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.
Feature Articles
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Prepping 101: Starting Fires with Sparks and the Sun
BY Paul Helinski Published: August 16, 2015 { 36 comments }Don’t Snub the Snub-Nose: Smith & Wesson Review
BY Dave Higginbotham Published: August 15, 2015 { 35 comments }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?
Kill-a-Bear with a Ka-Bar Knife?
BY Sam Trisler Published: August 15, 2015 { 23 comments }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.
CMMG’s 7.62×39 AR–The Mutant–Review
BY Dave Higginbotham Published: August 14, 2015 { 30 comments }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.
Short Barrel Rifle (SBR) Restrictions Suck!
BY Tom McHale Published: August 11, 2015 { 28 comments }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.
Win a Spot in a Nighthawk 1911 Critical Skills Class
BY Dave Higginbotham Published: August 9, 2015 { 213 comments }GunsAmerica is giving away a slot in Nighthawk Training Academy’s 1911 Critical Skills class. This weekend class at the end of this month offers a complete look into carrying, shooting, and maintaining high-end single actions. But enter now–we’ll be picking the winner on Friday August 14th.
Kimber Micro Bel-Air Review
BY Dave Higginbotham Published: August 8, 2015 { 55 comments }Kimber’s got a line of pistols out that are custom built for summer. We’ve been seeing pictures of them for a couple of months, and now the first one is here for a review. And what better way to celebrate summer than with a compact single action? How about one that’s a brilliant blue? Put Pet Sounds on the hi-fi and read our review.
Prepping 101: Saving Vegetable Seeds Year to Year
BY Paul Helinski Published: August 8, 2015 { 14 comments }Some prepping subjects are sexy, and some are decidedly not. But the one thing you always have to remember is that you have to eat and drink, first and foremost. Then it comes down to what you think is going to happen. I spoke to a guy this week who has been a prepping expert for years, including some cool alternative energy stuff. But when pressed, he admitted to me that he isn’t prepared for anything longer than a month or two. That’s great, and it’s way better than sticking your head in the sand and doing nothing, but I think we have a long time of off grid living coming our way, and if you have a bunch of people to feed, that means you would have to grow and regrow some of your own food at the very least. That sounds simple, but gardening is not as easy as you might think. Even if you get things to grow reliably, pests will come along and eat them all up. And then you have to save seeds for next year. That is the spectacularly nonsexy topic of this week’s article.
H&K VP40 Review– Great Pistol with More Punch
BY Justin Opinion Published: August 7, 2015 { 18 comments }The opinion of the editorial team here at GunsAmerica is unanimous: the new H&K guns are rock stars. The VP9 set itself apart as a compact design that offered full-sized control. And now, for those who want more intense ballistic performance, there is a .40 S&W model. How does the compact design handle the increased energy? Read our review…
Gun Review: LWRC R.E.P.R. 20 .308 Sniper Model
BY Tom McHale Published: August 4, 2015 { 63 comments }LWRC’s new long range ass-kicker is the R.E.P.R. The Rapid Engagement Precision Rifle. This 7.62 x 51 is capable of long range hits and the speed needed for rapid engagement. Is this the one-gun solution for the ultimate and fully functional battle rifle? Read our review….









