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

I have one of those nifty little weather alert radios that goes off like a stun grenade whenever the weather people determine there to be some sort of bad weather warning that people need to know about. Anyway, Im sitting at the computer minding my own business when the thing goes off. Turns out, and this was a first for me, it was a non-weather related alert. It was an alert that a couple counties over there was a prisoner who had escaped from custody during transport. Interesting use of the weather alert system. Those little weather radios, by the by, are about $30 or so and even if you never get an alert they still give you constant weather updates.
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The girlfriend is off to gun camp this weekend. Its a two day ‘practical rifle’ course at Front Sight. Since we’ve already taken a similar course from Pat Goodale on the AR’s, this trip will be with the AK. Whats amusing is that the FS literature says you’ll need about 200 rounds for two days. With Goodale we went through four times that in one day. Its worth noting that in the constant shooting, the AR’s needed to be lubed or cleaned upa bit every 350 rounds or so. (Although to be fair, this may have been the result of using the PMC ammo which may not have been milspec). I fully expect the AK to need no cleaning or lubing whatsoever. Asl always, a report from the range about other peoples hardware and the problems they encountered will be interesting.
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Speaking of AK’s, the price of 7.62×39 ammo has gone up in a large way. It was only a year or so ago I was getting a case of wolf for $85…now its looking like you cant touch it for less than $115 – when you can find it. I really dont care why the shortage, theres no lack of rumours, I just care that the shortage exists. With the Chinese switching to their new cartridge and the Sov’s keeping to the 5.45×39 the days of gobs and gobs of cheap 7.62×39 may be numbered. It’ll be years before the enormous stockpiles of it are gone but it will happen.
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IOR Valdada, the guys who make the scope Ive been lusting after, also make binoculars and, more interestingly, monoculars. Even better, they have rangefinding reticles. May have to get one for myself. Be kinda handy in the field.
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Sportsmans Guide HQ catalog has black Mickey Mouse winter boots on sale for $40. $60 if, like me, you take a wide. Their product #AX6M-21076X …. If anyone wants to buy me a pair, I take a 10W. These boots are the shiznits for mind-numbing cold. HQ also has them in white but then your looking at an extra $20 (but no Wides), and, frankly, I can get the same effect with some spray paint. So if you want some winter boots that will keep your footsies warm and dry in literally arctic conditions, these be the ones.
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And, this is a goodie, a reallyneat deal: 288 MRE heaters for $20. Even if you dont have MRE entree pouches laying around, you can still heat the small ’single serving’ packages of chili, ravioli and various other small packaged pre-cooked foods. This is a smoking bargain on these things. Oh..and you can make little noise bombs out of them using empty plastic pop bottles. Seriously, this is a good deal. Grab some while you can.