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Could America’s Farmers and Ranchers Face a Rhodesian Future?

From SurvivalBlog.com

I envision one possible future for America that is fairly bleak, at least in the short term. If the economy deteriorates the way that I anticipate, and if the power grids ever collapse, then it could trigger that dreaded "worst case" situation. Such a socioeconomic collapse could precipitate a large population die-off in metropolitan regions, a bit less in the suburbs, and even less in the countryside. But an extended period of lawlessness would still cause considerable loss of life and property in rural areas. There will surely be a lot of refugees from urban areas, and some of them will turn to looting, in order to survive. The new paradigm for American farmers and ranchers might resemble the security situation faced by farmers during Rhodesian Bush War of the 1970s.

Life for farmers in Rhodesia in the 1970s was nerve-wracking. Starting in the late 1960s, communist guerillas, trained and armed by Cuban and Chinese "advisors", had been slipping into the country to wreak havoc and terror on the civilian populace. While most of their victims were black, the communist terrorists (or "terrs" as they were called in Rhodesian slang) began attacking isolated farms owned by whites. Early on in the war, they were literally able to catch the farmers sleeping. Later, as defenses were raised, the terrs adopted the tactic of burying pressure-activated land mines on farm roads.

Since phone lines could be cut, a radio network was established…

Letter Re: .22 Handguns and Other Options For Self Defense

From SurvivalBlog.com

James:
R.F.D. is spot on with the write-up, on .22 LR and to take this a step further,  everyone should do their own "field tests". Most people (My estimation) can not or will not spend enough range time to be proactive in having the hands on experience to get not only the right weapon but equally important the right caliber for them and/also the first hand knowledge of what they can do to both living tissue or objects.  I have over my learning period of 50 plus years and hundreds of thousands of rounds shot, understood that I wanted several calibers and types of guns for my use. For distances under 50 yards, maybe a hyper-velocity .22,  under a 100 a .223, up to 200 yards a .30-06, over 200 yards  my caliber of choice is a .375 H&H magnum.  Again my choices. 
 
I differ in my opinion about the .22 rimfire round, be it a Short, Long, Long Rifle, or the hyper-velocity Long Rifle hollow point.   In first hand experience at a shooting range in Kansas City, Kansas years ago I saw first hand an accidental shooting where one shot to the chest with a standard 22 LR bullet that entered and exited a man’s chest killing him on the spot.  My years of outdoor shooting and hunting with most calibers and types of firearms allowed me to to make my own choices on what I determined worked for me.   As everybody has an opinion, the old adage "Do not believe…

SHTF “Go To” Gun photo contest: Entry #59, #59, #60 and #61

From ModernSurvivalOnline.com

Tony sent the following……

This is my go-to SHTF gun – the Smith & Wesson M&P AR15.

I chose it for several reasons.  First of all, I belong to a small group of like-minded preppers and we have all chosen this gun so as to be able to standardize our weapons.  Secondly, I really like the customizability of the AR15 platform.  With the chance to add quad rails, lights, laser, optics, etc., this weapon is like a Mr. Potato Head for grown men.  Make it look like you want.  Make it do what you want.  Finally, the popularity of the AR15 means that, in the event of an “end of the world as we know it” situation, there should be a substantial amount of ammo laying around.

I’ve set it up with a small sampling of some of my other SHTF gear and food stores.  I believe that this weapon will help me to safeguard my life, my family, and my property in event of an emergency.

Greg R. and his wife are prepared with……

Please consider my photo for your SHTF photo contest. It is a combo of mine and my wife’s “go to” weapons. We figure it is not if, but a matter of when we will face a SHTF scenario. Some will reach for the toilet paper, but we plan on something more substantial!

My personal weapon is a Springfield…

.22 Handguns and Other Options For Self Defense, by R.F.D.

From SurvivalBlog.com

No one, myself included, would recommend a .22 caliber handgun as the ideal defensive weapon. For that matter, I wouldn’t recommend any handgun at all as the ideal defensive weapon. We carry handguns because most of us find it a tad inconvenient to carry a tactical shotgun, or main battle rifle as we go about our daily lives, and most folks tend to get a little upset when you get on the bus with one. If I knew a fight was coming my way, my preference would be a crew-served weapon, preferably with the ‘crew’ in tow. So, a handgun, any handgun is at best a compromise. But then, we’ve all been around long enough to understand that life is a never ending series of tradeoffs. 

I will not debate the .22 vs. ‘whatever’ for self defense. If, by choice or circumstance, your only viable option should happen to be the .22 rimfire, so be it. I have no problem with my students who choose the .22 for self defense, regardless of the reasons. They all know that I advocate using the largest round you can handle easily, afford to practice with, and shoot well. But, we do not live in a perfect world. 

Rule #1 of gun fighting, is to bring a gun, and any gun will always beat no gun. I will spare you all the inane arguments, wives’ tales, urban legends, and witticisms. Suffice it to say, the little .22 rimfire has…

SHTF “Go To” Gun photo contest: Entry #51, #52, #53 and #54

From ModernSurvivalOnline.com

More evidence as to why no other country has tried to invade the United States…….

John is ready to make judgement with…….

This is my “Go To” gun entry……Taurus Judge Public Defender .410/.45LC.

 Greg sent the following…….

Here is my New England Firearms Y2K Survivor single shot 12 gauge. I don’t plan on taking on an army with this, I plan on feeding my family and friends with this gun. In the stock I store a Victorinox swiss army knife, a marbles compass and whistle, gerber led light, a few strike anywhere matches dipped in wax and a Short Lane 12 gauge adapter which is an insert that allows other calibers to be fired in any 12 gauge, this one is a 410 adapter. Between the versatility of the 12 gauge ammo and with the 410 adapter I can harvest lots of different game.

  Peacekeeper will be causing a ruckus with……

This is my Real world everyday go to SHTF package. The picture includes a Bushmaster AR15 with an Aimpoint, 2 twin Glock 22s, Eagle chest rig (with 3 magpul magazines, 3 Glock 15rd magazines, and 1 Leatherman mulit-tool), Kevlar Helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. The Glock with the light attached is on my person while the rest…

HK Flare guns and ammo

From Notes from the bunker…

I see Sportsmans Guide has the HK Flare guns and the ammo back in stock. I got a bunch of these a few years ago and they are awesome. If you hunt around, in addition to the usual flares you can also find smoke and parachute flares that fit.

Additionally,several vendors are selling a 26.5mm flare gun that is a ‘rifle’ rather than a pistol. (Technically, its not a rifle since it’s smoothbore..but it looks like one so Im gonna go with that.)

Now, I can understand where you may or may not think that a flare gun is handy thing to have. But even if you don’t think so, the flares themselves are quite handy since they are the perfect fodder for homemade trip flare devices. A quick stroll down the plumbing section at the hardware store shows there theres plenty of pipe fittings around that will work to contain and direct the flare once you activate whatever mechanism you have to set it off.

By the by, HK even made a special mount and bracket to allow you to use the HK flare gun as a tripflare. I saw one for sale on a website a year or so ago and have not seen another one since.

SHTF “Go To” Gun photo contest: Entry #43, #44, #45 and #46

From ModernSurvivalOnline.com

Another installment of firearm awesomeness……….

Jason sent the following……

The weapon is a specially ordered, during my last deployment, Smith & Wesson M&P 15 with an Aimpoint H-1 and a Surefire X400.  I chose this weapon because it is the weapon that I am most familiar with, having served in the Army for over 20 years.  I chose to have my youngest son hold the weapon (he understands the rules of gun safety), the bible, and the American flag as they represent the things that are most important to me, and I will do everything within my power to protect them.

Grayfox 114 sent the following…….

My choice? Obviously the Ruger Mark 1 22 Auto pistol! In a survival/prepper gun we should be looking for simplicity, reliability, accuracy, and user friendly features. The Ruger offers all. Mine is blue steel with a 6” heavy barrel, adjustable sights and stock grips. It has a 10 round magazine, and I have several spares, and I also have a spare bolt assembly, with attached firing pin, spring and extractor, a $ 10.00 gun show item!

The Ruger lends itself to lots of inexpensive practice, almost anywhere due to its low sound signature. Kids and wives love to shoot it.  The gun is innocuous and below the radar of nosy people and law enforcement. I have a clamp on barrel light for the gun,and for everyday carry, I have a nylon holster…

An Overview of NFA Gun Trusts, by Patrick Stegall

From SurvivalBlog.com

The last few years have seen the development of an interesting legal mechanism called the gun trust. Gun trusts use estate planning law to deal with, and in some cases legally circumvent, arcane and restrictive federal laws that regulate the use and possession of certain types of firearms. These federal statutes make up the National Firearms Act (NFA), a series of laws that require registration of guns such as machine guns, short barreled rifles and shotguns, and sound suppressors (aka silencers). They are often referred to as Title 2 weapons because they are regulated under Title 2 of the 1968 Gun Control Act. Many people mistakenly call them Class 3 weapons, but Class 3 refers to the dealers of these weapons, not the weapons themselves.

History of the National Firearms Act

The NFA was passed in 1934 in response to the gang violence of that time. It imposed a tax on certain firearms thought to contribute to the growing "gangster" crime problem, including machine guns, short barreled rifles and shotguns, and silencers. In an effort to discourage possession of these types of weapons, individuals were required to register them with the federal government and pay a tax stamp fee of $ 200. The NFA was amended in 1968 and again in 1986, but its basic provisions remain unchanged: national registration of certain weapons and payment of a $ 200 tax per weapon, or $ 5 for devices classified as Any Other Weapon.…

Letter Re: Ammunition Manufacturers in The American Redoubt

From SurvivalBlog.com

James, 
I am trying to facilitate my move to the American Redoubt area and am planning some income sources. I make knives, holsters, and pouches for other accessories but I am looking to expand what I can offer to help support my family when we move. My question is for you as well as anyone else you know in that area. I am an avid reloader and was wondering what the ammo options are like in the American Redoubt region. I’m curious about local places that offer a decent selection at a good price. From a few years of experience in construction in Montana (when I wasn’t paying attention to ammo suppliers), goods and services tend to be more expensive than what I am used to where I currently am. I suspect due to higher cost of transport and lower availability. This has led me to guess that local ammo suppliers may be more expensive and have less supply than more populated areas. I am also curious about suppliers that also accept barter for other goods and services.

Any information you could pass along on the availability of local ammo dealers and where they may be lacking would greatly be appreciated. Thanks and God bless! – G.A.

JWR Replies: The best way to buy or barter for ammunition is directly from manufacturers. There are a surprising number of small ammo and reloading component makers in the American Redoubt, and more moving in each year. Western Montana…

Security and New to Preparedness

From SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA

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