After last week's fun in center city Philadelphia I decided it was time to redo my get home bag (GHB). My GHB is actually my laptop bag, so it needs to securely hold my G4 iBook in addition to providing room for normal GHB stuff. I've been using an REI Big Byte computer backpack but wanted something a bit larger with better designed pockets.
Yesterday I went to REI and bought an Outdoor Products Power Pack in black. I used Outdoor Products backpacks in high school, college, and law school as book bags and was not nice to them. They shrugged off all the mistreatment I dished out and were no worse for the wear, except for getting dirty. The bag I used in law school is now the GHB in my truck.
Anyway, the Power Pack seems well made like my older bags. The pockets are well designed for a laptop bag and there's plenty of room to carry survival and first aid supplies. The shoulder straps are well padded, as is the back, and there's a sternum strap for long hauls. There's a mesh bottle pocket on the side which will hold a 32 oz. Nalgene. On front there's a place to stash a jacket, held in place with mesh and straps with a Fastex buckle.
It's not tacticool but it looks like a good choice for those of us stuck working in the city.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Minor SHTF in Philly Today
We experienced a minor SHTF event today in Philadelphia due to an electrical fire and explosion on south 15th Street, very close to City Hall. I work in a high-rise at 15th & Market, right near the epicenter. I later found out that a 36-square block area was closed off to traffic and about 5,000 people had to evac the immediate area.
Around 1300 we heard a kaboom. For the next 10 - 15 minutes everyone was wondering what had happened. At about 1315 the message was passed to evacuate the building. For some reason the fire alarm was not activated nor was the building’s P.A. system used. Rather, the floor captains were telling everyone to leave. They have Blackberries to send and receive text messages in emergencies.
Shortly after the kaboom I grabbed my stuff and made to ready to evacuate in case the order was given. I got my jacket and bag ready and shutdown one of my PCs. So, when we finally were told to leave all I had to do was to close my laptop and put it in my bag, put on my jacket, and go.
A few things disturbed me about how the whole thing was handled and I intend to (nicely) speak to our HR person tomorrow. First, within a few minutes of the kB, I saw one of our floor captains leaving the building. Considering that it’s a floor captain’s job to make sure that everyone is out, I regard this as abandoning her post. Her panicked reaction demonstrates that she’s unsuited for the role.
Our other floor captain performed his job but left his emergency bag behind, which he immediately regretted. The floor captains’ emergency bags contain stuff like a hard hat, megaphone, flashlight, etc.
Also, although we had fire drill on Tuesday, today’s event was a real cluster. Communication was fragmented, nobody responsible thought to activate the fire alarm, and no use was made of the building’s P.A. system. When people were told to leave the building they weren’t told where to go until after milling around outside for about ten minutes.
Natually, the rumors started flying immediately. The first was that the boom was due to a gas leak, and it wasn’t for awhile that we heard the true cause.
I carry some basic survival supplies in my bag: water bottle, a snack bar, small first aid kit, bandanna, Gerber Multiplier, chemlight, Princeton Tec LED flashlight, poncho, and a space blanket. I’m strongly considering adding my Yaesu VX-5RS ham radio which has wide-band receive, although I've learned that Philadelphia recently implemented a trunked Motorola system for the police and fire departments, so I'm not sure how useful it would be.
Around 1300 we heard a kaboom. For the next 10 - 15 minutes everyone was wondering what had happened. At about 1315 the message was passed to evacuate the building. For some reason the fire alarm was not activated nor was the building’s P.A. system used. Rather, the floor captains were telling everyone to leave. They have Blackberries to send and receive text messages in emergencies.
Shortly after the kaboom I grabbed my stuff and made to ready to evacuate in case the order was given. I got my jacket and bag ready and shutdown one of my PCs. So, when we finally were told to leave all I had to do was to close my laptop and put it in my bag, put on my jacket, and go.
A few things disturbed me about how the whole thing was handled and I intend to (nicely) speak to our HR person tomorrow. First, within a few minutes of the kB, I saw one of our floor captains leaving the building. Considering that it’s a floor captain’s job to make sure that everyone is out, I regard this as abandoning her post. Her panicked reaction demonstrates that she’s unsuited for the role.
Our other floor captain performed his job but left his emergency bag behind, which he immediately regretted. The floor captains’ emergency bags contain stuff like a hard hat, megaphone, flashlight, etc.
Also, although we had fire drill on Tuesday, today’s event was a real cluster. Communication was fragmented, nobody responsible thought to activate the fire alarm, and no use was made of the building’s P.A. system. When people were told to leave the building they weren’t told where to go until after milling around outside for about ten minutes.
Natually, the rumors started flying immediately. The first was that the boom was due to a gas leak, and it wasn’t for awhile that we heard the true cause.
I carry some basic survival supplies in my bag: water bottle, a snack bar, small first aid kit, bandanna, Gerber Multiplier, chemlight, Princeton Tec LED flashlight, poncho, and a space blanket. I’m strongly considering adding my Yaesu VX-5RS ham radio which has wide-band receive, although I've learned that Philadelphia recently implemented a trunked Motorola system for the police and fire departments, so I'm not sure how useful it would be.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Preps to keep in your vehicle
Having just returned from an overnight trip to Arlington, VA, I am prompted to discuss things that should be kept in a vehicle to help deal with emergencies on the road. The possibility always exists that you’ll run into a mechanical failure which requires dealing with, or outside emergencies. Keeping a bag or box in your trunk or behind the seat of a pickup can make life a lot easier in the event of an inconvenience, or save a life in an emergency.
For dealing with mechanical issues I keep several items in my truck:
Out trip remained within heavily-travelled areas so I wasn’t worried about taking anything for an overnight stay in the boonies, like the BOB shown in this post.
I normally also carry a get-home bag with additional supplies including an MRE, water, another poncho, compass, etc. but had to take it out for this trip since we were short on space. I need to change some of the contents and downsize it into a smaller bag. That will be a project for a future post.
For dealing with mechanical issues I keep several items in my truck:
- Some basic hand tools
- A spare quart of motor oil
- A jug of antifreeze
- A jug of windshield wiper fluid
- A D-cell flashlight
- The factory jack
- A can of WD-40
- A few shop rags, a roll of paper shop towels, and waterless hand cleaner wipes
- Jumper cables
- A few magnesium road flares
- 12VDC air compressor/flashlight
- A can of Fix-A-Flat
- Four-way tire iron
- A Kershaw lock blade knife
- A Gerber Multiplier Scout multitool
- CB radio (also handy for real-time traffic reports)
- My everyday carry cell phone
- First aid kit
- Rain poncho
- Space blanket
Out trip remained within heavily-travelled areas so I wasn’t worried about taking anything for an overnight stay in the boonies, like the BOB shown in this post.
I normally also carry a get-home bag with additional supplies including an MRE, water, another poncho, compass, etc. but had to take it out for this trip since we were short on space. I need to change some of the contents and downsize it into a smaller bag. That will be a project for a future post.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Nuclear threats making a comeback
As the US and the UN seem unable to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions, we have to prepare ourselves for an unsettling future. Unlike the Soviets and Chinese, we can't count on the Iranians or other Islamic fundies to whom they might pass a nuclear device to behave rationally. MAD is not a viable strategy when your enemy welcomes death as the way to be with God.
Domestically, a nuclear Iran and proliferation in the Muslim world may politically destroy the left wing of the Democrat party, especially if a nuke gets used.
There's some excellent discussion of the issue here. I think I'll order a copy of this, as well.
Domestically, a nuclear Iran and proliferation in the Muslim world may politically destroy the left wing of the Democrat party, especially if a nuke gets used.
There's some excellent discussion of the issue here. I think I'll order a copy of this, as well.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Diamond MR77 Mag Mount Antenna Review
Awhile ago I bought an MFJ Powergain mag mount antenna to connect to my Yaesu VX-5RS 2M/440MHz/6M HT while in my truck. Unfortunately, it didn't work well for me in that role, vibrating itself to uselessness in short order. So, a couple of weeks ago I ordered from Gigaparts a Diamond MR77 as a replacement.
My first impression of the Diamond upon opening the package was favorable. It seemed better made than the MFJ. E.g., where the coax goes into the base it's reinforced with one of those flexiible rubber things like you see on some power cords. When I screwed the antenna on it seemed more solid than the MFJ.
One thing I did the night before putting the Diamond on my truck was to seal anywhere it looked like water might be able to get in. Based on my prior experience with mag mount antennas like the MFJ and a couple for my CB, water can get in through joints and then you get rust, causing performance to deteriorate. The sealant should also help keep the antenna itself screwed down tight to the mount. I used liquid electrical tape as the sealant.
Yesterday I finally got to try the MR77 and I am very pleased. I was able to hit the MARC repeater in Paoli, PA from near Willow Grove, a distance of about 20 miles, using 5W. I had a QSO with another MARC member on my drive home and while it wasn't full quieting, the audio was perfectly intelligible.
Aside from vehicular use, mag mount antennas can be used at home or in the field if you put them on top of a metal object to act as a counterpoise. For example, you can place it on top of a metal cabinet, an ammo can, a steel garbage can lid, or a cookie sheet.
My first impression of the Diamond upon opening the package was favorable. It seemed better made than the MFJ. E.g., where the coax goes into the base it's reinforced with one of those flexiible rubber things like you see on some power cords. When I screwed the antenna on it seemed more solid than the MFJ.
One thing I did the night before putting the Diamond on my truck was to seal anywhere it looked like water might be able to get in. Based on my prior experience with mag mount antennas like the MFJ and a couple for my CB, water can get in through joints and then you get rust, causing performance to deteriorate. The sealant should also help keep the antenna itself screwed down tight to the mount. I used liquid electrical tape as the sealant.
Yesterday I finally got to try the MR77 and I am very pleased. I was able to hit the MARC repeater in Paoli, PA from near Willow Grove, a distance of about 20 miles, using 5W. I had a QSO with another MARC member on my drive home and while it wasn't full quieting, the audio was perfectly intelligible.
Aside from vehicular use, mag mount antennas can be used at home or in the field if you put them on top of a metal object to act as a counterpoise. For example, you can place it on top of a metal cabinet, an ammo can, a steel garbage can lid, or a cookie sheet.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Firesteel Scout
Over the weekend I picked up a Light My Fire Firesteel Scout at REI and tested it with several different kinds of tinder. It is basic “flint” and steel system for generating sparks to start fires. The striker is a small piece of flat steel, while the “flint” is a ferrocerium rod or something similar (REI's site says it's magnesium but I think that's wrong) with a small plastic handle. The flint is like those found in the magnesium fire starter blocks. It requires two hands to use, unlike a Blastmatch. The striker and flint are connected with a piece of nylon cord.
The Firesteel Scout throws a good shower of sparks. Among the different kinds of tinder I tried to catch those sparks and start fire with, were dryer lint, a pinecone oozing resin, a used dryer sheet, jute twine, and a cotton ball impregnated with Vaseline.
Any of these items would've worked fine with a match or butane lighter. However, using a flint and steel system requires tinder that's easier to ignite. The dryer lint worked OK but burned too fast. The dryer sheet worked well once I rubbed some resin from the pinecone onto it. Without the resin it didn’t work at all. The pinecone wouldn’t ignite from just sparks. Unraveled jute twine with pinecone resin rubbed on worked very well. The cotton ball with Vaseline worked into it and then teased out worked extremely well.
I also tested jute twine which had been soaked in the melted wax from a citronella candle bucket. Once unraveled it caught sparks well and burned long enough to ignite other items, like a pinecone. I cut a bunch of 2” – 4” lengths of the twine and soaked them in the melted wax, and have them stored inside a small aluminum canister.
Soaking in the citronella wax is also an easy way to waterproof matches, instead of setting up a double boiler to safely melt paraffin. Just do it outside so you don’t stink up your house. Aside from waterproofing the matches, the wax melts when you light the match and if you're careful, will drip into the tinder you're tying to light, making a bigger flame.
The Firesteel Scout throws a good shower of sparks. Among the different kinds of tinder I tried to catch those sparks and start fire with, were dryer lint, a pinecone oozing resin, a used dryer sheet, jute twine, and a cotton ball impregnated with Vaseline.
Any of these items would've worked fine with a match or butane lighter. However, using a flint and steel system requires tinder that's easier to ignite. The dryer lint worked OK but burned too fast. The dryer sheet worked well once I rubbed some resin from the pinecone onto it. Without the resin it didn’t work at all. The pinecone wouldn’t ignite from just sparks. Unraveled jute twine with pinecone resin rubbed on worked very well. The cotton ball with Vaseline worked into it and then teased out worked extremely well.
I also tested jute twine which had been soaked in the melted wax from a citronella candle bucket. Once unraveled it caught sparks well and burned long enough to ignite other items, like a pinecone. I cut a bunch of 2” – 4” lengths of the twine and soaked them in the melted wax, and have them stored inside a small aluminum canister.
Soaking in the citronella wax is also an easy way to waterproof matches, instead of setting up a double boiler to safely melt paraffin. Just do it outside so you don’t stink up your house. Aside from waterproofing the matches, the wax melts when you light the match and if you're careful, will drip into the tinder you're tying to light, making a bigger flame.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Thoughts on Electrical Power
Last night I attended the monthly members' meeting of the Mid Atlantic Amateur Radio Club. Rather than a presentation on some radio-related topic, last night's speaker talked about how electrical power is generated in the Greater Philadelphia area. The presenter was member who's an employee of PECO Excelon.
Interestingly, a bit over 50% of our power in this area comes from nukes: Limerick, Peach Bottom, and Three Mile Island. Most of the rest comes from hydro (e.g., Conowingo Damn) and coal (e.g., Eddystone).
The nuclear plants are run to capacity most of the time. Their cost per kilowatt hour is the cheapest, and they are the cleanest. For example, Peach Bottom has been in operation for over 30 years and all of the spent fuel is still kept onsite. It's also extremely hard on nuclear plants to bring them back up to full power after being slowed. The coal plants, being the dirtiest, are spun down during off-peak hours.
Part of the presentation discussed deregulation in the power industry. A more accurate description would be reregulation. What's been deregulated has been the ability to open a power generation plant. Distribution of power and the price it sells at is still heavily regulated. The result of this is that although some other companies got into the power generation business the market is not allowed to go through its natural cycles due to the regulations covering how power is sold. So, the barriers to entry remain very, very high.
One tidbit caused me a bit of concern. During our most recent heatwave, PECO's reserve capacity fell to about 10%. I.e., peak usage hit about 8800 megawatts and there was only another 10% capacity to back it up in case it went higher. Fifteen percent is considered the comfort zone. Conserve all you want but society's power demands never drop, they only go up over time.
Natural gas fired plants aren't economically viable for picking up more of the load due to the spikes in natural gas prices over the past year or so. Same for oil. Wind isn't a real option in PA because it's just not that windy and it's very inefficient. Solar is so prohibitively expensive and inefficient that it's not worth considering. That leaves coal and nukes.
If Pennsylvania has one thing in abundance (besides crappy pro sports teams) it's coal. The downside to using coal is that it's dirty. There are designs on the drawing boards which employ coal gasification to extract the volatiles from coal before it's burned. The coal gas is then further processed to remove pollutants like sulfur -- which can be sold -- until what's finally burned is basically hydrogen. This sort of a plant is more a chemical processing facility with a power generation plant attached to it than a pure power plant. Still, it may be a way to wean us off some of the foreign oil we're so dependent upon.
Nuclear plants are clean and safe, rantings of enviroweenies to the contrary. Spent fuel can be safely stored onsite for a long time, as at Peach Bottom, or buried in Yucca Mountain. Or, as Jerry Pournelle has pointed out, the spent fuel can be disposed of by dropping it into a subduction zone where it can be returned to the Earth's crust. This is one area where France is getting it right, as is Japan.
There hasn't been a nuclear plant built in the USA in 30 years, largely due to all the bureaucratic red tape imposed by the Feds. Plenty of nukes are being built in France, Japan, Finland, and other countries, however. Apparently, some power companies have gotten together with the intention of pooling their resources to build new nuclear plants.
My concern is that since it takes anywhere from six to ten years from the inception of a plan to build a power plant until it starts generating, we may see power shortages spread beyond California to other parts of the country before they are online. There are some things you can do in your home in the meantime to help you get past brownouts or blackouts:
Interestingly, a bit over 50% of our power in this area comes from nukes: Limerick, Peach Bottom, and Three Mile Island. Most of the rest comes from hydro (e.g., Conowingo Damn) and coal (e.g., Eddystone).
The nuclear plants are run to capacity most of the time. Their cost per kilowatt hour is the cheapest, and they are the cleanest. For example, Peach Bottom has been in operation for over 30 years and all of the spent fuel is still kept onsite. It's also extremely hard on nuclear plants to bring them back up to full power after being slowed. The coal plants, being the dirtiest, are spun down during off-peak hours.
Part of the presentation discussed deregulation in the power industry. A more accurate description would be reregulation. What's been deregulated has been the ability to open a power generation plant. Distribution of power and the price it sells at is still heavily regulated. The result of this is that although some other companies got into the power generation business the market is not allowed to go through its natural cycles due to the regulations covering how power is sold. So, the barriers to entry remain very, very high.
One tidbit caused me a bit of concern. During our most recent heatwave, PECO's reserve capacity fell to about 10%. I.e., peak usage hit about 8800 megawatts and there was only another 10% capacity to back it up in case it went higher. Fifteen percent is considered the comfort zone. Conserve all you want but society's power demands never drop, they only go up over time.
Natural gas fired plants aren't economically viable for picking up more of the load due to the spikes in natural gas prices over the past year or so. Same for oil. Wind isn't a real option in PA because it's just not that windy and it's very inefficient. Solar is so prohibitively expensive and inefficient that it's not worth considering. That leaves coal and nukes.
If Pennsylvania has one thing in abundance (besides crappy pro sports teams) it's coal. The downside to using coal is that it's dirty. There are designs on the drawing boards which employ coal gasification to extract the volatiles from coal before it's burned. The coal gas is then further processed to remove pollutants like sulfur -- which can be sold -- until what's finally burned is basically hydrogen. This sort of a plant is more a chemical processing facility with a power generation plant attached to it than a pure power plant. Still, it may be a way to wean us off some of the foreign oil we're so dependent upon.
Nuclear plants are clean and safe, rantings of enviroweenies to the contrary. Spent fuel can be safely stored onsite for a long time, as at Peach Bottom, or buried in Yucca Mountain. Or, as Jerry Pournelle has pointed out, the spent fuel can be disposed of by dropping it into a subduction zone where it can be returned to the Earth's crust. This is one area where France is getting it right, as is Japan.
There hasn't been a nuclear plant built in the USA in 30 years, largely due to all the bureaucratic red tape imposed by the Feds. Plenty of nukes are being built in France, Japan, Finland, and other countries, however. Apparently, some power companies have gotten together with the intention of pooling their resources to build new nuclear plants.
My concern is that since it takes anywhere from six to ten years from the inception of a plan to build a power plant until it starts generating, we may see power shortages spread beyond California to other parts of the country before they are online. There are some things you can do in your home in the meantime to help you get past brownouts or blackouts:
- Better insulate your house.
- Replace drafty windows with modern two or three pane windows.
- Replace incandescent lights with compact flourescent bulbs.
- Install an attic fan and/or ridge vent if you live in an area where it gets hot in the summer.
- Get a secondary heat source in case outages occur during cold weather. E.g., a wood stove or a kerosene heater.
- If you have things that must be kept refrigerated, invest in a generator and/or backup batteries that can get you through a blackout.
- Place household electronics on line conditioners or better yet, uninterruptable power supplies.
- If you have a two way radio for emergency communications, get some kind of alternate power system (solar, batteries, genset, etc.) for when the power goes out.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Gamo Viper Express Combo
I ran across the Gamo Viper Express combination air rifle and shotgun on another list. I've long thought that a quality precision air gun would make a good addition to a survival gun battery for use in taking small game and pest control around dwellings. Something like this Gamo has extra versatiliy by vitue of being able to shoot a small load of shot. This could aid in controlling small, fast moving critters like rats or mice.
It would be interesting to see what it could do with a 9mm round ball at close range.
Edit: I misread the specs. It's not a 9mm shotgun, it's .22 caliber. It still looks interesting.
Edit: I misread the specs. It's not a 9mm shotgun, it's .22 caliber. It still looks interesting.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Muscial Scopes
In my opinion, optics make a good compliment for emergency rifles, especially for those of us with poor eyesight, myself included. Recent US military experience in the WOT has shown that with the use of good red dots and scopes, hit ratios go way up.
Last year I got a Hakko 4x21mm scope for my Colt AR-15. This is a pretty good scope for the money; Hakko was the OEM for the Colt carry handle mount scopes. They have good optics but after I got a flat top adapter for it I never got around to rezeroing.
Recently, CDNN has started selling the Hakkos, including the versions with the illuminated reticles. This makes them a lot more useful for survival/SHTF rifles, because much of the time you'll need a rifle is when it's dark or nearly so, and black crosshairs don't exactly stand out. CDNN's prices are excellent -- last year I paid about $150 for the non-illuminated from the sole vendor I could find selling them, while CDNN has the illuminated ones for $149.99 and the non-illuminated models for $79.99. Today, I ordered one of the illuminated scopes. Based on my prior orders with CDNN I expect it'll take about a week.
I plan to mount the new Hakko on my Colt using the Leaper's adapter mount, which will allow me to put it right on the upper receiver rail. The Hakko's seem sufficiently rugged that I feel OK without an immediately available BUIS. (If I was tromping around Iraq or Afghanistan I might feel differently.) The non-illiminated Hakko I currently have will probably get moved to my Ruger 10/22, which will allow me to move the Nikon ProStaff 4x32 to my .22 Magnum.
Last year I got a Hakko 4x21mm scope for my Colt AR-15. This is a pretty good scope for the money; Hakko was the OEM for the Colt carry handle mount scopes. They have good optics but after I got a flat top adapter for it I never got around to rezeroing.
Recently, CDNN has started selling the Hakkos, including the versions with the illuminated reticles. This makes them a lot more useful for survival/SHTF rifles, because much of the time you'll need a rifle is when it's dark or nearly so, and black crosshairs don't exactly stand out. CDNN's prices are excellent -- last year I paid about $150 for the non-illuminated from the sole vendor I could find selling them, while CDNN has the illuminated ones for $149.99 and the non-illuminated models for $79.99. Today, I ordered one of the illuminated scopes. Based on my prior orders with CDNN I expect it'll take about a week.
I plan to mount the new Hakko on my Colt using the Leaper's adapter mount, which will allow me to put it right on the upper receiver rail. The Hakko's seem sufficiently rugged that I feel OK without an immediately available BUIS. (If I was tromping around Iraq or Afghanistan I might feel differently.) The non-illiminated Hakko I currently have will probably get moved to my Ruger 10/22, which will allow me to move the Nikon ProStaff 4x32 to my .22 Magnum.
Monday, August 07, 2006
BP: Pipeline Shutdown Could Last Months
This morning's news was bad enough. Now this:
More.
If this is prolonged, look for an inflationary impact, so now might be a good time to take care of preps you've been putting off.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - BP PLC said Monday it will replace 73 percent of the pipelines from the nation's largest oil field and that production could be closed for weeks or months, crimping the nation's oil supplies at a time of peak demand.
BP, the world's second-largest oil company, began shutting down the pipelines on Monday and said it would replace 16 miles of the 22 miles of transit pipeline it operates in the Prudhoe Bay field following a leak discovered Sunday.
More.
If this is prolonged, look for an inflationary impact, so now might be a good time to take care of preps you've been putting off.
BP Shuts Down Largest US Oil Field
I heard about this on the radio while driving to the train station this morning. It was a definite "Oh shit" moment."
More.
That's a significant chunk of domestic production. According to an expert quoted in the article current stores of crude oil are high, but Americans have an insatiable appetite for petroleum products for not just fuel, but plastics and everything else that uses oil as the raw material. A prolonged shutdown will cause prices on everything to go up.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Oil company BP scrambled Monday to assess suspected pipeline corrosion that will shut shipments from the nation's biggest oilfield, removing about 8 percent of daily U.S. crude production and driving oil prices sharply higher.
BP, which is already facing a criminal investigation over a large spill in March at the same Prudhoe Bay oilfield, said it did not know how long the field would be offline. "I don't even know how long it's going to take to shut it down," said Tom Williams, BP's senior tax and royalty counsel.
More.
That's a significant chunk of domestic production. According to an expert quoted in the article current stores of crude oil are high, but Americans have an insatiable appetite for petroleum products for not just fuel, but plastics and everything else that uses oil as the raw material. A prolonged shutdown will cause prices on everything to go up.
Friday, August 04, 2006
SKYWARN Weather Monitoring
One of the better uses of my tax dollars by the Federal Government (IMO) is the National Weather Service, part of NOAA. The most dangerous hazard most of us will have to prepare for is severe weather, and you don't need to be in Hurricane Alley to be a victim, witness the spring rains we had this year in New England.
Among the programs run by the NWS is SKYWARN. Unlike many Federal programs which embrace a very top-down approach, the SKYWARN program relies of local volunteers to report dangerous weather. From the official description:
Part of your survival kit should be a radio which can receive the NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts. Although you can buy dedicated weather radios that strikes me as an inefficient use of your money. Rather, at a minimum get an AM/FM radio which can also receive the NWS broadcasts. Better yet, get some form of two-way radio with wide-band recieve which includes the ability to receive them. For example, the Midland CD Radio in my truck, and my Yaesu VX-5RS and FT-7800R ham radios can all receive the NWS channels. The Yaesus can also be setup to alert you if they receive a NOAA All Hazards Alert. If you're not a ham, some makers of FRS/GMRS radios offer models which incorporate weather radio reception.
Aside from listening to NOAA Weather Radio, you can also monitor SKYWARN radio nets conducted by volunteering hams. Local contact information for SKYWARN is available here, or a few minutes on Google will get you a link to information about your local net.
Edit 8/6/06: I updated the SKYWARN links above to more direct ones.
Among the programs run by the NWS is SKYWARN. Unlike many Federal programs which embrace a very top-down approach, the SKYWARN program relies of local volunteers to report dangerous weather. From the official description:
The effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans. To obtain critical weather information, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, established SKYWARN with partner organizations. SKYWARN is a volunteer program with over 230,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.
Although SKYWARN spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARN spotter is to identify and describe severe local storms. In the average year, 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes occur across the United States. These events threatened lives and property.
Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods.
SKYWARN storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation's first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time--seconds and minutes that can help save lives.
Part of your survival kit should be a radio which can receive the NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts. Although you can buy dedicated weather radios that strikes me as an inefficient use of your money. Rather, at a minimum get an AM/FM radio which can also receive the NWS broadcasts. Better yet, get some form of two-way radio with wide-band recieve which includes the ability to receive them. For example, the Midland CD Radio in my truck, and my Yaesu VX-5RS and FT-7800R ham radios can all receive the NWS channels. The Yaesus can also be setup to alert you if they receive a NOAA All Hazards Alert. If you're not a ham, some makers of FRS/GMRS radios offer models which incorporate weather radio reception.
Aside from listening to NOAA Weather Radio, you can also monitor SKYWARN radio nets conducted by volunteering hams. Local contact information for SKYWARN is available here, or a few minutes on Google will get you a link to information about your local net.
Edit 8/6/06: I updated the SKYWARN links above to more direct ones.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
The Importance of Antenna Height for Emcomm
Last night I was doing some monitoring in the 2M band when I came across a net in progress on one of the frequencies I have programmed into my Yaesu FT-7800R. It's for a repeater located in Camden, NJ. I tried to check into the net but they couldn't hear me. After listening for a little while longer I realized that the net wasn't on the Camden repeater, but one located up in Schuylkill County, northwest of Allentown! The distance had to be at least 75 miles as the crow flies.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find out which repeater the net was on, so I don't know what the offset and PL are. But I was amazed that I was able to pick up 2M FM signals so clearly from that far away in PA, which is pretty hilly. Before getting my antenna up on the roof I was not able to pick up signals from far away stations.
This goes to show you that getting a good antenna up high will greatly extend the reach of your comms. (As mentioned on my other blog, on Sunday I got a Comet GP-3 up on the roof on a 5 foot mast.) It gives me confidence that in the event of an local emergency I'll be able to communicate with unaffected areas.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find out which repeater the net was on, so I don't know what the offset and PL are. But I was amazed that I was able to pick up 2M FM signals so clearly from that far away in PA, which is pretty hilly. Before getting my antenna up on the roof I was not able to pick up signals from far away stations.
This goes to show you that getting a good antenna up high will greatly extend the reach of your comms. (As mentioned on my other blog, on Sunday I got a Comet GP-3 up on the roof on a 5 foot mast.) It gives me confidence that in the event of an local emergency I'll be able to communicate with unaffected areas.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
The Rally Point Shoot 8/26/06
TheRallyPoint
Date: Saturday August 26th,, 2006
Place: www.lrgc.org in Southeastern Pennyslvania (just North of Philadelphia)
Time: 9am-5pm
Rally Point events and socializing will be going on at the:
Pistol range: 15yds-25yd
Pistol/rifle range: 50yd
Big Bore rifle range 100yd-200yds
2 fields for shooting trap
Food and drinks will be available.
For Directions http://www.lrgc.org/html/location.html
Admission is $15
Sponsors: Will be announced in a few weeks.
TheRallyPoint event tends to be informal, and there will be plenty of time to socialize, but since the www.lrgc.org is very big, we decided to join forces with http://www.rwva.org/ to further our cause. We will be having a Mini-Appleseed clinic
http://www.therallypoint.org/forum/index.php?topic=648.msg3821#msg3821
Training: NRA Certified Firearms instructors will be available to instruct new shooters. If you have friends or family members that want to learn how to handle a firearm, please help further our cause and invite them to come out. This is a family friendly event.
Competitions are only a short part of the days events and are separate from the Mini appleseed clinic. The big bore (100y / 200y) will be open from 9am-5pm for open shooting, and the smallbore/pistol range will be open after the appleseed program is done.
Competitions: Rifleman survival competition, shotgun competition
Theme: Rifleman boot camp. Bring out your favorite rifle and practice with others. If you have something unique to add to the Rifleman firearm theme, please let us know what you are bringing.
Please note:
There are sponsors for this event that are contributing to the event and helping to keep costs down, please do not show up and open up a store front on the firing line and start selling things. If you have something of value to the members of TRP please contact me first. If you are interested in sponsoring future TheRallyPoint, please feel free to contact me.
Secondly, The board at LRGC asked that we not allow the buying and selling of firearms on their property. These shoots look like gun shows, but we do not want to bring in unwanted attention. Feel free to network and build friendships, but please do the transfering of firearms off LRGC's property.
Meet us at TheRallyPoint!!
Date: Saturday August 26th,, 2006
Place: www.lrgc.org in Southeastern Pennyslvania (just North of Philadelphia)
Time: 9am-5pm
Rally Point events and socializing will be going on at the:
Pistol range: 15yds-25yd
Pistol/rifle range: 50yd
Big Bore rifle range 100yd-200yds
2 fields for shooting trap
Food and drinks will be available.
For Directions http://www.lrgc.org/html/location.html
Admission is $15
Sponsors: Will be announced in a few weeks.
TheRallyPoint event tends to be informal, and there will be plenty of time to socialize, but since the www.lrgc.org is very big, we decided to join forces with http://www.rwva.org/ to further our cause. We will be having a Mini-Appleseed clinic
http://www.therallypoint.org/forum/index.php?topic=648.msg3821#msg3821
Training: NRA Certified Firearms instructors will be available to instruct new shooters. If you have friends or family members that want to learn how to handle a firearm, please help further our cause and invite them to come out. This is a family friendly event.
Competitions are only a short part of the days events and are separate from the Mini appleseed clinic. The big bore (100y / 200y) will be open from 9am-5pm for open shooting, and the smallbore/pistol range will be open after the appleseed program is done.
Competitions: Rifleman survival competition, shotgun competition
Theme: Rifleman boot camp. Bring out your favorite rifle and practice with others. If you have something unique to add to the Rifleman firearm theme, please let us know what you are bringing.
Please note:
There are sponsors for this event that are contributing to the event and helping to keep costs down, please do not show up and open up a store front on the firing line and start selling things. If you have something of value to the members of TRP please contact me first. If you are interested in sponsoring future TheRallyPoint, please feel free to contact me.
Secondly, The board at LRGC asked that we not allow the buying and selling of firearms on their property. These shoots look like gun shows, but we do not want to bring in unwanted attention. Feel free to network and build friendships, but please do the transfering of firearms off LRGC's property.
Meet us at TheRallyPoint!!
Friday, July 28, 2006
Kim's Survival Kit
Kim du Toit has a list of the ingredients for a one-person survival kit. It looks to be based more on surviving an emergency in the outdoors than a SHTF situation, but it's a good list. It's worth taking a look.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
A Good Emergency Supplies List
Les Jones has a post on his blog detailing his emergency supplies list. Good stuff.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Hezbollah a Possible Threat
Hezbollah seems to have gotten a lot more than it bargained for, judging by how things are goin in Lebanon. The Israelis are pissed and rightfully are taking care of business. But what does this mean for Westerners not in the Middle East?
It's almost certain that there are Hezbollah sleeper cells in Western countries, the US included. If the current war widens, especially if Iran gets directly involved, it's very possible that those cells could go active. For example, the FBI sent out a warning earlier today that Hezbollah may target Jewish targets.
Preparing for a Hezbollah terrorist attack is problematical. If they launch an attack on US soil, for example, it's unlikely that they'd shoot off Katyusha rockets. Suicide bombings, shootings, or the use of WMD would be more likely. There's not much you can do to prepare for such an attack, unless it was a case of a terrorist going into a mall and shooting up the place. In such an attack a courageous person with a concealed pistol could have a chance of stopping it. (Although the idea of going up against an AK-47 armed terrorist with a pistol is not appealing.)
Preparing for the aftermath of terrorist attacks does make sense, however. Based on what happened in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 or the Washington, DC area sniper shootings, it's likely that a series of coordinated nationwide attacks would cause American commerce to grind to a halt. Depending upon the proximity to and the nature of a terrorist attack, some basic services may be interrupted. E.g., power outages or disruptions to the water supply. So, having stored food and water will be prudent.
In general, try to think like a terrorist. Ask yourself how you would cause the most fear and aggravation to your countrymen, and prepare accordingly.
It's almost certain that there are Hezbollah sleeper cells in Western countries, the US included. If the current war widens, especially if Iran gets directly involved, it's very possible that those cells could go active. For example, the FBI sent out a warning earlier today that Hezbollah may target Jewish targets.
Preparing for a Hezbollah terrorist attack is problematical. If they launch an attack on US soil, for example, it's unlikely that they'd shoot off Katyusha rockets. Suicide bombings, shootings, or the use of WMD would be more likely. There's not much you can do to prepare for such an attack, unless it was a case of a terrorist going into a mall and shooting up the place. In such an attack a courageous person with a concealed pistol could have a chance of stopping it. (Although the idea of going up against an AK-47 armed terrorist with a pistol is not appealing.)
Preparing for the aftermath of terrorist attacks does make sense, however. Based on what happened in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 or the Washington, DC area sniper shootings, it's likely that a series of coordinated nationwide attacks would cause American commerce to grind to a halt. Depending upon the proximity to and the nature of a terrorist attack, some basic services may be interrupted. E.g., power outages or disruptions to the water supply. So, having stored food and water will be prudent.
In general, try to think like a terrorist. Ask yourself how you would cause the most fear and aggravation to your countrymen, and prepare accordingly.
Bird Flu Vaccine May Be Ready in 2007
Some good news for a change:
LONDON — A British company reported Wednesday it had achieved the best results ever seen on an experimental human vaccine for bird flu and said mass production might be possible by 2007.
A global health official called GlaxoSmithKline's early results "an exciting piece of science." If future tests are as promising, it would be a major step in the frustrating campaign to protect people from a possible deadly flu pandemic.
Emergency Radio Communications
In the event of a terrorist attack, natural, or man-made disaster, good communications can make the difference between coming through safely or not. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina radio operators were credited with saving many lives when people couldn't pick up the phone and call for help. There are several options available to you for emergency commo:
Obviousl, the first option is your land line telephone. Your plain old telephone may still work. If it does then it's the first thing to try. If not, then fall back to other methods of communication.
Charged cell phones along with car chargers, or your regular wall charger + a power inverter for the car. If you are in an area where they work, a cell phone can let you call relatives/friends outside the danger area. Phones with text messaging capabilities are more useful in emergencies than those without. Text messages require less bandwidth than voice and are therefore able to get through clogged circuits more easily, although the messages may be delayed in transit depending upon how saturated the network is.
FRS/GMRS radios. FRS doesn't require a license, while GMRS does (although it's just a fee, no test required, and the license covers your immediate family). Good for short range commo, e.g., between vehicles in a bug out situation. GMRS gives you somewhat longer range, though both require line of sight. FRS/GMRS radios can be picked up cheap at any of the big box stores, from Home Depot to WalMart, to Radio Shack. If you keep an eye out you may be able to find them DIRT CHEAP. E.g., I got a pair of Midland FRS/GMRS a couple years ago from MidwayUSA for the whopping sum of $6 + S&H.
CB radio. No license required. These are still useful, although you do hear a lot of garbage, much of which is not suitable for sensitive ears. I have a portable in my truck with an external magnet-mount whip antenna. It's great for listening to truckers for real-time traffic reports and has kept me out of several jams. Also good for short-range commo. Most CBs are AM, but Single Side Band CBs will give you longer range, although you'll only be able to talk to other SSB CB users.
Ham (Amateur) radio. Here's where it gets good, in my opinion. I got my ticket last year. Although you need a license, the entry-level Technician class license isn't hard to get, and the info you learn while studying for the exam can be useful. You can get a good handheld (AKA "handie talkie" or "HT") for as little as $100 which will allow you to transmit and receive on the 2M FM band. These are good for commo up to several miles if you have line of sight. I've been able to hit a 2M repeater ~10 miles away with my Yaesu VX-5RS using only 5W of power. I also have a Yaesu FT-7800R 2M/440MHz mobile radion that I'm in the process of installing an antenna on my house's roof for. With the roof mounted antenna and the 45W maximum output of the 7800R, I should be able to communicated with other radio operators for quite a ways. Since it's a mobile unit I can also pack it in a box with a 12V battery and a portable antenna, and take it with me.
Once I get my General Class license I'll be able to use the HF bands and transmit much longer distances without relying on a repeater.
I don't want to encourage unlicensed use, but in an emergency FCC rules about unlicensed transmission go out the window. You're allowed to use any means of communication to secure aid to preserve human life or property against immediate threats. IMO, the most important part about getting one's ham license is getting familiar with proper operating procedures, which are critical when TSHTF.
The resources I used to get my no-code Technician's licence were:
1. Now You're Talking! published by the American Radio Relay League.
2. "Amateur Radio No-Code Technician License Examination Study Guide and Workbook," by Bruce Spratling, W8BBS. (PDF document.) http://www.frrl.org/vetesting/2004%20technician%20study%20guide%20FRRL.pdf
3. The free online tests at QRZ.com.
Satellite phone is another option, although I have little knowledge of it.
A NOAA weather radio should be in your disaster kit, if one of your other radios doesn't also pick up these channels. In my case, both my Midland CB and ham radios already do, so I don't have a separate unit.
A portable AM/FM radio for listening to local news reports. If it picks up shortwave or the NOAA weather channels, it'll be more versatile. Some also allow you to listen to the audio portion of TV broadcasts.
Don't forget plenty of batteries, chargers, appropriate AC adapters, and a power inverter so you can plug them into the cigarrette lighter in your vehicle.
Obviousl, the first option is your land line telephone. Your plain old telephone may still work. If it does then it's the first thing to try. If not, then fall back to other methods of communication.
Charged cell phones along with car chargers, or your regular wall charger + a power inverter for the car. If you are in an area where they work, a cell phone can let you call relatives/friends outside the danger area. Phones with text messaging capabilities are more useful in emergencies than those without. Text messages require less bandwidth than voice and are therefore able to get through clogged circuits more easily, although the messages may be delayed in transit depending upon how saturated the network is.
FRS/GMRS radios. FRS doesn't require a license, while GMRS does (although it's just a fee, no test required, and the license covers your immediate family). Good for short range commo, e.g., between vehicles in a bug out situation. GMRS gives you somewhat longer range, though both require line of sight. FRS/GMRS radios can be picked up cheap at any of the big box stores, from Home Depot to WalMart, to Radio Shack. If you keep an eye out you may be able to find them DIRT CHEAP. E.g., I got a pair of Midland FRS/GMRS a couple years ago from MidwayUSA for the whopping sum of $6 + S&H.
CB radio. No license required. These are still useful, although you do hear a lot of garbage, much of which is not suitable for sensitive ears. I have a portable in my truck with an external magnet-mount whip antenna. It's great for listening to truckers for real-time traffic reports and has kept me out of several jams. Also good for short-range commo. Most CBs are AM, but Single Side Band CBs will give you longer range, although you'll only be able to talk to other SSB CB users.
Ham (Amateur) radio. Here's where it gets good, in my opinion. I got my ticket last year. Although you need a license, the entry-level Technician class license isn't hard to get, and the info you learn while studying for the exam can be useful. You can get a good handheld (AKA "handie talkie" or "HT") for as little as $100 which will allow you to transmit and receive on the 2M FM band. These are good for commo up to several miles if you have line of sight. I've been able to hit a 2M repeater ~10 miles away with my Yaesu VX-5RS using only 5W of power. I also have a Yaesu FT-7800R 2M/440MHz mobile radion that I'm in the process of installing an antenna on my house's roof for. With the roof mounted antenna and the 45W maximum output of the 7800R, I should be able to communicated with other radio operators for quite a ways. Since it's a mobile unit I can also pack it in a box with a 12V battery and a portable antenna, and take it with me.
Once I get my General Class license I'll be able to use the HF bands and transmit much longer distances without relying on a repeater.
I don't want to encourage unlicensed use, but in an emergency FCC rules about unlicensed transmission go out the window. You're allowed to use any means of communication to secure aid to preserve human life or property against immediate threats. IMO, the most important part about getting one's ham license is getting familiar with proper operating procedures, which are critical when TSHTF.
The resources I used to get my no-code Technician's licence were:
1. Now You're Talking! published by the American Radio Relay League.
2. "Amateur Radio No-Code Technician License Examination Study Guide and Workbook," by Bruce Spratling, W8BBS. (PDF document.) http://www.frrl.org/vetesting/2004%20technician%20study%20guide%20FRRL.pdf
3. The free online tests at QRZ.com.
Satellite phone is another option, although I have little knowledge of it.
A NOAA weather radio should be in your disaster kit, if one of your other radios doesn't also pick up these channels. In my case, both my Midland CB and ham radios already do, so I don't have a separate unit.
A portable AM/FM radio for listening to local news reports. If it picks up shortwave or the NOAA weather channels, it'll be more versatile. Some also allow you to listen to the audio portion of TV broadcasts.
Don't forget plenty of batteries, chargers, appropriate AC adapters, and a power inverter so you can plug them into the cigarrette lighter in your vehicle.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Thoughts on the Ruger Mini-14
(This is a revised version of a post I made to the Backwoodsman mailing list a little while ago.)
I have an early-1980s vintage Mini-14 that I bought used a few years ago. One thing to keep in mind about the Mini-14 is that it is fundamentally a sporting rifle, although it is suitable for civilian
(including law enforcement) social use.
The design of the Mini-14 is relatively simple, especially when compared with an AR-15. Field stripping it results in a few large subassemblies, with no small parts to keep track of. The gas system is very simple: the piston is hollow and stationary, while the cylinder is a matching whole in the op rod (IIRC, Ruger calls it the slide).
Due to the simple design, clearances that aren't too tight, and the ample amount of gas vented into the system, Mini-14s tend to be extremely reliable, even if neglected. I have found that if you don't wipe down the piston and cylinder with a *light* coat of oil after shooting, a little bit of rust can develop and freeze the op rod in place, requiring you to whack it to open the action.
Mini-14s may not stand up to outright abuse as well as true military rifles. That's neither here nor there, just a matter of selecting the correct tool for the job.
Reliability is contingent upon using good magazines. During the Assault Weapons Ban 1994 - 2004, good mags holding over 10 rounds could be very difficult to find. That's no longer the case. The best magazines are those from Ruger, followed by pre-ban PMIs, then new-production Pro
Mags, which surprisingly enough, have a good reputation. Ruger officially doesn't sell 20 round magazines to Joe Citizen, but they are available for about $35 - $40 each if you look around a little.
Another way to ensure reliability is to use grease to lube the Mini-14, instead of oil. The Ruger is descended from the M-1 and M-14, so I lube mine accordingly, with grease. This stands up better than oil to rain and heat.
My Mini-14 will eat anything I feed it, including Wolf steel cased ammo that causes malfunctions in my Colt AR-15. Note that if you shoot steel cased ammo, make sure you clean the chamber well afterwards. Steel cases don't obturate as well as brass, so the chamber will often get dirty, leading to failures to extract. This advice goes for any gun in which you shoot steel cased ammo.
The Mini-14 has a thin, whippy barrel that causes groups to open up when it gets hot. Adding a muzzle brake or flash hider can dampen the whip. Chopping the barrel to 16" achieves the same effect, I'm told. Doing so does slightly reduce velocity, however.
I really like mine. I'd prefer an AK or a FAL if I was heading into battle, but I'm not a soldier. For a civilian like me, the Mini-14 is great. It's rock solid reliable, accurate enough for what it
is, and fun to shoot. IMHO, new Mini-14s are too expensive at around $600 MSRP. But you can pick up a used rifle for about $325 - $400, which is a reasonable price. For a hundred or so dollars more you may be able to find a used stainless steel Mini-14, which when combined with a synthetic stock gives you a very weather resistant rifle.
I have an early-1980s vintage Mini-14 that I bought used a few years ago. One thing to keep in mind about the Mini-14 is that it is fundamentally a sporting rifle, although it is suitable for civilian
(including law enforcement) social use.
The design of the Mini-14 is relatively simple, especially when compared with an AR-15. Field stripping it results in a few large subassemblies, with no small parts to keep track of. The gas system is very simple: the piston is hollow and stationary, while the cylinder is a matching whole in the op rod (IIRC, Ruger calls it the slide).
Due to the simple design, clearances that aren't too tight, and the ample amount of gas vented into the system, Mini-14s tend to be extremely reliable, even if neglected. I have found that if you don't wipe down the piston and cylinder with a *light* coat of oil after shooting, a little bit of rust can develop and freeze the op rod in place, requiring you to whack it to open the action.
Mini-14s may not stand up to outright abuse as well as true military rifles. That's neither here nor there, just a matter of selecting the correct tool for the job.
Reliability is contingent upon using good magazines. During the Assault Weapons Ban 1994 - 2004, good mags holding over 10 rounds could be very difficult to find. That's no longer the case. The best magazines are those from Ruger, followed by pre-ban PMIs, then new-production Pro
Mags, which surprisingly enough, have a good reputation. Ruger officially doesn't sell 20 round magazines to Joe Citizen, but they are available for about $35 - $40 each if you look around a little.
Another way to ensure reliability is to use grease to lube the Mini-14, instead of oil. The Ruger is descended from the M-1 and M-14, so I lube mine accordingly, with grease. This stands up better than oil to rain and heat.
My Mini-14 will eat anything I feed it, including Wolf steel cased ammo that causes malfunctions in my Colt AR-15. Note that if you shoot steel cased ammo, make sure you clean the chamber well afterwards. Steel cases don't obturate as well as brass, so the chamber will often get dirty, leading to failures to extract. This advice goes for any gun in which you shoot steel cased ammo.
The Mini-14 has a thin, whippy barrel that causes groups to open up when it gets hot. Adding a muzzle brake or flash hider can dampen the whip. Chopping the barrel to 16" achieves the same effect, I'm told. Doing so does slightly reduce velocity, however.
I really like mine. I'd prefer an AK or a FAL if I was heading into battle, but I'm not a soldier. For a civilian like me, the Mini-14 is great. It's rock solid reliable, accurate enough for what it
is, and fun to shoot. IMHO, new Mini-14s are too expensive at around $600 MSRP. But you can pick up a used rifle for about $325 - $400, which is a reasonable price. For a hundred or so dollars more you may be able to find a used stainless steel Mini-14, which when combined with a synthetic stock gives you a very weather resistant rifle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
