Any survivalists/preppers/doomsdayplanners here?

Started by Captain Maltese, January 28, 2016, 09:28:58 AM

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RubySlippers

I'm the spouse of a military officer, I'm not worried, if the situation was as dire as you say who has access to the most guns, technology, medicine, food, fuel and options to protect themselves and their loved ones - our men and women in uniform. And a alpha male or female protecting her loved ones from death is a very dangerous person and more importantly they could tell the civilian government to go screw themselves if needed, they would hesitate to do so, but in the end could.

I have a bug out bag and Hurricane evacuation plan but being in Florida that is something one needs to have.

Assuming survival is possible if a giant meteor hits us its likely game over.  :-\

SmokingCamels

The interesting thing here is how many of you are saying life wouldn't be worth living if you had to make the sacrifices that would be required of you to do so.  You're exactly the people who wouldn't make it in the first place.  Religious beliefs, morality, all of that stuff is based on nothing more than opinion in the first place.  Opinions don't matter.  Facts do.  The fact is, mother nature did not invent religion.  Humans did.  Mother nature did not make a declaration that the weak needed to be protected.  In fact, the natural course of things is that the weak die and make room for the strong.  Morality is not a natural aspect of life.  It is taught.

Let's just take Amber's response.

Let's assume for a moment, in this hypothetical situation, it's you, your three children who are 8 (Timmy), 6 (Jimmy), and 2 (Jenny), an old couple, the man doesn't get around well and wears glasses, the woman is overweight, and me.  We've got, whatever we can carry.  I'm the one carrying the heavy load.  We've had to withdraw from whatever medium sized town we live in to a less densely populated area, a trailer park, for example, because we need supplies that are relatively easy to access, without many around us, and we need to avoid places that have already been picked to death by others.  Let's also, for the sake of argument, assume this is a Zombie survival.

Jenny wants her daddy, who got gnawed to death three nights ago after sacrificing himself so you and your children could get away.  You've had to abandon your vehicle due to road congestion and clutter.  Jimmy is suffering from PTSD because he's seen the whole thing and his mind can't grasp it.  Timmy wants to be brave.  The older couple is cold, hungry, and the man's hip is bothering him, slowing him down even more. 

We've hunkered down inside a missing Redneck's trailer.  He happened to have a few supplies, but his best supplies were his makeshift set of tools, his busted up 4 x 4, and some canned food.  There was a .38 revolver and a half box of shells that was left behind, a shotgun with no ammo, and a 22 rifle with all the bullets anyone would need.  He clearly was smart enough to leave the low capacity revolver and low damage .22 behind.  Because he had paid his bills, the electric and water are still on (as there was nobody at the utility companies there to press the button that shuts them off).

Aside from me, you are the only one who is remotely combat effective.  2 out of 7.  Nobody in this group is a threat to me, even if they wanted to be, except, because I am slowed down and concerned with everyone else's well being, thanks to your sense of morality, which, on a subconscious level, part of me wants to believe.  I am not, after all, a monster.  However, you know in your heart, first chance I get, I'm gone and not looking back.  Without me and/or an immediate replacement, your odds go down dramatically. 

Now, we haven't explored the whole trailer park.  We've only secured the one trailer for ourselves for the night.  It's roughly 3:30 in the morning.  The redneck who lived here just rolled up to the place with a couple of his redneck buddies, armed to the teeth with shotguns, spotlights, beer, a couple of pistols, and one of them has an assault rifle.  They also have an SUV.  The redneck who lived here knows something is up because the place has been tampered with.  His door is also locked.  Now he knows for sure someone is in there.  One way or another, he's getting inside.  We can't trust them.  You're a pretty lady, and the only one that isn't a zombie for miles.  I've got supplies they want, like extra ammo for a shotgun, for starters.  Now, it gets worse.  Jenny starts crying because of the ruckus.  Jimmy huddles up and covers his ears.  You're desperately trying to protect your kids.  There's 3 of them.  At least.  I might be able to take them, but as soon as they realize they can shoot through the tinfoil hut, we're even more screwed.  It gets even worse.  The ruckus has got the attention of every zombie in the immediate vicinity.  Surrender is not an option, especially if we started shooting first.  Or they started shooting.  That will end up with us losing our gear and being sent moving again.  I -might- make it due to my own survival instinct.  The older couple won't, and your children are your liability.  You'll have to cave, more or less, and do what they want, and at every opportunity your children will be used against you.

Congratulations.  Your morality has just gotten us all killed, even though it seemed like a good idea at the time. ;)

That is why, in order to survive a situation like that, I will leave the women and children, elderly, sick, injured, whatever, behind.  It is also why I will completely disregard any sense of morality.  Those who travel with me are those who can keep up, who have no attachments that will get their brain in a bind, and who possess useful skills I need.  You say what's the point of living such a bleak life?  I say you have to make the sacrifice so you can have a life when it's over.

Anyway... I went on for too long again.  Like I said, this is an interesting topic for me.  I really can go on and on and on.

Captain Maltese

#27
Hoo boy, so much to respond to. I am going to enjoy this, even though it will take several posts.

-----------

Rubyslippers, first: I do agree that being on a military base when the shit hits the fan is a very favorable scenario. Where I live this is about as likely as winning the top prize in lotto, even though the nearest military vehicle repair station is within walking distance of my home. We are a 5 million person country and have about 25.000 men and women uniform, nationwide. That leaves me with about 0,005 soldiers to watch over my ass in an emergency, and that is before deducting the guys who have been in service for less than a week and the guys in administrative functions. I feel so safe. Not. Oh, and as for police.... on a normal weekend, there are two blue coats watching over the nearest 40.000 citizens. Not two units, not two full patrol car. Two guys.  Yeah we don't have a lot of violent crime in these parts but even so. Imagine having to wait for their help in an actual emergency. I am planning on not ever have to.

That said, a military base has its own inherent hazards. It is such an obvious target, for one thing, although I do agree that an enemy attack on home soil is the least problem American servicemen have. Nor is a terrorist attack likely to do major damage, the sprawling of buildings considered versus what weapon systems are readily available. In my opinion the greatest realistic risk is a virus outbreak, since the US army has not really been trained to deal with this. As proof of this I offer the latest western african outbreak of Ebola. I think something like two thousand american soldiers were sent to Liberia to help out, but most of them ended up not been utilized outside their own camp IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY because they had in no way been trained adequately for the situation. And one thing we did learn of the US preparedness for Ebola inside US borders was that the total of facilities for treating infected cases was five. Not five hospitals but five beds. If this has been improved on in the last year I am not updated. So basically I am seeing a military camp as a place where tens of thousands of people sweat, work, exercise, socialize and eat together then go home to their families. A breeding ground like no other, should a really bad virus strike.

But with a bug out bag and an evac plan you are already better off than most.

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SmokingCamels

Military bases are a bad idea.  Every Tom, Dick, and Sally with a way to get there is going to get there.  Plus, US soldiers, contrary to what the rest of the world wants to believe, are not peace keepers.  They're trained like this.  "Aiiiiirrrrrboooorrrrnnneee.  Shoot.  Shoot.  Shoot-shoot to kill!"  "If I am killed in a Russian front, bury me in a Russian C*nt"  And... lessee, what was another one I remember marching too?  I don't.  But I remember sounding off with, "First platoon is second to none!  If we can't do it, it can't be done!"  I also remember having a Drill Sgt burning these words into my brain.  "Private!  Your job is not to die for your country!  It's to make other people die for theirs!  Now get on that M60 like you own it son!"  Military personnel will do their best, but they will quickly be overwhelmed.  And if they are fighting an invading force too?  The last thing they want is civilians anywhere near their battlefield.

Best bet for real?  Find the criminals.  The drug dealers, the gangsters, and if you're lucky, organized crime.  Motorcycle Clubs, too, are good places.  They've got a lot of the same supplies you want and need, they're going to be just as willing to fight for what is "theirs" and they are, ultimately, going to be more hospitable and useful.

Captain Maltese

SmokingCamels, you bring an interesting edge to this thread and I think some of the points you make are pretty good. I could not possibly bring it all up in a single reply so bear with me.

One point you mention is whether survival hinges on complete solo self focus versus group thinking. The survival of the fittest, if you like.

I am by nature, at least in this phase of my life, a solitary creature. I live by myself and I doubt that will ever change again. One of my remaining goals in life is to be self reliant; to avoid asking anyone for help of any kind if I can manage without. A survival scenario for me is mainly a situation of decreasing access to the goods that cover my needs. However, though I am not close to people I do have relatives within the nearest 50 miles and if disaster struck I would feel a need to check up with them that they are okay, one way or another. Depending on the nature of the emergency I might feel it was my duty to help them. But I would not myself seek out another group of random survivors merely for companionship or to seek support from them. On the other hand I doubt anyone would seek me out for my help, so it all evens up. Every man is an island; it is a harsh way to think but it works for me. I may not be much of a wolf but I never walked with the sheep.

So no, I would not go for survival of the fittest for my part. As I see it there are things worth dying for even when the world ends.

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Lapine

I don't prep for any sort of major catastrophe, but I do for things that seem more likely and definitely survivable:  sudden lack of funds through emergency or loss of job, power outage, things of that nature.  If there were, for instance, a major nuclear war, I'd frankly hope to be gone in the first strike; I'm too old to want to try to deal with surviving both the attack and the "winter" that would follow; that's for younger, stronger folk than me.

SmokingCamels

I'd like to believe that I'd survive any sort of catastrophe.

Something that was pointed out in the post above yours was that "There are things worth dying for."

Eh...

Still a backwards belief in my book.  Maybe there are things worth dying for.  But aren't there things worth living for?  Or is that just how weak the human survival instinct is these days that it's better to die than make a sacrifice and live?  It isn't about death for me.  It's about survival.

AmberStarfire

#32
There are things worth living for but I wouldn't want to compromise myself to do it. I have strong views when it comes to honour and loyalty, death, and protecting myself and others. If I acted in a way that I consider dishonourable, then I would consider myself a lesser person because of it. I'm alive because I've made it this far and when life got hard, I stuck with it. My life is here for me to use constructively, and not just for the sake of survival. Sooner or later I will die, the same as everyone else. If I can help people, I will. If I had to die to save someone I love or who I felt I should save, then I would probably do it. That's not weakness or an inability to survive, that's a choice. That being said, maybe an inability to survive might not hinge on a choice. I just know I would at least try to act properly (as I see it) and take a chance if it means saving another person. Not only would it be the right thing to do (again, from my opinion), but if I didn't, I'd wonder the rest of my life if I could've done more. Conversely, if someone attacked or threatened the life of those I love, I would do what's necessary to take them down.


SmokingCamels

So lets assume that for whatever reason, you are with a group.

Let's say that group is between the ages of 14 and 60, and has at least 10, but no more than 20.  It is mixed gender, and everyone has to contribute to the effectiveness of the whole.  I don't care if you're crippled and in a wheelchair, you can at least sit by a window with a rifle, or make peanut butter sammiches to keep everyone up on their protein, or hell, teach the two guys who can barely spell their name how to read.  But everyone has to contribute in some way or they aren't making it into the group.  Therefore, everyone must be armed even if it's with a baseball bat or makeshift spear, everyone must be able to either provide services, security, or goods, and your first priority at this point is to secure a shelter. 

What do you look for in a "base" for a group that size?

AmberStarfire

#34
Base as in somewhere to stay and avoid the threat?

I'd say it depends on the nature of the threat and what the group is up against. What's the weather like? What natural resources are there nearby that are needed or can be found? What's the terrain like? Is it out in the middle of nowhere or in a city? Is it a temporary situation or a permanent one? 

In any case, I never said I was an expert survivalist. Far from it, actually.


Captain Maltese

A base? Hm, I will bite. I live in a fairly small place; a little bit of suburbia with a nearby industrial area and a lot of rural farming. There's forests and valleys, a big river and the sea in the fjord. In an apocalyptic setting I'd want to be fairly near the sea as that's where the best quick food source can be found. A farm would be an obvious choice as they are sufficiently isolated from other houses that you can control the surroundings with just a couple of scoped rifles and binoculars. There would also be other bonuses like extensive amounts of farming machinery, chemicals of various types, and probably a tool shop large enough to tackle diesel engines.

Utilizing the facility would not be difficult. I'd board up the windows, put a basic observation platform on the roof, and make a gate outside the front door to be able to control how many could enter at the same time. A diesel aggregate would provide electricity for some basic needs like radio and vital light fixtures. Most rural farms here have their own plumbing and water source, but I would also want to fill up basins or tanks with fresh water. Especially since the water supply often require an electrical pump. But we have long long traditions here with farming, so long that electricity and engines are just a recent invention.

The farm would be our base, then, unless the group of survivors increased by a magnitude.   

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SmokingCamels

A farm is a great base.  And if you've got a dairy farm, you've got your food source and a built in fence too.  A gun helps you hold it.  A few guns help it prosper.  Let's not forget the actual barn itself, too.  No, I agree a large farm house (and down here in the south especially) or plantation is exactly a good spot to go. 

Captain Maltese

Quote from: SmokingCamels on March 28, 2016, 06:23:18 AM
I'd like to believe that I'd survive any sort of catastrophe.

Something that was pointed out in the post above yours was that "There are things worth dying for."

Eh...

Still a backwards belief in my book.  Maybe there are things worth dying for.  But aren't there things worth living for?  Or is that just how weak the human survival instinct is these days that it's better to die than make a sacrifice and live?  It isn't about death for me.  It's about survival.

I will attempt very hard to stay alive in any emergency, simply because I refuse to fall over and die on the whim of anyone or anything. That's a spinal instinct. But it has little to do with any desire on my part to extend my life. Sure there are things worth living a little longer for. Read the Terry Pratchett book that I still haven't read. Drink more coffee. Discover a tasty wine. But I would be kidding myself if I saw this as important. What is my life worth anyway? My default fate is to get a bit older, gain some more illnesses, get older, live in pain, and all in all have a good chance to spend the last two decade of my life in a chair and bed with a fantastic view of a corridor and the diaper changes of my three nearest room mates. With luke warm fish fingers and mashed unsalted potatoes for dinner three times per week and porridge the rest of the week. It's the sophisticated ending of life for most western europeans in our times; to go out not with a defiant scream and your hands on a weapon, but with a semi awake gurgle in front of a tv showing the same spineless series over and over. Bedtime is at 1700 because the evening shift is too small to put people to bed. We get older and older for every generations, and a good death is a concept that belongs in history books. The only way to even experience risk is to speed on the highway. And seeing this future, dying for something worthwhile becomes just one more daydream. Were we really warriors once?

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LtRipley

I wouldn't say I'm a survivalist but I have started learning about wild edibles here of late, identifying plants and mushrooms that can be eaten and the like. I've also been learning natural first aid alongside that, so plants that can be used medicinally if you're out and don't have anything on hand to use to control infection or pain.

Captain Maltese

Quote from: Atroxa on March 31, 2016, 03:29:55 PM
I wouldn't say I'm a survivalist but I have started learning about wild edibles here of late, identifying plants and mushrooms that can be eaten and the like. I've also been learning natural first aid alongside that, so plants that can be used medicinally if you're out and don't have anything on hand to use to control infection or pain.

Now there's a useful interest. My skills on this area are rather limited but there is one plant that I have been aware of since I was a kid. Here it's called the 'healing leaf" but the official name is Plantago Major. We can find it at any roadside in my country, and one story insists that it was first spread through Europe by the marching roman armies. The big leaf is simply picked up and put directly on the wound; a poultice is even better. This used to be folklore but modern science has confirmed it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_major

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The Dark Raven

#40
Quote from: SmokingCamels on March 04, 2016, 12:37:05 AM
Interesting topic for me.  I can get quite long winded about it.  I also have some views that a lot of people might not agree with on this.  I will do my best not to offend anyone's sensibilities.  Please understand that this is my view point.

Survival Kit - yes, I have one.

Salt Tablets
Anti-biotics - you can get the pet store ones for fish tanks without a prescription.  They do the same thing.
Full pack of batteries.  D, C, & Double A.  Extra life.
Flashlight
Roll of Quarters
Case of MREs
2 Bottles of Vitamins - I have the chewable, kids ones.  They do the same thing.
First Aid kit, complete with adrenaline shot, extra gauze, and tape.
Extra socks, the thermal ones.
Crowbar
Hatchet
Wooden matches
Duct Tape
Gerber Tool
King sized, heavy duty garbage bags
Leather jacket
Pack of Bic lighters, Lighter Fluid, and a zippo
Steel Toed boots

When it comes to firearms, it depends on the scenario, buuuuut.  I have a crappy High Point .9mm.  .9mm is the most common pistol ammunition there is.  Though my preference is for my sexy .45.  Also keep a Mossberg 12 guage and a box of shells, a lever action 30-30 and a box of shells too.  My 30-30 has a scope and is sighted in to be dead accurate at 100 yards.  My shotgun has been modified with a side saddle, foregrip, and flashlight that I can turn on and off by squeezing the foregrip trigger.  The first one is Bird shot.  The next four are double odd buck.  The last one is a slug, just for good luck. ;)  I've also got a civilian model AK-47 and an AR-15.  I have enough ammunition for each, but again, it depends on the particular disaster as to which one is used.  Sadly, it will be the AR-15 in most cases.  In truth, I'd probably only bother with it if I was forced to hunker down.

You may be wondering why I don't carry water.  2 reasons.  It's heavy and cumbersome, and it's easy enough to get and purify if you've got half a brain.  You may be wondering why I don't have any blankets or stuff like that.  Again, heavy and cumbersome.  I'm quite capable of starting a fire if need be, and breaking into a place that I can secure if need be.

Now, I am the sort who makes up for being slow by carrying extra bullets.

Let's assume this is a major disaster and collapse of government on a large scale.  (Yay, the South really does win the American Civil War)  Let's also, to avoid potential ethnic, religious, and other social conundrums here by sticking to a Zombie Apocalypse.  At least for now.

Here are the things you need to remember.

1.  Stay mobile.  The last thing you want to do is hunker down.  Walkers, Runners, crazed cannibal fanatics, whatever the type, you need to stay mobile.  If you hunker down, sooner or later you are going to attract attention.  Even something as minor as a baby crying or lighting a fire.  If you're not attracting zombies, you are attracting other survivors.
2.  Zombies are affected by terrain too.  Therefore you need to keep to areas where the terrain is to your advantage.
3.  You need to be able to survive for about a year.  By that point, the zombie's body will decay and deteriorate to the point where decomposition has already killed it for you. 
4.  Live and let die.  Discretion is the better part of valor.  If you get stuck with a woman and kids?  Leave them behind.  If you've got wounded?  Leave them behind.  If something is a hundred yards away from you?  Ignore it and quietly move on.  There's no point in wasting ammunition, exposing yourself, or drawing attention.
5.  Everyone is an enemy until they prove otherwise.  You remain cautious, alert, and aggressive.  You show no mercy and no empathy.  You're trying to survive, not die.

Now, lets assume it's a natural disaster, and/or we blast ourselves back to the stone age.

Most of the above rules still apply.  Though in this type of situation, the barter system becomes available.  At which point, you need to also remember

A.  Money is worthless.
B.  Bullets, Medicine, and Women become currency.  Sorry ladies, but it's true.  You've got something most men on the planet want.  It'll help you get what you want.  I'm not trying to be sexist.
C.  Cigarettes & Booze are also highly sought after commodities.
D.  People are, by their very nature, herd animals.  They will eventually re-establish a community and sooner or later one community will produce something the other wants and the cycle will renew itself.

Now, let's assume it's the worst of all possible scenarios, at least for America.  WAR.

If it's a Civil War, we're absolutely screwed.  However, you'll want to make sure you're stocked up on your bullets for the AR-15.  They now are the most common type of ammo.  If it's a foreign army invading the United States, they are screwed.  There isn't really a chance they can win.  There isn't much of a chance at all.  Even if the most logical choice, an EMP detonation rocks several major cities, it's still virtually impossible to do it without the rest of the country knowing.  It would only be possible to blitzkrieg and disable EVERY major city's source of government.  Even still, the civilian population is too prepared to fight.  Add to it, that in this sort of event, mobilizing the military for counter offensives across the country is one of the few things the surviving government will actually be on point about.  Even the worst case scenario turns out quite a bit like Red Dawn.  Hooray for the Tex/Mex border and the Southeast. 

Some things to remember here are...

1.  Avoid the mountains.  Anyone familiar with what happens in the mountains?  Soldiers can't hit you with red dots.  So red dots turn into red triangles.  Mountains become hills.  Hills become rubble.
2.  Statistically, 1 out of every 3 homes in America has a firearm.  3 out of 5 of them have multiple firearms.
3.  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Kind of.  At least until the bullets stop flying at you both.
4.  Celebrities, politicians, and religious zealots are the first to die.  Following them will be the peace keepers, those who are too vocal and paint targets of themselves, sympathizers, and the extremely wealthy.  They have nothing of actual value.  And, as nature intended, survival is for the fittest.  Might does in fact, make right.  You can't talk a bullet into not killing you.  And someone who is trying to kill you wants you to be dumb enough to stand up and try and talk them out of their mission.  Modern media likes to glorify the "art" of diplomacy and tell a story with a happy ending.  The truth is, you get killed, and if you're even remembered, you'll be mocked.  You won't be a martyr, a hero, or anything of the sort.  You'll be just another dead body.  Kinda gloomy, isn't it?
5.  Avoid any source of major transit.  That's one of the easiest ways to get yourself caught and ambushed.
6.  The Bayou is your friend.  Everything there is edible, even if it wants to eat you too.  Heavy armor units can't penetrate it, and the naturally dense cover protects you from being spotted.  The natural heat means you have to worry less about shelter.  And heaven forbids you get a boat... then you head on out to one of the many places in the Caribbean.  Congratulations, you're destined for survival, provided you don't screw it up on your own at this point.

I digress.  I've already said too much, I think.  But I can go on and on and on about this topic.  I also hope nobody is offended by anything I said.  It is not my intention.  :)

You forgot the most important thing.  Water.  You say it is cumbersome and easy for someone to purify "with half a brain."  Without the means to do so (which you do not put in your list), you would be up a creek.  You also do not mention what you would do for warmth without your trusty bic.  What about flint and steel?  What about thermal blankets (that are neither bulky or cumbersome)?

What do you do if your bic fuel spills on your skin?  You automatically have a 2nd degree chemical burn.  Do you know how to fix that in a post-apocalyptic situation?  I do.

Also, if you do not have reloading supplies, no firearm will be useful.  9mm PB do not reload (the brass is too small).  Try a larger gauge, and make sure you have enough powder (and the method to make more), more primers (because those can't be remade for cartridge brass), and a source of bullets.  IF you don't you will be learning black powder methods, which are less accurate, but more deadly.

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Captain Maltese

Umm. Dark Raven, I have no doubt that you have practical experience to back you up. Professional maybe? But I am a home reloader of ammo and 9mm is something I have produced a bit of for my trusty old CZ75, and the number of shells I have had to discard on account of cracking is very very small. But I am well aware that any modern firearm is going to be useless once the supply of ammo and reloading items dries out, so I am looking into getting myself a decent bow too.

I would love to hear more about how to treat burn wounds without professional medical supplies at hand. I think the best I could do for someone right now is put on antibacterial gel and a bandage on top of it.

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The Dark Raven

Quote from: Captain Maltese on April 01, 2016, 04:22:18 PM
Umm. Dark Raven, I have no doubt that you have practical experience to back you up. Professional maybe? But I am a home reloader of ammo and 9mm is something I have produced a bit of for my trusty old CZ75, and the number of shells I have had to discard on account of cracking is very very small. But I am well aware that any modern firearm is going to be useless once the supply of ammo and reloading items dries out, so I am looking into getting myself a decent bow too.

I would love to hear more about how to treat burn wounds without professional medical supplies at hand. I think the best I could do for someone right now is put on antibacterial gel and a bandage on top of it.

My father in law is a gunsmith.  The CB on 9mm is a lot more prone to splits, but also in a survival situation, 9mm really isn't the ideal size to take down something potentially much bigger than a person.

As for treating burns, aloe (the plant) and honey are my natural go-tos.  Honey is naturally antibiotic and neutralizes chemical burns (personal experience with butane lighter fuel).

Check my A/A | O/O | Patience is begged. Momma to Rainbow Babies and teetering toward the goal of published author. Tentatively taking new stories.

Captain Maltese

Quote from: The Dark Raven on April 01, 2016, 04:30:32 PM
My father in law is a gunsmith.  The CB on 9mm is a lot more prone to splits, but also in a survival situation, 9mm really isn't the ideal size to take down something potentially much bigger than a person.

As for treating burns, aloe (the plant) and honey are my natural go-tos.  Honey is naturally antibiotic and neutralizes chemical burns (personal experience with butane lighter fuel).

That is extremely interesting about the honey. I will add it to my emergency stocks since burns are one of the most likely wounds.

I do agree that there are heavier calibres than 9mm out there. But there is one plus about it, and that is that all the cops and military forces - in my country - use 9mm for their pistols and submachine guns, and sports stores and shooting ranges tend to stock it. The only other really popular small arms calibres are .32 and .22 and we both know what stopping power THEY have. But I might get a .44 revolver Magnum one day since I have the loading gear for it already.  Those things are wicked with a scope.

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The Dark Raven

Quote from: Captain Maltese on April 01, 2016, 04:40:31 PM
That is extremely interesting about the honey. I will add it to my emergency stocks since burns are one of the most likely wounds.

I do agree that there are heavier calibres than 9mm out there. But there is one plus about it, and that is that all the cops and military forces - in my country - use 9mm for their pistols and submachine guns, and sports stores and shooting ranges tend to stock it. The only other really popular small arms calibres are .32 and .22 and we both know what stopping power THEY have. But I might get a .44 revolver Magnum one day since I have the loading gear for it already.  Those things are wicked with a scope.

Knowing how people riot and mob stores in emergency situations, the ammo probably won't last after the first week.  You would probably be better served going for bows or spears and learning how to fletch, because those things you can get in the wild.

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Quote from: The Dark Raven on April 01, 2016, 04:44:03 PM
Knowing how people riot and mob stores in emergency situations, the ammo probably won't last after the first week.  You would probably be better served going for bows or spears and learning how to fletch, because those things you can get in the wild.

Let's not forget the crossbows. Depending on the situation they can be very useful at reasonable range and pack a lot of power. I have a small one that I bought online for a few bucks and with a razor tip it's a very real menace. On the other hand the compound bows they sell these days have become considerable tools as well.

As for hunting... I have done that, with shotgun and with rifle. But I would still go for snare hunting first any day if my tummy depends on it. Game is wary.

Fletching is a rare skill these days. Are you experienced with it?

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Quote from: Captain Maltese on April 01, 2016, 04:54:08 PM
Let's not forget the crossbows. Depending on the situation they can be very useful at reasonable range and pack a lot of power. I have a small one that I bought online for a few bucks and with a razor tip it's a very real menace. On the other hand the compound bows they sell these days have become considerable tools as well.

As for hunting... I have done that, with shotgun and with rifle. But I would still go for snare hunting first any day if my tummy depends on it. Game is wary.

Fletching is a rare skill these days. Are you experienced with it?

Fletching is something i would like to get into, but my interest is from my understanding of medieval history.  At any decent draw weight, any bow can be very very deadly.  Crossbows are probably the heaviest draw, by virtue of their size.

You can also fish with a bow and line, as well as a spear.

Check my A/A | O/O | Patience is begged. Momma to Rainbow Babies and teetering toward the goal of published author. Tentatively taking new stories.

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Quote from: The Dark Raven on April 01, 2016, 05:04:54 PM
Fletching is something i would like to get into, but my interest is from my understanding of medieval history.  At any decent draw weight, any bow can be very very deadly.  Crossbows are probably the heaviest draw, by virtue of their size.


Wellllll... the thing about a crossbow is that you can pull the string by various means and lock it, then aim it afterwards and fire it when you need it. A bow of decent draw weight as you say, requires strong arms to be fully pulled and that kinetic energy cannot be held for long. The reason that crossbows gained their notoriety and eventually replaced the bow on the battlefield was the fact that crossbow users require far less training than a bow to become useful. In a postapocalyptic scenario, I would be manufacturing steel crossbows sooner rather than later for defensive roles at least. Imagine the hitting power some car spring steel and steel wire combined with a car jack or pulling winch, could produce when spitting out steel bolts. But you can't beat a good traditional bow for speed and I am so getting one.

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Quote from: Captain Maltese on April 01, 2016, 05:16:33 PM
Wellllll... the thing about a crossbow is that you can pull the string by various means and lock it, then aim it afterwards and fire it when you need it. A bow of decent draw weight as you say, requires strong arms to be fully pulled and that kinetic energy cannot be held for long. The reason that crossbows gained their notoriety and eventually replaced the bow on the battlefield was the fact that crossbow users require far less training than a bow to become useful. In a postapocalyptic scenario, I would be manufacturing steel crossbows sooner rather than later for defensive roles at least. Imagine the hitting power some car spring steel and steel wire combined with a car jack or pulling winch, could produce when spitting out steel bolts. But you can't beat a good traditional bow for speed and I am so getting one.

Where I live, crossbows are illegal for able-bodied folks (i.e., not in a wheelchair), so I have not had any practical use of one.

Check my A/A | O/O | Patience is begged. Momma to Rainbow Babies and teetering toward the goal of published author. Tentatively taking new stories.

Captain Maltese

Quote from: The Dark Raven on April 01, 2016, 07:00:22 PM
Where I live, crossbows are illegal for able-bodied folks (i.e., not in a wheelchair), so I have not had any practical use of one.

"Crossbows are illegal." That is the scariest thing I heard this week. Although some of the laws in my country are as bad. Butterfly knives and switchblades are illegal. I could understand it if they had banned kitchen knives as that is the most popular killing weapon here. But in an apocalyptical scenario the last thing I will worry about is the government showing up.

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