tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post1927722830055898745..comments2023-08-15T06:33:53.114-07:00Comments on Bison Prepper: three tier arsenal 1 of 2James M Dakinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-7427151289792696422016-06-29T05:36:10.402-07:002016-06-29T05:36:10.402-07:00You'll get your fireteam, and your tribe, afte...You'll get your fireteam, and your tribe, after the die-off. Try to avoid all that pesky combat at first.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-77547878769492742682016-06-28T21:44:14.532-07:002016-06-28T21:44:14.532-07:00If you are going to stockpile ammunition in bulk (...If you are going to stockpile ammunition in bulk (FMJ bullets, mil-surp) to use in both a boltie and semi-auto, the medium-cartridge .30's (7.62x51, .30-'06, 7.62x54R) give you the most bullet and velocity flexibility. Save your brass and optimize a load for your favorite bullet fired from the bolt-action. I do love detachable box magazines, but strippers are okay (and save you grams). <br /><br />After a while, you may have an AR-15 style weapon that needs to be cycled by hand for each shot. It's not really optimal, ergonomically, for that but you will mostly get that first shot. An Enfield or K98 or Springfield (let alone a modern military designated marksman weapon) will fire better and quicker than a manually-operated semi. So, why not get trained up on a lighter, hardhitting, more-accurate, less-demonized (but more lethal in steady hands!) platform from the beginning? Get adjustable peep sights. No glass to fog, tough, cheap, 1x (guaranteed!). <br /><br />Spend plenty on optics, about $1000 if you can, after researching much. I like my $200 10x40mm Bushnell 32-1040m, but it gives up almost every feature of more expensive variables while hitting above class in glass quality and durability. Rifle #2 might benefit from tritium-lit iron sights at around $120. NV might work for the cheapo budget if you get Gen1+ viewers (or security cameras with NV) and IR illuminators on sensors/command-control. Or, trade HK 91 for Gen3+ NV set? Be careful about "stolen from Uncle Sam" special-deal on late-model NV. <br /><br />You really need a fire team. A fire team can retreat way better than a loner, and fight through traps. You need to sleep sometime, right? <br /><br />pdxr13Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-3744189584420813272016-06-28T05:29:05.443-07:002016-06-28T05:29:05.443-07:00Hiding out isn't as necessary in "playing...Hiding out isn't as necessary in "playing hide and seek" but more about just getting away from everyone, a deserted area. My area is sagebrush and grass and we are no stranger to fire. But it does have plenty of mountains with streams-a million places to go.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-29855444144743174332016-06-28T05:27:31.173-07:002016-06-28T05:27:31.173-07:00"THE ONE EYED MAN IS KING IN THE LAND OF THE ..."THE ONE EYED MAN IS KING IN THE LAND OF THE BLIND" sort of thinking - true, very true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-66728926366603697312016-06-28T05:25:50.810-07:002016-06-28T05:25:50.810-07:00No, your thinking seems logical. This is a debunk...No, your thinking seems logical. This is a debunk the idea article. I never saw that semi's at first was the greatest idea, even though I can see it as over-insurance.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-5345289764790521822016-06-28T05:22:25.783-07:002016-06-28T05:22:25.783-07:00Not sure you are missing anything by not buying cu...Not sure you are missing anything by not buying current guns. The only thing I've gotten excited about is the Century Arms HK91 clone for $650 ( and that is just window shopping ). Everything else is just more poly pistols and AR clones. The oldies are still just fine. I upgraded my 22 rifles ( from semi to a bolt and a single shot ) last year and that is my only gun purchases in near ten years. Before that, in a decade period, just more Lee-Enfields. Too much is made of buying more guns.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-32017937605841866142016-06-28T05:14:55.758-07:002016-06-28T05:14:55.758-07:00The "way too much" ammo is NOT for getti...The "way too much" ammo is NOT for getting into firefights repeatedly. It is so your gun lasts a very long time, even shooting a bit here and there-my thinking is, your grandkid using the same rifle for ambushes and hunting kind of thing. James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-14059361726550097272016-06-28T03:20:37.376-07:002016-06-28T03:20:37.376-07:00You could mix the 1st - 2nd tier by making sure yo...You could mix the 1st - 2nd tier by making sure your bolt rifle also fits the same cartridge as the semi-auto. 7.62 NATO, 5.56 NATO, 7.62x39 all have bolt rifle counterparts. Just makes it easier to stock up in bulk.<br /><br />I think we make too much of having enough ammunition. As Anon 12:29 stated above, if you are involved in gun battles where you and your enemy have fired 200 rounds at each other, its pretty likely you will get hit by a well aimed shot / richochet / accident during that time. In any case, you are just equipping the other guy (bastard!) I think its way better to hide out, only shooting when you have to if possible. I'd also keep at least one rimfire rifle for 3rd tier as being quiet will become very important.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-46735118031114748992016-06-27T21:03:23.939-07:002016-06-27T21:03:23.939-07:00"Three Tier" Sounds stupid to me. any &..."Three Tier" Sounds stupid to me. any "planning" that involves the entire region following your "script" seems doomed to cause you to come in second in the first gunfight.<br />It is like thinking that "the bad guys will be standing over there", so we'll have them covered, and since they won't have any more ammo than us, we should run out at about the same time...<br />It seems like it is (unless i'm missing something, and i probably am) just am excuse to waste ammo. But, "only in the beginning", of course, THEN, we'll switch to bolt guns...<br />?????<br />I think it is a good idea to have a few black powder guns, on hand (flintlocks, especially), but that is only because "I" might run out of ammo, not because we all are going to run out at the same time.<br /><br />We like to look at history as:<br />Stone age > Bronze Age > Iron Age<br />But it is important to keep in mind that the time of the "Bronze Age" was not universal, and the "Transition" to "Iron Age" varied, even in "civilized" regions by over a thousand years.<br />Why does this matter?<br />Because it is important to remember that the collapse MAY not happen all at once, like we think (or hope, in some cases). <br />Some regions are more resilient than others, so even with an EMP event, "everywhere" doesn't collapse into war, at the same time.<br /><br />Is this not the whole point of preparing? making your situation more robust means that you get to enjoy a slow collapse, even when your neighbors are feeling the squeeze of a waterfall event.<br /><br />Remember, YOUR collapse happens when you lose your job, and no one will hire you. EVEN IF the rest of the world is running merrily along.<br />and speaking of this: Do you really know, for sure, that your neighbor has not ALREADY fallen off the cliff?<br />Who said the thing about "quiet desperation"?<br /><br />Anyway, my point is really just that you can't assume that folks will behave in one way or another, and not have some plan for "what if they don't?".<br />It just seems to me like saving up a years worth of food, and having a plan for a banquet when the collapse happens...<br /><br />But maybe i'm wrong. i don't have to live with anyone else's choices, so play your cards the best you can, and i'll do the same...<br />-eviltwinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-64293657125621901842016-06-27T19:38:53.433-07:002016-06-27T19:38:53.433-07:00I’m a self-employed handyman / home repair guy and...I’m a self-employed handyman / home repair guy and there are not enough days in a week to get all the work done that people want me to do. I have several friends that are self-employed (another home repair guy, a drywall guy, a painter, a plumber and a heat and AC guy) and they all are just as busy as I am.<br /><br />I only get work by word-of-mouth, I don’t even have business cards, I don’t have voice mail on my phone, Self-employment is indeed the way to go if you have a skill and do good work. <br /><br />Also it’s very hard to get fired when you are self-employed. It’s more likely I fire a customer for one reason or another then they fire me. Being self-employed is in my opinion very good for down-turned economic times as I’m in charge of how much work I do, not a boss. And being a fix anything guy there is always work that people will pay for. <br /><br /><br />As far as guns I haven’t bought any since the early 1990’s, but I did buy a LOT of them back then and have no real need for more. The same thing with ammo and reloading components. I have more ammo then I know what to do with. I use to work at a gun shop and got most of it for free (trade for helping at the shop) What I did have to buy was at cost so I built up a good supply. Most of my 22’s were bought when a brick of 500 was $5.99. I shoot every 3-weeks or so and have never really made a dent in ammo supplies. <br /><br />The one exception to no new guns is that I did buy an air pistol about a year ago. It is a Webley Alecto .177, it’s a NICE gun and a ball to shoot (not going to mention what it cost as it will send you into a rant big time James) I did not buy it for SHTF or prepping, just a toy. But it fires a pellet at 700 FPS so it would work as a small game harvesting tool. <br /><br />I sold my HK-93 (an AR-15 type of gun only 100 times better made) and kept my Marlin Camp-9 and Marlin Lever-Action 357 Mag. The Camp-9 is OK, but the Lever-Action 357 is downright nice and has plenty of power as it is 600 feet per second faster then a 357 pistol. And a Lever Gun doesn’t look as dangerous as a black gun does, but it still will do the job as it holds 10 rounds and can be loaded on the fly (topped off without needing to pull a mag that could take a gun out of service.)<br /><br />Most preppers as you said James have limited funds and today ammo is expensive so a semi-auto will burn up a lot of ammo that post SHTF could be for all practicality be unavailable. This is why a bolt-action is a better choice as it saves ammo.<br /><br />We all have seen TV shows that show people firing off mags full of ammo and never hitting anything but air. But the same shows also show a sniper (with a scoped bolt action) shooting once and hitting his target. Not that any TV show is what we would call reality. But the bolt action is more deadly on a per shot bases. <br /><br />My favorite rifle is my bolt action Mauser mark-10 22-250, (with a 6 to 18 power scope) it’s deadly at a long range and fun to shoot. I regularly hit a pop bottle at 400-yards about 70% of the time. I use it for woodchuck hunting. <br /><br />I also have a few bolt action 22’s that I like a lot, I know you are not a fan of the lowly 22, but they are deadly.<br /><br />No one (even a Rambo type) is going to survive a few 22’s shot into them post SHTF when a hospital emergency room is a memory. Heck even now a 22 is seriously deadly, take away med help and people will fear any gun shot like it’s the Black Death. <br /><br />Just wondering how many of you have air rifles (pellet guns, not BB guns) and have thought of them for post-SHTF small game harvesting?<br /><br />Pellets are inexpensive, they cost more then they were 25-years ago, but still a good bargain. I must have 60,000 of them; more then I will ever shoot.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chuck Findlay<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-37550187796520712712016-06-27T18:47:11.816-07:002016-06-27T18:47:11.816-07:00I'm not so sure about the hiding out until aft...I'm not so sure about the hiding out until after things calm down. In my area, there definitely are places you could disappear, however the fire hazard is so severe, there's no way you could survive the firestorm two weeks after the grid goes down and the firefighters don't have a resupply of diesel and are too afraid to leave their families unguarded anyhow. (In my general tri-county area, there are an average of 1-4 vegetation or structure fires that start each day (during "normal" times) that would immediately blow out of control if unfought. Perhaps you could dig a fireproof underground shelter but you'd have a hard time hiding the access to it due to the thick vegetation. Maybe you could get away with it in the desert if you could figure out the water supply issue. I'm pretty sure the desert outdoorsmen know of all the springs/water sources, so if you set up near one of them you'd quickly have company.<br /><br />Some firearms are made of quality materials, but their marketing is to folks who won't pay extra for proper fit and finish. If you're willing to spend several hours and have the necessary small tools, proper grit sandpaper, polishing compound, etc., you can make the insides smooth as glass where it counts. You have to do your research though to determine if the budget priced firearm has a price point reflecting that it actually is junk, or if it's a diamond in the rough.<br />Peace outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-3259772036347940222016-06-27T14:48:08.232-07:002016-06-27T14:48:08.232-07:00Very good point, and a further reminder I need to ...Very good point, and a further reminder I need to look beyond my current location a bit harder. Intellectually I know things are far worse everywhere else but I tend to lose that knowledge from my day today surroundings. James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-55917459018916102882016-06-27T14:41:26.614-07:002016-06-27T14:41:26.614-07:00The thing is James, as of right now, things are al...The thing is James, as of right now, things are already pretty terrible out there, at least where I live. I'm still seeing a fair number of young people (mostly young females it seems; affirmative action) landing high paying jobs. But generally speaking, the only others that I know that are doing okay are those that are self employed.<br /><br />Even the STEM fields aren't a sure bet anymore with many jobs having been outsourced, and the one's that aren't, having been “insourced” via H-1B visa holders (India and China mostly). I can't say how far off an actual waterfall collapse is going to be? But if things keep going at the rate they are, will we need one? Several years of “great depression like” living circumstances will probably suck bad enough. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-64952728501047105602016-06-27T13:53:09.154-07:002016-06-27T13:53:09.154-07:00A decade an a half sounds like a nice cushion, but...A decade an a half sounds like a nice cushion, but I have my doubts we will see a "new normal" 2020, let alone a 2030.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-36510007127812345072016-06-27T12:29:46.936-07:002016-06-27T12:29:46.936-07:00“Or we could argue that if you hide well enough yo...“Or we could argue that if you hide well enough you don’t need massive firepower-that what you are being sold is a less probable scenario ).”<br /><br />Good article James, and the above quote seems like the most logical advice of all. Contrary to television and video games, I don't believe that gunfights are something that too many survive beyond a few encounters. I'm sure that there are a few Wyatt Earp types out there, but I wouldn't suggest that anyone try their luck to find out if they're one of them. Marshall Dillon squaring off each week against the bad guys was the height of folly, and was never the reality, even in the old west.<br /><br />I think that food, along with enough funds to cover your property taxes, with a little extra for certain items that can't be produced at home is a good goal to shoot for. The only way to know what you will really need over time is to start living the life now. You will soon find out what you can and can't do without. Buy items that are bulletproof and last forever, which doesn't always mean having to spend more, but sometimes making compromises. <br /><br />I read something just the other day that stated that about 40% of the remaining jobs will give way to automation within the next decade and a half, so yes, this sucker's definitely going down, and in the not too distant future. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com