Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Finding the right gun is a difficult task. We spend hours sifting through various types of guns, reviews, etc. Then starts the process of finding the pros and cons of the gun. We talk to various gun owners and friends about their experiences. We call or go to multiple gun shops, taking expert advice from the person behind the counter. Then comes the time to find the right ammo, another war to win. In all this hustle-bustle, a gun holster is often forgotten. 

Finding a gun holster is easy but finding the perfect gun holster can be daunting. You will have to probably try and test a lot of gun holsters before you find the ONE! Finding the perfect gun holster is not a joke. Even the best of your pistols is useless if it is put inside a safe at home. It is a matter of safety and comfort which has to be taken seriously. 

The main purpose of a gun holster is but not limited to carry the weapon. As a responsible gun owner, it is also important to look at the safety features of the holster which prevents the accidental discharge of a bullet and also prevents the firearm from elements in the atmosphere. 

Let’s first understand the bare minimum characteristics of a holster

There is no denial in the fact that a gun owner should handle his firearm responsibly and must have 100% positive control over his firearm. Thus the bare minimum requirement of a holster should be that it must be able to cover the trigger to prevent accidental firing. There will be a rare chance that a holster available in the market will not cover the trigger. Although there are certain holsters used in firing competitions which do not cover the trigger purposely. 

What are retention holsters?

Retention holsters not only fulfil the bare minimum requirements but also offer a higher level of safety and control. A basic retention holster is with a velcro strap. There are various higher standard retention holsters on the market like Blackhawk and Safariland’s hooded designs. Safariland hooded hosters are generally level 3 holsters with features like a lever or a button. Some holsters also offer a feature by which only a certain movement of the pistol can only release the weapon.

Factors to consider while selecting a holster 

1. Quality – Greed to save a few dollars over safety is never any responsible gun owner would think of. Always read reviews of different products online and go for quality manufacturers only. Quality manufacturers offer a warranty for 2 or more years from the date of purchase. 

1. Durability – We all love the smell and charm of leather holsters. There is nothing more attractive than a new leather holster but what about leather’s durability? Leather will eventually suffer wear and tear and will lose its shape and retention ability. Kydex is a type of PVC which is durable and far more beneficial than a leather holster. Kydex holsters may not seem attractive but when it comes to durability and safety, leather holsters don’t stand even close. 

1. Comfort – If you ask any cop or a person who carries a weapon daily on their duty belt for the whole day, they all will not say anything positive for the comfort part. That is because carrying a weapon should be comforting, not comfortable. It is similar to a desk job where you have to sit for 8-9 hours a day. A person even becomes tired of sitting continuously. 

A comfortable holster distributes the weight of the weapon evenly while making sure that the firearm is properly concealed.  

Take time to research all the factors mentioned above and then make an informed decision when investing in a holster.

The post How to find the perfect gun holster? appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Could it be possible that Hillary Clinton is preparing to jump into the presidential race?  According to the FEC, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign is still active, and it actually raised $165,902.73 during the first six months of 2019.  During that same period of time, the campaign spent $131,112.68, and that left her with a war chest of $650,264.43.  That isn’t enough to win the Democratic nomination, but it would certainly be enough to get another run for the White House off the ground rather quickly.  “Hillary For America” is the name of her official campaign committee, and during 2015 and 2016 it raised a total of $585,669,598.83, but that still wasn’t enough to beat Donald Trump.  However, with impeachment mania reaching a fever pitch in Washington and with the Biden campaign fading, Hillary may sense an opening.  She had a full slate of media appearances scheduled for this week, and so far she has done nothing to dispel the rumors that she may be getting into the race.

The fundraising numbers that we currently have are for the first six months of this year, and so we don’t know what happened in July, August and September yet.  But those numbers will be reported later this month, and if her fundraising efforts have ramped up that will tell us a lot.

Of course just because she is raising money does not necessarily mean that she intends on running.  Political candidates often keep “zombie committees” around for years, and Hillary may have some other purpose for keeping her presidential campaign committee active.

But it is interesting to note that a “Hillary 2020” campaign shirt in five different colors is available on Amazon right now.  Is that just wishful thinking, or is that another clue?

What we do know is that Hillary Clinton has been seemingly everywhere in the mainstream media lately.  For example, her interview with Stephen Colbert propelled the Late Show to record ratings for a Monday night…

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea this week helped propel CBS “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert to the program’s highest Monday night ratings, drawing more than 3.7 million viewers.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the audience for the interview equaled the combined ratings for ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on NBC.

During that interview, Stephen Colbert began discussing the impeachment inquiry, and his crowd erupted in a chant of “lock him up”…

Invoking the infamous anti-Clinton chant popularized by Trump rally crowds, Colbert asked Hillary on Monday if Trump’s Ukraine phone call, largely dismissed as a “nothing burger” but still used as the pretext to launch an impeachment inquiry, now warranted “Lock him up” chants.

“We learned about the Trump-Ukraine call, the private server – is it time to, dare I say, ‘Lock him up?’” Colbert asks the potential 2020 candidate, who cackles uncontrollably.

The audience dutifully takes their cue, and begins chanting, “Lock him up! Lock him up!”

 

Stephen Colbert starts a “lock him up” chant at the start of his interview w/ Hillary & Chelsea Clinton pic.twitter.com/HQZHKCORWg

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 1, 2019

But a far more interesting moment during the interview came later when Hillary Clinton emphatically declared that she was not going to endorse any of the Democratic candidates…

Hillary Clinton announced last night that she will not endorse any of the Democratic candidates, fueling speculation that she may yet enter the race.

During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Hillary was asked if she had endorsed anyone.

“No,” she responded, “no I’m not going to.”

So why won’t she endorse someone?

Is it because she is planning to run herself?

On Wednesday, Clinton made an appearance on The View, and when asked about the 2016 race she stated that she “probably came across as too serious”…

Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stopped by The View on Wednesday along with her daughter Chelsea, and opened up about her biggest campaign regrets.

Clinton was asked by co-host Abby Huntsman, “When you look back on your campaign and what Democrats today might do differently, what goes through your mind?”

“I’m a serious person but I’m also a fun person,” Clinton responded. “I think I probably came across as too serious.”

After watching some of these interviews, it is clear that she has worked hard on her physical appearance.  She appears to have lost quite a bit of weight, she has exchanged her frumpy grandma outfits for business attire, and she seems to have a lot more energy these days.

In other words, she very much looks like someone that is eager to jump back into the fray.

In recent days, Clinton also had time to accept a “lifetime achievement award” at NARAL’s 50th anniversary celebration…

In between criticisms of President Donald Trump, leaders of the radical pro-abortion group called Clinton “our president” and touted her pro-abortion record. NARAL held its 50th anniversary celebration Thursday in Washington, D.C.

“Women’s rights are human rights, and for 50 years NARAL has taken on the toughest fights to protect our most fundamental freedoms. Happy anniversary. Let’s keep going,” Clinton wrote on Twitter after accepting the award.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s once promising campaign is floundering.  According to Real Clear Politics, Elizabeth Warren has now beaten Joe Biden in four of the last seven major national polls.

But this is a huge problem for the Democratic establishment.  As I discussed a few days ago, the elite absolutely do not want Warren to win the nomination.  Originally they thought that Biden would have clear sailing to the nomination, but now he is really struggling.  And with Bernie Sanders now out of commission for the foreseeable future due to health issues, Warren’s numbers are only going to get stronger.

Other than Biden, all of the other “mainstream candidates” have completely flopped, and so the Democratic establishment is becoming desperate.

Could it be possible that they will turn to Hillary Clinton as their savior?

That is what a lot of people are now speculating.  In fact, during an interview with Fox Business the other day, Steve Bannon specifically warned that Clinton could enter the race…

He told Fox Business: ‘They think they have a weak field and they’re – it’s like in chess – they’re prepared to sacrifice a rook to take down a king.

‘They will throw Biden away to get to Trump and hope Elizabeth [Warren] or I even think Hillary Clinton or [Michael] Bloomberg or some centrist comes in here.’

We shall see what happens.  It still seems unlikely that it will actually happen, but Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign is active and it is raising money.

But if she is going to do something, she needs to make a move soon, because the voting begins early next year.

And wouldn’t that be wild is she actually won the nomination?  A rematch between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton would be one for the ages, although our country might be completely torn apart in the process.

About the author: Michael Snyder is a nationally-syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including Get Prepared Now, The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters. His articles are originally published on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News. From there, his articles are republished on dozens of other prominent websites. If you would like to republish his articles, please feel free to do so. The more people that see this information the better, and we need to wake more people up while there is still time.  Of course the most important thing that we can share with people is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if you would like to learn more about how you can become a Christian I would encourage you to read this article.

Let’s imagine for a moment that the world of tax-funded public safety and well-stocked grocery stores are a thing of the past. Then you, perhaps with a handful of family and friends, must fend for yourself in a tough and hostile environment. Among the considerations for survival are, of course, firearms. Which would you choose?

The most critical consideration for firearms in this scenario would be reliability. Does it go “bang” with every trigger press? Does it cycle the widest possible spectrum of ammo available in that caliber? Is it simple to maintain? What ammunition is likely to be found in the area? It’s a given that one of each major civilian classification of firearms will be needed—a handgun, a rifle, and a shotgun. Our task here is to pick an ideal group of five.

 

THE TOP THREE RELIABLE GUNS

 

Handgun

The Glock 17/19 has a long track record of reliability and the other criteria here. While Glock offers a wide variety of calibers and models, the 9mm is a commonly available cartridge worldwide, and less pricey. Like the AR-15, parts are currently ubiquitous, and many are interchangeable between models/calibers.

As a true admirer of the 1911, it’s hard to think of turning my back on that old standby. Indeed, it’s more accurate. But it falls behind, quickly, where ease-of-maintenance and magazine capacity are concerned. Newer models are, in my experience, less reliable than Colt originals

Concealability, which may or may not be a consideration in this scenario, isn’t easy with the G17 but the Glock 19 can bridge this gap effectively.

 

Carbine

A carbine, with its shorter barrel, offers ease of maneuverability as well as the capability of reaching out to larger game, within limited range, to provide for food. Larger capacity magazines and quick reloading capability may be necessary to defend against attackers of the two-legged variety.

My choice for a long-term carbine partner is the AR-15. The platform is proven as reliable, and most owners have accumulated a supply of spare parts. Ammunition and magazines as of this writing are readily available, but that can change on a moment’s notice, of course!

The .223/.556 cartridge is admittedly not the most ideal for down-range energy. Thanks to the other virtues named here, though, it garners top billing on the list. I have personally taken deer-sized game with the .223/.556.

 

Shotgun

This was the easiest choice for a reliable gun. A shotgun in general has nearly endless applications based on the variety of loads available. This is  especially true if one has reloading equipment. The Remington 870 pump action, chambered in 12-gauge, has endured as one of the most reliable guns in history. It’s inexpensive, made for utility, and rugged. Semi-auto shotguns abound on the market today, but none have the track record of reliability and simplicity as does the 870. The gauge selection is due to the wide range of loads available in 12-gauge.

The Mossberg 500 was a close runner-up, but the 870 edged it out thanks to personal experience both in the field and in law enforcement. It’s capable of earning its keep by obtaining large and small game and is an effective defense weapon.

Traditional hunting models are probably the most common 870s in civilian homes. The police model, with its shorter 18-inch barrel and larger magazine capacity, offers more practicality. Either one will serve the owner well, with greater reliability than most semi-auto shotguns. I have taken everything from birds to varmints to big game with a 12-gauge 870. Not to mention the shotgun is an effective deterrent against two legged pests.

Pocket-Sized Solar Generator Keeps Your Family Alive In Any Crisis

 

TWO MORE OPTIONS

 

Now imagine for a moment that we have the luxury of two other guns at our disposal. To me, the ideal ones are—

A Bolt-Action Rifle

As with the AR-15, the brand and model are less important as there are many choices of this reliable gun, with legendary track records. It’s comforting to know that, with the assistance of an optic, the little arsenal includes something that can be effective and at long distances for most game and any precision shooting needs. The ideal caliber could be the .270, .308 or 30-06, all of which are more or less commonly available. All can effectively take any game in North America and, of course, provide greater long-range precision capabilities.

Rate of fire and weight are potential drawbacks with this firearm. In comparison to others here, this platform requires greater knowledge and time investment on the part of the operator to accomplish the long-range feats it’s capable of.

 

A .22 Rimfire

There’ll be plenty of nay-sayers for this cartridge as a final choice, but the .22 has been a reliable ballistic tool of choice for hunters, assassins, farmers and housewives for over a century. It’s eliminated countless barnyard varmints and more good and bad guys than I care to count. If we as consumers discount the memory of the days when .22 was three cents per round, the cost and availability factors aren’t as dire as it once was just a mere year ago.

Notice there’s no make and model named in the subheading—that’s a reflection of how difficult it is to choose among the many candidates. In the end, utility is king. Some of my favorites are the Ruger 10-22 Takedown, Ruger 22 Bearcat and S&W Model 17 Revolvers or the KelTec PMR and CMR 30 in 22 Magnum (if you have a good supply of 22 mag ammo). Choices in this category are endless and should boil down to what you have experience and confidence in. Another consideration: 500 rounds of .22 is portable in comparison to the same amount in other calibers.

Many will likely argue that a .22 rifle is preferable to a .22 handgun. And I’d not argue back much, especially when discussing a firearm for a beginner to use effectively. In a world where the return on investment of both resources and calories may be critical, perhaps a .22 should be at the top of this list of reliable guns.

Bottom line: I want a “survival” gun that is reliable, simple to operate (including maintenance issues), in a caliber that ammunition can easily been obtained and that I have confidence and ability with. The picks listed here are one person’s opinion … but the choices are endless.

What would you put on your list? Share your thoughts in the section below:

The post Five Reliable Guns You Might Consider During Trying Times appeared first on Off The Grid News.

Sometimes, you have to work with the materials around you. Such is the case with this bamboo fire saw technique, when only bamboo is available but you need to get a quick fire going. Similar to other fire starter techniques, the bamboo saw relies on friction. The tinder comes from the shaving of the bamboo’s outer hull. Once split, the bamboo piece becomes the fire board and the source of friction.

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Bamboo Fire Saw

With vigorous sliding on the edge of the bamboo, a fire should shortly follow. Bamboo shavings makes for great tinder because it doesn’t break apart and fly away when burning. And the fire board can be used over and over. The back and forth motion of the fire board on the piece of bamboo creates a great deal of heat. That heat burns through the notch and into the bundle of bamboo shavings. Once smoke appears, embers are soon there after. The embers burn evenly and steady, which makes this a good method to use in wet or windy weather.

Hidden Florida is a YouTube site that introduces outdoor skills and things of interest specific to Florida.

For the most recent copy of Survivor’s Edge or American Frontiersman or to subscribe, go to OutdoorGroupStore.com

Written by Wild Bill on The Prepper Journal.

Seriously, if we don’t then who will?

We have been making changes and we need to brag about some of them.

The Archive

Admittedly it was left as a secondary task but NOW has been not only updated to contain over 1,300 articles, but will be updated on a monthly basis to add the proceeding months posts going forward. This thanks to the efforts of one amazing IT guy.

The intended purpose of the Archive is to give followers the collective wisdom of the many writers who have contributed to The Prepper Journal over the years. Experts on survival, weapons, foods from seeds to stored supplies, gardening under almost every possible condition, and of course the re-purposing of so many things others consider landfill.

Variety

Yes, the spice of life as The Prepper Journal contains a variety of articles across the spectrum of Prepping topics and presents varying viewpoints and prospectuses from experts throughout the field. More everyones opportunity to educate and share than one mans blog. And on subjects others may not tackle. We keep the content relevant, fresh and never repetitive.

And Yes, we do Sell Survival Gear

And a wide variety at prices that compete with anyone. The “store”, a recent addition, is specifically for our followers to find survival gear that is tried and tested, offered at reasonable prices.

So give us another look, check out the new links added to the Resources page, and stay prepared for what life throws at you.

Be Safe out there and be sure to check out The Prepper Journal Store and follow The Prepper Journal on Facebook!

The post Tooting Our Own Horn appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Impeachment mania is reaching a fever pitch in Washington, and as I reported a couple of days ago, the Democrats are hoping to have articles of impeachment ready for a House vote around Thanksgiving.  But in order to impeach the president of the United States, you need to have an impeachable offense first, and even if everything that is being alleged is 100 percent true there is simply no impeachable offense in this case.  In recent days there has been a lot of talk about “the integrity of our elections” and Donald Trump has been accused of “betraying his oath of office”, but top Democrats never seem to publicly bring up any specific law that Trump has violated.  The U.S. Constitution sets a high standard for impeaching the president, and unless that standard is met, impeachment proceedings should not go forward.  Some progressive writers have attempted to suggest that Trump is guilty of bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice or a campaign finance violation, but none of those crimes comes anywhere close to fitting the facts of this case.  Democrats may have been offended by what Trump said during his call with the president of Ukraine, but being offended is not enough to impeach someone.

Just as Trump is commander in chief of the U.S. military, so also is he the top law enforcement official in the land.  And as the top law enforcement official, it is entirely appropriate for him to go after corruption wherever it is found.

Joe Biden and his son were clearly involved in some very shady things in Ukraine, and there is nothing wrong with Trump encouraging the president of Ukraine to look into those things.

Considering the current political climate in Washington, it may not have been the most advisable thing to do, but Trump certainly did not break any law.

And if the Republican Party was 100 percent united behind Trump, this entire saga would go away very quickly.  Once Democrats realized that there was zero chance of a successful vote in the Senate, the momentum toward impeachment would completely fizzle out.

But that isn’t happening.  In fact, a Republican member of the House just announced that he is publicly supporting the impeachment inquiry…

Rep. Mark Amodei supports the House’s inquiry into whether President Donald Trump should be impeached, but is withholding judgment on whether Trump has crossed the legal line.

“Let’s put it through the process and see what happens,” Amodei, the only Republican in the state’s congressional delegation, said on a call Friday with reporters, adding that he believes Congress is justified to look into the matter.

“I’m a big fan of oversight, so let’s let the committees get to work and see where it goes,” he added.

And this comes on the heels of two Republican governors coming out in favor of it as well…

Two Republican governors recently announced they are in favor of the impeachment inquiry into President Trump, which makes them the very first members of the Republican Party to publicly voice support for the investigation.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott was the first GOP chief executive to throw his support behind the impeachment proceedings, saying he is not surprised by the president’s alleged actions. However, Scott warned Democrats to stay focused on the facts. He emphasized that the inquiry needs to be objective and should not be based on political motivations surrounding the upcoming election.
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Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said that he also supports a congressional investigation into President Trump.

In addition, Republican presidential candidate William Weld is making headlines all over the world by suggesting that President Trump deserves the death penalty…

The former Massachusetts Governor said that President Donald Trump’s ‘acts of treason’ in allegedly pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden deserved the death penalty.

During an interview on MSNBC’S Morning Joe, he claimed: ‘Talk about pressuring a foreign country to interfere with and control a U.S. election, it couldn’t be clearer.

‘And that’s not just undermining Democratic institutions, that is treason. It’s treason pure and simple and the penalty for treason under the U.S. code is death.’

Is he serious?

Personally, I don’t think that Weld even understands the definition of “treason”, and he should be completely and utterly ashamed of himself for suggesting such a thing.

In the end, what is really going to matter is what Republicans in the Senate think.  If there is a vote on articles of impeachment on the House floor, Nancy Pelosi is going to make sure that vote is successful.  Then this matter will go to the Senate, and it will take 67 votes to remove Trump from office.

Of course Democrats only have 47 seats in the Senate, and so you would think that this should be an insurmountable obstacle.

But the truth is that there are a lot of establishment Republicans in the Senate that do not like Trump at all, and it is being suggested that many of them may be willing to vote against Trump…

Former Republican Senator Jeff Flake said that he thinks at least 35 Republican senators would vote for President Donald Trump to be removed from office if they could vote in private.

Speaking at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival Thursday, Flake was responding to comments made by Republican political consultant Mike Murphy on MSNBC who said that if there was a secret vote, at least 30 GOP Senators would back impeachment.

“That’s not true. There would be at least 35,” Flake said.

I warned that we could be facing this sort of scenario if we didn’t send the right people to Washington, and now Donald Trump’s fate could end up in the hands of a group of RINOs that do not feel any sense of loyalty to Trump at all.

And at this point the mainstream media smells blood and they are salivating over the prospect that Donald Trump could soon be removed from the White House.  In fact, B.J. Rudell is suggesting that it is time for Republicans “to rally around President Mike Pence”…

Republicans might still determine that abandoning Trump — and likely the presidency — is their best hope for preserving some power in Washington. But the longer they wait, the more politically damaging the breakup will be. End it now and there’s still time to rally around President Mike Pence and perhaps broaden the party’s appeal with the selection of a new vice president.

But the only way that Donald Trump is going to be removed from office is if he is voted out by the Republican-controlled Senate.

And if the Republican-controlled Senate actually did that, it would fracture the Republican Party beyond repair.

The Trump faction would be at war with the establishment faction, and it might even result in a split into two separate political parties.

Meanwhile, the Democrats would be laughing the entire time, and they would sweep the 2020 elections in a landslide of epic proportions.

So if the Republican Party wants any sort of a future at all, the Republicans in the Senate must stay united behind Trump.

Sadly, the truth is that more evidence continues to come out that indicates that this entire thing is a setup.  The Federalist’s Sean Davis has just pointed out that someone quietly altered the intelligence community whistleblower complaint form to allow submissions by individuals with no first-hand knowledge of the underlying evidence…

Between May 2018 and August 2019, the intelligence community secretly eliminated a requirement that whistleblowers provide direct, first-hand knowledge of alleged wrongdoings. This raises questions about the intelligence community’s behavior regarding the August submission of a whistleblower complaint against President Donald Trump. The new complaint document no longer requires potential whistleblowers who wish to have their concerns expedited to Congress to have direct, first-hand knowledge of the alleged wrongdoing that they are reporting.

The brand new version of the whistleblower complaint form, which was not made public until after the transcript of Trump’s July 25 phone call with the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and the complaint addressed to Congress were made public, eliminates the first-hand knowledge requirement and allows employees to file whistleblower complaints even if they have zero direct knowledge of underlying evidence and only “heard about [wrongdoing] from others.”

If that document had not been altered, the anonymous whistleblower would have never been able to submit his complaint in the first place.

And as I have already discussed, even if every single thing that is being alleged is true, there is simply no impeachable offense here.

But lawlessness is running rampant in Washington at this point, and it appears that a well-orchestrated plot to take Trump down in unfolding right in front of our eyes.

About the author: Michael Snyder is a nationally-syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including Get Prepared Now, The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters. His articles are originally published on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News. From there, his articles are republished on dozens of other prominent websites. If you would like to republish his articles, please feel free to do so. The more people that see this information the better, and we need to wake more people up while there is still time. Of course the most important thing that we can share with people is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if you would like to learn more about how you can become a Christian I would encourage you to read this article.

The post As Prominent Republicans Betray Trump, The Media Urges Americans To Get Ready For “President Mike Pence” appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

Flooding can cause massive damage to your home and property, and there isn’t a whole that can be done to mitigate those costs if you haven’t prepared.  If you live in a flood-prone region, it’s crucial to make a plan now to protect your family and pets in case bad weather strikes.

MAKE A PLAN

Come up with some kind of plan in the event of a flood. If your home is in danger from being flooded, make sure you know what you will do with your pets and how your family will get out safely.  Evaluate the area around your home and choose routes accordingly. Make sure you avoid standing water if at all possible, as the risks of disease from pathogens and toxins are of huge concern.

As a part of your plan, you will want to move furniture, valuables, and important documents to a safe place. Copies of critical documents like birth certificates or insurance policies should be stored in a waterproof safety box and this should be done before evacuation, and ONLY if you have time.

Make sure you take into consideration your personal situation (ages and abilities of family members), geographic location, and budget before making your plan. All of those differences can play into how you choose to keep your family safe.

BUG OUT BAG

It’s crucial that you have a bag in which you can grab in a hurry on your way out of the house. This kit should include (at the very bare minimum) three days’ worth of water (one gallon per person per day) and food, along with flashlights, medications, copies of personal documents, cellphone chargers, and a first aid kit.  If you want to avoid a public shelter, consider having a tent and some sleeping bags so you can camp out away from others.

Because a lot of water is difficult to carry especially for those with larger families, a Life Straw could be worth its weight in gold. If you have to leave quickly and use Mother Nature’s water sources, a Life Straw will make sure the water is completely filtered.

PROTECT YOUR HOME

After your emergency plan is established or as part of it, you can do a few things to protect your home and reduce the cost of damages. If you have a fuel tank in your basement, be sure to anchor it. An unanchored fuel tank can cause serious damage, such as tearing the supply line and spilling oil. If you live in an area in which a flood is likely, consider waterproofing your basement. This typically requires a large sum of money, so keep that in mind.

FLOOD INSURANCE

If you live in an area that is likely to be flooded, you probably already have flood insurance, but if you don’t, consider buying it if your budget will allow. Regular homeowner’s insuranceDOES NOT cover flood damage costs. Talk to your insurance company and find out what could work for you.

Following even a few of these steps can help you reduce your financial burden and keep your family safe in the event of a flood.

 

In the true spirit of the American frontiersman, blacksmiths Donald Hanson and Andy Morris from Colorado Springs manufacture authentic, functional beaver traps like those used by trappers during the 1830s. And they do so by using the same basic equipment and tools trap-makers of that era would have. The 5-pound, period-correct traps that they make are modeled after one of the devices that were used on the Hoback River near Jackson, Wyoming. The original traps of that design are on display at the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, Nebraska.

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Crank Up The Forge

The pair of veteran blacksmiths, who have known each other for 20 to 30 years, have worked on a number of projects together over the years. These include branding irons, knives out of chainsaw chains and metal gates, to name a few. They got into the trap-making business when someone showed up at their shop asking for help. A participant in historical muzzleloader reenactments needed a trap with broken springs repaired.

Andy had gotten into blacksmithing as a part of historical reenactments, and Don was also interested in the role blacksmiths played in frontier days. So, the trap-repair request was right in their wheelhouse. They took the project on as a new challenge.

“He left the trap with us for a number of months to see what we could do with it,” they commented. “Forging the steel for the traps was fun. We knew we could do that. The challenge was hardening and tempering the springs so they would work properly.”

Beaver Traps Research

What followed were months of research and trial and error. They used historical trapping expert Allen Harrison from Oklahoma as a resource. Also they referred frequently to a book titled The Steel Trap in North America by Richard Gerstell, another historical trapping expert. They even visited mountain man encampments to see their traps and talk to those who owned them.

They discovered that the springs were truly the weak link of historical traps. Springs frequently broke like they did on the one that was brought to them. That’s why pioneering trappers usually brought extra springs with them when they were checking their lines.

Traps were designed with a pair of removable bolts that held springs in place so the springs could be removed and replaced as needed. The cost of these springs normally amounted to one-third to one-half the price tag of the traps, reflecting how valuable those parts were to the finished product.

“We were meticulous to make sure we got things right,” they said. “We’re determined not to buy manufactured springs. Also we made them ourselves, and it took us months, working at it part-time, to get it right. We weren’t interested in seeing how quickly we could do this. We wanted the traps we made to be authentic reproductions.”

The Right Temper

“It was a challenge for us to get the hardening and tempering right. When you forge steel, if you just harden it, it’s going to break. The springs had to be tempered properly to get the best results. Tempering lets heat go back in the steel so it’s not so brittle. If steel is tempered too long, the springs will be spongy, enabling an animal to pull its leg or foot out of a trap.”

The blacksmiths also feel that the cold water temperatures of beaver ponds and rivers had to affect the effectiveness of springs on historical traps. After days of being set in cold water, they believe that springs would weaken and close slower, increasing the chances of missing an animal that sprung the trap. This is another reason that frontiersmen may have changed springs on their traps before resetting them. Fresh springs would increase their chances of catching the critters they were after.

Don and Andy make all of the trap parts from standard steel that they purchase in 20-foot lengths. They buy 0.5-by-05.-inch solid bar and 0.25-by-1-inch flat stock to work from. That stock is then cut to size and length for the various parts with a band saw.

The band saw is the only piece of equipment Hanson and Morris use that would not have been available to frontier blacksmiths. Don said frontier blacksmiths would have used a hacksaw or chisel to cut steel into desired sizes to work with. Standard stock steel would have been available from England to blacksmiths in the 1830s.

“What a blacksmith generally does is take a piece of metal and change its shape into what you want,” Don explained. “You don’t take anything away from that piece of metal or add anything to it.”

Tools Of The Trade

To shape metal, you need fire produced in a forge to heat and soften the metal. Don and Andy have two forges: one fired by coal and another that burns propane gas. They used the coal-fired forge for much of the trap making.

You then need a heavy metal anvil to place the small pieces of metal on so they can be hammered into shape. Anvils vary in size, with some being as small as 25 pounds, but Don uses one that weighs a little over 200 pounds, made by Peter Wright in England. Blacksmith hammers come in various sizes, too, but Don uses one that weighs a pound and a half for making traps.

Tongs are used to grip pieces of steel for putting them in and taking them out of the forge as well as while they are being hammered into shape. “There’s hundreds of tongs,” Hanson said. “The tongs are shaped to grip steel based on the shape of the steel. We make a lot of them ourselves.”

The pair also make many of the punches they use. Punches are used to make square holes in metal, and drills are employed for round holes. The blacksmiths also make different jigs to help them shape the metal for various trap parts, so each part will be consistently shaped.

“A jig is a device to place metal in and bend it so it conforms to the shape of the jig,” Don said. “We use a jig to make the trap jaws, for example. We lay the metal for the jaw in the jig and get the same bend each time.”

Smooth Progress

When making beaver traps, the pair split up the workload to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Don normally starts making the posts, dogs, pans and crosses while Andy does the springs and jaws. They also make the nuts and bolts necessary to hold the springs in place. They use taps to put threads on the inside of nuts and dies to put threads on the outside of bolts.

Annealing, or heat-treating, the steel is an important part of the process. The steel is heated to soften it so the metal can be bent until it is in the proper shape. After the parts are properly shaped, they are slowly cooled to re-harden them.

The jaws are riveted together as part of assembly. Don and Andy hand-test springs before assembly and match the springs in pairs from the weakest to the strongest. Chains are also added to the traps. The chains are welded using the forge. Borax is used as flux during the welding process.

“We can make traps any size, but most of our traps have a jaw spread from 7.5 to 9 inches,” the blacksmiths said. “The traps weigh 5 pounds, and the chains weigh 2 pounds. Trappers in those days relied on the weight of the trap and chain to drown beavers that they caught. Most trappers carried six traps with them.”

Labor Of Love

“There’s a limited market for the traps we make,” they said. “In the state of Colorado, you can’t use a trap like this. Trappers are limited to body-gripping traps that kill instantly in this state. Even though our traps are 100-percent functional, we aren’t making them for trappers where these types of traps are legal to use. Our market is the reenactment folks.”

Anyone who is interested in authentic, period-accurate traps from the 1830s can contact Don and Andy at forgedtraps@gmail.com.

For the most recent copy of Survivor’s Edge or American Frontiersman or to subscribe, go to OutdoorGroupStore.com.

Shotguns are one of the most popular weapons for home defense, but they’re also one of the most misunderstood. Let’s look at a few myths and realities of them:

 

Myths

1. The Pump Action Will Always Drive People Away.

When an intruder hears the classic sound of the pump action, they will likely recognize it and possibly think twice. But that doesn’t mean that they will turn and run away. If an intruder is desperate enough, it’s very unlikely that the sound of a pump action will do much to deter them. They, too, likely are armed. The only thing that might make them flee is when they’re staring down the business end of a shotgun.

 

2. It’s Impossible to Miss.

Point and shoot, and you’ll hit anything in front of your shotgun’s barrel, right? Wrong. It is one of the biggest myths that exists about shotguns — and primarily only subsists in some people’s minds because of what they see in the movies. You still have to aim when you shoot a shotgun, especially when things are up close and personal. The closer the target, the smaller the pattern will be.

 

3. A 20 Gauge Is Not Powerful Enough.

When shotguns come to mind, people typically think of 12 gauges. To this end, they figure that a 20-gauge shotgun, another common shotgun round, is too underpowered. This is simply not true.

While it is absolutely correct that a 12 gauge is more powerful than a 20 gauge, a 20 gauge still has a lot of power to it (roughly equal to two .44 Magnums at the same time).

 

4. It Only Takes One Shot to End the Fight.

Sometimes, yes. But it’s never guaranteed that an intruder is going to be stopped dead in their tracks with a single slug or buckshot in their gut. If an attacker is high on drugs, there’s a significantly higher chance that you’ll have to rack in another round and fire again. Take note: Use a semi-auto or pump-action shotgun rather than a single or double barrel.

 

Realities

1. Shotguns Are Excellent Weapons For Home Defense.

One could make an effective case that a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot rounds is the most effective weapon for home defense currently available to the average American. While you have to be careful not to be susceptible to the myths we have just discussed, it’s hard to argue against the lethality of a 12 gauge in a close-quarters defensive situation.

 

2. The 20 Gauge Is a Better Choice for Smaller-Statured People.

If you can shoot a 12 gauge comfortably, then by all means use a 12 gauge. But if the recoil of that 12 gives you too much of a kick to your shoulder, then there’s no shame in admitting so.  Women and people who are small in stature will often turn to the 20 gauge as an alternative.  While the 20 gauge isn’t quite as powerful as the more classic 12, it still delivers a lot of knockdown power and offers less recoil. The only thing to watch out for is the weight of the shotgun; a 20-gauge shotgun with half of the weight of a 12 gauge might have more recoil.

 

3. Buckshot Is More Effective Than Birdshot.

Contrary to what many people believe, birdshot can and will travel through your walls. But penetration aside, buckshot will almost always be more effective than birdshot in a defensive situation. A handful of pellets will do more damage to human flesh than hundreds of significantly smaller ones.

All in all, shotguns are excellent weapons for home defense and may mean the difference between life and death if you ever find yourself in such a scenario.

What would you add to this list? Share your tips in the section below:

Is Your Shotgun Suitable For Home Defense? Read More Here.

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