuff? They would most likely believe that one must attach all kinds of expensive
accessories to a gun in order to be proficient with a weapon. They would
also think that they have to spend all of their savings (assuming they have
savings) to upgrade their guns to achieve great results. While I cannot endorse
the quality and effectiveness of any type of accessory for a gun, I can tell
you that they have a place and they are amazingly lethal when put in the
right hands. Moreover, I also cannot endorse any type of weapon. Yet, I can
also tell you that the accessories and the guns are only as good as the person
shooting them. In other words, technology can neither teach marksmanship
nor can it cure poor marksmanship. Remember, the United States military killed
lots of enemy with M1 Garands and Model 1911 pistols equipped with iron sights.
You need to learn the fundamentals…basics will always pay huge dividends.
My goal is to throw out some of my thoughts to give beginning shooters reading
this web site an idea of what direction to go in order to learn to shoot:
1. Take a class. Go to an indoor range and take a class from a certified
NRA instructor. Pull out an advertisement in the classifieds or put a flyer
up
at a local range seeking marksmanship instruction from someone in law enforcement
or the military. We are out there in large numbers. I would teach someone in
exchange for a burger on a free Saturday. If you find the right person, it
shouldn’t cost you too much. Here are some of the things to look for
when you are receiving instruction (these can apply to rifle and pistol and
are in no particular order except safety): safety, trigger control, grip, stances/positions,
sight alignment, sight picture and breathing…just to name a few. There
are no secrets, only basic techniques. Demand the basics. If someone wants
to come right out of the chute and start teaching advanced techniques, either
force them to take a few steps back or get another instructor. Basics, Basics,
Basics.
2. Start small. Every learning process starts off with one small step and
should progress toward refinement as a student masters the fundamentals. Go
buy or
rent a .22 pistol, get some cheap rounds and let someone show you the proper
way to shoot it. Once you have a small caliber weapon mastered at a very low
price, you will truly be amazed at how easily you can cross apply those skills
to a more powerful weapon. On many civilian ranges I have observed multitudes
of clowns brandishing large caliber weapons, shooting expensive tactical/competition
ammo and deploying zero common sense. Due to their abject ignorance, they can’t
put a round on paper because they are too concerned about the sexiness of the
gun that they are shooting. Meanwhile, two lanes down, I am getting a 14 year
old first time shooter to hold a 4 inch group with 9mm reloads. Starting with
a .44 Magnum or a Desert Eagle will not teach you anything but how to fail
or how to get killed. Shooting is not sexy and it is not a fashion statement.
It is designed for one thing…to kill. Start at the bottom and work up.
It is worth it in the end.
3. Dry Fire/Snap In: Snapping in (practicing without rounds off of the range)
is something that Marines do at boot camp for countless hours before stepping
foot on a live fire range. This process also continues in the squad bays at
night to help young recruits refine positions and work out the kinks. Ask anyone
who is a really good shot. They will tell you that you can improve your shooting
for free without expending a single round by dry firing and snapping in. There
are many different exercises you can do to enhance this. Shooters place quarters
or spent rounds on top of the pistol and see if they can dry fire the weapon
without said item falling off. It enhances your trigger control and your confidence.
Bottom line, it gets the weapon in your hand and allows you to practice and
commit proper technique to muscle memory without leaving the house. ALWAYS
CHECK YOUR WEAPON TO ENSURE THAT IT IS NOT LOADED PRIOR TO HANDLING IT!
READ THAT AGAIN.
4. Get further training: Once you feel confident and you have some cash, enlist
the help of one of the tactical shooting schools to hone your skills. Again,
just like transferring basic shooting skills from a .22 to a .45, you will
be amazed at how smoothly good fundamentals apply to solid tactical shooting.
There are arguments on both sides of this, but I will tell you that building
a solid foundation is not only critical, but it is easy and can be done at
a reasonable price. Don’t fall victim to believing that you have to spend
substantial amounts of money to become a great shooter.
As a public service, I would like to include the four safety rules that are
pounded into the heads of recruits. I do not bleed green and do not put these
in this article to somehow snub people from the other services. These are the
only rules that I know. I have taught them to novice shooters in the civilian
world, and I can attest to how well they work. If everyone internalized these
and followed them, we would not have accidents with weapons. They are brilliant
in their simplicity. I wish that we still worked on a level that was this cut
and dry. Here they are:
1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
2. Never point a weapon at anything that you do not intend to shoot.
3. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
4. Keep your weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
Read them and teach them!
I cannot possibly hope to teach anyone how to shoot in an article.
I simply believe that there is a lot of confusion out there for those who want
to arm themselves against some of the dangers that lurk in our society. For
them,
I hope that this little compilation helps dispel some myths and provides a
useful roadmap to get started. Thanks for reading.
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Preparing for Another Battle Rifle Ban, by Michael Z. Williamson
As many people will remember from the last "Assault Weapons" Ban (AWB) [in
the US, which was effective from September, 1994 to September, 2004] there
was a time window before the law took effect. Once it took effect, however,
pre-ban purchased receivers could not legally be built into "assault weapons" unless
they were in AW "format" before the ban took effect. So what does
one do to get around this? It's a rather silly technicality, but so are a lot
of other legal issues. In this case, your stockpiled receivers need to be in
AW "format" before
any ban takes place. If you can't afford to buy full kits for every receiver, you have to find other ways to meet the letter of the law.
Remember that while you are innocent until proven guilty, government agencies
often play by different rules, and of course, legal fees are expensive if you have to prove your innocence.
In the case of AR-15s or other firearms with sectional receivers, this means
you need one complete upper with all the allowable evil features--bayonet
lug, threaded muzzle or flash suppressor. Install a proper trigger kit into each receiver, and then attach the upper to it. Document
this with photographs. You want one photo that clearly shows the serial
number and one that clearly shows the attached "Evil features" on
that receiver. (This also applies if you have already
built a weapon from a stripped receiver and need to document that it was done
before the cutoff date.)
It is acceptable to use digital photos for this purpose, but do not edit them
in any way--experts can tell, and any edits call into question the credibility
of the entire photo. Ideally, have the photos or the actual shoot witnessed
by a lawyer or notary, although friends you can trust to step up and testify
on your behalf will suffice. You need to "place" the photos, which
means to add matter that documents the time and location of the shot. Set the
camera clock for a proper timestamp and date on the photos. Consider adding
a [dated] newspaper banner under the weapon and/or using a notable background
such as your house or vehicle (if you can shoot outside) to add additional placement.
To increase the continuity between the close-up and the overall photos should
they ever come to court, place items in the setting that are obvious placers--a few long matchsticks resting on the weapon,
or a trail of string over it, that would be hard to replace exactly for a different
photo. Do not move or disturb the object(s) between the two shots. Print hard
copies and archive CDs on your premises and at least one place off premise--a
trusted friend or relative, with a lawyer or in a secure box under a different
name that cannot be seized--since dishonest law enforcement have been known to do that to prevent
any evidence for the defense.
Once you've created and documented your AWs, you can defer buying other upper
receivers/features until your budget permits. You did create that
receiver into [a complete] AW format [rifle] before the ban. Therefore, by
the letter of the law, it [demonstrably] is always an AW. (This assumes that
future bans are similar in construct to prior bans at state and federal level).
If your local culture is gun friendly, be seen at ranges and gun shows with
your
legal AWs often. If any legal question arises, you want lots of local
citizens, range officials and law enforcement who will testify that of course Joe Preparedness has AWs. He's had them for years, all
legal, long before that ban took effect.
The photos are also useful if you decide to sell an AW at some point in the
future--you can clearly document that it was in fact [built as] an AW before
the cutoff date. They can also serve for insurance purposes. - Michael
Z. Williamson [with additional input from his wife Gail
Sanders, She is an honor grad of the Defense Information School, and a
combat, forensics, and public affairs photographer.]
JWR Adds: I'm not a fatalist when it comes to re-enactment
of an AWB. By all means contact your representatives numerous times,
by multiple methods (mail, phone,
and e-mail) and express most vociferously, your estimation
of the Constitutionality of a new ban, especially in light of the recent D.C.
v. Heller Supreme
Court decision. With that said, I must also state that I am a realist:
We all saw what happened last year when the congresscritters were deluged with
phone
calls, running by
some
estimates at a ratio of 25-to-1 opposed to the TARP Bank
Bailout Bill, yet the majority of our so-called representatives still voted
for it. This demonstrates
that the congress is now no longer responsive to the electorate. So I can only
conclude that given political expediency and the nature of quid pro quo dealings
inside the DC Beltway, there will be more "Change" made than the American people
want. There is a very high likelihood that some flavor of "Assault Weapon"
and full capacity magazine ban
will
be enacted
during
the first three month "honeymoon" period that will be enjoyed by the BHO Administration
and
the Democrat-dominated
congress. There may also be a separate importation ban, via an executive order,
perhaps in first two weeks that BHO is in office.(One BHO camp insider told
me that he'd heard talk of "more than a dozen January Surprise executive
orders".)
My advice: Take the
appropriate countermeasures: Stock up, especially
on magazines, and "cover
your tail in
paper" using the
method
that
Mike Williamson
suggests. Someday soon, you may be very glad that you did.
« Letter Re: Victorian Era Farm Skills in the UK |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Free Gunfighting Tactics Videos
Jim,
Blackhawk has done some short videos with Todd Jarrett where he discusses
reloading, shooting on the move, and assuming the prone position. When assuming
the prone position make sure the weapon is pointed down range and that you
don't cover your weak hand/arm. An IPSC shooter shot himself with a .38 Super
while practicing the prone position at a range where I shoot.
Reloading
Shooting on the Move
Assuming
Prone Position
Regards, - Bill N.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Victorian Era Farm Skills in the UK »
Letter Re: Practicing for High-Stress Shooting Situations
Mr. Rawles,
Here is an essay, "The
Five P's: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance," by Michael Gaddy concerning
gun ownership and training, a method for practicing for high-stress shooting
such as might occur in a home invasion, and a recommendation to find out how
your local law enforcement department might respond to an unlawful order to
confiscate firearms. Perhaps your readers may find it interesting.
I hope the Memsahib is continuing her recovery. Best wishes. - "Emma Lee"
« Letter Re: Colonial New England Community Blockhouses as a Historic Precedent |Main| Survival Gardening: Growing Food During A Second Great Depression, by H.I.C. »
Two Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line
Jim:
On the topic of SHTF scenarios
like [the Post-Rodney King Verdict riots in] Los Angeles and Hurricane Katrina,
YouTube has many videos detailing this that
your readers might
find
are worth
revisiting.
It's
one thing
to talk about it, another to actually see it all again:
Los Angeles
Riots, Looting, and a Gunfight in Koreatown
LA Riots - Korean Store Owners Prepare for Showdown
Hurricane
Katrina New Orleans, 08/28/2005 Massive Evacuation
Hurricane
Katrina Looters, A Few of Them Were Police Officers
After Hurricane Katrina, Desperation at the Convention Center
Regards, - The Survivalist
James,
I remain very skeptical regarding the police, as representatives of the state,
in "SHTF" situations. New Orleans is the most obvious example.
But consider: the state disarms you, and then confiscates a portion of your
wages
to create a bureaucracy to protect you. When that's not enough the state "creates" crimes
- whether it's the "war on drugs" or something as simple as banning
cell phones in cars - in order to sustain it's bureaucracy. Like any other
agency of the state, this becomes a self-perpetuating dynamic.
Secondly, agents of the state, in a true crisis situation, will have limited
information. Otherwise law abiding citizens are easily painted as potential
threats through the chain of command. History provides plentiful examples of
what happens when those agents of the state -otherwise good people- meet up
with the civilian populace during times of crisis. Clearly history is not on
the side of law enforcement making sound, independent decisions in these cases.
Further, as New Orleans demonstrates, law enforcement personnel can easily
be deployed from their own back yard to other areas of the country where they
do not have roots, family or ties to the community. There are also cultural
differences (in the example of New Orleans: How Chicago police may feel about
citizen-owned firearms) that amplify and exacerbate the problem.
Volumes have been written about this subject. But I would encourage anyone
looking to the state for protection of their individual rights during a crisis
situation to study history - and I am not speaking about ancient history or
extreme examples such as Stalin or Mao. Simply study American history. - Steven
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Two Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line »
Letter Re: Colonial New England Community Blockhouses as a Historic Precedent
Hello Jim,
Mosby's description of defense tactics was common all along the
frontier in the 18th Century including western Pennsylvania. As defense
against indian raids, a small blockhouse was
built on a farm in a central location. A spring [or shallow well] for water was a necessity.
When news of local raids spread, people
would gather as many possessions as possible and head to the blockhouse for
the common defense. This is an instance where much can be learned from history.
While these small forts where rarely overrun, the abandoned farms were wide
open to burning and pillage. Destruction of property, livestock and crops
were the norm and could cause food shortages. Also, often the danger of raids
would
last for months at a time and while forted up this made it difficult to tend
to any crops and livestock not destroyed. Groups of people would travel to
abandoned farms for short periods to try to work the land as much as possible.
Some providing security while others worked. What goes around comes around
but I hope things never get this bad again. - Jeff in Ohio
« Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. & Mrs. Enfield in Canada |Main| Note from JWR: »
The Inauguration Factor: What Will Happen to Battle Rifle and Magazine Prices in 2009 and Beyond?
There is much conjecture in shooting publications and online forums about
BHO's
upcoming inauguration. Some (myself included) have predicted that the new Administration
will unleash
a flurry of executive orders in their first few week. Among these will likely
be a ban on semi-automatic firearms and so-called "high capacity" magazines.
This may be followed soon after by the permanent
re-enactment of the 1994-to-2004
Federal
"Assault weapons" ban.
Alas, probably too late, HK
plans to build and sell their "416"-style uber-railed
MR556 and MR762 rifles in the United States. The scheduled release date
is "sometime in late 2009" That is the wrong end of Aught Nine, in my estimation.
There will likely be a ban in place by then. Meanwhile,
after a 18-year hiatus from civilian sale, there is still
no firm word from Steyr about the release date of the much-anticipated flat-top
("A3") AUGs in the US. At least SIG got their SIG-556
rifles and pistols into production in time, and ditto for FN's PS90 (5.7)
and FS-2000 (5.56)
bullpups, and RRA's LAR-8
.308. But those have only been produced in relatively small numbers
compared to the plethora of AR-15s being churned out in 31 flavors from umpteen
makers. <Sarcasm Mode On> I expect to see a Martha Stewart Edition floral
motif AR-15,
any
day
now.
<Sarcasm Mode Off.> OBTW,
have
you
seen this
DeWalt (a one-of creation),
and the
CavArms pink AR-15s?)
So the SIG 556, "SIG
Classic", and other "produced in only small numbers before
the ban" rifles
will be worth a fortune, if and when there is another ban. I'm planning to
buy one or two, just
as an investment. That is, if I can find one in captivity on
the secondary market. Another few question marks out there: The FN
SCAR, the Magpul
Masada/Bushmaster
ACR,
and
the Kel-Tec
RFB .308 bullpup. If any of those new guns make it to market before a ban
and
the
price is reasonable, then pounce
on them. They will be sure to appreciate in value handsomely.
The current market for semi-auto battle rifles, full capacity magazines,
and even ammo can
best
be
described
as "frenzied." I can make no firm predictions, but I think that I can
safely presage that both the depth and breadth available product selection and
the
prices
your
local
gun
shop
or
gun
show
in
2012
will
be much different than today. Some
of the biggest price gains will
be
in
11+ round magazine
prices.
Stock
up!
« Four Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Hurricane Lessons Learned and Some Advice on Getting Prepared, by Ken on the Gulf Coast
Sometimes it is not an option to relocate so you have to get prepared wherever
you are located. I am located on the Gulf Coast 60 short miles from New Orleans,
Louisiana. We were ground zero for Hurricane Katrina, so I have a first hand
experience of what can happen I will describe some things that I did right
and some things that I did wrong.
We were unable to relocate to a place like Idaho as we had elderly parents
who could not and probably would not relocate to a more appropriate survival
area.
My mother was born in 1930 the daughter of a sharecropper in the Louisiana
delta. They lived a survivor lifestyle as a matter of everyday life. She instilled
in me a fear of having absolutely nothing. Until her
death in 2007 she refused to run a dishwasher or air conditioner. She could
not bring herself to waste electricity, water, or anything for that matter.
She would not waste anything.
Although not as dedicated to thrift as my mother, I did inherit her fear of
hunger, and vulnerability to the unexpected. She died in fear of depression
era conditions returning. When she died I lost a valuable
source of survival information.
Because of my mother's influence, the day after Hurricane Katrina, we were
one out of 75,000 or so who had lights and running water 36 hours after the
storm. The following is what most people did wrong:
A lot of people had generators, the problem was that they only had a couple
of cans of gas. So they were all without power in less than 24 hrs. All of
the gas stations were disabled. No gas means no
power!
Nobody had enough food, they recommend three days, it took almost three days
just to get the roads clear.
No guns! I had friends who did not "believe in guns" that ended
up borrowing some weapons.
No dogs! Without dogs, you have no warning of intruders. Alarm
systems don't work after the batteries are dead.
The following is what I did right:
I had a natural gas generator installed. I was up and running less than 36
hours of the storm. It was also a mistake to select natural gas as a fuel source.
Upturned trees broke gas lines all over the region, it was only blind luck
that left me with gas pressure. A propane system would have been better.
I had drilled a water well. I was able to provide water pressure to my house,
city water was out for weeks. I tied the system back to the house by a simple
water hose going from a faucet on my pump to one on the house.
I had lights and water. Here is what I did wrong:
I evacu
