frugal survivalist digest 7 of 10

THE FRUGAL SURVIVALIST DIGEST 7

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note: to the magnificent minion who gifted me the books ( FDR/Biology ), they arrived yesterday.  Many thanks!
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PROTECTION

FIREARMS

NEW

There are three choices in new, non-war surplus firearms if that is the way you so choose ( I’m all for war guns, but I’m pretty gay for bayonets-covered below ).  The categories in the original book were Rimfire, Shotgun and SKS.  Two of those are no longer valid.  SKS’s used to be affordable but the only thing you can find in that category ( defined as half the price as an AK-47 ) are a few junked Chinese versions.  As the Chinese SKS’s were complete crap even new ( soft wood, soft metal ), $350 for a used one is insane.  And while the same jerk-offs keep parroting the same old forty year line about how wonderful rimfires are, that was still the case ten years ago but no longer.  We’ll need to revise that.  Even the Shotgun category is different.  You used to be able to buy a single shot 12 gauge for $100.  Now they are so much more, while pumped versions keep being reduced in price, you might as well forego the single shot now.

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Rimfires used to shoot an inexpensive round.  Ten years ago I bought a cheap Wally rifle and ten thousand rounds of ammo for about $300.  Now it costs about $1300.  You are much better off using a 9mm carbine.  It is cheaper to reload them, even factoring in paying more for the firearm and getting some magazines.  I don’t like semi-auto, but the 9mm uses a thicker case than the .38 ( with its lever action ) so they last much longer reloading.  Both rimfires and pistil rounds have serious range and wounding limitations, but if you are in an area of dense woods or similar, and don’t like a shotgun, and believe a no recoil gun is right for you, do NOT go with the rimfire but the 9 or 38.  Nobody listened to me for the last ten years as I preached Peak Oil, and even fewer listen when I explain Peak Silver/Gold ( ah, DUH!  We are running out, get them while the getting is good if you must-but beware reports of very widespread Chinese fake coins.  If you already own some, don’t cash it in.  The price will skyrocket as the Dollar declines ).  Even less than that want to believe in Peak Copper.  Globally, copper is past peak in production and will both decline even more with silver mining AND with the increased price of petroleum.  Copper equals brass and in rimfire you throw away a product that is increasing drastically in value.  Give up on the things.

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I don’t much care for shotguns.  They are affordable and the ammo is cheap ( although not as long lasting I would imagine ) but I can’t hit spit with the things and that is pretty embarrassing no matter who you are.  I think I need regular rifle sites on them-not that it matters too much.  I’d rather spend an extra fifty percent on a surplus rifle.  Yet, if you live in the appropriate environment for short range shooting and like them, right now is a great time to buy one ( note: I write this July 2016 and make no guesses how the election will effect prices or supply ) as they are barely above $200.  I couldn’t find a friggin single shot rimfire rifle under $175 ( okay, granted, it had a scope.  Big whoop ).  No, I did NOT go to Wal-Mart.  I hate supporting them but more importantly EVERYTHING they sell, even brand name, has quality issues.  Trust them with a firearm?  Hell no.  Bad enough I have to beware which firearm company will screw me.

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Since the SKS is beyond our budget now, you’ll have to settle for a bolt action hunting rifle or, my preference, a single shot break open rifle ( it sips ammo rather than guzzles, is light weight and has far less to break if it becomes a multi-generational post-apocalypse gun.  Plus, is $50-$100 cheaper than a bolt action.  For the price of one AR-15 you could buy three of these-one in 223, one in 308 and one in 7.62x39 and have very nice options in ammo discount purchasing AND salvaging ).  This option is for those in more open terrain ( even if my location is desert, off the valley floor is all rolling hills and 300 yards is all you really need to worry about ).  While still staying in budget.  The less gun you buy the more ammo you can afford.

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BAYONETS

I love me a nice bayonet.  If I don’t die right away during the die-off I plan on using them quite a bit.  They save ammo ( why finish off a wounded man with an irreplaceable round?  Why put down a prisoner riot with the same?  Use your imagination ).  If you are REALLY poor, and I would imagine most of us are else why read this, it can replace a pistol as a back-up weapon ( no, nobody WANTS to be attacked by a dog pack armed only with a bolt action and a bayonet.  Your dreams, wishes, desires and wants, AND about $2 gets you a Starbucks regular coffee.  We are friggin poor here, sorry that chaps your ass.  Get used to compromises ).  Clinton, that vicious nasty whore, made it a lot harder to get a rifle with a bayonet, but the war surplus rifles supply them as standard equipment.

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KNIVES

Going into the apocalypse with just a knife has got to suck the biggest rabid mule member of all time.  The only thing it beats is NOT being armed.  I’d make a spear from one so at least I had a real weapon.  But knives are great for many things.  Back-up weapons, better than nothing for being armed at all times in gun unfriendly areas, in times of gun control because nobody can stop even novices from manufacturing them ( think of prison shivs ), an indispensable tool for many tasks.  Beware Chinese knives.  They are both using terrible quality metal AND putting poor angles on the edge ( a good quality edge means you can sharpen with a $5 carbide V sharpener.  A poor one means you need a $25 Lansky sharpener with a $17 add on diamond attachment ).  I prefer the $15 Swedish Mora knives ( using carbon steel, NOT stainless steel.  Stainless is bad enough, although good enough for frugal, but those Commie Bastards are using VERY poor stainless steel so you get a combo of “won’t easily take an edge” AND “still rusts” ).  If I can, I like the Indian Kukri’s even better.  Now, THAT is a knife.  And carbon steel.  And big ass and menacing.  They run about $25.

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NON-FIREARMS

Besides a knife or spear, what are you to do if guns are prohibited all around you?  Besides moving, which might not be an option.  Most advise archery.  Anyone can make bows or arrows and you have a rapid fire weapon.  But they take skill.  Much more than a firearm.  Therefore, I’d only advise a crossbow.  They take slightly more manufacturing infrastructure to assemble, so they aren’t Stone Age primitive like a bow, but they are much easier to use for the novice.  But they are ONLY defensive ( like from firing from a fort ) or for ambushed because of the long reloading times.  Keep those limitations in mind.

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