How prepared for whatever are we really.......

[Harter66]

I've been reading over some older threads mostly for new/old interest.

How often I read "remember when you couldn't get anything for 2 yr that's why I stocked up in 72 after the big scare in 68" . Well that's all fine and well but I was 6 in 72 and it didn't really occur to me to lay in everything needed for every calibre just in case . I muddled through the Clinton administration never believing we would actually be looking into an abyss where everything was actually just a few chained events from Mad Max.

To be truly ready a guy ought to have a 5000+ sqft bunker with at least 18" of steel reenforced concrete and 3 sea vans of groceries laid in and another in AA&E . Just so you can kick it in your bunker for the 1st 3 yr and mow down everything that tries to get in.
Back in the real world that million dollar party shack an a million dollar cash isn't viable really .
The 22 LR isn't viable for some of us because bears and mountain lions are scavengers and if disaster strikes me ......wait silly me it's 75 miles to Walmart and 120 to Kmart the other way for the closest one. Population density 1.6 and I will be over run by GIs in 72 hrs .

I guess maybe if a guy were to lay in bbls in a given twist for 30 cal and tools to swap them. 300 Savage, 308 , 7.7 Arisaka and 06' should allow you to battle field shop or use up the 06' brass and a 45 ACPor GAP . Of course just tooling up for 223 and 9mm might be better since that's what all the forces are using. How much are you really willing to stock up ,where would you store it ,if you plan on sticking it out are you fortified enough to keep the guys out ?

After thinking about it , It probably wouldn't matter if I had a laid in fully stocked presidential bunker I'd still be the first 1 eaten by a zombie anyway .
I really don't know what got me all fired up about this again maybe I need to back off the news paper again.

Disregard these ramblings

[GRUMPA]

Things that are of an unknown always seems to spark the worse case scenario.

We live remote, and I mean remote, someone would have to have resources just to get this far out. They would need to know whats here before they even came out this far. Your not getting water out here unless you have a well, and folks that have wells for the most part use a generator, and from what I've been hearing from them I ask them, how much gas do you have to run that generator to pump that water out of the ground. Believe me I get the look from them like I have 2 heads, not to much in the brain pan department if you ask me.

We have enough around here for about 2-3yrs, after that it's time to go hunt, or hunt and have your things last longer. Not so much as "what if" it's just the way we've always been. We don't give the doom and gloom much thought to be honest, we like to be self reliant as much as possible on my levels. Skills are what we pride ourselves on being the most, most folks around here talk a good story but come up real short of actual results.

[Lead Fred]

I bought 10,000 30-06 LC cases for 5.5 cents each many years ago.
Now that Im down to tow odd sixes from five.Ive got enough to last my life time
and my grand son's.

Silly libards can ban all they want.

[Artful]

I bought 10,000 30-06 LC cases for 5.5 cents each many years ago.
Now that Im down to tow odd sixes from five.Ive got enough to last my life time
and my grand son's.

Silly libards can ban all they want.

Did you mean confiscate?

[quilbilly]

Now you've done it. As I think about this, I realize I live 8 miles (crow flies) from Bangor Subase, one of the largest ballistic missile bases in the world which is on the receiving end of multiple nuclear warheads. Also, I live right next to an earthquake fault as well as about 120 miles from a subduction fault due for a 9.0 sometime soon. Paleo seismologists tell me I live in an area prone to 200 foot high inland tsunamis created by landslides into our local fjord in an earthquake (the elevation of our house is 180 feet). On that note, Wednesday will be a fine day to go duck hunting.

[Harter66]

See what I mean ? We live at nearly a 3 fault jct between up thrust granite and lava cones 50 miles from a known dormant volcano.

I sure would rather be throwing deks this morning than pushing paper.

So the story goes all we can do is brace for impact and hope it doesn't happen again.

[Love Life]

Now you've done it. As I think about this, I realize I live 8 miles (crow flies) from Bangor Subase, one of the largest ballistic missile bases in the world which is on the receiving end of multiple nuclear warheads. Also, I live right next to an earthquake fault as well as about 120 miles from a subduction fault due for a 9.0 sometime soon. Paleo seismologists tell me I live in an area prone to 200 foot high inland tsunamis created by landslides into our local fjord in an earthquake (the elevation of our house is 180 feet). On that note, Wednesday will be a fine day to go duck hunting.

When the SHTF (Russian nuke attack, followed by earthquake ray attack, followed by martial law), you aren't going to make it! Lol.

[jcwit]

When the SHTF (Russian nuke attack, followed by earthquake ray attack, followed by martial law), you aren't going to make it! Lol.

YUP! The chances look pretty slim.

[runfiverun]

I moved closer to the yellow stone caldera just to make sure I don't survive the blast.
I was living right on the Wasatch fault line before that.
they are both a billion years past due for a go, but I figured if I'm going out I might as well leave some archaeological evidence behind for someone to wonder at in another 2-k years.
at least we don't get big tornadoes here.

[quilbilly]

:bigsmyl2:
When the SHTF (Russian nuke attack, followed by earthquake ray attack, followed by martial law), you aren't going to make it! Lol. Hence we live in the woods at the end of the road with a stream full of fish in the backyard next to good neighbors who use my shooting ranges and help hang the deer in the barn. Don't forget the clams, oysters and crabs on the beach ten minutes away by bicycle. In case of martial law, its easy to drop trees at the end of the road with my hand-dandi chainsaw.

[Love Life]

Plus you have your pet mountain lion.

[AK Caster]

A 25 pound of beans and another of rice and small supply of canned goods. Have a freezer stocked with game meat and enough gas to power the small generator to run it for a month or so. I have other things to worry about instead of a dooms day worse case that I seriously doubt will ever come in my or my kids lifetime

[quilbilly]

Plus you have your pet mountain lion. She (Penelope) got into trouble when she took the kids up and ate the neighbor lady's llamas (3). I didn't find out until I had jury duty with her (the neighbor lady) and had to apologize repeatedly throughout the court case. Penelope is still around though and I thought sure she would have another litter of kittens in our backyard but she didn't.

[MaryB]

I stock commonly used food items just to save on the 60 mile round trips to get groceries. I can go a month usually between trips... if I set up some form of indoor grow for lettuce this winter I can probably go every 3 months! I slowly bought double of everything for 6 months in a row, that gave me a years supply of staples. I have a minimum of 1k rounds loaded for every caliber I own plus lots of brass, enough lead to last a year or two... and enough powder to load 4-5k rounds of each caliber in pistol rounds, and probably 2k rounds of 223...

[RogerDat]

If we have any sort of apocalypse I am not going to wear a red shirt. I watched Star Trek and I know the guys with the red shirts are nothing but alien monster snacks. Me I have blue in different shades, and camo, and some green but no red shirts. Well some flannel but those are mostly black, really..... way to black to make me a red shirt wearing monster snack.

Sometimes it is the well thought out survival plans that save your life eh? No red shirts!

[starmac]

We all whine and cry when primers and powder gets scarce, I guess I shouldn't leave out 22 ammo either, but what would we do if it came down to like it was in WW2, where everything including were rationed or non existant.
My grandad had a small trucking company, the govt procured his 3 trucks, one of them brand new. They did give them back after 3 years, he took some drivers down to get them, but just left them there, as they weren't worth bringing home. lol

[shooter93]

I joke with the people around here that I can go for 3 weeks without sleeping....so I don't need to hoard...I just need the addresses of the people who do....lol.

[Artful]

I joke with the people around here that I can go for 3 weeks without sleeping....so I don't need to hoard...I just need the addresses of the people who do....lol.

Actually start with a list of donor's to the DNC - Anti-gun lib's with money ought to have lots of supplies. [smilie=w:

[runfiverun]

We all whine and cry when primers and powder gets scarce, I guess I shouldn't leave out 22 ammo either, but what would we do if it came down to like it was in WW2, where everything including were rationed or non existent.

that ain't what I worry about ammo and stuff to make more I got, fishing gear I got, enough food to make winter I got.
water is the big issue, try rough country back packing and you find out quick water is the one essential that runs short rapidly. [except rain it usually rains when I go]

[GhostHawk]

Water is indeed the hard one. I have some stored, some barrels that could be setup for catching, settling, treat and filter. I have filters, buckets, etc and the wife has teken to buying her bleach in tablet form. (keeps longer)

If I have natural gas for 3 days after the power goes out we will have one fine cooking/canning party. We have all the canning gear, jars, lids, and enough practice that we can do it half asleep.

Good stocks of lead, powder, primers, and both my reloaded ammo and factory ammo. Wide variety of guns from .22lr to .444Marlin. I cast for years on the kitchen stove, I can do it over a wood fire if needed.

Skills are IMO the key, everything else can be taken from you.

[FISH4BUGS]

I stock commonly used food items just to save on the 60 mile round trips to get groceries. I can go a month usually between trips... if I set up some form of indoor grow for lettuce this winter I can probably go every 3 months! I slowly bought double of everything for 6 months in a row, that gave me a years supply of staples. I have a minimum of 1k rounds loaded for every caliber I own plus lots of brass, enough lead to last a year or two... and enough powder to load 4-5k rounds of each caliber in pistol rounds, and probably 2k rounds of 223...
A woman after my own heart. We have a generator with 50 gallons of backup gas, rotated every 2 years, an 800 foot deep well, 2 freezers full of organic chickens, burger, sausage and cranberries (gotta do cranberry sauce you know) and a LOT of organic vegetables from the garden, and enough components for many tens of thousands of rounds.
We are starting to sound like borderline preppers, but even if nothing happens, we have plenty of stocks for living. The ice storm of 2009 took out much of the grid in NH and there was no power for 11 days. Ran the generator for two hours twice a day and that worked just fine keeping us in water and the freezers working fine. Wood stove and 8 cords on the ground. Heat was not an issue.
You adapt.

[Three44s]

We are talking about propane freezer and referigerator.

Propane stores a very long time ....... and it also powers our cook top so that's a bonus!

Three 44s

[smokeywolf]

I wonder if the gov't has the software set up to scan and flag all of the computerized sales records from places like Midway, Graf's, Powder Valley, etc. to pinpoint those who are well supplied. They likely also have or will put together lists of large or large-ish purchases of survival type foods.

Those who can remain off the gov't's radar and can or freeze foods from your own hunts, livestock and gardens have an edge over those who don't or can't fill their freezers or pantry shelves from their own land. Just like any investment portfolio should be diverse in its holdings, so too should your hunting/defensive tools, and should include 2 or 3 bows with an assortment of arrows, a couple of air rifles and at least 2 flintlocks. I haven't done it yet, but am looking forward to making my own holy black.

Because I do a lot of barbecue I have enough wood, charcoal and propane on hand to cook for a couple of months.

We don't have enough water stored. Hope to improve on that soon.

Was hoping to get out of Mexi/Kali-fornia and move to a more American part of the Country, but advanced academic program that kids are deeply invested in keeps us here until the end of the school year.

[dtknowles]

I wonder if the gov't has the software set up to scan and flag all of the computerized sales records from places like Midway, Graf's, Powder Valley, etc. to pinpoint those who are well supplied. They likely also have or will put together lists of large or large-ish purchases of survival type foods...........................

I think your tinfoil hat is leaking.

Tim

[smokeywolf]

I think your tinfoil hat is leaking.

Tim

Tim, You may be right. But, just as I may be too suspicious of our exalted politicians, I think you may be overly trusting of them.

Remember, for several years the NSA was collecting every text and every e-mail from every individual living in this country. Supposedly they've stopped that. But, if they didn't, do you think they'd tell us?

I trust them just as much as they trust me.

[MT Gianni]

I tell people to head for Anaconda, MT. It hasn't ever changed and probably never will.

[dtknowles]

Tim, You may be right. But, just as I may be too suspicious of our exalted politicians, I think you may be overly trusting of them.

Remember, for several years the NSA was collecting every text and every e-mail from every individual living in this country. Supposedly they've stopped that. But, if they didn't, do you think they'd tell us?

I trust them just as much as they trust me.

While we can never be sure what they are doing and the reports in the media might be inaccurate, it was reported that they were collecting just the Meta Data on all domestic telecommunication but collecting the full data for international telecommunications.

Trust them, I don't. Think they are all powerful, I do not. I do take some pains to stay off their radar. I am prepared for much but not anything. I have the resources to react to changing events quite quickly.

Tim

[Schrag4]

I don't have my tin foil hat on - I buy components with a credit card. If you're that worried, buy your components locally, in cash. FYI, since you posted those words on this board, you're already on "The List", just like the rest of us, and they're coming to get you soon! (j/k)

I know I'm woefully under-prepared for any outage of power/food outside of several days. I know I should at least buy a generator (and fuel) capable of running the fridge/deep freeze so that a month's worth of food doesn't go bad in a day or two. Having enough water for a month would be good too. If things are bad longer than that, hunkering down won't solve anything, I would probably feel compelled to take action, and yes, I know what that means.

While reading the OP, I got to thinking that many try to figure out how to be completely self sufficient. While that's a very good thing, IMO, it's not realistic for the majority of people, especially those who live inside city limits or that have to obey HOA rules (I cannot have chickens in my back yard, for instance). I know you'll tell me to move out of town, but perhaps a better option would be to strike a deal with a friend or family member that lives in the boonies, but not too far - I have a couple people in mind. I know family would take us in, as would close friends, but if they're not any more prepared, what's the point? We could come up with a preparedness plan together, a plan where we bring what we can gather in our vehicles in a short time (ideally some would already be packed and lists would be drawn up for the rest). Longer-term supplies and equipment could be stored out there, ready to use at a moment's notice, and we'd just need to make it out there. Obviously this only works if there's complete trust between us - I won't put a nice big generator out a frank's place if I suspect he might sell it to pay for booze before the apocalypse hits.

Dang, did I just put my tin foil hat on? I would say Yes, but even though I'm young, I've already lived through a scenario that had us relying on others for a day or two. It was the big ice storm in January 2005. My wife and I had only our first born, who was 15 months old at the time. The ice took the power out at our place for a couple of days. We stayed the first night, but when we woke up, it was 50F in the house and still dropping. Our friends in the larger city (we lived in a small town nearby) had power back within the first day so we stayed with them until power was restored a day or two later. Funny, we escaped to the city, when every scenario we can come up with has us escaping from the city. A generator sure would have come in handy those few days, negating the need for us to leave at all.

[starmac]

Think about it, it may not ba as big of a stretch as a guy thinks.
Didn't the government put laws in place sometime in the last few years that gives them the go ahead to confiscate food stuffs. I really think this is aimed at stored grains and such, rather than families canned goods, but who knows.
I had a friend that was raised in communist Bulgaria, he claimed when he was a kid the army would tromple anybodys garden they found and neighbors would turn you in if they knew you had a tomato plant.
And yes I know we are not communist YET. lol

[RogerDat]

One of the things working against the government is sheer volume of data. Easy to be overlooked in a general sense. If however one wants something specific from that huge pile of data it can be eventually pulled out through an iterative process of filtering.

Find the set that consists of all emails from a known list of sporting goods stores that sell reloading supplies. Parse only those emails for key words related to reloading or ammo purchases. "Hazmat fee", "Brass", "ORM" and a list of calibers. Assign a numerical value to the various words. Add the values up for the words found and any emails that sum greater than a certain number are worth following up or searching all data for other emails to the same recipient email addresses.

Viola! You now have a huge pile of emails that can then be parsed to develop word counts, part numbers, item numbers etc. that can then be given numerical values and also searched for. Item numbers might also be useful for compare to credit card purchases. Only prepper oriented person seem to buy 120 day food supply for family of 4 so you use that item number as a search criteria to find the set of emails or credit card records with that item so you can then develop a list of "keys" that are common to this subset of people.

If my going online to check out airline prices on one computer can trigger wife getting resort advertisements for that city on a different computer in an hour I'm pretty sure the NSA, FBI etc. can figure out who stockpiles ammo, food, fuel, and buys survival equipment designed for long term use. Only question is would they be allowed to? Or would the consequences in terms of political and professional fall out be severe enough to prevent them from doing the searches?

One thing to pull up your girlfriends credit card and text messages to find out if she is really going out with the girls on her Thursday night out or meeting with some guy at a motel. Totally different to piss off several million voters. NSA is the only agency that manages to get liberals AND conservatives AND libertarians all pissed at it from any overreach.

[Love Life]

I just plan for the government to take care of me. Allows me to spend disposable income on cool stuff.

[Love Life]

Was hoping to get out of Mexi/Kali-fornia and move to a more American part of the Country, but advanced academic program that kids are deeply invested in keeps us here until the end of the school year.

I'll trade you. 1.2 acres, 2800 SF, large 2 door garage, toolshed out back, and fenced in southern Georgia.

[Harter66]

Is it the humidity getting to ya?

[Harter66]

Schrag4

This wasn't supposed to be 1 of those prepper threads .
I live in a 4000 ft MSL desert that means 6" of total precipitation per year or less.
I know we've had enough storms wet enough to get close to that locally.

If the doom comes w/jack boots I'm toast just because of where I am ,society crash not so much of a worry. It's 70 miles to the 1st town of any size and it's like 4000 . The 400,000 140 miles north worry me but they have an excellent infrastructure and in reality probably a month of food before they go "hey I need to eat the neighbors dog" if it were totally cut off.

[smokeywolf]

I'll trade you. 1.2 acres, 2800 SF, large 2 door garage, toolshed out back, and fenced in southern Georgia.

Have a sophomore student who is taking all advanced placement classes (chemistry, pre-calculus, etc.), including one class in particular that, if passed rewards him with both one year of high school credits and one year of college units (6) toward his undergrad degree. He deals with about 30 to 40 hours of homework per week and 90% of that is from this one class. He's on track to earn and receive his A.S. degree 2 years early.

That is what has me stuck here at least until the end of this school year.

Besides, your garage is too small to hold my lathe, mill, tooling, reloading and gunsmithing tools.

[RED333]

We have some food, a bit of water, a few other supplies.
When the world goes down for the last time I hope me and mine are not there to watch.
I other words, I do not worry about it so much.

[MaryB]

I buy 1/4 beef every year from a small local farmer, butchered locally, no computerized records kept... I get half a hog from another small local butcher who does cash business, no checks, no credit cards... I have enough veg in the freezer to go until next springs garden season and the solar/batteries can keep the freezers cold. Corn stove heats the whole house and it runs off the solar batteries if needed! Plus a small generator and I always have 55 gallon or more of gas on hand. In between the mower and snowblower it gets rotated once a year, if there is any left it goes in the truck. Once that 55 gallon barrel is at 3/4 empty I fill a second. My little 2,700 watt generator sips fuel so it will last a long time!


I wonder if the gov't has the software set up to scan and flag all of the computerized sales records from places like Midway, Graf's, Powder Valley, etc. to pinpoint those who are well supplied. They likely also have or will put together lists of large or large-ish purchases of survival type foods.

Those who can remain off the gov't's radar and can or freeze foods from your own hunts, livestock and gardens have an edge over those who don't or can't fill their freezers or pantry shelves from their own land. Just like any investment portfolio should be diverse in its holdings, so too should your hunting/defensive tools, and should include 2 or 3 bows with an assortment of arrows, a couple of air rifles and at least 2 flintlocks. I haven't done it yet, but am looking forward to making my own holy black.

Because I do a lot of barbecue I have enough wood, charcoal and propane on hand to cook for a couple of months.

We don't have enough water stored. Hope to improve on that soon.

Was hoping to get out of Mexi/Kali-fornia and move to a more American part of the Country, but advanced academic program that kids are deeply invested in keeps us here until the end of the school year.

[shooter93]

The truth is no one is under the radar so to speak. The amount of information that can be found on anyone in the electronic age would stagger most people. And it would really boil down to just how bad things would get. A few weeks or so because of storms, power failures etc.....not so bad. A serious collapse and a years food and 10k rounds won't save you from 30 armed people who want it. You do the best you can during any situation and hope others do the same.

[MaryB]

You need to prepare as a community. Most in my small town have freezers loaded with food and pantries that are full of home canned stuff. We all know how we can be cut off by a heavy snow and roads can be bad for weeks. All 3 ways out of town drift in bad after a storm so for days after most sit still and eat from the storage! But for those in big cities yes you will face those who didn't bother to prepare. And it will get nasty.