Alternative Survival Weapons: The Air Rifle
The air rifle is a widely used and popular weapon in Europe and other parts of the world that have restrictive firearms laws. It hasn’t been as popular in the U.S. because of our greater availability of center fire and rim fire weapons. There are some serious air rifles being manufactured now that are a far cry from your Daisy Red Ryder BB gun you had as a child. Are they a viable option for your survival preps?
Alternative Survival Weapons: The Spear
Spears are one of the oldest weapons mankind has used, both for war and hunting. Many designs exist to address a variety of needs. But does the spear have a place in your survival plans?
Alternative Survival Weapons: The Crossbow
There has been new interest in the crossbow as a survival weapon, possibly from the character Daryl in the hit T.V. show The Walking Dead. The crossbow has been used as a military and hunting weapon since at least the 5th century in both Europe and Asia. It is still used as a specialty weapon in some armed forces today. But does it have practical application to you as a survival weapon?
The Agony of Da Feet. Foot Care for Survival
Unless you are ex military, or engage in frequent hiking, many people prepping for survival situations fail to consider the issues relating to your feet. Failure to properly care for your feet, including the selection of proper footwear, could leave you lame in a survival situation. And that leaves you prey for predators, 2 and 4 legged. Proper foot care is simple. So why do so many people neglect it?
Alternative Survival Weapons: The Survival Slingshot
We recently discussed bows as a survival weapon. Lets take a look at slingshots to see if they are viable for the prepper kit. Like most kids, I had a toy slingshot that I got pretty accurate with using my roll your own spit balls. Tested my accuracy on the Old Man’s backside once. Very accurate. He then tested the accuracy of Grandpa’s razor strop on my backside. Very accurate. But today’s slingshots are a far cry from what we had a s kids. They have been developed into some serious ordnance and deserve prepper consideration.
Alternative Survival Weapons: The Bow
Many people think in terms of firearms in regards to survival and preparation planning. But there are a number of additional choices both for defense and hunting. The bow was a primary weapon for warfare and survival for thousands of years before firearms became available. So what applications would a bow have for modern day survivalists if SHTF?
Avoiding Dehydration
Many articles have been written about storing water for survival. But many people have also died of dehydration with water in their possession. Knowing how to avoid dehydration in an emergency situation will be a critical skill.
Communications For Survival
Beofeng UV-5R
Knowledge is power. And in a serious emergency SHTF situation, it may be the difference between life and death. You need as much up to date information as possible to make correct decisions, and that means that you have to have the ability to communicate with your group and to get all available news under all circumstances.
Back Packable Tents for Your Bug Out Bag or Hiking
Whether you are escaping an oncoming disaster (bugging out) or just hitting the wilderness trail, shelter will be very important. You can make a shelter with natural materials, or just use a tarp for shelter. A tent would be a lot better, but most standard camping tents tend to be pretty heavy too. But a whole industry has grown up around lightweight back packing and lightweight tents that you can carry in your bug out bag are available.
Prepping on a Budget
Many preppers have income resources that allow them to spend what they want on emergency preparations. However, survival is not the domain of the rich. Many preppers have limited budgets and have to squeeze every ounce of preparation that they can out of every dollar. I would say that most of us fall into that category. if you do, here are some ideas to allow you to get more prep for your buck (or Euro, or Pound, or whatever)
Are You A Scavenger?
Many people spend a lot of money and go to a great deal of trouble preparing for emergencies from local disasters all the way to The End Of The World As We Know It. Stockpiling arms, ammunition, medical supplies, alternative energy and assorted supplies are all good ideas if done for the right reasons, in the right places, and in the proper way. But very little attention is given to the one skill that you will eventually need to stay alive in an extended crisis situation. Scavenging
The Truth About MRE’s
MRE. The acronym of Meal, Ready to Eat. A common term in the military and prepper communities for packaged field rations. Many people stocking survival food will stock MRE’s, either as a sole food source or as an addition to other stocked food options. There are a lot of opinions and even myths about MRE’s. So what is the truth about MRE’s?
The Mighty P-38
No, not the very successful WW 2 fighter plane. But it is an item that has had probably as much effect on military operations over a lot longer time. And it is still going strong!
This Blog Is For YOU!
I’m having more fun than the law allows doing azweaponcraftprepper! But this blog isn’t about me. It’s about You the Reader. Without You the Reader, any blog is just a bunch of words and pictures floating around the Twilight Zone of the internet.
10 Cool Items To Consider For Your Emergency Preps
The growing number of people who are seriously preparing to survive any number of disasters is growing. And so is the industry that makes and sells items geared toward them. Some items are truly useful and practical, and some are just useless. Here are ten items that have proven beneficial for survival preparations for your consideration.
This May Be An Interesting Adventure. Off Grid Living Expedition
These folks contacted me through this blog to see if I was interested. They stated that they were doing a documentary. I have never dealt with these folks so I am only posting this for information purposes only. If anyone does know anything more about this, let us know.
Prepping For Pennies On the Dollar(Book Review)
When Dave Steen of www.preppingplans.com. asked me to review his new book, Prepping for Pennies On The Dollar, I was very interested. Most folks do not have a endless supply of money to prep with, and the title of the book was highly interesting.
10 Bug Out Bag Items for Under $20.00
Everyone should have a bug Out bag for emergency evacuation. And a certain set of necessities in it. And many of these necessities can be be pretty darn cheap and still be quality items. Here is a list of useful bugout bag items you should consider that won’t break the bank.
Scavenging or Looting. Which is it?
Survival is about staying alive. Survival preparation is about acquiring the skills and supplies to survive long term if necessary. However, no matter how much you stock up, in an extended survival situation, you are going to run out of vital necessities. So how do you get the things you need?
Seven Basic Survival Skills You Need to Learn
If you are serious about being prepared to survive any eventuality, then there are several skills you need to learn. But if you are a beginner, there are a core set of skills you need to get a handle on first. Survival experts often disagree on what these skill sets are and in what order they are important, because there are a lot of variables involved. But from my point of view, there are seven basic skills anyone who is interested in surviving the worst case scenario should master first. Here is my take.
Finding Directions Without a Compass or GPS
In an emergency situation where you have to move rapidly, knowing direction can be critical. But what if you don’t have a GPS or compass, lost it, or it broke? Knowing how to find North by other means, either in an urban or rural environment is an essential skill. Let’s look at some ways to do that.
Preppers Library. Begin Yours Today!
Knowledge is power, and the most powerful survival tool you have is your mind. Having equipment and skills is important. Having the knowledge to acquire them is even more important, and in reality the first step. Everyone who is involved in emergency preparation needs a good reference library. There are a tremendous amount of books on survival and preparation available. These are some of the books that I believe are essential first readings, and handy to have as reference.
SnugPak Softie 3 Merlin Sleeping Bag
Every one should have a bug out bag packed and prepared to go with at least three days necessities. Since sleeping is definitely a necessity in a stressful situation, it requires careful planning in the selection of gear. Weight in a bug out bag is a serious consideration. Sleeping gear can become a large portion of that weight. The SnugPak Softie 3 Merlin is a potential answer to the problem.
Luci Solar Powered Inflatable Lantern
Every ounce you save in your bug out bag is important, and having a proper light source whether bugging in or out is essential. This inflatable, waterproof , lightweight solar powered lantern fills the bill. The Luci Solar Powered Inflatable Lantern is truly an amazing invention.
Personal Security In and Out of the Home (part 1)
Many people prepare for serious emergencies from basic SHTF scenarios all the way up to TEOTWAWKI. But if you are old enough to remember America of the 50s and 60s, you will realize that many parts of the United States have slid into a limited form of SHTF on a daily basis. The recent events in Ferguson have shown that government at the Federal and state level are unable or unwilling to maintain order so that politicians can do what they do well: Play politics. And to hell with the safety of the public. Your individual security is mostly up to you. And in reality, it always has been.
Storing and Accounting for Your Ammunition
Many people are storing large quantities of ammunition for various purposes. Some shoot a lot like I do and stock up when they find a good deal. Others store large quantities for long term purposes. There are some things to consider when storing large quantities of ammunition.
Surviving An Urban Disaster (Book Review)
Statistics show that only 1% of American households are in any way prepared for an emergency such as natural disasters. Thats scary. And the vast majority of our population live in urban environments. That complicates the issue. But a growing number of Americans have that funny feeling that they need to prepare for an increasingly dangerous world, but just don’t know where to begin. This excellent book gives them a place to start.
Paracord Spool Tool
Every now and then I will run into a product that leave me scratching my head thinking ‘Why didn’t I think of this”. This is one of them. Keeping your spare paracord manageable can be a chore. And when you want to use it you need to whip out the knife to cut the length, and then fish in your pocket for the cigarette lighter to melt the end to keep it from fraying. This little gem makes paracord using so much easier.
A Wake Up Call From Greece
The Greek people just elected a far left (even Marxist) government in response to the mandated austerity program required of them for bail out money from their European partners. Greece is noted for the birthplace of democracy, and we certainly have to respect their choice of government. So what does this mean to us?
The Tactical Advantage (Book review)
Every now and then, someone writes a book that is so universally correct, that it simply fills the bill for a wide range of audiences. This is one of them.
Lone Wolf Prepper, Family Prepper, or Survival Grouper?
Gray Wolf
This has been an ongoing subject in the prepper and survival community for a long time. If SHTF should you go it alone, or should you be a member of an organized prepper group? Or some version of both?
Binoculars for Preppers
Steiner 8×30 Military Marine
I believe that there are critical pieces of equipment that preppers should consider when putting together their equipment. A good set of binoculars is one of them. So how do you go about selecting the right binoculars for you?
Warning Shot. Do You Ever?
As a firearms instructor I am frequently asked by students if it wouldn’t be a good idea to shoot a warning shot before having to shoot another person in self defense in their home. This is an honest and legitimate question asked by intelligent people who would prefer not to harm anyone if possible. I get very few questions that have a cut and dried answer, but this is one of them.
Digging Tools for Preppers
Gerber Gorge
Shovels, entrenching tools, whatever you want to call them, have a place in the prepper scheme of things. So what do you need and what is available?
Selecting Blades for Survival and Field Use Part 2.
Schrade SCAXE2
In Part 1 we discussed four categories of blades useful for survival and field use: Folding blade knives, fixedblade knives, the Kukri and the machete. But there are some other types of edged weapons/tools that you might want to consider for your kit.
Valley Food Storage (Product test)
White Bean and Lime Chili
I have had the opportunity to eat a wide variety of “field” or “Emergency” rations over the years. From military C rations in Vietnam to the whole line of MRE’s including today’s varieties (which I can buy in military commissaries), foreign military rations, and civilian freeze dried foods. I am always looking for efficient and tasty long term storable food, so when James Tolboe at Valley Food Storage asked me to test one of their products, I happily agreed.
Selecting Blades for Survival and Field Use Part 1
K-Bar USMC
The sharpened edge is probably the first tool humans made. From sharpened bone, to knapped stone, to bronze, then iron and steel, we now have a selection of edged weapons and tools for every use. So what do you need?
The Army’s New Handgun. What Should It Be?
Published reports indicate that the Army has decided to kick the M-9 Berretta service pistol to the curb and not consider the upgraded M-9A3 for it’s new Modular Handgun System. So what should replace it?
Winter Survival While On the Road
This article is by guest author Dave Steen of PreppingPlans.com. It is a good read and his bio is at the end of the article.
Plan Your Preps for 2015 Part 3
In Part 1 we discussed organizing your prep lists. In Part 2 we discussed how to set goals using the SMART method. Now lets consider some specific areas you might want to set goals for, or to revisit if your situation has changed. So what are you prepping for anyway? Have the threats you prepped for last year changed?Are new threats being considered? Do your preps reflect your perception of the current threats? Lets discuss threat analysis.
Plan Your Preps for 2015 Part 2
In Part 1, we discussed how to organize your preps into lists. I used my Excel spreadsheet as an example, but any organized list system will do. By using organized lists, you can make a logical plan of how to continue your preps. By frequently checking your lists, one of which should be goals you want to achieve, you can sit down and plan this years prepping goals in a logical manner. But there is a method to goal setting. Lets consider it.
Plan Your Preps For 2015
Well, I woke up this morning to see that the world didn’t blow up last night. But it is in the same sorry state that it was at 1159hrs. 31 Dec. 2014. Just new numbers on the calendar. But since we use the calendar to plan so much of our lives, I think the first week in January is an opportune time for preppers to evaluate the current state of their preps, and to sit down and seriously plan their prepping strategy for 2015. Here are a few items I think you should consider.
Our Blog’s 2014 year in review
We have only been up since August 2014, and we have had over 20,000 visitors. If you are curious as to how well we are doing, please read the rest of the post. Our sincere thanks to all who dropped by to read our articles, and to comment on them.
Water, The Second Consideration Part 3 Finding and Purifying
In Part 1 we covered storing water, in Part 2 we discussed transporting it. Planet earth is 90% water, but in a SHTF situation, finding sufficient drinkable quantities of it will be a major challenge. So how do you find sufficient water, and then insure it is safe to drink?
Water, The Second Consideration Part 2 Carrying and Transporting
In Part 1 we discussed aspects of storing water, primarily in a bug in situation. But what if the S really HTF, and you need to get out of Dodge in a hurry? How do you effectively carry water on you or in your vehicle?
How to Select a Firearms Instructor
What Qualifies Them to Teach You?
Arizona has probably one of the highest concentrations of small arms instructors in the United States and a large portion of them are located here in the Valley of the Sun. They range from serious professionals who engage in full time small arms training to part timers who simply enjoy doing it as a part time business. They also range from extremely good to, well, sort of O.K. A few are probably down right amateur
Why I support Israel
I started this blog as an adjunct to my business which is selling my expertise in firearms instruction, security consulting, and emergency preparation consulting. I tend to avoid politics, however I set aside one page titled “Silent Running” for posts of a political bent, either mine or readers. I support the state of Israel, and here is why.
Water, The Second Consideration Part 1 Storage
I have often been accused of being too “Gun Happy” when it comes to prepping and survival. But I still maintain that unless you can adequately defend yourself, all the prepping in the world just makes you a convenient supply room for someone else and a convenient meal for buzzards. However, there is something that rates right up there with self protection and that will be your second consideration. Water.
First Aid Kits for Preppers
Knowing how to take care of immediate medical needs as well as having the equipment to do so is vitally important whether in a SHTF situation, or just day to day living. So lets look at some types of first aid kits you might consider, and where to locate them.
The Truth About Steel Cased Ammunition
As a small arms instructor and range safety officer, I frequently see AR platform rifles lock up using steel cased ammo. Many think it is due to lacquer on the case to prevent rusting gumming up a hot chamber. But is that really the reason? And will steel cased ammo really damage your AR?
The Art of Bugging Out
This could literally be a life or death decision. It is not one you want to make haphazardly, on the spur of the moment, or based on emotion. You need a well thought out plan.
Bugout Triggers. When Do You Know When to Go?
Bugging out is an often discussed issue in the prepper community. You should have a plan for both staying in place (bugging in) and evacuating your domicile (bugging out), but what should cause you to make that serious and potentially life and death decision to bug out in a SHTF situation? There is no one size fits all, but there are areas of consideration you need to think about.
The Art of Bugging In
In a SHTF situation of serious results and duration, the decision to stay in your home or evacuate could mean life or death. You need to have a serious plan for both eventualities. So what do you need to consider for long term holing up in Ft. Livingroom?
To Bug In or Bug Out?
This is the ninth article in our series for the new prepper and it is one of the most serious decisions you may face. In a SHTF scenario, do you stay or go? If you wish to start the series from the begining, start here.
Emergency Evacuation Vehicle ( or Bug Out Buggy)
The subjct of the bug out vehicle has been visited many times on the net. There are various opinions prevalant as to type, fuel mileage, ect. There are many people who are new to the emergency preparation concept, and as this blog is primarily directed towards them, I thought to share my viewpoints.
Boyd’s OODA Loops! (No, It’s Not a Cereal)
Col. John Boyd
Whether reacting to an immediate attack, or formulating a bug out plan, or putting together a long term sustainment plan, the thinking process is the same.
The Dog as Defensive Weapon and Alarm
Many people own dogs as pets, and many don’t. For those who do not, I suggest that you seriously consider a dog as an adjunct to your defensive arsenal and alarm system. Conventional wisdom indicates that the bonding between humans and dogs occurred between 19,000 and 30,000 years ago and most domestic dog breeds are descended from the Gray wolf.
OPSEC How much do you need? Part 2
In Part 1, we discussed some of the basic security measure a prepper (or anyone else for that matter) needs to implement to protect themselve. So lets continue on in search of OPSEC.
OPSEC How much do you need? Part 1
OPSEC=Operations Security. This military term has been broadly used to describe keeping other people, typically adversaries or potential adversaries from gaining information that could harm you.
Surviving the Active Shooter
“An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area, typically through the use of firearms”
Department of Homeland Security
These incidents are happening more frequently in public places, schools, and work environments. So how do you increase the odds of surviving?
Glock: The AK of the Pistol World
I remember when the “plastic pistol” first came on the scene, and like many traditionalist, I dismissed them.
The Kukri
Kukri Black Ops
Mankind has been depending on cutting edges from the very beginning of time. Early blades were probably sharpened bone and then later sharp obsidian and other volcanic rock. When the Iron Age rolled into steel making the knife truly came into its own.
Defensive Mindset, The Color Codes
What’s in your mind today?
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