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Letter Re: Feedback on Training at Front Sight

Dear James,
Just wanted to say thank you for letting your readers know about the Front Sight Gun + Gear + Training special offer. My husband and I attended the four-day defensive handgun and the one-day CCW courses last week, and are expecting delivery of the [Springfield Armory] XD40 [pistol]s we used during the courses, in two days.

Neither of us had any real experience with guns before the course. To be honest, when I read your book and in reading your blog, I always skimmed through or skipped the "gun sections" altogether.

Well, the course was a blast (pun intended). They took us from knowing virtually nothing to being able to hit the "stopping zone" on targets that flipped around in 1.5 seconds. (Okay not every time, but enough that we impressed ourselves!) We learned how to recognize and clear malfunctions in a matter of seconds, and do emergency reloads in the middle of "gun battles." They took us through mazes with pictures of bad guys and good guys and hostages and we had to shoot the bad guys, not shoot the good guys, and rescue the hostages. There was a night shoot, and shooting at close range and while moving. (The close range and moving were part of the CCW class.)

I can't say enough about the caliber of instruction. We had a main instructor and two to three coaches helping 18 students at a time. Each was very patient with this newbie. I felt that when I needed it, I was able to receive one-on-one help. Most of the students were already very experienced (law enforcement, military, and gun enthusiasts), and they also felt they were making valuable progress based on their experience levels.

We are looking forward to our continuing practice and education. And since we have recently moved to "The Wild West" (very rural Mendocino County [,California]) we have a new-found sense of being able to take care of ourselves.

Thanks again, - Pat in Northern California

Ten Letters Re: Help With a Non-Preparedness Minded Spouse

JWR's Introductory Note: The recent reply to a an e-mail from Trevor by The Memsahib inspired ten replies. Note that many of these were written by wives with non-prepper husbands! The final letter comes from a family that had their house nd barn blown away by a hurricane. Some sobering stuff.

Mr. Rawles,
You are truly blessed with your wife's level of discernment and ability to communicate!. I would like to share our similar situation. Understand that I am an old Girl Scout whose former leaders took us camping from New Mexico to Old Mexico and from the beaches to the mountains. I am also the oldest of ten living children, so my life has been one of survival, therefore this "new" way of living is not unknown to me.

In contrast, my husband was an only child with limited Scouting experience. We joke about "the Boy Scout" way of starting a fire (liquid charcoal starter) versus "the Girl Scout" , "a la natural" way (tinder, kindling, firewood). Nevertheless, we have both read a lot and have felt the pressure of preparing for the future for a very long time. Two of three grown children are immersed in preparing with us, with the third one beginning to unobtrusively tune in to what's going on. They are a blessing to us.

Not long ago, my husband ran into an old buddy who had other buddies moving into survival mode. We have all formed a solid group working together on common goals. However, I am the only wife who relates to this "survival" stuff. The men have been very frustrated with the situation. I have been very lonely for the female companionship. I jokingly told them we needed a "Ladies' Auxiliary". I tried to think of a way to do this at an introductory level that was meaningful and real and the inspiration came. Since we live near a coastal area, I proposed to the men that the ladies get together to create a plan for hurricane preparedness for their families. The men talked to their spouses, who were very receptive, as this is a threat we live with every summer. I am now putting together information for binders I will give them at our first meeting on Sunday, in hopes that this will be a jump off into deeper issues of preparedness for the unknown future.

As a former teacher, I had to find ways to personalize subject matter to reach my students. It could be exhausting, but necessary. The key was making the issues meaningful to the individuals. We still have a long way to go to be completely prepared, but hopefully this might give your male readers some ideas and encouragement. Even though the future looks scary, we live in exciting times! - Charlotte R.

Dear Editor:
I have to completely agree with Memsahib's reply. I never looked at it from that perspective before. For my wife, she knows and understands why we need to prepare (that part has already been taken care of). She, like Trevor's wife, does not want to hear any more about it. I, unlike Trevor, do share these opinions with a few buddies. An older buddy of mine explained it to me like this:

"Women (generally) want to know that they and the kids will be taken care of. They want to feel safe and secure and they want to know that their children will also be safe. By divulging into all of the issues you bring doubts into their minds that you will not be able to handle it."

So basically, you are best off letting your wife know that you are preparing in case something happens in the future so that she and the kids will be safe. If she asks for an explanation then give her one, if not then leave it for the buddies. Most women, like Memsahib's reply stated, just want to feel secure knowing that her man will take care of them.
Take care, - KJP

Jim:
I'm really glad a thread started on this issue. It is a major issue for many people!

I've been very happily married for 34 years, having lived through three kids, getting through and paying off medical school, many academic job changes before starting a private medical practice, and health issues of various types. My wife has supported me in every thing I've ever done, but when it comes to preparing, she basically says, "don't tell me all the scary stuff, I've got two more kids to raise through high school and college. Just let me know what I need to do when the time comes." Now, that's basically okay, as she does not begrudge me the ammo, storable food, et cetera. She views it as my eccentric hobby. Fortunately, money is not a major issue at this point in our lives, so she doesn't really pay attention to what I buy. But, friends who didn't give up their 20s and 30s for medical school and residency have a different situation; their wives begrudge all extraneous purchases. Also, the nurses at my clinic, without exception, all, actively refuse to discuss any of the Peak Oil or "long emergency" type future scenarios that might require preparation. These are otherwise strong, intelligent, highly organized women who run my medical practice, and run it well. But when it comes to prepping for a scenario of future change (involving less availability of food, fuel shortages, and less availability of other needed things) they do no want to talk about it. When the other doctors and I are discussing prep (whether its in relation to Peak Oil, climate change, the ongoing banking crisis, the food crisis, etc) the nurses will literally leave the room. One recently told me "I can't work and slave, if I think what you guys are talking about might happen. I want my son to go to college, and I want to have grandchildren, you guys are talking about Road Warrior again. That makes my ulcers act up." In reality we were discussing the banking crisis and its likely effects on the US dollar and the spin off effects on oil prices and their spin offs to food availability and costs. Literally every female nurse and doctor I know has the same attitude (as is also the case with far too many male doctors and nurses, but not as many).

Recently, I was reading about the [WWII] German invasion of Poland, and the aftermath, and was surprised to learn that in the early stages, many men wanted to move away but didn't due to their wives' refusal to discuss the issue. Same thing happened when Castro took over Cuba, and the same with many of the Chinese who failed to relocate to Taiwan when Mao took control.

Theory: putting all notions of political correctness on hold (where they belong), women are genetically programmed to give birth and raise and nurture children and families. Their evolutionary role is to nurture, to give hope, and be positive about the future. Talking about prep requires that one face a potential future radically different from the ongoing linear progression from here to a future that is assumed to exactly like things are now. Violating the assumption that things are going to be very similar to now is apparently not fully compatible with being a mother and maintaining a positive focus. Perhaps if we start talking about helping our grandchildren survive and thrive in a very different world (think of the book "World Made By Hand", by Howard Kunstler), then female spouses might be more receptive. My two cents worth, - DW

Dear Memsahib and Jim:
I read the posting from Trevor in regards to his wife and your response back to him. I have empathy for Trevor concerning his wife and trying to prepare. I agree with you, Memsahib, that at least his wife is willing to let Trevor spend money on preparing and that her mind frame is just let me know when it's time to go. That being said, it is too bad that she hasn't come to the reality "yet" that this will happen and will open up to her husband and talk about it and help him with the preparations.

It took me awhile to realize what was going on, I didn't wake up right away. But, when I did, I was onboard. Because, even though it wasn't a pleasant thought and yes, dreams and hopes might be lost, in order to survive what is coming you have to prepare for it.

With everything that is happening now and at the rate that it's happening, I'm hoping that Trevor's wife will realize, hey, things are happening, which aren't good, and I really need to help my husband more with this.

I don't want to categorize all women, because I know that it's not this way, but it is hard to find where both spouses are thinking the same way and are trying to prepare for the future. I only know a couple of women, besides myself, that realize what is going on, and is 100% with their husband and preparing for what is coming and soon to be here.
I too read James's novel ["Patriots"] and I rather enjoyed it. It's one of the things that really helped me open my eyes. I read the first version, many years ago and then also the new version that was released fairly recently. We even bought a "six pack" and loaned them out to friends to read. It's a very useful tool. (Thanks, Jim!)

I just wanted to add my two cents and say that hopefully Trevor's wife's eyes will become fully opened and she'll realize the magnitude of what is coming at us and will talk to her husband about it and will help him prepare. Thanks, - Susan

James:
The Memsahib has spoken the truth as powerfully as the gospel itself it rings as loudly as only the truth could. Thank you from a guy who had the same problem. I’m glad to know the problem was on my side all along, which means I can fix it by keeping my mouth shut and talking doom and gloom with my father and brother who see things from the same perspective as me. What a bonehead I have been to force the issue all this time. I too have been blessed with a wife who puts up with my need to prepare and should have been happy to have that much all along. Thanks - Russ in Oklahoma

James Wesley:
Hmm. Converting the non-survivalist spouse. Difficult, but do-able.
Have you taken her backpacking? Not car-camping. Not RV-parking. Just good, old-fashioned, carry-what-you-need-to-live backpacking. Start with a day hike, then an overnighter, then longer trips. It’ll give her—and you—a chance to see what she’s made of.

Clip stories from the newspaper and off the Internet about Americans who have faced inconvenience—hurricanes, floods, snows, tornadoes, riots, earthquakes, volcanoes, cryptosporidium in the water supply . . . you get the drift. Supplement your clipping service by strewing and viewing a few carefully chosen disaster movies and novels. Remember that attitude change is a process, not an event. Create a climate for consensus.

Make sure your 72-hour preparations are in flawless order. Should you become “inconvenienced,” your preparations will cast you in the role of The Wise and Provident Hero. Explain to your wife that preparation is (a) a form of insurance, (b) one of the many ways you show her how much you love her.

I’m not sure what sorts of folks make up the “we” to whom you refer, but if your survival buddies are wild-eyed fringe-dwellers, you might have some difficulty persuading the Missus that you’re not “a bunch of nuts.” To paraphrase Forrest Gump, “Nutty is as nutty does.” Delay exposing her to the more extreme members of your group—the Conspiracy Theorist with a truckload of fertilizer and diesel fuel, the Rambo-Wannabe who bathes once a week whether he needs to or not, etc. Refrain from bringing Weapons of Mass Destruction into the house. Don’t use her nice dishtowels as [firearms] lube rags.

Is your wife an observant Christian or Jew? Perhaps you can reach her via the many Old Testament and New-Testament Biblical prophecies about the immediate future.
I speak as the sole Preparer in my household. I have earned tolerance and respect for behavior that is, quite frankly, outside the mainstream. The fact of the matter is this: Most people do not prepare, and most people are profoundly uncomfortable with the survival mindset. If you truly love your wife, you will bring her along as gently as possible, with hopes that, when your worst nightmares come true, she will regard you with loyalty, understanding and cooperation. - Mrs. Semper Paratus

Mr. Rawles,
Have your wife read any of the books on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita (about the hospitals and lack of supplies at the Superdome), it is scary and it does happen. The plus on some of these books is that they do show some of the good that came out of the hurricanes. So the reading isn't all bad. Plus if she's a health food nut getting her into the herbs and all natural remedies should be easy.

The same can be said for the [recent] levee [break]s in the midwest, no insurance, no real help from our government and a lot of misinformation. Combine that with a very real lack of food and supplies for the general public and you have a recipe for disaster. In a week without supplies people were panicking, how will they be in three weeks?

In Alaska they send home a list of supplies they want you to send to school with your children, just in case they get snowed in for any length of time (even on the military base) and a list of what you should have in your car, just in case. While we were there I read a book called "Death Stalks the Land", it is horrible in parts and it is all about bad judgment, being ill prepared and not knowing your surroundings or the dangers that are inherent.

In most places you will not have to deal with some of the problems I am talking about here. Where you live, what is the worst possible natural disaster that could happen? Here it's easy - hurricanes and floods, we live 50 feet above sea level to well below sea level and in the Gulf [of Mexico]. If your spouse can't see through to TEOTWAWKI then get her started on what happens now and then in your area. Maybe you don't have to go all worst case, but tell her she needs to learn just in case you're not right there when something happens and you want her to be able to get your family to safety or keep them safe.

Right after [Hurricane] Katrina, a 13 year old girl was raped and her mother couldn't help her. Children died as a result of their parents not having a good plan or the wherewithal to follow through. There were regular attacks in one of the New Orleans hotels over food and supplies.

I am like-minded for my children, I want them to be like minded so they can carry on. The survival skills they learn from us make them stronger, more self-sufficient, confident and better people. The same can be said for me, the more I learn the better I feel about my abilities to handle any situation, with my husband or God forbid, without him. Most women don't realize how empowering this knowledge is. I mean, it's a trip knowing I have more skills than most of the men I know.

There are some things I didn't want to learn and my husband found some ways to get me to try them. We traded off - if I wanted to go riding, we would also do something he wanted to do and he would go riding with me and I would freeze while ice fishing. Make what you want her to learn fun or interesting. Encourage her to read some of the posts on SurvivalBlog. Have the kids help get her interested. Don't push her but don't give up on her learning either.

Good luck and have her post on here too, Memsahib can tell you, I haven't stopped since my husband introduced me to the SurvivalBlog site. - Mrs. TD

Dear Jim (and Trevor),
I thought for the longest time that I was in a similar situation, save for the fact that I am the woman, and my husband is the one who never wanted to help with preparedness nor seemed to want to talk about it. For me, it seemed that my preparedness ideals came from a basic nesting instinct, a need to nurture my family in an unseen future. Although, I have to admit, it was mixed with the romantic remembrance of being on my grandfather’s homestead. However, while my husband never spoke about it, I never got the feeling that he resented it, just as Memsahib had written to you that some spouses do. My husband always trusted me in what I was doing, so I never pressed him about it.

Then one day, he nearly blew my mind. He actually mentioned getting a firearm (a real one as opposed to the air rifles we currently own). Then he looked right at me and said, “for the end-of-the-world type situation.” Since that time, he is still somewhat closed mouthed on the situation. He will talk more about the latest technology (it is his field of work) or one day “striking it rich” (yes, I married a dreamer), but at the same time, there is a father inside of him with many old-fashioned ethics and ideals, and every once in a while, he will make a simple statement, such as the one I mentioned, or we might have a simple conversation about future preparedness. Last night, we had our longest conversation about future preparedness while sitting on the porch swing, enjoying the evening air. It entailed gasoline prices, global warming versus a new ice age, and a Mad Max future versus reality.

Take The Memsahib’s wise advice. Allow your beloved spouse to trust your judgment. One day, she might surprise you, too, and make an off-hand comment. The wisest teacher (we all know who He was) never pushed and pressured. He allowed others to come to him of their own free will.

As for preparedness from a female perspective, Sharon Astyk has recently finished writing a book on Peak Oil, “Depletion and Abundance: Life on the New Home Front”, [which will be] available Fall, 2008. However, her language can get a bit raunchy at times, so be cautious if you look down upon that. In case you have never heard of Mrs. Astyk, there is an excellent article written by Sharon for women at this web site. I don't know why, but when it comes to preparedness, the Peak Oil movement tends to attract women more than the other sub-sects.

Until then, might I suggest [the novel] “The Long Winter” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s a bit more subtle than you might wish, but there is the constant theme running through it of the expectation that the train will come, bringing supplies, but never does. If you have children to read aloud to, so much the better (and less suspicious). The Little House series are excellent books for children, although with sons you may wish to read, or have them read, “Farmer Boy” first. My oldest son thoroughly enjoyed it, and when I started reading the other books aloud to the younger children, he immediately recognized Mrs. Wilder's writing style, and was happy to listen in as well. - Mama Squirrel


Mr. Rawles,
I too have had the experience of attempting to 'bring into the fold' an eye-rolling spouse. She read "Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse", and felt that she could not identify with a preparedness minded group on the other side of the country. We live in Florida, and have weathered four hurricanes, two going directly overhead. Even after three weeks of no power (two weeks with the first, one week with the second, one day with the third), she still resents my storage of gasoline and propane.

Until recently. I love so-called 'apocalypse' fiction, and a like-minded friend of mine turned me onto a series of books by Terri Blackstock, the first of which is called "Lights Out". This four book series follows a group of suburbanites after an EMP-like event cripples the country (not to spoil the story, but the event is actually global). These people were absolutely not prepared at all, and suffered quite a bit. Also, the book is considered Christian Fiction, and focuses on the Blessings of God and faith in His power and love to get the main characters through their various trials.

My wife was only three chapters in when she began to ask "what would we do about water" and "what would we do if this happened while the boys were at school?"
Thankfully, she has began to support my various efforts more (less eye-rolling) and has actually made some great suggestions that I had not thought of. We now have a G.O.O.D. plan, and have laid in more supplies.

Thanks for your SurvivalBlog site. I read it daily and spread the word. - DT in Florida

Dear Jim and Memsahib,
I must agree with you Memsahib that many people are not mentally capable of accepting that things are about to take a turn for the worst.

We live on the Gulf coast and even after living with the devastation that Hurricanes bring, it was extremely difficult when we lost our home and barn to Hurricane Ivan. We had hunkered down next door in my Uncles home to ride out the storm. We never imagined that when the storm had passed that our home would be gone. My husband, myself 7 months pregnant, our 15 year old twin boys, our 12 year old daughter walked over the hill to go home and we were all devastated. We didn’t have a home, or a barn. Our goats and horses were standing there looking at us in a daze. We were homeless. I had read about it, heard about it, and now I was about to live it. And live it we did. We survived the nightmare.

It was quite humbling to turn around and go back to Uncles and ask to stay a little while. After a week, we borrowed my uncle's 1970 something travel trailer that slept two. A neighbor loaned us another travel trailer that slept another two . My daughter slept in the kitchen/dining area on a cot. And, being pregnant, my hormones were not real happy. Bringing another child into this world to nothing. I didn’t want to face it, but I didn’t have a choice.

Now, I am the survivalist [of the family]. I have survived the worst, and if and when I face the next hardship, you can bet your full tank of diesel that I will never ask anyone for help again, I wont have to.

I have to agree that when ones spouse isn’t able to face it, then you must prepare quietly and understand.

My husband just chuckles at me when I bring home 50 pounds of sugar when it is on sale.
Thanks to you Jim for such a wonderful site. I have learned so much. - Roxie

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Ben M. recommended a BBC article on the international banking crisis. They talk about UBS, announcing further losses on top of their $37 Billion worth of losses that were already announced. A key quote: "We haven't hit the bottom yet," warned Zhang Xiuqi, from Guotai Junan Securities.

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Eric found this article: Ethanol-free gas outlets growing daily. Eric's comment: "Having just hoisted six 5-gallon gerry cans into the e-85 vehicle I drive - as I'm rotating my storage fuel - this article is making me concerned. Guess we'll see in the next few days."

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From the AIDG Blog - Sam Redfield on Pico-hydro at La Florida. (A hat tip to MSJ for spotting the blog piece.)

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KAF sent this bad news for anyone that plans to park some money offshore: IRS wants millions hidden in Swiss accounts

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There is nothing which doth more agreeably concern the Senses, than in the depth of Winter to behold the Fruits so fair, and so good, yea better, than when you first did gather them.......You will taste your fruit with infinite more gust and contentment, than in the Summer itself, when their great abundance, and variety, rather cloy you than become agreeable. For this reason therefore it is, that we essay to teach you the most expedite, and certain means how to conserve them all the WInter, even so long, as till the New shall incite you to quit the Old." - John Evelyn, The French Gardiner, London 1675

Note from JWR:

Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. There are still a lot of preparedness-minded folks that have not yet heard about the blog. Links in your e-mail footer and/or at your web page or blog page would be greatly appreciated!

Letter Re: Advice on Communications Scanners

Dear James,
I was talking to my neighbor today and he showed me his Uniden Bear Tracker 800 scanner, a now discontinued model. That got me to thinking that I probably should get one for emergencies. But the thing is I don't know what you should look for in a police scanner. Also I'm on a budget and I'm not willing to spend more than $100 on a scanner, but most cost quite a bit. That's why I'm looking for a reasonably priced scanner, though I'm having problems finding one. Any recommendations or help would be gladly accepted.
Regards, - MG Mikael

Mikael:
Since you are on a budget, your best bet is to find a used scanner on eBay, hopefully for $80 to $120. (This may take a few diligent weeks of putting low bids on successive auction, to have a winning low bid.)

From the SurvivalBlog archives, here are a couple of useful references with scanner model recommendations:

General advice on communications monitoring.

and,

A "trunked traffic" capable scanner.

Letter Re: Simulation of Pandemic Influenza - Preparedness Implications

Jim,
I appreciate everything that you and your readers are doing to help change the mindset of people around the world.
I was reviewing the May/June issue of a health care trade magazine that contained a report on a simulation carried out in Philadelphia at the start of this year dealing with pandemic influenza. While much of the discussion was relevant only to health insurers, the scenario that served as the simulation is detailed below. Readers can draw their own conclusions of the type of things that they should prepare for.

The following is exerted from: Raymond, A.G. (2008). Pandemic Influenza. AHIP Coverage. 49(3), 18:

A Simulation: Twelve "All-Too-Real" Weeks of Pandemic Influenza
After years of warnings a deadly flu grips the city [Philadelphia]. As the simulation begins, 2,000 suspected cases of pandemic flu have been reported in the Greater Philadelphia area, with at least 13 deaths. State and local health officials are starting to carry out the CDC's recommendation to isolate and treat with antiviral medications anyone with confirmed or suspected pandemic influenza, and encourage people to reduce contacts that might spread the virus. People who are infected can be contagious for a day or more before they develop symptoms, which range from fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches, to severe respiratory diseases and other life-threatening complications.

Soon, doctors' offices and hospitals are inundated with the sick and "worried well". Hospitals report ER waiting times as high as 15 hours with few beds available for new admissions. Medical personnel are stretched to the limit, and some are showing signs of infection.

Businesses are experiencing high rates of absenteeism, and schools are closing. Domestic and international travel and shipments are slowed or cease entirely. Groceries and pharmacies are quickly emptied of essential supplies and restaurants and malls are empty.

The medical, economic and social consequences are devastating.

After nine weeks, the number of cases in the Philadelphia area has escalated to more than 100,000, deaths are in the thousands, and the city's hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed as they try to provide adequate care for huge numbers of victims along with their usual patient population. Morgues, hospital mortuaries, and funeral homes are challenged in their ability to care properly for the soaring number of dead.

Public safety and sanitation are major concerns, critical medical and food supplies are running low, and much of the economy has come to a standstill because of high employee absenteeism and a lack of customers. Internet and cell phone service is disrupted as home workers create system overload, and service workers are unavailable to respond. Normal everyday activities end as people avoid shopping, dining out, and social gatherings of all kinds.

The first wave is ending; attention turns to recovery and preparation for a second.

At week 12, the number of new infections is subsiding, but a second wave of pandemic flu is spreading overseas. In the USA, an estimated 40 million people have been infected and nearly one million have died, including 25,000 in the Greater Philadelphia area.

The economy is in free fall. As consumers limited their spending, business have cut back production and laid-off workers, and small businesses are closing altogether. Antivirals and antibiotics are scarce, vaccines for the pandemic strains are still months away, and the medical system is still short on staff, beds and supplies. Fear and isolation have taken a heavy toll on the public, with increasing accounts of depression and other signs of stress. Can the city begin to recover and also prepare for a second-wave pandemic?

For now, this is only a simulation. - Dave in Alabama.

Letter Re: Ammo Types and Storage Ratios for a Precision .308 Rifle

James
I have a friend wanting my advice. He has a Glock [Model] 22 [.40 S&W] , an AR-15 [5.56mm NATO], a Ruger 10/.22 [rimfire] and a Remington 700 VTR [bolt action .308]. He has 5,000 rounds for the Glock, 10,000 rounds for the AR and 6,000 rounds for the 10/.22.
He has no .308 semi-auto rifle and [says that he has] no plans to acquire one. He wants to lay in a supply of around 2,000 rounds for the Remington 700 VTR. It shoots under 1/2 MOA with 168 grain Federal Gold Medal Match, and around 1 to 1-1/2 MOA with assorted hunting rounds we've tried.

I told him he should have some 168 grain Federal Gold Medal Match for precision work, some hunting ammo and some ball ammo.

In your opinion, what is a good percentage of each to have on hand? Thanks, - Craig W.

JWR Replies: For a precision rifle, I'd recommend this laying in an ammo supply at this ratio:
60% 168 grain Federal Match
20% 165 grain hunting load, such as Winchester silvertip. (Pick a brand/bullet weight with a trajectory that is close to the Federal Match, so they'll be no need to re-zero.)
15% Ball
4% Tracer
1% AP and/or API, if you can find any. A large gun show in an unrestricted state such as Nevada or Kentucky would be your most likely source. Bring a wad of cash, since you can expect to pay $4 to $6 per round!

Note: Keep in mind that the tracer and incendiary bullets will leave a residue that is hygroscopic (and hence corrosive)--so set that ammo aside for just WTSHTF and clean your rifle thoroughlyfor three successive days after shooting any! Just like when shooting corrosively primed ammunition, a rifle's bore and the face of the bolt are at risk of getting pitted if you don't clean it scrupulously and repeatedly.

I recommend that you zero the rifle with the Federal match ammo, and then do bullet drop comparisons with each of the other loads. Work up a bullet drop and wind drift card for each load, all the way out to 1,200 meters. Laminate those cards to make them weather resistant, and keep them with the rifle at all times. (A stock pouch is handy for this purpose.)

Consult your state and local laws before purchasing any tracer, AP, or API ammunition.

OBTW, a good place to watch for ammo on sale is GunDeals.com.

Odds ‘n Sods:

WB in Texas mentioned a book review of the now-classic $50 and Up Underground House Book, written from the perspective of a reviewer that has actually built one of his own.

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Jack B. flagged this article from Pakistan: Oil-fired budget to skyrocket inflation. Jack's comment: "Economic woes in Pakistan are just another red flag in the soon to be world wide crunch! Like ripples in a global pond, country after country reverberates with like stories."

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Eric found this article from the UK: It used to be deer poaching, now rural gangs move into the oil business.

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Eric also found this article at Der Spiegel: The United States Federal Reserve Bank faces a general audit by the International Monetary Fund

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company.” - President George Washington

Note from JWR:

The re-launch of SurvivalRealty.com (our spin-off web site) is now in progress. If you are looking for retreat property, then check it out! OBTW, if you know of anyone that has a retreat-worthy property for sale, please let them know that free ads are available for the first month, and thereafter, they will cost just $1 per day! Both real estate agents and "For Sale By Owner" advertisers are welcome.

Letter Re: Help With a Non-Preparedness Minded Spouse

Dear Jim and Memsahib,
I have been discussing preparedness lately with several of my close friends. One of the things that has aided me in winning friends over to being preparedness minded is your book. Usually, once loaned to a guy, the fellow sees how plausible something like that really is and they begin to prepare. The problem is this; overwhelmingly we find have trouble with our wives. My wife, for example, says please don’t talk to me about that stuff; just tell me to get in the car when its time to go and I’ll go. She tolerates my extra purchases and the buckets in various stages of filling, but she doesn’t like to talk about preparedness. I even present it all as a message of hope, as an idea of peace in the midst of the storm from a God given common sense to prepare (Proverbs 6:6). I tell her that I do this so that we can be ok and help others. She still doesn’t want to talk about it. Several of my other friends have had similar experiences. I have been wondering what we can do. No offense, but they generally have little or no interest in reading your book, partly because it is overwhelmingly male in its tone (thanks for that). But the tactical speak, and all of the military acronyms drive the cover shut in my experience.

So, my request is that the Memsahib writes or has ghost written, a book on preparedness and survivalism from a woman’s point of view. You know, something to bring out that prepared mother instinct in these ladies. Please help before we are all sleeping on stacks of buckets!

Thanks for the consideration, - Trevor

The Memsahib Replies: First, you need to be thankful that your wife trusts you and trusts your judgment about the state of the world. Many people are in complete denial. Many people contend that our nation will always be a super power and we will always be able to give our children a better life than we had. She probably has family members and friends that are telling her that your belief in the fragility of society is silly or downright whacko. Be thankful your wife is willing to trust your judgment even if it goes against her parents, her siblings, and her best friends.

Be thankful that your wife trusts your judgment so much that "she tolerates my extra purchases and the buckets in various stages of filling." Many other preppers are married to spouses who resent any part of the family budget being spent on storage food or tactical gear.

Your chief complaint is that your wife "doesn’t want to talk about it." Let me explain why she and many other wives don't want to talk about it. Your wife's greatest drive is for the happiness and prospering of her children. When you talk survival as a man you are thinking in terms of the big picture. It is a challenge and you will prove your manhood by surviving. But, when you talk of survival to your wife. She is thinking specifically how your dark future is going to impact her babies! She has dreams for her babies for a hope and a future. How is the storybook wedding that she dreams of for her daughter going to happen in TEOTWAWKI? How are her sons going to find sweet Christian brides when you all are living in a bunker?! What about her fantasy of a family vacation with all her grandchildren to Hawaii? Will there even be commercial flights in your version of the future? When you talk of survivalism you are dashing all her cherished dreams for the future. She might follow your headship to prepare for the gritty life you envision. But, she would rather not talk about it. She must live in her hope that the future for her darlings won't be the struggle to survive that you foretell.

You say, "I even present it all as a message of hope, as an idea of peace in the midst of the storm from a God given common sense to prepare." And she thinks "how can there be hope and peace in your survivalist future?" She knows Jesus said, "For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed [are] the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." (Luke 23:29). No, she cannot see any hope and peace for her beloved children in the days that you say are coming.

Trevor, the bottom line is: She is not a man and if you keep expecting her to react like a man you will do one of two things. You will either drive her into a state of depression, or you will so alienate her that she will completely reject all preparations.

Thank your wife for trusting your judgment, and get some male friends talk "gloom and doom" and "Ain't it awful" with! Sincerely, - The Memsahib

Letter Re: The Five Minute Bank Run

Dear Mr. Rawles:
I wanted to tell you a personal experience I just had at the bank that scares me to death. If you think a bank can last a few days during a bank run, then you will be very surprised by my story.

I wanted to withdraw $10,000 from a JP Morgan Chase Bank branch in a local Houston [, Texas] suburb. Chase is the second largest bank in the US and Houston is the fourth largest city in the US. I went in and said: “Can I please have my money?” The teller disappeared for 10 minutes and then came back, and told me to my surprise that “We don’t carry that much cash on hand”. I was shocked. I said: “Are you kidding me?” She went on to explain that, even though this was a payday weekend at the end of the month (which means they have more cash on hand than usual), if I took that amount from them, they would be completely out of cash in a few hours. They suggested that I travel seven miles to a larger local Chase branch and ask them.

So, I drove over to the larger Chase branch. When I got there, they had only one teller working (now think about the implications of one teller working during a bank run with hundreds of people in line). After waiting in line for 10 minutes, I walked up to the teller and asked her for the amount. She then told me that she would have to go into the vault to see if they had enough money there! Now this is getting scary because I was starting to think that I might not get my cash – and this isn’t even a bank run! She came back with the cash and gave it to me, but then told me that I need to call ahead next time for that amount. Hmmm… $10,000 just isn’t that great an amount and now I need to call ahead?

I wanted to tell you this story because the implications are very scary: the second largest bank in the USA in the fourth largest metropolitan area only has enough cash on hand to allow one depositor to empty his/her account. A bank run in the USA would only last five minutes because only a handful of people will be able to get their money out [in cash].

Needless to say, I am getting all my money out, ASAP. - W.D.in Texas

Letter Re: The US Tax Giveaway Economic Stimulus Charade

Mr. Rawles,
On June 27, 2008 the following Associated Press headline was on Yahoo Finance: After-tax incomes and spending show big gains. "The millions of economic stimulus payments gave a massive jolt to household finanances (sic) in May, sending after-tax incomes up by the largest amount in 33 years."

Q: Does borrowing money from the next two generations, while saddling our grandkids with principal and interest repayment obligations to foreign countries really now count as "after tax income"?

A: Not to regular SurvivalBlog readers.

Regards, - Kevin A.

JWR Replies: Those with the Big Government mindset would answer: "Oh, but we just owe it to ourselves!" Or as J. Wellington Wimpy, from the Popeye comic strip would say: ""I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!"

FWIW, I'm planning to spend my IRS "stimulus" check on some more full capacity magazines (aka "high capacity" in the liberal lexicon) and some .45 ACP ammunition, while they are still somewhat affordable.

Letter Re: Victory in the DC v. Heller US Supreme Court Decision–With Some Reservations

Hi Jim,
I was just reading your very excellent SurvivalBlog [post on the Heller decision] this morning. A great site you have.

Regarding Mr. Gura, don’t be too hard on him because he appeared to throw machine guns under the bus at oral argument. I believe that Gura made a tactical decision not to discuss machine guns because he knew that, for now, the machine gun issue was a loser of an argument, and would distract from a more important first step: getting the Second Amendment declared as an individual right. Now that the court has declared (as those of us who can read plain English have known all along) that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right, we can work toward machine guns and carrying weapons for self-defense outside the home.

Besides, if you look at what Gura actually argued (quoted in your post), Gura does not say that constitutional protections don’t apply to machine guns, he merely repeats what US v. Miller has already stated, that if weapons are show to be not normally in use by the Militia, then we might not have a right to these. But machine guns are in use by militia members. Just go to Knob Creek every Fall and check out the action at the Machine Gun Shoot. Moreover, as you noted, government can’t illegally ban a class of weapons, wait 70 years, and then make the absurd claim that such weapons are not permitted under the Second Amendment because they aren’t in common use at the time the case is finally litigated 70 years later.

Remember that the reason why we got a ruling like the one we got in Miller is because the defendant did not show up and present evidence that sawed-off shotguns were in common use at the time. This leaves ample room for future litigants to demonstrate common use of machine guns, SBRs, SBSs, and suppressed weapons. I don’t think we’ve lost anything here.

I believe that restoring the Second Amendment to its rightful place alongside our other Constitutional rights will be the “new” civil rights movement for the next generation. Gradually we will chip away at laws intended to burden the lawful use of firearms, just as activists in the 1950s and 1960s chipped away at laws intended to oppress minorities and women. The Second Amendment recognizes an important right for citizens who intend on self-governance. I look forward to seeing it restored to esteem equal to that with which our society regards the First and Fourth Amendments. Best to you, - A.L., Esq.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers mentioned this "must read" article from England: 'The Archers' brings the idea of a self-sufficient community to the fore

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My brother sent me this link: Something May be Wrong with the Sun--and the Weather Could Get COLDER

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Hawaiian K. and Steve spotted this over at the Kitco forums: US meltdown within weeks?

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There are now just three days left in BulletProofME.com's special sale on Interceptor Body Armor and Kevlar helmets, just for SurvivalBlog readers.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." - P.J. O'Rourke

Letter Re: Kudos for the WRSA’s Medical Training

James,
I would like to recommend to anyone looking for medical training in grid down austere environments to attend the 2-1/2 day course offered by Western Rifle Shooter's Association (WRSA). My wife and I recently attended their course in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho this past weekend, and found the course informative and thought provoking, considering ing the times ahead of us. Hands-on training in suturing, wound triage, and trauma wounds were a plus to our animal husbandry skills. Another great aspect is [meeting] the like-minded people that attended this event.

The Western Rifle Shooter's Association is scheduling more clinics this summer, so look for their ads. BTW, I also recommend their rifleman classes. - Kepha in Idaho

Letter Re: Lessons From Grandpa–Firewood Cutting for Seasonal Employment

Good morning, Mr. Rawles.
Thank you for your good work. I have reciprocated by being a 10 Cent Challenge subscriber from a while ago.

I wish to correct an item from today’s SurvivalBlog entry – while otherwise a very, very nice article - Lessons From Grandpa--Firewood Cutting for Seasonal Employment, by JSW

The author says “a Pickeroon [a.k.a. "Peavey" or "Cant Hook"] which is glaringly incorrect; they are three separate and unique tools. A pickeroon is a short-handled hookeroon – which is a single straight pick about six inches long set at a 90 degree angle from the end of the tool handle. A pickeroon has about a 14 to 16 inch straight axe-type handle and a hookeroon has about a 24 to 28 inch straight axe-type handle. Either tool is used in conjunction with a pulp hook in reaching for, moving and tossing cord-sized wood up to 4 feet long. Think of a pickeroon as a hatchet-sized hookeroon. All three were very popular in the pulp-wood industry.
A pulp hook, by the way, looks like a farmer’s hay hook only much more substantial.

A Peavey is a river-driver’s tool much like a cant-hook. Typical Peavey handles are 48 inches long and round-shafted; some Peavey handles may be up to six feet long. Like a cant hook, they have a free-swinging J-shaped hook suspended from a steel collar on the working end of the tool, but unlike a cant-hook [they] have a straight spike from 4 to 8 inches long jutting straight from the working end and secured by the same steel collar. While a Peavey is okay for rolling logs on the ground, its primary purpose is turning and pushing loose logs in water. Many a logjam has been corrected with good Peavey men working with others with pike poles.

A cant hook is built just like a Peavey but with a shorter handle seldom more than 4 feet long. It has the same or similar steel collar and suspended J-hook, but instead of a straight spike has a smaller steel hook or double hook bent 90 degrees from the collar in the downward direction of the suspended J-hook. The primary purpose of a cant hook is indeed turning logs on the ground, which with practice works slightly better than using a Peavey for the same purpose. Unlike use on the river, cant hooks were used most on landings, decks and in the mill yard.

The “Peavey” is named after a New England man from the 1850s whose last name was Peavey.

Sorry to nit-pick, but as these tools are becoming more common it would be wise for others to use correct terminology. A good reference is Bernard S. Mason’s The Book for Junior Woodsmen from A.S. Barnes Co., New York published in 1945 and long out-of-print. Others may find copies in the usual venues for old books. I highly recommend it for those exploring new ways to use old woodsmen tools. Two other excellent books are Spiked Boots and Tall Timber and Tough Men, both by Robert S. Pike. They were recently re-printed by The Countryman Press in Vermont .

I am a long-time soon to retire rural law enforcement officer with many years experience in a timber-industry and logging background. Our family has lived in the same county for approaching 400 years now and we know a bit about farming and logging. Regards, - Ancient Woodsman

JWR Replies: Thanks for setting me straight on the tool terminology. The error was mine, not the author's, since I was the one that added the mention of the other tools in brackets.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader KT mentioned that Mike Kemp's analysis of the Heller Second Amendment supreme court ruling has been posted at the Staying Alive blog.

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Hawaiian K. recommend a web site with some tips on survival cooking.

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I 've discussed cartridge and shotshell adapters several times in SurvivalBlog. Henry sent me a link to the web site for a maker of some high quality shotshell adapters: Gaugemate. They make them with integral extractors, and more simple (and less expensive) "push out" models.

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Kevin A. flagged this article for us: Commodities rally driven by fundamentals, not speculators. Here is a key quote: "In sum, our research suggests that loose monetary policy has played a much more important role than speculators in the recent commodity price rally."