The other day we brought you information on the gun control crisis about how law-abiding citizens of Virginia are facing from the Democrat-controlled state legislature.
In response to the 75 counties that declared themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries, several Democrats called upon the governor to use the National Guard to enforce gun control laws.
from The Prepper Journal
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I am always amused to hear people talk at the range or gun shows about “facts cast in stone.”
As with most other gun enthusiasts, I think I have a clear set of facts that I understand and work from when deciding to listen and be polite, or to interrupt and try and educate. Like every other person on the planet, I don’t know everything. So, these casual discussions can educate if you put them through your personal duck test: If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, leaves a mess in its wake like a duck – chances are it’s a duck.
I’ll just scare him off!
First on my list is “brandishing a gun scares off bad guys.” Who hasn’t heard the story “…and I flashed him my Glock and he froze…” or words to that effect? If you really want to know who has heard that story repeatedly ask a judge, as brandishing a weapon is a crime (misdemeanor or felony, depending on your state and local laws) in every state. Yep, even in the Wild West of Texas and Arizona.
When we are threatened we have three normal responses – stand our ground (fight), flee, or freeze. So, at best you have a one-third chance of that working, however YOU have just provided provocation for a deadly confrontation. Not smart. Lawyers get rich from not smart people. Bottom line, any move that indicates you are about to draw a firearm is considered a provocation and carries serious consequences. Think before you act.
Next on my list is “Revolvers are safer than Semiautos”, and I am a wheel gun fan. See, we all have our failings. My religion comes from having some big-named fancy semi-autos jam on me, something I have yet to experience with a wheel gun. The standard wheel gun myth is the open-chamber under the hammer. Older wheel guns did not have the disconnected firing pin newer models have, an added safety feature, but I am finding it hard to break this life-long habit. So, when I have a wheel gun on me, the hammer sits over an open chamber.
The semiautos I carry are all carried with a chambered round. I prefer unexposed hammers (sorry, 1911 fans), because when I need it I think I am smooth, but videos have provided evidence to the contrary. I cannot overstress the importance of imprinting muscle memory in your drawing a weapon from your carry position. It really is life or death training if the situation has come to drawing your weapon in self-defense. In any case, the safety of any gun depends on the individual in control of it, and so does the safety of everyone within range.
Another of my myths is “there is nothing scarier than the sound of chambering a round in a pump shotgun.” In the dark, as a response to a break-in, it can indeed instill fear. It also gives away your location and lets the bad guy know you have a shotgun. But if someone is stupid enough to break into someone’s home, betting on their deductive reasoning as a possible deterrent is foolish.
Why didn’t you just wound him?
I will close here with the myth that a lifetime of television and the movies have cursed us with – shooting to wound. If you have ever been in an active shooting situation, home robbery, police work, or the military, your natural reaction is to shoot to stop. And you keep shooting until a) they stop or b) you have exhausted your ammunition.
Even snipers, professional trained and disciplined to remain covered will, in a real firefight, have to deal with the sudden panic, adrenalin and the realization that you must make the perp STOP. It is the normal first reaction no matter how well disciplined you might think you are.
It is also the realization that, unlike television and the movies, bad guys are not always bad shots. A study of gang members arrested in Los Angeles County (birthplace of the Crips and Bloods, as well as 18th Street – a gang that promotes its members into MS-13) showed that they practiced from 6 to 8 hours a week with their weapons.
from The Prepper Journal
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The information provided in this following article is an excellent starting point for every prepper that needs to find his way into emergency preparedness.
from Survivopedia
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These are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. — Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, 1776
Free citizens in the state of Virginia find themselves on the brink of a crisis. The state legislature has wasted no time in working to restrict or eliminate state residents’ God-given rights to the tools of liberty.
One legislator has gone so far as to suggest the governor call out the National Guard to enforce the laws that local municipalities will not. If this doesn’t sound like a precursor to confiscation, I don’t know what is.
This is one of the most egregious overreaches by a state government in a long time.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
Residents of Virginia, you are in our prayers.
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. — Thomas Paine, The American Crisis
from The Prepper Journal
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There are always things that come along, which require changes to the best of plans. But having a plan helps you decide what things are worth changing the plan for.
from Survivopedia
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Editor’s Note: This came in at a fortuitous time, as it relates to an end-of-year deal I’m trying to put together. Guest contributor Jonas Grumby writes about the “Get Me Home Bag,” which he says is different from the bug-out bag. What say you? Is he onto something?
The Prepper Journal has many entries that discussbuggingout or hunkering down. This will not be another one. Not exactly, anyway. Let’s imagine you have a emergency plan that involves leaving or staying put. In a perfect world, we are at home with the entire family when the balloon goes up.
But we don’t live in a perfect world.
What is your zombie plan?
We have jobs where we commute an average of 7 to 16 miles with a 27-minute drive time. Natural disasters such as hurricanes give enough time to leave, but earthquakes, tornadoes, and flash floods give little, if any, warning. Let’s not forget that civil unrest, such as the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and the Ferguson Riots, can flare up and spread very quickly.
What are your plans should this regional emergency occur while you are at work? Driving home might be the fastest option, but what if it isn’t? What if traffic, road damage or ‘I forgot to get gas during lunch’ prevent it? You’ll have to walk.
But can you? Aside from the physical element of hiking home, do you have the supplies needed to walk the 3, 6, or 10 miles (or further)? If you don’t have a Bug Out Bag (BOB) in your vehicle already, you should think about creating a Get Me Home Bag (GMHB).
Here are some things to consider having in your office or vehicle at all times:
Footwear – for people working in an office setting, this is a big factor. Dress shoes or heels may look nice in the boardroom, but walking home in them will be a nightmare. Do you have any place to store a pair of sturdy sneakers or lightweight hiking boots and a couple of pairs of socks?
Hydration – For people like me who live in Phoenix, this can be a life-or-death issue. Having to walk home in June could literally kill you during normal times. Imagine trying it during an emergency. If you can get water from your office or other safe location (water bottles?), then you’re off to a good start. You’ll have clean water as well as extra water holders for the journey home. If you don’t, having a 1L water container like a Nalgenebottle will be important.
Flashlight – While most phones have flashlights, they’re really only good for a very short distance and they drain your emergency communication device. Some flashlights can run on lithium batteries (higher power but short lifespan) or AA-batteries (less powerful, long lasting and easy to find anywhere). Current generation of LED make these very powerful, even on alkaline batteries. I carry a small flashlight with me all the time, much to the amusement of some coworkers.
Cellphone – Everyone has a cellphone, but do you always have it with you? Are you always charging it, or do you wait until you get in the car for your trip home? You’ll need a way to charge it.
Portable Power Pack – Cellphones no longer have the 3-5 day battery that some older units did. If you’re away from a regular power source (or the power is down), a small portable power pack will keep your phone going for a long time.
Knife and Multi-tool – Most multi-tools have an integrated blade, so you might even be able to ditch the folding knife. That said, I prefer a separate knife I can always carry, like the flashlight.
Maps – Work commutes can get to the point where it’s like being on autopilot. But is that route the best one? The most direct route might not be viable on foot, especially if you have to go through any sketchy areas. A map can help you plan which ways to take, and which to avoid.
Food, safety and comfort – For a 6-16 mile walk home, you may not need food. But if it happens at the end of the workday, you’re likely to be hungry. If you have to hole up for the night, you’ll be glad you have something to eat.
Having some snacks or something to eat can be a good morale boost as well as fuel for the journey. You don’t have to have a full MRE, but they’re convenient and keep well. Trail mix, nuts or other calorie-dense foods should suffice.
Most employers have policies against self-defense tools on property, but you can always leave something like that in your vehicle. Some states like Arizona even have laws permitting employees having firearms in their vehicles while at work. Check you local laws and company policy for details.
Don’t forget some toilet paper, some first aid (band aids and moleskin) and something to protect against sun and dust (a shemagh works well for these) and a pair of gloves to protect your hands.
The get me home bag
I’m lucky…I work less than 7 miles from home. Pictured below is the kit I have assembled. It’s easily stored in a small drawer at work, or my laptop backpack, which doubles as my get home bag. I happen to have a decent supply of MREs, but I could make my kit smaller by substituting some trail mix and energy bars.
My get home bag
These items can easily be integrated into a larger bug-out bag you may already have, or even be redundant to your BOB. Remember, two is one and one is none when it comes to life-critical supplies. The most expensive thing in that kit was the MSR water filter.
Not pictured are the shoes and extra socks I kept in my desk drawer, nor is my first aid kit (aside from the Israeli pressure bandage)…because it needs to be restocked. I had forgotten I’d used some supplies at work awhile back, and never replenished them.
Writing this wound up being a teaching moment, and a reminder to review your supplies on a regular basis. It’s easy to ‘set it and forget it’, then realize when it’s too late that you’re missing something.
from The Prepper Journal
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Prepping your garden for the upcoming winter gets you started on all those vegetables, flowers, and fruits. These spring and summer delicacies are worth it!
from Survivopedia
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First, having a generator available,in a SHTF situation is like winning the lottery. Yet, a working generator comes with advantages and disadvantages.
from Survivopedia
Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies?
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