Survivalist Anthologies Volume 1

by George Shepherd

  Another wise investment would be to buy a stuck case remover kit as insurance against a mistake that could jeopardize the entire reloading operation. A stuck case remover taps into the base of a stuck case to extract it from a die. With any luck, the case will separate from the die, and you can continue reloading.

  You will also need a means to clean your brass. Popular methods are vibratory tumblers with corncob- or walnut-based media. In a lights-out situation, a hand-cranked tumbler with corncob media will do the trick. A media separator to remove the brass from the media will also be necessary; some types can also be used as a hand cranked tumbler.

  Other tools you’ll need are case gauges, to be sure you resized brass properly; primer pocket swagger and reamers to clean up the primer pockets; case trimmers to remove excessive length on bottleneck rifle rounds; and case lube to ensure that cases feed into the reloading dies smoothly, and resize without issues.

  Overview of the Reloading Process :

  Here’s a quick summary of how reloading works:

  Dirty brass, either fired or bought in bulk, is cleaned, usually in a tumbler. Brass is then inspected for cracks and split necks. The clean brass is then treated with a water-based, oil-based, or even animal fat-based lubricant. Lubed cases are pressed into the resizing die, where the used primer is knocked out. If this is military brass being reloaded for the first time, this is the stage where the primer pocket crimping is swagged off -- using either a primer pocket swagger that presses out the crimp, or a tool that cuts off the crimp. The resized case is then filled with powder. Depending on your die, the brass may be “belled” slightly in order to accept a bullet more readily. A bullet is then seated to a set seating depth. Next, depending on the round being loaded, a crimp may be applied to remove the bell and crimp in the bullet.

  Electricity has brought some of the modern conveniences into the reloading room, such as vibratory tumblers and electric brass trimmers. Hand tools are also available to perform this work. Reloading by hand will take more time, but these tools will allow you to continue without disruption even when electricity isn’t available – an important consideration for the survivalist. Hand reloading tools are cheap and I’d recommend purchasing a backup set, in case the first wears out.

  Summary for the Survivalist

  Key points for the survivalist to remember are these: Stock up on supplies that can’t be created easily; collect all the knowledge you can and keep good records; procure hand tools to replace electric tools when possible; and practice reloading as often as you can. The more experience you have with reloading, the more prepared you will be when you need to work with fewer resources.

  Treating Gunshot Wounds Naturally

  by Robert Scott Bell

  If it survives Constitutional challenges, “Obamacare” is certain to hasten the demise of the medical monopoly by accelerating the ongoing exodus of doctors from the profession and bankrupting the remaining system. Accordingly, it is a good idea to develop a degree of medical self-sufficiency, which is among the most vital skills for a survivalist. This includes the ability to deal with traumatic injuries, such as gunshots.

  There are thousands of articles and authoritative texts describing the medical methodologies in treating gunshot wounds, so I will not rehash here what you can be read elsewhere. However, there are very few articles addressing homeopathic, herbal and mineral options such as those used on the battlefield during the War Between the States. Learning and adapting those methods is a valuable exercise, especially as we approach a time when government-sanctioned doctors may become scarce.

  Homeopathic medicine is a medical system used worldwide for more than two centuries to provide care for both acute trauma care and chronic, long-term illnesses. This includes field medicine practiced on battlefields. Russian field medics under General Alexander Korsakov made extensive use of homeopathy in their campaign against Bonaparte. As a visit to any Civil War museum will illustrate, both Union and Confederate soldiers carried homeopathic first aid kits.

  In a crisis, self-sufficiency, or health sovereignty as I like to call it, is made possible by knowledge of homeopathy, along with medicinal herbs and supporting minerals. It is critical to have these vital natural tools on hand, and to know how to use them. We can learn a great deal by “going forward to the past,” as it were – and some of what we learn could be of life-and-death importance if you or a loved one should suffer a traumatic injury, particularly by gunshot.

  Whenever a homeopathic medicine/remedy is described, people are inclined to ask for a recommended potency. The most critical factor is the right remedy, not the right potency, so make use of whatever is available. Let the body and its symptoms be your guide. If pain is persistent and intense, frequent dosing is best. As pain subsides, doses may be spaced further and further apart until no longer needed.

  My preferred dosing scheme is: 10x, 12x, 15x, 6c, 12c, 6x, 30x or 30c. Frequent repetitive dosing (hourly or more frequently) is necessary nearest the time of acute trauma, gradually moving to less frequent dosing as the victim improves further from crisis. The dosing schedule reduction could span from hours to days to weeks – whatever it takes.

  Blood Loss

  The immediate priority in dealing with a traumatic injury such as a gunshot is slowing or stopping blood loss. After applying pressure or – if necessary – a tourniquet, immediately begin treatment with oral doses of homeopathic bellis perenis and phosphorus. This will help stop the bleeding. Diluted Bellis (daisy) tincture can also be applied locally. Healthy blood clotting can also be aided by administration of foods and supplements rich in Vitamin K, such as alfalfa, amaranth leaves, beet greens, brussels sprouts, chard, collards, kale, mustard greens, sea kelp, spinach and turnip greens.

  How do you rebuild blood plasma volume when the Red Cross is nowhere to be found? Although it’s largely forgotten now, during World War II (particularly in the Pacific theatre), soldiers who had significant blood loss were given intravenous infusions of coconut water to maintain circulatory plasma volume until red blood cells could be replenished. Also erased from the medical history books is knowledge of French biologist and researcher Rene Quinton, who proved that you could restore life even in the case of dangerous blood loss by infusing isotonic solutions of clean sea water. In his monumental book L’eau de mer, milieu organique (“Sea Water, organic medium”), Quinton established scientifically the organic relationship between sea water and blood plasma.

  Rebuilding blood volume can be assisted by increasing intake of chlorophyll, beets, alfalfa, Folate, B12, and Vitamin C – all of which enhance the efficiency of iron assimilation. Homeopathic Ferrum Phosphoricum is also very helpful for more efficient use of iron. Replenishing trace elements will greatly accelerate recovery in those who have suffered blood loss. Another means by which this is accomplished is through oral ingestion of brine from ancient sea bed mineral salts. Sea vegetation (sea weed) is another tremendous source of nutrients for rebuilding the blood.

  Tissue Damage

  Whenever there is tissue trauma and shock, homeopathic Arnica Montana and Arnica tincture is your best friend! The tincture can be applied topically but is not for ingestion.

  Should any bone breaks or fractures occur, diluted Symphytum tincture, otherwise known as Comfrey, Boneset or knitbone, can be applied topically. Homeopathic Symphytum and Silicea are taken internally to speed the healing of bone tissue. Increasing dietary Silica will also greatly accelerate healthy re-growth of connective tissue, whether it is bone, cartilage, tendon, muscle, vascular or neurological. If there is injury to the skull or brain, both Arnica and homeopathic Natrum sulfuricum are absolutely essential.

  How do we prevent or eliminate infection, while accelerating tissue healing without scarring? No natural substance on planet earth does more to promote rapid healing of damage and/or infected tissue than silver. Colloidal silver can be made at home; however, barring end-of-world scenarios, I prefer the efficacy of silver hydrosol, which contains only the a
ctive state of silver in pharmaceutical grade purified water.

  Silver reduces inflammation to damaged tissue upon contact, while simultaneously stimulating stem cell production locally for rapid restoration of tissue integrity. The process of de-differentiation and re-differentiation of stem cells is a normal and necessary process for healthy tissue regeneration. Silver just happens to accelerate the process greatly.

  Silver also retards and eliminates infection by disrupting bacterial and fungal membranes. It can even bind with DNA so that the pathogens can no longer reproduce. If the silver particles are small enough (as they are by definition in silver hydrosol), they can bind with viral particles to prevent or reverse viral infection as well, which is critical because viral particles need damaged tissue in order to access areas of the body where the immune system is stressed.

  Among the many astounding properties inherent to silver is the way it works as an oxygen sponge. It can carry up to ten times its atomic weight in oxygen, the warmer it gets. This feeds copious amounts of oxygen to the white blood cells of your own immune system, enhancing the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which fights infection from within.

  In addition to topical or local administration, silver hydrosol should also be taken internally – hourly in the early stages of recovery, and then less frequently as the victim recovers from the crisis. The silver should be held sublingually before swallowing, if possible, to increase absorption into the lymphatic system for maximum dispersion and immune system benefit.

  For those concerned about turning blue by ingesting too much silver, utilizing silver hydrosol eliminates that possibility, as it has a safety profile more like a homeopathic remedy than a silver salt. Silver salts and other silver compounds are the forms of silver that have a difficult time being excreted from the body. (See safety profile below.)

  Should there be tissue damage due to burns from bullets fired at close range, homeopathic Apis and Cantharis should be taken orally to reduce burn-associated pain. For nerve pain, take homeopathic Hypericum. Arnica should also be taken to reduce the tissue shock/trauma. Clean the affected area with silver hydrosol (or colloidal silver) and apply silver (soaked on sterile gauze), silver gel, or silver/aloe vera combination gel as a salve, then cover. Silver is also an excellent pain reducer, especially when nerve tissue is directly impacted, because the nerves cells have two receptor sites specifically to receive silver. This explains the normalization of sensation and function that I have seen with nerve injury and even peripheral neuropathy.

  If the skin blisters, take homeopathic Rhus tox. If it becomes infected, first use homeopathic Arsenicum album. If the wound oozes pus, then utilize homeopathic Hepar sulfur. Apply silver topically throughout the healing process.

  If there is poisoning due to lead bullet fragments remaining in the body, daily administration of homeopathic Plumbum metallicum will help the body to more efficiently deal with the burden. Increasing the trace mineral Selenium will also assist in heavy metal removal. Use at least 200 micrograms (mcg) a day. Other substances known to bind heavy metals and remove them from the body include Cilantro and vegetable glycerine. Far infrared heat/light saunas are also another means by which you can accelerate metal detoxification. In the case of these saunas, you are able to release fat soluble toxins and sweat them out through the skin, thus reducing the burden on your liver and kidneys.

  Open Wound Care

  In the case where wounds are very large and the skin is completely lost, silver, once again is the top priority. Third-degree burn care centers worldwide use a silver based medicine (Silver sulfadiazine) in order to accelerate skin re-growth, even when grafts are not possible. We’ve already discussed the use of silver topically, but silver hydrosol can also be used to debride the wound as necessary as the tissue heals. For those in southern climates, aloe vera may also be plentiful. If you do not have access to aloe, Calendula and Echinacea are excellent botanicals that can be used to accelerate tissue healing.

  Restoring the integrity of the connective tissue (skin, bone, muscle, tendon, cartilage, nervous system, vascular system) is dependent upon adequate amounts of dietary silicon (silica). The highest concentrations are found in horsetail extract. I would recommend at least 5000 mg per day during recovery. Using this overlooked mineral can mean healing in weeks, rather than months. The homeopathic form (Silicea) can be taken daily as well throughout the healing process.

  Pain

  On my radio program I have interviewed many doctors on the subject of pain. Perhaps the most profound revelation in pain reduction was provided by Dr. Joseph Maroon, chief neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers professional football team. Rather than dispensing pharmaceutical drugs for injuries and nerve pain, Dr. Maroon proved that fish oils containing EPA and DHA were at least as effective, if not more so, at reducing pain and inflammation throughout injury recovery.

  In the botanical family, white willow bark tincture is sometimes called nature’s aspirin, but is actually much safer than the synthetic aspirin approved by the FDA. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum) is excellent for nerve pain as well, while Skullcap (Scutteleria) is often used for reducing head-related pains.

  The grand-daddy of pain reducing botanicals is, of course, Arnica montana (leopard’s bane), to be used topically only on unbroken skin in full strength. As an herb, it is slightly toxic to ingest, so use internally only in its homeopathic form.

  Resources:

  Herbal tinctures: Herbs of Light, Gaia, Herb Pharm

  Homeopathic medicines: Standard/Hylands, Boiron,

  King Bio, Washington Homeopathics, Newton Labs

  Silver hydrosol and gel: Natural Immunogenics

  Sovereign Silver

  Ocean plasma: Quinton

  Ancient sea bed mineral salts:

  Real Salt, Himalayan salt

  Sea vegetation: FarmaSea Super Sea Veg

  Vegetal silica: Alta Health Products

  Robert Scott Bell is a homeopathic practitioner with a passion for health and healing unmatched by anybody in media. Each week Robert Scott Bell hosts the fastest two hours of healing information on radio, dealing with everyday health issues from the perspective of alternative/holistic health care. Empowering his listeners with healing principles that can aid in physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, economic, and yes even political healing! The concept of nullification is a cornerstone of Robert’s radio show where he reveals ways in which you can restore health without government interference. Learn more at http://www.robertscottbell.com/.

  Air Rifle Survival: A Serious Alternative

  to Traditional Firearms

  by Ed Corcoran

  Yeah, I can hear some of you thinking: “Really? An air rifle as survival weapon? I thought air guns were just toys?”

  Honestly, a few years ago I probably would have had the same reaction myself. Like many kids, I had a BB gun at one point in my adolescence. It was a Daisy® Sumthinorother with a lever-action pump. I didn’t do anything more than plinking soda cans and bottles with it and as I got older, I left the BB gun behind with my comic books, action figures and the other artifacts of youth.

  But air guns have been gaining in popularity among serious hunters over the years and when it comes to survivalists, I can think of no more credible endorsement than that of Lewis and Clark. When they went on their great expedition of the American west back in 1804, they took an air rifle with them and put it to good use harvesting meals across the Louisiana territory and the Northwest Passage. They relied on air guns back then for the same reasons it’s recommended for survivalists today. They’re quiet, lightweight, reliable and ammunition is super cheap and portable.

  Now when it comes to hunting small critters, you can probably get by with a BB gun, but for greater accuracy, higher velocity and larger calibers, you’ll be a lot better served with a pellet gun. BB guns can only shoot a small spherical projectile (about .172 caliber) at velocities of around 250 to 500 feet per second (fps), depending on the make and model.<
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  Pellet guns, on the other hand, come in a variety of calibers, though the most popular are .177 and .22. They have rifled barrels for greater accuracy and they typically shoot at velocities of around 1,000 to 1,200 fps (or higher). Air rifle pellets come in a variety of shapes for different applications and are more aerodynamic than round BBs. They may not have the range of a .22 rimfire, but varmint hunting usually takes place at relatively close range and a good .22 caliber air rifle can deliver more than enough energy to take down small to medium sized game.

  There are basically three different types of pellet guns, or I should say three different types of power plant designs: Pneumatic, Spring-Piston and Compressed C02. I’m going to go ahead and disqualify the CO2 type as a contender right off the bat. This is due to the fact that they use canisters of compressed carbon dioxide as a propellant and in a survival situation; you’re not likely going to be able to get these canisters refilled at your convenience, if at all. The other two types require nothing more than a little muscle power to pressurize them.

  The Pneumatic air rifle compresses air by means of various types of lever-action pumps. The most common type is the “multi-stroke” pump which requires 2 to 10 strokes of the lever to attain the internal pressure needed to propel the pellet. There are also “single-stroke” air rifles that require only one pump of the lever, but these high-end rifles are generally lower powered and are intended mainly for competitive match shooting at close range. A third type of Pneumatic rifle is known as a “Pre-Charged Pneumatic” or “PCP”. These guns have an air reservoir that can be pressurized by means of a SCUBA tank, electric air compressor or a hand-pump. If you decide to go with a Pneumatic air gun, I’d recommend a PCP with a hand-pump, as most PCPs are multiple-shot, repeating rifles that require no pumping between shots and a hand-pump requires no electricity or refilling. Just make sure you don’t go cheap when it comes to buying a hand pump. A quality pump should provide you with years of service when used properly.