What did you do today to prep?

jmh119 · Jun 27, 2018

Cleand brass for reloading. 122 of 300 BO and 50 of 45 ACP. Will be back at it tomorrow with some 556, 357 and 38sp

pdempsey1097 · Jul 1, 2018

Range time. Zeroed in a "new to me" scope on a 10/22 for the next Appleseed.
Shot 4 mags through the AK standing at 50 yards, and practiced with my 30-06 at 100 yards.
Had the range to myself for most of the 3 hours I spent there.
Quality time!

P7M13 · Jul 2, 2018

erwin643 said:
Get after it!

Yeah, felt the running pay off this weekend up at 7,000 on Hood.

erwin643 · Jul 3, 2018

OK, where do I begin:

- Did a shakedown exercise of my PowerHub 1800 Solar/Wind/120VAC input generator. And thank god. Cables needed to be fabricated in order to get the system running, between two sets of voltage regulators (from three 15 W Harbor Freight solar panels and one 100 W panel w additional voltage regulator) and the PowerHub.

- Put together night vision / night vision capability for all rifles.

- Went through our vacuum-sealed mason jar (via hand pump, not electric) dry goods. Re-sealed jars that had been used recently, and got rid of unneeded storage - a vacuum-sealed half qt. jar of nutmeg, for instance. We don't use nutmeg for anything, so it was added to a compost pile.

There's a certain sense of urgency here, as I monitor the latest climate data. We're about two years away from losing all Summer sea ice in the Arctic. This will be the first time in the history of civilization (not to mention humanity) that this has happened. Human civilization sprang-up all around the world at pretty much the same time, starting roughly 10,000 years ago, due to an unusually stable global climate.

The 2010 heatwave in the Northern Hemisphere was just a tap on the shoulder (Russia lost 1/4 of its grain crop with the heatwave centered over Moscow, shutting-down all grain exports, creating things like the so-called "Arab Spring."). Other countries also shut-in their exports at that time: Vietnam even halted its rice exports!

If that same heatwave were centered over Chicago for instance, it would have been an even bigger percentage of global grain production (Lester Brown, World Watch Institute).

Future near-term preps: A software-defined radio w/PC software for monitoring the entire RF spectrum: Conversations, RF power levels, etc. I'm not one of those HAM radio do-gooders. I don't recommend anyone transmit any signals, outside of their immediate group/family. If you want to see what could happen, watch the movie "The Divide."

erwin643 · Jul 3, 2018

pdempsey1097 said:
Range time. Zeroed in a "new to me" scope on a 10/22 for the next Appleseed.
Shot 4 mags through the AK standing at 50 yards, and practiced with my 30-06 at 100 yards.
Had the range to myself for most of the 3 hours I spent there.
Quality time!

My advice: The AK is a 300-yard weapon. I'd do my training at at least 100 yards.

Also, when I'm ever allowed, I train from the prone position, where I plan on living with a weapon, post SHTF (Even in urban environments. There was a great photo out there of the Black Watch operating in N. Ireland, with a fire-team all in the prone behind some cement steps, with a woman pushing a baby carriage past them). I thank god I was trained by Vietnam vets at the U.S. Army Jungle Warfare School in Panama. All of this standing around / kneeling around with body armor on is going to get people killed (can you say "sniper bait"?). If things ever get bad enough post SHTF, something tells me I'll be acquiring all kinds of gear from other people.

3MTA3 · Jul 3, 2018

Currently in Eastern Idaho breathing free air and looking at land. Tomorrow will be watching the biggest Independence Day fireworks west of the Mississippi in the 50K town of Idaho Falls. Yes, that's right, bigger than anything in California, Oregon, or Washington. Working on getting out of AntiFa and Socialist infested crazy town is how I'm prepping today.

P7M13 · Jul 4, 2018

Neighbor gave me ~100# of wheel weights, most of which are zinc.
Melted 20# and cast them into ingots.

Camelfilter · Jul 4, 2018

erwin643 said:
OK, where do I begin:

- Did a shakedown exercise of my PowerHub 1800 Solar/Wind/120VAC input generator. And thank god. Cables needed to be fabricated in order to get the system running, between two sets of voltage regulators (from three 15 W Harbor Freight solar panels and one 100 W panel w additional voltage regulator) and the PowerHub.

- Put together night vision / night vision capability for all rifles.

- Went through our vacuum-sealed mason jar (via hand pump, not electric) dry goods. Re-sealed jars that had been used recently, and got rid of unneeded storage - a vacuum-sealed half qt. jar of nutmeg, for instance. We don't use nutmeg for anything, so it was added to a compost pile.

There's a certain sense of urgency here, as I monitor the latest climate data. We're about two years away from losing all Summer sea ice in the Arctic. This will be the first time in the history of civilization (not to mention humanity) that this has happened. Human civilization sprang-up all around the world at pretty much the same time, starting roughly 10,000 years ago, due to an unusually stable global climate.

The 2010 heatwave in the Northern Hemisphere was just a tap on the shoulder (Russia lost 1/4 of its grain crop with the heatwave centered over Moscow, shutting-down all grain exports, creating things like the so-called "Arab Spring."). Other countries also shut-in their exports at that time: Vietnam even halted its rice exports!

If that same heatwave were centered over Chicago for instance, it would have been an even bigger percentage of global grain production (Lester Brown, World Watch Institute).

Future near-term preps: A software-defined radio w/PC software for monitoring the entire RF spectrum: Conversations, RF power levels, etc. I'm not one of those HAM radio do-gooders. I don't recommend anyone transmit any signals, outside of their immediate group/family. If you want to see what could happen, watch the movie "The Divide."

Yah, for sure, but:

I'll just point out you won't be having Eggnog, pumpkin pie nor rice pudding. Your squash will be a little off as well...

Angie · Jul 5, 2018

Looks to me like they've only been recording Summer Arctic Sea Ice levels since 1978. Not a lot of history there. Not disagreeing with you, just wondering what your source is for it being the first time on record of losing all of the Summer sea ice. Here is mine, however, it's a year old. : End-of-Summer Arctic Sea Ice Extent Is Eighth Lowest on Record

3MTA3 · Jul 5, 2018

Angie said:
Looks to me like they've only been recording Summer Arctic Sea Ice levels since 1978. Not a lot of history there. Not disagreeing with you, just wondering what your source is for it being the first time on record of losing all of the Summer sea ice. Here is mine, admittingly, it's a year old. : End-of-Summer Arctic Sea Ice Extent Is Eighth Lowest on Record

The Northwest Passage was navigated in 1854 by Amundsen using wooden ships. My guess is that there was less ice then than now. The Earth and is weather are not static. Even if weather were static, the Earth has a slight wobble that would mix things up. If the Earth was a baseball all the water would occupy less than a drop. Man is pretty damn insignificant when you take things in scale.

erwin643 · Jul 6, 2018

Angie said:
Looks to me like they've only been recording Summer Arctic Sea Ice levels since 1978. Not a lot of history there. Not disagreeing with you, just wondering what your source is for it being the first time on record of losing all of the Summer sea ice. Here is mine, however, it's a year old. : End-of-Summer Arctic Sea Ice Extent Is Eighth Lowest on Record

NASA's a good source (Dr. James Hansen, retired from the Goddard Space Center is someone I listen to). It's pretty common knowledge that as long as humans have been on this planet that we have always had ice in the Arctic. An ice-free Arctic would accelerate the positive feedback loops already in place (methane release, more warming, more exposed ocean / land, etc). When the Arctic goes from reflecting the Sun's radiation back into space, to heating blue ocean water instead, we're in trouble.

Here's a peer-reviewed academic paper on the history of Arctic Sea Ice:

https://www.geo.umass.edu/faculty/jbg/Pubs/Polyak etal seaice QSR10 inpress.pdf

This paper clearly states that we haven't had a seasonal ice-free Arctic since before modern humans evolved. Human civilization was largely the result of an unusually stable climate.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an eco do-gooder, etc. There's nothing that any of us can do individually, or collectively as a society, at this point regarding Abrupt Climate Change. In the tradition of Patrick Henry, I just want "... to know the worst, and provide for it."

The Heretic · Jul 6, 2018

Whether we can do something individually or collectively to reduce climate change can be thought of as beside the point.

The issue is that it is happening so we need to prepare for it. Denial of climate change is like denial of any other threat - sticking your head in the sand or plugging your ears and saying "la la la".

Same goes with the even bigger issue that encompasses climate change as one of its main driving factors; carrying capacity of the earth.

Location is important. Most if not all locations will experience climate change, but some will be less affected, or affected in a less serious manner, than others. Some may even experience some beneficial changes.

My main concern is precipitation and water supply; in a SHTF situation, potable water is crucial, not having to irrigate crops is beneficial, having water to irrigate is helpful. The northwest corner of Orygun is the least likely part of Orygun to experience drought and if it is affected, will be the least affected.

erwin643 · Jul 6, 2018

The Heretic said:
Whether we can do something individually or collectively to reduce climate change can be thought of as beside the point.

The issue is that it is happening so we need to prepare for it. Denial of climate change is like denial of any other threat - sticking your head in the sand or plugging your ears and saying "la la la".

Same goes with the even bigger issue that encompasses climate change as one of its main driving factors; carrying capacity of the earth.

Location is important. Most if not all locations will experience climate change, but some will be less affected, or affected in a less serious manner, than others. Some may even experience some beneficial changes.

My main concern is precipitation and water supply; in a SHTF situation, potable water is crucial, not having to irrigate crops is beneficial, having water to irrigate is helpful. The northwest corner of Orygun is the least likely part of Orygun to experience drought and if it is affected, will be the least affected.

My ultimate source is the 1972 MIT/Club of Rome Limits to Growth study. It was so big and all-encompassing regarding population, pollution sinks (think the Gulf of Mexico and Fukushima) and resource depletion, that separate issues like climate change and Peak Oil (conventionally drilled oil has peaked) are just seen as "symptoms." (Meadows)

The scary part is that their mathematical models are still tracking, and that their "business as usual" scenario indicates that the global economy hits the wall... About now.

aksu747 · Jul 6, 2018

I bought a Glock 19 Gen 5 a few days ago took it to the range and it is now my EDC.
My only hangun now as well, so if I want to carry I always bring it, these days I want to be armed all the time with plenty of spare rounds.
15+1 is a good upgrade from my 6+1 .380 or my 5 round j-frame.

The Heretic · Jul 7, 2018

erwin643 said:
Don't get me wrong, I'm not an eco do-gooder, etc. There's nothing that any of us can do individually, or collectively as a society, at this point regarding Abrupt Climate Change. In the tradition of Patrick Henry, I just want "... to know the worst, and provide for it."

Global warming may be twice what climate models predict: Past warming events suggest climate models fail to capture true warming under business-as-usual scenarios

erwin643 · Jul 7, 2018

The Heretic said:
Global warming may be twice what climate models predict: Past warming events suggest climate models fail to capture true warming under business-as-usual scenarios

True. What I'm getting from my sources is that a lot of climate scientist's computer models are having a hard time keeping up.

bgdawgrr · Jul 11, 2018

Bought 3k primers off the shelf. Small pistol, large pistol and small rifle.
Stepping up my reloading game.

CountryGent · Jul 22, 2018

I got some much needed shooting practice in today. I also ordered 500 rounds of Fiocchi, 240-grain, .44 Magnum ammo. A book on preparedness from a female perspective came in yesterday:

My better half is in no way "clueless", but we read everything we can on the topic. Easily the best thing that has helped us prepare as that we are on the same wavelength with respect to preps. Beyond our own family, our parents, and others are as well, though my side takes a more casual, "fly by the seat of your pants" attitude on it at times. But I digress.