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Thread: Three "prepper" questions...

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Three "prepper" questions...

    I'm looking for practical “prepper” suggestions that people have come up with. Here are the issues I am dealing with/pondering:

    Water is not super plentiful in my neighborhood. I have some decent water filters, but what are some of you planning as your "natural water sourrce"? Rain is a wishful/hopeful – it rains at least twice a month, but that’s not an insane amount of water.

    I store food in mylar bags which then go into 5 gallon buckets - most with gamma seal lids. Was trying to come up with a larger container that I could put lighter bulkier stuff in. All of my prepping revolves around what can be loaded up and carried off (if I learned anything from 9/11 it is that where I live - Long Island - can be left isolated quickly. Back then, they shut down the bridges?) Any ideas? I got focused on putting stuff in #10 cans and then sealing them; but then realized that makes something even harder to transport. Pelican cases are overkill.

    Any suggestions for groups on Long Island that are "like minded"? I have been on the look out for years - and groups that existed before seem to have died out. I also assume some of them have gone to ground. I found one group off Facebook (yeah, not the ultimate soruce for great info) - went to a meeting but found the few people there were just too clueless. Not being nasty about it, just saying if someone is coming to a group, they should have done SOME research on their own. I'm looking for groups where I come with my skills, and someone else comes with their skills, and we both learn a little and have someone to fall back on.

    Ideas/Opinions/Suggestions all apreciated.

    Backstory (for those who want to read EVEN MORE): Part of what motivated me to post this is I found some lead diving weights, and added it to lead I had. Wife asked if I was going to "make more bullets". I told her, "No...I have enough slugs, and you can't make bullets for the pistols - they go too fast". She said that didn't sound right. To prove her wrong, we hit up the google. Showed her how Glock says can't shoot lead cast through their guns (I think they fear it fouls up the rifling). Then I googled some more, and found other barrels for the Glock that were OK with the cast bullets (different rifling?). Point is, I didn't know this, and I'm guessing there is at least one person here who did. I would lump knowledge like this into "stuff people know when they are making a plan..."

    So those of you making a plan - what knowledge can you share?

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    Relocate as fast as possible, sorry but that's the best I can give you.
    Only a fool would attempt it, and God help me I am that fool.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    JoeJames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by r80rt View Post
    Relocate as fast as possible, sorry but that's the best I can give you.
    Amen, move to a free state.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    MSR has a filter that is self cleaning and removes viruses also, it backwashes the filter every so many strokes. I know the research team tested in mud puddles across the world...many had no water sources other than polluted stream or puddles....it's not cheap, but I'm guessing RI. isn't a state that has cheap anything. MSR is a good place to start. Remember Water, Shelter, Fire, Food. In that order. You can last far longer without food than the other three. Fire may not seem as needed as food...but in my opinion it is a great mood elevator. I find I sleep better to the crackling warmth and ambiance of a fire. Remember more are defeated in mind than in body!
    Last edited by echo154; 08-22-2021 at 07:22 PM. Reason: SPELL CHECK OVER RIDE
    Do I have a knife....Ive got my pants on don't I.

  5. #5
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    There's just so much to cover here. First, let me welcome you to the Cast Boolits Forum. You'll find it to be a great place, with lots of knowledgeable and helpful people, and another is always welcome.

    I got interested in prepping back in 1998 when a customer came into my shop and asked me if I was getting ready for Y2K. Huh? So, one thing led to another, and although Y2K never happened I kind of woke up to the possibility, and probability that something will happen. Maybe not exactly what you think is most likely. Could be natural disaster, man made problems.....who knows. So you have to kind of go with what is the most likely in making your preparations. For example, if a forest fire is your biggest threat, guns and ammo aren't going to help much. But, if it's a big financial collapse and return to the Great Depression, then they'd be something you'd definitely want. Food is very important, and having a reasonable reserve of precious metal in the form of coins is good.

    I learned a lot as I went along, thinking about what and how much I'd need. The entire thing is sort of limited and dictated by practicality. For example, just how much food can you store? You're pretty much limited to dry foods and canned goods. You can't place much faith in frozen foods, because if the power goes off the freezer quits working. You mentioned 5 gal. containers, and that's just about the limit of what is practical to keep on hand and move about. If you have two 5 gal. containers of beans and two of rice you can live a long time on a very boring diet. You also need protein, and when you begin looking into meat you'll find canned chicken, corned beef, Spam, to be choices that will last a long time in storage. Another good one is chili with beans. You'll find foods that won't last so well like canned tomatoes which are acidic and will eventually begin to rust their cans. Some medical supplies are a very good idea.

    Specifically addressing your concern about water, that was brought home to me this summer when my water well went dry. Fortunately I have another on another nearby piece of property that is still providing water for both myself and a neighbor, but now I have to haul it instead of just turning on the faucet. Bottled water is a modern development and a wonderful thing, and you want to buy purified or distilled water rather than just spring water as eventually algae can grow in the unprocessed version. At this time it is plentiful and inexpensive and a good thing to have a large pile of. However, it takes a considerable amount of water to survive over time and there is really no substitute for being near a natural source. You also have to take into consideration that even if you have a reliable water source you may need to purify it chemically or by filtration before you can drink it. Again, no electricity and most wells won't pump. A generator can solve the electricity problem for freezer and well, but then you're into storing gasoline, another commodity that won't last forever and which may not be available.

    If you read through all of the past threads in the Prepper section of the Forum I'm sure you'll get some very good ideas and information. Again, welcome to the Forum, and I'm glad to see this subject being discussed. Believe me, there are plenty of people that don't give it a second thought, but when the need arises they'll be over to beg, borrow, or steal your preparations.

    DG

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

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    lead boolits were shoot thou pistols for a long long time before we got around to jacketing them, granted jacketed can be pushed harder then lead, but lead is just as accurate and just as deadly.

    I am not in a city nor ever plan on living in one so can not answer your water questions or other prep stuff for a city.
    if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I don't live in a city either......I have a deep well as primary and a rural water co. in case of drought. I also have a DIPPER capability on my well for power shortages. I keep 10, 5 gallon Hinkley and shcmidt 5 gallon water bottles at all times(wife had organ transplant and can't drink well water due to lack of purification) if that runs out I have a primo MSR filter. I have lead for a few years as well as BP.
    Do I have a knife....Ive got my pants on don't I.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    If it was me I'd relocate via water. Leave some stuff stored on the boat if possible.

    I'm sitting half a mile from a good river. Hauling buckets of water with a wagon would be a pain but it would be doable.

    If you don't have a good fresh water source you may want to look at using your roof runoff.

    I don't share a lot of knowledge. I have shown a few friends how to take a dry cotton ball and some wood ashes and use them as an ignition source for a fire.
    After all the more tools in the box the better off you are. FYI if your interested look up the David West Channel on Youtube.

    I suspect like a others mentioned than NY state would not be an easy place to get out of. Not as bad as LA but not good.

    #1 rule, 2 is 1, one is none. In short have a backup or alternative method for everything vital. Including Food, Water, Shelter, Transport, defense.
    #2 rule Murphy loves to pop up and ruin your day. But if your really ready for him, he finds someone else to bother.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  9. #9
    Boolit Mold
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    echo - the msr pump filter is a great relativly small filter. Tried one and then bought my own and keep it in truck. But...my bigger problem would be finding any kind of water to filter (other than ocean water - and even that would be a long walk)

  10. #10
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by JoeJames View Post
    Amen, move to a free state.
    That's on my ToDo List, but it's 4 years off. I figure may as make some attempt to plan in the mean time.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Get a SeaWaterPro desalination system as used by ocean-going sailors for processing sea water into potable water aboard. A complete system will run about $3000, and either purifies questionable fresh water or desalinates seawater producing 10 gallons per hour, runs off solar panels.

    Attachment 287782


    Evac by car from the island is non-starter. If you don't plan to relocate and work remotely from a free state plan on a seaworthy boat to evac and plan to get far away from the city towards a safe anchorage in NH or ME where the state government doesn't mess with you as much.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    UFOZS.com/snf/index.php

    The replacement forum for zombie squad, a tongue In cheek title for one of the premier prepping forums on line.
    Last edited by jdfoxinc; 08-22-2021 at 09:30 PM. Reason: I hate autocorrect
    QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?

  13. #13
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by echo154 View Post
    I don't live in a city either......I have a deep well as primary and a rural water co. in case of drought. I also have a DIPPER capability on my well for power shortages. I keep 10, 5 gallon Hinkley and shcmidt 5 gallon water bottles at all times(wife had organ transplant and can't drink well water due to lack of purification) if that runs out I have a primo MSR filter. I have lead for a few years as well as BP.
    Echo - I have another location as my fall back (thus my questions about different containers for large bulky stuff I will need to move) but it does have a deep well. I had looked for hand pump options to take me through no power (I have a generator, but that is not a long term solution for SHTF times) but found nothing for deep wells (like 250') When you say "dipper capability" do you mean like a literal dipper/small container or some kind of hand operated pump?

  14. #14
    Boolit Mold
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    Outpost - thanks for the info on desalination - didn't know it existed in a small form. It would be $6k for me since I would not plan on running it off generator. When Sandy hit here, we had no power for 3 weeks. For people who normally order out most of their meals, being without power is not a mentally managable situation. I fired up the generator day 1, and started getting requests for "can I just get an extension cord to charge..." (everyone loves to share when they have nothing). Took a week for the neighborhood to empty out (they went to hotels in toher states or family that had power) - and then I could run the generator again. So things that run off generator are nice, but the generator acts like a dinner bell while it is running, and gas eventually runs out.
    All that said, the 10 GPH is impressive (off solar...) - 35 gallons a day is a LOT of water.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by rancher1913 View Post
    lead boolits were shoot thou pistols for a long long time before we got around to jacketing them, granted jacketed can be pushed harder then lead, but lead is just as accurate and just as deadly.

    I am not in a city nor ever plan on living in one so can not answer your water questions or other prep stuff for a city.
    I think those were more like .30 and 45 (slower). I had gotten a 45 with the idea I could cast for it, but with everything else being 9mm, I sold it. More research seems to say it's a "Glock Thing". I believe they claim they do their riflings a little "differnt" so it may just be one of those "recommended" things. I have to research more. Either way, in a pinch, I don't think it would ruin the gun. I had originalyl thought 9mm was too fast for plain lead bullet (with no jacket/plating)

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I’ll recommend a book, “strategic relocation, North American guide to safe places by Joel Skousen”.

    It offer ideas on how to plan for various things as well as how to escape the city. Strategic military targets, primary and secondary, As well as considerations for nuclear plants that may present an issue of meltdown in case of a total collapse. It’s very informative.

    Learning skills is very important. Storing seeds and having a small garden now to learn how, what works and what doesn’t. Even if it’s just a couple plants.

    I put more emphasis on learning stuff, than buying stuff. You can’t spend you way out of the apocalypse.

  17. #17
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    I don't want to hijack this thread but what kind of tinned tobacco should I put up for own rolleds when the days get dark and vices are bartered? I don't know pipe tobacco from cigarette tobacco. I'm guessing Prince Albert may not be the best choice. Enquiring minds want to know.

  18. #18
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by Butzbach View Post
    I don't want to hijack this thread but what kind of tinned tobacco should I put up for own rolleds when the days get dark and vices are bartered? I don't know pipe tobacco from cigarette tobacco. I'm guessing Prince Albert may not be the best choice. Enquiring minds want to know.
    Ha...great minds. Canned and roll your own not so common here, so I just stored away 5 cartons of Marlboros. I don't moke, but I figured this was a good tradeable. God willing, they will be long stale by the time I have to trade them, but I don't think anyone will be too choosy at that point. Same thing for alcohol - a case of cheap vodka. Last big tradeable I have is coffee - my only concern is how long the shelf life is for ground.

    The good part about the cigarettes is you can break it down small to pack or even singles. I got a bunch of bic lighters with teh same thought - small trades. I wanted to get the alcohol in fifth's, but they cost more than the big bottles.
    Last edited by JustPractical; 08-22-2021 at 11:09 PM.

  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I’ll recommend a book, “strategic relocation, North American guide to safe places by Joel Skousen”.

    It offer ideas on how to plan for various things as well as how to escape the city. Strategic military targets, primary and secondary, As well as considerations for nuclear plants that may present an issue of meltdown in case of a total collapse. It’s very informative.

    Learning skills is very important. Storing seeds and having a small garden now to learn how, what works and what doesn’t. Even if it’s just a couple plants.

    I put more emphasis on learning stuff, than buying stuff. You can’t spend you way out of the apocalypse.
    Bazoo - good advice. As for choosing a location, I'm trying to balance choosing "best strategic location to live during SHTF life" and "best location to live out a quite retirement". Garden is important - coming up to speed on gardening and canning. Our growing season up north is not super long - one of the resons we started looking further south to move. Big YES on learning stuff being important (I thought that even before I started pondering SHTF times). Went and got my EMT so I could have some medical clue. BUT...in those first few days a gun may be of more help than most other stuff/knowledge. Once we get into those following weeks, that's where knowedge (medical, small engines, gardening, etc.) really starts to seperate the hungry from the starving. I live in a neighborhood where my neighbors are most knowledgeable about things like hedgefunds. I figure if we can stay low for a week, most of the neighbor problems should take care of themselves.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    I strongly suggest you move, if not, culligan 5 gal water is good for months. Get a dispenser, hire the service and keep extras on hand. I wouldnt plan on taking it with you. If you truely need to leave you wont have much time to pack and load a car. Also buying cannned fruit for example is canned with a cup or more of water. And less salty foods will help your water go farther.

    If you miss the closing of the bridges you may need to wait it out til you can bug out and will have the option due to the extra 30-35 gallons. Leaving an island you will need to boat, fly or swim...i dont reccoment the swim.

    A.
    Id study how to sail or use a power craft in the event you need to "borrow one". Or befriend someone who has one and plan on splitting your supplies for a ride elsewhere. There are usually rowboats on bigger yaughts could be an option to "borrow". This "borrowing" could be extremely risky... walking the beach could score you a boat that belongs to a beach house.

    B.
    Get a storage unit on the mainland with a car and supplies already loaded. Get inflatable kayaks and paddle to the mainland. This means traveling light to the car, which is best. I have never been to N.Y. so i dont know how bad the seas are on a nicer day. Ive been to seattle and seen puget sound, people kayak all the time in the sound. This will require studying the currents and getting a storage unit not straight across the inlet from you, but either outgoing tide or incomming tide (i reccomend the incomming tide ) so you dont need to walk or catch rides to your storage locker.

    I like option B. Push off at low tide, just before dark and paddle as far north as possible. Get to the Bov and get outta dodge. But its risky.

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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