Feature Articles

When I first started this column, I discussed the importance of putting away your own bulk food, and not just buying a cat litter bucket with a “30 day supply” in it. Without food, water and shelter you will have to leave the house after things collapse, and that’s bad. You don’t have to spend big bucks on mail order food. Survival food is just food that won’t spoil without refrigeration. Beyond that, survival food is what you make of it. And you can make it a lot cheaper than you might think.

Proof that the AR-15 can be almost anything you want is easy to see in the wide selection of available stocks. Fixed? Adjustable? Minimalist? The choice is up to you. We’re here with some tips that will help you narrow down the list, and we’ll lay out everything you need to know when you build an AR-15.

Tired of all of the kerfuffle about the diminutive GLOCK 43? Had your fill of all of the hype about single-stack stopping power? Want a polymer pistol capable of stopping a Grizzly? Check out the GLOCK 40. This beast is big, capacity is not an issue, and it shoots the 10mm, which–when loaded right–is impressive. So how does the G40 handle?

HK has built a reputation for kick-ass guns. Most begin as service weapons for law enforcement or military units. The MP5 is a perfect example. We’re taking a loot a full-auto MP5 today and will dive deep into the history of the compact design and its variants.

One of the most embarrassing moments for a prepper is not being able to light your Rocket Stove with a butane lighter stick after half an hour. And since this has happened to me a couple times, it got me to thinking about what I would have to go through on the road, trying to cook dinner. Sticks, leaves and even pine needles on the ground absorb water. They may look dry, but try to light them and have them stay lit. So I went looking for firestarting help, and I found some pretty good options. The most important thing is that I tested them with a “flint and steel,” because matches get wet, and you run out of matches. In an afternoon of trying to start fires, I ended up with a sore arm and some good experience with what of my experiments worked, and which ones didn’t.

There’s something timeless about the revolver, as proven by the popularity of the snub-nosed Smiths. This 642 is ideal for pocket carry, and is incredibly accurate. Could it be that the best option for concealed carry is a wheel-gun and not a shrunken 9mm?

The Ka-Bar is one of the most iconic blades ever made. This mid-century fighting knife was born of necessity. How does it stand up to the standards of today’s war fighters? We will start with a look back at the history and how the knife was designed to kill.

Finding a 7.62×39 AR platform rifle is easy these days. Finding one that works flawlessly isn’t. So we approached the CMMG Mutant with more than a bit of skepticism. After our first 500 rounds, our skepticism is fading. The Mutant is performing like a champ. And we have one of the new pistols, too, which may explain why I don’t have any eyebrows.

Law abiding citizens can’t easily own short barreled rifles without first jumping through beurocratic hoops and paying a dubious tax. Why? Because criminals in the early 20th century prefered easily concealed guns. Makes sense, right? Pass a law to change the behavior of people who pay no attention to laws.