russian and rimfire

RUSSIAN AND RIMFIRE

Two guest articles posted earlier.
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Generally I save the non-article blathering for last. I used to just throw up any non related drivel beforehand, but started to realize, mostly years and years after the fact because I can be pretty slow that way, that you wouldn’t pay attention because you were eager to get to the meat of the article. But today, please indulge me as I revert to old form. I am simply too excited to NOT share this and you don’t want me distracted. If I don’t get it off my chest there will be hell to pay. Okay, last week before my trip to visit dear old dad ( who is nothing like me, being mellow and simply incapable of getting worked up about much which is how my son is which is amusing in that our male decedents skip every generation in personality ) I finally stopped at the library after being gone about a month, having oodles and gobs of unread books already, and just by happy accident picked up the book “Empire Of The Summer Moon”. Now, the thing you have to keep in mind is that the books waiting at home include some really wicked looking titles like “Aftershock” ( the recent economic meltdown ) and “”Sharpshooting In The Civil War” and “Jack Hinson’s One Man War ( Confederate civilian avenges sons murders by killing Damn Yankees ). I mean, they actually get my nipples hard. So for me to be excited about a library book while those sit around unread, you know the borrowed book has to be good. I’ve only started reading it, but Empire is really great so far. It is the rise and fall of the Comanche empire. What is so great about it is the details that translate to post-apocalyptic life such as the history, eating habits and training of Mustang horses ( I’ll admit to an embarrassing gap in my primitive horse knowledge, most of it having been northern European centered and thus worthless for west of the Mississippi post collapse life ). It is rare for a history book to be so full of transferable details. I’ll even be buying my own copy.

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We all know and love both the rimfire arsenal and the Russian war surplus rifles. They are both only about a hundred bucks and both use cheap ammunition. But let’s suppose that time is running short and you can only have one. Your budget gets tighter and tighter as food prices rise, wages fall and taxes increase. Which is the wisest choice? I understand that the economy could collapse at any time, and it is important to worry about that. But we can’t lose sight of the very real possibility that as short of a time frame as that is, it is still possible for the whole house of cards to be one severe crop failure away from collapse. Literal collapse, not just us getting excited about decline and labeling it collapse. If you want to scare yourself crapless, go read “Who Will Feed China?”. It was written before Chinese industrialization really got going. It got into much greater detail, but the main point is that overpopulated countries that then industrialized always lost fifty percent of their cropland to the process. And had to import that grain. Fifteen years after the book was published, it seems China pretty much followed the books forecast. There are no reserves to speak of, global grain harvests have consistently been below average, and drought hits at least two grain producers a year pretty much every year. The Green Revolution has already peaked and seen decline. Even if we still feed ourselves ( questionable past the near future as the Midwest aquifer is rapidly drained ) the other countries facing grain deficits will impact us militarily and economically. Just what our overstretched empire doesn’t need. Our time to collapse is very limited.

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So we can assume all your well laid plans for a perfect arsenal will be interrupted. Which will it be? Russian or rimfire? My advice is to go with the rimfire. First, because the cheap ammo could be stopped at any time if imports are cut or curtailed. Second, because now is the time to seriously lay in a vast amount of ammo. This may be the last time you can buy in quantity. And rimfire is THE universal ammunition here. Everyone carries it. The Russian ammo is usually only available by shipment. I’m aware of the 22 and its limitation stopping power wise. And limited range. If only a long range weapon is safe for you, fine. But you must stockpile now. If it was announced tomorrow that no more surplus ammo would be shipped in, it would all disappear in one hour. It might also double in price before it disappears. The instant Internet cuts both ways. You can’t assume the Russian ammo will stay cheap and available forever. Whereas, at least you have a chance getting a box or three of 22 come a panic. But more importantly you can buy seven times the ammo for the same price. You must over stockpile on ammo to come close to having enough.

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Ideally, you should have a high powered sidearm to compliment a rimfire. That might not be possible. And, you might just be eating white flour, white rice and Top Ramen ( a diet which will kill you soon enough-make sure to supplement with long pork ) if you don’t buy whole kernel wheat berries and a grinder ( which reminds me, get a friggin grinder before those also aren’t imported ). You can’t perfectly prep for the collapse. Don’t bother trying at this late date baring a lotto win. Remember BTN. Better Than Nothing. Better ten thousand rimfire rounds than 200 Russian rounds. And remember, the wife and kids can use a rimfire after you are shot. They probably can’t use a big ass kicks like a mule Russian bolt. Not having the best sucks. Not having enough of the second best sucks more. Not having anything because you waited for the best sucks worst of all.

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My e-mail is jimd303@netzero.com
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Anyone can submit a guest article. No minimum word length, no writing skill necessary ( just get the idea across ). You retain copyright ( this must be your original writing ) and I’ll just use the once. I’ve yet to turn down an article, just don’t use the N Bomb or libel another that can sue me. Send by e-mail ( please, label as “guest article” so I can find it easily later ). Payment will be your removal from my enemies list.
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By the by, all my writing is copyrighted. For the obtuse out there.
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