Outdoor Survival Info

Archive for May, 2007

To many, emergency preparation means getting ready to bug out. These individuals have their bug out bags and their bug out plans. When disaster strikes, they are ready to go and they execute their plan. But, I wonder, is this really the best course of action?

Another option that some merely glaze over is the concept of bugging in. Bugging in is similar to bugging out, but you just stay at home. Sometimes, you bug out to a cabin, then bug in for a long, rough time. This is something that I have found is overlooked far too often.

What do I mean by bugging in? Well, simply, have enough provisions at your place to last a week to a month. These times are used as examples, and may or may not fit your particular emergency situation. Wherever you are going to ride out the storm, be ready to function without running water, electricity, road access, and friendly neighbors. If you have a family, you must prepare accordingly.

This is really something that should be given a lot of attention, because regular seasonal disasters can leave you stranded in your home for a few days. And if you have paid attention to the news over the last few years, you would have noticed that some of the largest cities can be left without power for long periods of time. Not only must you prepare for a break down of society, but also for natural and man-made disasters.

What do you do in a situation like that? Staying at home may be the safest, most plausible course of action. But that won’t do you any good if you don’t have supplies. Canned green beans only last so long — your family may need more substatial food. Along the same lines, if you are stuck in a blizzard, you might get cold. Your electricity might falter, and, though I have no particular experience with this, I’m sure natural gas used for heating can be interrupted as well. Sweaters, blankets, and a warm fire can help out with that, but only if you have enough.

Chances are that you will experience a few emergencies in your life — some small and others big. No matter what happens, it’s best to be prepared, and ready to get out of town, or to just sit tight until the storm clears.

If you don’t have one already, you should probably add an M-65 Field Jacket to your wardrobe. It’s tough, versatile, and does an excellent job of protecting you from all but the harshest cold weather.

Being a military jacket, it was designed to protect soldiers from the elements while allowing them to move freely in combat. So here is a jacket that does it’s job as a jacket, but doesn’t confine you or restrict movement — something that is very important if you are out in the wilderness trying to build a shelter in a storm.

If you don’t already have a great jacket for your Bug Out Bag, you should really consider one of these. Not only do they handle rain and wind well, they have a removable quilted liner. This extends its usability to most of the year. If you just need something to keep the wind or a light rain off of you, but it’s not cold, take out the liner and put it in your pack. If it’s cold, button in the liner and you’re good to go. Throw on a wool sweater underneath that and you can be comfy in a some really cold places.

Strength, usability, and pure function are offered by the M-65 Field Jacket. Get one and add it to your emergency supplies.

The AR platform has been a most-endeared rifle in this country over the past few decades. It’s success does not lie exclusivley in the realm of military and law enforcement, however. Sportsman and defensive-minded citizens have taken the Black Rifle to heart.

I would like to have one, but I’m not sure which one. Sure, there are several different styles of rifle, but there are also different calibers from which to choose. Assuming that I decide upon the 20 inch model, I still have a lot of choices. I could have a fixed or detachable handle, fold-down iron sights, optics, and all kinds of other options.

Regarding the caliber, I can choose the standard .223/5.56mm or go all the way up to the new and intriguing .450 “thumper” by Hornady. Since I am currently looking for a hunting rifle, the .450 sounds particularly interesting. It may be a bit excessive for the deer around here, but I still haven’t seen the ballistics on it.

I know a bit about this rifle, but not everything (I’m sure I probably won’t ever know everything). As I research the platform and learn more, I’ll chronicle the details here for you. So check back often.

There is no tool more essential to your survival than a knife. In my opinion, it is the greatest and most useful invention of man, surpassing even the wheel. After all, man could not make the wheel without something to cut the stone. Nor could he skin his game so that his family would have shelter and clothing. The uses of knives throughout history are numerous. I would even go so far as to say that pretty much all households across the globe have a knife.

In a survival or outdoor situation, a knife’s usefulness is vast. Need a small section of rope to tie something down? Cut your rope into manageable lengths. What if you are caught in a storm and need to fashion some shelter? A knife can cut small branches and cord so you can make a crude shelter. If you need food, a knife can be lashed to a pole, creating a spear, which is an historically-proven hunting weapon.

CRKT makes some great pocket knives. I recommend that you carry one around all day long (be sure to check local and state laws, of course, as I will not be responsible for you breaking them). Think of the knife as just part of what you put in your pockets: Keys, cell phone, etc.

The particular knife pictured above is one tough little pocket knife. CRKT has come up with a safety for their liner lock knives, which basically turns them into fixed blades. You don’t have to worry about accidentally slipping and unlocking the blade, closing it on your fingers. To close the knife, you must make two deliberate — and quite awkward at first — movements.

The blade is sharp, the steel is tough, and the knife is light. After carrying one of these CRKT blades around for over about a year, I would have to see that the only reason not to have one would be if you just don’t like the way it looks.

Blades are a handy thing to have around, and you never know when you might need one.

This week’s featured gear is the Springfield XD Service Pistol. If you don’t have one, go run out and buy one, because I really think that you’ll be pleased with the purchase. I have owned a Springfield XD 9 Service for over a year, and it is one magnificent pistol.

It’s light, tough, has a good capacity for ammunition, and is really easy to shoot. Just point it and you should hit your target. The ergonomics are such that pointing it is very natural, whether you shoot with both hands, one hand, or use your weak hand.

One thing that really stood out to me, and ultimately made the purchasing decision for me, was the narrow grip. It just felt so comfortable in my hand. Despite having a standard-sized double stack magazine, the pistol’s grip is quite narrow. That means that people like me, who don’t have large hands, will be able to comfortably hold the XD.

The XD has three different barrel lengths, but I can only speak for one of them. I have the service model, which comes with a 4 inch barrel. Some of the other features of this fine weapon are: Polymer frame and grip, 16 round magazine, trigger safety, grip safety, chamber-loaded indicator, accessory rail, and a few different color choices (I got the OD frame with black slide).

I wish I had more time and money to put into practicing with my XD, because it’s such a joy to shoot. If you’re in the market for a high-quality pistol, I would encourage you to check out the XD. There are different sizes and calibers available, so I’m sure you can find something you like.