Monthly Archives: December 2012

The Walking Dead 10/22

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

I’m a gun nut Ballistic-American and something of a nerd, so why am I not surprised that these two character traits/weaknesses/identities have conspired to hijack my subconscious as of late.

Where exactly has it shanghaied it to? (Yeah, that sentence probably could have been constructed…gooder.) For the life of me, I have spent the last week playing over in my mind what I would want out of a 10/22 if I were stuck in a world full of soft-skulled, slow-moving zombies. Seriously. I’m spending, like, an hour a day surfing the web for just the right barrel, just the right stock, just the right sights, just the right accessories…and then when I find them and think “Yeah, that’d be perfect” I rethink the requirements and have to start from scratch.

RIght off the bat, I was absolutely in love with this:

It’s a one-off from Nodak Spud. But…I loved the HK MP5 look. Compact, has provisions for an optic, has open sights, enough barrel to thread and suppress ahead of the sight, and a telestock. Oh..but that stock….mmmm…not so sure. I mean, the zombie apocalypse is going to require a good bit of running around and being light on your feet…so wouldn’t a folder make more sense? But then again, rimfires can be fussy…and if you pull the trigger and are rewarded with a ‘click’ you’re going to want a stock with some stoutness to it so you can drive the buttplate (need a metal buttplate now rather than the OEM plastic) through the skull of the zombie. And what about a suppressor? I can find threaded .22 barrels all day long but I cant find a threaded .22 barrel with iron sights. That shouldn’t surprise me…once you screw a suppressor onto the end of the barrel you wind up having the diameter of the supressor block the sights. But..I need iron sights in case the optics fail. And..and..and….

See, this has been running in my mind for the last week since I’ve been watching season three of The Walking Dead.

So, I figure what I’d want is a solid stock, wood or plastic, a threaded barrel, sights high enough to overlook a mounted suppressor, a rail for optics, maybe a better mag release, and some rail for mounting a light. Not much to ask for, right? Something that when it’s all done would like very much like this:

The flash suppressor is probably gilding the lily, but it protects the threads when you don’t have the suppressor on the end. I’d swap the barrel band for the side-mounted, rail equipped one from Pro-Mag (ProMag Barrel Band) and call it a day.

Not as compact as it would be with a folder, but I like having the ‘blunt force trauma’ option. True compact would look like this. But I think this would be a nice rig for capping the slow, shambling zombies at up to 100 yards. And, with a couple Butler Creek mags, a small group of ‘em could be knocked down by one person almost as fast as knocking down one.

See, this is what happens when you give a science-fiction/comic-book nerd an internet connection and a 10/22.

But, in the interest of stimulating dialog and catering to my mania, how would you set yours up? We’ve established that the skull of your average Walking Dead zombie is easily penetrated by simple hand tools, so a .22 offers plenty of penetration. The rule of law has quite obviously taken a holiday so SBR and suppress to your heart’s content. Bonus points for detailing parts and model numbers.

 

Snow, Joke, ILBE pack

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

Well, we finally got some real snow last night. The roads are akin to a skating rink in many spots and there were some very localized power outages from the heavy, wet snow dragging down power lines. I suspect that virtually all of it will melt off over the weekend. Still, it’s noce to know that we don’t have to get in the truck and take our chances on the icy roads for…well…anything. Plenty of food and drink, we have backup heating and lighting, and as long as the internet holds out we have all the entertainment we’d need. Why skid around the streets taking chances if you don’t have to, y’know?

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Now that it’s after Pearl harbor, I can throw this out there:

Q: What do you get when you cross a black guy with a Japanese guy?

A: A guy who, every December 7, invades Pearl Bailey.

Yes, it’s a very old joke.

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If youre a major gear whore like myself, and a collector of Too Many Backpacks, you might like this awesome deal from the straight-shooters at Old Grouch: a lovely USMC MARPAT ILBE Rucksack By Arc’Teryx for a c-note. Man, I remember when my CFP-90 was the height of surplus pack technology.

If you dont have ‘em on your Facebook, they get some awesome specials and other goodies that sell out fast. You’ll wanna ‘Like’ these guys and get the latest before it sells out.

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The wife and I watched the last two episodes of The Walking Dead last night. I don’t wanna even begin to go into the dreams I had. This is not made any easier by this little tidbit: Can Humans Be Controlled By Tiny Parasites? And by ‘controlled by tiny parasites’ they don’t mean itty-bitty liberals.

The face of a criminal

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

I try not to get too off-topic around here because, really, that’s not what this blog is about.

But…I do get folks asking me about Nuke from time to time. Here’s a bit of dog shaming from his latest misadventure.

Really, it’s probably my our the wife’s fault for leaving the turkey on the counter unattended. But, really, does he appear to be showing any remorse whatsoever? Didn’t think so. Must be nice being a dog.

Pearl Harbor Day

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

It’s Pearl Harbor Day… a good reminder that sometimes things happen that you just were not anticipating at all. (Unless, of course, you’re FDR and need to jumpstart a failed economy.)

There are actually a few Pearl Harbor survivors in this town. I met one at the post office years ago. It was kinda weird meeting someone who was there at such a pivotal moment in US history. OLike an idiot, I asked “What was it like?”..a question I’m sure he’d heard thousands of times. I shouldn’t have been surprised that his answer was “Terrifying.”

Article – Missing Couple Found, 1 Survivor

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

A Nevada couple missing for a week in the California mountains after their vehicle became stuck following a sudden snow storm have been found, the woman survived the ordeal, but her boyfriend died, police said.

Paula Lane, 46, and Roderick Clifton, 44, were reported missing on Nov. 29, after they left Clifton’s mother’s home in Citrus Heights, Calif., on their way home to Nevada.

The couple are believed to have taken their Jeep off-roading when they became stranded off Highway 88/89 in the Sierra Nevada mountains, police said.

“They spent that first day, and slept, in the vehicle before Roderick left to go find help, but he never came back,” said Bryan Fritsch, a spokesman for the Citrus Heights police department.

Stay with the vehicle. This chick went out and was found by relatives who were searching for her. Dang lucky, if you ask me. Why didnt the boyfriend have the same luck? I’m guessing that by the time she left the vehicle to look for help they had been missing long enough that the area was being saturated with searchers. Just a guess.

It’s not tough to do: sleeping bag, water, food, firestarting, signal materials, a good book, and warm clothes. Even in the 21st century in a First World industrialized nation you can still wind up stuck in the middle of nowhere freezing to death.

 

Festivus gift ideas – the

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

So theres about three weeks left to get a gift for that LMI buddy of yours. If you’re the generous type, and the recipient is someone like (or tolerate) very much, maybe they’re worth fifty bucks. If you think they are, you can be an awesome Santa to them..you could stuff their stocking with five $10 gifts, a couple $20 or one $50 gift. Not all the items I’m listing are $50…most are between $50 and $20. Cool stuff abounds. Feel free to send me some.Amazon Wish List

Duracell Powerhouse USB Charger – I’ve mentioned these before. This is the beefier, more powerful version of the smaller units. Good for at least a charge or two more than the others, and with a micro USB port for those devices that use such interface. I’ll be getting one of these in the future to supplement the smaller ones. Like the smaller ones, excellent for use with the hand-crank chargers to even out voltage irregularities from inconsistent RPM’s.

Books! – No library is complete without ‘em! While you’re at it, virtually any book from the suggested reading lists is less than $50 so theyre excellent gift ideas as well:

Vltor Scout Mount E-series Surefire – Know what I love about this? It takes a SureFire light that most of us already have and allows it to be weapon mounted for a lot less than the price of buying a dedicated weapon light. Basically, it turns your SureFire handheld into a Surefire Scout light.

CELOX Gauze Roll, 5-Foot by 3-Inch – More leakstopper for when things didn’t go the way you planned. Sad but true, when you need this stuff you will be amazingly glad you have it..

Blackhawk Universal Spec Ops Pistol – It’s hard finding a decent tanker/chest style holster for a realtively fair price. For mountain biking and other occasions where a hip-mounted gun is too inconvenient, these sorts of holsters are way handy. Blackhawk also makes a similar arrangement that is simply the panel with MOLLE so you can add whatever compatible holster you like.

Smith’s TRI-6 Arkansas TRI-HONE Sharpening Stones System – I hate sharpening knives, but I hate trying to cut with dull knives even more. Three different grades of stone mean you can go from dull to ‘ow!’ in one sitting. Knife sharpening isn’t difficult or tricky, in my experience, it’s just tedious. But…if you’re going to be a well-rounded survivalist you gotta know how to sharpen the pointy stuff.

PRI Fuel Stabilizer- For Gasoline 32oz – I love this stuff and you will too. I routinely use 1-2 year old gas in the truck that has been treated with this stuff and haven’t had a problem. When you’re storing fuel for that Rainy Day, this is the good stuff to use.

Mag-Lite ST3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight, Black – I am phasing out all of my older MagLites to this style. LED bulb for long life, shockproof, and greatly increased battery life. Purpose-designed reflector for results you cant get with just an LED ‘conversion’. For a full-size flashlight that may need to double as am impact weapon, take tremendous abuse, and have excellent logistics support in terms of accessories this is the way to go. Especially if you gussy it up with this ( X Cape Cap Maglite C or D Bezel Upgrade) and this ( Maglite D Cell Flashlight glass breaking Tail Cap X Cape Cap ).

There you have it. Plenty of gift ideas for the LMI in your life. Feel free to pick up an extra or two for yours truly. If you do wind up using any of these gift ideas I would be interested in knowing how they went over with the intended recipient.

Link – Apocalyptic Dog Food

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

I love my dog. He’s a handful, and often a troublemaker, but I will, without remorse or compunction, instantly put my fist through the head of anyone that tries to hurt him. One thing I’ve neglected to do, though, for my little buddy is to set up his doggy bugout-bag and set back some food for him.

A doggy BOB isn’t a silly idea. Think about it..if we have to beat feet and take Mr. Furman with us what are we going to need to make things conducive to travelling with him? First off, we’re gonna need a leash (or two or three), spare collar, copies of his vaccinations, a couple muzzles, water bowls, food bowls, and a few other goodies. If we wind up having to stay in a crowded friends house or something, last thing we need is puppy being unwelcome because he wants to eat someone’s four-year-old….hence, some muzzles. And, really, if I can swing it, get the vet to prescribe some tranquilizers…in a high-stress environment some doggie-downers might come in handy for keeping him calm when we need him to be.

Food, though…I hadn’t really given it much thought. I figured that he’s a dog so he’ll pretty much eat anything we eat (and a lot of stuff we won’t.)  In retrospect, that’s really not a good idea. After all, that means our supply of people food for two has become a supply of people food for two-and-a-half…turning a 12 month supply into a 9.5 month supply.

Here’s a great post about borrowing the canner from the LDS cannery and putting away some premium kibble. Certainly some #10 cans are gonna last quite a while but I think most dogs, when theyre hungry, aren’t really going to turn their noses up at their dog food because it’s stale. There are, after all, critters that are designed to eat roadkill. However, from a storage standpoint, if youre going to store a bulk amount of food you want it stored in a manner that does not promote vermin, insects and other pests. Just heaving a 50# bag of kibble onto the shelf and expecting it to sit there for a few years might not be a terribly good idea unless you like the idea of some really well fed and happy mice setting up shop in that bag. I think I might just go the mylar bag route. I have a stack of them from the cannery and they should hold about the same as a #10 can. I also have quite a few 5-gallon buckets sitting around with GammaSeal lids on them so that might be a way to go as well.

Of course, borrowing the canning machine from the cannery opens up a few other possibilites since I could can..well…anything.

Regardless, I’ve been neglecting Nuke’s post-apocalyptic needs and need to get him squared away.

Festivus gift ideas – the

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Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

So, the nice thing here is that if you’re willing to spend twenty bucks on someone for a gift, you can look really generous and simply get them two different ten dollar gifts instead…then you look even more generous because, hey, two is one and one is none, right?

So, this is the followup to the post about ten dollar gift ideas for the LMI in your life. Twenty bucks is usually the limit for me for a gift for someone I’m not having sex with or expecting to partner up with me in a crisis. (Although in some cases, the two are the same.)

Anway, here’s some ideas for less than twenty bucks for the buddies in your tight-knit group of LMI:

U-Dig-It – I originally thought this was a stupid product but then I thought about it…why damage a blade by using your knife to dig a small hole? This thing folds compact, is stainless steel, and perfect for those ‘calls of nature’. It won’t substitute for an entrenching tool but if youre travelling light while hunting, camping or hiking this thing is great for digging latrine holes, fire pits, etc, etc.

Non Sparking Aluminum Drum Wrench – Those happy little blue barrels that we use for storing water and bulk grain? Pain in the ass to get into without a bung wrench. Sure, you can get away with using the jaws of a pair of pliers but why not have a tool specifically for the task? I usually keep one of these paracorded to every other drum.

Water Jel Burn Jel, Pain Relief 25 ea – This stuff is a must for burn treatment. If you’ve ever had a burn that just would not stop aching for hours and hours, you’ll want this stuff. I try to keep a few packets of this stuff in all my first-aid kits. Really good stuff and worth the price. An excellent addition to the well stocked personal first-aid kit.

Quikclot Sport Brand Advanced Clotting Sponge ,Stop Bleeding Fast, 50 Gram Package – What can be said about this stuff? Between this and the Israeli compress bandages you’d have a handle on anything that doesn’t require a hemostat to shut down.

Surefire Spares Executive Series Carrier – Awesome carrier for the CR123 batteries that we wind up using so much. Waterproof, dustproof, keeps batteries from contacting each other, and has a lanyard and attachment point. Excellent way to carry those spares.

HiViz Glock Sight Tool – Glock switched from the stake-n-pin front sights to a threaded style a few years ago. But its a damn small bolt they use and getting something to fit it is a major pain. This little tool is exactly what the Glocktor ordered.

55 Gallon Water Preserver Concentrate – Water from most municipal systems that meet Federal standards are already loaded down with enough chlorine that something like this isn’t necessary. But, it doesn’t hurt to play it safe.

Platypus Hoser Hydration System and Platypus Platypus® plusBottleTM – I really like these two products. The only real difference between the two is the drink tube which can be swapped between them. I really like these soft-sided water carriers for most roaming around…you can squeeze the air out of them so they dont slosh, and when empty they roll up and take up virtually no space in a bag. I’ve had one for about five years now and it’s still going strong with  no signs of leaking or punctures.

Cyalume ChemLight Military Grade – Lightsticks are great for when you want a disposable light source you can leave to mark pathways, tag items, or otherwise leave behind. If youre really creative you can cut one open and ‘paint” with the glowing liquid…great for leaving little glowy drops as a trail. Since its a chemical reaction and not electrical, theres no problem using them in wet environments…or even underwater. I keep a couple in every room of the house to use to find my way to a better lighting source in case of power failure.

SOL Emergency Bivvy – I like these far better than the classic foil mylar space blankets…they’re compact and much easier to use. I always have one in my bag whenever I go out in the boonies. Great stocking stuffer for the guy who likes to spend a lot of time off in the woods on his own.

Etón USB Cell Phone Charger with Hand Crank – Read about it here.

Maxpedition Gear Volta Battery Pouch – This is one of my favorite cases for carrying spare AA batts (although CR123 will fit as well, but for those I like the Surefire carrier.) Handy pouch holds a two piece plastic compartment that holds 8 AA batts. Handy!

There ya go..that should be enough under-twenty-buck suggestions to make sure no two people on your list get the same gift. And, hey, don’t forget yours trully when youre shopping for those goodies.