What did you do today to prep?

[Burt Gummer]

Same here, but that speaks volumes. You are a kook if you prep for an economic collapse, but earthquakes are scary and .... they've happened before! (So Normalcy Bias cannot really apply). The USA as an economic entity has never completely died before (GD was a cakewalk in comparison to what may be coming).

I'd give a brutal earthquake in my lifetime maybe 10% odds (used to be a geology major). An economic/currency collapse more like 90%. Not happy about that, no, not looking forward to it - but it is a mathematical certainty at some point. Do I want it to happen? Absolutely not, no way Jose.

The only thing holding this mess together is a printing press and a military ready to trounce any country trying to mess with our Ponzi. Just a house of cards being protected by brute force.

I am no super-prepper. There are probably dozens of people or even hundreds here who read these forums that are much better prepared. In fact, a city prepper in an oxymoron. But I've always figured doing something is always better than doing nothing at all and the 95% do nothing at all.

 

[U201492]

Gosh Trailie, took me about 3seconds, googling "DIY melting lead!" I didn't read it but images showed fancy melters and home made rigs.

True- but did you see the prices for the crucibles? Did you see the other prices? It's not cheap and I'm starting to think I bit off a bit more than I can chew workwise

 

[U201492]

I agree. I can't tell most people I'm prepping for civil or economic collapse, but I've found the emergency response teams do the exact same thing, but call it natural disaster preparedness and don't get so much as a sideways glance.

I tend to describe it more as disaster preparedness these days when it comes up.

I wondered about that- not only that, but it'd give you the "blessings" of the Federal gov't so they wouldn't screw with you

 

[Sgt Nambu]

True- but did you see the prices for the crucibles? Did you see the other prices? It's not cheap and I'm starting to think I bit off a bit more than I can chew workwise

Yeah, I did, but I saw an image in there that showed a cast iron Dutch oven on a grill grate. If I was going to melt lead I would use the same pot on my gas grills stove top burner. I think that you've got yourself freaked out and it's easier than you think! Just do a pound or two at a time, not the whole fifty! Hey, if you can rebuild radiation meters you can sure as heck melt lead!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Driving by the Air Guard base today I noticed and stopped by a military collectors show. Very cool! I picked up a couple of U.S. stamped utility pocket knives, by Marbles, in very good shape. I'll put one in my PU and one in another kit. I also got a black on OD crossed cannons patch and collar pin for the 1st of the 15th Artillary Regiment, my old unit. Lost mine years ago.

 

[JackThompson]

Crucible!?!?

Did you read my instructions Trailtrader? Goodwill. Cast iron pot.

Cheap cheap.

If you ever get near southwest washington I'll swap you some lead or cast bullets for your lead at a 2-1 ratio (Minus 30% weight for the debris that comes off wheel weights) if you really want to avoid the whole thing.

I just got another 20lbs of pure lead from a friend last night. They are little cylinders used as ballast in some irrigation equipment.

I have about 150lbs I need to process now.

 

[U201492]

Crucible!?!?

Did you read my instructions Trailtrader? Goodwill. Cast iron pot. Cheap cheap. If you ever get near southwest washington I'll swap you some lead or cast bullets for your lead at a 2-1 ratio (Minus 30% weight for the debris that comes off wheel weights) if you really want to avoid the whole thing. I just got another 20lbs of pure lead from a friend last night. They are little cylinders used as ballast in some irrigation equipment.

I have about 150lbs I need to process now.

Jack, I tried this- used a 12" cast iron frying pan and only made a "puddle" about 4" by 9" by 3/8" in a half moon shape. Now if you're serious about trading? What I could do once I get my MOTORCYCLE BACK OUT OF THE SHOP (Long story- lost #1 cylinder yesterday- mechanic thinks its the carb) I could buy another bucket of lead, take the time (I'm retired, remember?) use wire cutters and remove all the steel and give you something like 95% pure wheel weights, with about 40 to 60 pounds of the stuff. Load it up in my pull behind trailer or put it in the saddle bags (Probably the bags- without ballast the trailers all over the road- and 100 pounds of bullets works perfect) if you're serious. I'd LOVE to do some reloading- but, the Hawken's is a pig and requires pure lead. The .308 Winchester should be a bit more forgiving- I need about 2,000 rounds of 168 to 190 grain "Match" grade stuff to deal with, uh, gophers! YEAH, THATS IT! Gophers in my back yard. (I live in an apartment complex where the grounds are already taken care of- use your imagination on what I mean). Emphasis on "long range" and "accuracy" (meaning "hunting the snipe bird")

So yeah, we could make some deals

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Cleaned and inspected all my rifles and shotguns. What a job! Rearranged my gun safe too. Pretty hunting rifles in the back so they dont get jostled. .22s and utility rifles in the second row and fighting rifles and shotguns in the front. Really not paranoid, I just like the look of them!

 

[rocky3]

Today after making our cartridges we cut out Mylar bags and placed opened gun powder in bag and sealed them with desiccant inside. If food will keep 20-30 years gun powder should last for eons. ha. The bottle of Unique was not sealed but did not have a bad smell. It worry's me that one would find a container that has been opened from a gun shop. The bottle seemed full. In these times be happy with what you get.

 

[JackThompson]

Picked up a wood gun case at a garage sale. Let's me keep the dust off the guns that don't fit in the safe and they look pretty.

Spent some time this weekend shooting the 22's, the Mak90 and the Mosins. Got the Mak90 tuned perfectly. It's a tack driver and anybody I put behind it was an instant sniper!

Today I picked up a Ranger 2970DX Dual Band 10 and 12 Meter HF radio! (Along with some antenna mounting hardware and another 50' of cabling.) I'll be setup for some long distance radio communications by this weekend!

Gonna paint my ATV camo (Leaf and Fern pattern) to practice for painting my old truck camo.

 

[JackThompson]

Picked up 2 boxes of 22lr (325 round bricks) today for $16 and some change at a local store (Sportsman's warehouse) and 4 boxes of .223 as well!

Also picked up a Remington duck hunting dog training kit. I'll have that dog fetching ducks in no time! (It says so on the manual!)

Other than that still working the fireworks stand in town for the little league... it's a fun break from the world

 

[jluck]

I'm in the middle of processing another 150 'ish pieces of brass for the 7mm Mag, I should be at the 1k of loaded rounds-goal in no time!

Also a possible big step today... We are going to look at another home to buy (Downsize). I just bought the one I'm in. (A year ago) After selling my last big mortgage and putting a huge down on the place I'm in now things just still don't feel the way they should. I could have and should have been living mortgage free and didn't. It's time to get back on track so any excess funds can get my eastern Oregon ranch running.

Will report.

 

[mjbskwim]

Butchered my turkeys yesterday.
Don't know if I'm doing this right but here goes
Turkeys>chickens>quail any day. The turkeys grew fast and produced meat WAY before the chickens have even laid eggs.They were 2 months younger. And the meat produced is 100 times more that the 11 quail I had.
With as much cleaning
I'll let the chickens go for the rest of the summer to see if I want to keep them but if I don't,I'll do turkeys next year,either way really. The chickens will produce plenty of meat if they aren't good layers
Oh and I quit feeding the chicks so they'll work for a living.

 

[The Heretic]

Bought a 250 gallon heating oil fuel tank and stand for $200 in real good shape (most of them are really rusty on the outside).

I think the seller had used it to store waste oil in it for conversion to biodiesel. It has some sludge in it, but not much.

I want to store diesel in it (I have a Dodge with a Cummins, and my Toyota PU will be getting a diesel in it too eventually), so I need to clean out the sludge. Thinking of first using a pressure washer with soap, then drain that, and then throw some alcohol in there to get the remaining sludge and water.

 

[JackThompson]

Oh god... I'm so sore. I look back at my post from Monday and I can't believe I had the energy to post a smiley face... I'm so sore, and so exhausted.

Spending a week (Selling fireworks from sun up to 11pm) living out of a camper on blacktop drains you, and makes you filthy. I even snuck out to the house 4 times for a shower but it only took 1 day to feel like I hadn't showered in a week.

Tell you what. The luxuries of couches, carpet, indoor toilets, and soft beds really make us soft.

I also believe that if I had to live that way full-time I bet it would take 10 years off my life easily.

I think if the Fit did hit the Shan that fatigue and dirt would take a lot of people in the first year.

This is our second year doing this, and I'm starting to think its fantastic training and a real eye opener.

 

[Riot]

Purchased 1k of 55gr .223 Brass Federal FMJ for $350

Bought a S&W hamerless airweight 38spc and took the wife out to practice with it

Tried out for a couple of the specialty teams at the prison (anti-riot and anti-escape).

Trying to stay fit with two kids is tough

 

[U201492]

OK- I searched the Forum and couldn't find what I was looking for. Has anyone purchased the Hi Point 45 Carbine, test fired it and what did you think of it? I need a 45 carbine to complete my collection (I based mine on cartridge, not on specific firearm make) and I don't feel like spending $1400 on a 1927A1 Thompson. Any suggestions? The Youtube video's look pretty good but,,,,well, I'd rather have some feedback from someone local

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Yesterday and today I harvested a lot of my bamboo. Still some to do. Aside from building some trelless and things I have picked two sturdy culms (canes or shoots) to make spears with my 12yr old grandson. He likes the wilderness survival shows like "Naked and Afraid" so I'll help him build a four pronged fish spear and one with a large throwing knife that I keep in a bugout bag for that exact purpose! We're also planning to build a couple of fires with materials in my yard. The wife wants in on this one. Should be fun! Orienteering coming soon too!

 

[U201492]

What I did today to prep was make the decision to squeeze the trigger and purchase a Hi Point carbine chambered in 45 ACP. I've been asking myself if I want to do the cheap route (Hi Point) or pay out the wazzer (Thompson 1927A1) since theres about $1400 difference between them I'd better be happy with what I buy. Finally decided on the Hi Point. This gives me a carbine/pistol mix for both 9mm and 45. I how have a bolt and semi for 308. I have a Mossberg 500a, a Ruger 10/22 with both a disposable barrel and a match grade hammer forged if I need it. Finally completed the firearms collection- now if that clown in the white house would just leave and the price of ammo drop, I could finish off my ammo dump and we'd be good!

 

[ernurse]

Bought three 55 gal blue water drums from sportsmans warehouse on 82nd, Flushed them with bleach and then filled with water after a good rinsing with 1/4 cup bleach in each barrel to inhibit growth of nasties. A good day.

ETA: sportsmans had them for 59.00 each. good deal and with no shipping. Don't know if they'll get more, but they will order.