Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

As you and I know, the world can be a pretty tough place. If it weren't, theres be a lot of EMTs and auto body shops out of work. Additionally, since fate is not without a mean streak, when it rains it pours. Take some of the lessons from Katrina for example…some folks had their guns stored in safes. They werent stolen but they sure weren't dry. (Actually, some guns that were in safes were stolen..by NOPD for their own use.)I've seen photos of guns that sat in the sewage-and-chemical-saturated waters for a week or two and they were pretty sad. This time next year youre going to see a large number of very experienced, very talented amateur gun refinishers and stockmakers down there.

So, what can you do? You want something to protect your electronics, guns, documents and other items that dont respond well to immersion, dust, dirt, impacts and abrasions. The answer, naturally, is some sort of protective case. Lets start with the basic simple ammo can…like a quality prostitute, theyre cheap, available, and take a surprising amount of abuse for the money.

Ammo cans come in all sorts of sizes…most people can go their entire lives and never see anything other than the .30 and .50 caliber cans. However, there are bigger (much bigger) cans available. With the exception of the hard plastic cans that are used for certain ammo, most US ammo cans are made of steel, painted OD green, have removable lids, and use a closure that levers the can shut. Waterproofing is achieved with a rubber gasket that goes around the lid of the can. Assuming everything is in good shape these cans will do 90% of what you want them to do…thier only drawbacks are really their  limited sizes and that they will dent if you hit them hard enough. When buying ammo cans always check the gaskets to make sure theyre in good shape and that theyre actually there. You also want to make sure the mouth/lid alignment is good without dents and dings that would prevent a good seal upon closure. Even in good condition, some ammo cans will still leak if submerged. For being out in the rain, bounching around in your truck, being dropped into snowbanks and the like they are great…but for actually sitting in a flooded truck under five feet of water for a week, you might be disappointed. However, since ammo cans work so well for most preparedness needs they shouldnt be dismissed. For truly important stuff, I'll seal the item in waterproof plastic or another container and then put it in the ammo can. Belt and suspenders. Some of the larger ammo cans are well suited for larger things like guns and probably some of the best ammo cans are the 'rocket cases' that turn up from time to time. These are about the size of a small footlocker and usually have a lid that is completely removable and is held in place by six locking 'dogs'. For storing a single longarm the absolute best Ive found is the cylindrical shell container…its got a lid that is padlockable, cams into place to provide a waterproof seal, is extremely durable and has attachment points to secure it to another object using a cable or chain. Theyre big, heavy and hard to find but its almost as good as a Pelican case in terms of durability.

The next step up from ammo cans are the plastic cases that come in various sizes specifically for guns and electronic gear. Pelican is probably the most well-known brand and their products are good. Heavy-duty plastic 'briefcase'-style cases with locking latches and pressure vents. Usually lined with foam that can be cut to make a custom fit for your gear, they are outstanding weapons and electronics cases. Big drawback is the exepnse…this kind of quality doesnt come cheap. If youre lucky, you can sometimes find used ones locally or on eBay. Scrounging around photography or electronic stores that are going out of business may turn some up as well. The foam inserts can be replaced if you need. A clever trick that eliminates the need to cut the styrofoam in the case to fit your guns is to simply remove the foam entirely and keep your guns in their normal padded soft case and put that inside the Pelican case. Keep in mind that soft cases usually retain moisture so throw some dessicant in there with your gun. Pelican cases are about as waterproof as you can get, are very durable and come in a variety of sizes…they even make cases small enough to hold a GPS or HT radio.

The ultimate in hard, waterproof storage is probably the military-grade cases that are starting to show up. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan has spurred the development of cases to keep the ever-growing quantity of military electronincs dry, clean and sand-free. Additionally, the fast-reaction nature of the conflicts puts an emphasis on portability and survivability (like kicking stuff out the back of a humvee at 50 mph or out the door of a Blackhawk at 30 ft. above the ground). These military-grade containers are designed to be stackable and 'pallet-ized' (fit neatly and securely on a cargo pallet) which makes them a good choice for storage. Drawbacks are pricing (about 50%+ more than Pelican) and availability. Used ones turn up on, surprise, eBay frequently but theyre usually well-used and I'd be cautious about the integrity of their waterproof seals.

Is it worth $250 for a Pelican rifle case? Depends. If your going to just take your AR out of the safe and to the range you probably dont need it. If your going to stuff an AR, 870 and Glock in there and hide it out in the rafters of your garage or in a culvert somewhere, then you most definitely need it. I'd feel perfectly comfortable heaving a Pelican rifle case into the back of a truck, bouncing down a logging road and dragging it up the side of a hill in the rain. If I were concerned of an impending disaster that might put my house underwater I would definitely pack the guns up in Pelican cases if i couldnt get them somewhere safer.

My point is that unless your carrying an object with you on your person, or you've already stashed it at its final destination, you need some sort of transport/storage container that can protect your vital gun, radio, computer, etc. from the nasty stuff TEOTWAWKI can throw at it. When youve got 30 minutes to pack your entire life into a truck and leave in a hurry you want to be able to grab stuff and fling it into the back of your rig without worrying about it. Youre not going to have time to wrap it up, baby it, gently place it behind the drivers seat wrapped in a blanket. You gotta go and you gotta go now. Its pouring rain, trouble is coming and if it isnt packed and ready to go five minutes ago it ain't going. Thats when you'll be glad you packed your mission critical stuff in some hard, weatherproof, tough-as-nails container.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Oh! Oh! Oh!

Kel-Tec .223 pistol.

Hmmmmm.

x-posted to

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Theres a rationale that says a complete spare parts package for x is another complete x. That is to say, a complete spare parts kit for your Remington 870 is another identical 870. There is, of course, a good bit of truth to this but in another way its fatally short-sighted.

In the case of firearms, although this applies to other gear as we shall see, some parts are simply more prone to breakage than others. Lets use the cz-52 pistol for an example. They are, approximately, $100 these days out of Shotgun News. So, you buy two of them…one is for using and that other is your 'spare parts kit'. Now, as anyone familiar with these guns will tell you, they are built tough as a tank but have one flaw…the firing pin breaks if you dry fire them. Thus, the firing pin is the part most likely to need replacement. No sweat, you figure. You've got your handy dandy parts kit. So, after your firing pin splits in half you smugly pull the pin out of your other cz-52 and continue on your merry way…until that one breaks as well. Now youre screwed. You have spare barrels, slide, frame, spring, pins, cams, trigger, hammer, sear, etc, etc, but no firing pin. And, frankly, some parts are simply unlikely to break or wear out..such as the frame, slide, hammer, magazine release, etc, etc. I'm not saying that one day your slide wont crack and split in half because of some one-in-a-million chance a bad batch of metal making its way to the foundry one day fifty years ago…no, Im saying that its so unlikely that diverting resources to prepare for that possibility may be counterproductive in the long run. Let's put it another way: for the $100 that the extra cz-52 cost, you could buy ten replacement firing pins – the part most likely to break. In reality you probably won't buy ten replacement firing pins..but you could buy, say, three and have $70 left over for a couple of springs, a spare safety lever and a few more parts that you figure youre more liekly to need.

Think about your car. You replace your tires every few years, right? Would it make sense to buy an entire spare of your current car so that in two years when its time to get new tires you have a set handy? Of course not…for the sake of arguement, lets say you could get an identical vehicle for $10,000. Odds are, the parts youre most likely going to need to replace are the tires, and someday maybe the water pump, fuel pump, radiator, battery, some hoses and belts. Reallistically, its quite likely youre not going to be replacing an axle…or a trunk lid..or a hood…or a fuel tank. So instead you take your $10,000 buy $2,000 worth of parts and save yourself some money that you can use for other things.

Before the comments start, keep in mind I am not saying you shouldnt have spare/extra copies of your gear. I am saying you shouldnt have those spare/extra copies for use as parts. I have a pair of AR-15 rifles. One is not spare parts for the other. I have a 40mm ammo can full of spare parts (bolts, pins, detents, springs, stocks, handguards, bolt carriers, etc, etc.) and thats where my spares come from. The extra AR isnt for parts, its for replacing a completely lost rifle, loaning to an LMI, leaving at a secondary location, etc. It is NOT for cannibalization.

Another good example would be Coleman lanterns…you replace the mantles, globes, maybe a pump seal or assembly every so often. It makes more sense to spend the $20 in parts rather than spend even more for a complete extra lantern to take parts off of and still have parts you'll never use leftover. Again, this is not to say you shouldnt have extras… just that extras are for using not disassembling.

Some guns, for example, rarely break. Glocks, AK-47s, Ruger 10/22s, etc. A spare parts kit for an AK-47 would probably look like a sight adjustment tool, an extra gas piston and maybe a firing pin. Spare parts for a 10/22 would probably be a cleaning kit and maybe a recoil spring. $20 worth of parts versus $200+ for a new gun.

Again, Im not saying dont have extras…just have them for actual usage rather than as spare parts. It makes more sense, especially in terms of stretching your $. I'd rather spend $200 on spare parts for my FAL and have $800 left over for more gear and supplies than spend $1000 for another complete FAL just so I can have a spare bolt, magazine release and set of handguards.

Of course, doing this means you have to have a pretty good idea of what sort of parts are more/less likely to break/wear on your gear. However, since youre already into preparedness enough to be thinking about these things youve probably already familiarized yourself enough with your gear to know that your cz-52 will probably need a spare pin and not a spare frame, that your Dodge needs spare tires not spare wiper fluid reservoirs, that youre Alladin lamp needs spare mantles not spare fonts, and that your boots need spare laces and not spare eyelets.

While we're on the subject of spares…most consumer products that you can buy spare parts for usually have an exploded diagram showing you those parts and their relation to other parts. Get a copy or two of this diagram and keep it with the spares. I keep a laminated copy of an exploded diagram with my AR-15 spare parts…very useful. Also, knowing the manufacturers part numbers makes ordering alot easier and also helps when youre hunting down spare parts on eBay (a very good source for spare parts for radios, lamps and other gear.) If possible, spares should all be stored together in a durable, protective container. For example, all my Alladin lamp spare parts are stored in an ammo can. Also, when you get spare parts, if you can, check to make sure they are the correct parts and try them out for fit in the product theyre designed for. It would be bad news to reach for a spare set of rings for your rifle to find that although the box says 1″ the rings inside are actually 30mm. Could ruin your whole apocalypse. Examine. All. Spares.

Finally, and this is kind of obvious, if the item that your stocking up for seems to be prone to needing a particular spare part (the cz-52 firing pin) or somesuch, it might be a good idea to think about a more durable/reliable alternative.

x-posted

Theres a rationale that says a complete spare parts package for x is another complete x. That is to say, a complete spare parts kit for your Remington 870 is another identical 870. There is, of course, a good bit of truth to this but in another way its fatally short-sighted.

In the case of firearms, although this applies to other gear as we shall see, some parts are simply more prone to breakage than others. Lets use the cz-52 pistol for an example. They are, approximately, $100 these days out of Shotgun News. So, you buy two of them…one is for using and that other is your ‘spare parts kit’. Now, as anyone familiar with these guns will tell you, they are built tough as a tank but have one flaw…the firing pin breaks if you dry fire them. Thus, the firing pin is the part most likely to need replacement. No sweat, you figure. You’ve got your handy dandy parts kit. So, after your firing pin splits in half you smugly pull the pin out of your other cz-52 and continue on your merry way…until that one breaks as well. Now youre screwed. You have spare barrels, slide, frame, spring, pins, cams, trigger, hammer, sear, etc, etc, but no firing pin. And, frankly, some parts are simply unlikely to break or wear out..such as the frame, slide, hammer, magazine release, etc, etc. I’m not saying that one day your slide wont crack and split in half because of some one-in-a-million chance a bad batch of metal making its way to the foundry one day fifty years ago…no, Im saying that its so unlikely that diverting resources to prepare for that possibility may be counterproductive in the long run. Let’s put it another way: for the $100 that the extra cz-52 cost, you could buy ten replacement firing pins – the part most likely to break. In reality you probably won’t buy ten replacement firing pins..but you could buy, say, three and have $70 left over for a couple of springs, a spare safety lever and a few more parts that you figure youre more liekly to need.

Think about your car. You replace your tires every few years, right? Would it make sense to buy an entire spare of your current car so that in two years when its time to get new tires you have a set handy? Of course not…for the sake of arguement, lets say you could get an identical vehicle for $10,000. Odds are, the parts youre most likely going to need to replace are the tires, and someday maybe the water pump, fuel pump, radiator, battery, some hoses and belts. Reallistically, its quite likely youre not going to be replacing an axle…or a trunk lid..or a hood…or a fuel tank. So instead you take your $10,000 buy $2,000 worth of parts and save yourself some money that you can use for other things.

Before the comments start, keep in mind I am not saying you shouldnt have spare/extra copies of your gear. I am saying you shouldnt have those spare/extra copies for use as parts. I have a pair of AR-15 rifles. One is not spare parts for the other. I have a 40mm ammo can full of spare parts (bolts, pins, detents, springs, stocks, handguards, bolt carriers, etc, etc.) and thats where my spares come from. The extra AR isnt for parts, its for replacing a completely lost rifle, loaning to an LMI, leaving at a secondary location, etc. It is NOT for cannibalization.

Another good example would be Coleman lanterns…you replace the mantles, globes, maybe a pump seal or assembly every so often. It makes more sense to spend the $20 in parts rather than spend even more for a complete extra lantern to take parts off of and still have parts you’ll never use leftover. Again, this is not to say you shouldnt have extras… just that extras are for using not disassembling.

Some guns, for example, rarely break. Glocks, AK-47s, Ruger 10/22s, etc. A spare parts kit for an AK-47 would probably look like a sight adjustment tool, an extra gas piston and maybe a firing pin. Spare parts for a 10/22 would probably be a cleaning kit and maybe a recoil spring. $20 worth of parts versus $200+ for a new gun.

Again, Im not saying dont have extras…just have them for actual usage rather than as spare parts. It makes more sense, especially in terms of stretching your $. I’d rather spend $200 on spare parts for my FAL and have $800 left over for more gear and supplies than spend $1000 for another complete FAL just so I can have a spare bolt, magazine release and set of handguards.

Of course, doing this means you have to have a pretty good idea of what sort of parts are more/less likely to break/wear on your gear. However, since youre already into preparedness enough to be thinking about these things youve probably already familiarized yourself enough with your gear to know that your cz-52 will probably need a spare pin and not a spare frame, that your Dodge needs spare tires not spare wiper fluid reservoirs, that youre Alladin lamp needs spare mantles not spare fonts, and that your boots need spare laces and not spare eyelets.

While we’re on the subject of spares…most consumer products that you can buy spare parts for usually have an exploded diagram showing you those parts and their relation to other parts. Get a copy or two of this diagram and keep it with the spares. I keep a laminated copy of an exploded diagram with my AR-15 spare parts…very useful. Also, knowing the manufacturers part numbers makes ordering alot easier and also helps when youre hunting down spare parts on eBay (a very good source for spare parts for radios, lamps and other gear.) If possible, spares should all be stored together in a durable, protective container. For example, all my Alladin lamp spare parts are stored in an ammo can. Also, when you get spare parts, if you can, check to make sure they are the correct parts and try them out for fit in the product theyre designed for. It would be bad news to reach for a spare set of rings for your rifle to find that although the box says 1″ the rings inside are actually 30mm. Could ruin your whole apocalypse. Examine. All. Spares.

Finally, and this is kind of obvious, if the item that your stocking up for seems to be prone to needing a particular spare part (the cz-52 firing pin) or somesuch, it might be a good idea to think about a more durable/reliable alternative.

x-posted survivalist

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Had a wierd dream last night. I was in some sort of Katrina-esque aftermath and my nextdoor neighbor at work had two .38 pistols but only 13 rounds of ammo. Since , in the dream, he ran a bar I figured I'd trade ammo for food. As Im rummaging through the shop for .38 FMJ ammo I'm debating whether to go with the AR or the FAL for my own defensive use. I decide on the FAL, mostly for its visual impact. So far so good, right? The really wierd part is that while Im doing this me and the guy nextdoor are wearing bunny rabbit costumes.

Yeah, makes no sense to me either. Well, the rabbit suit part, I mean…the rest makes perfect sense.
=====
One of the LMI is bidding on eBay for the military four-piece 'sleep system'. Thats the inner bag, outer bag, Goretex bivvy cover and compression sack. I've been meaning to get one and see what its like but I just havent had the money. When his arrives I'll be very interested in checking it out. Theyre on eBay now for $150~ which is a pretty good deal IF they are any good. I've got some good commercial bags for me and the but this is Montana and it can get beyond cold if all the conditions are right. If Im going to be stuck snowbound in a ditch waiting for a wrecker I'd like to not freeze to death.
=====
I've been a fan of the Alladin kerosene lamps for a while. They produce far more light than a decorative cheapo kerosene lantern, they look good, burn pretty cleanly and give off some warmth as well as illumination. Threw together a search on eBay and bookmarked it since I need to get a couple more mantles, wicks and a spare chimney or two. Nice thing is, they run on kerosene…just like my room heater. And camp stoves. Handy, that. And kerosene keeps far, far better than gasoline and without the addociated risks in storage and transferring.
=====
Well, these look nice…..

Had a wierd dream last night. I was in some sort of Katrina-esque aftermath and my nextdoor neighbor at work had two .38 pistols but only 13 rounds of ammo. Since , in the dream, he ran a bar I figured I’d trade ammo for food. As Im rummaging through the shop for .38 FMJ ammo I’m debating whether to go with the AR or the FAL for my own defensive use. I decide on the FAL, mostly for its visual impact. So far so good, right? The really wierd part is that while Im doing this me and the guy nextdoor are wearing bunny rabbit costumes.

Yeah, makes no sense to me either. Well, the rabbit suit part, I mean…the rest makes perfect sense.
=====
One of the LMI is bidding on eBay for the military four-piece ‘sleep system’. Thats the inner bag, outer bag, Goretex bivvy cover and compression sack. I’ve been meaning to get one and see what its like but I just havent had the money. When his arrives I’ll be very interested in checking it out. Theyre on eBay now for $150~ which is a pretty good deal IF they are any good. I’ve got some good commercial bags for me and the bunkerbabe but this is Montana and it can get beyond cold if all the conditions are right. If Im going to be stuck snowbound in a ditch waiting for a wrecker I’d like to not freeze to death.
=====
I’ve been a fan of the Alladin kerosene lamps for a while. They produce far more light than a decorative cheapo kerosene lantern, they look good, burn pretty cleanly and give off some warmth as well as illumination. Threw together a search on eBay and bookmarked it since I need to get a couple more mantles, wicks and a spare chimney or two. Nice thing is, they run on kerosene…just like my room heater. And camp stoves. Handy, that. And kerosene keeps far, far better than gasoline and without the addociated risks in storage and transferring.
=====
Well, these look nice…..

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Oh! Oh!Oh!

Originally developed for military combat vehicles to seal bullet wounds

Sign. Me. Up.

Stop sticks? Ha! I will laugh at stop sticks!