Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Long-term Food Storage on a budget

Storing enough food to last a family a year is a daunting task. When you get a good idea of the amount of food and storage area you'll need, it is quite amazing. Here is a good food storage calculator to give you an idea of how much you'd need for a certain time period. And the worst part of it all, is how much it will hurt your wallet. Its expensive! But luckily, there are ways to store lots of long term food without breaking the bank.

What You Need for One Year per Adult
  • Grain (wheat, rice, corn, oats, barley, pasta, etc) : 400lbs
  • Legumes (dried beans, split peas, lentils, nuts, etc) : 60lbs
  • Dairy Products (powdered milk, cheese, etc) : 30lbs
  • Sugars (white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, etc) : 60lbs
  • Leavening Agents (yeast, baking powder, powdered eggs, etc) : 6lbs
  • Salt (table salt, sea salt, soy sauce, bouillon, etc) : 6lbs
  • Fats (vegetable oils, shortening, canned butter, etc) 30lbs
  • Meats (freeze dried chicken, beef, pork, etc.) : 200lbs

How?

One of the easiest ways, is every time you go to buy groceries, grab a few extra cans of food, or a bag of rice, or beans, etc. Just make sure what you're getting has at least a few years worth of shelf life. And when you get home, put these cans in a closet or place you keep your preps and before you know it you'll have a months worth of food.. then two.. you get the picture. The best way to go about this is by only buying when they are on sale. Every 4 weeks the major chains go on a price battle and you can get some killer deals.

Another good way is with a company called Thrive, they sell pre-packaged freeze dried foods. When you set up a plan with them, you pick out what items you want to purchase and put them on a list in order of what you'd like first, and then set up a monthly plan of how much you want to spend. They will send you only that amount per month, and anything that goes on sale that you have in your list will automatically go to the top of your shipping list. I've personally ate Thrive foods and they are really good. So even if you can only spend $20 a month on your food preps, at least you'll be getting them hassle free.

If you are lucky enough to live near a LDS distribution center, they may let you purchase from them. (LDS typically only sells to those of the Mormon faith, as part of their religion is stockpiling food) LDS sells everything you would need in bulk at amazing prices.

I did another blog article on how to store your food located here that may help as well. 

Do not forget to store water! At least get a few cases and throw them in a closet somewhere. 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

NCPrepper10 out.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Prepping for Civil Unrest / Rioting

With everything that is going on in our world and nation today, civil unrest is becoming a daily activity. The new 'Occupy' movement is gaining momentum throughout the world, and while its means are meant to be peaceful, it will take very little for it to turn overwhelmingly violent. This article and many other sources show that they are planning to step things up a notch this spring. Who knows how this could turn out..

In the past, many events have shown us how little it takes to turn a normal protest or natural disaster into mayhem. Hurricane Katrina caused a complete breakdown in society and order, with the police completely overwhelmed (of what police were left and did not evacuate with their families) there was widespread looting, rape, murder, and overall anarchy in just a few days time. 


The 1992 Los Angeles Riots happened in six days, only due to a controversial jury verdict. Over 50 people died, 1,000's were injured, and much of the city burned to the ground. Many of the people killed were shot by police and national guard. 


As preppers, we must have a way to defend our loved ones and belongings against this. The first step is upgrading your ability to defend your home. Just having alot of guns and ammunition is not enough (although it does help). You do not have to make your house into a fortress, just make it alot harder to break into than all the other houses in your area, most are not willing to make the effort into breaking into a hardened home. Installing little seen improvements to your home can have a dramatic effect.


The #1 thing I would suggest is a guard dog. No, it doesnt have to be a huge mean looking Pit Bull. Just any medium size dog that will bark at intruders makes a huge difference psychologically to a trespasser. Not to mention it will act as an alarm and give you much needed time to procure a firearm.


Another good idea is to purchase some security film to place over your windows. This film will prevent your windows from shattering if shot or impacted, therefore making it much harder for an intruder to enter, and does not have near the cost of replacing your windows with armored glass.


Having a good deep-set deadbolt on your doors (I recommend purchasing a steel or aluminum door that is painted to look like wood) is a MUST. Having the bolt slide at least 3 inches into the reenforced frame is imperative so it cannot be kicked in. And if you have a window on your door, make sure to have the deadbolt have key access on both sides so someone cannot just break the window and turn the deadbolt.


Planting 'prickle' bushes such as rose, washington hawthorn, pyracantha, oregon grape holly, etc. can be a very good deterrant for intruders if they are planted under easily accessed windows. 

In the event of rioting or unrest in your area, I would recommend littering your yard with clothes and debris, maybe spray a fake gang sign on your wall or such, to make it appear as if you have already been looted, and hopefully you will be passed over. Remember, being unnoticed is best. Avoid confrontation if you can. But be ready to use any force necessary to the situation. 


The sound of a pump shotgun being locked and loaded is recognizable to just about anyone, and sends a huge message to a would-be thief. If you must use force, there are non-lethal shotgun shells on the market such as bean bag rounds or salt shot rounds. But be sure to have the real deal on hand, I would not want to face an armed intruder with only non-lethal means.


While security in this type of situation is of upmost importance, the most important thing is to have all of the necessities in bulk stored away. Having the most fortified house in the world wont matter a bit if you run out of food or water and have to leave to acquire some. These situations may last for days or weeks. At a very minimum, having one month of food and water for you and your family is a smart move. (However I do recommend storing much more than just one month worth.)


At the very beginning of the situation, storing large amounts of water will be vital. Things such as the WaterBob (a large bag that lines your bathtub to hold water, and keep it potable for consumption. It has a hand pump installed for dispensing.) will come in handy. If all else fails and you are out of water from the tap, a few key gallons may be stuck in your pipes, waterheater, etc. that you can salvage.


Keep your eyes and ears tuned my friends, you never know what is just around the corner. 


NCPrepper10 out.



Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Why Prep? Is it too late to start?

This is a very common question I get from my readers, they feel overwhelmed and that they are too far behind everyone else, and events are happening too fast to start now. Thats not true! Yes, when you first "wake up" and realize the dangers and possibilities that our country is currently facing, it can feel like a daunting task to accumulate a year or more worth of food and supplies to be self-sustainable for your whole family. And I wont lie to you, it is expensive. But to me, the fact that I know I have these items makes me sleep better at night and gives me a sense of accomplishment in knowing that no matter what happens, I can provide for and protect my family. Most preppers are not like the people you see on the TV show "Doomsday Preppers" which has been so heavily edited (in alot of cases) to make us look like idiots or nutjobs.


I wont sugar-coat it, it seems that the powder keg has been lit, and we have no idea how long the fuse is, but every day its getting shorter. Most in the prepping community believe that within this year we may see some very scary developments. This is all the more reason to start learning, researching, and increase your awareness. Even if you think it is stupid, or crazy, please, I beg you to do some research into this on your own, then tell me what you think.
  
The Basics


The idea behind prepping is to be self-sustainable, no matter what event occurs. The main 'fears' for preppers:
  • E.M.P. (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) - This is caused by the detonation of a nuclear device, and will destroy anything with a computer or electronics. The worst-case senario is if three key placed nuclear devices are detonated in the upper atmosphere above the US, effectively destroying our power grid and all transportation systems. Depending on the time of year when this is done, within 6 months to 1 year, experts say 80% or more of the US population will die of exposure, lawlessness, or starvation. This is our biggest weakness as a nation, we are not at all prepared for this scenario. For a good idea of what this would be like, check out the novel One Second After, or the less accurate but very good free novel Lights Out.
  • Economic Collapse - Due to all of the world's economies being woven into a giant web of debt, one failing nation creates a domino effect that cripples the rest. With time, hyperinflation will occur, making our $ actually worth less and less, to the point where you are paying $100 for a can of tomato soup. Then as the system crumbles when people cant put food on the table for their loved ones, riots and crime skyrocket, people become desperate as the store shelves become empty because transportation of goods screeches to a halt due to the price of gas. You probably know the rest. Just google "US economic collapse" and you'll get the picture if you dont. Check out the novels Patriots and Survivors by James Wesley Rawles (Author of Survivalblog.com) for an idea of what can happen if this comes to pass. This is the greatest threat for most preppers.
  • Solar Flare/Coronal Mass Ejection - This is the same as the threat of EMP, the same effect. It is due to a sunspot happening on the surface of the sun and creating an "EMP-like" effect on all electronics on earth. It supposedly happened once in 1912, destroying all telegraph machines.
  • WWIII/Civil War II/Nuclear Exchange - Pretty much self explanitory.
  • Natural Disaster/Pole shift - Some are afraid that the polarity of our planet may shift and cause another ice age (i'm pretty skeptical of this, we cannot accurately predict the weather, but we think we know when this is going to happen? uh huh.)
  • Viral Epidemic Outbreak - Scientists say we are due for another large viral outbreak. If it comes on fast, as many viruses do, no government will have time to design and mass produce a cure before a large percent of the populous dies.




As preppers, we want to collect the main things we need to live a 'normal' life without outside help. To not only survive a drastic event, but to thrive in one. With that idea, you have to be able to procure, produce, and grow your own food. You must be willing to protect yourself, your belongings, and your family and friends from those who wish to do you harm or take what you have for themselves. Following a major breakdown in society, there will be millions of people that have fed on the government entitlement teet and do not know what to do without it, or just those that have done nothing in their life but go to the supermarket or buy fast food to provide for themselves. These people (the average American has on hand 3 days worth of food in their home) will be beyond desperate, going to any means to provide for themselves and their loved ones. (If I were in their situation, I cant say I wouldn't do the same.) So you must be mentally prepared to make some hard choices. I believe in being generous, and giving anything you can spare to those in need, but keep in mind that by doing so, you are showing people that you have alot of supplies that these desperate people may be willing to kill you over. 


Gang activity will be so rampant it is unfathomable. Once the prisons have no more food to give to their inmates they will either release them, or let them die. Chances are that most of them will be released into the general public to cause even more chaos. Large (probably in the 100's of members) gangs will be going from town to town looting, raping, and pilaging their way through the country. This is a very stark outlook and thought line. I know it is alot to accept, but this is the truth. 


Think about the millions of Americans on perscription medication for most of their lives, then all of a sudden, its all gone? All at one time their will be what used to be normal and sane people that live normal lives on their medications, going absolutely crazy, or dying.


Yes, this is all very scary. Very hard to accept and wrap your mind around, that this could happen in OUR country. "We are Americans, that cant happen here!" you may be thinking, but it can, and it will, should something like this happen. I greatly hope that things will not be nearly as bad as many believe, but its not looking like it.


Its never too late to start prepping. Just think of it as being like "life insurance". 


Here are some good resources if you want to find more information:




NCPrepper10 out.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Cool new gear reviews..

Over the past few years I have purchased some new preps that I want to share with all of you, and discuss what I think about them, and how they can benefit you later. 


First, let me briefly state my views on what I am preparing for. I prep mainly for the possibility of Economic Collapse. But, as with most preppers, we know that anything can happen and we try and prepare for anything. But, a "grid-down" (long term state of no electricity) and "without rule of law" situation is what most all preppers prepare for, regardless of circumstance. So most of my equipment is based on the idea that there will be no power, running water, or outside aid of any kind.


Anyway, back to the new gear reviews!


Coleman Dual-Fuel Premium Lantern : When I first started prepping, I purchased 3 Oil Lamps, a ton of extra wicks, and gallons of lamp oil. I mainly got them due to their simplicity and low rate of fuel consumption. After lots of testing and use, I found that they do not put off as much light as I may need at times. So I began looking for a reliable alternative, and much to my delight, found this new version of the classic Coleman Lantern. This lantern uses the standard #21 mantles (about $2.50 for a pack of four) used by most all coleman lanterns, and it can burn coleman fuel (expensive, about $9 a gallon at wallyworld.) OR gasoline! I've found it runs for around 7 hours on one tank on low, which isnt bad at all. It puts out a lot of light, it is alot quieter than the old coleman's, and at around $50, it is a great purchase! Gasoline will be much easier to find than other specific fuels in a dire situation. I highly recommend it!


Gerber Infinity Ultra LED Light : This is a very small, low-lumen output, task light. I've been using one for over a year now, and it seems to be nearly indestructable. It is built on a single LED platform, using only one AA battery with nearly 300 hours runtime on one battery! As I said before, it does not put out alot of light, but for most tasks, it does just fine. After about a year of having one, I bought three more just to have one in every bag. This is a fantastic light, I cannot say enough good things about it. It is waterproof, and for around $14, it is a bargain as well!


Aquamira Emergency Water Filter Straw : Let me say first, this is not a replacement for a good water filtration system. This is just a nice back-up. But, for the price, this thing rocks. It takes up little to no room, weighs less than 1oz., and can filter up to 20 gallons of water. So if you want something you can throw in a pack "just in case" for water filtration, you cant beat this. And unlike the Potable Aqua tablets, there is very little taste change, and no wait time. They cost around $10 each depending on the vendor.

Gerber LMF II Survival Knife : I recieved this knife a few years ago after one of my USMC buddies told me about his "badass new military-issued combat knife". And let me tell you what, Gerber knows their stuff. I've been a fan of knives my entire life, and this has to be by far, my favorite. It is made of durable 420 HC stainless steel, which holds its edge very well. Built into the sheath is a knife sharpener, so you will never have a dull knife when you need it the most. It comes with leg and waist retention straps, all built out of very sturdy nylon. It has a serrated section on the first 2 inches of the blade for sawing and rope cutting. The handle is made to be non-conductive, so you can touch a live electrical surface without being shocked (I still wouldnt try this). And on the rear of the handle is a glass punch. It also has holes built into the handle so you can attach it via paracord to make a spear. When you buy this it also comes with a "seat belt cutter" in its own sheath as well. Both the knife and cutter are MOLLE capable. All in all, I personally believe this is one of, if not the best survival knife on the market today. (Note: This is a large and heavy knife, if you do not like large fixed-blade knives, this may not be the knife for you.) It comes in other colors as well. This knife typically goes for around $60, which I think is a great deal for the quality you are getting.


Mechanix Gloves : It seems like forever that I have been looking for a good fitting, tough, "tactical" glove that I can use when working, hiking, shooting at the range, or anything in between. I have purchased super expensive gloves with high end manufacturers like BLACKHAWK or SpecOps, and while they make a great glove, I still felt very ripped off. After alot of trial and error, and research, I found that these Mechanix Gloves work the best for the value. They make a great fitting, tough, long lasting glove that I feel I can use for just about anything. And for the price, about $15 you cannot beat it. Never again will I pay outrageous prices for a pair of gloves when I can just get 7 pairs of these for the same money.


Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter : I wont beat around the bush, this is an expensive water filter (around $300). But, after tons of testing and reading I dont know how many positive reviews, this is the longest lasting per filter, and best working backpacking water filtration system. Without replacing the filter, you can filter up to 13,000 gallons of water! Most people will never even have to replace the filter in their lifetime! (The cheapest place to get this product is at Camping Survival.)If you dont have the money to get this one, I suggest the Katadyn Vario as an alternative. 


SAS Survival Guide : In my opinion, this is the most comprehensive, useful, easy-to-read survival guide out there. I keep one in every BOB/GHB/BOV I own. Nothing beats knowledge.


Fenix HP11 Headlamp : In my preps, I try to standardize all of my equipment with the same types of batteries, so that is what led me to this headlamp. After immense use in some very rough and harsh climates and situations, it has come out strong. It runs on 4 AA batteries, and on its highest output level, is VERY bright. It is a little on the heavy side, so if you are going to be wearing this for a long period of time, you may want to look elsewhere if that bothers you. But otherwise, this waterproof headlamp has been a great buy for me. It typically sells for around $60. (Note: the headband is quite tough to install when you first try to put it together, since the instructions are heavily lacking in detail. This review helped me visualize things better to get it put together correctly.)


C.A.T. - Combat Application Tourniquet : These were designed for the US Military due to a demand for one handed, self useable tourniquet. They do not recommend reusing them for sterilization reasons, but I believe it would be fine after a nice bleach bath. This design has come a long way, and makes it possible for anyone to be able to stop arterial blood loss on a victim, possibly even the victim himself. I have seen knock-offs at gun shows and such, and while they have the same design, the materials are poorly made. If this is something I am going to trust my, or a friends life to, I am going to spend the extra money and get the real deal. They run about $25 each normally.


Trijicon ACOG TA01NSN : Ever since this came out, I have wanted one. But with such a high price tag, until I found one for a really good deal used, I couldnt bring myself to buy it. ($1000 new) Trijicon makes some of the finest battle optics on the planet. This optic has been put through many layers of hell in testing. It is currently the optic used by US Special Forces branches. In the middle of the crosshairs they place tritrium, which is a radioactive (not harmful in such a small dose) material that glows for about a dozen years, so you have an illuminated optic without batteries for night time engagement. It also has a back-up iron sight on top of the scope that also has a tritrium dot. It was built for the 16 to 18 inch barrel AR platform, and features 4x magnification. After using this on my AR, it will never be removed. I love it! If you are an AR fan, and want a beat-all optic, this is one of the best choices out there. If you see one for sale used, snatch it up, because it wont be seen for sale used often! (Note: make sure to inquire as per proof of its production date, as you do not want to get one that is very old and nearing the end of its tritrium life.)

Viatek Crank/Battery Powered LED Lantern : These small crank powered lanterns come in handy when you're camping or have a power outage. After having it for about a year, and using it somewhat often, with 1-2 minutes of crank power I still get over an hour's worth of light! It is not a lot of light, but enough to read or see your way to the bathroom or such. Keep in mind with these, they are not made of the 'highest quality' and are not meant to get wet or see serious abuse, but for the price ($25 for THREE) its a great deal! I plan to eventually get another 3 pack of them. Get them while you can!


Maglula Magazine Loader/Unloader : Whenever I look at speedloaders I am always skeptical. Most of them dont really help that much and end up getting thrown in a drawer never to be used again. The Maglula brand speedloaders are a completely different breed, they make loading and unloading your magazines a breeze, (no more sore/cut fingers!) and they are made for most all rifle/pistol applications. I'm severely jaded now on loading my magazines, this thing stays in my range bag all the time. Best speedloader on the market! (runs $25-$30 depending on model)





Beans, Bullets, and Band-aids! And in that order!


NCPrepper10 out.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Street robberies and you - The Basics

The following post was taken from AR-15.com, written by a user named 'BurnedOutLEO'. All credit on this article should go to him. But I believe it is essential for my readers to hear his words. 

Being a prepper is more than just hoarding supplies, it is a mindset. To not only know that the unexpected can happen, but to prepare for anything. As the economy gets worse and worse, more and more people are going to become desperate, and this may become common-place. Be safe out there my fellow patriots.

Background

First, my info. I worked in the street of one of America's most violent, dangerous cities for 15 years. I usually worked in the worst part of that city. I spent 15 years in patrol. I liked patrol. It was wild. Most of the time I worked in areas covered in ghetto. By that I mean large housing projects combined with run down slum housing. I have worked all shifts. Later I became an investigator including a robbery investigator. I have spent countless hours in interrogation rooms talking to hold up men. I know them. I am still an investigator but have quit playing the Robbery game because my family was starting to forget what I looked like.

The Enemy

Some may object to me calling hold up men "the enemy". You can call them whatever you like. I can assure you however they are as deadly an enemy as you will find anywhere but the battlefield. Even many soldiers probably lack the viciousness and utter disregard for life most hold up men possess.

No one wakes up in the morning one day and decides to become an armed robber. It is a gradual process that requires some experience and desensitizing. Before a man will pick up a gun and threaten to kill people who have done him no harm in order to get their usually meager possessions he has to get comfortable with some things.

He has to get used to seeing others as objects for him to exploit. He has to accept he may be killed while robbing. He has to accept the felony conviction for Robbery will haunt him all his life. He has to accept he may need to kill a completely innocent person to get away with his crime.

This is a process that starts with stealing candy at the corner store as a child. It progresses through bigger property crimes that may also involve violence. But one day G gets tired of selling his stolen property for nothing and decides it would be better to steal cash. Cut out all that tiresome sales stuff.


Keep in mind many petty thieves, auto burglars, residential and commercial burglars, paper thieves, and hustlers will get to that point and decide not to become armed robbers. Most will. It is a special group of outliers who decide threatening to kill people for a few dollars is the way to go.

Once a man starts armed robbing he has crossed a line most won't. Don't forget that when you are looking these bastards in the eye. Their decision to kill you is already made. Your life means nothing to him. Only his does. His sole motivation for not killing you is he doesn't want a murder case. He has already accepted he may pick one up though.

We hunt hold up men around the clock once they are identified. We send teams of fire breathing fence jumper/door kickers to find them. We will bring their mother to the office and convince her she is going to jail if we don't have Junior in our office in an hour. We have her call her son crying hysterically for him to turn himself in before she is arrested and held without bond as a material witness and her home seized for harboring him. Most of the time they won't. Fuck their own momma.

We will hit all Juniors friends and family's houses. We make it so no one will harbor him. He is so hot no one will let him in their house or even talk on the phone with him. We put money on him so he knows he is right to be betrayed and set up. We do this because of one thing.

That thing is they WILL kill someone if they keep robbing. That is why the city is willing to pay all the overtime. They don't want the murders. Think about that when you see Junior coming. The more robberies he does the closer he is to killing someone. Maybe you.

The guys who hit you on the street are gang members. They are Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Crips, Sureonos, many others. They do not see themselves as part of society. The street is all they know. They don't expect to live long or stay out of prison. They take a delight in your fear and suffering. They are warped individuals for the most part. They can be extremely dangerous.

One time we were locking up a hold up man and having a conversation about how they target their victims. I was saying they pick easy ones, another guy was saying they preferred easy ones but would take anybody.

I pointed out a uniform Officer there was an NFL size guy to that hold up man. Frankly the dude was a monster. I asked hold up man if he would rob him. He said "If I needed the money".





You

Chances are good you are a law abiding person except for maybe a little light weed smoking and maybe driving a little drunk every once in a while. Most of your life you have been taught to be nice and don't point guns at people. You are the exact opposite of your enemy who was taught just the opposite. Remember a lot of street life is like prison life. Who's the man is everything. Violence is the currency of the street.

You do not possess total disregard for the lives of others and do not want to kill anyone. You are concerned about the ramifications of shooting someone. Your family, your possessions and finances on the line. Your enemy has none of these concerns.

The laws that keep you from carrying your gun in bars or where ever mean nothing to your enemy. Your reluctance to shoot someone works to is advantage. His greater experience in street violence and the element of surprise is on his side.

Everyone should call their local FBI office and get a copy of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted. When it first came out it was ground breaking because it demonstrated to academics and other elites what street police knew all along. What did it show in interviews with cop killers? Nice guys finish dead. That's right. Most of those offenders commented that the Officer they killed set himself up to be killed because of reluctance to use force early in the encounter.

You can probably find it on line now. A lot of the victim Officers were a lot like a lot of other people, normal people. They were the opposite of their enemy.

Am I advocating becoming the enemy? No. I am saying the person who is robbing you has certain traits, attitudes, and background. That is all.

Dynamics of Encounters


Hold up men target victims on the street in an impulsive, opportunistic manner. They see someone and make a quick judgment call on whether to rob them. The time between when you are targeted and they are on you isn't long. Therefore, situational awareness is everything.

If you see G coming you are in good shape. If you don't you will be the victim who says "He came out of nowhere". No he didn't. There are many tricks to watching out but simply watching your back is the main thing. Watch your back. If you do it enough it becomes second nature and you won't even realize you are doing it.

Watching out is great but unfortunately many self defense courses stop there. You have parked you car in a well lit area, are aware of your surroundings, and looky here, here comes three guys across the parking lot and they start to kind of fan out.

When you lock eyes with G the very first thing you need to do it indicate you have a weapon. It doesn't matter if you do or not. If you are a woman put your gun hand in your purse and keep it there. If you are a man fan your shirt or coat tail with your gun hand. Make it clear to dude you are mentally prepared to draw and making sure your gun is clear. This will many times result in an about face by dude. It is the single best robbery avoidance tactic IMHO.

Not long ago I was walking down the sidewalk in my town to go get my car. I was holding a folding chair in my gun hand. A car slow rolled past me with 4 heads in it. The guys in the back seat turned around as they went by looking at me. They went a little farther and U turned in the street.

Here they come back. As they started to slow down I looked at them with as contemptuous a look as I could muster and switched the chair to my left hand and flicked my shirt tail with my right hand. They just drove on mad dogging me.

In another case I was at a Christmas party and walked a girl to her car about 3 am. As we said our good-byes two guys were walking across the parking lot. One went behind a dumpster. I though he was peeing. He came out from behind the dumpster with a bottle.

As they got closer I stepped clear of that girl and unzipped my jacket at those two guys. When I did the guy threw down the bottle and they walked by cussing at me. If someone challenges you after you indicate you are armed say "I don't have a gun". Then they will know you do.

Here is an opposite story. A girl my brother knows was walking her dog when a guy approached her. She was polite. Mistake. He talked to her about the dog and said she had pretty hair and reached out and touched her hair. She did not slap his hand down or aggressively object. Mistake. He asked her if her dog bit and she said "No". At that time he slapped the shit out of her, drug her into a wooded area, and raped her.

The answer in the street is always "No". Can I ask you something? No. Do you have a cigarette? No. Can you tell me what time it is? No. The answer is always "No". Don't be nice. Stop the encounter as soon as it starts.

When to draw

Despite warnings I often see on the Net I have yet to encounter an instance in which a hold up man called the police to report his intended victim threatened to shoot him. Thugs do not want to come into contact with the police. They may already be wanted or realize chances are good they have been identified in a recent robbery. Or what ever. They are not going to call the police if you draw on them.



Supposed two guys are approaching you in a parking lot and do the classic fan out maneuver. You indicate you have a weapon by clearing your gun hand and fanning your jacket at them. They are not discouraged. DRAW!

I am not saying you should pull your gun out, assume a Weaver stance, and scream "That's close enough motherfuckers!" What I am saying is draw your gun and hold it beside your leg as you start to move to cover. I am very fond of telephone poles. Anything will do though. They will see this. They will remember they have to be somewhere else. They will not call the police.

Then you can just put your gun back in the holster and go back to whatever you were doing like nothing happened. Why? Because nothing did happen. A happening is when shots are fired.

Do not hesitate to draw. If you are somewhere you are supposed to be and someone appears who is not supposed to be there like a closed business show him the end of your gun. Could it be Mother Teresa looking for her lost cat behind your closed business? No it is some motherfucker up to no good. He won't call the police to report he was prowling a location when a guy ran him off.

When to shoot


The time to shoot is immediately upon seeing his weapon. You are not a police man who has to try to arrest the guy. No need to scream at him. No exposure while you yell for him to drop the gun.

In deer hunting the experienced hunter takes the first good shot. May not be the perfect shot but it never is. Novices pass up a doable shot waiting for a better shot and then the deer is gone. Take the first good shot you are offered. Hopefully your alertness and hostile cues will prevent you ever having to fire. But once you see his weapon, shoot.

If a guy is coming at you with a gun in his hand shoot him. Shoot him right then. If you don't shoot first you may not shoot at all. I have known more than one person who was shot and received life changing injuries and also shot their attacker. Their only regret was not shooting sooner. Like Bill Jordan said "Nothing disturbs your enemy's aim like a slug delivered to the belt buckle area".

Guns and weapons

The handgun is the best weapon you can carry easily. I understand it is not always possible to have one due to laws, restrictions, whatever. I am not telling anyone to disregard laws about carrying weapons. Each person has to decide for themselves what they are comfortable with. I will say there is no substitute for a pistol when you need one.


Also if you can not be trusted with a pistol after a few drinks you can't be trusted with a pistol period. Booze is liquid bad judgment no doubt but it shouldn't make you into a damn moron. If you are a moron sober I don't know what to tell you.

Types of guns and ammo are always debated and probably always will be. I have seen people shot with all common calibers. My conclusion is if you hit someone between the collar bone and the tip of their ribs three times with anything, they are handled. Bigger is better but something is better than nothing. Get your front sight on his shirt and stay on him as long as he is standing with whatever gun you have.

Just have a gun with sure fire ammo. Draw early and fire immediately upon seeing his weapon. That course of action is about all you can do to up your odds of ending things favorably. Guns like the Ruger LC9, SIG 239, Glock 26/27 are examples of guns small enough to carry but with enough power and capacity to be useful. Do not be afraid to use a French Lebelle if that is the only gun you have. A gun is a gun. I like a Glock 19.

Training


We all want the best training. It can be expensive if you are having to pay for it and it can be hard to find the time to do it. There is a whole lot of BS out there. What can you do? First, pistol handling is not rocket surgery. If you will learn the basics and practice on your own you can be fine. Smooth draw, quick pairs, reload. If you know those things well you can be OK.

I know a young man who shot down two hold up men in 2010 at very close range while he and his GF were walking home from the store. He in Wyatt Earp like fashion ignored the fire coming from the gunman and killed him and wounded his accomplice. He nor his GF were injured. He like many was willing to give them the money until he picked up on nonverbal cues that because of his GF they were not quite satisfied with the money. He had a Glock 27.

He had only the most basic of training in gun handling but did do some draws and some dry fire a couple times a week and live fired maybe once a month. That basic skill combined with knowing what to do was enough. He shot at the first possible moment despite having let the guys get the drop on them. When the gunman turned his head because a car drove by that was the opening. A split second is a long time sometimes.

Work on some one hand shooting at close range. That is a skill not as popular as it once was and you want to use two hands when you can. Often you can find yourself doing something with your off hand though so be able to shoot with one hand out to 5 yards or so.




After

If it comes to pass you are forced to shoot someone do not feel bad. When the police come just tell them a guy threatened you with deadly force and you were forced to fire. I know there are bad police out there in some parts of the country who don't support self defense. I can't help you with that.

Do not talk to them until you have your attorney present. Now most young guys don't have an attorney on retainer and you may have no idea who to call. That is OK. You will figure it out but in the mean time don't talk about what happened other than to say you were forced to fire. You don't have to be an asshole just remember wait for your attorney.

Hopefully you will not give a statement for a couple days. Remember if you are put in jail that doesn't mean you are charged. Most places can hold you 48 or 72 hours on a felony before charging you or letting you go. Breath deep and get an attorney.

Expect to never get your gun back. You may get it back one day but maybe not. Do not buy expensive guns for the street. Buy yourself a nice sporting gun if you want a nice gun. Keep your street guns basic. The factory Model 10 Smith and the GI 45 have done a lot of work over the years and aren't fancy.

Worlds


We all live in different worlds. My world is filled with felons and gang members. Violence is common place. No one would be surprised if one of their friends called and said they shot a hold up man at a place of business or parking lot. In the past when I made calls the fact that the guy who is beating his GF is also on parole for 2nd degree murder flavored my world.

You may live in a smaller, less violent place where shootings seldom occur and it would be a rare to shoot a hold up man. I envy you and will be moving to a place like your town as soon as I can.

But be advised no matter where you are a hold man is going to be about the same. Whether he is a home boy or a guy who just exited the interstate into your town and needs some quick money. He is going to have a vicious streak and no regard for your life. Treat him like he treats you.

Giving them the money, doing what they say, all that may work but there is no guarantee. If you have never read Jeff Cooper's book The Principles of Personal Defense I suggest you order a copy immediately. It is a short book but summarizes a lot of important things.

Last year we had a trial here regarding an armed robbery that occurred. Three or four guys took a young couple from a parking garage near a college out by some railroad tracks where they raped, shot, and beat them. Their lives will never be the same.

The lesser thugs all turned on the trigger man at trial. The trigger man's statement in the paper was after all that had happened he felt like he was a victim. Think about that. That is the mindset you are up against.
 

Keep your head on a swivel, and be alert.
NCPrepper10 out.