The mind is the primary weapon - 039

[Mark Vanderberg]

[bart11]

Another good show, Eric!

Listening to The Gunfigters and then your show, today was a total Glock-love-in!  Though I am a fan of Glocks for all their many virtues, I sold mine (a Glock 20..... I love 10mm and a Glock 27) as I like a grip angle closer to the 1911.  After going through training with my Sig 226, I got to use a police shoot/no-shoot simulator and when I shot, missed because I shot too high.  Of course, if I trained with a Glock that problem would be corrected, but I'm already invested in the Sig platform (though I have many other guns as well).

I like your continuing bug-out bag segment.  I had a great one when I lived in Los Angeles for that big quake.  Right after the Northridge quake hit, I had my emergency clothes and boots on and my bug-out bag on my back and was listening to radio reports while my neighbors from the apartment were on the street in their bathrobes and little else. 

However, now living in Colorado with my girlfriend and a pack of dogs, I have to re-think my bug-out needs.  One idea that may (or may not) be applicable to others is to prepack the rooftop car carrier that I found in a neighbor's trash.  In my garage, I have a hoist for lifting motorcycles, generators, and other heavy things into a pick-up truck or cargo trailer.  I can prepack the large car carrier and leave it suspended from the hoist and if I need to "bug-out" could drop it on and secure it to the top of my SUV in just minutes.  Given more time, I could connect my 4x8' trailer and load with other supplies as time and conditions allow.  Plus, dropping a "pod" onto the top of my car in a time of crisis reminds me of episodes of THUNDERBIRDS.  Anyway, I will have to start my new list of needed supplies.  The most likely threat would be brushfires and to a lesser degree tornadoes.

I'll also be giving thought to my "get-home" bag.  I had one in each of my cars when I lived in SoCal, but again the needs for Colorado are considerably different.  Not only will I need comfortable boots for myself, I will need ones for my girlfriend as well.

Another good show!

Bart11

[Eric R Shelton]

Well thanks, Bart!  And I have to say, showing that you're thinking about the different requirements for your bag based on your location, definitely falls in line with episode 39 and that you've got your thinking cap on!

Thunderbirds?  Wasn't that like the old version of Team America?   

A pre-packed car top carrier could be an excellent idea.  Just make sure to consider temperature and humidity vs. whatever is being stowed in there.  I've found more than one item of my camping gear rotted away from dry desert heat and too long in my shed- my old frame packs' nylon shell came apart like dry leaves.  If you do store stuff this way, I'd recommend an annual inspection at a minimum.

My "Rifle Bug Out Bag" was delivered yesterday!  It's the Hawkepaks MA-54, made in the USA, and it's really more of a get home bag- only an extreme minimalist would consider this for a 3-day pack.  But I really like it, and I've got a camping trip coming up next weekend, so expect an in-depth review or two!

[oldwardog177]

   Ok Eric
              Teach me as a new resident to AZ,phoenix area what should the items for a large pull out bag. I imagin lots of water. But as a kid I grew in the mountains of upstate NY. My best knoweldge is to head north or north west to my best enviroment. But for a family of four what would you consider nessacary. Oh yeah steel wool and a good 9v battery will ignite but keep the steel wool thin.

                                                      Oldwardog177
   

[Eric R Shelton]

Ken, for a family of four in a metroplex like the Phoenix area, I might consider "bugging in" before bugging out.  And most of the survivalists say that water is one of the last services that would go down.  Backup generators, pumps, etc.  And you guys have a plentiful water supply compared to Tucson (I think our well depth is twice yours, if I recall correctly)...  How old are the kids?  In a situation bad enough to bug out, you're going to be fighting a LOT of traffic- you may want to consider comic books and a good amount of trail mix for car snacks just to try and keep little ones peaceful...

You're in Mesa, right?  You may want to head east, toward Payson.  I would try to figure out a route you think will help expedite your trip to a safer locale.  For instance, with my position in the city, I'm not even going to try for I-10.  I'll head northeast, and take Reddington Pass around to Oracle, than head north.

I'd also try to evaluate the most likely scenario that would cause you to bug out, and plan for that.

I've heard that if you mix dryer lint with the steel wool it's really great.  I'll be trying it next week!  4 days in the mountains!  Time to give my B.O.B. a test run!

[flyfisher4x4]

I agree, bug in here in phx.  There are 4 main freeways and 2 lesser roads out of phx and every one of them will be clogged with people trying to get out.  A lot of them will be going to the hills and every one of them will be armed and have the same survivalist mentality.

Eric, the ending was great.  That was the biggest laugh I've had in a long time. 

[RJB3 USMC]

Eric,

Just finished the show. Great job.

I read the article on Newsweek. What a bunch of junk. The author makes the 9 milimeter sound as if it is the devil, and that it is what causes all of the violence in the world.
I left a comment. Unfortunately, I was angry, so I didn't proofread it for spelling errors. (Made me want to grab my 9mm and shoot someone to settle the argument. Just kidding.)

Rich

[oldwardog177]

      Eric

         My son's are 17 and 9 Blake(17) is not the outdoors type(aka computer and AC nerd). Christian 9 own his own 10-22 and S&W 22-a .22 semi auto handgun and shots quiet regulary with me and my wife. We live in the far west valley over by Avondale close to I-10 and 101. I'd take the back out Rte.69 through Wickenburgh to Presscott.
        We call it an Evac-bag we moved to AZ from Jacksonville,FL its a hurricane grab and run bag, Right now its got 36 MRE's & 36 bottles of water,Medics first kit, GPS with spare batt's, hand crank radio with Short wave, coleman propane latern and cook stove, Ruger super redhawk .44 200 rnds winchester silver point ammo, Roger SP-101 and Mosseburgh 590 with M-4 stock and ammo this is stored in cabinet 4 feet from the wifes Dodge Hemi 4x4. What would you and or change. Keep in mind we are 36 miles from a Nucular power plant to that why the prepped evac plan.

       What kind of sure fire light do you recommed??

     

[Eric R Shelton]

Ok, Ken, here's my input.

First, for a pre-packed type of deal I had somebody email in about the Ice-Qube, and it looks impressive.  http://www.ice-qube.com/  But let's move on since you've got a lot of that covered.

Nuclear power plant means I'd have some potassium iodide on hand.  It's far from a cure-all, but if you can protect the thyroid, it's better than nothing.

I would suggest the MRE-to-water ratio is out of balance, but you're plenty good-to-go for 3 days, so it may not be an issue.  You'll want more water bottles than MREs, though.  They make you thirsty...

You'll want some lighter loads (maybe a 5 or 6) for the shotgun, and may want to consider toting along a .22.  Varmints and rabbits are the easiest meat source around, imho- and darn good eating.  Cute little bunnies are really plentiful around here, for instance.  Snare wire may not be a bad addition, either.

If you're throwing all this in a truck, weight may not be an issue.  I try to pack light, and I know some areas in the Catalina mountains to the north with water year-round.  Thankfully they're in areas not travelled by man very often.  But critters know, too.  So I try to be careful about weapon selection. 

What are you doing for shelter preparation?  You can do a lot with just a simple tarp...  Some people would say you should have a summer bag and a winter bag; I try to do an all-in-one.  I've got a Zero-degree (sleeping) bag, because a lot of the areas I would head get plenty cooler than Tucson- and if it's summer time I just won't zip it up tight. 

Alright- that ought to ramble enough.  LOL.  Hope that helps.

[Rangerbane]

Avondale close to I-10 and 101. I'd take the back out Rte.69 through Wickenburgh to Presscott.
  Keep in mind we are 36 miles from a Nucular power plant to that why the prepped evac plan.
     
[/quote

I live here in Prescott Valley and tell ya we would be glad to have ya join us in the event of a disaster, but remember that 69 is a very curvy, mostly 2 lane highway.  But if you have a tent and camping supplies, Prescott National Forest is a great place to stash away in and avoid the unprepared civilians who would also be trying to get onto the Prescott area.  We are one of the several evacuation areas for any problem at the nuclear plant, so keep those things in mind as well.

[5valvethumper]

Eric-

Another great show.  I think you've mentioned the story before about the man on the street wanting to shake your hand.  I think it's the oddball situations that make me think the most about the topic of situational awareness.  I have an odd one I'd like to run past you and the readers..

I spend a lot of time with my three year old son.  I'm often out running errands at local malls, shopping centers, etc.  I have to tell you, the most vulnerable time EVER is that 2-3 minutes it takes to get him into his car seat.  For those of you without kids - imagine leaning halfway into the back seat of your vehicle, still standing on the ground, your heads in the car, your focused on getting your kid strapped safely into a four-point harness.  If you carry IWB or SOB - that's just flapping out there in the breeze.  Your back is turned to any threats that may come up from behind, and frankly, you're just trying to get a over energetic three year old strapped into the %^@# seat!

I've tried getting in next to him - it's really uncomfortable and and almost impossible to buckle him in while he's RIGHT next to you.  Doing it from the front seat is pretty unfeasible too - either way trying to get into the vehicle and close the doors at least.  I do try to park so I'm out in the open, and not stuck in as dense cluster of cars where visibility is limited.  Being the Dad, I feel I'm less of a risk for someone to come up and start trouble.  But it's really one of those things where you really notice how vulnerable you really are.  I do carry with my Sig Tac coat - it has compartments in the chest of the jacket...but summer is just around the corner.  I know this is crazy Dad stuff, not as sexy as home invasions or bug out bags but...

Anyone else noticed this??

Thanks again for the great podcast-

Dan

[Eric R Shelton]

Ken, I forgot to mention SureFire lights.  I really dig the "cheap" G2 series.  Don't weapon-mount 'em unless you replace the lamp with an LED, but I've had my first G2 for a while now, and it's never let me down.  Kickin' around tent city in Saudi Arabia or snorkeling in Hawaii, it's been with me everywhere and I've only replaced one lamp.

Thumper...  "I know this is crazy Dad stuff, not as sexy as home invasions or bug out bags but..."
Like I've said: when it comes to disaster preparedness, you have to start with that inner circle and the most likely type of event you can be prepared for.  You're doing exactly that, and I'm darn glad to hear it!  Sure, the car seat isn't going to inspire somebody to watch Red Dawn for the 64th time and scream "Wolverines!" for a week- but it's a whole lot more practical.

Not being a Dad, I'm working strictly off my imagination here...  I'm pretty sure Mas mentioned something like a "car jackers" rig in his book of concealed carry.  It's a cross draw holster at a peculiar angle, if memory serves.  I can't think of anything to help you keep your eyes anywhere but your son, but a rig like that MAY help you have a firearm in a faster, more usable location.

This is one where I would definitely ask Mas, maybe the whole rest of the ProArms team, and definitely Daniel, Justin, and Mitch over at the Gunfighter Cast.  The GC guys have smaller kids, and may have a solution for you.

[Dave.45]

I spend a lot of time with my three year old son.  I'm often out running errands at local malls, shopping centers, etc.  I have to tell you, the most vulnerable time EVER is that 2-3 minutes it takes to get him into his car seat.  For those of you without kids - imagine leaning halfway into the back seat of your vehicle, still standing on the ground, your heads in the car, your focused on getting your kid strapped safely into a four-point harness.  If you carry IWB or SOB - that's just flapping out there in the breeze.  Your back is turned to any threats that may come up from behind, and frankly, you're just trying to get a over energetic three year old strapped into the %^@# seat!

I've tried getting in next to him - it's really uncomfortable and and almost impossible to buckle him in while he's RIGHT next to you.  Doing it from the front seat is pretty unfeasible too - either way trying to get into the vehicle and close the doors at least.  I do try to park so I'm out in the open, and not stuck in as dense cluster of cars where visibility is limited.  Being the Dad, I feel I'm less of a risk for someone to come up and start trouble.  But it's really one of those things where you really notice how vulnerable you really are.  I do carry with my Sig Tac coat - it has compartments in the chest of the jacket...but summer is just around the corner.  I know this is crazy Dad stuff, not as sexy as home invasions or bug out bags but...

Anyone else noticed this??

Our oldest is 15 years old and our youngest is 3 weeks old with eight kids in between, so I have been loading car seats for a long, long time. I noticed the "how to load a car seat and keep your firearm concealed and maintain situational awareness problem as soon as I started to carry. First of all, there is no perfect solution to this problem. But I learned a few things early on. If you have your wife or an older child with you, have them get the younger child in the car seat while you stand "guard." Let them get all situated before getting in the car yourself. If not (which sounds like your situation): Try to park out in the open end of the parking lot where you have two or three parking spaces (or more) between you and the nearest car - you will have more reaction time if someone starts heading towards you (to step out of the car and wait for them to pass which is usually what happens)... also if your gun or holster does show for a second or two, more distance means other people will be less likely to notice the gun showing at all - or, if they do notice anything, to be able to tell what they saw. Put the child in the seat, look around, put the arms through the straps, look around, clip the first clasp, look around, clip the waist clasp, look around, extract yourself from the back seat, look around, and off you go. Like I said, it's not perfect but staying as aware as possible is probably your best defense.

[oldwardog177]

       Eric;
             Thanks ok, I was speaking with my wife and she suggest a rotating water stock. The Iodine is very good, so I should keep the a tent and bags in a close proximity to the Bug Out bag ( by the way we do have).
             I've seen the G-2 at Sportsman Wharehouse I'll get one thanks. I'll make some adjustments, we got a small bag just for med's if any are your daily routine that should be taken into mind also...

                                                               Oldwardog177

[N.U.G.U.N.]

Got my iodine tablets last year.  Though a friend said that most table salt has a lot of iodine. And that you could simply take the iodized table salt instead.  But I'd wager you'd need to make sure you have a good quantity of water.

Salt is something every one should have in your go bag. Why?  Well here's a few reasons.
a) your body needs salt in order to regulate your water chemistry
b) it's a preservative
c) it can be used as a mild disinfectant for sore throats, and in extreme cases wounds.
d) it makes bland food, and fresh game meat, taste a heck of a lot better

Maybe I should cross post this in the BOB thread.

[5valvethumper]

Eric & Dave-

Thanks.  Of all the situations - minimarts, back alleys, etc.  this one makes me wonder the most.  Thanks for your input.  When my wife is with me, she watches guard.  Mainly the problem is when it's just me and my son.  I'll try what Dave says and see how that works.  Sounds like you have lots of practice.  10 kids!!    Good for you!! 

Wolverines!!!!!

Thanks guys - Dan

[Rangerbane]

This topic was covered pretty well by the Gunfighter cast.  The use of Airsoft or other toy guns to train gun safety, limiting those friends of the kids to those who have permission to handle the guns from their parents (or guardians), and just getting the mystic off of the guns. 

All this advise was excellent, but also I want to add that we need to talk to our kids to counter what they hear on the TV or from their teachers at school.  All they seem to get from these and other sources is not so supportive of gun rights. Having a "sit down" talk with the family and asking them about what they are being told, or what htey just saw helps them understand that all they see or hear is not always true.  We need to spend time educating the family, not allowing the Liberals to do it alone.

Kent S.