Saturday, September 26, 2015

Preppers Checklist : 10 Things To Do Now!

No matter how much I beg, some of you, no doubt haven’t done anything to prepare (you know who you are). I don’t know what else to do. All I can do is give you the information, it’s up to you to act. No one can do it for you. No doubt some of you are intimidated by my repeated suggestions of storing and using whole grains and beans. If it doesn’t come from the supermarket shelf it’s strange and unfamiliar and you want no part of it. Fair enough.
But you still need to prepare. Here are ten things that you can do now that will make you better prepared than 90% of the population. And everything is available at your local shopping center – so it’s easy.
You can do all ten steps at once or divide each into a separate week and shopping trip. But you need to get it done as soon as possible. Keep in mind that this is only a starting point and isn’t presented here as a completed list.
1. Head to the nearest Wal-Mart, Kmart, Costco or whatever and pick-up 20 lbs. of white or brown rice and 20 lbs. of pinto beans. White rice has a better storage life while brown rice has more nutritional benefits – your choice.
2. While you’re there grab 5 lbs. mixed beans, 5 lbs. of white sugar, 5 lbs. of iodized salt, one gallon of olive oil (can be frozen to extend shelf-life), 5 lbs. oats, 10 lbs. each of white or wheat flour and cornmeal.
3. Now head over to the canned foods and pick-up 20 cans of canned fruits and 20 cans of canned vegetables. Be sure to buy only those brands and contents you normally eat and nothing exotic. No need to shock the senses.
4. Now over to the canned meats. Pick-up 20 cans of various meats, salmon, stews, spam and tuna. Again buy only those brands with contents you normally eat and nothing exotic.
5. Okay. Now to the to the peanut butter shelf and toss two 40-ounce jars in the cart. The listed shelf life is just over two years and each jar has over 6,000 calories. Peanut butter is an excellent instant survival food.
6. Over to the powdered drink mix – go on I’ll wait…Okay, pick up two 72 Ounce Tang Orange drink canisters (provides 100% of the US RDA vitamin C requirement per 8 oz. glass). Also grab six 19-Ounce Containers of Kool-Aid Drink Mix.
7. Off to the vitamin and supplement aisle, pick up 400 tablets “one a day” multivitamin and mineral supplements. I buy this brand at the local Wal-Mart – comes in 200 count bottle for $8 each.
8. Now to the department we all love – sporting goods. Go to the camping aisle and pick up 4 five gallon water containers. Fill with tap water as soon as you get back home.
9. While you’re there buy 250 rounds of ammunition for your primary defensive weapon. More if you can, but this will be a good start. Also a good universal cleaning kit.
10. And lastly pick up the best LED flashlight you can afford, extra batteries and bulb. Also grab two boxes of wooden matches and several multi-purpose lighters. Don’t forget to date, use and rotate – remember first in first out. Let’s get started. What would you add to the list?

Apocalypse America: Three of the top informative Prepper / Survivalist websites


The May 2013 print issue of Reason magazine reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency wants US citizens to be prepared, not just for a potential Doomsday, but for floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and any other disaster natural or…manmade.
Interesting.
More often than not, liberals and the mainstream media portray Preppers -- or survivalists -- as nutty, far-right extremists, despite (or maybe spurned on by) popular television shows such as ‘Doomsday Preppers’ on the National Geographic channel.
Take, for example, the Newtown shooter’s mother, Nancy Lanza. When it was discovered that she owned a large gun collection, she was quickly labeled and vilified as a ‘Doomsday Prepper,’ and this has been used to ‘explain’ the shooter’s, Adam Lanza’s, impetus for perpetrating the massacre of 26 children and adults in that incident. It has also been used by gun control advocates as justification for the continual onslaught of attacks on the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution.
Lanza’s former sister-in-law, Marsha Lanza said [Nancy] had turned her home ‘into a fortress’.
‘Nancy had a survivalist philosophy which is why she was stockpiling guns. She had them for defense.
‘She was stockpiling food. She grew up on a farm in New Hampshire. She was skilled with guns. We talked about Preppers and preparing for the economy collapsing.’
Another interesting twist: A FEMA ad currently appears on the front page of the American Preppers Network. The ad asks: Do you meet President Obama’s Prepper Standards?
So, even Barack Obama has developed criteria for being a successful Prepper? The FEMA website actually devotes an entire section to the Prepper movement and disaster preparedness.
This is indeed surprising (and to most conservatives, suspect) since it wasn’t too long ago that Rand Paul warned from the senate floor, in a speech against particulars included in the National Defense Authorization Act (signed by Barack Obama in January, 2013) that the government considers owning guns and storing more than 7 days of food as possible terrorist activity.
Preppers are certainly not terrorists, but realists. Also a certainty: A true Prepper does not follow federal government guidelines for disaster preparedness. There are numerous community groups, forums, and websites created by US citizens and devoted to survivalists and the Prepper movement.
Here is a list of the top three websites, selected based on the highly respected web-ranking system Alexa (as of 2013, Alexa provides traffic data, global rankings and other information on more than 30 million websites).
Each site in this list offers valuable information on a variety of topics that anyone concerned with disaster preparedness -- natural or manmade -- would find beneficial.
It is most interesting to note that at least two of the top three survivalist websites are owned and operated by former US military personnel.
The modern-day Prepper movement has been building in the US since the 1960s when the ephemeral threat of nuclear war became a distinct reality. It has seen a resurgence in the past decade, following the events of 9/11, and continues to grow throughout the country as informed US citizens experience the vice-like grip of a federal government spinning out of control.
Number One Survivalist Website
Number One Survivalist Website shtfplan.com

Number One Survivalist Website

“When it hits the fan, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
With an Alexa ranking of 4,355, no information is provided on the owner, and the DNS records are private, as well.
This site offers plentiful links to preparedness solutions, informative and regularly updated articles (sorted by date and category), as well as an impressive list of links to other websites where all types of survival gear may be purchased.
Number Two Survivalist Website
Number Two Survivalist Website survivalblog.com

Number Two Survivalist Website

“The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.”
With an Alexa ranking of 5,700, this site, established in 2005, was once promoted as the standard by which all other survivalist websites are judged.
Blog owner and author, Jim Rawles, is a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer and technical writer. He states on the site, “SurvivalBlog is my creation, but because of SurvivalBlog, I'm part of something bigger: a virtual community of some of the most brilliant people that you could ever meet. Despite our differences, we all have an interest in preparedness.”
Check this out link for a general summary of Rawles’ survivalist philosophy.
Number Three Survivalist Website
Number Three Survivalist Website thesurvivalistblog.net

Number Three Survivalist Website

“Plan. Prepare. Survive.”
With an Alexa ranking of 18,966, M.D. Creekmore, owner and editor of the site, is a full-time survival author, blog writer, and emergency preparedness consultant. He is the author of “31 Days to Survival” and ”The Dirt Cheap Survival Retreat“ both published by Paladin Press.
Creekmore writes, “My main goal is to show ordinary people how to become better prepared for an uncertain future. The articles here are based on real-world experience. You will find helpful tips, guides and checklists – focusing on a very modest budget. Most importantly, you will find a preparedness community whose members are willing to help each other learn and how in the journey of self-reliance and self-sufficiency.”
Check out one of the most important and informative sections of this blog, Preppers List : 10 Things To Do Now!

Tactical Tips

I have a tactical life. I have a tactical knife. I have a tactical pen, a tactical light, a tactical vest, a tactical site. I even have a tactical wife!
When I get home tonight, we plan to decant a few ounces of our favorite tactical whiskey, curl up on the sofa and watch Tac TV.
What is tactical?
I did a story a while back that examines the incredible tactical shooting phenomenon – the biggest thing to hit the firearms industry since the invention of smokeless powder.
For some, tactical shooting is a clever marketing ploy; Take something shiny, paint it black, write “tactical” on it, charge double what it’s worth. Repeat.
My friend John Sigler, a former NRA president, defined tactical shooting as 3-Gun competition – the sport involving military-style rifles, pistols and combat shotguns.
Legendary Army Special Operations veteran Larry A. Vickers defined tactical shooting as a mindset, something definitely not a sport.
Others defined it as a lifestyle – a way of looking at the world.
While I lean a bit more toward the ‘mindset’ definition, truth is, they are all right.
Tactical shooting is specific style of firearms and accessories. It’s also a sport, a mindset and a lifestyle. It is what it is.
It’s almost easier to say what is not tactical than what is.
This is not tactical:
 This is:


Being tactical is more than wearing BDU pants and a para-cord bracelet. It is a realization that while it is better to be judged by 12 than carried by six, it is best not to be judged or carried by anybody. That’s why tactical shooters are such training junkies.
I’m off the soap box, for now.
On with the tips!
Cover vs. concealment – Cover stops bullets. Concealment hides you from an assailant.  My wife and I live in a typical Florida home – one level concrete block construction with interior sheet rock walls, standard furniture and appliances.  Contrary to most popular television shows, there is nothing inside our home that will stop even a small caliber handgun round. There is plenty of concealment – sofas, walls and doors to hide behind, but there is no cover. Ballistic testing shows most appliances and furniture will slow but not stop even a .380 round. The best way to think of your home tactically is like a large, rectangular box full of concealment, but no cover between you and an armed intruder. Plan accordingly.
Concealed carry for women – Women are the fastest growing demographic within the firearms industry. As the popularity of concealed carry increases, more and more retailers are catering to women. Several gun shops I’ve visited recently offer purses with built-in holsters. These should be avoided at all costs. The first thing a robber will grab from a female victim is a handbag, effectively disarming the shooter. The best way to carry a concealed pistol, regardless of the sex of the operator, is on the strong side hip, in a secure holster made by a reputable manufacturer.
Chinese tactical accessories – Every time I go to a gun show there are more vendors offering lasers, white lights, red-dots and other gear made by NC-Star and similar brands. The price is right – $50 for a laser/light combo or a red-dot. It looks cool but it’s junk – something to be avoided at all costs. It will fail, probably when you need it most. Spend the extra money and buy accessories made by a reputable manufacturer. Buy American.
The best handgun for concealed carry –  I am occasionally asked to recommend “the best” pistol for concealed carry. It’s like trying to recommend a car or a bottle of wine. The easy answer is this – carry the biggest caliber, largest capacity pistol you can conceal and shoot effectively. I’m 6-Feet 3-inches, 275 pounds. I can control and conceal a .45 XD. Depending upon my clothing and whether I’ve had a large lunch, I could probably conceal two or three.  Smaller shooters need smaller caliber firearms that are easier to conceal, but don’t rely on anything smaller than .380.

Liberal media, White House owes preppers and survivalists a massive apology in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy

(NaturalNews) In the wake of superstorm Sandy, preppers are the new prophets. Those who failed to prepare are the new homeless.

For as long as we can all remember, preppers and survivalists have been derided by the mainstream media, labeled "kooks" and "wing nuts" for stockpiling food, water, ammunition, medical supplies and emergency gear. Only paranoid conspiracy theorists engage in evil preparedness activities, we were told by the sellout mainstream media, and they've convinced many that preppers may even be terrorists.

The very word "stockpiling" has been used in a derogatory manner, as if it's somehow bad for private citizens to stockpile food, medicine and emergency supplies that might save lives in a crisis. Never mind that the government stockpiles all these things for its own survival; citizens are routinely taught that stockpiling is bad!

Suddenly all that has changed. In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, preppers are the ones who aren't starving, freezing or begging the government to come save them with emergency supplies. Those who failed to prepare are now subjected to the chaotic, incompetent actions of the federal government which is, predictably, operating in a never-ending state of logistical failure.

An one example, in response to the ongoing scarcity of gasoline, New York announced that the Defense Department would be opening up free gas stations near areas hardest-hit, but that residents should stay away and let first responders fuel up ahead of them.

This, of course, set off a wave of confusion. It was then announced that those "civilians" (a derogatory term against citizens, used only in a police state) who were already in line could stay in line, but no "civilians" could join the line. Many people waited up to six hours for gasoline. Tempers flared, fist fights were commonplace, and state troopers had to be sent to gas stations to keep the peace.

Preppers, of course, already stored away spare fuel at home and therefore didn't need to wait in line and subject themselves to the chaos and desperation.

FEMA runs out of water

This one was easy to see coming: FEMA has run out of water to distribute to Sandy victims and is now desperately trying to find a private contractor that will deliver millions of bottles of water to the region.

That this could happen in the aftermath of a storm that everybody saw coming at least a week ahead of time is nothing short of bewildering. How could FEMA, whose only job is to plan for crisis, not have stockpiled some supplies in advance of the storm?

The answer is that FEMA is just flat-out incompetent. As described in an article by Michael Patrick Leahy:

...the agency appears to have been completely unprepared to distribute bottled water to Hurricane Sandy victims when the storm hit this Monday. In contrast to its stated policy, FEMA failed to have any meaningful supplies of bottled water -- or any other supplies, for that matter -- stored in nearby facilities as it had proclaimed it would on its website. This was the case despite several days advance warning of the impending storm.

Once again, preppers who had stockpiled water in advance of all this were sitting pretty, living on stored water supplies. Those who invested in water filters were even able to use water that would not have been drinkable otherwise.

No electricity = no heat for cooking

Even today, the power grid is down in many areas, and for all those residents using electric stoves and toasters, that means no ability cook anything... not even to boil water!

Most people simply have no backup plan for when the power grid goes down. So they become yet another victim who needs to be rescued by a government that has a terrible track record on rescues.

Preppers, on the other hand, own non-electric cookstoves such as this Zoom Dura cookstove which can burn paper, wood, small branches and almost anything flammable. It boils water, cooks meals, and kills bacteria. No batteries required.

In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, people who own emergency campstoves or cookstoves have been able to cook meals if they also stored some food. Something as simple as a few cans of chili can be priceless in the middle of a grid down scenario. Or some quinoa, oatmeal, rice or whatever.

I know for a fact that we shipped a large number of 40-day organic survival food pails to the Northeast in the days before the storm hit. Those people have no doubt been sitting pretty with plenty of food to eat, compared to their neighbors who didn't prepare and are therefore starving or dumpster diving for food scraps.

Arming up with bows, machetes, firearms and baseball bats

Looting has been widespread in some areas, thanks mostly to the fact that police are spread too thin and can't cover all the territory. At first, the looting targeted commercial buildings, where looters made off with TV projectors, flat panel displays and valuable electronics, but it soon shifted to the looting of private homes by criminals dressed as Con Edison workers.

Citizens quickly realized they would need to fend for themselves. As the NY Daily News reports:

Ever since Sandy strafed the Queens peninsula and tore up the boardwalk, it's become an often lawless place where cops are even scarcer than electrical power and food. Locals say they are arming themselves with guns, baseball bats, booby traps -- even a bow and arrow -- to defend against looters.

"We booby-trapped our door and keep a baseball bat beside our bed," said Danielle Harris, 34, rummaging through donated supplies as children rode scooters along half-block chunk of the boardwalk that had marooned into the middle of Beach 91st St.

"We heard gunshots for three nights in a row," said Harris, who believed they came from the nearby housing projects.


Preppers, of course, already have firearms and ammo. In fact, many preppers today are investing in firearms proficiency training in order to gain combat skills. I know several firearms instructors, and they tell me their classes are jam packed, with waiting lists increasingly common.

A typical prepper owns not only a handgun, but also a combat rifle (typically an AR or AK) and a shotgun for close quarters defense. In addition, preppers stockpile at least 1,000 rounds of ammo for each. It's not uncommon to talk to preppers who have stored 10,000 rounds of ammo for each firearm they own.

These firearms, far from causing violence, are used in the defense of life and property in communities struck by disaster. People who legally own firearms are law-abiding citizens who typically work with local law enforcement to restore peace and security to local communities and help stop criminals and looters.

That states like New York restrict private citizens from owning firearms is, in a very real sense, denying them the ability to protect themselves during a crisis when the police can't protect them, either. Using machetes and bows is no match for a Glock 17 or an AR-15. While anti-gun people like Bloomberg or Obama like to say that guns "have no place on the streets of America," they are wrong. Firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens are an essential part of restoring peace and order following any crisis. In a disaster scenario, more guns in the hands of responsible citizens really does equal less crime.

It's just common sense: When the cops are nowhere to be found, and the National Guard isn't helping out, and FEMA's lack of preparedness has made the local population desperate for supplies, a privately-owned firearm is the only remaining defense against criminal-minded looters and violent opportunities who try to prey on the weak. That's why I even published a tactical home defense guide designed to stop looters and criminals from targeting innocent victims of superstorm Sandy.

The media owes preppers a massive apology

One of the realizations emerging from all this is that the media's portrayal of preppers has been not just malicious and highly inaccurate. Preppers are not the "kooks" you see on TV shows (which the media admits are laced with pay-for-placement messages provided by the White House); they are intelligent, forward-thinking members of society who are truly a national treasure capable of saving lives in any disaster.

Preppers pick up where the police and the government drop the ball. Preppers provide food, water, emergency medicine and even local neighborhood security. They do it without being paid and without even being thanked for their contributions to society.

In the wake of superstorm Sandy, the national media -- and especially the liberal media which expresses intense hatred for preppers -- owes preppers a massive apology. Preppers create stability, safety and security in any crisis, and they deserve to be portrayed as the upstanding members of society they truly are.

The White House owes preppers a huge apology as well. Preppers and survivalists have, in the last few years, been characterized as "terrorists" by the Obama administration. The message is that anyone with a gun, some ammo and a stockpile of food is somehow "dangerous" or a threat to society. In reality, that person is the guy sharing food with neighbors and helping protect the neighborhood from violent criminal looters.

Famously, a prepper was recently put on a "no-fly list" and stranded in Hawaii because he was classified by the government as a "prepper." So hold on: Stockpiling emergency supplies makes you synonymous with a terrorist now?

Preppers are actually on the target list of the U.S. government. As an active duty National Guard member named "Soldier X" has recently revealed, the Guard is being trained to "treat preppers as terrorists."

According to Soldier X, the government is compiling lists of preppers and intends to confiscate their guns and treat them as enemy combatants in any crisis situation. So the very group the government should be thanking for providing local community stability and order is the group being targeted for arrest, detainment and possibly being sent to Obama's secret military prisons under the provisions of the NDAA.

The federal government WANTS chaos and panic, get it?

The reality of all this is that the federal government is trying to eliminate preppers and survivalists precisely as a way to create more panic, fear and chaos. Why? Because it is from that scenario that the government can justify yet more funding for itself, more police state crackdowns and more dependency among the citizen slaves.

Remember: Every government wants to become like North Korea, where it dominates everything in society, controls all the resources and commands citizens as if they were slaves. The U.S. government is no different: Like every government, it thirsts for unlimited power.

Preppers and survivalists interfere with the growth of government power because they demonstrate the far greater power of individual preparedness. When preppers take care of themselves and don't need to be rescued by the government, they send a "dangerous" message to the rest of society: Emergency preparedness is YOUR responsibility, not the government's.

The White House doesn't like people sending that message. Neither does the liberal media which persistently pushes citizen victimization and government dependence. The very idea of thinking for yourself, taking care of yourself and being self-reliant is alien to the liberal media. And that's one reason why the liberal media is ultimately so dangerous: Many people who followed the advice of, say, the New York Times, are now DEAD in Jersey.

The bottom line: Preppers are the future of human civilization; deniers are dead

Hurricane Sandy was a walk in the park compared to what we'll see in a national grid-down scenario. As I've explained many times here on Natural News, a single solar flare (or a high-altitude EMP burst weapon) could knock out most of the national power grid.

That would thrust virtually the entire nation into the scenario we've recently watched unfold on Staten Island and certain parts of NY. Imagine fuel scarcity, starvation, water scarcity and looting unleashed on a national scale. That's what we will sooner or later face in America (and everywhere else, too).

When that scenario unfolds, it's a simple matter of fact that we're going to see the mass death of liberal media worshippers and Big Government worshippers who refused to prepare. The survivors will, by and large, be the preppers who planned ahead.

It's Darwinism at work, backfiring on people who call themselves "Darwinists" (who almost universally do not believe in preparedness). It's natural selection doing its thing. People who cannot adapt to survive do not tend to reproduce, while those who can adapt and survive are the ones left remaining to repopulate the planet.

In fact, the domination of the planet by the "prepping gene" is one of the most scientific ideas of our time. That's because crisis strikes our planet on a regular basis: Solar flares, asteroids, the spread of infectious disease and even the threat of widespread nuclear war or nuclear facility failures.

Each "wave" of crisis weeds out the ignorant unprepared masses through mass death. While those people may be in a majority right now, they and their lineage have no real future.

Interestingly, modern humanity hasn't faced a real crisis yet. By "modern," I mean the version of civilization that has bet everything on complex electronics, food supply logistics and the continued restocking of the artificial living zones known as "cities." This modern civilization has only existed for about seventy-five years -- a blink of an eye in terms of the big picture. So it hasn't been tested yet with a true global survival scenario. We are one solar flare away from being thrust back to the early 1900's.

Another mass extinction event is inevitable

Sixty-five million years ago, a single rock from space wiped out the dinosaurs. It was the most violent mass-extinction event planet Earth had ever experienced. So far, there have been five mass extinction events in the known history of our planet.

Human beings are likely going to be the sixth, through the careless proliferation of nuclear power plants, the toying with GMOs and the genetic pollution of the planet, or even through the accidental release of a military bioweapon with a 98% fatality rate.

The next mass extinction event will quickly eliminate from the planet all organisms poorly adapted to survive, which includes most New York Times subscribers. It will leave behind only those humans, plants and animals with remarkable survival adaptation skills.

The most likely survivors, it turns out, are going to be well-stocked preppers who have practiced the skills of self-reliance and sustainable living.

Survival resources

If you're serious about survival, here are some resources I recommend:

James Wesley Rawles' Survival Blog:
www.SurvivalBlog.com

I also recommend books by Rawles on Amazon.com.

Joe Nobody:
www.HoldingYourGround.com
Author page on Amazon.com


Lehman's Non-Electric Store:
www.Lehmans.com

Article: How to "Bug In" for survival.

Health Ranger course on self defense and preparedness.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Ruger Precision Rifle


It’s a good feeling to be somewhere with the most striking woman in the place on your arm. It’s also fun to be at a gun show and have a gun everyone wants to look at and buy, even if that gun is not for sale. A few weeks back, I had that exact same experience. I always get a table at the Greensboro Gun Show, because it’s a great gun show and I always need more room in my safe. On Thursday, before the show, I picked up my “test and evaluation” Ruger Precision Rifle. I decided to put it on the table without a price tag to see what the reaction might be and I was amazed. I’m certain I could have sold that rifle ten times over.
Everything you need and nothing you don’t a full length 20 MOA rail, adjustable stock, AR 15 grip and front tube, and remarkable accuracy.
Everything you need and nothing you don’t a full length 20 MOA rail, adjustable stock, AR 15 grip and front tube, and remarkable accuracy.
The left side of the RPR.
The left side of the RPR.
In recent years, there’s been a groundswell of interest in long range rifles with tactical features. Gun enthusiasts like the idea of shooting guns similar to what our military uses and our recent military operations in desert country have spawned some pretty interesting long range rifle concepts, like fully adjustable chassis stocks, threaded muzzles, large capacity box magazines, extended 20 MOA scope rails and use of common AR15 accessories to allow modularity and ease of customization.
Several companies have introduced their versions of this type of rifle with prices ranging from the price of a decent used car to about twice the price of the standard version of the base model rifle. I believe that Ruger has produced the best of this lot. Ruger has always built a quality gun. As a company that makes firearms that fit into almost every category, they probably enjoy more brand loyalty across a wider spectrum of shooters than any other brand. Having said this, brand loyalty had little to do with the attraction of the Precision Rifle at the gun show.
Specs for the three available models.
Specs for the three available models.
Simply put, the Ruger Precision Rifle is very well thought out, so well thought out that there are disassembly tools stored in the rear of the bolt body. Unlike many of the adjustable stocks currently available, the Ruger’s stock has a wide range of adjustment that doesn’t take a long time to adjust. Two major manufacturers have chassis rifles that use the Magpul PRS Precision stock which is heavy, slow to adjust and has minuscule amounts of movement.
The stock fold release is easy to use on the left side and the oval button on the upper side of receiver is easy to access. The stock needs to fold to remove the bolt.
The stock needs to fold to remove the bolt.
The idea of an adjustable stock on a tactical, long range rifle is to quickly adjust for a difficult position. The level of adjustment needs be generous and it needs to happen fast. The Ruger has almost an inch of cheek piece adjustment and three inches of length of pull. These adjustments can be accomplished lightning fast with a cammed lever that works like a bicycle seat adjustment.
The Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) also uses a straight line stock with the bolt coming back into the stock when retracted. The stock folds to allow bolt removal and easier transport. When the stock locks into place, there’s zero movement, important in a precision rifle. The pistol grip is standard AR as is the Keymod 15 inch front float tube. Ruger supplies a section of Picatinny rail and a sling swivel attachment with the rifle. The trigger is the bladed type so many rifles use these days and it was both light and crisp enough for precision shooting.
More modularity comes from the variety of magazines that can be used. Most precision tactical rifles use single stack ten shot magazines that sell for well north of the $50.00 number. The Ruger has a new feature they call Multi Magazine Interface that allows use with both side and front latching magazines used in AR Platform .308, as well as M14 style front latch magazines.
One of the most impressive features is the ability to use different magazines. Standard M14 magazines as well as 7.62 AR magazines worked perfectly in my test gun. The three lug bolt strips the round off the magazine with the bottom lug.
One of the most impressive features is the ability to use different magazines. Standard M14 magazines as well as 7.62 AR magazines worked perfectly in my test gun. The three lug bolt strips the round off the magazine with the bottom lug.
While the company stipulates that some M14 magazines might not work, my test rifle worked just fine with my M14 magazines and this is important because PMags and steel M14 magazines are cheap and much more compact for their capacity.
While it has that kind of look, the Ruger RPR isn’t a chassis rifle, it uses an upper and lower receiver assembly, with the trigger and magazine housing comprising the lower receiver and the bolt, stock and barrel all assembled in line on the upper portion. This keeps the unscoped weight down under eleven pounds. The modularity extends into the design further, allowing the barrel to be changed as with AR platform rifles and using the same tools.
Of course, with any rifle, the proof is in the shooting. I chose the .243 Winchester chambering, and based on the gun show crowd, I made the wrong choice, but I don’t think I did. I come from an NRA High Power background. I’m a Distinguished Rifleman and former High Master. I had friends who experimented with the .243 and liked it. It’s not the current hot caliber at Camp Perry, but it’s easy to find, with a wide variety of loads and the numbers are almost as good as the 6.5 Creedmoor.
I tested the Ruger with three different loads. Hornady Superformance SST 85 grain, Remington 100 grain Corelokt, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 55 grain Fragmenting Polymer tip.
I tested the Ruger with three different loads. Hornady Superformance SST 85 grain, Remington 100 grain Corelokt, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 55 grain Fragmenting Polymer tip.
The other part I liked is that the .243 comes with a 1-8 twist 26 inch barrel and I’d suspect the extra two inches of length and good choice of load will put the .243 up to 6.5 Creedmoor numbers. Besides, should I decide the .243 was a bad choice, I can easily swap barrels to any barrel in the .308 family.
I scoped my test rifle with the excellent Leupold 6.5-20 and used the lowest BSquare rings that would clear the front rail. This put the adjustable cheek piece at just off the bottom setting. Accuracy testing was done from prone off a bipod. This is a tactical rifle, and I felt it should be shot like one. I used three different loadings for my testing, none of which were competitive match loads. While the shortcoming of the .243 is a lack of out of the box match loads, there are plenty of quality bullets that can easily make the .243 a fine long range performer. I used two 100 grain loads, the Hornady Superformance 95 grain SST boat tail, and I couldn’t resist using some good old Remington 100 grain Core-Lokt. I also had a couple of boxes of Winchester Ballistic Fragmenting Polymer Tip Silvertips and I thought it would be good to see if the Ruger RPR could handle a lightweight bullet.
Initial results were good, but not great with everything hanging right around MOA accuracy. Surprisingly, the best group came from the 55 grain Fragmenting Winchesters. I felt the Ruger should do better so I went over things, I cleaned the barrel again, since there are no guard screws to tighten, I checked the screws that hold the two halves of the lower receiver together and found the rear screw a bit looser than I thought it should be. Snugged up, with a clean bore, I returned to the range to the 200 yard line at Piedmont Handgunners Association, my local range.
The group from the Hornady 95 grain SST at 200 yards.
The group from the Hornady 95 grain SST at 200 yards.
Resolving to hold hard, I managed five shot groups averaging a bit more than a half minute. The Hornady Superformance produced the best average, and the 55 grain Balistic Silvertips produced the best group, just .872” at 200 yards. The 100 grain Core-Lokt put in a great showing with one group at just 1.177”. Core-Lokt is still remarkably good ammunition even though it’s an almost 50 year old product line. I’m curious just how well this little rifle will shoot with a real match bullet and a bit more time on the barrel.
Accuracy Results at 200 yards off a bipod                                                     Best Group                            Average
Winchester 55 grain Ballistic Silvertip Fragmenting                                              .985”                                         1.587”
Remington 100 grain Core-Lokt Pointed soft point                                              1.177”                                          1.703”
Hornady Superformance 95 grain SST                                                                     1.009″                                        1.344″
The Ruger Precision Rifle performed will with every brand of ammunition I tried.
The Ruger Precision Rifle performed will with every brand of ammunition I tried.
I’m convinced a good rifleman could slick up the bolt, install a good set of match sights, load some real match ammo and shoot a High Master score with this rifle at Camp Perry. The Ruger Precision Rifle strongly resembles and has many of the features that allowed the Tubb 2000 rifle to take Camp Perry by storm several years ago, except the Ruger has those features in a mass produced rifle at a fraction of the cost.
Ruger has done a great job on this one. It will serve well as a target gun, a tactical competition rifle, and for long range hunting applications. They’re so confident, they’ve introduced the Ruger Precision Rifle Challenge, a website where RPR owners can report their success and compete for the best shot at a wide range of distances from 100 yards for group size to 1,600 yards on a metal plate. It’s going to be interesting to see just how accurate the little Ruger is going to be.

A generous bolt handle makes operation easy and fast, the familiar bladed trigger breaks clean and light. Magazine release is M14 style and the gun will run my M14 magazines just fine in .243
A generous bolt handle makes operation easy and fast, the familiar bladed trigger breaks clean and light. Magazine release is M14 style and the gun will run my M14 magazines just fine in .243
Prone Accuracy testing was done prone with a bipod at 100 and 200 yards.
Prone Accuracy testing was done prone with a bipod at 100 and 200 yards.
One of the best features was the fully adjustable stock. Both cheek piece height and length of pull were fast to adjust and had a wide range of movement.
One of the best features was the fully adjustable stock. Both cheek piece height and length of pull were fast to adjust and had a wide range of movement.
The Keymod float tube forend comes with a section of rail and a swivel attachment point.
The Keymod float tube forend comes with a section of rail and a swivel attachment point.
Muzzle Standard threads allow easy use of a suppressor or compensator.
Muzzle Standard threads allow easy use of a suppressor or compensator.
I tested the Ruger with three different loads. Hornady Superformance SST 85 grain, Remington 100 grain Corelokt, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 55 grain Fragmenting Polymer tip. There wasn't a load that performed badly.
I tested the Ruger with three different loads. Hornady Superformance SST 85 grain, Remington 100 grain Corelokt, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 55 grain Fragmenting Polymer tip. There wasn’t a load that performed badly.
During my testing, I used the Bullseye Camera AmmoCam to monitor groups. It is a remote camera that lets you see real time results.
During my testing, I used the Bullseye Camera AmmoCam to monitor groups. It is a remote camera that lets you see real time results on a laptop or tablet.

M45A1 Colt

Full disclosure, I am a Colt fanatic. So if my pictures of the Colt M45A1 Close Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP) look like they were shot through rose colored sunglasses (I live in Miami), don’t be surprised. It took me a long time to finally get a review gun from Colt, and I am absolutely enamored with this pistol. If you didn’t know this already, the United States Marine Corps contracted Colt Defense in 2012 to build just over 4,000 of these guns for their Special Forces units. It was the first time since the end of WWII that Colt had supplied new 1911 pistols to the US Government, and for Colt fanatics like me, the news was like a homecoming. Prior to this deal, the Special Operations had been using the 1911, but they had to be rebuilt from guns that were retired upon adoption of the Beretta M9. The old guns had gotten tired, and Colt was the winner among several manufacturers to supply the new guns. The contract is ongoing, so a lot more than 4,000 guns will be shipped to the Marines. The good news for us is that the civilian version is the exact same gun, and they are finally starting to reliably show up in the market. The MSRP on the Colt CQBP is $2,149, and you can find them for slightly less if you look around.
The USMC spec states that the gun had to maintain a 4" spread at 25 yards shot without a rest. I was able to repeat this with all of the ammo I tested.
The USMC spec states that the gun had to maintain a 4″ spread at 25 yards shot without a rest. I was able to repeat this with all of the ammo I tested. This color is actually pretty close to the actual color.

The M45M1A is built on a stainless steel frame and slide, which has been covered with a Desert Tan Cerakote. It was raining for my first outing with the gun, but I have tried to keep the pics as close to the color in person as possible. A lot of online pics I noticed show the gun as too light colored. I shot this gun the first time at SHOT Show Media Day of 2013, and I remember that I had a peeve on it that the front of the muzzle gets really dirty when you shoot it a lot, so I was really pleased when the carbon rubbed right off without even any solvent. Why am I talking about colors and keeping the finish nice before the performance lol? Because most civilians who buy this gun are going to treat it as a collectible. As a collectible, Colt is shooting these guns at the factory, and though mine didn’t come with one, they are supposed to come with a test target. Don’t be afraid to shoot your M45A1 Colt. It cleans up perfect.
You will see a halo of carbon on the front of this gun after you shoot it, but I found that the carbon rubbed right off without solvents.
You will see a halo of carbon on the front of this gun after you shoot it, but I found that the carbon rubbed right off without solvents.

The firing system on the gun is the Series 80 design from Colt, which features an internal firing pin safety. A lot of people have complained that the triggers on the Series 80s are spongy, but I didn’t experience that on my test gun. It snaps crisp and clean, at just under 6 lbs. The reset is a fairly standard 1/10th of the inch or so for a 1911, and it is a little scratchy, but with a noticeable feel and sound of a click. The gun failed zero times out of just over 300 rounds using everything from standard roundball to flat point to pointy Hornady carry bullets, to hollow points of several types.You would think that that this would mean that the gun is somewhat sloppy and rattly. It isn’t. In fact when you shake the gun there is no movement in it whatsoever. And in accuracy tests, I proved out the original USMC specification of under a 4″ spread of 5 shots at 25 yards over several brands of ammo. The USMC requirement said an “unsupported firing position,” so that is how I shot my tests. Ultimately a gun is only as accurate as you can fire it. And though an offhand test is much more subjective than a bench rested test, it does give you a good idea of how the gun performs in the field. I am not an accomplished pistol shooter, and I was able to ding 12×18 steel plates at 50 yards with every single shot, and about half the shots I hit the swinger in the middle. Oh, and that was with one hand. I am a retired SASS shooter.
Series 80 Colts have been criticized for having a spongy trigger, but I found this gun to be very crisp and consistent at a predicable break under 6 lbs.
Series 80 Colts have been criticized for having a spongy trigger, but I found this gun to be very crisp and consistent at a predicable break under 6 lbs.

With a progressive reloading press, a lot of free time and a barrel of money I’m sure that you could get this gun shooting into a fraction of what I tested it at. Since the Marines adopted the gun, it has received nothing but high praise from the Quantico gunsmiths that used to build the old M45s from spare parts. Do yourself a favor though. If you have all three of those things (press, time, money), buy a second one of these guns to put away and not shoot a lot. These guns are going to be extremely collectible, and the consumer serial numbers are still in the 2000s.The Colt M45A1 CQBP comes with Novac style 3 dot night sights. The original guns apparently used actual Novac brand sights, but my test gun has Trijicons. This is of course a rail gun, and the rail is machined into the frame, not bolted on. Each gun comes with two Wilson Combat 7 round mags, and they have the extended pads on the bottom to protect your palm from getting hurt by the lanyard loop that sticks out of the bottom of the gun. The ambidextrous manual safety is surprisingly crisp and positive. I don’t know if this gun was sent to other reviewers before me, but in my experience most 1911 safeties take some break in time, whereas this one did not. The barrel is stainless, and marked “COLT 45 AUTO NM,” for National Match. All of the parts are meticulously Cerakoted, and after firing the gun a great deal, there is very little finish that gets lost. Some 1911s are hard to field strip. This one was not.
The grips on this Colt are beefy. The grip circumference is about the same as my doublestack 45s.
The grips on this Colt are beefy. The grip circumference is about the same as my doublestack 45s.

Please see the pictures for details of my brief first outing with what is probably the most exciting Colt for me since the 901. I am not a Colt fanatic for no reason. Sam Colt may have died in 1862, long before the famous and groundbreaking 1973 Peacemaker, but his company pioneered the commercial firearms business through the last 100 years plus. Everyone wants to talk about John Browning John Browning John Browning with it comes to 1911s, but there are a lot of great inventions that never go anywhere because nobody buys them. It was Colt that made the 1911 an American firearm staple, and that goes for the AR-15 as well by the way. Inventions are great, but sound production, good marketing, and grabbing military contracts like this are what have given Colt, and the 1911, such longevity.Rarely if ever will you buy a Colt and have it disappoint you as a functional firearm and collectible that will only go up in value. This USMC contract may have been 22 million, but in modern corporate terms, that is a drop in the bucket. From a lesser name and a less historical gun that size contract wouldn’t have even made a blip. And don’t get me wrong. This 1911 is a great gun, and from a performance perspective, I don’t think you can do much better for this kind of money. But as a Colt fanatic and accumulator (which is different from collector), more than anything the USMC contract gave us all a great reason to go out and buy another Colt. I am going to try to buy this test gun from Colt, and if you can get your hands on one (there are currently only 4 on GunsAmerica), get this M45A1 CWBP while you still can at under MSRP.
To some degree, and a 1911 rail gun is a 1911 rail gun, but a Colt is never just another gun.
To some degree, and a 1911 rail gun is a 1911 rail gun, but a Colt is never just another gun.
My gun came with Trijicon night sights.
My gun came with Trijicon night sights.
The ambidextrous safety is surprisingly not sticky.
The ambidextrous safety is surprisingly not sticky.
For a new 1911 it also field strips very easy.
For a new 1911 it also field strips very easy.
Speer roundball was very tight and close to point of aim.
Speer roundball was very tight and close to point of aim.
Never question your shooting until you shoot Hornady ammo. This Steel Match is intentionally underpowered for competition, but it is scary accurate. This is a 6 shot group.
Never question your shooting until you shoot Hornady ammo. This Steel Match is intentionally underpowered for competition, but it is scary accurate. This is a 6 shot group.
All of the different types of bullets worked without flaw.
All of the different types of bullets worked without flaw.
You would think that a Military gun would be made to optimize roundballs, but I shot a ton of this flat Winchester 1911 ammo and it never even hiccuped.
You would think that a Military gun would be made to optimize roundballs, but I shot a ton of this flat Winchester 1911 ammo and it never even hiccuped.
The gun comes with a lockable case and two Wilson Combat magazines.
The gun comes with a lockable case and two Wilson Combat magazines.

common-sense steps are available to ensure your basic preparedness at a reasonable cost:

Most of us who are concerned with preparedness fall victim to fear mongering at least once in our lives. Not only has the Internet made it easier for preppers to be targeted, fear mongers have used many events along the way to try to profit. The events that come to mind first include Y2K and the Mayan predictions of the end of the world in 2012.
What can be done to avoid the scams of the fear mongers?
  1. The single greatest thing that anyone can do to avoid falling victim to the snake oil salesman is to look at everything objectively and take the time to really find out what someone is trying to sell you.
  2. Do some research and see what others are saying about the product.
  3. Find out if there are other similar products. Compare the costs and what people are saying about it.
  4. Is there a better option available that you can do yourself or that is better, stronger or faster?
  5. If at this point you determine that there is a product that is a good choice, make your purchase.
And there is more good news! A number of common-sense steps are available to ensure your basic preparedness at a reasonable cost:
  • Evaluate the threats that you are most likely to face and prioritize them from most likely to least likely.
  • Identify the most likely threat and take the steps necessary to be prepared to overcome that threat.
  • Once the most likely threat is prepared for, move to the second most likely threat and prepare for it. Continue this process until you have the knowledge and resources in place to survive most of the likely threats you face.
Many of the resources you procure and the knowledge that you commit to memory for your most likely threat will also be beneficial for subsequent threats.
When securing resources and knowledge for preparedness, ensure that you take a good look at:
  • Food: Start with canned goods and move on from there.
  • Water: Ideally, two gallons per person every day for drinking, cooking, sanitation and hygiene. Don’t forget a water filter!
  • Shelter
  • Medical: Account for routine illness as well as traumatic injuries. Don’t forget to address dental emergencies as well. It does not hurt to have knowledge about alternative treatments either.
  • Security: It doesn’t make sense to take the steps toward preparedness without ensuring that you can protect it.
  • Gardening: Have a way to provide yourself with food. Practice now instead of trying to figure it out after the balloon has already gone up.
  • Community-building: The lone wolf will not survive for long. Build a community of like-minded people to share skills and work together.
  • Bugging in or bugging out: That is the question.
  • Energy: How will you power your life and the necessities you depend on?
  • Communications
  • Survival kits: Car, work, bug-out bags, etc.
  • Travel: How will you get from point A to point B in various scenarios?
  • Hygiene and sanitation
  • Faith/spiritual preparedness
  • Skills: Fire-making, improvised survival techniques, knots, etc.
  • Tools and hardware
  • Financial: What will you use for financial transactions in the event of a disaster? Precious metals, cash, barter items, etc.
  • Homesteading
  • Bushcraft/urban survival
  • Fishing and hunting
  • Threat assessment
  • Reference materials
I am sure there are plenty of others that I missed, but that was the list I came up with off the top of my head.
The key lesson that you should take away from this article is that there are people out there who really don’t care about whether you are prepared or not; they just want your money. If you take a calculated approach to your preparedness and take action based solely on what you will most likely face, only then will you minimize the amount of time and money you waste while also becoming the most prepared that you can.