Henpecked

One chicken is clearly top of the pecking order and bullying another one to the point of not eating or leaving the hen house.

She looked better today. The other hens are also being attacked, but not to the same degree.

If it continues, the bully gets a bullet.

Gifts for Preppers

The winter holidays are upon us and this is a time for giving gifts to family and friends, but what do you get a prepper? The beginner is always easier to buy for because they don't have much and anything that they can use will be appreciated. Those of us who have been in the game for a while can be a bit harder to shop for unless you have a budget that will cover cars and real estate. As has been pointed out in the past, "blue collar" doesn't mean broke but it does mean we work for our money.

Here are some suggestions for this Christmas/winter holiday season.

Batteries

• Nobody ever has too many batteries, especially the common AA size. With most brands now advertising a 5 to 10 year shelf-life, they store well and will get used in flashlights, radios, toys, and all of the other things that we buy that use batteries. Prices will vary by brand and the size of the package, generally from a few bucks for a 4-pack to just under $25 for 100.
• Rechargeable batteries and their chargers are always a good option, especially if you get a solar charger. Make sure the batteries and chargers match, since Ni-MH and lithium batteries use differing chargers.
• If you know the recipient has something that takes an odd or uncommon battery (CR123, 2/3N, CR2032, etc.) they would probably enjoy getting a few spares for their flashlight, red dot scope, or whatever. 

Reloading

If you know a prepper who wants to start reloading their own ammunition or wants to expand their set-up, there are lots of choices. Since reloading is a very precise undertaking, you must know exactly what the person receiving the gift needs or uses. Getting the wrong brand, size, or type of supplies will make your gift worthless or potentially dangerous!

• Lee loader kits. Caliber specific, very easy to use, cheap (~$30), and small enough to fit in a pocket of your backpack. I explained how they work in a post a while back.
• Reloading accessories. From primer pocket brushes to case-length gauges, there are all kinds of little things to litter a reloading bench, with prices running from a few dollars to as much as you want to spend. I like the case-length gauges that a friend got me years ago; they can't be beat for doing quick QA checks on the ammo you're cranking out. Lee Precision makes a lot of neat little toys that help make reloading easier or faster and some of them are fairly cheap.
• Bullets. Cast bullets can be found in most common, and a few uncommon, pistol calibers. $30-40 for a box of 500 will keep a reloader busy for a few days. I have had good luck with the products from Missouri Bullet Co.
• Jacketed bullets are needed for rifles and high-velocity pistol calibers. Hornady, Barnes, Sierra, etc. make a wide variety and they can be found for as little as $10/100 for common sizes, with the more exotic or large calibers  closer to a buck a piece. Online prices from shops like Midway or Natchez Shooters Supply will probably be cheaper than a local gun store, but watch the shipping costs.
• Primers and powder. These are best gifted in person, since shipping them requires a Haz-mat fee that will take a big bite out of your gift money. Primers are running about $30 for a thousand, or $4 per pack of 100; powders vary in price but the common ones are under $30 per pound and some are under $20 a pound.

Light

• If your budget is tight, candles are cheap and store well. I've found 50-packs of tea light candles for less than $5 at various dollar stores, and my tests have shown that they will each burn for about 6 hours. (Be warned that they normally use soy-based wax and mice love the taste.)
• At the other end of the price spectrum, the UVPaqlite series has held up well in our testing but is expensive. 
• In between the two are more types of flashlights and lanterns than you can count. If you know the recipient has liquid-fueled lanterns, those fuels store well and are like batteries in that you can never have too much of it on hand.

Food and Water

• Everybody should have some way to treat their water, even if it's a $5 bottle of iodine tablets from your local Army surplus store. 
• Water filters come in many shapes and price ranges, from the $20 Sawyer Mini to the $300 Big Berkey. A filter takes up less space and weighs a tiny fraction of the water it can provide.

• Food is worse than water when it comes to variety and prices. You can get everything from  emergency ration bars to freeze-dried gourmet meals in a pouch, and prices range from $5 to $50. Use your judgment on what the recipient needs and wants to pick out food items. 
• A relative of mine who used to make fun of my prepper ways got a box with three MRE's in it for Christmas one year, he laughed and tossed it in his locker at work. It came in really handy when a snow storm stranded him there for two days a few years later (and he quit laughing at me).

Firearms, tents, sleeping bags, and such are big-ticket items that show you really love someone and need to be picked out with care. If your budget allows and you have someone that needs something like this, there's no reason you can't help out a fellow prepper. They might be able to return the favor somewhere down the line when you're in need.

Prudent Prepping: The Solo Stove

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

Last week under "General Prepping" I said that a Great Light appeared and shined down upon a path unseen by my eyes. I saw new and wondrous things almost too difficult to describe in words.

Fortunately, I have pictures.

Solo Stove Lite and Pot
The Solo Stove Co. had a Black Friday deal* featuring a free pot that lasted for several extra days, allowing me to be enlightened (or bludgeoned... both work) until I bought one.

The Kit

Pictured are (L to R) the windscreen, Solo Pot and Solo Stove Lite. I was expecting to need the screen for this demonstration, but the winds that had been gusting up to 30 mph stopped as the sun went down. I did set it up to see how easily it went together (very easy) and also exactly how tall and how large an area it would surround. It turns out there is enough space to put a larger diameter pot than I currently pack inside the shielded area. (Editor's Note: It's designed to work with the next size up, the Solo Titan.)

Fueled up!

The directions for all biomass stoves say something like "Gather sufficient fuel for the task at hand" and the Solo is no different. I gathered several small oak limbs knocked down by the wind along with small twigs that still had leaves, broke them into ~3" pieces, and placed them into the stove and put a match to it. After the initial start-up, the stove was very much smokeless and only smoked a small amount when adding some of the larger diameter pieces.

Flames!

Judging how often to add fuel is a bit of a learning experience. Too much and the flames will flow up the sides of the cook pot; too little and you will be waiting for everything to finish cooking; but just enough will keep a nice solid fire burning!

Hot Water!

When there were enough twigs ready and the fire was steady, I put the pot with 16oz. of water on the Solo stove and started my stop watch to see how long it would be to hot water and then to boil.

Due to this being my first try with the stove, I had a bit of trouble keeping an even flame going but even so, right at 4 minutes the first bubbles formed on the bottom on the pot and at 4:30 the water was boiling.

I am impressed with how easy the fire started, the ease of adding fuel into the box, and the lack of smoke (if I do my part correctly!). This is the largest biofuel stove I own and I think it will move into first place as the stove to take camping. The only time I might use my trusty Whisperlite is for areas lacking lots of fuel and places not allowing burning and open flames.

The Takeaway

• Compact, lightweight and able to use almost anything as fuel, the Solo is great!
• Good advice and solid recommendations from friends are wonderful. 

The Recap

• One Solo Stove Lite with free Pot: $69.99* Black Friday special
• One Solo Windscreen:  $19.99 for me, but now $12.50 plus free shipping for the next 4 days!

*Don't despair if you missed this -- Solo has a Christmas Sale on right now with everything up to 50% off. Check them out! Hurry though, as of today (Wednesday Dec. 6) there are 4 days left for this deal!


Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running! 

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

You Don't Have to Wander or Be Lost

You've got a map and compass now. Great! Now you need to figure out how to make them do useful work instead of merely being neat trinkets.

Declination

North isn't exactly north. By that, I mean that there is "true north" which is the direction of the North Pole, and "magnetic north" which is close to the pole, but not quite there. North on your map refers to true north, and north on your compass is magnetic north. The difference between these two is called declination, and is used to make them work together.

Declination varies depending on where on the globe you are. It's about 11.5 degrees at my house, and can be even larger. Magnetic-declination.com will give you an accurate declination number for your home or trip destination. This article gives a good in-depth read on declination.

Now you need to orient your map and compass so that the north you're using on your map matches your compass. This is a very simple process, but describing it is very wordy. From compassdude.com:

1. Lay your map out on a relatively flat, smooth surface. 
2. Turn your declination-adjusted compass dial so due North is at the index pointer. 
3. Place your compass on your map with the edge of the baseplate parallel to the north-south meridians on the map. Notice the orienteering lines and direction-of-travel arrow are all parallel with the map lines. 
4. Turn the map and compass together until the compass needle is "boxed" in the orienting arrow (Red in the Shed). 
5. Now, the map is oriented to the real world. If you know where you are on the map, you should be able to look in any direction and see the objects represented on the map in the same direction.

http://www.compassdude.com/compass-map-orienting.php

Pacesetting
Now you know where you are, where you're going, and what direction gets you there. You can use the scale on the map to tell you how far away your landmarks and waypoints are, but how do you know how far you've gone or how close you are? If you know how long your stride is, you can simply count steps to get there. An easy way to track this is a device called ranger beads. These can be made fairly simply, but they're also cheap to buy.

The big key to ranger beads is knowing how many steps it takes you to go 100 meters. (100 yards also works fairly well.) Measure out a 100 meter distance and walk it several times, trying to keep an even, casual stride. Count the number of steps for each trip, and find the average step count for 100 meters. Then, as you're hiking, each time you reach that step count, advance your beads to track your traveled distance. A standard ranger bead set will count to 5km before it needs to be reset, which translates to a bit over 3 miles. 400 meters is 1/4 mile, 800 is 1/2 mile, and 1600 is a full mile.


If you can find a direction, and know the distance, you can get to anywhere you're going.

Lokidude

Wheat Grinders 101

Post-SHTF, there are a lot of preppers who will be sitting on large stockpiles of inexpensive healthy bulk foodstuffs, mostly in the form of rice, wheat, and beans.

Sadly, out of the preppers I know that have these kind of preps, I know quite a few that do not have any way to turn the stocks of grain/beans/whatever into flour for baking and cooking with. This can lead to an awkward situation.

In order to avoid this, I recommend a wheat grinder. Also known as a grain mill, a wheat grinder consists of a hopper to put grain into, a grinding mechanism, and a power source. The home models come in three basic varieties:

Manual Grinders

http://amzn.to/2iPewhG

These tend to be the least expensive option, with a smaller grain hopper and the power for grinding the grain provided by your muscle power.

Most hand power wheat grinders clamp to a surface in order to keep themselves stable. If it is a soft or unstable surface, the clamp can wear into it.

These are best for a beginner who is unsure that they will upgrade any time soon, and someone who expects to grind grain without power.


Electric Grinders

http://amzn.to/2ns1MyY

These cost more than manual grinders because they have an electric motor providing the power source. Unsurprisingly, they grind the fastest out of all the various options, and because of this they typically also have a larger grain hopper.

They can be very very loud while running, often compared to jet engines in sound. This comes from the open funnel shape of the hopper, which acts as a speaker for the engine that the grain is going into.

(I own one that can be heard by the neighbors, two doors down, through closed doors. Mine is louder than most, and also an antique, but be aware that noise can be an issue.)

Hybrid Grinders

http://amzn.to/2Avdv2I

This type is the least common, but it's my favorite. They default to hand-crank operation, but if you have the money, can also use a specialized electric motor. (It's worth noting that you can buy the motor later if price is an issue.)

http://amzn.to/2jM5q1E

Hybrids cost more than manual grinders, and cost more than most electric grinders of the same quality, but if you may be in a situation where power is intermittent, they are the best option.


Price Range
As with all things, quality comes with a price. Expect to pay $40-45 or more for a quality hand crank grinder, with prices going up from there. Electric grinders cost $150 and up for a quality model, with a lot of them starting closer to $200.

A better quality model will often be quieter, easier to operate, and produce a finer flour. It may come with an adjustable fineness setting on the grain, and will usually produce less dust. It may also come with accessories that allow for nifty little things like grinding peanut butter.

A better quality model will often be much easier to clean as well.

Accessories
For some hand powered and hybrid wheat grinders you can purchase a larger hopper, making it easier to do larger batches of grain.

A number of grain mills have special attachments to make it easier to make specialty flours, such as rice or beans. I have a friend who uses a lot of rice flour in baking and actually had her grain mill pay for itself with a cheap attachment for rice flour.

Use and Cleaning
The vast majority of grinders are fairly simple: add grain and crank the lever or turn on the switch. Read the user's manual first, but I have rarely had issues.

Make sure to clean your grinder thoroughly after every use with dish soap and water or a food safe multi-purpose cleaner, If you end up getting any parts wet, make sure that you dry them completely before using it again.

I recommend using a damp cloth to wipe down the exterior before use. Having an unused toothbrush and some Q-tips to clean hard-to-reach areas can be useful.

Other Options
If you own a Kitchenaid stand mixer or one that is compatible, you can get an attachment for it that grinds grain. If you have a Vitamix, Blendtec, or Ninja blender, there are instructions online on how to grind grain with them.

If you are really desperate, it is even possible to grind wheat with a coffee grinder. I don’t recommend this since it takes a lot of effort, produces a lower quality grain, and is very hard on the coffee grinder, but if you have no other choice it's better than nothing.


Good luck finding the wheat grinder for you, and don’t forget to practice.

GunBlog VarietyCast Radio #172 - Vacuums Suck

But in a good way!

• Beth has never done yoga because she’s not flexible. But that’s the whole point of yoga! Similarly, some people don’t get involved with firearms training because they aren’t proficient with firearms.
• It's a story with a happy ending, then a sad one: a robbery suspect is beaten with bat by Raleigh store clerk. Sean explains.
• Barron is on assignment
• Talk is cheap, and talk without the skills and knowledge to back it up is even cheaper. Miguel is tired of the fake outrage at those who didn’t help a woman and child shot by a gunman.
• In this week's Main Topic, Sean and Erin talk about HR38, the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity, which just passed the House Judiciary Committee.
• Tiffany is on assignment.
• Just because something sucks doesn't mean it's bad. Erin talks about vacuum sealers.
• All through life,  one must seek intellectual guidance on complicated issues. Who better to seek knowledge from than a puppet,  especially a puppet that’s an anti-gun nut! Yes, Weer'd is about to Fisk a puppet.
• And our Plug of the Week is the TOPOKO 25 oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle.

Thank you for downloading, listening, and subscribing. You are subscribed, right? We are available on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play Music!

Listen to the podcast here.
Read the show notes here.

Thanks to LuckyGunner and Remington for their sponsorship, and a special thanks to Firearms Policy Coalition for their support.

Blue Collar Prepping Transcript: 

Vacuum Sealers

If you’ve assembled a bug-out bag, you have no doubt run into situations where you wish you compress items into smaller forms so that you could pack more of them into your bag. 

And if you’ve ever fallen while crossing a stream, or gotten caught in a sudden downpour, you know how important it is to have dry clothes and how difficult it is to keep them that way when your bag is drenched. The same also goes for valuable electronic devices like cell phones, weather radios, and the like.

Fortunately there’s a way to accomplish both of these tasks, and that’s with a vacuum sealer. While you’d be hard-pressed to use one after the SHTF due to their need for electricity, they’re great for setting up long-term storage before disaster, and and they make your life easier in the meantime.

Vacuum sealers are quite simple in operation:

1. Take the item you want to seal and place it inside the smallest bag which will fit it, leaving an inch between the end of the bag and whatever you put inside it. (Most vacuum sealers come with pre-made bags with only one open end, but you can also make your own using rolls of plastic; more on that later.)
2. Place the open end into the sealer, close it, and press the activation button.
3. The sealer will then suck all of the air out of the bag. When there is no more air to be sucked out, a heating element will fuse part of the top and bottom of the bag together, creating a seam. 
4. You now have a vacuum-sealed bag that is both watertight and airtight!

The applications for a vacuum sealer are limited only by imagination and what you can fit inside the bags. Here are just a few uses:

• Foods like beans, rice, and dehydrated meals can be protected from spoilage and pests. 
• Clothes are not only kept dry, but are compressed into a compact shape. I have a friend who sent me a set of surplus BDUs by vacuum sealing them so that they fit into a flat rate box. 
• Protect things which would be damaged by water like medicine, first aid supplies, electronics or important documents. 
• If you throw in some desiccant packets -- the moisture absorbers which are included in a lot of over-the-counter medicine and supplement bottles -- you can waterproof ammunition, and possibly even an handgun. 
• And heck, you can even use it for its original purpose: vacuum sealing meat and fish so that they last longer and don’t suffer freezer burn.

I mentioned making your own bags with rolls of plastic, and while it involves a bit more effort -- you have to measure out the bag, seal one end, then fill it and seal the other -- it’s actually more economical because not only do sheets of plastic cost much less than pre-made bags, you also have the ability to make custom-sized bags instead of being forced to use the ones made by the manufacturer. We’re talking the difference between 100 feet of 8-inch tube plastic for $20 vs $20 for 44 bags.

The one drawback to vacuum-sealed bags is that once you open them, they aren’t air- and watertight any more. This is fine for food items, but you might want a way to keep your clothes, electronics and fire-starting tinder dry afterwards. The solution to that is simple: Include some ziploc bags for small items, and waterproof dry bags for larger items, in your bug-out or get-home bags.

I’ve included a link in the show notes to a good, all-around vacuum sealer that has high ratings on Amazon and only costs $30. If you’d like to know more about vacuum sealers, or want recommendations on different options, I suggest you read the two Blue Collar Prepping blog articles written by Chaplain Tim -- they’ll put you on the right path.

• BCP Article on Vacuum Sealers - https://bluecollarprepping.blogspot.com/2016/12/vacuum-sealers.html
• BCP Article on Non-Food Uses for Vacuum Sealers - https://bluecollarprepping.blogspot.com/2016/12/non-food-uses-for-vacuum-sealers.html
• Seal-a-Meal Manual Vacuum Sealer - http://amzn.to/2kefDHL
• Dry Bags - http://amzn.to/2jyx425

Keeping the Ladies Warm

I'm heating my house this winter, but I also have a henhouse to keep warm. After all, I want those ladies spending energy on making eggs, not staying warm!