Jamie Jackson

    LOL   Well said Good Sir. :up:

Good points guys.   We keep calcium hypochlorite stored for long term use...sealed to protect it from moisture.   This is a decent article on the topic, and I've seen a few threads here on TGO discussing it as well.   http://readynutrition.com/resources/better-than-bleach-use-calcium-hypochlorite-to-disinfect-water_19062010/     I like the pump Dolomite. :up:         Caster;   It seems like I've read before about the depletion of the Ogallala aquifer, or concerns thereof. As far as I know it's our largest, extending through 8 different states. Not to go all tree-hugging and crap, but our actions as a culture are not without consequences. We make enough trash, and poison enough fields (Monsanto...), and we reap what we sow.

This is an interesting topic, and some good points have been brought up.   Water is heavy and occupies a lot of space...obvious statement. A person or group can only store just so much. But living in the South East as we do water is relatively readily available. Great point regarding contamination. But it’s simply not feasible to prepare for every known contaminant source, or to store several years’ worth of water….much less a lifetimes worth.   The earth itself does a great job of filtering out most contaminants. A deep water well, protected from the elements (such as in a shed) could be priceless in a protracted grid down scenario. Obviously a manual pump would be in order.   But barring a Mad Max situation, which I personally feel is unlikely, there are quite a few steps we all could take.   What we have/do/did: We practice water catchment using a couple of 55 gallon barrels with several 5 gallon overflow buckets. These are primarily for garden use on our raised beds. We have a dual 5 gallon bucket sand filter setup for removing gross contaminants and debris. We have multiple plastic water containers, both 5 gallon and one gallon. We also have a 55 gallon plastic water barrel, treated and sealed and a hand pump for it. We keep and rotate gallon jugs of unscented household bleach. It’s an absolute necessity for sanitation purposes, imho, is inexpensive, readily available, and works great for making safe drinking water. God knows I’ve consumed gallons of chlorine treated water from a “water buffalo” while in the service and lived to tell about it. We also have in daily use a Big Berkey water filtration system and use it daily. We have an extra set of Black filters and standard filters. There is plenty of anecdotal tales of the Berkey systems being in use in 3rd world countries with a single filter set functioning for up to 20 years.   Our goal in having enough water on hand, initially, is to last for 30 days. That includes water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation. That should, hopefully, allow time to attend other needs and initiate further water procurement and treatment…hopefully. It's a good time now to identify potential water sources...i.e. lakes and rivers and plan, and practice, retrieval of water from those sources.   We learned from previous hurricane experiences that you can maintain a daily bath with a one gallon jug of water. In the summer time we would just sit a few gallons out in the sun and have at least a warm shower type bath at the end on the day. Keeping a vac sealed supply of pre-moistened toweletts on hand helps as regards sanitation as well.   :2cents:

spikehunter;   I don't know if this will be of any help or not, but I was looking on Brian Enos forum in the reloading section and noticed a thread on Winchester Super Handicap.   Link: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=173248   I know you mentioned 124 gr bullets, but maybe the info there will be of benefit. The folks there are pretty helpful and may be able to answer some questions for you.   Good Luck.

I have one of these that Dolomite mentioned: [url=http://www.midwayusa.com/product/807875/lee-auto-prime-hand-priming-tool] Lee Autoprime[/url]. I've used them since the mid 1980's and primed countless thousands of pieces of brass with them. I had the lever break on one as mentioned...but still have it. So it's good to know the levers are interchangeable with the newer versions. Thanks Dol. :up:   I purchased a couple of the now discontinued models from Midway before they were discontinued, (narrow window of opportunity) so I'm fortunate for that.   A buddy of mine has used the RCBS for just as long and swears by them. I guess, on some level, it's what you get used to.

  I was a customer back when I lived in MS. Always great service and reasonable pricing.   But their website still lists "Offer not valid in TN, GA, and AL."   It's unfortunate, but business is business. Good folks nonetheless.

We use a Big Berkey with the PF-2 Fluoride and Arsenic removal unit. We've not sent the water off to be tested, but you can certainly tell by taste and smell that the overdose of chlorine our area dumps into the water supply has been removed.   To test the filters for routine we'll dump some red food coloring into the top tank. It filters it out clearly. I know that's not testing for removal of metals, but I'm pretty comfortable with the unit. fwiw the water tastes better than any 'store-bought" water I've ever had.

There are some "interesting" videos of this ammo on YouTube.   It reminds me, on a certain level, of the early MagSafe and Glaser rounds. I know those rounds used chilled shot, and in the case of MagSafe, epoxy. fwiw Joe Zambone, MagSafe inventor published his "recipe" in a handgun mag a few years before it was manufactured...I made up quite a few for a .44 spl Bulldog Pug. They were nasty as far as expansion on small game...like armadillos...but offered limited penetration.   I treated a guy shot with a .38 spl Glaser round...many, many years ago. He was wearing a leather jacket and so there was virtually no penetration into his chest wall...but he had a hell of a nasty surface wound. (Officer involved shooting in South MS).   The DRT videos of a buck being shot called for a 1:12 twist rate to stabilize. Makes sense I guess...but it really limits your options. I see this as a very narrow application tool...a niche tool if you will.   I'll stick with tried and true ammo. Accuracy and penetration into the vitals has carried the day thus far. Besides, I'd hate to try an explain this ammo selection in court: "Your Honor,Regular self defense ammo wasn't enough for this wanton killer. He choose to use Dead Right There ammo!"...eh...No Thanks. :2cents:

  ^^^ This is what I personally would do. But I would in no way shoot them as is. Way too much of an unknown...

I have nothing to offer but encouragement my friend.   I know I had a challenge finding load data for Alliant American Select and 9mm 147 gr lead bullets.   But Thanks to the good folks here, on Brian Enos forums (Thanks to Spiffy) and the good folks at Alliant I now have a reliable excellent load using AS powder.   I looked on and searched over at Brian Enos Forums and only found data on 38 super and Super Handicap.   Have you emailed Winchester/Hogdon and asked about the specific bullet make and weight? Hopefully they'll be helpful as was Alliant.     Good Luck and be sure to post what you find. These days it's wise to have alternatives.

We've done well the past couple of years with kale, Swiss Shard, collards and turnip greens with roots up through January with no covering. But these have been pretty mild winters. I've learned the weather is not something you can count on in East TN LOL.   We have used tomato cages (for a frame) and rope to make a covered 4'x8' bed (clear, thick plastic sheeting). It worked well, but did require management/manipulation adjusting ventilation for humidity control. It would really warm up some days.   A proper green house would be great...maybe one day... :pleased:

Thanks MarkA. :hat:             You're very fortunate, and you'll get there. There's a steeper learning curve to gardening than most folks realize (not pointing a finger at you Tennessee01). The most challenging part is "growing the soil" so that the moisture and nutrients will be there to allow the plants to thrive. fwiw...Steve Solomon has some excellent writings on this.   We have our second plantings for bush green beans coming up. The tomatoes are producing well, but I had to net them to keep the flipping birds from destroying them as they ripen. The butternut squash are starting to produce well also.   Most of the foods that are producing currently will be prepped for the freezer, and I'll can them later this year. It's a system that has worked well for us the past few years.       Hand in there Dennis. I know what you mean, it's always something... Rabbits first, now birds for us this year...oh well... :ugh:   But we'll keep working on it. :pleased:

Looking Good Mark !. :up:   Being able to preserve foods is a rewarding experience isn't it?   Maybe you can share that recipe for the bourbon peach BBQ sauce... :yum: 

    Here ya go Spiffy. :usa:   [url=http://www.guns.com/2012/10/25/rob-pincus-business-end-customs-glock-26l/] Rob Pincus Glock 26 L[/url].       I'm a Glock guy myself and have carried a G 19 for a long time.   I did carry a Mod 92 for about a year...long, long ago. With proper gear it can be comfortable and concealable...but, imho, it isn't even close as far as comfort, concealability, and ease of use for EDC compared to a G 19. :2cents:

Timestepper;   I hope you're mending well and Thank you for your post. You summed up my thoughts very well on this topic.     We've prepped for several years now, and our efforts have always been aimed at decreasing our dependency on an governmental entity, and improving the quality of our daily lives. So far, so good.   We've had to rely on our stores a couple of times over the past few years, where a family illness limited my work hours (you must take care of those you love). It made the difference between us being able to pay our mortgage or not. We feel truly Blessed because of the efforts we put forth.     Someone mentioned Katrina: I lived in Pearl River County, MS (you know...where Katrina actually hit) and worked out of New Orleans. 6 weeks of no power and water, and 9 days of no access to any entity (Fire, LEO, EMS etc.) helped us to be incentivised, see the true holes in our preps, and take corrective action. Believe me, the veneer on society is friggin' thin. It doesn't take much to make folks panic and do some really stupid stuff.     We are social creatures and genuinely need other people. Having, or forming a M.A.G. or a Mutual Assistance Group is something I hope people will consider. Shared skills, knowledge, and work benefit the whole group. Just a thought.     So no....I never feel it's all for nothing. I actually feel it's my duty, my obligation, to those I love and whose care has been entrusted to me. And our lives are already the better for it.   :2cents:

These are the grip modifications to my G 19 (a "redo") and my G 26. Brasil also modified the extend magazine for my G26. I've never seen a 26 modified in such a manner. and I've never handled a 26 that felt so darned right in my hands. :up: [center] Glock 19 "redo"[/center] [center][URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G19gripmodleftside03_zps90cb1942.jpg.html][/URL][/center] [center] [URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G19gripmodrightside03_zps6ded4ad4.jpg.html][/URL][/center] [center][URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G19gripmodrightsideandbackstrap02_zpsa1ec9a22.jpg.html][/URL][/center] [center] G 26[/center] [center][URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G26gripmodleftside01_zps5318f30d.jpg.html][/URL][/center] [center][URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G26gripmodrightside01_zps5f3fac86.jpg.html][/URL][/center] [center][URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G26gripmodrightside04_zps3ce3c1db.jpg.html][/URL][/center] [center][URL=http://s783.photobucket.com/user/Prag03/media/Handguns/G26gripmodleftsidewithmagazineout01_zps1884d870.jpg.html][/URL][/center] :pleased:

    Welcome aboard.   Locating reloading components is a bit of a challenge these days.   David (DLM) here at TGO is probably your best source. But powder and primers can be found online time to time.   Regards a powder for 45 acp... I've used Alliant Unique and Winchester 231 for many, many years.. 5.7 gr of W 231 for a 230 gr FMJ is my favorite 45 acp loading.     Good Luck.       http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/67693-powder/

    Thank you Sir.   Glocks ugly? You bet...but they do kinda grow on a fella. :pleased:     We just finished a re-do on my 19 and a seriously bitchin' job on my 26. This is not from an aesthetics viewpoint...but pure function. Like you said...rock solid in the hand.   I'm working a couple of 12 hr shifts, so I'll tag on some pics in a couple of days.

It was nice to meet you at ORSA Randall.  :hat:     Glad you're gonna make the Cleveland Match Sir. You'll do great.

  We would love to have you my friend. You'll definitely get a raincheck.   Heck...I'd love to be at the Rifle Class in KY.  My AK needs the cobwebs kicked out of it. :cheers:

  LOL. No kiddin. Buddy. I actually think it'd rock to have a no watch/no walk through match...but I ramble... and gotta "get game". :squint:     Shoot that sucker Dude. You are more than welcome too... Encouraged even. :up:         Thanks Spiffy. I'm looking forward to it, and we might well have Bradley going down as well.

    Thank you Sir.   I hear good things about the matches at Cleveland and I'm looking forward to it.

I've not had the opportunity to shoot an IDPA Match at Cleveland yet, but hope to make it down with that motley crew know as the "Soggy Bottom Boys". Yes...I question my own judgement on that one. :ugh:   So:   Anybody going?   Any idea if they post stages prior to the shoot? (link would always be appreciated)   I am "Facebook Challenged"... but that seems to be the site they most frequently post on. https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandTnIdpa     :hat:

Good resource peejman.     Another site I've used is :   http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can4_vegetable.html   http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can5_meat.html   http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can6b_pickle.html   http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can7_jam_jelly.html     If I can do it...anybody can do it. :pleased:

    Good questions and Good for you on starting to can. :up:   We do both...canning and freezing. But the majority of our freezing is essentially transitional in nature.   We have 2 chest freezers, one for meat and one for vegetables and general frozen foods we might purchase in bulk.     Our usual practice is to pick, blanch, then freeze vegetables (like green beans) until there is enough to make a couple of pressure canner runs. Our pressure canner is an [url=http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamerican930pressurecanner.htm] All American 930[/url]. It can process 19 pints or 14 quarts...that's a good bit of green beans. :cool:   We pressure can about 1/4th of our meat purchases and will vac seal those meats we plan to keep in the freezer. The vac sealing for freezing works great. We recently cooked a few pork loin roasts we put in the freezer in the spring of 2012 and they looked as fresh as when we put them in the freezer.     I've experienced the same issue when vac sealing high water content foods. We learned to just freeze them first in ziplock bags, then they vac seal without any issue.     Best of luck to you. And welcome to a new addiction.   :pleased: