Committed to providing you and your family with the best survival knowledge, skills and equipment.
A Guide to Testing Your Survival and Camping Skills in a Safe Way
Before you head into the wilderness and test out your survival skills for real, you should first make sure that you’re at the appropriate skill level for this. This means that you should test your survival and camping skills in the safest way possible. Here’s a guide that can help you to do just that.
· Find a Great Campsite
Rather than wild camping in a location that might not be wholly safe and that’s completely exposed to poor weather conditions and wildlife, you should first consider camping in a supported place where you can get help if you need it.
By using a campsite as your base, others will be alerted to any issues quickly, and you’ll have a comfortable space to return to each evening after a day of exploring the wild. This can be a great option for those who are heading out into nature for the first time and who might be nervous about the experience.
Although you might think that any equipment that you use is there to protect you, it can also harm you, especially if you don’t know how to use it. This means that you should always read the instructions of any equipment that you purchase and study tutorials online.
You should also practice with this equipment in a secure environment before heading outside with your tools. This is especially the case when it comes to sharp equipment, such as weapons such as knives that can be used for self-defense, hunting, and stripping away foliage. If you’re unsure how to handle this tool, you should stop using it immediately until you do.
· Go on a Survival Skills Course
When you’re trying to hone your survival and camping skills, you might also look into courses where a trained expert can help to teach you the basics. This will give you the chance to pick up some tips that you might not otherwise have known and enhance the knowledge that you already have.
These courses might be over the course of a day or a weekend, or perhaps longer, with a session or so every week. This might also give you the chance to ask any questions that you have and to iron out any issues that you’re having with survival skills.
· Go With Others
If this is your first time going on a survival trip into the wilderness, you should think about taking at least one other person on the trip with you. This means that there will always be someone to call for help and give you first aid in the event of an emergency, as well as someone to discuss any problems with.
If you don’t go with someone, you should make sure that someone knows where you are at all times and that you keep communication channels open with people back home.
5 Tips on How to Protect Your Hunting Rifle Scope From the Elements
Just bought a hunting rifle scope and wonder how to protect it when you go on your outdoor adventures? Not sure how to do it or if you need to buy extra equipment?
Hunting isn’t a hobby you can do sitting at home where you’re protected from the elements. It’s a rugged activity where you and your equipment will be exposed to everything mother nature can throw at you.
From things like the rain, heat, or cold to accidents like dropping your rifle and scratching the lenses, there are many ways hunting rifle scopes can get damaged while you’re outside.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can protect and weather-proof your hunting rifle scope without spending a fortune or having to worry about it constantly. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to do it yourself.
5 Ways You Can Protect Your Hunting Rifle Scope
Here are five things you can do to protect your hunting rifle scope from the elements. Whether you’re using an LPVO or a simple scope, you’ll want to check these tips out.
(For more useful information about hunting rifle scopes and firearms in general, check out Shooting Mystery.)
Buy a Scope Lens Cover or Dust Cap
The most effective way to prevent your scope lenses from getting damaged is by getting a scope lens cover (sometimes called a dust cap) for both ends of the scope.
There are an unbelievable number of lens covers that you can find that will fit any size rifle scope. In fact, many rifle scope companies sell it alongside the scope.
If your scope doesn’t come with one, you can get a pair that screws on and off, pops on and off, or flips up and away from the scope’s front and rear, allowing you to push the flaps down when you’re done.
While this part is up to personal preference, the flip-up lens covers are the most convenient — no need to worry about where to store them after use.
Get a Full-Size Scope Cover
Other than the lenses, the scope’s body also needs protection. The best ones are made of a neoprene material that protects the metal parts of the scope from corrosion and scratches.
The neoprene material is usually thick enough to absorb most normal bumps and knocks it can encounter during regular use. These covers also conform tightly to the scope’s housing, providing no extra bulk.
Even if dirt does get stuck between the neoprene cover and the scope, the material’s soft nature means it won’t scratch or damage your scope.
Don’t Store the Scope Outdoors
When you’re done using your hunting rifle and scope, make sure not to leave them exposed to the elements by storing them outdoors.
Factors like humidity, temperature, water, and oxidation will damage your scope over time, especially if you live in a more humid area or near the sea.
The safest thing to do with your hunting rifle scope is to store it indoors, where it won’t be exposed to harsh conditions.
You might also want to consider getting a storage case or bag for your scope and rifle, whether you always take your scope off or keep it on your rifle after use.
Use a Sling With Your Hunting Rifle
Using a sling with a hunting rifle is highly recommended for safety and convenience reasons. It keeps your hands free if you need to do other things like grip on trees for stability or dig the bullet out of your prey’s carcass.
However, using a hunting rifle sling can also prevent damage to your scope. If you accidentally drop the rifle while holding it, the sling prevents it from hitting the ground.
Imagine if you didn’t have a sling. The rifle would hit the ground hard, most likely damaging the sensitive scope, which would be a very costly mistake.
The sling allows you to be more mobile and walk freely without the rifle getting in your way while keeping it close to the body. This reduces the chances of it bumping into trees.
Clean Your Hunting Rifle Scope After Each Use
One step that can keep your hunting rifle scope looking brand new for years to come is regular cleaning. This is because your scope will be splattered with dirt, dust, moisture, and other external elements.
If you clean your scope each time after hunting and before storing it indoors (and in the case), you’ll prevent any dirt, dust, or particles from sticking to the scope.
You’ll want to remove any excess dirt particles because some are abrasive enough to scratch the material of your rifle scope, even if it’s marketed as scratch-resistant.
Just because your rifle scope is rated to be weather-resistant and scratch-resistant doesn’t mean you can be careless with it. It just means there’s a less likely chance it will get damaged if you are.
How You Can Protect the Rest of Your Rifle
While protecting your hunting rifle scope, you should also take care of the rifle it’s mounted on. Some of these tips and tricks can be done simultaneously to protect both the optic AND the weapon.
Put Muzzle Tape on Your Barrel
Your rifle’s barrel is one of the largest entry points where dirt, dust, and humidity enter. It’s also the part of the rifle most crucial to accuracy.
Having any rust or corrosion inside the barrel isn’t ideal and can lead to irreparable damage. Taping the front end of the barrel with electrical tape can help cover it up.
After shooting, the electrical tape will come off by itself. Then, Remove the extra pieces with your hands (unload the weapon first, of course).
Before you clean the gun and put it back into storage, you can put more muzzle tape again so that you don’t forget it the next time you go hunting.
Use Protective Anti-rust Coatings
Using anti-rust coatings on the outside of the rifle can help keep it rust and corrosion free. Make sure to apply these anti-rust or corrosive solvents on the outer part of your rifle.
Examples of anti-rust coatings are Rem Oil, WD-40, Kroil, and Corrosion-X. You can apply these by putting the liquids on a damp cloth and then rubbing it on your barrel’s exterior.
Disassemble and Clean After Use
You should disassemble and clean the parts of your rifle, especially after a particularly dusty, humid, or wet day in the field. You can do this as part of your end-of-day routine.
Disassembling and cleaning the rifle of all oils and grime helps, especially in icy or dirty conditions. For icy conditions, cleaning up the oil prevents it from freezing and getting too sticky.
For dirty and dusty conditions, the oil might mix with dirt and dry up as the day progresses, causing it to turn into a thick mush that will clog up your rifle.
If you’re hunting in frigid weather, consider disassembling it and leaving it in a cold but covered area. Putting it back in average temperatures might induce condensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
After learning more about how to protect your hunting rifle scope from the elements, you might have some related questions. Here are answers to the most commonly asked ones.
Can You Wrap a Scope?
You can choose to wrap your scope in vinyl skin as an additional layer of protection while you’re out and about instead of using a neoprene cover.
Most people buy it because you can choose custom designs or add camouflage to a plain-looking scope. Functionally, it can also repel some dirt and prevent rusting.
However, remember that it shouldn’t be used as a replacement for a full-size neoprene scope cover. This is because it won’t protect against any bumps or falls.
Can a Rifle Scope Go Bad?
Sometimes, the rifle scope will go bad (losing accuracy, clarity, or reliability) even if you take care of it properly. In this case, take some time to diagnose the problem before going hunting again.
If the rifle has just lost its zero, then all you need to do is zero it in again. However, if it constantly loses zero right after adjusting it, there might be another issue.
If you see fogging or liquids inside the scope, it means that the waterproofing seal has broken, and you won’t be able to trust the scope for any accurate shots.
If it makes weird sounds whenever you move it, like something is loose inside, then you’ll have to replace the scope. Check with your scope’s manufacturer for warranty claims.
Can a Rifle Scope Lose Zero?
If you miss even when your shot should be on target, the most likely cause is that your rifle scope has lost its zero. There are many reasons why a rifle scope loses zero.
Sometimes, it loses zero because of excessive recoil, improper installation, incorrect scope mounts, or because you’ve dropped the scope hard.
Some of these issues require reinstallation or even bringing it in for repairs, but you can try to zero in the rifle scope again to see if it still works well.
Final Thoughts
Protecting your hunting rifle scope from the elements isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Methods like buying covers for the scope and lenses help prevent damage in most cases.
However, the most crucial way to keep your rifle scope (and the hunting rifle itself) clean and working 100% is to clean it after every use. It might take up a bit more time out of your day, but 2-3 years down the road, your optic will look almost as fresh as the day you bought it.
Putting The Pieces Together; The Logistics of Your Off-Grid Project
Many people are striving to live off-grid and enjoy life in its more basic form. This can be merely because they want to be totally self-reliant while others are doing so with a more political mindset. Whatever reason you have, before you take that initial step, there are some fundamental things that you ought to think about.
#1 Find the right location
Finding the right location may sound far easier than it actually is. This is because you will be looking for an area that will sustain you and your loved ones. In order to do this, it will need to have a few very important aspects.
Water – it will need to have its own water supply; whether this is an underground spring or a trickling stream, it doesn’t matter at this point.
Accessibility – your plot will have to have accessibility so that you can get in and out of it. How much accessibility is entirely up to you and down to your beliefs and the reasons why you want to be off-grid.
Planning permits – you will no doubt want to build a dwelling to protect you and your loved ones from the elements and provide some safe to retreat to. For this, you are going to need to apply for or requestion a piece of land with the relevant permits in place.
#2 Find the right equipment
You will have to then invest in equipment that will help you survive while you are living off-grid.
Power generators – you shall have to decide what type of power generator you are going to have to provide you with basic forms of electricity, whether you choose to go for solar or wind turbine or any other suitable substitute.
Food sources – you are going to need food sources if you are choosing to go off-grid, of which you have a couple of options;
Stocking up from local stores
Living off of the land, both in the farming aspect and hunting wild animals
#3 Bringing it all together
Of course, the main point is to bring it all together. With stockists all over the world selling items that will be useful, if not crucial to the project that you are embarking upon, you may as well make use of the grid while you are still on it. This means that you will be able to send your items in a crate to the location that you choose. So, you can either have them delivered to your door or have your crate shipping sent to a location of your choice so that you can stay incognito and collect them to bring them on the last part of the journey home.
A few final thoughts
So, as you can see, there is certainly more to this project than finding a field and setting up camp. It requires very careful planning and forethought, especially if you are taking your family with you. Keeping your mind open to every eventuality is a must, as you will be totally alone without the ability to call the real world if you should require assistance in a hurry.
Prepare for the Unthinkable: Arm Yourself with Essential Survival Skills and Knowledge!
Get Started with Prepping: Essential Tips for Beginners
In an unpredictable world, being prepared for unexpected events and emergencies is a wise choice. Prepping, short for preparedness, involves acquiring the knowledge, skills, and supplies necessary to effectively navigate and survive various crisis situations. Whether you’re interested in natural disasters, economic uncertainties, or personal safety, embarking on your prepping journey can provide peace of mind and the ability to take care of yourself and your loved ones.
This guide will help you get started with prepping by recommending online channels to follow, providing steps for exploring this new journey, and sharing essential tips for beginners.
1. Online Channels for Prepping:
The internet is a valuable resource for preppers, offering a vast array of educational and informative content. Here are some recommended channels to get you started:
a. Year Zero Survival: Is a comprehensive website that covers various aspects of preparedness. They share practical tips, gear reviews, and survival techniques.
b. Canadian Prepper: This channel provides a wealth of knowledge on prepping, survival skills, gear reviews, and discussions on current events. Canadian Prepper offers practical advice for both urban and wilderness survival scenarios.
c. The Urban Prepper: Focusing on urban preparedness, this channel offers tips for city dwellers, apartment preppers, and those with limited space. It covers topics such as food storage, self-defense, and urban gardening.
d. Sensible Prepper: Offers a wide range of prepping videos, including bug-out bags, gear reviews, DIY projects, and everyday carry items. The channel emphasizes practical and cost-effective solutions.
e. Wranglerstar: Is a homesteading and self-sufficiency channel that covers various aspects of preparedness, such as woodworking, off-grid living, and outdoor skills.
2. Exploring the Prepping Lifestyle:
To start your prepping journey on the right foot, consider the following steps:
a. Assess your needs: Identify the potential risks and hazards in your area and determine the specific areas of preparedness you want to focus on. This could include food and water storage, emergency shelter, first aid, self-defense, or alternative energy sources.
b. Research and educate yourself: Read books, articles, and online resources about prepping. Watch videos, attend workshops or classes, and seek advice from experienced preppers. Building a strong knowledge foundation is crucial.
c. Start with the basics: Begin by acquiring essential supplies like water storage containers, non-perishable food items, first aid kits, flashlights, and batteries. Gradually expand your inventory based on your needs and budget.
d. Practice skills: Prepping isn’t just about stockpiling supplies; it also involves acquiring practical skills. Learn first aid, basic self-defense techniques, fire starting, gardening, and other relevant skills that will be valuable in emergency situations.
e. Connect with the community: Join online forums, social media groups, or local prepping communities to connect with like-minded individuals. Networking with experienced preppers can provide valuable insights and support
3. Essential Tips for Beginners:
As a beginner in the world of prepping, keep the following tips in mind:
a. Prioritize the basics: Focus on the essentials first, such as water, food, shelter, and medical supplies. Aim to have a sufficient amount of clean water (at least one gallon per person per day) and non-perishable food to last for at least two weeks.
b. Create a bug-out bag: Prepare a portable emergency kit, often called a bug-out bag or go-bag, that contains essential items for survival on the go. Include items like a multi-tool, first aid supplies, a flashlight, extra clothing, cash, and copies of important documents.
c. Rotate and maintain supplies: Regularly check the expiration dates of food, medications, and other perishable items in your supplies. Create a rotation system to ensure items are consumed or replaced before they expire.
d. Develop a communication plan: Establish a communication plan with your family or household members. Determine how you will stay connected during emergencies, including meeting points, emergency contacts, and alternative communication methods like walkie-talkies or ham radios.
e. Practice and adapt: Regularly practice your prepping skills, such as setting up a tent, purifying water, or starting a fire. Conduct drills with your family to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities during an emergency.
f. Stay informed: Stay updated on current events, weather forecasts, and potential hazards in your area. Sign up for emergency alerts and notifications to receive timely information.
g. Physical fitness and self-defense: Engage in regular exercise to maintain good physical fitness, as it will contribute to your overall preparedness. Consider learning self-defense techniques to enhance personal safety and security.
h. Consider sustainability: Explore sustainable practices such as gardening, composting, and renewable energy sources. These skills can provide long-term self-sufficiency and resilience.
Conclusion:
Prepping is a journey that requires ongoing learning, preparation, and adaptation. By following informative online channels like Year Zero Survival, Canadian Prepper, The Urban Prepper, Sensible Prepper, and Wranglerstar, you can gain valuable insights and guidance.
Remember to assess your needs, research, start with the basics, practice skills, and connect with the prepping community. Prioritize the essentials, maintain your supplies, and develop a communication plan. Stay informed, stay fit, and consider sustainable practices. Embrace the prepping mindset to ensure you and your loved ones are better prepared for whatever challenges may arise.
(Note: YearZeroSurvival.com is a comprehensive website that covers various aspects of preparedness. It offers practical tips, gear reviews, and survival techniques. Visit the website for more in-depth information.)
Emergency Preparedness: Hazard-Specific Actions, Notification Systems, and Evacuation Planning – Plan for Your Risks (Updated 2023)
In a world filled with various hazards, it is crucial to be prepared for emergencies before, during, and after an event. Each hazard requires unique actions and planning, specific to the potential risks in your area. By identifying the hazards that have occurred or could occur in your locality, you can create a comprehensive disaster plan. Local emergency management offices are valuable resources that can help you identify hazards and provide recommendations tailored to your community. This article explores hazard-specific actions, notification systems, evacuation planning, and essential information about different types of hazards.
Identifying Hazards and Planning Unique Actions:
To effectively prepare for emergencies, it is important to identify the specific hazards present in your area. Local emergency management offices can assist you in determining the potential risks and provide comprehensive information about each hazard. By understanding the unique actions required for each hazard, you can take proactive measures to mitigate risks. Sharing hazard-specific information with family members and including pertinent materials in your family disaster plan ensures that everyone is well-prepared and informed.
Notification Systems: Staying Informed:
Staying informed during emergencies is crucial for timely response and ensuring personal safety. Contact your local government emergency management office to inquire about the notification methods used for different types of disasters, whether natural or man-made. Additionally, ask about the alert and warning systems in workplaces, schools, and other community locations. Alert methods may vary from one community to another, with common options including emergency radio and TV broadcasts, special sirens, telephone calls, or door-to-door visits by volunteers and emergency workers. Understanding the notification systems empowers you to respond effectively in emergency situations.
Evacuation and Sheltering In Place:
When faced with an emergency, one of the primary decisions to make is whether to stay in your current location or evacuate. Understanding the nature of the emergency and assessing your circumstances are crucial in making this decision. It is essential to plan for both possibilities: staying in place and evacuating. Learn about evacuation routes, nearby shelters, and the appropriate actions to take in different scenarios. Evacuation plans should be flexible and adaptable, taking into account various hazards and their specific requirements. Additionally, familiarize yourself with sheltering in place protocols for situations where it is safer to stay where you are.
Exploring Hazard Types:
To comprehensively prepare for emergencies, it is essential to familiarize yourself with different hazard types. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and wildfires, require specific preparedness measures. Additionally, technological and accidental hazards, including chemical spills, industrial accidents, and transportation incidents, demand unique actions. Moreover, understanding the potential risks posed by terrorist hazards and knowing how to respond appropriately is crucial. By gaining knowledge about these hazard types, you can better prepare yourself, your family, and your community for emergencies.
Conclusion:
Emergency preparedness is vital in safeguarding lives and minimizing the impact of disasters. By identifying hazard-specific actions, understanding notification systems, and planning for both evacuation and sheltering in place, you can effectively respond to emergencies. Local emergency management offices are valuable resources that can provide essential information tailored to your area. Additionally, educating yourself about different hazard types ensures a comprehensive approach to emergency preparedness. Stay informed, create a family disaster plan, and be proactive in your efforts to protect yourself and your loved ones during times of crisis.
Prepper Supplies vs No Prepper Supplies: Which is Better for Survival?
When there’s a disaster or emergency, it’s important to be ready. Prepper supplies can help you be ready. But what if you don’t have any prepper supplies? Can you still survive?
Let’s compare surviving with prepper supplies vs without prepper supplies and see which one is better for survival.
Surviving with Prepper Supplies: Prepper supplies can include things like food, water, shelter, first aid, and tools. These supplies can help you stay alive in a disaster or emergency. For example, if you have food that won’t spoil, you won’t have to worry about going hungry if you can’t leave your house because of a disaster. Similarly, if you have water, you won’t have to worry about getting dehydrated. Prepper supplies can also help you stay warm and dry, protect you from the weather, and help you ask for help if you need it.
Surviving Without Prepper Supplies: If you don’t have any prepper supplies, you can still survive, but it will be harder. You’ll need to use your skills and resourcefulness to find food, water, and shelter. For example, you can look for food that grows in nature, catch fish or animals to eat, and find water to drink. You’ll also need to know how to build a shelter using things in nature and start a fire without matches or a lighter. Surviving without prepper supplies means you need to know more things and be more creative.
Comparison: Prepper supplies make survival easier and more comfortable, but they’re not the only way to survive. Surviving without prepper supplies is possible, but it takes more effort and skill.
Here are some things to think about when comparing the two options:
– Convenience: Prepper supplies are easy to find, but without them, it takes longer to find food, water, and shelter. – Reliability: Prepper supplies are dependable and can last for years, but finding food and water in nature can depend on things like weather and where you are. – Cost: Prepper supplies can cost a lot of money, but finding food and water in nature is free, though it takes more work. – Comfort: Prepper supplies make survival more comfortable, but without them, it can be hard to stay warm, dry, and safe.
Conclusion: Prepper supplies can make survival easier, but you don’t need them to survive. Surviving without prepper supplies takes more knowledge and creativity. Whether you choose to rely on prepper supplies or not, it’s important to know some basic things to stay alive in an emergency or disaster.
As a gun owner, you’ve probably assessed your firearm and examined where its reliability could be tested given a slew of survival scenarios. Undoubtedly, you’ve looked carefully at the magazine. It is after all the critical component that a magazine-fed firearm relies on to feed ammo into the chamber effectively and efficiently. Are you positive it’ll always work when you need it to? As you most likely know, a magazine contains a certain metal component which renders the entire firearm ineffective when it breaks or loses its elasticity. We are speaking of course about the spring, which is why thelatest project from AmmunitionToGo.com recently garnered our attention.
How long can a mag spring last? Does leaving a mag loaded for an extended period of time gradually damage its spring? Does the simple act of loading a mag damage its spring in any measurable way? These are the questions Ammo To Go set out to answer by conducting a mag spring torture test (or mag spring enhanced interrogation test, if any congressional committees ask about it).
Ammo To Go’s Mag Spring Test Process
The team at Ammo To Go spent almost a year loading, unloading, and testing the spring functionality of 13 different mags:
Magpul Gen 2 PMAG (30 rds)
Magpul Gen 3 PMAG (30 rds)
Magpul Gen 3 PMAG (40 rds)
Amend2 AR-15 mag (30 rds)
Lancer AR-15 mag (30 rds)
USGI AR-15 mag (30 rds)
Smith & Wesson Shield 9mm mag (8 rds)
ETS Glock 17 mag (17 rds)
Glock 17 Factory mag (17 rds)
Magpul Glock 17 mag (17 rds)
Glock 17 Factory mag (33 rds)
USGI 45 ACP 1911 mag (7 rds)
Wilson Combat 45 ACP 1911 mag (8 rds)
First, they used adigital force gauge to establish each mag spring’s resistance. Then they subjected samples of each mag listed above to the following test protocol over the course of year.
Load to full capacity; store in climate controlled environment
Load to full capacity; store in shed where temperatures regularly fluctuate to over 100 °F
Do not load; store in climate controlled environment
Do not load; store in the miserably hot and stuffy shed
Load to half capacity; store in climate controlled environment
Load and unload to full capacity five times biweekly; store in climate controlled environment
Load and unload to full capacity 15 times biweekly; store in climate controlled environment
Load and unload to full capacity 15 times biweekly; store in the same horrible shed
The ATG crew regularly took the mags to the range for field testing throughout the duration of the test. Their team fired one round every two seconds, and then used the samedigital force gauge to determine whether the mag springs’ resistance values changed in any significant way.
The Mag Spring Torture Test Results
After about ten months, hundreds of hours, thousands of rounds, and countless mosquito bites, their team determined the following: zilch.
Allow us to elaborate using the PMAGs as an example. Regardless of how frequently they were loaded or unloaded – and regardless of their storage conditions – not a single PMAG failed. The digital force gauge revealed zero significant variability in their springs’ resistance!
This isn’t to suggest that the PMAGs weren’t changed over the course of testing. In many cases the springs put up 20-25% less resistance than they had when the mags were fresh out of their factory packaging. Even so, all of the PMAGs performed flawlessly during field testing, and the other manufacturers’ mags followed suit.
So, They Did Even More Testing
The test protocol revealed that factory mags are pretty much unaffected by regular usage. But they wanted to determine precisely how much punishment a mag can tolerate before its spring starts pushing up daisies. That’s why they recruited help from the only people who are bigger nerds than us: the laboratory technicians ofApplied Technical Services.
The team gave ATS a factory 17-round G17 mag and a 30-round PMAG. They slightly modified each mag to fit correctly into their spring compressing contraption and proceeded to punish the absolute bejeezus out of the poor little springs.
Their results were fascinating. The G17 mag spring endured 14,842 cycles (the equivalent of 252,314 rounds) before it snapped; the PMAG endured 69,881 cycles (2,096,430 rounds) before it finally gave up the ghost. To put that into context, if you were to fire a case of 223 Rem ammo every two weeks, the PMAG spring would endure for eight decades. That’s bananas!
Test Limitations
You can’t pretend that ATS’s testing perfectly emulated real world conditions. When they’re used by actual firearm enthusiasts, mags get dirty, subjected to temperature fluctuations, dropped, quickly reloaded, and otherwise mistreated. You can reasonably expect environmental damage to shorten a mag spring’s lifespan, but their tests didn’t confirm that expectation through scientific experimentation.
Regardless, it’s safe to conclude that mag springs are outstandingly rugged. Kudos to the manufacturers for appreciating just how essential springs really are!
Does Storing a Mag Half Loaded Extend Its Lifespan?
Many folks believe they can protect their mag springs by “downloading” – i.e. loading their mags shy of full capacity. Their reasoning is simple enough: by avoiding full compression, the spring retains its resistance and full functionality.
The ATG team put this theory to the test by downloading Gen 2 and Gen 3 PMAGs, as well as Amend2 AR, G17 and S&W Shield mags. After 10 months of identical use and storage conditions, they measured no significant difference in spring resistance between the downloaded mags and analogous mags that they left unloaded or fully loaded when they weren’t in use. Like we pointed out earlier, the test’s protocol doesn’t perfectly emulate real world conditions, but there’s no evidence downloading poses any actual advantage.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it’s typically wear and tear or factory defects that render mags ineffective – not gradual spring deterioration. So long as you take care to maintain your firearm, you can expect reliable performance from your mag for many decades. One less thing to worry about, we say!
Prepping for Beginners: How to Start Prepping in 90 Days
Are you new to prepping and feeling overwhelmed by the thought of getting started? Prepping doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing endeavor. With a 90-day plan, you can gradually build your emergency preparedness supplies and knowledge, without breaking the bank or feeling too overwhelmed.
Here’s a simple guide on how to start prepping in 90 days:
Week 1-4: Start with the basics
Create a list of emergency supplies you need for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and first-aid supplies.
Invest in a reliable emergency radio and a first-aid kit.
Week 5-8: Expand your supplies
Increase your food and water supplies to a 2-week supply.
Purchase a good quality tent or shelter for your family.
Invest in a good quality water filtration system.
Week 9-12: Enhance your prepping skills
Learn basic survival skills like starting a fire, building a shelter, and purifying water.
Join a local prepper group or online community to learn from other experienced preppers.
Practice using your emergency supplies, so you know how to use them when it really counts.
By following this 90-day prepping plan, you’ll have the essential supplies and knowledge to better protect yourself and your loved ones in case of an emergency. Remember, prepping is a journey, not a destination, so keep learning and building your supplies over time.
Don’t worry, you can become prepared for anything in just 90 days!
Here’s some more tips to help you start prepping in 90 days:
Week 1-2: Research and Planning
Make a plan: Before you begin prepping, it’s important to have a plan in place. Determine the types of emergencies you may face in your area and create a plan for each scenario.
Research potential disasters and emergencies in your area
Identify your family’s specific needs and vulnerabilities
Create a budget and a prepping checklist
Week 3-4: Emergency Food and Water
Gather emergency supplies: Start with the basics such as a first aid kit, flashlights, and batteries. Then gradually add to your supplies over time, including survival food, water storage, and shelter options.
Build a bug out bag: A bug out bag is a portable kit that contains essential items to help you survive for 72 hours. Make sure your bug out bag includes basic supplies such as food, water, shelter, and clothing.
Gather emergency supplies: Start with the basics such as a first aid kit, flashlights, and batteries. Then gradually add to your supplies over time, including survival food, water storage, and shelter options.
Assemble a comprehensive first aid kit
Purchase and organize emergency supplies like flashlights, batteries, and communication devices
Learn survival skills: Knowing how to start a fire, filter water, and navigate without a GPS can be crucial in a disaster scenario. Take classes or watch online tutorials to learn these essential survival skills.
Practice emergency drills with your family
Review and update your prepping plan and checklist
By following these steps, you can start prepping in just 90 days. Remember, prepping is a process, and it’s important to take things one step at a time. Start small and gradually build up your supplies and skills over time. With dedication and persistence, you can become better prepared for whatever emergencies may come your way.
