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Thread: Bug Out BOX ?

  1. #41
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Please don't take this the wrong way but from your description of it having a little Dandy scale, etc. you sound like my wife packing for an overnight trip. LOL

    To me, a kit like you want to put together would want to be as light as possible and as small as possible but still allow you to reload in a survival situation. A container of powder - as big or small as you think is necessary and a dipper to go with it. Dippers are easy to make out of empty brass casings and allow you to be pretty consistent in grain weight - thus eliminate the need for a scale. A set of Lyman 310 handles and dies for the caliber. Smaller yet would be one of the Lee classic loading kits. Everything you need to load a cartridge. If you need to resize your brass - then one of the old Lyman whack a sizers. Primers, cast or purchased boolits and a quantity of brass. Keep it size and keep it light and as small as possible. If you feel the need to be able to cast - a very small dipper and lead ingots small enough to fit the ladle so you can melt over a wood fire. A single cavity mold. To size, one of the old Lee bullet sizers that you use a mallet on to drive the boolit through. Forget the mallet in the kit - a thick stick or similar will work on the sizer. And if you think you need heat to melt lead - then most folks would have a package of waterproof matches. Matches are fine but a good flint and steel striker with char cloth and some flax tow will give you a fire every time.

    A box is not going to be the handiest thing to carry if you are on the move. I'd be looking at some sort of shoulder bag, fanny pack or other soft sided zipper bag that would stuff in to a back pack if you have one.

    I always keep going back to my muzzleloading experiences from the last 50 + years ands putting together a hunting pouch. Less is better. So many people carry so much stuff just because "they might need it". You have to ask yourself "what is really necessary". Example: Suppose your "grab gun" is a revolver or semi-auto. How many loaded cartridges will you actually have? Will you be able to retrieve your spent casings if using a semi? If you include empty cases in your grab bag, then you can save a little space by using a case such as the MTM with primed brass in it - seal it to keep it water proof with some tape. If you carry a case of 50 pistol casings that are already primed, that's one process you wouldn't have to do and 50 primers not taking up space in your kit. If you carry a MTM case of 20 bottle neck rifle casings - prime them - the same applies.

    It's an interesting concept to ponder over and I'm sure there are as many opinions as there are people. And I'm pretty sure that if the need arose that you used the kit, you'd find things in it you would toss and things you'd add. Water, food, shelter, heat and a means of obtaining those things should dictate the necessities as well as what conditions you may find yourself in.

  2. #42
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I always read these threads with interest as I have always leaned a bit towards the survivalist side but... I think the reality of it all is that:

    - there is unlikely to be an "end of the world" scenario in which "you" survive and get to keep all the stuff you have collected
    - if you aren't killed in the "end of the world" scenario then a lot of other people aren't killed either and most of them won't be prepared to survive... and there will be lots of them
    - if you stay put with all your stuff in a "stronghold", more or less on your own, you are a target and I believe you will be overrun and your stuff taken
    - if you "bug out" you will not be taking all your reloading equipment and supplies because you quite simply can't carry it all and in an end of the world scenario it is unlikely roads will be passable, if you live in or near a city anyway, so driving and/or pulling a trailer is out. If you live in a rural area a long ways from a city you might get some motorized travel in, until you run out of gas anyway, then you are where you are. If you got there, others will get there.
    - if you "bug out" with minimal gear to survive and get far enough away from people to have a chance you won't be carrying much and you won't be taking family unless they are grown and tough
    - if you "bug out" as an individual or small group you may do alright in a wild area until you run out of reloading supplies. If you planned to reload and have say Lee Loaders or 310 tool or similar that is light and packable, you can scavenge wheelweights if you can get near some abandoned vehicles (with lead wheelweights) but what about powder and primers? you can't carry a lifetime supply.
    - when powder or primers run out the man with a bow is king! And the man who knows how to make a use a wood bow with plant fiber string is the king of kings! He is certainly your boss.
    - In that "end of the world" scenario where there is no society and no law those that can stay hidden, hunt and forage quietly and make their own weapons are most likely to survive.

    I recall talk show interview with a prepper advocate many years ago. He was all set up in a rural area with a lifetime supply of "everything". His comment was that when the Russian invasion came he had 200 miles of neighbours with guns the Russians would have to get through to get to him and they would fight the Russians off before they got to his place.

    My thought was that the 200 miles of neighbors with guns would be coming through his place taking what he had on their way through. That's a lot of neighbours with guns and if he wasn't prepared to share I think they would take what he had. He would not have enough ammunition to fight them all off and even if he did he couldn't stay awake long enough to fight them all off. Should the neighbours pass him by then he would face a well prepared army. Its a no win for him in my opinion.

    The world is a crowded place now (327,589,916 people in the US) and you are not Jeremiah Johnson choosing to live in the wilds alone... there will be thousands of Jeremiah Johnsons in the same bush you are in. Would you shoot them on sight? I'm betting some of them would shoot you on sight.

    I do not believe we will see an "end of the world" event unless it is an asteroid strike or other massive natural disaster. I sincerely doubt we will see a nuclear holocaust or Russian or North Korean (or whoever else) invasion that would leave the entire country helpless without military or law. Mass death through some contagious disease or biowarfair is a possibility or some large natural disaster leaving many isolated for weeks or months but again unlikely to leave people totally without any society to help.

    In any serious event, whatever it is, that leaves people isolated and in need I think forming a community with others is the best bet. Many won't be prepared but most, I believe, will help the best they can if they realize it is in everyone's best interests. A community can fight off individuals or small groups, a community has a diverse skill set ~ medical knowledge, farming, mechanics, cooks, carpenters, etc. When you get sick or hurt, and you will, who takes care of you in the wild on your own?

    Man is a tribal animal and functions best with others around.

    My view anyway.

    Longbow

  3. #43
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
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    I had what I feel is the perfect "bug out" set up, a 30' sailboat moored in So. CA. In less than an hour I could be away from most "danger/looting/rioting" and I always had lots of food and drinkable water stored on board (in case we wanted a quick weekend get away we just hopped on board "Faith" and sailed away). The ocean has always a good food source for me and I would never starve as there's a lot more food in the sea other than fish. A couple of my 44s went with me on my solo trips just for fun, my 629 and my SS Ruger SBH. I'm not sure how my regular steel guns would survive in the salty air and I never tried but with care perhaps my Garand would last a few years...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  4. #44
    Boolit Master
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    45 LC pistol and levergun combo requires only a Lee Classic manual reloading set.

  5. #45
    Boolit Master


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    My way too. Best option I have read. Skeeter Skelton wrote an article on this years ago and that's basically the conclusion he came to after much thinking./beagle

    Quote Originally Posted by Pavogrande View Post
    Like many of you I am way too old to "bug out" -- I just could not survive in the wilds, its a chore surviving here.

    In an evacuation type scenerio I would just take the 10/22 take down, 22 revolver, and a brick and hope for the best -
    diplomacy is being able to say, "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.....

  6. #46
    Boolit Master
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    I have hunted far from home for a week or more several times.
    Food, water, toilet paper, cooking equipment, shelter etc all need more consideration than ammo.
    EDG

  7. #47
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    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by longbow View Post
    I always read these threads with interest as I have always leaned a bit towards the survivalist side but... I think the reality of it all is that:

    - there is unlikely to be an "end of the world" scenario in which "you" survive and get to keep all the stuff you have collected
    - if you aren't killed in the "end of the world" scenario then a lot of other people aren't killed either and most of them won't be prepared to survive... and there will be lots of them
    - if you stay put with all your stuff in a "stronghold", more or less on your own, you are a target and I believe you will be overrun and your stuff taken
    - if you "bug out" you will not be taking all your reloading equipment and supplies because you quite simply can't carry it all and in an end of the world scenario it is unlikely roads will be passable, if you live in or near a city anyway, so driving and/or pulling a trailer is out. If you live in a rural area a long ways from a city you might get some motorized travel in, until you run out of gas anyway, then you are where you are. If you got there, others will get there.
    - if you "bug out" with minimal gear to survive and get far enough away from people to have a chance you won't be carrying much and you won't be taking family unless they are grown and tough
    - if you "bug out" as an individual or small group you may do alright in a wild area until you run out of reloading supplies. If you planned to reload and have say Lee Loaders or 310 tool or similar that is light and packable, you can scavenge wheelweights if you can get near some abandoned vehicles (with lead wheelweights) but what about powder and primers? you can't carry a lifetime supply.
    - when powder or primers run out the man with a bow is king! And the man who knows how to make a use a wood bow with plant fiber string is the king of kings! He is certainly your boss.
    - In that "end of the world" scenario where there is no society and no law those that can stay hidden, hunt and forage quietly and make their own weapons are most likely to survive.

    I recall talk show interview with a prepper advocate many years ago. He was all set up in a rural area with a lifetime supply of "everything". His comment was that when the Russian invasion came he had 200 miles of neighbours with guns the Russians would have to get through to get to him and they would fight the Russians off before they got to his place.

    My thought was that the 200 miles of neighbors with guns would be coming through his place taking what he had on their way through. That's a lot of neighbours with guns and if he wasn't prepared to share I think they would take what he had. He would not have enough ammunition to fight them all off and even if he did he couldn't stay awake long enough to fight them all off. Should the neighbours pass him by then he would face a well prepared army. Its a no win for him in my opinion.

    The world is a crowded place now (327,589,916 people in the US) and you are not Jeremiah Johnson choosing to live in the wilds alone... there will be thousands of Jeremiah Johnsons in the same bush you are in. Would you shoot them on sight? I'm betting some of them would shoot you on sight.

    I do not believe we will see an "end of the world" event unless it is an asteroid strike or other massive natural disaster. I sincerely doubt we will see a nuclear holocaust or Russian or North Korean (or whoever else) invasion that would leave the entire country helpless without military or law. Mass death through some contagious disease or biowarfair is a possibility or some large natural disaster leaving many isolated for weeks or months but again unlikely to leave people totally without any society to help.

    In any serious event, whatever it is, that leaves people isolated and in need I think forming a community with others is the best bet. Many won't be prepared but most, I believe, will help the best they can if they realize it is in everyone's best interests. A community can fight off individuals or small groups, a community has a diverse skill set ~ medical knowledge, farming, mechanics, cooks, carpenters, etc. When you get sick or hurt, and you will, who takes care of you in the wild on your own?

    Man is a tribal animal and functions best with others around.

    My view anyway.

    Longbow
    Excellent post! you pretty much covered all the bases. Reality is a ***** huh?

    Randy
    Last edited by ShooterAZ; 05-20-2018 at 03:12 PM.
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  8. #48
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    The best tool to have after any event will be knowledge. Not just knowledge of cartridge making, but as is said, medical, farming, animal husbandry, mechanical repair, electronic repair, anything and every adds value to your skill set. Learning all you can learn about cartridge manufacture now, surely will help though when you have to figure out how to take that odd can of rifle powder and make usable ammo. There is a lot more people in the world that can do medical, or gardening, than can reload, so while it is a specialized field, I believe it will become a very valuable skill to whichever community you happen to be associated with.

    I personally think, any survivors will live similar to the way the colonists once lived, small towns that trade with other small towns... and rumors of witches will cause us to burn others at the stake, so to speak.

    There was a neat special episode on the history channel 5 years back or so, about life after an apocalypse.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtP80Z08lfg

    While i dont agree totally with everything, I really think it is realistic as to what we might could expect.

  9. #49
    Boolit Master



    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    As far "bugging out", I am 76 years old with a bum ticker and running 100 yards would be a chore and a threat to my health too. I have several rifles, several shoguns, and several pistols--all with plenty of ammo to go with each. I figure if the economic bust starts a major panic and starts up people on the march like a tide on rats looking for food ( like happened in the trenches of WW I when the rats traveled the countryside like a moving carpet in the late evening), I will just hunker down and fight it out as long as my life and ammo lasts. I won't go down easy though, that I can assure hostile characters. Lets pray that it doesn't come to that, james

  10. #50
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    There is a lot more people in the world that can do medical, or gardening, than can reload, so while it is a specialized field, I believe it will become a very valuable skill to whichever community you happen to be associated with.
    You make a great point.

    Hanging around with other loaders, especially casters, we forget how rare is our knowledge and skill in the broader populace.

    Such closely held knowledge and skills would be of immense value after a big enough whatever; and, with the exercise of our particular knowledge and skills rather tool dependent, I can see real value in keeping some of those tools handy anytime the current mode of transport allows.

    Fine guns were once commonly sold and cased with their loading tools.

    That falling from favor was no favor to self-sufficiency nor preparedness.
    The first purpose of the Second Amendment is too often overlooked, fostering a liberty of mind and action necessary in the people of a free republic.


    “Ironically, the only gun control in 19th century England was the policy forbidding police to have arms while on duty.”
    ~ Don B. Kates, Jr.

  11. #51
    Boolit Master
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    22lr for food. Wilson hand dies, hand primer, and powder scoop from a cut down case. Mallet instead of a press.

  12. #52
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Well..............while y'all are busy "buggin out" and leaving most all your GOOD stuff behind, I will be there GETTING all your stuff you left behind! Won't need to cast or reload......you will have done all that for me already!!!!

    HA........ha!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check