Thats alot of ammo…..

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Tried to order in some bulk 55 gr. FMJ bullets for a customer today. Remington? Out ofstock. Win? Outta stock. Hornady? Nope.

And then I read this. Realize that listing is an ‘if all options are exercised’ type of thing. Great googly moogly thats alot of ammo. And dontcha think the boys at Olin are gonna crank up the SCAMP lines or whatever their using now and devote as much of their production capacity as possible to filling that contract? (Not to be confused with the SCAMP project from Colt).On the bright side, maybe they’ll run off a few extra million for ‘out the door’ sales to distributors. Summary: possible diversion of production resources may impact availability for civillian consumers.

Emergency Plan A

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Looters in police, military and Red Cross outfits caught in Kansas. (No word if Mayor Anderson will hang ’em at the courthouse. [Jericho reference])

Really, you cant trust anybody in that sort of situation. We’ve all seen the video of the New Orleans cops helping themselves to stuff at WalMart and the like during Katrina.

On the other hand, theres a certain…moral flexibility…on our side of the fence, too. I was rereading some golden age survival book the other night (“Checklist For Survival”, Tony Lesce, Desert Pub. 1980) and found two recommended courses of action appropriately labelled “Emergency Plan A” and “Emergency Plan B”. “A” is where you know something bad is imminent and you rush out and start buying stuff on credit cards which you have no intention of paying back, and writing checks fully expecting your bank to be a glowing heap of slag within a few days. Never mind that this only works if no one else knows whats about to happen, because if they did I can guarantee you they arent gonna be taking checks and probably wont be taking plastic either. Plan “B” assumes you have a bit more notice…maybe several months. It advocates getting a menial job in a supermarket, getting the graveyard shift, and embezzling as much food as you can or, if things go really bad really fast, simply backing your truck up to the loading doors and ‘pillaging’ the place.

Im the first person to realize theres a difference between ‘stockpiling’ and ‘hoarding’. Theres also a difference between ‘scrounging’ and ‘looting’. Scrounging and looting both involve taking things that arent yours. Scrounging, I think, involves taking for an immediate and urgent need without profit or gain (other than alleviating the urgent need). Looting onthe other hand is ‘gimme’. Both are, morally, wrong but one id more forgivable…at least to me.

I suppose that, in a dire situation, any of us would steal what we had to, regardless of consequence, in order to keep ourselves or loved ones safe. However, thats a reason not an excuse. The whole reason I prepare is so I dont have to resort to things like that.

As an aside, I see this Lesce fella went on to do twenty more years of PaladinPress-type books, according to Amazon.com.

Prepare for weather, GB#5, CZ mags, wet weather gear, MRE chocolate developments

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Nice spring day the other day, then, naturally, in the space of 24 hours, we go to rain and snow. Im riding my bike these days against $3/gallon gas costs, so a sudden 40 degree drop in temperature can make bike riding a bit cool. Am I worried? (By the way, as I type this its hailing the size of corn kernels out there…) Of course Im not worried…I reach into my bag and pull out my Cold Weather Module. Slip on a knit cap, wool trigger finger mitts and keep going. But that darn chill…hmmm…reach into the Bag O’ Tricks and pull out a Polarmax longsleeve tee and put it on over my regular tee and under my shirt and Im nice n’ toasty. Why? Because I know that in Montana the weather can change every five minutes and with this in mind, I prepared.

Metaphorically, the preceeding paragraph could be a good example of why we do the things we do. The weather can change in five minutes here and life in general can change for the ugly much, much faster…but, as Theodore Roosevelt opined ‘you never have trouble if you are prepared’. A good question is how far into the foreseeable do you go in your preparations before you hit tinfoil beanie country (and the poorhouse). Preparing for job loss? Ok. Preparing for blackout/hurricane? Always good. Preparing for nuclear bombing? A bit of a stretch but not out of the realm of possible. Preparing for alien invasion? Pass the Reynolds Wrap.
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Reminder that the Mountain House #10 can group buy is up. By the individual can or case, your call. Ends June 6. This’ll be the only sale for 2007 on this stuff and the price will be going up next year.
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My extra 10-rd mags for the CZ550 should be here any day now. From a tactical standpoint I think that if you need multiple 10-rd magazines for your bolt gun you may have bitten off a bit more than you can chew. I mean, after the first ten rounds either your target is no longer a problem, dug into the ground, or way behind cover and calling in air support. So why’d I get five more mags? Spares. If one breaks or gets lost I want to be able to carry on. I haven’t shot the CZ in a couple months but I have a happy little notebook here full of shot targets and I can say it’s the mot accurate factory boltgun I’ve ever shot and a very large part of that is due to its single set trigger. I would, however, like to give Savages AccuTrigger law enforcement package a shot. The girlfriend is still holding out for the Remington LTR, though.
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The rain the other day got me thinking about my wet weather stuff. Of the military ponchos I like the US ones the least. Theyre very light, which is nice, but their waterproof-ness isn’t always what it could be. Quite simply the material isn’t really waterproof. If it gets wet enough water just seems to absorb into it and when you touch it you get wet. I’ve been much more pleased with the German rain ponchos in their clay/brown color. What I really like about them, other than their waterproofitude is that the snaps along the edges are double sided so you can snap a bunch of these things together to make various shelters… sources for the German ponchos are a bit hard to find but if you can find one that’s got no holes in it and doesn’t have the snaps torn out of the edges, grab it…theyre good gear. The Swiss alpenflage ponchos have been on the market for a while and theyre not really ponchos as much as they are rain capes. Still, a good value and cheap enough to have a bunch. The color leaves me a little cold…not a lot of reds in a Montana environment..even in the fall, but some people seem to like it.

GI poncho liners make almost no sense to me. You cant really wear them in conjunction with your poncho unless you cut a hole in it and if you lace it into your poncho to create a sleeping bag or blanket you’d be better served with a Thinsulate or Wiggys poncho liner that’s going to provide more warmth. (Before you say it, yes I am aware of the ‘Ranger Rick’ kit to convert your liner to work with your poncho) Kifaru has come out with their Woobie which I like the looks of a LOT but am thoroughly turned off at the unbelievable price. However, rolled up compact and stuffed into a daypack it would be excellent insurance for when youre out hunting or tromping around in the woods.

One product I have been very pleased with, and that I recommend, is the Outdoor Research Goretex boonie cap. I think they call it the Seattle Sombrero or some other stupid cutesy name. It is, however, a good product.. has an adjustable band for head size, Velcro to hold the brim of the hat up, removeable stampede strap and can be had in ‘forest/black’ but its really more olive than anything else. Its an excellent hat for wear when the big flakes are coming down and you want to keep that stuff off your shoulders and out of your face.

I haven’t tried the military wet/cold weather gear yet (ECWCS) simply because I just don’t have that kind of money. However, I do see it on people around town and once in a while you can find some on the surplus market at a reasonable price.

Another wet/cold goodie that I would never imagine doing without is a quality set of GoreTex socks/boot liners. These things turn any pair of shoes into a waterproof pair of shoes without turning the insides of your socks into a sweaty swamp. I usually wear a cotton sock, then the liner, and then a wool sock. With that rig I could wear sandals in the snow and be warm and dry. Theyre an excellent piece of gear. As I’ve learned, if your feet are dry and warm you can walk pretty much forever. Cold and wet feet, on the other hand, are miserable and a danger to your health.
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Whaddya know! Long-life chocolate!

Fal/PTR question, Mugabe economics, MH #10 cans group buy, Food

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The FAL is a fine gun, so why did I get rid of mine and get the two Hklones? This question came to the girlfriends email. She said I might want to post a response but I demurred, saying that anytime you get into the ‘gun-x vs. gun-y” argument it rapidly devolves into flamewars and ‘agree to disagree’-fests reminiscent of the 1980’s Atari vs. Commodore vs. IBM vs. Apple threads….except the computer kids mostly didn’t have automatic weapons.

Succinctly, the biggest reason, for me, was economics. Within parameters of what I wanted in a .308 semiauto the PTR’s came out on top…not because they were ‘better’ than the FAL but because they were economically more advantageous while still keeping the qualities I wanted in a .308.

The HK series has its problems – lack of a last-shot hold open jumps to mind. And the FAL has some sweet ergonomics… but, as I posted some time back, for the price of 100 FAL mags (used) I could (and did) buy 260 G3 magazines. Plus spare parts are, for the short term, dirt cheap. Example: I have four extra stock sets that cost less than $100 total.

And while I love the FAL, the best clone out there, the DSA, clocks in at around $1300+. The PTR, probably the best Hklone, dealers at less than a grand (barely).

Don’t think Im selling the Hklone short…its functioning has been flawless and its accuracy beats the FAL (with open sights). I probably trust it more than the FAL and confidence in your defensive arms is a huge thing. Huge. Force multiplier huge.

So….I think both are great guns and youre well served by either. If youre on a budget the PTR might be the better value.
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Article on the news about Zimbabwe raising the price of corn around 700% to fund subsidies to farmers to encourage them to…grow more corn.

I am officially starting the countdown clock on Mugabe. The level of dissatisfaction is growing down there and unless theres some amazing wagon-circling, Bobby Mugabe is headed for exile or assassination. Most likely exile…some nation will buy him out to retire to Saudi Arabia or something. Bloodless coups seem the preferred thing these days. Probably South Africa will make a deal in order to ensure some regional stability. Last thing they want it a refugee problem at their border, they can barely hold their own act together.

Why is this blogworthy? Hyperinflation examples in contemporary times aren’t too frequent. Argentina comes to mind. Argentina is far more advanced than Zimbabwe and in Africa economic chaos or the complete lack of economic policy at all seems to be the norm. But its interesting to see the effects… dissatisfaction as the poor get squeezed, the affluent start getting their parachutes ready, the police.military get the royal treatment to keep them loyal, popular support wavers, protests erupt, get crushed, erupt again, and in the end a black Mercedes makes a nighttime run to the airport as rebel factions loot the palace. Seen it before, see it again. These things happen the same whether its third world Africa or imperial Germany…although Germany made some poor leadership choices in hopes of getting out of their economic morass.

There are a few blogs out there from Zimbabwe and they talk about rolling blackouts, lack of fuel, lack of water, no public transportation, commercial deliveries of goods being disrupted, etc, etc. Its positively…New Orleansian.

Recent increases in fuel and food prices are not foreshadowing of some epic inflation ( or hyperinflation) episode in this country, in my completely uninformed opinion. However, they do make me think about economics in general and how it relates to me and the girlfriends security. (By security I mean our ability to be fed, warm, clothed and sheltered…physical security hasn’t been an issue for us since we learned which end of a barrel the bullet comes out of.) I know little about economics beyond ‘don’t pay more than you have to’ and ‘its gonna cost more later’. I am, of course, willing to learn more.
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Speaking of future security, I have officially gotten the page up for Group Buy #5. This is the Mountain House #10 cans available as singles and cases, instead of just cases. So…if you want one can of Lasagne, one of Beef Stew, one of breakfast food and one of Chicken and Rice now is the time.

If you’re unsure what your tastes run to, order up a ProPack in the flavor you want (top right frame of the website). I recommend the Spaghetti, Lasagne, Teriyakis, Chicken w/ Rice, and Spicy Chicken. I’ve heard good things about the Chicken ala King as well. Its also worth noting that the ‘base’ foods (the vegetables, and FD meats) are an excellent choice if you’ve got a 100# drum of rice and want something to add to it to make a more interesting meal. Heck, 100# beans, 100# rice, a case of FD corn, peas, green beans, and chicken and you can make some good food sometime between now and 2030.

Prices on the MH will be going up before the end of the year. Bank on it. Also, one good hurricane or earthquake and expect product availabilities to shift hard and fast. Prepare and prevail.

Speaking of long-term storage food. Remember the bucket o’ ‘survival food’ that CostCo was selling? Its reduced to $99.99 and I bet its still not going to have too many takers. When Hurrican Katrina, LA Riots, and tsunamis aren’t on the news no one gives any thought to being prepared. Im the opposite….when things are going well I think ‘This is gonna come to a screeching halt annnnnny second now….’

Wait…here it comes: Honeybee die-off threatens food supply

Food prices, group buy #4 closing, headsup on GB#5

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Yeah, it wasn’t my imagination…food prices have gone up and not by the usual small amounts. My local Albertsons is selling 85/15 ground beef at $3.69/#. $3.69! Madness!

So, whats a person to do? Well, as any devotee of Alton Brown knows, ground beef that’s sold in the supermarket is usually pieces of other cuts that have been ground up. In short, it’s the scraps from cutting up roasts and steaks. A quick trip over to the bargain meat bin shows a few remaindered steaks at about $2.33/#. So…its actually cheaper to buy the steaks and have them ground.

The stories Im reading are saying that the recent increase in food prices is mostly (but not entirely) due to the sudden renaissance of ethanol and other fuel substitutes/additives that can be developed from corn. Corn, of course, is whats used to feed a lot of the livestock in this country. Demand for corn goes up, price of corn goes up, price of animal feed goes up, cost of meat goes up…its really that simple and classic an example of supply and demand.

I can’t believe that people didn’t see the resultant food price increases coming. I saw it a mile away. Of course, if I had any money I’d’ve sunk it into corn futures.

So, I’ll head over to SuperWallyWorld and Costco and check out their prices on bulk ground beef. See, this is where having a freezer and a vacuum sealer really come in handy. I can buy the big Brick O’ Beef™, break it down into easier-to-manage 1# packages, vacuum seal them so they’ll last pretty much indefinitely and send ‘em to the basement for the cryo-nap. Hopefully this will result in some significant savings.

Now, even if the savings amount to only, say, $0.25 per #, you might say whats the big deal? Well, if I buy, say, 15# that’s a savings of $3.75. That’s $3.75 to sink into more food. When money is tight (and, really, when isn’t it?) every bit helps. Plus, every $1 I save off of ‘normal’ purchases can be $1 devoted to more ‘specialized’ purposes like freezedrieds, batteries, ammo, guns, radios, etc, etc.

I suppose the argument could be made that if I became a vegetarian I could save even more. But, alas, it is a quality of life issue. Spaghetti and tomato sauce just doesn’t have the same overwhelming satisfaction of spaghetti with tomatoe sauce, meatballs, and melted cheese.

EDIT: Costco had 88/12 ground beef at $2.50/# so theres some sanity there. Cheaper than WallyWorld too.
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The Chip McCormick 1911 mag deal ends tomorrow. There are 41 magazines left. Whatever is unsold after Monday goes into the bunker for me and the girlfriends use, so if you want some now is the time, my friends. These mags were a closeout from one of my vendors so this is a deal that will not be repeated.
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The next group buy will start next month and run into June. It’s the one some of you have been waiting for – the Mountain House #10 can buy. This time cans will be available as singles or by the case. Buy will run until June 1st at which time the order is ‘frozen’ and sent in to Mountain House. Takes about a week-to-ten days for them to get a truck here.

Calculating shipping costs on the #10 cans is a monstrous headache. Rather than try and do a one-size-fits-all deal (which isn’t really fair to most folks) I’ll provide an Excel spreadsheet with pricing and weights so you can calculate shipping charges on your own. Orders will be paid upfront but shipping charges will be paid at the time your stuff is boxed up and ready to go. In other words, you’ll check off a shopping cart with what you want, pay for it and when the stuff arrives around June 10th you’ll get an email saying what your actual shipping costs will be. To avoid surprises you can calculate your final shipping weights on the spreadsheet and then check out UPS’ website to guesstimate shipping.

There’ll be no minimums, but for best results you’ll want to order in quantities of six if possible. This is because each box holds six cans. That makes for the smallest, neatest package with no surplus packaging weight. Obviously if you only want one or two cans of something then you’ll just order that, but if you have the flexibility, ordering in quantites divisible by six will make everyones day easier and cheaper.

Prices have gone up a bit for 2007. That’s just the way the world works, Im afraid. Single cans vs. cases are the same price. That is to say one case is the same price as six single cans. I’ve got these things as cheap as I can get so theres not really room for a ‘case discount’.

Any items not in stock at time of ordering will not be backordered, you’ll simply get a refund. This is because the whole order has to be done at once and has to weigh a certain amount to get free shipping…and that free shipping is a very large part of what makes this affordable.

Its going to take a few days to get the ordering page up but when its up, you’ll know.

Like all group buys, this is open to anyone reading this. Don’t email me and ask if you can get in on it…you can. You should!

No ‘broken orders’ this time! Since we were doing whole cases last time some folks agreed to split cases and I would send half of one and half of another to two people. This time there shouldn’t be any need for that since you can order singles. As much as I like you folks, the whole splitting of cases is a bit of a pain so this time it ain’t happenin’.

Will ship to all 50 states but if youre in HI or AK, well, you know what to expect. Might ship to Canada if theres no restrictions on foodstuffs…be prepared to pay a bit more for shipping. Watch this space.
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I’m TiVo’ing a program on the History Channel about Berlin’s underground bunkers. You can have all the Nazi rocket scientists, just gimme their building engineers.