Monthly Archives: February 2013

Speaking of silver….

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

My metals-dealing buddy  stopped by the other day and handed me a silver Eagle. Not known for his boundless generosity, I inquired as to what I had done to deserve such a coin. He said that “one of your readers” contacted him to do some purchasing and said to send an Eagle in my direction. Of course, he won’t tell me who it was since that would violate the customer/metal-pimp confidentiality clause. So, whomever it was that put that Eagle in my pocket, mucho thanks! After the economy collapses and I use it to procure desperate coeds to work in the Lingerie Proving Grounds I will be reminded of your generosity.

Article – Panic in Greek pharmacies as hundreds of medicines run short

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

Greece is facing a serious shortage of medicines amid claims that pharmaceutical multinationals have halted shipments to the country because of the economic crisis and concerns that the drugs will be exported by middlemen because prices are higher in other European countries.

Hundreds of drugs are in short supply and the situation is getting worse, according to the Greek drug regulator. The government has drawn up a list of more than 50 pharmaceutical companies it accuses of halting or planning to halt supplies because of low prices in the country.

More than 200 medicinal products are affected, including treatments for arthritis, hepatitis C and hypertension, cholesterol-lowering agents, antipsychotics, antibiotics, anaesthetics and immunomodulators used to treat bowel disease.

Why would a drug company ship millions of dollars of product to a customer who apparently has no ability to pay?  Simple math…no one stays in business long when they give away the product instead of selling it.

The lesson here is that when an economy collapses (or comes close to it) those convenient modern miracles may not keep coming. Of course, anyone with hard currency (cough*gold*cough) shouldnt have any trouble getting their drugs since there’s always someone somewhere who can deliver for the right price.

Followup article – Allure of Mystery Helps Recluse’s Gold Net $3.5M

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

You guys remember this post: $7 Million In Gold Bars Found In Reclusive Man’s Home Month After He Died

Well, the followup is that a portion of it was sold for $3.5 million the other day. Here’s the article:

The tale of a mysterious Nevada recluse’s gold has reached a new chapter when a portion of the trove raked in more than $3.5 million at auction.

The allure of mystery pulled some bidders to the courtroom where the auction took place Tuesday. For others, it was the sheer value of a collection unknown to the public before Walter Samaszko Jr. was found dead in his modest ranch-style home last year.

Regardless of motivation, those who converged on the auction could sense the immense value of the treasure upon arriving.

Numerous guards were stationed at the entrance, more in the hallway outside the courtroom, and finally several with bulletproof vests and others with helmets inside the room holding the gold.

Five bidders diligently inspected the 11 lots of gold displayed in plastic sleeves, tubes and felt jewelry display boxes heavily guarded room before the bidding wars began.

As I said, the sad thing about this is that The State found this guy’s stash before someone more deserving did. The article goes on to mention that the gold had been purchased as far back as the ’60s…so someone basically bought a little gold on a fairly regular basis. Sounds like the subscription plan my buddy offers. I suppose the major takeaway from this story is that you should let *someone* know about your stuff so that if you die those fiscally responsible guardians of public interests at the state don’t get it.

Zombie wargaming epiphany

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

I’ve often said that preparedness fiction, and even zombie fiction, have some merit in our busy reading schedules because they may force us to think about circumstances or situations that we may not have otherwise thought about…and those situations may have more practical applications in ‘real world’ preparedness.

Lemme give you an example……

I’m walking back to the house from work today and I’m thinking, “Ok, zombie apocalypse. Ammo and guns are scarce. What can I do to find more?” And then I have a brilliant idea. Have the team members check the wallets of any zombies we kill and see if they have a concealed weapon permit. If they do, odds are good there might be more guns/ammo at that person’s address.

Started to pat myself on the back and then another thought occurred to me – if I lose my wallet with my permit in it, whatever goober finds my wallet will make the same assumption: theres lotsa guns and ammo at this address. Hmm..I dont need that kinda targetting.

So…I need to make sure my carry permit address isn’t my ‘real’ address. I should be able to have them use my business shop address or the PO box.

This PSA brought to you by an overactive imagination, a touch of paranoia and the letter Z.

Comments

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

Those of you who comment know that WordPress usually prompts you for a name and, if applicable, website. Additionally, if you are so inclined, you can post comments anonymously. Lotsa folks disable anonymous commenting because it can get pretty ugly at times but so far it hasn’t been too bad, so I leave it turned on. Don’t abuse it, kids.

I do read every comment that comes through here. (I have to, since a comment only gets posted once I approve it.) Spam comments bypass me and go straight into a spam folder. Usually the spam detector is pretty good and legitimate comments very rarely wind up in there. If I do find a legitimate comment in the spam folder I always redirect it to the appropriate post.

Although I do read, and enjoy (usually), most comments I am always interested in comments from people who have their own blogs as well. I’ve found some very interesting blogs that way. If you havent noticed, when scrolling through comments to a post, the persons name will be linked to their website (if they entered one)…you may want to follow a few of them and see where they go. Some are preparedness related, some aren’t, some are general interest, and some are just uninteresting (to me), but it’s a nice way to get some new exposure. So if you have a blog or website you want to share, make sure to add it when you add your name to the comments. BUT..add it only if it really is your website/blog…not some website/blog you think I should go to.

Also, generally speaking, I don’t edit comments. If you’re trying to make an intelligent argument to someone, check your spelling because I won’t clean it up for you. Also, use profanity if you want, I don’t care. I’m not one of these hypocrites who thinks posting about slitting the throats of bad guys in the post-apocalyptic world is okay but using the word ‘dick’ will somehow horrify readers. (Although I prefer folks not use racial slurs…somehow it seems to dumb things down more than profanity does.) If youre going to use profanity, use it sparingly as an enhancer to your point…don’t just use it gratuitously.  The only thing I do ask people to refrain from doing is dropping religious/superstitious comments…there’s already way too much of that in other blogs and I really try to keep it out of here. I think of posting about religion like a penis – its great that youve got one, I’m glad youre proud of it and that it brings you joy, but don’t wave it around in here and dont try to force it down my throat. There’s plenty of preparedness blogs out there where you can tell people how awesome your beliefs are and how evil and wrong theirs are..go do it there. (Note – Im not saying your religious beliefs are wrong or silly..I’m simply saying I just dont want ‘em posted here.)

I usually let comment flamewars burn themselves out but sometimes it just gets way outta control and I have to close comments. A little online brawling is good..gets the blood and ideas flowing, but sometimes it goes too far. Try to wrap up your  vendettas in two or three cascading comments.

Finally, if you have some detailed comment or something that you want kept private, you can always email it to me. My email address is in the ‘About’ section of the website.

And I think thats pretty much all the admin stuff for the moment. Thank you, and have a nice day.

The next SIG thing…..

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

Picked up a cop gun today. Sig 226 w/ three HydraShock-filled mags. I like cop guns, always a bargain. Theyre the sorority girls of the gun world … cheap and easy to pick up if you have a few bucks.

What I don’t like about cop guns is the way cops tend to neglect their guns. Behold:

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Breaks your heart, don’t it? But don’t feel bad. A half hour with some Hoppes #9, brass brush, some dental picks and a buncha elbow grease gave me this:

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Clean as can be. No pitting or permanent damage.

I’m not a Sig kinda guy. Really, is there a market for DA/SA autos anymore? But I’ve been wanting a handgun that could be kept at the shop, or in the truck, that I don’t mind losing or relegating to ‘nightstand duty’ where it’s pretty much just going to sit there unused for months or years at a time. And the price was right.

By the way, one of the handiest things I’ve ever found for use when cleaning guns is a cafeteria tray. Keeps everything in one place, catches all the drips and drabs, and cleans up dishwasher safe. Command Zero recommended and approved!

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Suppressor advice

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

I’ve been wanting a .22 suppressor suitable for use between a 10/22 and a MkII pistol. My criteria is pretty simple:

  • Must be durable
  • Must be as efficient as possible within the other parameters that have been set
  • Usable on pistol or rifle
  • If there are any parts that can/will need replacing, must be user servicable
  • Threaded for the usual 1/2-28

This would be exclusively for .22 LR, not for use on a .223. Price isn’t much of a consideration as long as its a high quality product that works great and lasts a lifetime. Weight is also not much of an issue, although obviously a giant hunk of bronze the size and length of a salami might be a bit too much.

I’m not concerned about body diameter of the tube since the sights on both guns will be mounted pretty high.

Anyone have any suggestiions or, more importantly, some first hand experience? Links to manufacturers models would be appreciated.

 

Oh yeah, silver is down…….

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

I’ve been so wrapped up with the gun stuff going on (and rightly so, I believe) that I completely overlooked the fact that silver has dropped below $30 and is, at this moment, right around $28.75…time to buy!

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I’m fortunate that I have a buddy in the gold/silver biz (and, wow, has he been busy lately or what!) so he only gives me the mildest of dirty looks when I ask him to drop by the shop with just one or two silver rounds or Eagles for me. (Honestly, I prefer the rounds for the better value but the Eagles are probably more ‘recognized’.) It sucks that between the sputtering economy (and how are those job numbers these days, anyway?) and the gun control shenanigans it’s mighty hard to decide which direction to point my disposable dollars at. (Although, after typing the term ‘disposable dollars’, I think I’ve figured out where to point that wallet.)

Really, the ‘investment’ plan is really the same as it’s always been: gun stuff, metals, food. (Not necessarily in that order.)

I realize that there’s a certain demographic (a short-sighted one, in my opinion) that says “If you cant eat it or shoot it whats the point of it? When we’re all living in caves and eating our children no one will want your Eagles!” and thinks buying this sort of thing is a waste of time. That’s cool, I can respect that..I disagree with it, but I respect that you have an opinion. So take your money and buy more mags, ammo, land, guns, food, fuel, clothes, meds, household supplies, tires, and tools…because while we can disagree about the metals thing, I think we can agree that there’s virtually no point in holding onto anything more than a small amount of cash when it’s looking more and more like the only economic courses available to this country involve bank runs and inflation.

The Walking Dead, new breathable emergency bivvy, export bans?

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

Man, the latest episode of The Walking Dead had what everyone has been clamoring for since first season: heroic Davy-Crockett-at-the-Alamo zombie killing. Honorary Superman Cape awarded to Daryl. Cuisinart Medal of Achievement to Michonne.

Static defense is always tough. It’s great to hole up in a fortress, but if youre locked inside that gives everyone outside all the time and space they need to do recon and move in forces. Smart money would be to always have assets outside the wire who can surprise attackers from the rear and lend a hand as needed. Team Rick managed that only by accident.

Note: I have shot Webleys from time to time and they have trigger pulls that are only slightly better than your average staple gun. Kudos to the panicked extra who actually made it look like a smooth DA pull. (Although, really, they probably just CGI’d the muzzle flash. Still, the Webley Mk I just has classic lines. Love the birdshead grip. I had to freezeframe to amke sure it wasnt a Merwin & Hulbert.)

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A while back I posted about the AMK Bivvy Sack a nice piece of gear to keep in any kit. Turns out they make an improved version that combats the biggest complaint about the product: moisture. Since it wasnt terribly breathable, it kept humidity/moisture in there with the user. That leads to clamminess which is rather unwelcome. Turns out they have a new version that is breathable (AMK SOL Escape Bivvy ). A step in the right direction, to be sure. What I find even more interesting is that they are going to offer it in a color other than blaze orange…green! So no more looking like a giant orange baked potato. Sometimes you  want that hi-viz color, sometimes you dont. The green ones aren’t available yet (as best I can tell) but I’ll definitely be swapping out my older non-breathable versions for the new ones.

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I received an interesting email from someone overseas the other day. He asked if I had heard anything about a magazine export ban. He had been going to his usual sources  and found that they were not shipping internationally. Perhaps there’s some new program or policy review going on? If anyone can shed some light, I’d like to hear about it.

The Mini-14 quandry

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress’ latest crack at a new assault weapons ban would protect more than 2,200 specific firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle that is nearly identical to one of the guns used in the bloodiest shootout in FBI history.

One model of that firearm, the Ruger .223 caliber Mini-14, is on the proposed list to be banned, while a different model of the same gun is on a list of exempted firearms in legislation the Senate is considering. The gun that would be protected from the ban has fixed physical features and can’t be folded to be more compact. Yet the two firearms are equally deadly.

“What a joke,” said former FBI agent John Hanlon, who survived the 1986 shootout in Miami. He was shot in the head, hand, groin and hip with a Ruger Mini-14 that had a folding stock. Two FBI agents died and five others were wounded.

Hanlon recalled lying on the street as brass bullet casings showered on him. He thought the shooter had an automatic weapon.

Both models of the Ruger Mini-14 specified in the proposed bill can take detachable magazines that hold dozens of rounds of ammunition. “I can’t imagine what the difference is,” Hanlon said.

I’m not the first one to point out that Feinstein’s dream list featured one model of Mini-14 while ignoring the rest.  This is just further proof that the people doing this idiocy are clueless morons. Nothing proves the absurdity of these ‘feature’-specific bans like putting a Ruger Mini-14 or 10/22 on a table next to its pimped out version and asking folks to spot the assault weapon.

I actually like the Mini-14 very much. I’ve found them to be very reliable but rather inaccurate. The newer models supposedly are more accurate, but with the advent of gas-piston AR’s, the reliability is about the same but the AR wins for ergonomics and modularity.

But, were I trapped in a place that thought pistol grips and flash hiders were a fast-ticket to the greybar Hilton, I’d probably take one and not look back.

Since this bill exempts particular guns by name, some manufacturer needs to market a single-shot .22 and give it a distinct name..AR-2013, or some such….and get it added to the list. Then, if theban goes through, transfer the name to a regular AR and see if that makes anyone start foaming at the mouth.