Gun & Prepping News #83

 Some links that may be of interest:

• "Shoot/Don't Shoot"--Active Response Training.  A reminder that just because someone is in your home doesn't mean that they need to be shot. Greg Ellifritz illustrates this by recounting from his law enforcement days an encounter with a woman suffering mental problems trying to get from the garage into the living quarters of a residence. He writes: "While scary and acting erratic, this woman didn’t need to be shot.  I took her into custody for an involuntary mental health evaluation at a psychiatric hospital.  I hope she gets the help she needs to get better."
• Related: "Oklahoma homeowner fatally shoots suspected squatter found living with girlfriend inside vacant house"--New York Post.  Timothy Smith discovered Justin King in a bedroom with an unidentified woman in a residence Smith owned, but did not live in. According to the article, Smith (who was armed) and his daughter had stopped to check on the house after reports of squatters in the area. When he discovered King, there were words exchanged, and King apparently stepped toward Smith, who shot and killed him. "Smith defended his actions," the article recounts, "admitting he didn’t see King with any weapons but that the suspected trespasser shouldn’t have been in the house in the first place." Smith is now being charged with first-degree manslaughter.

• Sometimes we get too focused on self-defense and tactical aspects of firearms and forget the reason we got into shooting--because it was fun! "Shooting Is Fun: How I Rediscovered the Benefits of Rimfire"--American Rifleman.  The article begins:

     So, I recently had the pleasure of attending “Plinkapalooza” at Range Ready in Robert, LA; you might recognize this as the home range of the Gun Talk crew. “Plinkapalooza” was designed to be a celebration of everything rimfire; we had handguns, carbines and rifles in everything from .17 HMR through .22 Mag., with a heavy emphasis on .22 LR. Events were tailored around showcasing the abilities of these firearms and ammunition, but the most important thing was for it to be fun.

    Folks, when I’m telling you it was a LOT of fun, I’m not exaggerating. I’m probably understating it.

    Sometimes we get caught up in the very serious nature of firearms to the exclusion of that fun factor, and it’s good to be reminded that shooting is fun. Obviously, no matter your reason for hitting the range, safety is paramount; beyond that, though, it’s a good thing to take a moment to actually enjoy going to the range. Yes, working with your concealed-carry rig is important for self-defense, training with your rifle keeps perishable long-range skills sharp and practicing with your shotgun keeps your wingshooting fresh. But, let’s be frank—none of these is as fun as plinking informal targets with a .22 rifle.

• "Does It Really Make Sense to Handload Ammunition Anymore?"--Field and Stream.  The two main reasons people have loaded ammunition in the past was to realize a lower cost per round (mostly achieved through recycling brass and, with some reloaders, casting your own bullets) and for better accuracy and quality. But this isn't the 1970s anymore, and the quality of manufactured ammunition is as good or better than most people will be able to realize out of their own reloading. Which brings us to the economics:

 Right now, 1,000 rounds of cheap 9mm FMJ ammunition will cost you about 36 cents per shot. That works out to $360 for the lot. Assuming you already have 1,000 9mm cases, the rest of the components—bullets, powder, and primers—to reload that many rounds will run you about $295. That means you’ll save about $65. If you’re talking rifle cartridges, the components are a bit more expensive, but you can also save a bit more. If you already have the brass to reload 1000 rounds of .223 Remington FMJ ammo, the rest will cost you around $320. Compared to the least expensive factory ammo, you’ll save about $180.

That's great if you already have the equipment. But, if not...

 That said, you’ll also need to shell out for reloading tools to make the ammo. A good progressive press will run you at least $500. A single-stage press is much less expensive; the RCBS Partner Press, for example, is only $127. Either way, you’re going to need some additional tools and can expect to pay as much as $200 for them. If you go the single-stage route, a press that comes in a kit is your best bet, but you’re still looking at least $250 for a minimalist set up.

The author sums up:

 Given these numbers, and at an average savings of about $120 per thousand rounds, if you go the single-stage route, you’ll have to load around 3,000 rounds to break even on the components plus the cost of the tools. If you’re working with a progressive press, you’re going to have to produce about 7,000 rounds to do that same. Either way, over the course of a year you’ll have to shoot between 250 and 500 rounds per month to make use of your investment. And remember, these numbers only apply if you already have the empty cases. If you don’t, brass will cost you between 10 and 20 cents each, adding another $100 to $200 to every thousand rounds, which could completely offset your savings. (Financially, by the way, you’re better off buying ammunition and using the fired brass.)

To reduce cost, you can look for used reloading equipment. Reloading tools do not hold their value as well as firearms; often you can find killer deals. I’ve known more than several shooters who’ve scored a truck load of reloading equipment from people who just wanted their ex-spouse’s crap out of the house. You can also partner up with a buddy and split the cost on tools and even components.   

I sort of lucked into a great deal on my reloading equipment: a lady I worked with had bought a pretty good set up for her husband, an avid hunter, but it turned out he had no interest in reloading, so she sold it to me for about half of the cost. And I also used the "buy the loaded ammunition and save the brass" route to acquire much of my brass, together with long hours visiting different popular shooting locations on public land and picking up the brass others had left behind. However, I have on occasion purchased new brass, such as when I started loading for the .300 BLK. In that instance, I initially bought some Winchester brass, but switched to Starline because it was less expensive. I like Starline. 

• "As America Turns 250, the Guns That Won the Revolution Sit Outside Modern Gun Control – Mostly"--The Truth About Guns.  I'd said a long time ago that one of the points against buying "antique" guns for prepping is that there exemption from firearm regulations could always be changed, and now we see people challenging some of the exemptions. 
• "The Three Gun Battery for Self-Defense"--Civilian Gunfighter.  His recommendations:
•  First, a 9mm handgun suitable for self-defense and training purposes that can serve for both concealed carry and for self-defense. You know where this is heading--the author adds: "If I were pressed to recommend a specific gun, I would advise the purchase of a Glock 19, although there are many other good choices."
• Second, an AR-15 rifle or carbine. The reason given is that it pushes your defensive envelope out further should that be necessary, it can be pressed into hunting duties if needed, and can be set up to an ideal weapon for self-defense.
• Third, he recommends a pistol or rifle in .22 LR, explaining: "The .22 is ideal for teaching young or inexperienced shooters, offers economical practice and training options, and is suitable for small game hunting. In my opinion, the best .22 firearm would be a clone of one of the two firearms already acquired."

Finally, he adds:

 

Once your budget allows for further purchases beyond the three gun battery, rather than diversifying your armory, I’m going to suggest a different tactic. Buy ammunition and magazines for the guns you already own. Ideally, I think you should have 1000 rounds per caliber and 10 magazines per gun. This allows you to practice and train at your leisure, and ensures your ability to continue to train and fight when ammunition availability is compromised by political or societal crisis. Anyone who has sought out ammunition during gun control scares or at times of civil unrest or urban rioting can understand the comfort that a stash of ammunition can provide. 

• "A Basic 5-Gun Battery of Handguns [2024]"--Primer Peak.  The author considered paring down his collection of handguns and conducted a thought experiment as to what handguns he would need to satisfy his needs and shooting habits: "I eventually settled on five handguns: a Glock 17, a Glock 26, a Colt 1911, and two Smith and Wesson revolvers — a K22 and a 442. "
• "Ruger P89 Review: For What it Isn’t"--Hipster Tactical.  A review of the P89 and why the author does not believe it was a compromise weapon. The P89 was a refinement of its predecessor, the P85, which Ruger had introduced for the military pistol trials. I had a friend who had a P85 and it was a pretty good pistol, so sometime in the early 90s I sold a Taurus PT92 I owned and purchased the P89 (because the P85s were no longer being made). Overall it was a good gun and built like a tank, but nothing that excited me. It wasn't as accurate as the PT92 had been (nor as accurate as the P85 my friend had) and there wasn't the aftermarket support for it that other pistols had. I eventually sold it. 
• "WA2000: The Bullpup Sniper Rifle with a Past"--Recoil.  A history of this iconic, but apparently little used, rifle. 
• "The SOLGW MK1 Controversy Explained"--The Truth About Guns.  Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW) makes a rifle called the MK1 that won the SOCOM contract for a combat assault rifle.

The SOCOM-selected MK1 features the ARMAD steel barrel, chrome-lined and QPQ-finished, with a service life reportedly extending to 70,000 rounds in machine gun testing. The select-fire variant uses materials and metallurgy specifically engineered for the contract — built to take a beating at a level most civilian shooters will never encounter. That rifle is the result of a multi-year development effort, and every component was analyzed and refined for maximum reliability in the most austere environments on earth.  

 

But the MK1 that SOLGW sells to the public for $3,200 is not that rifle, according to the TTAG article. For one, it does not come with the ARMAD steel barrel. In fact, according to the article, "[t]he two most integral components of any AR-pattern rifle — the barrel and the BCG — are, on the civilian MK1, more or less standard." And, currently at least, the ARMAD barrel is not even an option for the civilian version.  

• And the hybrid cartridge developed for the .277 Fury may already be obsolete: "Federal Signs Agreement With U.S. Army to Improve Ammo Performance"--American Rifleman. 

    Federal Ammunition announced this week that it has entered into an agreement that allows the U.S. Army to utilize its patented Peak Alloy ammunition case technology for use in multiple cartridges and weapon systems. Terms specify certain conditions necessary prior to granting government purpose rights, such as the delivery of 40 million cases that feature the cutting-edge technology.

    Peak Alloy first appeared on the commercial market in 2025 when Federal Ammunition introduced it in the company’s all new 7 mm Backcountry cartridge. The material was used in the high-strength, proprietary steel alloy casing, which enables significantly higher chamber pressure than traditional brass—in excess of 80,000 PSI. As a result, bullet velocity increases in smaller, lighter, shorter-barreled rifles typically configured for suppressors.

    “At higher pressures, Peak Alloy cases ‘hang on’ in the chamber and absorb some of that rearward force, thereby limiting the amount transferred to the firearm to a level it was built to manage,” Federal Rifle Ammunition Managing Engineer Jake Burns explained to NRA Editor Emeritus John Zent in 2025. “That’s where the ‘magic’ happens.” 

• They make everything from motorcycles to chain saws to sewing machines, but they also made rifles: "Fudd Friday: Watch Out For Husqvarna’s Bargain Rifles On The Used Rack"--The Firearm Blog. An excerpt:

     There are several options to look for here, starting with the Husqvarna 1640s I mentioned above. These are made in America-friendly calibers like .30-06 or .270, as well as calibers that are more common in Scandinavia, like 6.5x55mm, 7x57mm, 9.3x62mm or 8x57mm. They also came chambered for belted magnums, including 358 Norma Magnum and 7mm Remington Magnum, although these are less common.

     Why buy a 1640? Because this Mauser-pattern bolt action, built from the early 1950s until the late 1960s, was built to a quality standard that few other commercial rifles for the mass market could match (we’re talking the equivalent of a pre-’64 Winchester Model 70 here, the cream of the crop for the working man). And the 1640 was a bit of an odd design, too; not a large-ring Mauser 98 action, but a small-ring full-length controlled-feed version of the Mauser 98.

    This was a natural evolution of Sweden’s long-standing production of small-ring Mausers. While some might question the small-ring action’s capability to handle full-power loads, let alone belted magnums, the 1640 series was made of fine, modern steel and these guns can handle the heat.

    And even though they’re basically laid out like a Mauser 98, Husqvarna baked some improvements into the design, particularly the slide-safety on the side of the action, instead of the back-of-the-bolt design the original Mauser 98 used, which doesn't work well with a low-mounted scope—the safety bumps into the rear eyepiece when it’s rotated. Not so on the Husqvarna 1640.

• "POTD: Ruger LCP MAX with ReadyDot Micro Reflex Sight"--The Firearm Blog.  The ready dot is an optic designed by Ruger specifically for the Ruger LCP Max. It uses fiber optics to gather light rather than relying on electronics. It uses a 15 MOA aiming dot, so it is obviously placing important on fast accusation and shooting at shorter distances. 
• "Military snipers are being put out of a job by drones"--MSN. Drones have largely replaced snipers in the Ukrainian military. 

    Unmanned vehicles are particularly suited to the sniper’s two main tasks of reconnaissance and targeted killing. Their key advantages include their bigger visual range, maneuverability and expendability: If the mission fails, the loss is a craft worth thousands of dollars rather than a life.

    Ukraine still uses snipers. The U.S. also continues to train them. But in Ukraine they are being used less and in a changing role that is becoming more dangerous. Many snipers, like Kovalskiy, believe the era of sniping has passed.

    “Drones are just more effective and cost less,” said Kovalskiy, who is part of a military counterintelligence division of the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU.

• "TTAG Review: Olight’s Updated ArkPro Ultra EDC Flashlight"--The Truth About Guns.  This is a flattened design (rather than a tubular design) intended to be easier to carry in the pocket. It has a max output of 1,700 lumens in "turbo" mode but the standard output is 800 lumens. It also features a UV light and a green laser pointer. MSRP is about $130. 
• "Emergency PPE for Disasters"--True Prepper.  As the author notes: "Disasters and emergencies can be dirty, stinky, hazardous messes where you’ll want to protect your hands, skin, eyes, and airway. PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, can help you with that protection." It doesn't even have to be a major regional disaster. It could instead be a fire and explosion of a train carrying chemicals, at a chemical plant or storage, or smoke from widespread wild fires. In any event, the author discusses Everyday PPE--basically what you would need for 99% of your needs--as well as equipment suitable for CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) events. He also covers decontamination and organizing your PPE gear. 
• "The Most Dangerous Volcanic Threat to America Is Coming. And It Doesn’t Need an Eruption to Begin."--Popular Mechanics.  The threat are huge mudflows, called lahars.

    What makes a lahar so perilous? Start with its unpredictable behavior, as the slurry of sediment, rocky debris, and water begins at the top of a volcano and travels downslope, moving very quickly and covering large distances. In mere minutes, a lahar can flow down a volcano and level anything in its path. “They are complex phenomena that change a lot during transport,” National Autonomous University of Mexico volcanologist Lizeth Caballero García, told Pop Mech in this feature story. “They can grow, they can dilute.”

    And there’s good reason why United States Geological Survey (USGS) researchers have deemed lahars the “most threatening hazard” in the Cascades: They pose a direct danger to surrounding communities. For instance, around 150,000 people live in Washington’s Pierce County—in the middle of the projected lahar path of volcano Mount Rainier, located just around 60 miles from Seattle. 

• "How to mulch your garden beds without harming plants"--Associated Press. The article explains that "Mulch is defined as a protective layer applied over soil to retain moisture, suppress weeds and moderate soil temperature around plants, as well as in uncultivated areas," and can be made of "gravel, plastic sheeting and shredded tires to organic materials like compost, pine needles, shredded bark, hay, straw and wood chips." However, some materials should be avoided altogether, and some materials (like gravel) should only be used in certain environments. The best, according to the author, is wood chips. 
• "Microgardening means getting a surprisingly big harvest from a windowsill or balcony garden"--Associated Press. Some tips on maximizing your output from a very small vegetable or herb garden.
• "How To Get Paint Out Of Carpet Without Ruining The Fibers"--Southern Living. Instructions for both water based and oil based paints. 
• "Survival Experiences in Nature – Caribbean Edition"--Caribbean Trading. I was looking for this type of information after watching an episode of the British television show, Death in Paradise, which featured a murder on a survivalist compound. This article briefly covers some of the variety of terrain and climate, dealing with weather and mosquitoes, and some essential survival gear and experience. It seems oriented toward the traveler that is planning on exploring the islands away from the general tourist locations.
• "20 Survival Tips For Living on a Tropical Island"--Another Rum Punch. This article is intended for people moving to the Caribbean, such as for retirement, rather than just visiting with tips on making your life more enjoyable and warning of infrastructure issues you may have to deal with.  
• "Super El Niño of 1877 caused over 50 MILLION deaths worldwide – now scientists warn the 2026 event could be even worse"--Daily Mail. I will acknowledge that this is just more environmental scare tactics. Nevertheless, the famine that resulted from the 1877 even was real. Although most of the information about the famine focuses on India (termed the Great Famine) its impact was much more widespread. From the article:

    The 1877 El Niño was one of the most severe climate events in recorded history, triggering a global humanitarian disaster known as The Great Famine.

    Climate reconstructions suggest water temperatures in a key region of the Pacific Ocean rose by 2.7°C (4.86°F), which caused disruption to rainfall patterns around the world.

     Estimates indicate the resulting scarcity of food and disease outbreaks killed up to four per cent of the Earth's population at the time.

    That would be the equivalent of at least 250 million people if it happened today.

    Now, forecasts suggest water temperatures could potentially exceed 3°C (5.4°F) above average later this year – making the upcoming super El Niño even more powerful than the one nearly 150 years ago.

    'Simultaneous multiyear droughts similar to those in the 1870s could happen again,' Deepti Singh, associate professor at Washington State University, told the Washington Post.

[snip]

    Many climate historians think the 1877–78 event reshaped world history and some consider it one of the first 'truly global climate disasters'.

    Drought conditions, which had already been developing for several years, were intensified – causing crops to collapse across huge areas.

    India was among the worst–hit regions as monsoon rains disappeared, while Northern China suffered devastating dry spells that led to harvest failures.

    In Brazil rivers dried up and agriculture collapsed, while parts of Africa, southeast Asia and Australia also experienced severe drought and forest fires.

    The resulting famine weakened societies, intensified colonial control in some regions, accelerated migration and exposed how vulnerable global food systems were to climate shocks.

    There were also outbreaks of malaria, plague, dysentery, smallpox and cholera across weakened populations.

• More: "What Caused the Great Famine?"--State of the Planet. A more in-depth look at the 1877 event.
• More: "Climate and the Global Famine of 1876–78"--Journal of Climate. A scientific paper that goes into even more detail on the droughts and the causes of the droughts.