From the other end of the spectrum...

Check out a blog that looks very useful. It comes from a paranoid, right-wing gun nut. It's called The Survival Report Blog. It looks like this guys get way more in depth than I could ever hope, or really want to. Plus it links to a gun shop in Vermont where my second in command frequents, the gun store with the cheap bulk ammo from the last post. Gun and Shooting Online also deserves a look, with loads of free articles about almost everything gun related. It is where the link about .22 WMR, also from the last post was found.

SKSs, Marlin 925s, and the 2008 elections.

My second in command recently purchased a Yugoslavian SKS. For those who don't know the SKS is kinda like the proto-AK, not in its design but in who used it (Russia, Korea, China, Balkan States, etc.) and the ammo used (7.62x39). It is basically a semi-auto assault-rifle with a wooden stock and no pistol grip. It is a bit more accurate than an AK-47 and has less recoil too, but on the negative side it is much heavier, weighing around ten pounds. I shot it today and it is a pleasure to shoot and a bitch to carry. He picked it up for a mere $195, but says that depending on quality they can range from $100-200. Unfortunately Yugoslavian SKSs have recently been banned from export from the former Yugoslavia by the United Nations. This means that they will only go up in price in the future.

This brings me to the 2008 elections, in which it looks like the Democrats will retake the White House and further strengthen their numbers in Congress. This almost certainly means a renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban and much more. What does this mean for me and you? Prepare for the Revolution and stockpile guns and ammunition while it is still affordable and available. Unfortunately the best place to get the cheapest ammo for most kinds of rounds is Wal Mart but this is becoming less true as time goes on. You can get cheap brands, like Golden Tiger and Wolf at most gun stores, but this ammo is of poor quality and is very dirty to shoot. I have found an dirt cheap website that sells bulk ammo, just not very many calibers. If you live near northern Vermont it may make more sense for you to go to the gun store.

I recently picked up a Marlin 925, a .22 Magnum, bolt-action rifle for $180. It's a nice little rifle, not as cheap to shoot as a regular .22 , but can rip shit up. I tested four to five inches of penetration on a huge thick book (the Physicians Desk Reference), comparable if not better than 230 grain .45 FMJ. I found some varmint rounds that are basically tiny shotgun rounds in .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire). They are definitely not combat viable and I cannot really recommend them except for varmint. I found a good website that details all the different kinds of .22 WMR in an accessible way. Apparently .22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF) can be used in .22 WMR rifles and some kinds in some .22 WMR revolvers.

Junior Sez...

When buying a box of .45 ACP Jacketed Hollow Points (JHP) for his HK USP at our local gun shop, Saheim was told by the old man behind the counter (Junior) that hollow points were overkill for .45s, that full metal jackets (FMJ) work just fine for self defense. His response? There is no such thing as overkill. Saheim added to my later that hollow points are more likely to jam up in the gun, plus they cost a whole bunch more than full metal jackets.

Adviso del Dia: Make Sure Your Documents Are in Order

Whenever you are traveling or being subject to id check, make sure that your documents are in order and that your passport/ID is not FUBAR. This goes double if you are acting clandestinely. My passport went through the wash and the cover was detached. It worked to go to Canada and back but for some reason Mexico doesn't like damaged passports. It created lots of hassle for me. If I needed to avoid suspicion this would have been a lot worse.