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Guest Post: The Poor Man’s Guide To Survival Gear
From Brandon Smith of Alt-Market
The Poor Man’s Guide To Survival Gear
Special Note: Obviously, an entire book could be written on this subject, which is a task beyond the scope of this article. The purpose of the following piece is to give those with financial difficulty a foothold on prepping without added pain. It is meant to be a starting point, not a compendium.
A friend of mine took note recently that a large portion of activists involved in the Liberty Movement had hit extremely hard times, or had been struggling financially even before the general economic collapse began to take hold. He asked me my theory on why it was that so many of us are always so broke. I could only relate that it is almost always the working class poor in any society that first sees the effects of a corrupt government and a faulty economic system. Those who legitimately hold to the principles of self sustainment, and fair play, are usually the first to be stabbed in the back by the establishment, and so, they are the first to become politically active against it. That is to say, sometimes we have to lose almost everything before we are able to see the bigger picture.
While I consider this fact a source of solace in these extraordinarily hard times, it still does little to put food on the table, or survival gear in the bug-out-bag.
The overall consensus within the prepper community is that survival planning is expensive, and yes, it certainly can be. Another consensus is that you “get what you pay for”; also true...to a point. My belief is that while no prepping model is free of expense or of quality concerns, perhaps there is a middle road that activists with thin wallets can take which will provide solid gear for less money, and that will serve most of the functions of high-end gear that is ten times as expensive. Let’s examine a foundation list of those items that can help get you started now….
Backpack (Bug Out Bag)
You can literally spend hundreds of dollars on many top-of-the-line framed backpacks, and some may even be worth it, but it is not necessary to spend that kind of cash to purchase a decent bug-out-bag. In fact, surplus ALICE packs with frames can be had online for as little as $30-$60, sometimes even less if they are a bit worn. The ALICE system provides adequate back support for your needs, for a low price, and the quality of the design is military proven.
Camouflage Clothing
Camouflage clothing and gear runs a wide spectrum in price, and it’s hard sometimes to find the colors you want at a discount. One trick is to buy any camo you find on the cheap, and then lightly dye it to match the colors you want. For instance, one could gauge the dye levels with small samples, find the right strength, and then dye light camo like Digital ACU a darker green. Eventually, you may be able to make your own camo with any clothing you come across. It sounds like a pain, but it’s actually quite easy, and could save you considerable amounts of money.
Extreme Weather Protection
Gortex is outrageously expensive, unless you get lucky and find it used or discounted. While it is difficult to beat the quality (or the warrantee) on most Gortex cold weather gear, there are cheaper alternatives that get the job done almost as well. A great extreme cold weather coat is the N-2B Flight Jacket designed to mil spec and resistant to most wet weather conditions. The jacket was meant specifically to deflect freezing temperatures and it can be had for around $120 or less.
Purchasing several packages of polypropylene thermal underwear could also save your life in extreme weather situations. They are lightweight, can be easily layered, can be packed into a tiny corner of your B.O.B., and will retain much of your body heat. Even if you don’t have a lot of winter gear with you, absolutely do not forget to bring the poly-wear! $30-$50 for a shirt and pants together is well worth it.
Finally, buy wool socks. Buy plenty. Look for deals, but do not cut them out of your budget. Any weather below 20 Degrees Fahrenheit and you’ll want to double up. Cold feet, on a march, on patrol, on guard duty, sucks. They can be damaged permanently if you are not careful.
Combat Boots
Top quality combat boots traditionally run anywhere from $100 to $300 depending on the brand. One rule that you cannot break regardless of the circumstances; always treat your feet right. They hold up your entire body. Surplus boots are a good place to start when looking to cut costs, but usually you won’t be saving much. To be honest, there are plenty of knockoff combat boots found in sporting goods stores, usually in the hiking section, that are just as durable as the expensive models but for much less. You can go far in a pair of $60 boots. Be sure, though, to thoroughly check for poor sewing on the seams, crap laces, and light construction. If they feel heavy, they are probably made well enough.
Camp Heater
Unless you have your own oil well, or a line on a hidden vein of coal (some preppers I have met actually do), then your best bet for efficient heat during the winter weather in a tent, a makeshift shelter, or a house, is a wood burning stove. Timber fuel sources are everywhere. A couple cords of wood are enough to heat most homes and shelters through the colder months.
Gasoline and propane storage is possible, but the likelihood of shortage is high, and arranging a practical supply lasting a year or more is incredibly expensive. Solar power systems and battery banks are recommended, but again, this is another option that requires moderate to substantial investment when it comes to heating a house. A very affordable alternative for your heating needs would be the M-1941 Military Tent Stove. The cylindrical stove is portable, burns quite hot, and can be had usually for $100 or less.
Survival Knife
Some knives deserve the amount of attention and the high price tag they have garnered, but many are just….well….regular knives with a fancy name engraved in the blade. You are buying a knife for its functionality, not its sex appeal. Gerber, SOG, and Kershaw make plenty of knives which work just as well for $80 or less than any $400 cord wrapped Strider knife. Again, pay for the tool, not the name or the artificial commercial mystic.
Communications
Good HAM radios, base stations to handheld models, can be had for around $200-$300, but even this amount is sometimes too high for a limited prepper budget. Unless you plan to coordinate operations over longer distances using repeaters, or set up a HAM alert system with multiple members of your community, regular two-way radios costing around $40 to $60 like those produced by Midland should suffice for communications. Consumer models often advertize an effective range of 20 to 30 miles, but this is in totally flat terrain. If you can get five miles out of them in rough terrain, you are doing well. This range is adequate to handle most tasks required during a survival situation.
Electricity
Gas powered generators are unnecessary long term survival situations, primarily because the amount of fuel they use is impractical and the noise many of them produce could make having electricity a daily temptation of fate. Solar is really the best way to go. Unfortunately, many people assume solar power solutions to be too technical and overwhelming. In fact, setting up a solar power system is so straight forward it makes all the prepper uneasiness a bit laughable.
A simple and comparably affordable set-up would include one 180 Watt solar panel (which can quickly charge your battery bank during the day), one deep cycle battery, a charge controller, and an inverter. This kit can be had for $600 to $1000, is compact enough to fit a medium Rubbermaid storage bin, and will power almost every appliance and charge every electronic device that would make life easier during a collapse. Remember also that every Watt of power you produce by the sun reduces your on-grid electric bill, saving you even more money.
At the very least, a portable solar powered battery charger is a must have item. Doing without gear like radios and flashlights is simply not an option. Going caveman is the most ill conceived method for living through the worst of all possible situations.
Survival Tin
Pre-made mini survival kits are a rip off. Most of the items they contain (matches, fishing line, compass, small knife, firestarter, wire saw, water purification tablets, etc.) can be easily purchased separately for half the cost. Making your own mini-kit is also a good exercise in efficiency. Being able to prioritize gear and understand what is truly useful versus what is a waste of space is as important a skill as being able to shoot or navigate a map. It does not take a lot of money to build a solid base kit for emergencies….unless you buy one that somebody made for you.
Emergency Medical Kit
Again, all items within most pre-made medical kits can be bought individually for much less. Celox blood stopper, silk sutures, surgical tools, transfusion bags, and other goods should be added in with the staples, raising the cost slightly, but rounding out your kit and allowing for more critical injuries to be cared for. Bulk over the counter medications, especially for stomach ailments, would be highly valuable post collapse, and can be bought wholesale. Medicinal teas, at least the organic brands, work very well! These can be bought for reasonable prices and will boost your immune system, preventing illness before it ever occurs.
Food Production
If you have enough land to keep them, a half dozen chickens, a half dozen breeding rabbits, and a goat, will produce milk, meat, and eggs daily, providing valuable sustenance, reducing the amount of stored foods you need to use in a day, and reducing the amount of time you have to spend hunting for food in a dangerous collapse environment. Chickens and goats practically feed themselves with whatever is available on your land. Rabbit feed is easy to store, and can also be made at home. These animals are indeed worth their weight in gold.
Seeds are, of course, a currency in and of themselves. Non-GMO seed and strong gardening knowledge will save you and your family. Gardening is not as easy as it seems, however. Extensive practice, trial and error, and an understanding of regional climates will improve your crop yields dramatically.
If you are looking to survive on the cheap and avoid paying thousands of dollars for years worth of freeze dried goods, sustainable food production is the only way to go. Foraging and scavenging is NOT a reliable alternative.
Security Systems
Trip wires and tin cans are certainly cheaper than thermal security cameras, and a few well trained guard dogs can put your mind at ease, but sometimes more silent or less obvious methods are in order. I would recommend the MURS radio and infrared alert system for perimeter defense. As far as force multipliers go, MURS is relatively inexpensive. MURS motion detectors are wireless, weather proof, have a beam range of around 100 ft, and can be placed up to 4 miles away from your radio base station. Intruders crossing the infrared beam will set off an alert on your base station and all MURS handheld radios. Some MURS systems even have underground probes designed to detect the movement of vehicles. Up to four motion censors can be linked to one base station and each can be designated for a sector, telling you exactly where on your property the intrusion is occurring. A full MURS system with multiple motion detectors can be had for $300 or less. Other comparable outdoor security systems often cost $500 or more.
Night Vision
The price range of night vision devices is truly staggering. Some can run as little as a few hundred dollars, others climb into the thousands. For the prepper with low cash flow who feels the need for night time security, a couple models offer good quality at a lower price.
For typical surveillance and overwatch, the Bushnell 2.5 by 42 night vision monocular creates a strong image with quality construction for around $200.
For combat, the Yukon Nvmt Night Vision Scope offers many of the advantages of high end systems for only $350 or less.
Night vision may seem like an unnecessary expense, even at these prices, but any edge one can get in survival is a good thing. Being at a disadvantage monetarily does not mean you have to be at a disadvantage tactically.
Self Defense
Yes. Guns. Big-scary-guns. Guns and survival go hand in hand, especially during an economic or social collapse. To bring up guns in a prepping article almost always draws criticism of militancy and extremism from suburban basted over-privileged adolescent hippies who have read “Into The Wild” way too many times and think survival is about “communing with nature”. Sorry kids, but as much as I love nature, as soon as you turn your back on it, you end up a pre-digested meal spread like almond butter across 30 acres of grizzly valley. On the other side of the coin, firearms analysis always draws endless opinions and puffy chested “expertise” from armchair generals and “invincible special-ops superheroes”.
Frankly, after years of survival writing, you stop caring what other people think. That said, for those of us with limited resources (of which I would include myself), firearms purchases are much less about technical proficiency and more about affordability.
I won’t be delving into sidearms here. Instead we’ll focus on what you cannot conceivably live without. Purchasing a primary battle rifle should always be the prepper’s first concern as far as firearms go, whether he is rich or poor. Semi-automatic, accurate, reliable, hard to damage, fires a common military caliber (.223, 7.62 by 39, .308). There’s your list. Finding cheap rifles that meet that list is another matter, but here are a few that come pretty close:
SAIGA 
The Saiga is a high capacity AK variant that comes in all common military calibers as well as a 12 gauge shotgun model (I’m amazed it’s still legal). Works great, shoots straight, built tough, runs between $450 to $650. For the price, you can’t go wrong.
CETME
A Spanish made .308 semi automatic rifle with a similar design to the HK G3. Many in circulation have been pieced together with surplus parts, and it is wise to get yours checked out by a trusted gunsmith. A little tuning may be required. Otherwise, a pretty solid 300 yard gun running at $450 to $600.
FN FAL
The FAL is a Belgium made semi auto .308 rifle. Accurate and well made. Effective range of around 700 yards. Can be found for $600 to $800.
AK 47
Will you look like a terrorist holding this gun? Yes. But beyond that, the AK is synonymous with dependability, and affordability. Though gun prices the past few years have skyrocketed in ridiculous fashion, the AK 47, a 7.62 by 39 caliber rifle, can still be found for around $300 to $600 depending on the make, the age, and the honesty of your dealer. This is not a very accurate gun beyond 100 yards. Can you hit a man sized target beyond 100 yards with an AK? Yes. Can you do it accurately and consistently? No. You want pinpoint sniper accuracy from a Russian made weapon? Get a Dragunov. You want a close quarters weapon that you can clean with a dish rag and motor oil and still have it fire? Get an AK.
SKS
The SKS used to be a good deal. Four years ago you couldn’t spit without hitting one priced at around $200. Nowadays, many gunshops are fishing for $400 to $500. Do not pay this for any SKS. It is not a $500 gun. It is a $200 to $300 gun. Period. Deals can still be found if you are patient. The 7.62 by 39 rifle is relatively accurate and solidly built. The bayonet is a bit of a pain, but removing it is apparently an ATF no no. Technically you are required to remove the bayonet mounting lug and the grenade launcher attachment along with the blade for the gun to be legal (I’m not going to go into the absurdity of ATF assault rifle guidelines). Honestly, if you don’t like the bayonet, just take it off, and don’t let any of your ATF buddies shoot it at the range.
RUGAR MINI-14
Another rifle that used to be a good deal, now ruined by overenthusiastic gun shop owners. Private sale at a gun show is the only way lately to find this rifle at its traditionally suitable price of $350 to $450. Gun shops today will ask $600 to $800. The .223 rifle, designed after the M1 Garand, is light, easy to wield, and pretty accurate out to 300 yards. Lighter ammo means more rounds can be carried at a time.
Long Range Sniper Systems
For long range at an affordable price, you just can’t go wrong with Savage Arms. The company has maintained the great quality of its products, kept their prices low despite the Obama gun boom, and most of their rifles compete equally with guns twice as expensive. One issue to keep in mind, though, is optics, which can sometimes cost as much as the gun itself if you are not careful. Long range shooting platforms are essential for a small force defending against a larger or better supplied enemy. The more you can increase your standoff distance when at a disadvantage, the better chance you have of survival. One or two long range experts can wreak havoc on a seemingly unstoppable foe, making the cost of operations so high the enemy begins to question the practicality of moving forward. In collapse environments, snipers, amateur to professional, always come out of the woodwork to dominate the landscape. Preppers have the ability to counter this threat, and with very inexpensive firearms.
SAVAGE MODEL 10
This is a .308 sniper system commonly found with a precision stock and a heavy barrel. Range of around 800 yards. Can be found for $600 to $700. Modified systems come more expensive, but the standard model is all you need.
SAVAGE 111
A highly accurate rifle utilizing the effective 300 Win Mag cartridge. Range exceeding 1000 yards. Can usually be found for around $700.
SAVAGE 111 BA
The “long range hunter” model of the Savage 111 in .338 Lapua costing less than $1000. The .338 is an incredible cartridge with an effective range of about 1 mile. The Savage has been found comparable to sniper systems three times as expensive. The only problem with the .338 is the price of the ammo, which usually runs around $60 to $70 for a box of 20 rounds, almost twice as expensive as 300 Win Mag. Man, does that sting! This rifle should be considered a poor man’s substitute for the .50 Cal, a rifle that will always be undeniably expensive, considering one round usually sets you back $4 to $5. If you want the capability of a .50 Cal but not a quite so outrageous ammo price, the Savage is your best bet.
Procrastination Is Something We Cannot Afford
Preparation is not limited to the realm of the rich. Ultimately, survivalists with limited incomes must pursue their prepping MORE vigorously than those with expendable cash exactly because they are at a greater disadvantage. Being poor is no excuse for procrastination. Great gear can be had for little money, as long as purchases are approached intelligently. Budgeting for survival is not an enterprise for some future date in which we imagine ourselves to be better off than we are now. It should be a part of our daily life, even when times are tough.
Self discipline gets things done. Making a plan and then sticking to that plan despite our inner weaknesses and apprehensions gives greater returns in the long run. This method not only earns the respect we hold for ourselves, but also the respect others hold for us. The flaky and indecisive cannot be relied upon. The gravity of the socio-political situation we face in the near term demands that we shake off our fears and our apathy, step out of our baby cradle comfort zone, and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Backing out is not an option. Otherwise, we simply defeat ourselves, and we let each other down.
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Self Gov could be a woman!
care to wager?
*smiles*
Good post but I still think there is way over emphasis across the board on handguns. 9mm, .45, .40 s&w. Hanguns take years of practice and they have no range. If I was just getting into this, a pistol would be the last thing I would buy and it would be the last thing I would go for in a self-defense situation. Even nose to nose, I'd still rather have a shotgun.
Plus, you read all this stuff about knockdown power. I read an FBI report that in police shootings, the target was just as likely to fall down with small calibers as with big cailbers. Its a psychological reaction to being shot. Ultimately shot placement is all that counts and if I shoot someone in the throat with a 9mm, I can assure you the target is neutralized. 9mm ball is dirt cheap. .45 acp, not so much.
The rest of your post is bang on.
Agreed, but I like my 1911 :)
As long as its a Colt 1911! That is a sweet hunk of metal... Though I'm still not pulling it when it counts if I don't have too.
It's hard to carry a shotgun in your pocket, unless you have very deep pockets.
Rock Island isnt bad but for about $200 more you can get a Para-Ordnance 14-45 that is IMO a MUCH better weapon in .45ACP. Good post.
The better the survivalist, the less equipment they need.
That being said, having some items you want (solar + ipod music) can make survival into living.
For a shotgun at a reasonable price, at least it was a few years ago, I like the Remington Defender. I bought a Mossberg 500 some years ago and don't like its loose pumping action compaired to the Remington. I have a Glock 19 and have been really satisfied with it. Glocks used to be unique with their firing pin block that was automically removed as the trigger is squeezed but other manufacturers have begun copying the idea. The block essentially acts as a safety.
If your wife or significant other can handle a .45, then you want to get a pair, but if they are only comfortable with a 9mm, then you will want 2 of them and save your desires for a .45 further down the line. You definitely want your sidekick packing something with compatable ammo.
As for .45's, I have both the 1911 and the Glock 21, and the 1911 is far and above my preferred .45 from an accuracy and feel standpoint.
Also, off the cuff here, you can get the 1858 New Army cap and ball revolver from Cabelas right now for about $219 with the starter kit, extra cylinders are about $40. Don't laugh, you can still order black powder firearms through the mail, along with black powder/caps and they're powerful and accurate under 25+- yards (pistols). You can make your own balls from wheel weights and other lead you find...
My girlfriend handles a .45 just fine and she's not exactly a "big" girl either. Just gotta get that kung-fu grip and if your lady doesn't have it then I already feel sorry for you :)
"if your lady doesn't have it then I already feel sorry for you"
Um, what were we talking about again? :p
I don't see training mentioned.
It does no good to own a rifle, sidearm, load bearing equipment, backpack etc. if you cannot use it.
Shooting on a static range does not do it. You have to be able to shoot, move and communicate with all your gear on. Be able to snap your rifle into fireing position with your LBE and backpack on. Be able to run in your gear, etc.
You have to be able to shoot from any weird position you find yourself in, even while moving. You will most likely not get a chance to get into your perfect natural point of aim while proned out. LEarn how to use your irons as all the cool tricked out red dots will eventually run out of batteries break etc. Being able to hit with irons at least to 500 yards is key, especially when outranging folks fireing at you with the 5.56 round that is so common.
Physical conditioning is key if one has to shoot and move. If one is not used to carrying a 12 pound FAL with 80 pounds of other gear, and one has to haul ass for a few miles and then suddenly find oneself in a fight, it won't go well unless one is in shape. Heaving chest and rubbery arms and legs does not for accurate shooting make.
Practice shooting and moving as much as possible. You can't miss fast enough in a gun fight to win.
Benelli M2 Shotgun for around $1100 is a Rolls Royce. For $300 the pump action Remington 870 (used by police for decades). I'm also a big fan of the FN tactical shotguns (as good as the Benelli). In California you need something without a pistol grip so keep that in mind while you're shopping.
For a whole bunch of reasons, I would stay away from an autoloading shotgun as a shit-hitting-the-fan/zombie apocolypse weapon. I would definitely stick with a reliable pump.
For more mundane uses, Benelli and Barretta autoloaders are the finest firearms one can purchase.
First step, be sure everything is kosher with local laws.
Remington/Mossberg 12 ga. w/ 18" barrel & mag extension. ~$300... + speedfeed ~$80 + tac light & pressure switch ~$100... maybe add night sights, ghost rings, or holo sight $30-200. Might also consider some of the semi-auto clip shotguns ala saiga, et al... might have some different restrictions with what you can add to them given popularity/availability of after market parts.
I'd suggest a 9mm handgun... springfield, glock, HK, sig, cz, browning, beretta... all will get you where you need to be... just make sure you hold all of them and see which one is the most comfortable to you. You'll also need to decide what you want to do with it (e.g. concealed carry?)... there are too many makes/models to choose from... there is no right or wrong choice, just whatever you decide fits your needs... If you're not going to conceal it, I'd suggest at least a 4" barrel...
Then go and shoot them... and shoot them... and shoot them... follow the manufacturers' suggested breakin methods...
@ greased up deaf guy
Glocks and Springfield XD's are great guns but they are double action striker fired, which means the trigger pull cocks and releases the striker pin. Very reliable, but a single/double action trigger will allow you to carry cocked with a very light trigger pull(good for accuracy) or cock and drop the hammer with heavier pull(less accurate). The advantage is that you can carry to your liking, while retaining the ability to re-strike a round without having to rack the slide(and therefore waste the round).
Sig-arms and Springfield both make SA/DA guns, there are others too. If you're really set on DA, Kahr has one of the smoothest DA triggers around, they also make some of the smallest guns per caliber, including the smallest .45 acp. As for calibers, .357 Sig/auto or 10mm are true magnum rounds, most guns designed for them are built to handle the added stress, the secret service uses .357 auto. .45 acp and 9mm are common, easy to find, and cheap; but .40 give you something more powerful that 9mm and the option to switch to .357 auto by swapping only the barrel. Such a set-up allows you to train with cheaper .40, but load .357 auto for daily carry or self5efense.
To me, its no question. Mossberg pump action 12 gauge. Perfect for hunting any size of game, especially if you have slugs, it can be fitted with a rifled barrel, perfect for home defense. You can buy a ton of different ammunitions for it, including even flame thrower rounds, or even non-lethal. Not to mention that the sounds of a ratcheting 12 gauge will send home invaders scurrying.
FYI: Handguns and Shotguns are short range weapons. The effective range of a Handgun is about 5 meters. a shotgun effective range is about 15 meters. In Gun fights distance is your friend. The person that can reachout and touch from the most distance has a significant advantage. Consider if you are engaged from someone with a rifle outside your gun's effective range. You put yourself in a serious disadvantage and will likely lose.
I would recommend a carbine rifle with a detactable magazine as your first gun. 1. More shots per reload. 2. Carbines are more maneuverable in tight spaces than long rifles. Good effective range of about 50 meters. 3. Able to pierce sheetrock and sheet metal (car door) that your attacker might be hiding behind. FWIW: Like any tool, different guns have different purposes. No single gun can handle them all, just like a hammer can't saw wood, or tighten a bolt.
"a shotgun effective range is about 15 meters"
Um, no.
Glocks tend to be real popular and have waiting lists here in Denver. My favorite gun store (they have an indoor range) sells out of Glocks the same day they arrive.
The XDMs are quite good (I have one) and cheaper than a Glock. I'm not the strongest guy, and I have small hands, so I got the XDM in 9mm rather than the 45.
My father used to have a bunch of 45s (for some reason, I inherited mom's hands, not his) and I'd get all sore shooting them at the range.
Our experience with shotguns was limited to duck hunting (which we haven't done since the 90s), so my advice in that area would be worse than useless.
I have the XDM .40 and I LOVE it. High capacity, low recoil and accurate! Added Trijicon night sights and a Powder River Precision trigger job. I will never (willingly) part with it.
Recommend a Mossberg 500 (12 gauge pump) that comes with 2 interchangeable barrels. A short barrel for self defense and a standard barrel for hunting.
Remington 870 Express. Synthetic stock so your shoulder can go all day long pumping round after round into the horde. http://www.remington.com/product-families/firearms/shotgun-families/pump-action-model-870.aspx
Get a remington 870 12 guage shotgun. Super reliable pump shotgun.
Here is my arsonal that I've built in less than a year. My selections were based on lots of research but ultimately everyone will tell you to get what you are comfortable with and get apporpriate firearms for your needs. My needs are self and home defense, target shooting and survival.
1. I started with a Mossberg 500 tactical shotgun. I figure if it's good enough for the military and police then it's good enough for me. The most reccomended type of firearm for home defense if you have close neighbors.
2. Glock 17 (9mm) Verry happy with it, feels great, reliable, lightweight, cheaper ammo for target shooting and again.. good enough for M&P. It's not as ideal to carry vs. the 19. I'd like to next add a 45 ACP Glock 21 to my collection.
3. S&W Bodyguard .380 for self defense (carry). Not the most fun to shoot but will get the job done while being concelable. It also has a built in laser.
4. S&W M&P15 Sport 5.56/.223 AR type rifle. For $599 this can't be beat for a introductory AR rifle. I love it, love it, love it. The only thing it lacks compared to the big boys are a forward assist and dust cover. If you don't plan on crawling in sand and dipping it in mud then this is a non-issue. It is a great rifle for a great price. I highly reccomend it. The "tricking out" snowballs pretty quickly! In a months time I put on a quad rail, tac light, foregrip, etc. It's a lot of fun and gives me something new to play with every time I go to the range. On the other hand I know that if SHTF it'll take care of business, looks intimidating and can use for hunting. The AR guys online are a good group of people and tons of info out there. I bought a .22lr conversion kit for small game hunting which is super easy to change and can save my 5.56 green tips for protection rather than blowing heads off of squirrels.
I feel good with my collection and that is all that matters. I've also learned that it is what you feed them that can make all the difference. I've since stocked up on loads of JHP's for all of my firearms and defense/breech loads for my shotgun. Ammo will be worth more than gold and silver in the streets when people turn into dehydrated zombies after 3 days of no water.
Hope this helps!
AR15 type rifles are by far the easiest rifle out there to shoot accurately (the buffer tube recoil system). My ten year old can get 5 inch groups at 50 yards.
I do think they have real limitations. First, its not a hunting rifle. In fact in most states, its illegal to take large game with a cailber sub .243. The AR15 was adopted by the millitary, in part, because it was a non-lethal round. During the Vietnam conflict, wounded NVA soldiers used up more resources and did more to break moral than dead NVA soldiers. And the US Millitary never looked back.
Don't get me wrong, they are accurate and easy to fire. Kind of a bitch to clean and maintain (pins,springs gallore) but the 556 NATO round is unquestionably accurate and fast moving ball. They just don't do a good job at killing stuff very fast.
I'm interested in also getting a 7.62 NATO rifle. I see the price of ammunition is pretty good and would fill that gap the AR is missing. Any reccomendations on a good all around defense and hunting rifle that would legal to shoot with?
G3 (variants, NOT CETME), FAL, any bolt action in that caliber, SCAR, AR-10... probably in that order.
Ruger Scout Tactical. Comes in a .308, 16.5 inch barrel, ten round magazine. It's a bolt action but if you practice, for a bolt, it's got a lightning fast action. it's a perfect tactical rifle and the .308 will take anything living in the lower 48 states. Get used to that two finger, thumb cycling motion on the bolt, and you'll be able to break off follow up shots just as fast as a semi (without all of the complexities of a semi auto receiver group).
http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/models.html
If you really want to go for broke, go with an AR10.
FAL, FAL and more FAL.
No offense, but I hate the FAL. Some think it's great, I think it sucks. To each is own.
Something else I forgot to mention. With AR15's, the barrel may or may not be stamped .223/5.56. With the 7.62x51 NATO, there is no difference between that round and the .308 winchester (so, in a sense, its also more versatile). There IS a difference between the .223 and the 5.56 NATO. The 5.56 NATO is a more highly pressurized. If the barrel isn't stamped 5.56, the barrel may not be able to handle the pressure. I don't remember what the numbers for an M16, but on an M4 style AR15, if the barrel has a twist rate of 1:9, it should be able to take a 5.56 NATO. If I recall, if the barrel has a twist rate of 1:10, the excessive pressure from the NATO cartridge will actually cause the primer to blow out backwards from the cartridge which will end up jamming somewhere in the receiver. None of those issues are present with the 7.62 and .308's come in all of the hunting loads (soft tips, ballistic tips, etc.)
Eh... twist rates are involved with determining what grain of a bullet is stabilized in flight... the dangers you're referring to come from improper headspacing and/or quality of construction. Many proprietors have developed hybrid chambers to accommodate both the .223 and nato rounds.
Virtually all of them have and the barrels are stamped both 223/556. I don't remember all of the specifics but the standard NATO green tip is a boat-tailed 62 grain. Most 223's come in a 55 grain FMJ. The US Army field manual for the M-16 says something about green tips either being suitable or not being suitable for an M-16 versus an M4 because of the twist rate and the aforementioned excess cartridge pressure. I don't think it's head space cause the cartridge dimensions are exactly the same. I'll have to go back and look it up.
that's the beauty of wild hogs, they are not "game" but nuisance. Now I dont hunt them with 5.56, i use 30-06 or slug, but you can. You will just need a mercy round.
Just some practical advice:
1) The price of a firearm is almost irrelvant. If you actually intend on learning to shoot it, you will run a multiple worth of ammo through it, figure 10x or more. Buy the cartridge, not the gun.
2) Everyone always thinks of a pistol first as a self-defense weapon. If I'm down to a pistol if the shit hits the fan, I'll be saving a round for myself cause I'll assume I'm already dead. Think of it from the perspective of someone in combat: a pistol is only a backup to a shotgun, which is only a backup to a rifle which only a backup to long range artillery. There is inverse logic: When you are hunting, why shoot a deer from 200 hundred yards when you can shoot it from 50, but in combat why shoot something from 50 when you can shoot something from 300 yards.
3) This article references a .338 Lapua. That will drop an elephant at 500 yards and is dramatic overkill. Plus you'll never find ammo for it and even if you could, you'll spend $10k on it. Most gun shops are stocked to the hilt in the following calibers: .22 LR, 9mm, .45 ACP, .223, .308, .270, 30-06 and 12 and 20 gauge shells in every immaginable variant. Stick to those. Besides, the ballistic coefficient on a .308 is around .5. If you know what you're doing, that's close grouping all the way out to 500 yards (2 to 5 minutes at that range). There is a reason why that is still the default sniper caliber in the various millitary branches (notwithstanding the .50 BMG)
4) Whatever you buy, don't just learn to use it. Learn everything about it. Learn to field strip it, maintain it, clean it and repair it. Stock extra parts, pins, springs, magazines, even barrels, and whatever else makes it go boom.
5) For what its worth, if you don't know shit about guns, go with the following set up: A Rem 870 or a Mossberg 500. Shotguns are stupid versatile and can be accuarate in the hands of amateurs. Pistols on the other hand are insanely innaccurate. In a high stress situation, you won't hit the broadside of a barn at 20 feet. Get a good field barrel (bead and rail) and a good smoothbore barrel (not a rifled barrel!) with an interchangeable choke and front and rear rifle sights (all told that should be about $400 to $500). Get a set of modified chokes and rifled chokes. Get a mix of the following loads: hollow point rifled slugs, #00 buckshot, a range of shot loads between #4 and #7 1/2, The buckshot and rifled slugs are perfect for large game (including the two legged variety). A range of shot loads is good for smaller game for everything from turkey (for turkey sized game, you might want full chokes in a field barrel) to squirrels. If you are a bigger guy, get 3 inch shells for the buckshot and slugs, a mix 2 3/4 and 3 inch shells for the shot loads. If you are a smaller frame person, go with 2 3/4 inch shells across the board. Recoil isn't just shoulder pain, it effects accuracy. If you can comfortably shoot the 3 inch shells, go for it. Stick to rifle sights. Rifle scopes are finnicky and prone to failure. You have to constantly check the zero and even with a scoped rifle, an innexperienced shooter isn't going to be effective beyond 100 yards. With the rifled slugs through a smooth bore barrel with a rifled choke, it will be accurate out to 100 yards with good ole open sights and it will make massive holes in things so you can worry less about shot placement. For use in defense, mix/alternate slugs and buckshot in your magazine and remember what order you loaded them. Slugs are great at making huge holes in things, but they overpenetrate. At close ranges, buckshot is perfect and its less likely to over penetrate. Lastly, buy extra everything (magazine springs, parts, chokes, cleaning supplies, etc.) and lots of ammo. Plastic shells will store well but keep them in rubber sealed cannisters or ammo cans and through some sillica packets in there for good measure. Keep your powder dry! Learn to shoot it. Learn to shoot moving targets (clay pigeons or skeet) and practice on paper targets with slugs between 50 and 100 yards. Learn to get a consistent sight picture and cheek weld. Learn to shoot from the three main positions (standing/off hand, kneeling/sitting and prone). If you can hit fast moving skeet and 12 inch paper targets out to 100 yards with rifle sights, you'll be able to ruin anyone's day at any realistic range.
6) Everyone seems to think that .22s are a great survival load. Killing a squirrel could be a tough task with a .22. That said, the .22lr is the most popular load in the US by an exponential factor. 500 rounds costs $20. Buy thousands of rounds of .22 even if you don't own a .22. They'll have more trading value than silver, when the shit hits the fan. There is a trade idea for you.
You're not shooting your 22 enough!
Since the title of the article is "Poor man's" survival guide, I think the 22 is very appropriate. Exactly for the reasons mentioned: Cheap available ammo, easy to practice with (I would assume that the "guide" is for beginner preppers), quiet (dont attract attn while procuring game). But certainly a .410 shotgun would make killing squirrels and birds a little easier.
Just like tools, each gun described is suited for a different task.
How bout a Taurus raging judge? It shots a range of ammo such as 410 shells, balls and slugs, 45, and 454. And you can put different rounds in the gun at the same time. Heres a cool video demonstrating its effectiveness on feral watermelons!
I don't own one , but maybe Santa is listening!
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Taurus+judge&mid=DD7756713C6C5F779737DD7756713C6C5F779737&view=detail&FORM=VIRE5
The judge is an awesome choice. Not the perfect all around weapon but you are getting a lot done there.
It would be tough taking a deer with a .410 or a handgun cartridge... but your chances are better than with a 22!
For the record, I was responding to the OP. The safe in my basement is bursting at the seems. For plinking critters I got a 22-250. I can pluck the eye out of a prarie dog at a 1,000 yards with that. A full safe, 10,000 rounds of ammo and year's worth of food in food-grade buckets plus 10 thousand gallons of water in my pool and deep stock of other supplies... I sleep pretty comfortably at night.
That said, a guy I know from South Dakota was telling me once about this Native American woman he knew who used to take moose with a 22. She used to stalk real close or paddle right up to them, a few yards away and shoot them in the eye. I probably wouldn't try that myself but I guess it could be done.
That squaw worth 12 coyote hides!
I have no idea whether the story is true but as the guy tells it, a box of 22's would last her a decade with a 1,000 lbs of moose meat every winter. Them injuns is sure efficient.
certainly possible. That 22 would rattle around in that thick skull.
Find a pump action 12 gauge. Preferably a cylinder. For slugs and 00 buck. I have a Ithica 37 deerslayer. I can use rifled slugs for taking about wild hogs (we have lots) and deer. The 00 buck shot is awsome for defence. Ive been considering putting an adjustable choke so i can go slug all the way to full choke. In other words: Deer to ducks to turkey.
I say 12 gauge because of the vast amount of 12ga ammo produced. Also, make sure it can hold a 3" shell. There are 3 popular lengths: 2 3/4, 3, and 3.5 inch. A 3 inch can also fire the 2 3/4 inch. A 3.5 is overkill for most.
I say pump because it is the most reliable.
Handgun: A purdy 1911 45 cal will always be king, but a good one isnt cheep. For a self defence semi auto, a polymer is a great choice. If you want to start carrying then a compact model is whats best. I would go with Glock or S&W M&P (smith & wesson Military and police). Easy to learn and maintain for a begineer than a 1911. Both sell full size and compact models. Prices are around 500. Both are great guns while the M&P is a better gun for a begineer (very egronomic) Calibers should be 9mm, 40, or 45. These three ammo are produced in large amounts and various forms.
Battle/hunting rifle: The best choice is, IMO, a AR15 5.56 nato (NOT 223!). Reasons: the 5.56 nato is a mass produced round, and a 5.56 barrel can also shoot the remington .223, but a .223 barrel shouldnt have 5.56 pass through it. Bad mojo.
Another great thing about a AR15 is that it can be split into a lower "Half" and an upper. The upper contains the barrel and can be switched out for the .22 LR.. A VERY cheep and VERY mass produced round. Great for small game. So you can have 2 guns while paying for 1 1/2.
Many things can easily be placed or taken off the weapon. From high end scopes, to lasers, folding iron sights, flash lights, and red dots. It really can be 4 guns in one.
A great maker of a good quality AR!% for a really good price is Palmetto State Armory at plamettostatearmory.com
High end steel, 1:7 barrel twist, lotsa mil spec... S&W M&P ar15 are a good choice too.. The sport model is VERY affordable.
Happy hunting!
Your fears about .223 and 5.56 in an AR are way overblown. Who comes up with this shit? There might be some piece of shit bolt-action hunting rilfe out there from Eastern Europe chambered in .223 that might show slight pressure signs if it fires a military 5.56. For 600 yard highpower shooting, I have filled the damn cases with powder so full you have to crunch the bullet down on top and actually compress the load and still didn't see any pressure signs. The military brass holds less powder, not more because the case walls are thicker.
Get a blunderbuss, ammo is cheap :-)
You bury your gold bars under the latrine!! Is this your first camping trip?
What about silk stockings and chocolate to lure the ladies?
Once we get back to loincloths, a large stick will do in a pinch.
Dapper Dan
Dude in a real collapse a can of stewed Tomatos will get you a fucking harem.
That explains your shopping cart. ;)
Now that's funny! When the SHTF there's nothing better to barter with than alcohol.
And smokes.
Make sure you have more seeds than bullets.
According to the Bosnian, a can of corned beef was all it took for 2 hours with a woman.
this guy is now on the congress watch list for terrorists,,,,,,
They’re making name and door tags for a GITMO cell for him right now. They'll let him have a Qur’an but a Bible is strictly verboten.
Pretty much everyone in this thread is now on the list. Oops.
Listen, I feel bad for these guys in the Liberty Movement, a lot of them are going through rough financial times along with a lot of other people. But come on, people have been fantasizing about this apocalyptic crap since forever. People who are broke like to see the collapse come because then everyone is down at their level. They just want to live out their Red Dawn fantasies, but that's mostly what it is. Fantasy.
This isn't Medieval times, with war, pillaging, and plagues striking every few years. I think that for most of human history people evolved in times where disaster could strike quite often and seemingly at random, so genes selected in some people who were always prepared for this sort of thing. However, this is a different world now. Plagues don't strike anymore. Last time I checked no marauding armies were headed to any of our villages, and the U.S. in its current form has never been invaded. The wars we fight are mostly low intensity conflicts for us with more people dying in car accidents every year than in Afghanistan or Iraq.
Face it, the world is getting more boring. If you want to buy backpacks, guns and "survival" gear, go ahead. But chances are you will probably never have to use it.
You have to be the poster child for normalcy bias.
Normalcy bias is a bitch, and it is a killer bitch at that. People die because they suffer from a disociative episode fueled by normalcy bias. It is also commonly know as the "sheep effect". Sheeple anyone?
I'm your sheepleberry.
Keep in mind sheeples there has been a "about-to-be" SHTF since forever. 70's oil shock. Cold War Nuke attack scenario. Backyard Fallout shelters! Y2K.
It's getting about as silly as all those freaky "religions" predicting the end times and then wait with their guru. Purple Nikes anyone? Docking with the mothership?
If there is a quadropedal bovine life form here who truly believes they're going to 'drop the big one' or the cities are going to 'rise up' then let him give an outside max-latest-possible time frame? hmm?
Give me a year, a time beyond which we can declare once and for certain you all were batshiite nutters and fruitcakes? Let's say over a frapucino Latte'
And all of your reasoning is based on... the normalcy bias. Just because something has never happened before does *not* byitself guarantee that it will never happen, capiche?! Geez...
Capiche? No.
Cappucino? Yes.
You did not give me a date, because you do not like the prospect of me, on that date, laughing out loud at you and all the other silly SHTFers predicting nonsense, today.
Please give me a latest case scenario, a year, beyond which you and I will agree you (and all such SHTF predictors) are fuitcakes??? (when that date passes and society does not/has not collapse in any way)
See this is where the paths diverge. There are the nutters & fruitcakes. Then there are the preparedness folks. We do not know a DEFINITE date. We know something will happen. It is all a matter of what and when. If you want to play the prediction/prophecy game, go dig up Nostradamus. Me? I am ready for disasters, whether they be natural or man-made. I have a mindset that gives me comfort in knowing that I could reasonably weather, survive and thrive in the event of any worst case scenario short of utter destruction of the planet or direct strike with a nuke.
SHTF predictors? History teaches us not one single fiat currency ever lasts. It is a mathematical certainty that they will fail. history also teaches us that massive storms, solar events, and other man-made and natural disasters plague us. It is just a fact of life.
If you are wanting a Date, a D-Day, go troll the net. There are plenty of fruitcakes and silly idiots out there tossing dates and predictions out like beads at Mardi Gras. You want peace of mind? Prepare for any disaster. They tend to occur when they are least convenient for those involved. Which is to say, unannounced.
Got preps? Pray for the best, prepare for the worst. It is all a matter of your mindset. Normalcy bias is indeed a bitch.
Tell it to the people in the Fukushima Prefecture. Oh. Wait..
OK, tell it to the people in Tokyo who woke up one day to find every grocery shelf in the city empty.
The SHTF for someone out there, every day.
And here it is. The Shit Hit The Fan in New Orleans Louisiana. Those who had guns and could keep them away from ill informed cops confiscating them, did better than those who did not. Ditto those with stored food. There is a lot online about it. Read up, for them The Shit Got Real (SGR).
I am stunned at the folks here who mock folks for being ready for things to go off line. It is foolish and irresponsible to assume everything will always go on like it has. You buy insurance don't you, and ridicule the uninsured, riiiight? Natural disasters (I AM STILL DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES TO MY LIFE IN APRIL BECAUSE OF A TORNADO, I was wiped out) can happen any where. No need to imagine a comet, solar flare, EMP, etc. Nature is a terrorist dammit. She is out to select your ass out of the gene pool if you decide to depend only on the system to take care of you. Centralized systems of support are too fragile and break down surprisingly easy. And having some food stored can be a help if you are ever unemployed for a while.
I don't for a minute think I am prepared enough. I work on it daily because my house is being built. I have designed it to withstand earthquake (unless the earth opens up below), hurricanes, tornadoes, gunfire, bomb blasts, and flood. Seriously. I sold some gold to do it. May be a bad bet, but no one is going to do this for me.
Start small. Just be ready for a two week crisis. Imagine no power, no food or water able to get to you. Go from there. Build up. The idea that someone will save you is an illusion that may help you sleep at night, but you will sleep better with some preps.
Had a friend who was a cop. When the tornado hit his area, they called him into work. Guess what? He was not "findable" and he stayed with his home and family instead, dealing with the fallout there. I am not saying he is right or wrong. I am saying "Get real."
For both Fukushima and Katrina quick, decisive evasion was the key. Guns were minor to no help. Recognize trouble, have a place to go, a way to get there and get going.
unfortunately, fukushima is the worst (or best) example you could have picked.
no looting, rape, pillaging or any kind of violence occured. people queued at
the few stores left standing and calmly awaited goverment relief. For all the
japanese manga love of anarchist neo-tokyo, it's so completely contrary to
the culture it will never happen.
Yeah, and now the people in Tokyo are happily playing arcade games and blah blah blah, life goes on. So what? Storms come and go, hurricanes, earthquakes. La dee da. The fact is, nothing has ever been safer in the Western world. It's called PROGRESS. I'll be the first to admit that progress is kind of boring, but there it is.
Have some flashlights, a few gallons of water and some other 5 dollar gear and call it a day. It's this whole disaster "culture" that I find hilarious.
I will say this, if there ever is a REAL disaster I hope I die fast, because if the only people left are you survival nuts going around saying "I told you so," for the remainder of my radiation soaked days, then I don't want to belong to the world anymore.
Be careful what you wish for.....
Why would anyone want to spend time encouraging your dead ass?
Clearly you have no intention of adjusting. Very few people really do ever adjust. You're not one of them, in which case you don't have to worry about studying for the test. Lucky you...
Here in the Northeast, During an unexpected snow storm earlier this fall, I had the pleasure of witnessing 'normal people' going absolutely batshit because they didn't have power for 5 to 7 days. Stores were without power, roads were closed because trees fell everywhere, etc. Since most folks shop for only a few days at a time, they were besides themselves when they ran out of toilet paper, food, water (well systems), etc. Angry at store staff, rude to road crews, flare-ups at stores to wrestle for scare commodities, etc. It was amazing to see.
There were reports in NJ and PA of neighborhoods taking out their frustration on power line workers (how smart is that) and the police needing to be called in. Break-ins were on the rise, etc.
If there is a major disruption in services, or rolling disruptions in daily life, you are going to see an ugly side of human nature. And if you don't believe that disrutions can happen -- read about England in the 1960s/early 70s when their currency went bye-bye. Or read about services and life in Iceland now.
And the 'bright' ones were returning FOOD after Irene went through the East Coast, probably so they could get pepper-sprayed at Wally World buying more important Chinkets for Christ-what-a-mess. Some sheeple never learn...
Great point Sophist, the same thing happened when the media over-hyped hurricane Irene. There was a gas station that raised it's price $1/gal higher (in one day) just because everyone was going crazy filling up their cars and spare tanks. When our everyday STUFF becomes scarce lots of people will become very ugly.
It is exactly what I'm worried about. We've gotten a little taste here in the NE of what a natural disaster can do to people. I didn't like what I saw the few days after Irene. I can't imagine what is going to happen as the Sun reaches it's peak and we have more. Well.. I can. That's why I'm now prepared. Bring it on bitchez! Let the normalcy biased sheeple try and take my food. Right now we've had a very mild winter so far (52 today) and it sure feels like the quiet before the storm. The chemtrails and haze in the sky have never been so active. But the sheeple keep on living in denial and insisting they're contrails. They are desperately trying to cool this good earth and in the meantime run up the credit card bills. Good luck everyone.
Yeah, so what? People are idiots. What happened in the North-East? Pshh, nothing. A storm. Big deal. Are there still marauding gangs going around raping and pillaging? Are you using your gun to fend of Mad Max bikers?
You are right that people panicked? But what's your point? People love storms because it makes them have a little excitement for a change, nothing more, nothing less. A few people die, no more than the old folks in the retirement homes though.
Just glad you survived that storm man, because I hear reports of complete social breakdown in those parts. A real No Man's Land. How many humans have you eaten in the last week just to stay alive?
Lolz.
Would you mind, for Travv's edification, elucidate as to the predominate skin color of said people?
The world is getting more boring"
Dude, where do you live? Seriously. HAve you looked at the news any time in the last 3 years? Copper thieves, NDAA, doubling of the money supply, 100% debt to GDP, Euro collapse, CDS contaigion. Hell, it isn't even safe to sell milk anymore.
How did you get this far into ZH with that much normalcy bias in tact?
Do you wear a seatbelt in your car? Why? odds are you won't need it....
Here are some facts for you buddy. You live in a media inundated world, and psycholigists have BIg Terms for you just like Normalcy Bias. If you open a paper up, you think the world is coming to an end. But lets review some real facts here.
Coups are down nearly 90 percent from just a few decades ago.
Wars between countries are dropping rapidly. You think wars happen a lot now? Just go back 50 years and there were a helluva lot more.
European countries have had the longest stretch of peace in their history. Countries used to start a war every week there.
And maybe you should look at the statistics on murder rates in the US, along with all other crime stats. Everything has been falling across the board.
Terrorists attacks are rapidly falling, especially in the Western world.
Instead of living moment to moment, article to article, you need to look at the hard data and trends over a long period.
And the markets were still pushing near 12,000 last I checked, hardly an end of the world scenario. Even if the markets crash, business will eventually go on as usual. It always does.
"Instead of living moment to moment, article to article, you need to look at the hard data and trends over a long period."
Clearly, you HAVEN'T. So, for an eye-opener on the LONG-TERM, check out Figure 1:
http://dieoff.org/page125.htm
The planet's resources are diminishing (well, to be technically correct, they're suffering from massive influxes of entropy- they've been so disturbed as to be hard to re-collect [poor EROEI]).
What's that DOW when adjusted for inflation?
Exactly. Just admit that it is a hobby, that's all I ask.
"He asked me my theory on why it was that so many of us are always so broke."
Because dumbfucks can NOT manage their finances. I know many below the poverty line families that live within their fucking means and are NOT suffering. I know many who buy crap and are. I know many with money who buy crap and are suffering.
I AM SO GODDAMNED TIRED OF IDIOT FUCKS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN DETRIMENTAL ACTIONS! I'm so fucking sick of both sides playing the VICTIM card.
I also imagine that if you piss your money away on the shit in the post you will be fucking poor.
What have we learned today chillens? That everybody wants to be a victim, yes that includes those who spew Rand accolades, That idiot fucks, no matter what they call themselves, will piss their money away on BULLSHIT. That even more idiot fucks think you need toys to survive.
Here is a clue people, if you have a survival MINDSET, you can be dropped butt naked in the wilderness and survive. Here is another clue, no matter how many toys you have, guns/knives/alarms, there is someone out there who will effortlessly take your shit and slit your fucking throat before you can even touch your goddamned weapon.
Learn how to use what is at hand, and learn to think, and you will be fine.
Otherwise you live in a house filled with shiny objects and bloody dead bodies.
"Lighten up, Francis"
Bendromeda Strain
I prefer "Don't be dark, Frank."
True that! No one can "take your shit" if your "dropped butt-naked in the wilderness"! Only you can take a shit.
Exactly. This is an easy one to solve, this guy should get educated and then get a job... or just get a job.
pan-the-ist
Surprisingly he could move to where he could get a fucking job. North Dakota has a big boom, Australia has a mining boom, Oil and Gas drilling is booming.
I just read an article about Dawsons Creek BC and how they need everything from oil workers to kitchen help. Many restaurant owners are advertising as far as India and the Phillipines for kitchen staff because they can't find locals.
So there are jobs for those who want them but relocation is a must. Oh and hard physical labor.
They are advertizing in India, and the Phillipines because they think they will get people who will work for blow the minimum wages, there fixed it for ya.
So, you've actually tried this out, have you?
Sorry, you're blowing this out your ass. In order to immigrate you have to have $$s and or a "sponsor."
Yes, people can get work visas, but this isn't the same as "relocating." And, going forward these WILL be cut back: pressures from existing citizens.
BTW - My wife was born and raised in the Philippines. She worked abroad (not in a western country). Then she "relocated" to Canada, bootstrapping herself (eventually got citizenship): she, however, had $$s. Several relatives have done the work visa thing (up in Canada).
Be the guy with the last family jewels not the guy with gold coins from typical gold sellers.
http://shtfschool.com/trading/on-buying-gold-silver-for-survival-prepare...
KATADYN water filter?
Definitely. And some of their filters integrate SILVER, so do yourself and everyone here a favor and get one. Don't forget the spare filter.
Several.
If you are on the run, you can't carry your Berkey so easy.
Racer X
“what no gold or silver bars?”
If its good enough for the navy air men it’s good for me!
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rare-wwii-navy-pilot-survival-kit-w-gold-coins
I have a 30 foot sloop runs on wind, catch of the day is dinner, solar power inboard diesel aux, can go any place there’s water at 200 miles a day.
"can go any place there’s water at 200 miles a day."
I suppose that you're not intending on hanging around the equator then. See: "doldrums."
In board diesel is a Yanmar YSE8 will popoff for a week on 10 gallons in the event of a dead calm.
I can make fresh water and fish for food and hideout offshore indefinitely no rush.
Prescient post.
Take delivery.
Indeed... take delivery!
somebody do a citizen's arrest. this guy is a terrorist and a member of al quaeda.....
He's probably not American. All 'merikans have been effectively silenced. We know that this sort of
'protest thing' / 'survival thing' is silly and just academic.
It enhances the slaves imagination and ability to cope with it's mandated reality.
Slim Pickens in "Dr. Strangelove": "One pair silk stockings, check. One Hersey bar, check. One deck of playing cards, check. One large government issued prophylactic, check.
http://vegasxau.blogspot.com
"a guy could have a pretty good time with this in Fort Worth"
The original screenplay had Dallas in place of Fort Worth, but changed it after they killed our Kennedy.
Where is the black Intruder?
The SAS survival handbook describes most of the techniques.
Thank you Brandon for your frugal and comprehensive approach to survival. You are providing us with a no excuse, start now program and as a result you just may be saving some lives in the process.
He may also be costing lives by giving a false sense of security that having the "right" stuff is enough. You have to actually work at keeping animals and developing skill sets that make that gear more than just a pretty bunch of toys. Owning seeds, but never having planted a garden? Disaster waiting to happen. No knowing how to keep, and reproduce livestock correctly, live stock dies or gets eaten up before it provides a new generation. There is a lot more to being prepared than just buying stuff. It is a lifestyle. It is a mindset. It is a real paradigm shift from the suburban JIT lifestyle most ZH readers live.
YEAH! Post like this will surely not attrack the attention of the NSA....
OH YEAH! Before I forget! CAN I SEE YOUR CAMPING PERMIT PLEASE?!! NO??? 200$ FINE BITCHES!!!
and the host platform belongs to ...
"But I don't have $200".......then Park Ranger calls in coordinates for drone strike on camping slot 32
Military equivalent of Domino's. First one in 30 minutes or less or the next one's free! http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/12/mini-missile-drone-war/
Nah. They just confiscate your mobile home with you in it and tow it right up to your FEMA campsite.
"It's real easy, man." - Dale
They are already here, most of them are in the same position as the rest of the US. Laid off or going to be.
They are just civil servants, which in every administration after this point makes them expendable overhead costs that need to be removed from the balance sheet. Just look at them scrambling for next years money, I understand that all law enforcement and intelligence groups are taking a 20-30% hit in cost reduction and the potential for departmental mergers.
This further reduces the need for duplicate bodies. First ones to be let go are the cyber cop guys because the contract is already in place with XE to resume operations after the layoffs in May 2012.
MadScientist brings up the principal reason, the layoffs are happening to shuffle people from unionized roles to non-unionize roles without pensions and light benefits (clean a tooth...not teeth, paper clips instead of braces)
But of course people will take the pay cut and pension cut and benefits cuts because the unemployment insurance will run out.
If the only job left in town is rounding up and processing your neighbours. what else are they going to do?
Personally I'm waiting for the first prison/internment specialist strike after some disease breaks out in the camps and kills the employees and prisoners. The way it's all setup it's going to be a incubator for diseases to flourish.
'Finally, buy wool socks. Buy plenty. Look for deals, but do not cut them out of your budget.'
I'm wearing wool socks as I post, cold winter here. Make sure you have plain cotton socks underneath because wool on skin is really itchy.
My 2 cents...
Nice post.
Buy polypro running socks. Wick water away from the skin, are very thin, and act like teflon to keep blisters away. Cotton will hold sweat and not only lose insulation value but allow for blisters...
Cotton kills. Cyclists everywhere know this.
I feel so inadequate looking at this article; I can't afford half of this shit.
Those sniper rifles look dope, though.
Shizzmoney
Sniper rifle is only fun if you have a Ghillie Suit.
Sniper rifle is only fun if you have a Ghillie Suit and the skills to use the rifle and Suit properly. (Fixed it for you)
That all depends what your characters sneak skills are. If you are a Wood Elf with a +38 sneak ability, you can do jumping-jacks on a pile of dead leaves and nobody will know you're there.
Its all relative, man.
+1 for the vague, yet pointed, reference to Fantasy Role Playing games.
That Ghillie suit'll look good in the 'hood, homestyle. How's your cold bore shot?
1.5 MOA at 200 yards. Oh, and I don't live in Da hood, HOLMES. I live in rural Texas. My nearest neighbor is miles away.
If you've never fired a weapon accurately in your life, you'll be fine with a 12 gauge.
Most of the shit on the list can be found for a fraction of the prices shown, examples: Maverick 88 12ga (rebranded Mossberg), $159 + tax @ Academy Sports. Mosin Nagant bolt-action rifle (7.62x54R? something like that), a hundred bucks (or were until recently). 180watt solar panel+charger/inverter+battery? I would think you could do far better than $800 if you look around; perhaps closer to $500... Hi-Point 9mm's, 40S&W's and .45ACPS...crude and ugly but generally extremely reliable; they're actually far, far superior than they're commonly believed to be... but everybody seems to want something pricier and fancier so they don't hold they're value... and you should be able to find them for well under $150 on armslist.
These of course are just examples...
He also didn't mention methane digesters/biogas generators, for those living off-the-grid. Build a couple of those and as long as you have a steady supply of shit and/or plant matter (hell, saw dust or cardboard), you're golden; they'll drive pretty much anything that feeds on propane...
it's only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything,
And only folks who have actually been there will really know what you mean!
Freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose.
Anyone got the link to page that shows how much poor people spend on food and essentials compared to the rich/mega rich for various countries?
I don't have the link handy, but, for the US, it's about 9% of disposable income. This is down from 22% during GD1.
It was a common feature that many of the 'Arab Spring' countries had food costs above 30% of disposable income. Egypt, I think, was 38% at the time of their rebellion.
Does the author realize that the average ZH reader would not be in any sort of physical condition to carry a 'bug out bag' more than about 20 feet?
Hahaha. So true. After sitting at a desk in a heated office for 20-30 years, most people ain't gonna last a month hiking in the backwoods in the rain.
A Month?????
One week tops. After 3 days without potable water, stick a fork in it, you are done. Add exposure, injury risk, and lack of sanitation, even if they make it past a week, they are good as dead. Without proper physical condition, skill sets, and water or water purification, the "Batan in the Boondocks" will be the "corpse in the copse". At least they will serve a purpose. Fertilizer. On the plus side, think of all the neat toys the real survivors will find.
I'm thinking a lot like Easter for the adults...oooh looky!
+1 for the true damn near busted a gut LOL. Thanks!
Forced into the backwoods is not a likely scenario, but everyone should try tent camping just because it is good for you. However, some people may need to leave a location at some point, and having essential things be mobile outside of a vehicle is just a smart addition to emergency planning. US military guys going overseas have found these mobile chests to be quite handy.
http://tinyurl.com/cnqn3ts
I don't get it. What is wrong with a bag?
Agreed. In spite of all the bombast, I very much doubt if the average ZHer could do 10 push-ups, or even ONE pull-up/chin-up!
Some Fight Club!
I'll have you know I can curl 12 ounces dozens of times in a single day. And occasionally a 32oz...with help, 750ml!
;)
with a gun and ammo, you can just take what you want!
sabra1
Let me correct that for you. With a fucking brain you can take what you want. IF YOU ARE GOOD AT USING THAT BRAIN PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THEY OWN AND KISS YOUR ASS UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE.
If you are so smart, why are you yelling at a computer?
That kind of thinking gets one shot, quickly. This was posted in another thread yesterday. Great read, addresses thinking like yours from one who lived through1 year of SHTF.
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/shtf-survival-qa-a-first-hand-a...
You have my permission, come SHTF, to try and "take" what you "want" from me and mine. We'll be adding your gear to ours before the day is done. Your Mileage Definitely will not Vary.
For a few days, Then the only ones who have something worth taking have guns and ammo too.
Dammit - Now I have to go buy a goat! ;-)
well, if you'd treated the LAST one you had better, the county wouldn't have had to take it away... o_O
\baaaaaaaa means "No".
lol
Q: Why do shepherds wear flowing robes?
A: 'Cause sheep can hear a zipper from a mile away...