Protection & Survival

This post is an attempt to maybe shed some light on ways you might consider to provide food on your table or the ability to protect yourself and your family. Now I will mention calibers and models of certain types of firearms but will in no way endorse or promote any brand names. That is solely up to the person or persons that are qualified and deemed legally responsible to own and operate a firearm. Also remember to read and follow all safety recommendations suggested by the firearm manufacturer.
Now that above stated (not to say I am bound by legal matters, I believe in following all safety steps when using a firearm for any reason), let us move on .
I would suggest to properly protect yourself or family that one should actually take out a piece of paper and pen and write down what you are looking for in a firearm, your needs from that firearm, what & how you expect that firearm to perform, and determine what factors such as price, affordability, durability, resale value, and longevity.
Their are many firearms on the market today that have the cutting edge and state of the art manufacturing procedures that will give you the consumer the ability to find and purchase a quality firearm. Now if you are looking for a handgun one should look at the size of caliber you may or may not want. The larger the number the more recoil you will feel. Smaller the number you will experience lighter recoil. For instance 9mm vs. a .45 ACP, the 9mm will provide less recoil and give the user greater control of the firearm and may provide better accuracy. However the .45 ACP will provide better stopping power, but will garner more recoil. Also smaller calibers will allow you to carry more ammunition than larger calibers. Semi-automatic pistols allow the user the ability to simply cock the gun once buy pulling the upper part of the firearm known as the slide, and then simply pull the trigger repeatedly until the magazine is spent. If one chooses a revolver they are generally easier to use for the layman. Simply put you pull the hammer backward and pull the trigger. There are no safeties to impede usage. Once loaded however, a revolver is potentially dangerous at all times, so one should remember safety at all times. Popular calibers for semi-auto's currently are as stated, the .380, 9mm or known as 9x19mm, the .45 ACP, and the tried and true .22 caliber. Popular styles of handguns that one may see while in the market are as follows, the Beretta 92 which is duplicated at a cheaper price by Taurus, and is the official sidearm of the U.S. military, the famous 1911 by John M. Browning which are made my numerous manufactures. There also are a style of pistol that has become very popular, the Glock. There are several manufactures that make various styles of this type pistol and several variations.
One should be able to purchase a quality firearm anywhere from $300-$700, and of course it is like anything else you get what you pay for and you can also spend a far greater amount if you should so desire. My next post will cover rifles, bolt actions, semi-autos, and single shots. I hope you have learned something about the market for a firearm and will educate yourself on what you need to know to make a well informed decision when purchasing your new firearm.

Biding Our Time

As I begin to write this new post I wonder what all of the concerned and conservative people are doing out there. As the title of the post suggests; bide our time! Simply put, we should be ever vigilant but now is the time we should be preparing for what is to come. Now as our weather warms and flowers are blooming and everything is turning green, our gardens should be growing. All families should be starting a garden. If you have not had the opportunity growing up of raising your own garden and canning or preserving it, and raising your own beef and/or pork now is the time you should educate yourself on these topics. One of my favorite ways to preserve food is to use a "pressure cooker" and can my garden grown fresh produce. A dehydrator is also a good way to store food and great amounts of it in smaller containers. Which is a great way if you are concerned about space saving. Also one should make a list and consider what type of vegetables you should grow. Also one should consider the vitamin content or nutrients of your produce that it will provide adequate nutrition for you and your family. For those of you without much space and great protein source are chickens. You can raise several chickens without taking up too much space. Of course those of us who have the room and time and resources can raise our own beef and/or pork. Pigs require a bit more work as far as containment as they tend to be willey little critters. However they do not require as much space as do cattle. I recommend not only buying steers, but heifers (young female cows), and adult "mama" cows, so that in time you will have the ability to produce your own calves to sell or keep for future stock or simply to butcher and produce a large amount of beef for your family.
Again I remind you as you start gardening this season be sure to purchase non-hybrid seed so that you may save and replant from your own stock. Another small and easy thing to do is to plant a small orchard. You can have your own orchard with as little as a 16x24 section of your property. Be sure to check into the types of fruit trees to see if they require pollinating or self-pollinating. If you are so inclined one can even purchase your own bee hive and produce natures sugar for the cost of 2 hive boxes and the price of the bees.
Their are many things you can do that will enable you and your families ability to be self-sufficient. Good luck!