Project 590A1: Sling

I'm of the mind that fighting guns need slings on 'em. Heck, I think even range guns need slings on 'em. But especially fighting guns, because, while you can hold the gun in your off-hand and shoot with your strong hand, it's not ideal.

I wanted to keep the sling simple on this beast. No frills but functional. Simple equals cheap, so that's good to. Basic 2 point slings work plenty good for most things and that's what I was going for.

Parts:
- Uncle Mike's QD Sling swivels (only used one)
- Cheap-o Blackhawk! sling; basically just a piece of webbing and two tri-glides. Yes, you could make it yourself for cheaper if you had the materials on hand.

Cost out the door: Less than 20 bucks.

You can see how I've attached it to the shotty. The Choate stocks offers numerous attachment points, which is a plus.

Can't say I've run a class with it, but it has held up totally fine in the dry fire drills that I have run with it. Not much to go wrong with it, and that's a good thing in my book.

A Few Thoughts from the OK Tornadoes

First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers to those impacted by yesterday's tragic events. Red Cross and others are accepting donations to go towards the recovery/rebuilding effort.

As I'm watching the news coverage, a few thoughts have come up:

• The value of a storm shelter or a reinforced safe room. Without one, you're really truly at the mercy of the storm and chance.
• Have home owner's insurance! Important documents and proof of valuables (photographs, scans of receipts, etc.) stored at a safe, off-site location.
• In an event of this magnitude, first responders may be hours away. Help will come, eventually, but you need to be able to address immediate medical needs on your own.
• "It happened SO fast" is what we're hearing--about 15 minutes from the storm forming to when it started tearing up the town. Fifteen minutes is not much time. And no one expected a 2-mile wide F4 tornado. Could you bail out and escape the path of the storm by vehicle? Potentially, if you knew the storm's direction of travel and got out fast enough. Run to school, grab your kids and then hit the road? Much less likely.
• Have a place to go if your home is destroyed--homes of family or friends--plus a tent or camper large enough for the entire family.
• The value (again) of diversification--most of us have everything we own in our homes. If that's destroyed, then it is a matter of starting over again from scratch--hopefully with some insurance money to help. A few bags or bins of basics and backups stored off-site would be a huge blessing.

We have family friends who went through the Tuscaloosa tornado a couple years back, and were kind enough to share their experience and learnings from that event, which you can find here. Helpful, I think. They spent several weeks living at a friend's house while they looked for a new home and waited for checks from the insurance company. Everyone was okay and life has since returned to normal. Not everyone was so fortunate.

Again, our prayers go out to the many who have lost loved ones, been injured and had their lives turned upside down by the storm.

The Good Idea Fairy

Enemy #1: The Good Idea Fairy

Many of you have probably read No Easy Day, the firsthand account of the raid to kill Osama/Usama Bin Laden. Great read. One of the things that stuck with me was the SEAL Team 6s constant struggle with the "Good Idea Fairy."

All sorts of experts and Brass are involved in the planning phases of the team's missions, and probably deservedly so. These are critical, life-or-death, high profile missions. There are numerous contingencies to plan for, and that's where the Good Idea Fairy flies her chubby little self in and starts waving her wand. With each new possible contingency, the Team has to battle having to carry more gear or running the mission differently.

One example from the book, if I remember right: the mission planners were concerned about getting undue attention from the locals outside the compound. The plan was to have the team's interpreter warn the locals off with the ol' "police operation, move along, nothing to see here" act. But, in order to do that well, the interpreter would need a megaphone, right?

Of course, bringing a megaphone along would mean that someone on the team would need to carry a frickin' megaphone along with them. 60 pounds of gear--explosives, tools, armor, mags, smoke grenades, quad tube NVGs, pistol, suppressed M4, and now you've also gotta somehow carry and fast rope with a megaphone, too? And for what added advantage?

The Team shut that idea down pretty quickly.

While I don't think many of my readers are SEAL team members, high-speed operators aren't the only ones who have to contend with the Good Idea Fairy. Heck, anyone who has tried to plan for next to anything has probably dealt with her. It's very easy to get into paralysis by analysis, bog things down in endless rounds of decision making, over pack and over spend.

Of course, there's certainly consequences to not being prepared and not having the tools you need to accomplish your mission or task at hand. So, there's a balancing act to be done--having what you need and not much excess.

Survivalism has to be one of the Good Idea Fairy's favorite topics. It is exceedingly easy to lose focus and get caught up in the what ifs. The Good Idea Fairy waves her wand and POOF, you've end up with a 100 pound pack you can hardly lift, a house overflowing with excess gear and an empty bank account.

So, how do we battle the nefarious fairy? First and foremost is experience. The SEALs can spot this kind of stuff a mile away because they've got experience and know exactly what tools they need on hand to perform a mission. Very few of us will ever have that level of experience, but the more that we use our gear, the more familiar we will become with the tools that we need. So, every day carry it, get outside and use it, take classes and use it, whatever.

Second, before you give into what seems like a good idea at the team, take a step back and think about it. Ask yourself questions like "What will this do for me?" and "What are the costs of adding this? The consequences of not?" When examining costs, think about the obvious monetary costs, but also the weight, bulk and space required.

Finally, evaluate your preparations and yourself on a regular basis. Look at what you've used and what is just excess. What works and what doesn't work. Bust out the scale and trim weight. Look at what you've bought that was a good idea the time, but has since lost its luster.

What run-ins have you had with the Good Idea Fairy? What have you bought that felt like a good idea at the time, but turned out to be a waste? Do you feel like you over do it with gear or pack just enough?

On Zombie Preppers

TiVo'd a random show on Discovery last night - Zombie Preppers. I figured it'd be like Doomsday Preppers with a zombie spin on it. Not the case.

Instead, the show aimed to make the zombie apocalypse a plausible scenario, by talking to folks who think zombies are inevitable and then reinforcing that with talking heads in suits - associate professors from various universities looking for screen time.Weave in some government conspiracy theories and you've got your show.

Lots of "A zombie apocalypse is not a matter of IF, but when!" Maybe everyone on the show just wanted to be on TV, but it sure seemed like many of them had fully bought into the idea that zombies were a real, plausible, inevitable threat to the world as we know it.

Look, I like zombies as much as the next guy, but a zombie apocalypse is only slightly more plausible than an alien invasion or rise of the machines. We talk about zombies, the Walking Dead and so on, but it's not because the undead are at the top of our threat list.

No, zombies are a fun, tongue-in-cheek way to talk about preparing for real-world problems. Hobbies are supposed to be fun and enjoyable, but survivalism can get pretty grim, doom-and-gloomy if you're not careful. Throwing zombies, killer robots, aliens or whatever into the mix is some mildly silly fun for many of us. And hey, most of us understand that survivalism and disaster preparedness is a bit zany to begin with, so why not have some humor and fun with it?

If the undead ARE at the top of your threat list, I'd encourage you to do some reading and learn about all of the real world, equally scary stuff that has happened and/or could happen. If zombies are a stand-in, catch-all for the long list of other real world very bad stuff that could happen (pandemic anybody?), then keep on keepin' on.

Ares Armor RAD Pack - Pack to Plate Carrier in Seconds

From dude wearing a backpack to armed and armored in a couple seconds. Very cool product...can hold SAPI rifle plates.

I know I've been hitting the YouTube videos hard this week, but there's some good stuff out there...

The Hoss on Diversification

The Hoss covers off on some of the advantages of diversifying your arsenal in case of a jack booted thug gun grab.

We've been talking about diversification for a while here - pretty basic strategy, tough to implement at times, but an all around good idea.

He's also 100% spot on that a gun fight on your front door against a government or vastly superior force is an all around bad idea. Best case, you see them coming and get out of dodge. Going to war on their terms, time table and where their superior force can be brought smashing down on you like a hammer of doom is a losing proposition.

Conqueror UEVs - Ultimate 4x4 Trailers

Roam the apocalyptic wastelands in style with a Conqueror UEV 490 off road trailer.

Sadly, only in Australia and not cheap. But very cool. Mad Max needs one in matte black.

Go Bag vs. Bug out Bag

I tend to use the terms "bug out bag" and "go bag" synonymously, but the recent discussion of shelter options sent me down the rabbit hole of exploring and reconsidering the direction I've gone in with some of my preparations and kits, as well as my usage of terms.

First up, time to correct myself. Bug out bags and go bags are not really synonymous. At the end of the day, they're slightly different ways to solve similar problems.

If you actually Google "go bag", you'll actually come up with a bunch of messenger/shoulder type bags, with some smaller backpacks thrown in for good measure. Soldiers, spec ops and especially contractors operating out of vehicles often like to have a bag of gear with them in case they need to ditch the vehicle and E&E back to safety. The size of the kit is obviously limited - it needs to fit in the nooks and crannies of a vehicle and it needs to be a manageable enough size to grab out of a burning vehicle in the middle of a gun fight and run for the hills.

A go bag's gear is usually a supplement to the operator's on-person gear--more mags, smoke grenades, IFAK stuff, comms, some spare batteries and E&E gear with snivel gear mixed in.

There's not much of a focus on wilderness survival stuff - ain't much bush crafting to do in Iraq or Afghanistan, and the cavalry will probably show up fairly quickly. Instead, the focus is on breaking contact with the enemy, evading back to safety and/or signalling for rescue.

Here's one example of what I'm talking about: NOLATAC: Operational Go Bag.

In contrast, bug out bags, as least amongst typical survivalist circles, are typically larger, multi-day packs, with a focus on food, water, shelter, fire starting and similar. They're usually more geared towards wilderness survival and heavier in weight. 72 hour kit type stuff.

Which kit is going to be more useful to you will depend on your area, plans and the particular disastrous situation you find yourself in. Like most, the best answer is probably to have both - more options.

Thoughts? Which makes more sense to you - go bag or bug out bag? Regardless of what you call it, has anyone gone down the path and built what they would call a "go bag" like we're talking here?

Bug Out Bag Shelter Discussion

Shelter is a pretty good idea for the ol' go bag. Importance is going to vary a bit depending on your environment - urban sprawl is very different from rural Montana. And season will play a role too - more important in cold weather, less so in warm weather. Freezing to death is no fun, and exposure can kill you pretty darn quickly. So, we generally want to look at including some kind of shelter option in our kits.

Before we dive in, it's important to cover off on an idea that many people miss out on: a bug out bag should be built for fast movement towards an area of safety, with capabilities to overcome any obstacles in your way.

An evac is not a camping trip or a backpacking trip--it's not a happy, leisurely thing. You're running for your life. If it's safe for you to be moving, and you have the physical ability to do so, then you should be getting out of dodge, not hanging out bushcrafting or whatever. A lot of people get confused here.

We also often overlook our primary form of transportation - the ol' family bug out vehicle. The BOV will to get us to our safe location faster than on foot, and should only be ditched if absolutely necessary - ambush, utterly impassable roads, out of fuel with no hope of refueling or broken down with no hope of repair. These are the kinds of dire situations that would push us to abandon our vehicles, extra gear and bail out on foot.

This all helps shape our choices for shelter. We should attempt to have something that is:

• Light and compact enough to allow for fast movement
• Quick to set up/take down
• Multipurpose if possible
• Robust enough to provide life saving shelter in killer weather conditions
• Subdued color or camouflage pattern

For these reasons, most of us survivalist types tend towards tarps, poncho tarps, and, to a lesser extent bivy bags. You're not going to beat one of these shelters in terms of size/weight, which is an essential.

Setup and take down times on these kinds of shelter can vary, and improve with practice. Bivy bags are mostly just roll out and jump into. Tarps can be a bit trickier. I would not hesitate to add shortcuts like bungie cords to help ease setup - yes, you should know the knots, but if you can save time/effort for a minimal weight savings. Worry more about set up times than about how fancy or perfect of a shelter you can pitch. From packed to under shelter in 5 minutes is a good baseline.

Robustness on tarps and bivy bags is going to vary fairly greatly - I would be cautious about going with too thin/lightweight of material. But, you probably don't need the item to last for months of use - it needs to hold the weather at bay for as long as it takes you to move from your point of danger to your targeted safe zone.

The old USGI poncho used to be the no-brain option, but they are getting scarce and running up in price. Many use the bivy bag from the military sleep system. There are numerous tarp, poncho tarps and bivy bags on the market, though - Go Lite, Seek Outside, Kifaru, SnugPak, Dave Canterbury's Patherfinder School, Bushcraft Outfitters USA and others all have solid options in their product lineups. A green, brown or tan hardware store tarp can work in a pinch, too. Not ideal, but not much money, either.

Unconventional Options
A tarps, poncho tarps or bivy bags are the common answer to the survival shelter problem, and it's a good one. If you need to go really fast and light or find yourself without your kit, here are a couple options to consider:

Go Primitive
Having the tools and know-how to build primitive shelter, ala the Discovery survival TV shows. A fixed blade knife, saw and cordage are go bag staples, and they're all you need to build a variety of primitive shelters that will keep you alive in nasty weather. Throw in an axe and you can do even more. And, these tools are useful for more than just shelter building, too.

This "Bear Grylls" approach has a major downside to it - shelter building is time and calorie intensive, and your time and energy would probably be better spent moving to your final destination. It also exposes you to greater risk of going without shelter - if you're injured, don't have adequate materials, run out of time in the day, etc.

Use Existing Shelter
Most areas of the U.S. are populated and developed - lots of existing buildings and other hidey holes. In a bug out level disaster scenario, a large number of buildings are likely to be completely abandoned -- office buildings, unimportant stores (not many people shop for furniture during the apocalypse), barns and utility buildings and so on. All certainly potential options.

Private residences will be hit-or-miss--hard to determine if they're actually abandoned, potentially deadly if you barge into someone's occupied home by accident. Certainly risky.

The home of a friend or acquaintance would be another matter - if they are home, you may be able to hunker down in the basement or garage for an evening. If they aren't, well, at least they might not shoot you if they show up while you're riding out the storm in their living room.

And, of course, lots of other options - access tunnels, bridges and overpasses, etc. 

Either of the above - primitive shelter or leveraging existing shelter - can also of course be combined with any shelter that you have with you. For example - a tarp can do a considerable amount to reinforce a debris hut or lean-to.

Anyways, quick overview of some of the options that are out there and how to think about your selection when packing shelter for your bail out bag.

What shelter do you carry in your bug out bag? Let us know!

The Last Ship - Surviving a Pandemic with Jayne from Firely

Well, it's got a pandemic, Phalanx systems, big explosions, a big budget and Jayne from Firefly (Adam Baldwin - also a great patriot and pro-2A guy). I'm in. Coming to TNT in 2014. What think ye?

Apparently, the show is loosely based on a book of the same name - The Last Ship by William Brinkley. Anyone read it? Any good? Amazon reviews are mixed.

Follow TEOTWAWKI Blog via e-mail

For those who have been asking, I have added a way to get blog updates via e-mail - look under the various social media links and you'll see a new "Follow by E-mail" box. Subscribing is pretty easy - enter your e-mail, get the annoying letter verification right, and then check your inbox for the activation e-mail.

Enjoy!

Food for Thought: Long guns for home defense

Good video from the HossUSMC on various cornering techniques with a shotgun, which of course can be applied to a rifle as well. The longer the barrel, the more of a problem you'll have.

I would add that if you need to enter a doorway, you want to get through it as quickly as possible - you're most vulnerable to a gun grab if you're slowly edging your way into a room. You're also usually silhouetted in the doorway, making you an easier target - hence the nickname "funnel of death." Don't hang out their any longer than you need to.

No one will argue the superiority of a long gun in a firefight, but when bringing 'em indoors or in vehicles, they bring some special considerations - compromised maneuverability and leverage during a gun grab being two of the biggies.

Another consideration - it's tough to use a shotgun one handed - same goes for rifles, but to a lesser extent. If you need to open a door, pick up a child or shove a loved one out of the way, that long gun can be sub-optimal.

While the long guns win in terms of terminal effectiveness, they have their own tradeoffs that you need to be aware of and train for. And, for many, a handgun may be the better choice for use in the home.

There's an interview floating out there on the interwebs with Chris Costa, where he talks about his choice for home defense: a suppressed handgun. Costa is a guy who has access to pretty much any kind of firearm he wants and has more than a fair amount of knowledge and experience with long guns. He's weighed the options and chosen a handgun over an AR or a sweet Benelli semi-auto for defending his home, at least in normal times.

Interested to hear your thoughts, experience and personal choices.