Reader Question- Silver and Gold 101

Ryan,

Didn't know where to post but I've seen on a few different posts lately you've brought up Gold and Silver. That is something I don't know much about between prices, where to go, what to get (rounds, coins, etc.), whats a safe amount, the works. If you have any knowledge, I'd love to hear about it! Of course, IF you have time! Thanks! I appreciate it!

Jack

 Jack, I will do my best. Please do not take this as gospel and do anything extreme solely because of something written here but I will try to answer your questions based on my experiences and observations.

First let's get a foundation on my thoughts about precious metals in general. I do not like PM's AS AN INVESTMENT. Making money buying and selling commodities requires buying low and selling high. If you have those skills that is great. Personally if I knew how to do that reliably I would be doing it for a living. That makes it basically gambling which probably is not smart.

I do like PM's as a conservative piece of my overall financial situation. Sort of like insurance or an alternative savings plan. I like them for protection against high inflation, currency debasement and even an outright economic collapse. They generally move opposite to more modern instruments like stocks and such which is nice. For most people assuming they are halfway financially squared away (no huge credit card balances, etc) putting some money into PM's makes sense.

1) Prices. Gold and silver (as well as other traded metals) prices go up and down based on the market and are tracked by so called "spot price". The closest thing to compare it to for an average lay person would be gas prices in that they change regularly and sometimes wildly.

The base for gold and silver prices is the day's "spot price" and above that there are various premiums. Spot is theoretically what a dirty lump of metal is worth fresh out of the mine. This premium represents the costs of refining the metal into whatever coin/ bar/ ingot it ends up in as well as the costs and profit of the distributor who sells it to the vendor and the vendor 's costs and profit also.To make it more complicated for different products the premium varies example Gold Eagles tend to always cost a little bit more than Canadian Maple Leafs. This is one of those things where you can either try to figure it out or just know this is a bit more expensive than that. 

When comparing products it is important to consider your total end cost. Saving a buck on a coin then paying $20 for delivery is not a win. You get the idea.

2) Reputable local brick and mortar stores or reputable online dealers like our advertiser JM Bullion.  I have also done business with Montana Rarities and APMEX (neither are advertisers though I wish they were). I talked a lot more about different options in a previous post. (Edited for brevity and clarity)

To recap from that post. Fundamentally there are three options. Brick and mortar dealers, online dealers and private  individuals. I will discuss the first two at length and then briefly hit the last.

Brick and mortar dealers are often coin shops that deal numismatic stuff and have bullion as a sort of side effort. Also pawn shops and some jewelry stores deal in bullion. Brick and mortar stores have some advantages. The first advantage is that they are convenient. Hard to beat picking up a silver round or a small gold coin every payday on the way home. Also if you decide to pay cash they have the factor of discretion. Personally I just can't see Cops kicking in the doors of everybody who bought a few silver rounds or a gold coin so this is not much of a concern for me. Another advantage is that some of these folks can help you learn about PM's. The old guy hanging out in his coin shop might be willing to help you learn about different types of coins and maybe eventesting silver and gold or grading coins. Also if it is a small shop and you are a good customer they may give you a call when products you like come in. Furthermore the coin/ pawn shop guy can be a good "grey world" contact who knows how to get stuff.

This is not to say that brick and mortar shops don't have disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage of brick and mortar dealers is often price. Some of them for whatever reason charge crazy prices. I once laughed in a coin shop guys face when he wanted $10 OVER SPOT for beaten up no name 1 ounce silver rounds. It varies shop to shop based on their business model, competition and how informed their customers seem to be. Heck it may even change based on how much they think they can get away with on a given customer. The next disadvantage is often availability. Especially with the folks who have bullion as a side business like numismatic coin or collectibles dealers and pawn shops they predominantly sell what they have bought. This means they may have 90% silver one week, 1 ounce rounds the next, a couple 1/4 ounce Eagles here and some Krudgerrands there. Since brick and mortar stores are a local thing I can't make any meaningful recommendations but I have had good dealings with a few in the past.

Online dealers like JM Bullion tend to have the best prices and greatest availability which are their biggest advantages. Also comparison shopping is easy and you can do it on a Sunday morning in a bathrobe. The first downside is that you have to pay shipping. One absolutely must consider this in their "is this a good deal" calculation. It also makes frequent small purchases cost prohibitive. Paying $5 or 8 to ship something worth $35 or $40 is cost prohibitive for sure. That it is difficult to impossible to be anonymous could be a disadvantage or turn off for some folks. Also if for whatever reason you needed to turn cash into metals TODAY an online dealer would not be a wise route.

One of the biggest benefits of established dealers who make their living selling metals is that their livelihood rests on their reputation. If through bad intentions or neglect they sell some fake stuff they are totally hosed. Due to this they are as a rule honest and above board in their dealings. This doesn't mean they they will always have competitive prices just that the products will be what they are sold as.

Personal transactions vary from boringly easy to the wide open wild west. I have purchased silver from a family member. I had some cash and they had some silver and we swapped. Online type purchases of PM's from private folks have, at least IMO an uncomfortably high likelihood of fraud. I have been burned in a small way on Ebay and will not make that mistake again. Also there is just so much fake gold floating around. In the last few years some really legit looking stuff has came out of China.

3) As to what to get. Again a selected and edited repost. 

"The Moneylender" said "Buy silver before gold, buy small gold before large gold." I think that is pretty darn good advice. Silver is a good way to start for a lot of reasons. First it is affordable. Right now spot is about $27 which puts a one ounce round probably at $30-32ish. Pretty much anybody can afford to pick one up a paycheck. If you can't free up a bit over $30 a paycheck I suggest seriously looking at your overall situation. Also you can make a mistake and overpay by a bit and it won't kill you.

Silver

Silver can be purchased in two basic products, pre '64 90% silver and 99% bullion. There are other options but we are keeping it simple here.Pre '64 90% silver is dimes, quarters, 50 cent pieces and silver dollars made before 1964. Yes our change was made of silver. The stuff I am talking about has no real numismatic (collector) value and typically dates from the early 1900's to 1964. The advantage of this stuff is that it is in small pieces. A dollars worth of silver is right about .77 of a troy ounce of silver. Thus a dime is about .07, etc. I am too lazy to look up and type all the exact weights but you can look them up here. The other option is  99% silver bullion. This is rounds or bars or ingotts made of as close to pure silver as one can easily get. Some like Eagles or Canadian Maple Leafs are minted by a country and many others are made by numerous private mints.These are made in all sorts of weights but 1, 5, 10 and 100 ounce are the most common.

Both have advantages and disadvantages. 90% silver is in small denominations. At today's prices even one ounce rounds are too large to make small transactions like a few groceries. Also they are readily recognizable at least to folks who know our change used to be made of silver. The biggest disadvantage is that many dealers charge almost crazy premiums if you buy this stuff in small (under $100 face value which is 70 some odd ounces and costs about $2,300 bucks) amounts. Montana Rarities treats small 90% silver customers well.

Bullion is generally a bit cheaper per ounce [Remember for these purposes you are buying METAL, not a coin or whatever. Thus the goal is to get as much METAL as possible for your dollars.] than 90% silver. Also it is typically in convenient weights. If the going trade is an ounce of silver for 5 pounds of beef or 20 pounds of wheat (or whatever) it is a lot easier to have nice round denominations. Also some folks say that it is good for a coin/ ingot to say it's content and purity ie "One ounce of .999 pure silver". These folks thing people who are less than knowledgeable about PM's may be more inclined to accept their value.

Whatever you decide to go with silver is a great place to start. First of all it is reasonably affordable. Second of all it is in small enough denominations to sell a coint or two to a dealer and buy groceries or a tank of gas or to barter a little bit at a time to get whatever. I would recommend purchasing a pretty good amount of silver before thinking about gold. If you are into round numbers maybe $100 face (70 some odd ounces) or 100 ounces of bullion could work but it all varies based on your situation.

Silvers biggest advantage is that it's affordable. The biggest disadvantage of silver is that at some point it gets HEAVY. I know a guy who needs to use a truck to move his silver, while that is a nice problem to have he would face some hard choices if he needed to evacuate in a hurry. This brings us to gold.

Gold

Gold is a lot more expensive than silver and could be a bit overpriced right now, at least in relation to silver which is probably a better deal at this time. It is sitting somewhere around $1,560 an ounce. Gold comes in two basic varieties. Old coins and bullion. Old coins are just that, old coins from back when Gold was money. Bullion and new coins such as Eagles, Maple Leafs and Krudgerrand's pretty much fall into the same group. Sometimes you can get good deals on the old coins, particularly European coins from aprox 1890-1917. Just be sure to stick to ones folks will recognize like Swiss and French Francs, British Sovereigns and the like. New coins/ bars are convenient because they are typically in nice round (1/10th, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 ounce) sizes and have the weight and purity clearly written on the coin. I don't find one vastly superior to the other. Even weights are nice but old coins are kind of cool too. One notable advantage of old coins (not numismatic/ collectable, just old very common coins in ok condition) is that they are typically the lowest premium way to buy small gold.

As we said before buy small gold before large gold. Small gold would be gold coins that are part of an ounce, typically 1/10th and 1/4 ounce and are also called fractional coins. As to how much of this stuff to buy before going to large gold (one ounce coins/ bars) I would say at least a couple ounces, maybe a few. For large gold I would purchase one ounce coins or ingots. I don't see a reason to get anything bigger than that. For large gold I would just be sure to get something common like Eagles, Maple Leafs, Krudgerrands or Credit Swiss ingots.

As we talked about Golds biggest advantage (already considering that it is durable, recognizable, divisible and there is consistent demand for it) is that it is a very compact store of value. For the price of a one ounce gold coin you could get a nice bag of silver or a lot of other stuff. One could toss 50k in gold into a daypack and evacuate or into a ruck to GOOD but silver would be problematically heavy. Also gold has a certain allure and enough folks have been able to use it to bribe/ buy their way out of a warzone or terrible situation that it bears considerations. 

To wrap up what to buy I would purchase 90% silver and a few one ounce rounds and then some small gold in the form of 1/10th and 1/4oz coins or common old European coins of comparable size like British Sovereigns or Swiss Francs. As to which type of gold it depends on what you find the best deals on.  Maybe buy silver when it dips, then gold when it's down, you get the idea.

4) What is a safe amount? It is best to look at this in terms of total amount in relation to your liquid net worth. I would say 10-30% (of your liquid worth) is probably a good range. To provide an alternative perspective if I recall correctly FerFal says 50%.

Again check out this post on getting into precious metals.

I hope this helps. As always input, questions or thoughts are welcome.  

Reader Question: 30'06 or 30-30 Winchester

Ryan,
Since you mentioned 30'06, I was wondering what you've found to be the best "configuration" as you said you'd probably get one in a different configuration.
I've got a lot of basis covered firearms wise but a large caliber (i.e. .270 on up) is missing besides an old Pattern 14 .303 Enfield which I've been wanting to sell lately to get a Bolt '06 with open sights and also put a scope on it or a .30-30. I'm looking for a utility rifle that can drop just about anything up to an elk. I was also considering most compatible and common which led me to an old Winchester, Rem, or Ruger '06 with back up sights or an old .30-30.
$400 is my rough price range and I'm from Oregon/Northwest. Thoughts at all? What do you like? Thanks!
-Jack

 Ryan: Hi Jack, I had a sporterized 1903 with peep sights. Fine gun or whatever but not quite what I want. Personally it will be replaced by a modern bolt action rifle designed to be scoped, probably a Savage 110 chambered in 30'06 or maybe .308. That's just me. My goal is to build a budget precision rifle that can be used for hunting if needed/ desired.

As to your question. Both are good options. The first question I have would be about the range you are looking at taking game from. If you plan to take shots past 125-150 meters I would go with the '06. On the other hand if closer shots in the 30-100 meter range are the norm and you want a light fast brush gun a 30-30 is hard to beat. My second question would be about what this rifles secondary goal(s) are. If you want a long range/ 'precision' rifle the obvious answer is the '06. On the other side of the coin the 30-30 is a solid choice (for non mag fed military rifles) for up close defensive stuff and makes a great "truck gun". Third would be what other rifles do you own; sort of dovetailing with the last question if this gun needs to fill another niche that must be considered.

Sorry that isn't a clean cut answer but the questions should give you a pretty good idea of which gun might best serve your needs. I will talk a bit more about these rifles on Friday with the next installment of the basic guns series.

Reader Question: Goal 0 Yetti 150 Solar Charger

Anybody have personal experience with Goal 0 equipment? What about the new Yetti 150 Solar charger? If so please chine in with your thoughts. Thanks,
R

Reader question II- M1 Garand Sale

Hey Guys,

Long time reader and huge fan of the blog, it's literally been part of my daily read for several years now. I referenced this great blog since the very beginning of my personal preparedness journey. Quite a bit has changed for me as my life and preparedness goals and life skills have developed.  One of my earliest consultations I had with you guys was regarding my initial choice of a battle rifle in the M-1 garand, and your opinion on some accessories for the kit I would put together for it.

http://tslrf.blogspot.com/2009/12/reader-question.html

Since that time,  I graduated from College and my wife and I moved home to Texas where I became a Police Officer. My wife finished nursing school and now we live a comfortable life in the City's suburbs. Like yourselves my values over the years became less focused on gear and the pending  choose-your-own adventure apocalypse scenario, and more on financial security and adjusting my immediate family's paradigm towards preparedness.

My profession has given opportunities to me for more training and skill development  and real world experience(this being the most valuable) than I could have ever afforded on my own.  I have access to gear and weapons that are far more in line with practical real world preparedness. Having rifle vests and gas masks and city issued M4s round out my personal survival arsenal of .22s, Remington 870 police magnum which goes with me everywhere at work, baby glocks for my BUG and wife's concealed carry, P226 with TRL-1 light on my gun belt at all times.. the point is, I discovered that as I placed myself on a career path that helped focus myself on personal development of skills, physical fitness and financial independence all the great gear and gadgets and everything else fell into place on their own. As I continued to grow, I realized that all the gear and panic buying in the beginning was simply an attempt to fill my own insecurities with a cheap, rushed sense of peace of mind.

So all this time, I have this beautiful hardly-used M1 sitting in my gun locker. I have purchased a wonderfully made grab-and-go pouch, butt-stock pouches, and hundreds of dollars worth of surplus 30-06 rounds and enbloc clips. However since the '08 election and the great ammo dust-bowl that it brought, I have always been hesitant to bring it out to the range with me. As my combat training became more focused on pistol and CQB shotgun techniques, I focused my spending and ammo purchases towards my 9MM and 00buck, and now with the acquisition of my city issued M4,  .223 rounds.  It became obvious that the M1 because of its gas system is limited to the type of 30-06 rounds you can fire, which directly impacts the amount practice and range time with the weapon, which is the most important aspect.

I was inspired by Ryan's quest to simplify his collection and refocus it towards functionality and redundancy.  The historical allure and once rock solid devotion to the rifle slowly began to fade as I realized that its' cons outweighed its' pros. However, I'm not sure if I'm at the same point as Ryan was and wish to sell the rifle, accessories and ammo that took such a large investment of time and money outright and refocus the funds towards other endeavors. The other day a friend sent me this link.

http://shuffsparkerizing.com/

I really like the idea of bringing the Garand into the world of the carbine in terms of handling and capabilities, which seemingly fixes many of its' current short-falls. Plus with the modification, the rifle's gas system will be able to shoot modern loads of 30-06. This process also opens up the weapon for more Texas focused hunting scenarios…boar/deer hunting.

So to get to the point of this super long email, I would very much like to hear your opinions on the modification process, whether you believe it's worth the $525 and change price tag. Or should I sell the weapon and kit and move the funds towards purchasing and building my own m4.

Also, one final element to my decision process, over the past year and a half I have interviewed, tested and accepted a conditional letter of appointment to joint a federal law enforcement agency. Which is why I was hesitant to purchase and carry my own personal m4 in the field like I do now with my 870. It is my understanding that during training I will become familiarized with a whole new set of weapons and training, which includes the M4 and MP5. So with my work providing the necessary tools of my trade, I can’t quite make up my mind on what to do with the Garand. Sell it, customize it, or leave it as is which is an occasional shooter/heirloom.

Well, thanks again for the patience it took to read this manuscript of an email. I do very much appreciate the blog and yalls' opinion on the matter.

Happy Thanksgiving from Texas-

J 

 TOR here: Putting my money where my mouth is my Garand has been sold (actually sitting in my safe while the guy makes payments). I sold it because the rifle, while cool, didn't really have a purpose. It is not high on my list for defensive weapons, is relatively expensive to shoot so plinking is out, and is worth enough money that at this time I cannot justify it being a collectible safe queen.

 I would not go with that conversion for a host of reasons. We buy common guns from major manufacturers for very good reasons. I just envision an endless problem with the thing. If you want to own a semi auto .30 caliber then sell the Garand and use that money to start an FN-FAL or PTR-91 fund. FWIW I have heard of folks hunting with a Garand using those Hornady TAP rounds.  Heck the old school FMJ will probably work just fine.

 If I were you the Garand would get sold and the proceeds would go towards a more modern practical defensive rifle. Probably as you said building an M4. Along these lines you should check out the Project AR Upgrade series we did recently.  

Reader Question- Night Vision

C sent me a note asking about night vision. "I am not ready to spend the coin on PVS-14s like you did but was wondering if you have any thoughts on gen 1 stuff.  My goals are modest-- (1) get familiar with the stuff, (2) check out activity in the back yard up to 50 meters or so, (3) move through terrain without visible light.  The ability to use with a weapon would be a plus.  Yukon has some positively rated gen 1 weapon sights for $400 (http://www.amazon.com/Yukon-Titanium-1-5x42-Night-Vision/dp/B001C74GM8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) but I don't love flagging everything I want to look at.  I also have an AIMPOINT PRO which is NVG compatible; in that case would a helmet-rig make more sense?"

TOR here: Sorry Man but to be honest I do not know. There is a picture comparison of the generations of night vision put out by a big manufacturer that you can see by going here and scrolling down about halfway. Somebody made a video comparing Gen 1 and Gen 3 that you can see here. I cannot personally vouch for these but they seem legit to me.

As to Gen 1 stuff. Broadly speaking you definitely get what you pay for. This is a great "buy once, cry once" candidate. That being said some folks are not able (or willing) to spend the equivalent of an OK used car on a NOD. Both the spend more and the 'but I can't' rabbit holes can be followed if you want. Personally I decided to suck it up and make the purchase of a NOD. I use them at work and know what they can do. The massive advantage they bring is worth the cost to me. What was right for me might not be right for others. I have used some older stuff on the .mil side, can't remember what exactly, it was a long time ago, but it was complete junk. I wish I could spend a night testing a dozen common models all the way from Gen 1-3 but the opportunity has not presented itself. It is almost certainly better than nothing but how much better and if it is worth the money I cannot say.

 You can probably get some or most of what you want done with the kind of model you mentioned, which I thought about getting myself but decided against it for reasons I cannot remember, though they will be degraded in relation to a more expensive set. I am trying my best to help but really don't know. [If anybody with experience using modern Gen 3 stuff also has experience with commercial off the shelf Gen 1 stuff like the model mentioned and is interested in writing about it please leave a comment or contact me at theotherryan@yahoo.com.]

Now we can go to something I know more about. Unless you are using night vision as a dedicated sniper setup for varmit hunting the right answer is to mount the night vision on your head, probably using some sort of helmet. The reason for this is that you are going to do a whole bunch of stuff with night vision that requires your eyes but doesn't need a gun pointed at it. Stuff from walking around to turning back to make sure a buddy is behind you or whatever.

When an optic is said to be "NVG compatible" what (I believe) they mean you will be able to use it in line with a NOD (by mounting the NOD behind the optic on the rifle). In plain English it means you can see the reticle/ dot through a NOD. If the NOD is on one eye and you try to aim the rifle with the other you would see with the night vision through one eye and with the other a lit optic on the ambient light surface. I have never done this but I suspect it would work badly.  The way to use a weapon in conjunction with a NOD is to have it on your face and aim the weapon via an IR laser. To do this you need a legit IR laser that is able to be zeroed and can hold said zero. A DBAL which is basically a civilian legal equivalent to a PEQ-15 costs about a grand. Yeah this sucks, I am knee deep in said suck right now. If anybody knows of a legitimately viable alternative I am interested. (Rednecking the cheapest IR laser you can find onto a gun won't cut it. It won't be able to get or hold a zero and thus will not be able to hit #*$* with it, sorry.)

Anyway I hope this helps our friend C and maybe a few other folks.  As always input is appreciated.

Reader Questions: M1 Garand Sale

To yesterday's post and the ongoing discussion about selling guns " Anonymous said...You *really* want to sell an M1 Garand at this particular point in history? With BHO about to be re-elected with a new 'mandate' from the Aurora shootings to permanently ban semi-autos once and for all? 

 

No offence, but give yourself an early Christmas present and wait for the new year to consider sell that 7.62x51 piece of awesomeness."

 

TOR here: Yes  I do, otherwise I wouldn't be selling it. Maybe more accurately I don't totally want to sell it but I want other stuff more than I want to keep it. As to a potential ban. There is a solid chance President Obama will be reelected. I don't think any sort of ban is imminent or even likely due to a variety of factors such as people's opinions and our current political climate. That being said my prioritization of potentially targeted items has gone up a bit, maybe from gun hording condition yellow to gun hoarding condition amber if you will.

 

One could argue that selling a gun in a time where there is an uncertain political climate might not be smart. Then again, as the case is, I am selling off weapons that are in (to me) redundant/ unnecessary calibers, or otherwise do not really have a solid place in my defensive battery. I am not saying the Garand is a bad gun or whatever, just that the resources currently sitting in said Garand could better serve me elsewhere. Keeping a gun that doesn't have  a solid place in your plan doesn't make much sense.

 

The more pertinent question might be "Ryan, what do you plan to do with the money from selling an M1 Garand?" If my plan was to sell a couple guns and spend the money on internet poker or a years supply of frozen pizzas it probably wouldn't be a good choice. However if the plan is to use that money to either acquire gun(s) or ancillary stuff thereon  that fit better into my defensive battery or food storage/ etc I would say it makes pretty good sense.  As to specifically what I plan to purchase that is still kind of up in the air. It depends on what I happens between now and any potential sale and on when and how much cash I get. If some rifle plates haven't come home with my by then I will take care of that. Ditto for a few more Pmag's. Half of whatever I get will probably go towards whatever ancillary stuff like mags or night sights is next on the list and the other half toward the purchase of some sort of firearm. I kind of have an urge to get a pretty nice AR-15. The whole landscape of the AR-15 market has really changed in the last few years. A lot of nice rifles have come out at real nice price points. When funds allow I will probably order a complete upper from Spikes Tactical or BCM then shop around for a lower.

Hopefully that answers your question.

Reader Question: Gear and Tools for Women

Awhile back I asked readers an open question about blog content. That lead to a question I have kind of sat on. Wasn't sure exactly how to answer it and then it slipped out of my mind for awhile. Anyway here we are.

The question was "I notice you like to discuss and review equipment. I would like to see an article on equipment addressing my needs. I am a woman and would like to see opinions of high quality, practical tools addressing a woman's normal physical traits--less upper body strength, smaller hand size, less powerful hand grip, etc."

This was difficult for me to respond to. On one hand it is absolutely true that women are physically different than men. They tend to be smaller and have less physical strength (particularly upper body) and endurance. Not saying all women are small or weaker than men but on average most are. On the other hand this can lead us down the "women need X because they are small/ weak/ whatever" rabbit hole. I will address relatively gender neutral issues first then gender specific ones afterwords.

In terms of physical size and strength for an individual it is about just that, height/weight/composition and strength as measured against a broad group of yardsticks (squat, deadlift, bench press, press, pullups, pushups, etc). The situation for a gal who is 5'7" #135lbs with a strength of X and a guy who has comparable stats are not magically different. It does not matter that she has boobs and and he doesn't. Everybody, even big strong people can have tasks they need to do that they cannot physically complete without friends or tools. It is just for some people that their breaking point is past most normal occuring tasks so it isn't really much of an issue.

[It doesn't quite fit anywhere in the rest of the post but I would be doing a disservice by failing to mention that getting stronger is a good answer to the problem of not being able to complete various tasks. If you can't pick things up then start squating and deadlifting. If grip strength is an issue do some flexed arm hangs, pullups or farmers walks. However I would recommend just starting a basic weight training program like 531 as part of your overall fitness plan. Too many people think they are somehow special and need a customized program they are invariably not capable of setting up. I hate to say it but you don't have a "weak spot" if you are just weak.]

My general observation is that strength lets you 'cheat' or 'cut corners' while those with less strength need to have the right tools for the job. If you can't open a jar or turn something with your hands then use a strap wrench, an oil filter wrench or the right set of pliers depending on the task at hand. For turning tough bolts some WD-40 is a good start. If that doesn't do it a wrench with a longer handle will create more torque or you can slip a metal bar over it for additional leverage. Before doing this I would make sure the thing is actually supposed to move the way you want it to. Though bolts do rust or get stuck brute force usually isn't the right answer in mechanical stuff.

For lifting things an old school lever and fulcrum is a solid option. For lifting and moving stuff I would look hard at getting a hand truck to do in the house/ garage stuff and some sort of garden cart for outdoor stuff or to aid in the dreaded on foot bug out. Also when it comes to lifting things the saying "many friends make for light work" is absolutely true. I am used to friends and neighbors helping eachother with a variety of tasks. Typically for small quick ones there is no compensation aside from a beer and a thanks. Dad and I helped the neighbor take the hard top off his jeep every spring and put it on every winter for years. We also helped friends drag a huge christmas tree into the house and put it up. A neighbor man helps my Grandmother move things now and then. If you have a bigger job like a couple yards of gravel to get spread or a pallet of brick pavers that need to become a path that is what unemployed young men and teenaged neighbor boys are for.

As to gear and guns I think there is a lot of profiling in terms of gender. One certainly doesn't need to get a certain gun just because of their plumbing. Depending on your training and hand size/ strength a variety of models might suit your needs. Thankfully adjustable backstraps and the Glock SF (short frame, they basically trimmed up the backstrap) made a lot of compact and full sized service type pistols a viable option to those with smaller hands. Broadly speaking frame mounted controls work better than slide mounted ones as they work with smaller hands. It is worth rehashing that if weapons will be 'pool guns' ie the guns with multiple users you have got to size them to the smallest user. A big guy can shoot the Glock 19SF and M4agery his small wife is able to use however she probably couldn't shoot a big double stack .45 and FN-FAL very comfortably.

As to gear  women will often do better with commercial backpacking/ camping stuff then the military surplus that survivalists love. While military stuff is getting more adjustable (MOLLE packs for example) it is designed for average sized men. A jacket that is a bit big can be overcome but if your boots don't fit things are not going to go well. Backpack/ rucksack's that really fit are probably also a worthwhile consideration. While it isn't cheap REI and other big outdoor companies have a lot of good stuff designed to fit women that is seriously worth considering. Boots and packs that fit are pretty darn important while a jacket or sleeping bag can be a bit big.

I can't really speak to concealed carry issues for women. Brigid and Tam have almost surely written some great stuff on it. Limalife's youtube channel is also worth checking out. Really the fundamentals of buying gun(s) that fits your body and lifestyle, getting the equipment to use them like a good belt and holster, slings and whatnot then seeking out some training are the same for guys and gal's. Really if you don't know what you are doing it is probably best to seek out the training (most places worth training at have a few rental/ loaner guns available if you talk with them in advance) then get the stuff.

Anyway I am sorry to the lady who left the comment for the excessive delay. Also I hope somebody gets a thing or two out of this.

Reader Question: SHTF Hygiene and Clothes Washing

Hi,

I have an idea for a blog article-or several- that I think you may be uniquely qualified to expound on. There are a vast majority of us that have never, or are unable to, serve in the military.

You're active duty military; what I and many others would like to know, is how you do your day to day maintenance while out in the field, away from all the comforts of home.

I think it would make a good read if you could tell us the necessities of our life if TSHTF and we are suddenly without water, electricity or heat. We know much about sponge bathing, washing in tubs with a wash board and making our own soap, but how do you do it while trying to stay out of the field of fire/ being discovered?

How do you wash your personal clothing(skivvies, socks, BDU's, etc.) when out in the field?

If you do these things, what do you use to wash them in and what do you use for detergent? How do you clean yourself, and with what?

So please give this some thought and see if it is an idea you would be willing to tackle.

Thanks,

Iron Tom Flint

TOR here, I wrote a couple posts that give us a place to start. This post on field hygiene covers part of the topic pretty decently. Also this post on Dysentery, while a bit light hearted is worth checking out. Also here is one on primative laundry.  Now onto the specific questions.

Q: We know much about sponge bathing, washing in tubs with a wash board and making our own soap, but how do you do it while trying to stay out of the field of fire/ being discovered?

A: Staying out of the field of fire is easy, if people are shooting at you or immenently going to shoot at you it is not the time to do laundry. Sorry if that was a bit short, from here forth I will try to answer the questions as I believe they are intended, not word for word.

For short term stuff I would use my field hygiene advice from above. Typically military operations are short enough in duration that laundry isn't a huge issue; though that is a relative term as I have worn a single uniform for a month without washing it. Another option is that things are so crazy that you have bigger stuff to worry about. Delaying washing is easier when weather is relatively cold. You would be pretty nasty after wearing the same clothes in the South or Middle East in the summer.

As to avoiding being discovered. If I was really worried about someone discovering me I wouldn't be doing laundry. I definitely wouldn't do laundry in some sort of escape and evasion situation, a hide or a patrol base.  That being said a really small fire made of dry wood (especially in the woods or down in some micro terrain) is pretty hard to see from beyond 50-100 meters. All you would really need is enough to heat up some water which doesn't take a bonfire.

However to make it easier lets say you are in a fairly quiet but non permissive enviornment. Maybe you and the spouse are trying to get somewhere on foot or using forest service roads and obviously don't want any attention. Maybe you are some sort of G and folks are sort of passively patroling your area, doing recon patrols to check out movement, signs of people like fires, etc. Whatever, it really doesn't matter. The point is that you aren't imminently worried about people trying to kill you but do want to keep a low profile.

One simple and old school option is to take a bar of soap and your clothes into a body of water and wash them. This has the benefit of washing your body. Obviously your situation would have to be reasonably secure and this is a lot more fun in 80 degree sunshine than 30 degree snow. I have seen socks washed in canteen cups, I suppose the same could be done with underoos. Also the good old bucket or a dedicated water jug (the military ones have pretty big mouths) works.

Q:How do you wash your personal clothing(skivvies, socks, BDU's, etc.) when out in the field?

A: Often the answer is to stash the dirty stuff and wash in after the operation is over. Other times we scrounge up some big tubs or whatnot. I have seen organizations where leaders bought some old school type laundry stuff to fill urgent needs.

Q: If you do these things, what do you use to wash them in and what do you use for detergent?

A: I have seen and used normal commercial detergent and plain old bar soap.

Q:How do you clean yourself, and with what?

A: Baby wipes are a great way to go. If heating up water is practical a washcloth and a bar of soap is nice and makes you feel a bit more human. As to how it is pretty much laid out here.

Anyway I hope that is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions. If you remember one thing take care of your feet.

-Ryan

Reader Questions: Springs and Followers instead of Magazines

Sam asked... I agree in having lots of magazines, but what do you think of fewer mags and lots of spare mag springs and followers? This means less cost and less storage space of course and it is another way we might reduce our prepping costs.

 [To recap I personally like to have 20 magazines for a defensive rifle and 10 for a defensive pistol. These are minimums PER GUN. Less for non core weapons, hunters, plinkers, etc]

To answer Sam's question we need to discuss the reasons for storing extra magazines.

If you are reading this blog I probably don't have to make a hard sell as to why you would want to keep a  stock of magazines. Fundamentally they are a semi disposable item that are essential for the full operation of firearms. Without a magazine a semi automatic weapon is an awkward single shot. They are useful for all kinds of nasty survivalist scenarios. It is prudent to be prepared in case of some kind of future ban on politically incorrect magazines. This has happened in the past, most notably from 1994-2004. I know a guy who paid $160+ in 1990's dollars per magazine for some stuff he was caught short on. Also magazines in general and particularly military surplus type magazines can decrease in availability over time and prices of mags are not going down any time soon.

Now let us look at the reasons we might find ourselves raiding the stash of magazines we have to supliment those in our general load out. The first would be to replace magazines that we have been using which are no longer servicable. A mag wears out or breaks and needs to be replaced. Mags can wear out of break in a variety of ways. Springs can wear out and feed lips can be damaged or work beyond use. Bottom plates or mag bodies can break. My anecdotal observations show that rifle magazines usually fail by worn/ damaged feed lips or worn out springs and for pistols it is usually springs or mag bodies.

The next would be replacing magazines that are lost or misplaced. In fights or tough realistic training that require reloads magazines can get lost. Maybe you can't conveniently put a mag into a pouch or pocket or they fall out and either you can't come back and look or they get lost in the brush. Occasionally a mag could be left at the range or whatever. These things don't happen a lot but they do happen. For me the culprit has been misplacing magazines. A mag gets put in a backpack or a drawer or whatever and gets forgotten about. Once I was moving and emptied out a closet to find aproximately 15 magazines and 500 rounds of ammo. If you only have a few magazines, particularly in an environment where they are difficult or impossible to replace this sort of thing could be devastating. If you have a healthy stock of magazines it is just mindly inconvenient.

The last reason would be the all encompasing "other". Other could be deciding that you want to carry four magazines instead of two. It could also mean deciding that you want to keep some loaded mags in the car or at some alternate location. Maybe you have a friend (who uses a compatible gun because you are smart folks) is caught at your place and things get hairy or they don't quite do the best job of preparing and need a hand.

So back to the question at hand what you think of fewer mags and lots of spare mag springs and followers? No, I don't really recommend fewer magazines and lots of springs and followers (on a tangent I have never seen the actual follower really fail). The numbers I recommend are what I decided were good based on my experience and overall situation. They are what I personally use. Buying a lot of mags sucks, even relatively common and inexpensive ones add up in cost fast but it beats getting caught short.

That being said I suppose one could reasonably decide to get a couple fewer magazines and store some spare springs as long as it doesn't get too extreme. If you get maybe get seven pistol mags and 14/ 15 rifle mags and keep some springs around that would probably work. However I certainly wouldn't suggest only having three pistol mags and eight rifle mags with extra springs. The reason is that spare springs really only cover you if the spring on a magazine wears out, not if other parts wear out/ break or the whole thing gets lost. Also extra springs do not equal extra magazines. Furthermore low levels like that would make you too vulnerable to the damage or loss of a single magazine and give little ability to have a heavier load out or cross level/ trade magazines as needed.

I hope that answers the question or at least gives you something to think about.

Thoughts?

Soliciting Input

Hey Folks, I want to touch bases with you all. Any advice or ideas on how to make your reading experience more enjoyable are welcome. What would you like to see more of here? What if anything is annoying you? I can't promise to be able to act on everything but I will definitely consider all serious suggestions.

-Ryan

Email issues

It has come to my attention that we have had an issue with the blog email. Some stuff got sent to the spam folder and stayed there for awhile. I will reply shortly to the emails we found. Other emails may have been eaten by the internet (amusingly my father blames Bill Gates for all such events to the point of loudly cursing him from the room with the computer).

 

It is pertinent to note I respond to all personal emails (though I sometimes ignore forwarded paranoia and links to prison planet/ etc all). In any case if you sent me an email and have not received a response or seen its content on the site within 48 hours or so please resend it. Sorry for any inconvenience,

Ryan

 

Question Of The Day

Dear TOR:

What is a wooby? What is a bivy? Thanks.
-Saddle Tramp

Saddle Tramo, Thank you very much for the questions. I am consistently suprised about how rarely I get questions. I think part of it is that there is a very macho streak in many survivalists so that unless they will actually die (Excuse me but where do you keep the Israeli bandages? I have a bit of a gunshot wound and could really use one.) I like questions because they show me that someone is TRYING TO LEARN. Any time one person has the guts to actually ask a question there are surely 5 folks who didn't know what was being talked about and were embarassed to ask.

A bivy is a water resistant/ proof bag that goes over your sleeping bag to keep you warmer and dry in inclimental weather. Here is an example of one. They vary in size and exact patterns. Some are just a waterproof sack which goes over your sleeping bag and zips all the way up. Some have a small pole or two to kind of get the bag off of your head. Personally I can say the waterproof sack style bivy takes a little bit of getting used to; though the first time it really raint it is amazing how quickly you will pull the top cover all the way over your head. Unless you are truly clostrophobic (sp) I would say the ones with the poles aren't necessary. The advantage of a bivy sack instead of a tent is that it is much lighter. A bivy weights a couple pounds which is a heck of a lot less than most tents. Also they are a lot more compact.

A wooby is properly called a poncho liner. Here is a picture of them. They are a light quilted nylon/ poly blanket which is quite warm for it's weight and rolls up pretty compact (about the size of the big family sized Campbells soup can) They can in theory be attached by the little strings on the side on the inside of a poncho but I don't recall ever actually seeing anyone do that but I think it was a big thing back in Vietnam. In the last decade or so people just use them as blankets.

As the story goes they are called woobies because you would be cold without it. I bring one to every Army overnight trip I go on. They are great for slipping into your sleeping bag's stuff sack to make it a bit warmer or to put into an assault pack for a mission. In cold weather (below 35ish) a woobie alone will not keep you comfortable but it will be the difference between being somewhat cold and tossing and turning all night and slipping into the danger zone.

Also you have just until early Saturday morning to enter our Awesome Ammo Giveaway Contest. Seriously you can get a whole bunch of free ammo for no money and a very modest investment of a few minutes of your time so hurry up and enter. Even if you don't have a good use for ammo cans you can just get a whole bunch of buddies to vote for you and win that way. Seriously enter already.

Reader Questions: Alternate Title Ethics and Pragmatic Thinking On Medical Debt

First off thanks for your blog. I read it regularly. I do have one question about living within ones means, as I have been doing by default(bad credit).

After many attempts to dig out of debt and be debt free minus the needed bills- car ins., utilities, etc. I have fallen into a somewhat unique scenario. I had an employer file bankruptcy and eliminate any chance of COBRA health ins. shortly after being unemployed, I had an emergency surgery to the tune of $70,000. Since that time I have been accumulating massive medical debt, despite currently having health ins. My question is how can I justify continuing to pay a mortgage payment of debt? After all the different payments to different doctors even at modest monthly payment are added up, I cannot manage a $700 monthly payment on my modest salary. Bankruptcy is not a word in my vocabulary, but is it something I should look into? I have been paying some of them regularly, but am only paying the interest at this point. 

As far as planning for any emergency, if I get $10 a week set aside, I am having a banner week, but some medical issue comes up my puny savings is wiped out again. I don't know if I am looking for insight or just venting so I do not shoot off all my bullets saved for a different day. 

Thanks, DS in NJ



DS, First of all I just want to convey my sympathy for the rough situation you are in. Life can sometimes bring bad things at the time we are least capable of dealing with them. Anyway here are the issues I see. First is ethics as they apply to debt. Maybe it is ridiculously antiquated but I believe when you borrow or are advanced goods or services you are giving your word to honor it and pay under the terms of the agreement. I believe that you should think about these choices and if you can't repay then don't borrow. However as we mentioned things can happen. People can make reasonable (maybe not text book perfect but certainly not bad) decisions and still end up in a rough spot. Particularly when we talk about medical problems or the current climate of seriously long term job loss bad things can happen to good people who made solidly normal choices. I believe that we have bankruptcy laws for a reason. Folks can through bad luck, bad choices or some combination thereon get into a situation where they are not going to be able to repay their debts. Instead of people just not paying debts they can't pay anyway we might as well make it legal and let them, in time, move on with their lives.

Ethically I believe if you can afford to pay back your debts you should do so. [I find the concept of "strategic bankruptcy" and its passive friend jingle mail, provided you can afford the mortgage) completely unethical.] This debt should come after the basics like shelter, food, utilities, fuel, etc. Being homeless and sleeping in national forests with an empty stomach so you can try to pay off debt, while a dramatic choice, is probably a bit extreme. This debt should however come before luxuries like expensive entertainment, electronic gadgets, cool new guns, new cars, travel, etc.

I do not think bankruptcy is something to be proud of. Personally if I had to declare bankruptcy because I made a whole bunch of stupid choices I would be really ashamed of myself. However if I found myself with huge medical bills which got racked up over an inopportune time; or faced for whatever reason a drastic and permanent drop in income I wouldn't feel super happy about my situation but wouldn't look at myself negatively. Sometimes stuff happens to you and you just move on.

Speaking to your situation pragmatically. Without knowing all of your information (savings, debts, income, interest rates, etc) it is hard to say anything specific. I do not have all the information. To be honest I am not a professional financial anything and beyond generic thoughts I can just suggest you consult a professional. I would certainly at least look into bankruptcy. Go see a professional and run the numbers. Take some time and think about the second and third order effects of both scenarios; paying these debts and potentially filing bankruptcy then make a decision. 

I wish you the best,
Ryan

Reader Question: Commemorative Gold Coins

Ryan,

 

You've talked about buying gold and silver coins on the blog but have never addressed a question I've had come up lately.  Would you buy a commemorative gold coin if you could get a good deal on it?  Assume that you were satisfied that the coin and seller were legitimate and that it was clearly marked as "X dollars".

 

Think about it and let me know.  Heck, you might even be able to use this as the basis of a blog post.

 

Steve

Steve, I buy bullion. I buy it in the form of old currency and bars/ rounds. I make that distinction because what I am paying for is, at the end of the day the physical metal based upon weight. That differs from numismatics where you are buying based upon the rarity and condition of the coin and its collect ability versus strictly its metal content. I think old gold coins are neat so I sometimes buy my gold in that form versus say Credit Suisse ingots. The price difference is negligible so I get what I think is cool.

I would say that there isn't a big reason to avoid a solid gold commemorative coin if it is selling at a reasonable price in relation to spot and other coins of the same purity/ size. The only thing I can think of is recognition if you go to sell/ trade it to somebody. People are usually more comfortable with something they are familiar with like say an American Eagle or a Krugerrand. However I cannot help but note that often the people saying that generally sell American Eagles or Krudgerrand's. Someone might be dubious about it and either not want to accept it or want to give you less for it. If you are comfortable with that risk then I can't see a reason not to.

Have a good one,
Ryan

Buying Silver and Gold

I got an email recently asking about how to get started buying silver. I recalled a post some time back where that was covered. After a bit of digging here it is.

Where to buy precious metals.

Soliciting Honest Input

I just like to check in with my readers every so often. How do you think things are going here on the blog? Is there anything you would like to see here? Anything that has been going on recently which you haven't liked? I genuinely want your opinions on how you think things are going and where you would like to see them go.

While I cannot guarantee all suggestions will be implemented I can say that they will all be seriously considered.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Important Question

I work in a restaurant in Memphis TN (now you understand why I ask), usually at night, and sometimes by myself. I DO NOT have my CCW currently. Is it legal for me to carry a loaded handgun on ME while I am at work, and my boss has no problem with it. I asked a female LEO and she wasn't sure. I have looked all over for an answer, so I will be much obliged if you can solve my dilemma. Thanks.
-Jeff

TOR here: Jeff, My first thought is that you should go down and apply for a concealed carry permit at the soonest opportunity. It looks like you will need to take a class and the permit is a bit pricey but IMO that is money well very spent. Between now and then. A lot of gun friendly states (which TN is) allow people to carry without a permit in their place of business so that is something to check into. Really that is the only way I could see it being legal for you to carry at work without a permit.

Now if you figure the odds of getting in trouble for an unlawfully concealed handgun are low and the potential for that handgun to save your life is significant some folks would say you are right. Those folks would also say that in some states good folks who are victims of crime often get a 'pass' from the prosecutors office for a relatively minor firearms violation. However it is important to note that if some cop comes in for a cup of coffee one evening and 'makes' you and he has been having a bad day or is a stickler for the rules it will be YOU, not those folks will face the consequences. 


If any readers can help shed some more light on this question it would be appreciated.

Reader Question

Subject: advice needed

Hey,
I'm looking into these items for my Garand. I wanted your opinion as to which you would prefer and whether one has more advantages than the other. This or this?

The question is should I go with the belt, seeing is how its combat proven or the versatility of the shoulder bag?

Thanks man, love your blog
-Joshua

TOR here: I added the pic myself, just couldn't resist. 

In one word: Pouch.

In a sentence: You would be better served by purchasing the pouch.

In long form: Without buying both of these, waiting to get them delivered and fiddling with them a bunch here are my thoughts.  I wrote about these buttstock and 'grab and go' pouches awhile ago. I believe they will serve someone who plans to use a Garand for practical purposes and doesn't care about historical accuracy. The leather belt setup is proven but do keep in mind that they were fielded during WWII means they were the most durable, reasonably priced option available during that era. We live in a different era and lots of advances in gear have been made since the big one. I think heavy belts tend to slide down and also the ammunition is poorly placed. Instead of being all in one place it is spread around your body. That inhibits the muscle memory necessary for quick fluid reloads from developing. With the pouch all of your ammo is in the same place which is a good thing. Also the combination of a nice tab and velcro make for very fast access.

Personally I would purchase the buttstock pouch and the 'grab and go' pouch for practical use and if the mood later strikes you get the belt for coolness and historical correctness. FWIW I would seek to wear the grab and go pouch in a manner that keeps it secure in one place on your body instead of flopping around hanging by the strap. Looking to attach it to your belt or using some cord to just tie it around your stomach would be prudent. I see it being secure either smack dab in the middle of your stomach/ chest or at stomach level offset somewhat to the weak side. YMMV.

Joshua, You are welcome and I hope this helps.

Where To Buy Precious Metals

Q: A reader named Joel asked about good companies to buy precious metals from.

A: Joel I would suggest first looking to your local brick and mortar stores. Most mid sized cities have one. The advantage these stores have is that you can go their every week to pick up an ounce of silver if you are so inclined. There are also no shipping charges (we will get back to that later) which especially if you make fairly frequent small purchases do add up. However do not just assume they are cheaper, often they are not. They have the costs of having a brick and mortar store and their potential customer base is geographically limited while an online store has far lower costs and a much wider customer base.

The bottom line is that you need to be educated and aware of gold and silver spot prices are and also of what competitive costs for the items you are interested in are. [Some products have notably high premiums (say Gold American Eagles or Silver Dollars) but that is a whole nother post.] Here is where things get complicated........

You need to be able to reasonably calculate what products will cost all said and done at your door not the price per item on a site or ebay. I think particularly with Ebay where you can pick up small amounts of 90% silver or whatever shipping and handling can really get you. The bottom line is that you need to figure out the cost of X lot of precious metals if you purchase it at a local store (if applicable) or from an online dealer in order to be able to make a sound decision.

For online vendors I can personally say that I have dealt with Kitco and Apmex and had positive experiences. I think Apmex tends to have lower shipping costs which is a big deal especially for frequent smaller purchases but sometimes you can get a better deal at Kitco. The key is to run the numbers and see where you can get the best deals be it the brick and mortar store, online store a or online store b.

Request For Help

Ryan,

I need some advice from you and the community.

I've been having some trouble (In the same way Sisyphus had some
difficulty) trying to get my girlfriend to understand the preparedness
mentality. We may be moving in together soon and it's an issue. I can
live with her not joining in, but I can't even get her to Understand.
She's a highly educated and intelligent woman. She's an Engineer who
works with local government contracts, but she just can't see it.
I tried explaining that guns in the hands of the victims could have
turned the tide in many mass-shootings.
I tried to explain that the Katrina victims who starved could have
laid in supplies to get through.
And I then had to try to explain how I'm not "Blaming the victims"
when I talk about real-world situations that could have been averted.
She talked about people vainly waiting for the government to help them
in a crisis like somehow that would change. If I suggest that sane
people shouldn't rely on outside help, I'm suddenly an asshole for
blaming the victims. She hates the idea of me having guns in our home.
I don't know if there is anything I can say that can change her
opinions. She was horribly assaulted a few years back and Still
resists the idea that you shouldn't rely on strangers (government
employees) coming to the rescue. I'm at a loss. I'm hoping someone has
suggestions on how to present preparedness to her.

Regards,
Michael

TOR here: I got this email and really wanted to respond to it as quickly as possible. I may not be able to solve anything but can at least share my thoughts on the matter and a bit of experience from preparing while in a relationship. First to the gun thing.

Does she have a basic understanding of how guns work? Sometimes people who have only heard about them from the liberal media and such have a view where guns are about equal to a dozen rusty razor blades welded together at weird angles covered in AIDS and stored on the floor in the hallway. I know many women don't like their residence looking like the Alamo or a COP with random loaded guns all over the place. Maybe keeping guns in the safe/ locking steel cabinet or physically on your person would help.

Some people particularly women have a real thing about not wanting guns around. I have an aunt whose husband kept his Glock with my Grandparents for probably 5 years. Eventually he got a gun safe and it moved to their place. All I can say is that if the is absolutely not willing to work with you and come to an agreement (guns in safe or whatever) then you have to choose. If I was in that situation I would tell a chick who was unwilling to work with me on that to take a hike.

I would not worry so much about her accepting the 'mentality'. I would worry about her ACTIONS and HOW THEY AFFECT YOUR PREPARADNESS. For perspective my wife does not share a lot of my opinions on life and preparadness but we keep plenty of food around and put money towards preps and precious metals every month.

Spouses generally fall into 4 rough groups when it comes to this.

The first group is whole hog into it. Their idea of an awesome weekend is going to shoot an animal, cooking it over a fire and then sleeping in an improvised shelter with just their BOB's to comfort them. Few spouses fall into this group.

The second group is into some aspects of preparadness but not others. Maybe they hate to shoot/hunt/ whatnot but loves to cook from staples or sew or hike or camp. Wifey falls loosely into this group.

The third group wants nothing to do with preparadness at all but within certain circumstances is open to you pursueing it. This isn't ideal but you can work with it.

The fourth group wants nothing to do with preparadness and doesn't want you to either. This often leads to guys sneeking around and stashing preps in weird places, etc. [Just the same way as if you were sneeking around with Suzzie Rotten Crotch or Jim Gonaherpisiphilades] this will not end well. I personally consider a spouse absolutely refusing to 'let' you participate in something which is important to you a serious lack of respect and that would probably be a deal maker for me.

Again back to perspective and such. I assume there is some reason you love this gal. Maybe she has a short skirt and a long jacket or whatever. Trying to convert her in a modest way may be possible. Focusing on realistic and likely situations 'remember when the power went out last winter, wouldn't it be nice to have some food and a kerosene heater', etc is probably a reasonable course of action.

I know lots of couples who don't totally see eye to eye on everything but have plenty of stuff in common and a generally good relationship. Coming to reasonable agreements when it comes to space, finances (if you share them) and such is probably more important than 'perspective'.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?