Bargain food, cockiness, Bird Flu radar drop, politics, TopTen

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

Went into my local Albertson's to check the remaindered meat bin as I usually do. They had a half turkey for $3.53 and a whole turkey breast for $1.97. The larger one was $2.00 of and the smaller was $1.00 off. So, for a whopping $2.50 I got enough turkey for at least four days. These need to be cooked immediately or frozen. I'll put 'em in the freezer to freeze and once solid I'll transfer them into the vaccuum sealer and stuff 'em in the deep freeze for longterm. Cryo-nap for Gobbles!

And, the elegant part is that I just throw it into the back of the truck under a foot of snow and I can leave it there until Im ready to head back to the house.

Three bucks I saved…thats half a box of 9mm, one gallon of gasoline, a winter hat, or half of a case of bottled water….for free! Pays to shop, campers!
=====
First major snowfall of the season dumped about 4-5″ of the fluff stuff on the area. I almost look forward to a mindnumbing snowfall…I have a new roof, lotsa food, fuel and the like. Let. It. Snow. I take a perverse pleasure in the notion of having a warm, well-lit, well-fed, hideously well-armed household while my neighbors are huddled around candles like French peasants.
=====
Looks like the bird flu hype is dying down. Oh sure, its still there…it just isnt getting the ink it used to. Be interesting to see how that works out…….almost makes me want to watch “The Stand” again.
=====
Offyear elections in 2006. I havent been too worried about the politicians passing new gun control (on a federal level anyway) because there have been too many incidents that work against the gun control people and not enough incidents that work for them. If you had a couple high-profile school shootings near the election you might get something, but those just havent been happening. On the othe hand, the World Trade Center attack and Hurrican Katrina made everyone question their own safety and much of that soulsearching about personal safety works to my advantage. Oh sure, theres the usual gang of idiots like career-politician Schumer, Feinstein, Teddy “Capt. Nemo” Kennedy and their ilk but theyve got alot bigger things on their plate htese days as they try to bring down wounded republicans. However, dont confuse lack of concern with apathy. no sirree bob. No reason not to get yourself some magazines, evil looking guns, hollowpoint ammo and other sundries just in case.
=====
I suppose with December starting, its time to start thinking about what to do in 2006 and set some goals. Anyone wanna chime in with their list? Keep it simple, just give your top ten preparedness goals for 20006. I'll work on mine and post them in a week.

Bargain food, cockiness, Bird Flu radar drop, politics, TopTen

Went into my local Albertson’s to check the remaindered meat bin as I usually do. They had a half turkey for $3.53 and a whole turkey breast for $1.97. The larger one was $2.00 of and the smaller was $1.00 off. So, for a whopping $2.50 I got enough turkey for at least four days. These need to be cooked immediately or frozen. I’ll put ’em in the freezer to freeze and once solid I’ll transfer them into the vaccuum sealer and stuff ’em in the deep freeze for longterm. Cryo-nap for Gobbles!

And, the elegant part is that I just throw it into the back of the truck under a foot of snow and I can leave it there until Im ready to head back to the house.

Three bucks I saved…thats half a box of 9mm, one gallon of gasoline, a winter hat, or half of a case of bottled water….for free! Pays to shop, campers!
=====
First major snowfall of the season dumped about 4-5″ of the fluff stuff on the area. I almost look forward to a mindnumbing snowfall…I have a new roof, lotsa food, fuel and the like. Let. It. Snow. I take a perverse pleasure in the notion of having a warm, well-lit, well-fed, hideously well-armed household while my neighbors are huddled around candles like French peasants.
=====
Looks like the bird flu hype is dying down. Oh sure, its still there…it just isnt getting the ink it used to. Be interesting to see how that works out…….almost makes me want to watch “The Stand” again.
=====
Offyear elections in 2006. I havent been too worried about the politicians passing new gun control (on a federal level anyway) because there have been too many incidents that work against the gun control people and not enough incidents that work for them. If you had a couple high-profile school shootings near the election you might get something, but those just havent been happening. On the othe hand, the World Trade Center attack and Hurrican Katrina made everyone question their own safety and much of that soulsearching about personal safety works to my advantage. Oh sure, theres the usual gang of idiots like career-politician Schumer, Feinstein, Teddy “Capt. Nemo” Kennedy and their ilk but theyve got alot bigger things on their plate htese days as they try to bring down wounded republicans. However, dont confuse lack of concern with apathy. no sirree bob. No reason not to get yourself some magazines, evil looking guns, hollowpoint ammo and other sundries just in case.
=====
I suppose with December starting, its time to start thinking about what to do in 2006 and set some goals. Anyone wanna chime in with their list? Keep it simple, just give your top ten preparedness goals for 20006. I’ll work on mine and post them in a week.

.308 range report

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

Took the .308 CZ550 out for a spin. All data is for 100 yards. Temperature of 29 degrees. No wind.

Using:
Speer 165 gr. boattail
Win. WLR primer
R-P brass 2x fired trimmed to 2.010 and neck sized
46.0 gr. BLC2
Overall cartridge length: 2.800″

Four shots: 1.5″ Remove flyer: 1″
Four shots: 1 15/16″
Four shots: 1.6″ – remove flyer: 1″
Four shots: 1 3/4″
Four shots: 1.5″ – remove flyer: 3/4″

BLC2 has a rep for being temperature sensitive. I wanted to try some just to see how it goes.

Next group:
Speer 165 gr. boattail
Rem 9 1/2M primer
R-P brass new trimmed to 2.010 and full length sized
46.0 gr. Varget
Overall cartridge length: 2.800″

Three shots – 1.25″
Three shots – 1.50″
Five shots – 1.75″, discount flyer – four into .75″

The Varget seems to be the way to go. I need to get a premium bullet (Sierrra MK or Lapua, although Im thinknig about trying the Hornady SST) and some much better quality brass (Either Lapua or Horn. match or Norma)

.308 range report

Took the .308 CZ550 out for a spin. All data is for 100 yards. Temperature of 29 degrees. No wind.

Using:
Speer 165 gr. boattail
Win. WLR primer
R-P brass 2x fired trimmed to 2.010 and neck sized
46.0 gr. BLC2
Overall cartridge length: 2.800″

Four shots: 1.5″ Remove flyer: 1″
Four shots: 1 15/16″
Four shots: 1.6″ – remove flyer: 1″
Four shots: 1 3/4″
Four shots: 1.5″ – remove flyer: 3/4″

BLC2 has a rep for being temperature sensitive. I wanted to try some just to see how it goes.

Next group:
Speer 165 gr. boattail
Rem 9 1/2M primer
R-P brass new trimmed to 2.010 and full length sized
46.0 gr. Varget
Overall cartridge length: 2.800″

Three shots – 1.25″
Three shots – 1.50″
Five shots – 1.75″, discount flyer – four into .75″

The Varget seems to be the way to go. I need to get a premium bullet (Sierrra MK or Lapua, although Im thinknig about trying the Hornady SST) and some much better quality brass (Either Lapua or Horn. match or Norma)

News – Dumpster diving movement

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

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1891251,00.html
“Why the middle classes go scavenging in dustbins”

THE Thanksgiving holiday is over and the frenzied Christmas shopping season has begun. This is bonanza time for the tribe of rummaging Americans known as “freegans”.

The anti-capitalist freegans — the name combines “free” and “vegan” — are so appalled by the waste of the consumer society that they try to live on the leftovers, scavenging for food in supermarket dustbins.

While I would say that basing my entire existence on what I scavenge out of the garbage is a bit much but I would be highly suprised if 'loyal readers' have not, on ocasion, seen something that their neighbors put out for the garbagemen and taken it home. Many things that we of the preparedness mind would find usefull of nice-to-have many people find useless after a certain amount of time. Examples – lotsa of time people give away canning jars. My local newspaper carries a 'to give away' section and theres almost always chickens, rabbits, freezers, refrigerators, scrap lumber and that sort of thing. When I see homes being remodelled or repaired I always cruise the alleys behind the place looking for scrap 2×4's and that sort of thing. Matter of fact, the shelves for my ammo cans in the bunker were made entirely from slavaged 2×4's.

I do, however, draw the line at food. Sure, canned food would be ok if the cans are in good shape and their integrity has not been breached. But the rest Id rather not take my chances with. When I lived in NYC I did a short stint as a security guard at a McDonalds in Times Square. One of the jobs was to , at the end of the day, go out to the dumpster and poor bleach over all the contents to keep homeless people from rummaging through it.

Theres no shortage of websites to give 'how to' lessons and 'success stories' from people who have found _____ while dumpster diving. I only bring it up because for some things that you and I might find usefull, its worth checking out. Especially check out your local paper in the classifieds to see if they have a 'to give away' section

News – Dumpster diving movement

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1891251,00.html
“Why the middle classes go scavenging in dustbins”

THE Thanksgiving holiday is over and the frenzied Christmas shopping season has begun. This is bonanza time for the tribe of rummaging Americans known as “freegans”.

The anti-capitalist freegans — the name combines “free” and “vegan” — are so appalled by the waste of the consumer society that they try to live on the leftovers, scavenging for food in supermarket dustbins.

While I would say that basing my entire existence on what I scavenge out of the garbage is a bit much but I would be highly suprised if ‘loyal readers’ have not, on ocasion, seen something that their neighbors put out for the garbagemen and taken it home. Many things that we of the preparedness mind would find usefull of nice-to-have many people find useless after a certain amount of time. Examples – lotsa of time people give away canning jars. My local newspaper carries a ‘to give away’ section and theres almost always chickens, rabbits, freezers, refrigerators, scrap lumber and that sort of thing. When I see homes being remodelled or repaired I always cruise the alleys behind the place looking for scrap 2×4’s and that sort of thing. Matter of fact, the shelves for my ammo cans in the bunker were made entirely from slavaged 2×4’s.

I do, however, draw the line at food. Sure, canned food would be ok if the cans are in good shape and their integrity has not been breached. But the rest Id rather not take my chances with. When I lived in NYC I did a short stint as a security guard at a McDonalds in Times Square. One of the jobs was to , at the end of the day, go out to the dumpster and poor bleach over all the contents to keep homeless people from rummaging through it.

Theres no shortage of websites to give ‘how to’ lessons and ‘success stories’ from people who have found _____ while dumpster diving. I only bring it up because for some things that you and I might find usefull, its worth checking out. Especially check out your local paper in the classifieds to see if they have a ‘to give away’ section