Which Weapon?

There comes a time when you'll have to make a decision on whether or not to shoot somebody in self defense. When that time comes, will you have 100% confidence in yourself and your weapon to do so? .

What's the best firearm for you? There's some factors you should consider before buying a firearm. When will you use it? Where will it be used? What will it be used for? And most importantly, are you comfortable shooting it?

For starters, the first consideration of any of these factors is whether or not the weapon feels right in your hand. If you aren't comfortable shooting a large caliber handgun, then downsize to something smaller that you can be comfortable with. The last thing you want on your mind when you have a threat in your sights, is how hard the weapon will kick. The size of the grip is also a huge factor. If you have small hands, you don't want to carry around a large frame, double stack magazine handgun. You would be better off with a small/medium frame and a single stack magazine like a Kahr 9 mm. Some people I know will buy a handgun just because of the brand or because of the caliber. WRONG; WRONG; WRONG! Here's an example. A buddy of mine goes to the local gun dealer and tells the clerk, "I want to buy the best pistol you have." Well, guess what. Who's to say what the best pistol for him is. Is it a Glock? What if it doesn't fit in his hand comfortably. Is it a Ruger Red Hawk 44 Magnum? What if it's to powerful and kicks too much. The best advice I can give to you the reader is, get out there, take some pistol classes, rent some different models and calibers and find what "fits and hits". Regarding "knock down power", if you were to shoot me in the stomach with a 22 long rifle round, I would probably think twice about mugging you. Okay, I know, there have been cases where a drugged out maniac got shot 25 times and kept attacking. Well, all I can say is, he was still being shot with .45 ACP hollow points. So, my point is, buy and carry (make sure you follow your local and state laws when carrying a weapon) what is comfortable for you. If you made the mistake of buying something that isn't right for you, take it to the next gun show and get some trade credit for something that fits better. There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of ballistics test conducted to find the "ultimate" round. I don't think there will ever be an answer for this. From the books that I've read and the articles in magazines and online, the 38 Special +P hollow point is supposed to have the best "knock down power" and the least amount of "shoot throughs". (The round exiting and hitting another object behind the target.) There's also been cases of a store thief being shot point blank in the chest from 2 feet away, and looking at the clerk for a couple of seconds, telling the clerk he shot him, then finally collapsing. There's alot of damage he could've inflicted in those couple of seconds. The scariest part; there were no traces of drugs or alcohol in the robbers blood. The point I'm trying to get across to you is, it doesn't matter what brand or caliber you carry, as long as you are comfortable with it, and you can hit your target when you need to.

As far as the question, where are you going to use it; you need to decide on where this weapon will be used. Is it just for home defense? Plain and simple; buy a shotgun. There is no scarier sound than a pump action shotgun being cocked . If a 12 gauge kicks to much for you, then buy a 20 gauge, but no matter what, have a pump action shotgun in your home for home defense. The spread of the shot can cause massive damage in a confined space, like a hallway or small room. The idea of a shotgun in a home defense scenario is that you don't need to aim, just point and shoot. I don't care what people say about 00 buck, slugs, or even bird shot. Load your shotgun with either a bean bag or rubber ball round as your first shot, then follow up with bird shot. The reasoning behind this is, you give the thief a verbal warning that you have a shotgun and that you will shoot if he doesn't leave. If he fails to leave, shoot him with the non-leathal round. If he fails to understand how serious you are after that and he remains in your house, shoot him with the birdshot in the middle of the chest. Some people will argue with me about a "warning shot" but with the legal system the way it is, wouldn't you rather to go to court saying you gave him 2 different kinds of warning, before having to use deadly force? Also, mount a tactical flashlight to your barrel, that way you can leave the lights off in the house, and when you approach the threat, you can switch on your light which will temporaly blind him and give you the advantage.

Regardless of your beliefs on deadly force and gun ownership, think about how you would feel if somebody you love was murdered because you didn't want to own a gun. Can you live with that guilt? What if your life is the one in danger? What if it's your child? There's an age old saying that I live by everyday. "I'd rather be tried by 12, then carried by six." If you don't understand what that means, email me at live2see_tomorrow@yahoo.com and I will be more than happy to explain it more. Until next time, buy a gun so you can be prepared to live to see tomorrow.

Natural Disasters

Mother Nature can be the most beautiful sight in the world, but just as everything seems majestic, the ground starts rumbling and rolling. Trees fall, crevices open up, buildings collapse, roads crack and break apart, and dams break. We are talking about an earthquake. Not a tremor, but a real 6.9 on the richter scale. An earthquake that puts you and your family in a sudden survival situation. Were you prepared? What about the thunderous sound of a tornado ripping apart the countryside, heading straight for your house? Were you prepared for that one? No offense, but probably not. Why? Because Mother Nature doesn't normally give you any warning signs of her wrath. Yes, there are warning signs of a hurricane, tropical storms, even blizzards or extreme heat, yet hundreds, sometimes thousands of people die each year from natural disasters. Due to the lack of knowledge, or possibly just the lack of common sense, these people either ignore the warnings, or they are just not prepared, because they probably thought that it will never happen to them. I know that some of these people perished just for the fact they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some of them were prepared. But unfortunately, you can prepare for everything.

The best way to prepare for any kind of natural disaster or extreme weather is to have a plan. If you live northeast United States, you more than likely don't need to prepare for a tornado, or plan for a hurricane in Arizona. So plan accordingly. No matter what region you live in, keep your emergency supplies someplace that is easy to access, even if your house collapses. Store it in the garage where there is less debris, or maybe in a tool shed. The last thing you want to do is spend hundreds of dollars on an emergency kit, store it in your basement, then have it buried under 3 floors worth of fallen debris. Have a plan in place, for your entire family, and most importantly, make sure EVERYONE knows what to do when the first sign of an disaster hits. I'd rather be prepared for a 9.8 and it only be a small tremor, then think that it's going to be a small tremor and my family gets killed because it turned out to be a 9.8. In the event of an earthquake, every family member needs to know where to go (door jams or under a good solid desk) and what to do after the first wave of tremors passes. They need to remember where to meet with everybody after everything settles down so you can get a head count and make sure you have your entire family. Maybe you can designate certain members of your family to conduct specific duties, such as, get the emergency kit, pack the blankets in the car, keep the kids calm, or whatever it might be in your plan. You should also have someplace planned on where to go, in case you find yourself without a house after the fact. (Most of this implies to an earthquake, as well as a tornado.) Remember that whatever shelter the Red Cross or the community sets up will probably be over crowded due to the unprepared people. Do you want your young child waiting in line for hours just to get the remnants of a meal that all the other unprepared adults ate? I doubt it. Wouldn't it be better to be able to drive to a relatives house, or even drive a couple hours away to a KOA campground? You also need to protect your family and assets the best you can. Hungry, wet, tired, and desperate people will do desperate things to eat, sleep and be dry. I'm not saying you HAVE to pack a gun and run around shooting anyone that looks like they will mug you for a donut, but you should use your best judgement on how you will protect yourself and your family. Another good idea is to never let you gas tank go below half a tank. What if you end up sitting in stop and go traffic trying to get out of the city and none of the gas stations are open due to power outtages? All in all, make sure you and your family are prepared to live independently for atleast a short amount of time. Here are a few ideas of what you can put in an emergency kit:

*MRE's (enough for everyone to eat atleast two meals a day for 3 days.)

*Blankets (preferably wool)

*Water or water filter/tablets

*First aid kit

*Fire starting material (strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container, dryer lint, steel wool, flint and steel, etc)

*Clean clothes (at a minimum; socks, underwear, jacket, gloves, and a hat)

*Multi-tool (Gerber, Leatherman, etc)

*Toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc)

These are just the basics that I would put in a large Rubbermaid container or something similar. You can add to it to make everyone more comfortable (toys for kids, radio, pillows, etc) as you feel necessary. In my personal opinion, I would stay away from pre-made store bought emergency kits for the simple fact that they will overcharge you and it's not personalized to you and your family. If you need a more in depth idea of what to put in a kit, email me at live2see_tomorrow@yahoo.com or leave a comment and I will get back to you at my earliest convenience. If you don't think you live in a disaster zone, think again. Nature can affect anybody, no matter where you live. So get informed, be prepared, and live to see tomorrow.

Wildlife

Wildlife can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to survival. If you know how to hunt, kill, skin, and cook the wildlife its going to be your best friend. But, if you can't tell the difference between a poisonous snake and a non-poisonous one, you might be in a very bad day.

Hunting for animals when you are lost out in the woods can be extremely tiring and demotivating. What are you hunting them with? A spear? A knife? Do you know how to set traps and snares? Traps and snares are your best bet for killing small game in the wild. Once you have them set, you can leave them until the next morning or afternoon. You just don't want to ignore them too long, or else the meat might spoil. If you are the type of person that carries fishing equipment in your survival kit, then you also need to know how to set the lines so you don't have to sit there all day waiting for a fish. (I'll cover that in a later post.) Depending on what part of the world you have found yourself surviving in, killing small game and gutting them can also attract larger game. Dress your game in an area away from your shelter and discard what you won't use. (You should try to use as much as you can.) Remember that even small insects can provide you with lots of nutrients to keep your body and mind going. Ants, grubs, crickets, grasshoppers, etc are all edible and can provide you with a small snack while building your shelter or waiting for you fish to bite your line. Even if you can't catch or kill a large animal, thats okay, because you really don't have a way to cure or store the meat. (Yes, there are ways to make a field craft smoker, but we'll get into that later.) Another benefit of animals in the wild is how you observe them. If you see a deer grazing in a meadow, its a pretty safe bet to say the area doesn't have to many predators around. You might be able to lift your spirits when you see a bald eagle soaring overhead, or a moose drinking out of the lake. You can also watch the birds and see what berries they are eating to determine if they are safe for you to eat also. Waking up to birds chirping should bring good news for the simple reason that you survived the night and you get the chance to hear them chirp again.

The downside to wild animals is the dangers they pose against the untrained person. If you think you can catch that snake and cook it over your fire, only to have it turn on you and be a venomous snake before you realize it. Now you have to treat yourself for a poisonous snake bite. Do you have the medical supplies and experience to treat a bite? Probably not. What if you're in bear country? I would hate to waste all my time building shelter and finding food, and then have a huge grizzly wander into my area to steal the squirrel I spent so much time snaring, skinning, and cooking. If you are in a tropical location, there are so many poisonous snakes, insects, and plants it would take a book to explain them all to you. Do I know them all? No. But I will watch what other animals are doing to continue their existence. Even if you are in a natural disaster situation, dogs can become vicious and bite, or maybe the wild animals are fleeing and you get caught between a mother bear and her cubs.

No matter what situation you find yourself in, you need to have some kind of general knowledge of wild animals and vegetation. Even if its as simple as being able to tell the difference between a venomous snake and a non-venomous one, atleast you won't die from a snake bite because you tried to catch a copperhead. There are hundreds of books out on the market about wildlife and vegetation. Take a little time and read some of them. That will bring you a little closer to being prepared to live and see tomorrow.

CRKT Ultima Review

For my birthday this year, I received a Columbia River Knife and Tool Ultima knife from my wonderful fiance. I thought I would share with you my first impressions and my thoughts about this knife.

First off, I believe that a first impression is a lasting one. Well, CRKT had me hooked with my first impression. The knife seems to be extremely sturdy and well built, along with a blade edge that seems to compete with much more expensive knives on the market. The Zytel grip with "ooze grooves", seems like they will do their job, which is channel away water and mud. I feel like I'm holding a hard AquaTread tire. The stainless steel blade with light bead blasting has what CRKT calls Zeff serrated edges. These serrations are quite larger and more angled than most serrations I find on other knives. The butt end of the Ultima has a pry tip, which I wasn't 100% convinced was needed, until I found out that I used the pry tip before I ever cut anything. Another great feature of the Ultima. The Ultima's sheath is extremely rugged and can be mounted and carried in numerous configurations. It appears to be "over engineered", but the versitility of the sheath makes it stand out as one of the best out there. It can be carried on your belt the traditional way with the regular belt loops, and can be secured to your leg with either the removable leg strap, or with the 550 paracord that is lashed half way up the sides. The leg strap is a bit of a pain to remove, but not so much that I would make a big deal out of it. There is also slots in the back of the sheath so that the user can attach the knife to any pack or vest with MOLLE attachment webbing. You would have to buy some sort of attachment strap like a Maxpedition Malice Clip or Tactical Tailor Malice Clip; both of which are under $5.00. There is also a good size utility pocket on the front of the sheath that is big enough for a multi-tool or sharpening stone. The Ultima fits secure and snug into the sheath by using a injection molded liner and two fastening straps with snaps. (Both straps are removable also.)

I have yet to take the CRKT Ultima out to the field with me and test it's durability and overall performance, but like I stated earlier; my first impression was that this is a great knife with loads of useful features. I'm looking foward to getting out and actually field testing this thing, and when I do, I will make sure to update this post with my feedback.

Overall, I believe that Columbia River has outdone themselves with the Ultima. It will definitely be a part of my survival gear, and go on all my camping and hiking adventures with me.

Until next time, be prepared, and live to see tomorrow.

Survivor vs. Survivalist

I was sitting here talking with some friends and telling them about my plans for the weekend. (I'm going camping with the bare essentials) and they all laughed and asked if I was some sort of "survivalist". That's when I started thinking about the difference between a "survivor" and a "survivalist". Now remember, this is my opinion and not fact, or documented anywhere as being the true difference.
To me, a survivalist is somebody that will go to the local sporting goods store, buy a pre-made 72 hour "survival" kit, a dynamo radio, a case of MRE's, water pouches, and a compass and call themselves prepared. He/she will read a book or two on edible plants, MAYBE a survival guide but skim through it and look at the pictures of the shelters and animal tracks and then go on some internet forum and argue with the world on how they are the experts. These so called survivalist will store their MRE's, keep the 72 hour kit in the trunk of their Prius, and probably lose the compass on their way home. BUT DON'T WORRY, THEY ARE PREPARED!!!! Prepared for what? Let's pretend for a second. This "survivalist" couple just found themselves neck deep in water because the levy broke and their town is now underwater. Where is their 72 hour survival kit? Oh that's right; it's in the trunk of the car that floated away during the night. The compass? Who knows where that thing went. (Who knew how to use it anyways?) Well, atleast they have the MRE's. The two of them are used to eating three meals a day, with their small snack in between meals, so that case of twelve meals will last them a WHOPPING 2 days. Now for the best part. Remember the book they read about edible plants? Well, they have to go scuba diving for them now. Good thing the American Red Cross is on their way to give these survivalist shelter, food, water, and warm blankets.
Now for the survivor. This is somebody who will buy certain items that he/she feels they will use in a disaster/emergency situation. They will go camping with this stuff to try it out, test it, see if it's actually a common sense thing to carry along. Once they determine that this piece of equipment is useful or a waste of time, they will either add it to their "kit" or sell it to a "survivalist". A survivor spends a lot of time researching books, the internet, tv, and even attend some seminars. A survivor will do whatever he or she deems necessary to have the knowledge to survive in any situation. They will test not only their equipment, but also themselves to see where their limits are, and how far they can be pushed. Yes, a survivor will also buy MRE's and compasses, but they will know how to pack them and use them. Not just own them because their neighbors told them it would be a good idea to have them around. Am I a survivor? Yes. Do I test my equipment and myself? Yes. Should you? Yes. Just remember, prepare now, and live to see tomorrow.

PS. If you were at all offended by this post, maybe you should take a look at what catagory you fall under. If you fall under the "survivalist" catagory, please do everything you can to get out of this catagory. Read more, watch more, learn more, and for goodness sakes, get out and practice more. If you are under the "survivor" catagory, then I will gladly have you by my side when the time comes.

Money Well Spent?

Can you put a price tag on your life? Depends. Would you spend every spare penny on non-essential items? Do you trust that $5 discount knife to chop your firewood or skin an animal? Do you really need to spend $25 on a signal mirror? What good is a $600 GPS when the batteries go dead?
Ever hear the expression, "you get what you pay for"? But what if you don't need a top of the line, most expensive piece of equipment? What if going cheap will get you killed? What if you spent hundreds of dollars just to lug around a bunch of dead weight? There is always an argument here, because, like I said in my last post, take with you what makes you comfortable. But at the same time, don't go bankrupt trying to buy the best of everything.
For example, I will carry an extra 2 ounces of weight to save $20. But I won't save $20 to buy an inferior knife. I was at my local sporting goods store the other day and noticed that "signal mirrors" were running in the range of $14 to $22. What makes these so expensive? Is it the hole in the center to aim it, or is it the durability? I bought a compact (make-up) mirror at the Dollar Tree and can "aim" it just as good as if I had a hole in the center. Is it as thick or durable, no. But I also have other means to signal a plane, boat or person if the need arises. What if its a cloudy day. I just lugged around $22 for nothing. I've spent literally hundreds if not thousands of dollars trying to find that "perfect" knife. Have I found it? NO. I have found one that I'm happy with so far. It's sharp, stays sharp, sturdy, and big enough to handle most camp chores. Will it be the last knife I ever own? NO. I own a GPS, but about 90% of the times I go out, it just sits in it's neat little pouch and adds weight to my shoulder straps. Why don't I use it? Most of the times that I go out, I have either been there before and know the area, or I have done things the old fashion way and looked at maps and brought them with me. The knowledge of knowing how to read a map and terrain features is worth WAY more than any price tag on a battery operated machine that can malfunction. In short, the best money I have ever spent on survival items, is my computer (to search the web on techniques and to buy items) books on survival and how-to's, and the gas for my Jeep to get me out and conduct practical exercises.
Spend what you want, or skimp where you want, but remember this; Prepare now, and Live To See Tomorrow. That is whats important.

Essentials?

Everybody has their own opinion on what essentials they need in order to "survive". In my experience, the number one essential to survive is your mind. If you don't want to survive, you won't. If you don't have the knowledge of how to survive, or what to do so you can survive, you will perish with the rest. Read, watch, and learn everything you can about survival techniques and then go do some practical exercises. How do you know you can make it through the night without a sleeping bag, or without matches? You don't; until you try. I would rather fail at practicing then fail when the real show begins.
I named my blog-spot "Live To See Tomorrow" because that is the mindset you need to survive. You should wake up every single day and BELIEVE that you will "live to see tomorrow". This applies to everyday life and in an emergency/survival situation. If you're worried about freezing to death or starving and thats all you can think about, then it will more than likely happen. Focus on finding shelter, food, fire, and water, but keep a cool head and ALWAYS remember "Live To See Tomorrow!".
You can go to any retail store and spend paycheck after paycheck buying the most expensive "survival kits", but what happens when you get lost out on a day hike? Do you carry your entire 72 hour survival kit with you? Do you carry your "bug out bag" with you everyday? If you have the knowledge and desire, you can survive off of what you have in your pocket/pack/or car. Maybe all you need is matches and a knife, or maybe you do need an entire pre-made "kit". Whatever it is, you need to have it with you, and most importantly, you need to know how to use it.
Whatever it is you take with you is fine. As long as you can haul it yourself (you don't need to drag down everyone else because you can't carry your own gear) and it makes you have a peace of mind. If you think you need your teddy bear in order to survive a week in the wilderness or a month in a tornado ravished city, take it along. There's nothing worse than being alone or sad when trying to survive.
Most situations happen without warning (floods, earthquakes, accidents in the wilderness, etc) so you never know for sure what you need or if you can be prepared. Like in my first paragraph, the most important piece of equipment you can obtain is KNOWLEDGE. Prepare now and live to see tomorrow.