Monday, January 21, 2019

Best Bug Out Pistol


Kel-Tec PMR-30 .22 Magnum pistol

Regardless of what everyone says a gun should look like, Kel-Tec has always bucked the normal path that other manufacturers have followed with truly unique and innovative product designs. The Kel-Tec PMR-30 translates to Pistol Magnum Rimfire 30-shot and is yet another innovative firearm which fills a niche in the market with a very fun 30-shot .22 WMR semi-auto pistol.
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Fit, feel, and features

The gun’s polymer frame fits tightly, and the various materials used in the construction all have a soft buffed finish. Despite the light weight, the PMR-30 is a solidly built gun.
As with any of the Kel-Tec firearms, the PMR-30 is unlike anything else on the market. The ergonomics do not feel odd, but they are different from typical pistol due to the size and shape. Part of that different feeling is the grip angle, with a deeper grip that accommodates the .22 Magnum round. The other quite noticeable trait is the weight, which makes for a fast handling and packable trail gun. At 13.6oz unloaded and 19oz loaded, the PMR-30 feels like a well built pellet pistol.
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The Kel-Tec PMR-30 comes with two magazines, the pistol, and a nice hard case.
The pistol itself makes innovative use of materials. The slide and barrel are made from 4140 steel, and the frame is machined from 7075 aluminum. The grip, slide cover, trigger, mag release, and safety levers are glass reinforced Nylon (Zytel), much like the other Kel-Tec Pistols. The two included 30-round magazines are also very durable Zytel, with handy round count ports.
Dual opposing extractors increase the reliability of the rimfire rounds for positive extraction. The Kel-TecPMR-30 features a heel magazine release, instead of a typical thumb release, which was still plenty fast to load and adds to the complete ambidextrous function of the pistol. Recoil is managed by the urethane recoil buffer and captive coaxial recoil springs. Dis-assembly is via a simple single-pin removal which breaks the gun down into slide, barrel, buffer, and recoil springs.
The PMR-30’s trigger is a surprisingly crisp single action with an over-travel stop. My expectation was that the trigger would be the mushy trigger of my Sub-2000, but this was a really good trigger for an inexpensive pistol. The manual safety is a standard thumb activated ambidextrous safety lever (up for SAFE, down for FIRE), which even my stumpy thumbs could reach and operate.
The sights are high visibility fiber optics, with the front green and rear orange of different colors. These sights were fast to pick up and easy to see in all ambient light levels. Surprisingly, with so much zytel used, on the gun the front sight is dovetailed aluminum front sight which provides windage adjustment. Elevation is fixed on the PMR-30. The pistol also has an optional accessory mounts for several popular red dot sights, which provide mounting just in front of the rear sight. However, a plain old picatinny mount up top would have been nice for other optics. If you want to mount a laser or weapon mounted light, then the PMR-30 includes a standard 1913 picatinny rail under the barrel.
IMGP1241

Functions

The Kel-Tec PMR-30 design goals were to provide a lightweight, full size pistol chambered for the flat-shooting and surprisingly powerful .22 Magnum cartridge (.22WMR). The power of this round in many respects matches that of the .380 round for defense, sport, and hunting, with much lower recoil even in this ultra-light gun.
The PMR-30 operates on a unique hybrid auto-adjusting blowback/locked-breech system, which Kel-Tecindicates allows for the use of a wide variety of ammunition and varying velocities. The system automatically adjusts between locked breech and blowback operation, depending on the pressure of the cartridge.
A friend and I worked the gun over hard with about 400 rounds of various Super X, CCI, and Federal rounds and had no failures to fire, feed or extract. This is a highly reliable gun which I would feel comfortable using for self-defense or survival.
Kel-Tec has succeeded where others have failed by producing a double stack magazine that holds 30 rounds and fits completely in the grip of the pistol. Of note: if you just start stuffing rounds in as I did and load the ammo incorrectly, you will never get 30 rounds into the magazine and you will have feeding and functioning issues due to rim locking together. If, on the other hand, you follow the printed directions, which detail a technique that combines a 5.56 mag reload and .22 rimfire mag reload, you can get the 30 rounds in and not have any functionality issues whatsoever. So, be sure to read the manual on this gun.
Much like is the case with a Glock, the slide lock lever is noted as not being a slide release. The suggested method of manipulation is to release the slide via pulling back on the slide to release. A problem I found with this was that my hands never felt like they had a great grip on the slick zytel slide, but maybe some skateboard tape in between the ribs would help. The lock lever will hold back the slide after the last shot, and it also provides for manual slide lock lever use. The heel magazine release is different from the now standard thumb release, but with 30 rounds in the magazine and +1 in the chamber, the need to reload is doubtful in all but the most extreme situations, and even then mag changes will still be quick.
IMGP1247
Thirty rounds, let’s contemplate that. That’s three mag changes on any standard .22 semi-auto and five revolver reloads. This is a load of ammo is a lightweight, standard size gun that just keep s shooting and shooting. My buddy and I kept saying, “geez I have to be empty by now”, but 30 rounds makes for a long period of shooting.

Accuracy and final thoughts

Buyers of the PMR-30 will have to do a little work to figure out which ammo shoots best in their gun. Figure that out and buy a stack of that ammo. My accuracy results were pretty varied. With CCI Maxi-Mags the accuracy of this gun was quite good, but with the Winchester Super X rounds, it was what I would term as combat accurate. For a light weight gun and for a pistol hunting, where most shooting is in the 2-25 yards range, this gun has more than adequate accuracy with the right ammo and could keep golf balls and soda cans dancing consistently at 25 yards off hand. My best group with the CCI rounds were .86”, which is quite good for a reliable and powerful gun that is priced on the street for $300-$350.
Average 5-shot groups at 25 yards off a rest
  • CCI Maxi-Mag JHP 40gr: Accuracy 1.3”
  • Winchester Super X.22WMR FMJ 40gr: Accuracy 3.1”
  • Federal .22WMR JHP 50gr: Accuracy 2.25”
When I first picked up the Kel-Tec PMR-30 my first thought was this would make the ultimate gun for a lightweight bug out and field bag. Two 30-round magazines is a ton of ammo at your disposal, and tucking in an extra box of ammo is certainly not going to add a ton of weight to a grab and go bag. The reality though is that this gun is more than that.
The PMR-30 is a blast to shoot — it produces pleasant little fireballs as the sun starts to hide for the evening, and has very mild recoil, all for an low price. The price of .22 WMR ammo is about the same as inexpensive 9mm ammo these days, but for the hunter, sportsman, or survivalist there is a big weight difference between the rounds and firearm required for each. The .22 WMR is the key to this gun’s flexibility. If it was a standard .22LR it would be underpowered for defensive use or larger game, and if it was a larger caliber the grains of lead would start to add up and drastically increase the weight of ammo in the magazine and extra rounds carried.
IMGP1243
This is a great gun for a lot of different duties. The Kel-Tec PMR-30 is the quintessential trail and pack gun that could handle all manner of beast and odd situation, all in a lightweight package that is only 19oz when fully loaded. It is light to pack, ammo is relatively inexpensive, and it’s easy to operate equally with either hand. Having 30 rounds on tap in this size gun is just plain fun, but could really be helpful in a defensive situation. Admittedly, the grip angle took a little to get used to, but with a few rounds down range, I like this gun more and more as I shoot it.

Specs

  • Calibers: .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
  • Weight unloaded: 13.6oz. 385.6g
  • Loaded Magazine: 6oz. 170.1g
  • Length: 7.9″ 200.7mm
  • Height: 5.8″ 147.3mm
  • Width: 1.3″ 33.0mm
  • Barrel length: 4.3″ 109.2mm
  • Sight radius: 6.9″ 175.3mm
  • Energy (40gr): 138ft-lbs 187J
  • Capacity: 30 rounds
  • Trigger pull: 4-6 lbs 17.8-26.7N
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Saturday, January 12, 2019

Getting Your Kids Off the Internet and Out to the Range!

By CTD Blogger published on in Safety and Training


I am a huge advocate for getting kids outdoors. With warmer weather now upon us, many of our kids are home for the summer. Too many pre-teens and teenagers find themselves inside on a beautiful day, either on the Internet or playing video games. Depending on their ages, there are a lot of outdoorsy ideas that can help get your kids outside this summer. It’s not only fun, it’s good for them!
Author Annette Doerr with her daughter at the gun range


Depending on their ages, there are a lot of outdoorsy ideas that can help get your kids outside this summer. It’s not only fun, it’s good for them!
A guest post written by Annette Doerr.
One of the initial reasons I joined my sportsmen’s club was because it listed a “Junior Rifle Club” on its website. Great, I thought, a way to get my girls involved and possibly into competitive shooting! I was so disappointed to find out after I joined, that the junior rifle club had not been running for several years—no leaders, no kids, no club.
Fast-forward several monthly meetings, and multiple inquiries later, and I was able to find a member who had his NRA Rifle Instructor Certification and was willing to help! Between the two of us, we were able to assemble a small team of knowledgeable and qualified volunteers. As it turned out, a few other members of my club had children they wanted involved. We opened membership to kids between the ages of 12 and 18, who had an NRA Junior Membership. Parents did not need to be members of our club; we were ready, willing and able to teach anyone interested (with parental permission of course). To top things off, we made it free! All parents who were not club members were required to stay for the safety lesson. We wanted them to know what we would be teaching and why. This also helped a few of our more nervous parents gain trust that we did indeed know what we were doing!
Sometimes when you see a need that is not being met, you have to roll up your sleeves, jump on in and figure out a way to make it happen. The junior club had been stagnant for years, yet seemingly, we had several members interested in getting their kids involved and plenty of well-qualified, competent volunteers. The simple fact of the matter was nobody had taken the reins in order to get things rolling again. Sadly, the kids were missing a wonderful opportunity.
If you’re not a member of a shooting club or don’t have access to a Junior Club in your area, don’t despair! There are plenty of ways you can get your kids to the range with you. You know your kids best; depending on their ages and maturity level, you might want to start with an Airsoft rifle. If you’re into the classics, every kid should have their own Red Ryder BB gun, just don’t shoot your eye out! Readily available across the country, bb guns and pellet guns can help you teach your children firearm safety and have some fun while you’re doing it. Always treat these types of firearms as real firearms. While some may consider them as “toys,” they are still a firearm.
Anytime you’re working with kids, you have to keep it fun! If you want them on the range with you, there are varieties of ways to keep things fresh, fun and interesting! Reactive targets are a great way to make things fun. Another way is to take a little notebook from the dollar store and turn it into a passport of sorts. Write some progressive goals on each page, and a reward on the reverse page. As an example, maybe the first few pages look like this:
  1. Hit a paper plate at 10 feet. Reward: Gold star.
  2. Hit a paper plate at 20 feet. Reward: Gold star and ice cream cone.
Keep the progression simple and get your kids excited about progressing with their shooting. The cost of an ice cream cone is well worth spending quality time with your kids outdoors on the range. Find a fun stamp to stamp their “passports” with as they achieve their goals.


Teenager shooting targets at the gun range
Anytime you’re working with kids, you have to keep it fun!

I’m a big fan of the NRA Winchester Marksmanship Program. The program is self-guided and makes a great way to work with your kids in a structured, fun program. Working individually, you and your kids can work your way up the various rankings. Rockers, patches, certificates and pins can all be ordered through the NRA Program Materials Center. Once your child has earned a ranking, you can reward them with some swag. The program works on a step-by-step basis with increasing difficulty as you progress. There are marksmanship programs for air gun rifles, air gun pistols, pistols, rifles and shotguns, so everyone in the family can gain competency while having fun.
Teaching our youth to safely and responsibly handle firearms should be a must for preparing for adulthood. If you’re not a certified instructor, or just don’t want to be the one teaching your kids to shoot, there are some great organizations out there that can help.
  • Boy Scouts of America —(Boys only) BSA has been teaching outdoor skills including shooting sports since its incorporation in February of 1910. Frequently Asked Questions about its shooting program can be found here.
  • 4-H —(Boys and girls) 4-H also has a wonderful program for kids. Included is a great shooting program. Click here for more information and to find a chapter near you.
  • Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation —Interested in clays? SSSF has you covered. SSSF is a leader in youth development shooting sports programs.
While these are just a few examples, there are many resources available for youths interested in shooting sports. A great general resource is the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Information on many of the available youth programs can be found on its site.
Our children are our future, and if we don’t make the time to get them involved in the things that matter, no one will. It is our responsibility as parents to help them gain the skills necessary to be well-rounded adults. There are plenty of ways today’s kids can be led astray and get into trouble. Giving them a great foundation and education in shooting sports is one way to combat that. Let’s get our kids off the Internet and outdoors. The lifelong skills they learn now, will serve them well into the future!

How do you get your children interested in the shooting sports? Share your ideas and strategies with others in the comment section.

Annette Doerr is a freelance writer, self-employed businesswoman, wife, mother, equestrian, and is active in Greyhound rescue. She and her husband Bob are avid shooters and are both NRA Certified Pistol Instructors and NRA Certified Range Safety Officers. You can read more of her writing on her blog, weshoot2.

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Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Maps for Survival

When there is an EMP, Solar Flare, Terrorist Attack on our Power Grid, or other cause of a Power Outage, there will be NO GOOGLE MAPS and possibly NO working Electronic devices like a GPS.

These are disastrous sounding events, but it could be nothing more than being in NO Cell Signal area, or a cell tower being out when you happen to be lost.

For this reason, it is prudent to have an old fashion Road MAP &/or Road Atlas.  For under $5 you can have a Folding Map.  Why would anyone not have such a low cost item in their Bug Out Vehicle as well as in their every day car.

The PREPPER HANDBOOK RECOMMENDATION is to have a Plastic Coated Folding Road Map for your State and a Plastic Coated Folding US Road Map, in your vehicle glove compartment and also in your vehicle Bug Out Bag, and then a Road Atlas in your vehicle trunk. Remember the value of redundancy, and on low cost items like this, it is very affordable.


It is also good to have a DC to AC inverter in your vehicle to use as a 120 VAC power supply. For under $50 you can use your vehicle as a back up power supply.  An area Phone Book is also a good information source if foraging to Salvage Supplies becomes necessary.


For more information:
Blog Table of Contents

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater

EMP Survival
 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage
Complete Sustainable Living Plan
Backup Power Supply
Backup Electricity for under $50
 
 
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Friday, December 21, 2018

Backup Electricity for under $50

Most US families own a power generator, even if they don't realize it.   

It is your Car.

For this reason,  it is a PREPPER HANDBOOK RECOMMENDATION to have a good DC to AC inverter in your vehicle to use as a 120 VAC power supply. For under $50 you can use your vehicle as a back up power supply.  



This 300 watt (continuous) inverter is enough to power most refrigerators, or Freezers as long as your vehicle motor is running.  For this reason, it is good to never drive with your fuel tank near Empty.  Here is a list of estimated power requirements. that will allow you to see what you can run (power wise) using this.

A typical Car Battery stores about 50 Ah (Amp Hours) at 12 VDC (Volts Direct Current) which is 600 watts but you can only use a vehicle battery when the motor is running. You can however add an additional 200Ah Deep Cycle Battery for about $400 that will store 2,400 watts (12 VDC X 200 Ah) or 1,200 usable watts (2,400 X 0.5). While the above 300 watt charger could charge your 200Ah battery, it would take at least 4-5 hours.  Buying a dedicated Battery Charger for $200 could keep this 200Ah battery charged using your household electricity and have it at peak readiness when the power went out.  




Include a Battery Clip-on Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Adapter (above) for $10 and you have a standby battery back up system for about $660 that will provide 1,200 watts of power. Here is a list of estimated power requirements. to show what 1200 watts can run.  For example, it would keep a small refrigerator or freezer running for approximately 2 days, and a large one for over 1 day. 

Combine this with other Backup Power options to have more power available for longer periods.


Another low cost item for power outages are solar powered lights.





It provides solar powered lighting for outside security AND lighting for the inside of your home. In addition, these can be used as a solar charger for rechargeable batteries and make great stealth Prepper gifts for family members. With a package of extra rechargeable batteries, these will provide lighting for years.

Here are a few good passive lights that are solar powered and use common AA so they can double as solar battery chargers:


1) LED version
2) Economy version

I would avoid solar powered lights that use non-standard battery sizes as you will not be able to use these as battery chargers nor their batteries to run other devices like your radios.

Both of the Inverter and Solar Powered Lights are handy to have and very affordable (under $50), making them each a PREPPER HANDBOOK RECOMMENDATION.



For more information:
Blog Table of Contents

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater

EMP Survival
 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage
Complete Sustainable Living Plan
Backup Power Supply
Backup Electricity for under $50
 
 
See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Backup Power Supply


The cost for back up power is very affordable starting around $260 for a highly rated DuroStar DS4000S that can run for 8 hours on 4 gallons of gas.  At $2.00 per gallon, this is $1.00 per hour for electricity.  This could save your food from spoiling in the refrigerator &/or freezer, and easily pay for itself in one power outage. Short of running a heater, air conditioner unit or an electric dryer, this 4,000 watt generator will power all of the important things in most homes.  Here is a list of estimated power requirements.

Add to this, a cover (for the long periods where you hopefully don't need it) at a cost of $20 and an extra 14 gallon gas can that will run your generator for 28 hours.  This is the first backup power system I would purchase.




Another option I actually prefer is the Champion 3800 Dual Fuel Generator which will run for 9 hours on its 3.4 gallon tank or 10.5 hours on a 20 pound Propane Tank, which is much safer to store and has an infinite shelf life vs the commonly used E10 gasoline (we put in our cars) which has a 8 to 12 month shelf life.  This is about $0.76 per hour to run on gasoline and about $1.90 per hour for propane. Short of running a heater, air conditioner unit or an electric dryer, this 3,800 watt system will power all of the important things in most homes.  Here is a list of estimated power requirements.

Granted the propane is more expensive but it is safer and has a much longer shelf life which could make it lower cost long term.  I would keep propane stored for long term use, but use low cost gasoline while it was easily available.

 A generator is affordable short term, but even the lowest operating cost option ($0.76/hour) becomes expensive long term, costing $550 per month for electricity and requiring regular trips to the gas station  Solar power on the other hand requires a larger investment for equivalent power, but is cheaper to operate.

 A wind generator in conjunction with a solar power system is actually the best combination for long term, sustainable power, that will continue to operate long after the gasoline supply is gone.  When the sun isn't shining, the wind is probably blowing, providing a supply of electricity during the cloudy times, during the night and during the day.

Such a system might start with a Goal Zero Yeti 3000 Lithium Portable Power System for $2,400, as an addition to your generator system above.  This is basically a big (280 amp hour) battery that can be charged by your homes power, your generator above while its providing power for your home, or by solar panels or a wind mill once there is no gasoline to run generators with.  Fully charged, this will run your refrigerator for 50 hours. You can buy batteries at a much lower cost to build your own Starter Solar System, but this includes a lot of extras.


You can also run your Generator above for a few hours and charge this large battery to use during the rest of the day, extending your Generator fuel for potentially weeks.

For $575 you can add 200 watts of portable Goal Zero Solar Panels specifically designed for this battery power pack.  It is pre-wired and ready to go by plugging one connector in. This 200 watt system will run your refrigerator, an LED light and a box fan.  Here is a list of estimated power requirements.



The addition of 8 Solar panels for $2,500 will keep this battery charged and provide 800 watts of 12 VDC power for each hour of sun shine. This 800 watt system will run a refrigerator, freezer, LED lights, radio, charge your phones and more. Here is a list of estimated power requirements.


A 2000 Watt Wind Mill for $750 will top off your system and provide a more balanced supply of power, even during cloudy days or at night. Add this to the 8 panels above and you can power all of the important things in most homes, indefinitely. Note that the 800 watt solar system generates up to 800 watts when the sun is fully shining, and the 2,000 watt wind mill generates up to 2,000 watts when the wind is blowing hard.  Figuring a maximum of 50% on both system is reasonable when sunny and windy.  So on a windy sunny day, you might expect about 1,400 watts of power supply.  Here is a list of estimated power requirements


For more information:
Blog Table of Contents

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater

EMP Survival
 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage
Complete Sustainable Living Plan
Backup Power Supply
Backup Power for Under $50
 
 
See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Prepper Training for Youths

Young children learn rapidly, but are also easily scared.


So what life skills should you teach them to be prepared for a potential economic or societal breakdown, i.e. the proverbial SHTF scenario?

Here is a list to consider:
  1. Gardening - the most valuable skill for sustainability.  Let them plant their own seeds.
  2. Livestock - Raising "Pet" chickens is a valuable skill for sustainable living. Let your kids check for eggs & see chicks hatch.  Raising pet goats is a most valuable skill for Nomadic living. 
  3. Fishing - probably the most valuable skill for living in the wild.
  4. Horse Back Riding - is fun and a useful skill as a form of sustainable Transportation.
  5. Camping - cooking & sleeping outside in various environments without fear is essential.
  6. Water - Safe drinking water is critical to survival.  See the Rule of 3.
  7. EDC Survival - Surviving with your Every Day Carry (EDC) items. 
  8. Shooting - starting with Gun Safety, followed with shooting a BB Gun at a young age. 
  9. Archery - a fun sport and precursor to hunting.  
  10. Build your own bow and arrows as well as using modern ones.
  11. Paint Ball or Laser tag - a fun way to learn military drills and security skills.  
  12. Fire Making - a key skill to teach with caution as they become Teens.
  13. Wilderness Survival - Knowledge is free and light weight vs a heavy pack of supplies.
  14. Hunting - a key skill to learn as Teens but mental preparation to kill an animal is important.
  15. Edible Wild Plants - another good skill for Teens, especially the Universal Edibility Test.
There is so much you can teach your children starting as young as 6 to 8  years old. The most important thing is to make learning fun, where they are looking forward to it.  If some of these prove to be boring, move on to another one.  Avoid talking about dooms day or situations that will scare them; just have fun learning valuable skills.

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