wheelgunslinger
Member
Arfin, what about the henry survival rifle? What do you think about those?
http://henryrepeating.com/h002_survival.cfm
http://henryrepeating.com/h002_survival.cfm
Critique my survival kit
- Thread starter Gene_WI
- Start date
- Status
Sir Aardvark
Member
We're on page 4 of this thing and I have not seen this mentioned yet:
A Fire Extinguisher! this is a car based kit, and every car should have a fire extinguisher in it. When you need one you'll be glad you have it.
Also, for a car or hiking medical kit - Quikclot blood clotting agent. It's what the soldiers use in Iraq to control otherwise uncontrollable bleeding.
http://www.z-medica.com/quikclot/hemostatic_quikclot.asp
And one more item for your Med Kit: a Skin Stapler - easier to do than stitches, but does take up a little more room.
A Fire Extinguisher! this is a car based kit, and every car should have a fire extinguisher in it. When you need one you'll be glad you have it.
Also, for a car or hiking medical kit - Quikclot blood clotting agent. It's what the soldiers use in Iraq to control otherwise uncontrollable bleeding.
http://www.z-medica.com/quikclot/hemostatic_quikclot.asp
And one more item for your Med Kit: a Skin Stapler - easier to do than stitches, but does take up a little more room.
ZeSpectre
Member
While I agree that skin staplers are amazing, here's where "multiple function" comes in again. Super Glue. Will close up gashes and can be used for other functions as well. It's lighter and takes up less space.
DragonRider
Member
Poncho, rain protection, shelter, and bivy. add 2 stakes and 550 cord.
My personal kit has the following
32 Oz Nagalene containing the following
MSR Miox
10 coffee filters
2 quart ziploc bags
1 box strike anywhere matches
10 cotton balls
2 feet x 18 inches of aluminum foil
2 tea candles
ti cup on the outside
mil poncho, vacuum sealed
100ft 550 cord
3 ti tent stakes
Surefire Spare battery carrier w/6 batteries, for Miox and flashlights
Inova 24/7 with head lamp kit
AMK Pocket Survival Kit
Leatherman Wave
Bandanna, Orange
Buff
4 AA, 4AAA, 2 9v, 4 CR123 vacuum sealed
2 Large Trash bags
$15.00 cheapy fleece vest, Red
On sale REI Goretext jacket, Green
15 feet contractor, flag tape
Ventilated Operator Medical kit, used 3 of them so far
Folding Benchmade, non serrated
In a backpack
Duplicated for my car with additional stuff.
Most of it travels with me in my carryon.
Thats off the top of my head, ill take a look tomorrow and add to it
John
My personal kit has the following
32 Oz Nagalene containing the following
MSR Miox
10 coffee filters
2 quart ziploc bags
1 box strike anywhere matches
10 cotton balls
2 feet x 18 inches of aluminum foil
2 tea candles
ti cup on the outside
mil poncho, vacuum sealed
100ft 550 cord
3 ti tent stakes
Surefire Spare battery carrier w/6 batteries, for Miox and flashlights
Inova 24/7 with head lamp kit
AMK Pocket Survival Kit
Leatherman Wave
Bandanna, Orange
Buff
4 AA, 4AAA, 2 9v, 4 CR123 vacuum sealed
2 Large Trash bags
$15.00 cheapy fleece vest, Red
On sale REI Goretext jacket, Green
15 feet contractor, flag tape
Ventilated Operator Medical kit, used 3 of them so far
Folding Benchmade, non serrated
In a backpack
Duplicated for my car with additional stuff.
Most of it travels with me in my carryon.
Thats off the top of my head, ill take a look tomorrow and add to it
John
ArfinGreebly
Moderator Emeritus
Henry/Armalite AR7
wheelgunslinger, the Henry and the Armalite are the same gun; both of them are the AR7 design. Charter Arms also made this rifle some time in the past.
The Marlin Papoose weighs about the same, is more trim, is more robust and reliable.
A friend of mine who shot the AR7 asserted that a regular schedule of shooting led to failures and repairs. He also said that he didn't have that problem with the Marlin.
I do not have first-hand shooting knowledge of either, but I have held, disassembled, and assembled both rifles. As long as your emergency doesn't last too long, the AR7 will get you by. If you also want to practice with your emergency rifle (what a concept), you'll want something that is less prone to high round-count failures.
The Marlin has a shorter sight radius (both front and rear sights are mounted on the [detachable] barrel), but it also has a rail (Weaver, I imagine) for mounting some kind of glass (or a rear peep).
The AR7 has a longer sight radius, with the rear peep being mounted on the receiver. This is fine, as long as the barrel seats the same at the receiver every time it's assembled.
I find the fatter AR7 stock a little clumsy, but not unusable. I like the feel and balance of the Marlin better, and to my eyes it seems like a more solid rifle, one that could do extended duty as a regular shooter.
I guess I'll have to buy one and try it out.
wheelgunslinger, the Henry and the Armalite are the same gun; both of them are the AR7 design. Charter Arms also made this rifle some time in the past.
The Marlin Papoose weighs about the same, is more trim, is more robust and reliable.
A friend of mine who shot the AR7 asserted that a regular schedule of shooting led to failures and repairs. He also said that he didn't have that problem with the Marlin.
I do not have first-hand shooting knowledge of either, but I have held, disassembled, and assembled both rifles. As long as your emergency doesn't last too long, the AR7 will get you by. If you also want to practice with your emergency rifle (what a concept), you'll want something that is less prone to high round-count failures.
The Marlin has a shorter sight radius (both front and rear sights are mounted on the [detachable] barrel), but it also has a rail (Weaver, I imagine) for mounting some kind of glass (or a rear peep).
The AR7 has a longer sight radius, with the rear peep being mounted on the receiver. This is fine, as long as the barrel seats the same at the receiver every time it's assembled.
I find the fatter AR7 stock a little clumsy, but not unusable. I like the feel and balance of the Marlin better, and to my eyes it seems like a more solid rifle, one that could do extended duty as a regular shooter.
I guess I'll have to buy one and try it out.
enfield303
Member
As a smoker, I have one gripe about the disposable Bic-type lighters. If the weather is cold, the damn things don't always work. CARRY ANOTHER FIRE SOURCE! Matches would be good. I'm not saying don't go with the disposable lighter, just make sure you have a back-up.
CryingWolf
Member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2007
- Messages
- 78
I like the Henry Survival rifle. Pretty cool. I know this is a car survival kit but I like the survival kit in an Altoids tin. Also, what ever happened to flint and steel?
princewally
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2007
- Messages
- 64
As a former smoker, very recent, disposables do work in the cold, if they are handled right. In the car, when I didn't have a heater, I'd keep the lighter on the seat, partially under my leg. Outside of the car, putting the flint end in your fist and blowing into your fist is a good way to revive a cold lighter.
If you get your lighter wet, just roll the wheel up and down your pants a few times to dry out the wheel and flint.
ZeSpectre
Member
The best trick for getting a cold lighter to work is put it in your armpit for a while. The issue is that butane doesn't turn to gas as well in real cold so you have to heat it up a bit.
Ed Ames
Member
My own $0.009
I'd suggest the Sam Splint from Adventure Medical. It's a bonded aluminum/plastic sheet that can be formed (hand pressure) into a number of rigid splints. They are light, compact, available in sizes ranging from finger to leg, and can be folded, twisted, formed, and fiddled with to (alone or in combination with some elastic bandage) deal with just about any sort of limb immobilization. When you are done with the splint you can wash them, fold them back up, and pack them back away for next time.
Knives... you can go to Sams Club or any restaurant supply place and get small pairing and fruit knives (Tramontia is the brand I think), for about $2. (Sam's Club sells a 4-pack for $7) They are sold for restaurant use so they have have easy-clean white plastic handles and slim flexible blades that are very handy for real-world cutting (not prying) of the sort you might need for light uses (cleaning small animals and the like, not chopping down trees) and aren't too hard to keep sharp. The downside is that they don't have sheaths but that can be dealt with. They come in individual "safe" packaging that can double as a sheath in a true pinch (or you can make one from leather/cardboard/folded plastic) and you can toss a few into a kit for emergency use or to supply others in a group. They won't replace a good pocket knife but may make a decent addition.
Cases to store everything... my favorite is a smalish marine (white) cooler. You can pick them up for anywhere from $15 (end of summer sale) to $50 depending on features. Insulation is good but even the worst of the Igloo Marine will do the job. They usually seal up fairly well (especially if you wrap them with a luggage strap). They float even if filled with water. They can stay in the sun without harm. You can use them as a stool. They keep your emergency food, meds, and everything else from totally ROASTING in the hot trunk of your car. Oh, everything will still get toasty but not as bad. They can be carried. They can store water. A bunch of benefits.
Staying with the car is good but it often takes weeks for a car that has gone into a ditch or river to be found. Being able to move to a more visible location is very important.
Ending with a quote: "You never really own anything you can't carry in both arms at a dead run." What is least likely to slow you down? Knowledge.
I'd suggest the Sam Splint from Adventure Medical. It's a bonded aluminum/plastic sheet that can be formed (hand pressure) into a number of rigid splints. They are light, compact, available in sizes ranging from finger to leg, and can be folded, twisted, formed, and fiddled with to (alone or in combination with some elastic bandage) deal with just about any sort of limb immobilization. When you are done with the splint you can wash them, fold them back up, and pack them back away for next time.
Knives... you can go to Sams Club or any restaurant supply place and get small pairing and fruit knives (Tramontia is the brand I think), for about $2. (Sam's Club sells a 4-pack for $7) They are sold for restaurant use so they have have easy-clean white plastic handles and slim flexible blades that are very handy for real-world cutting (not prying) of the sort you might need for light uses (cleaning small animals and the like, not chopping down trees) and aren't too hard to keep sharp. The downside is that they don't have sheaths but that can be dealt with. They come in individual "safe" packaging that can double as a sheath in a true pinch (or you can make one from leather/cardboard/folded plastic) and you can toss a few into a kit for emergency use or to supply others in a group. They won't replace a good pocket knife but may make a decent addition.
Cases to store everything... my favorite is a smalish marine (white) cooler. You can pick them up for anywhere from $15 (end of summer sale) to $50 depending on features. Insulation is good but even the worst of the Igloo Marine will do the job. They usually seal up fairly well (especially if you wrap them with a luggage strap). They float even if filled with water. They can stay in the sun without harm. You can use them as a stool. They keep your emergency food, meds, and everything else from totally ROASTING in the hot trunk of your car. Oh, everything will still get toasty but not as bad. They can be carried. They can store water. A bunch of benefits.
Staying with the car is good but it often takes weeks for a car that has gone into a ditch or river to be found. Being able to move to a more visible location is very important.
Ending with a quote: "You never really own anything you can't carry in both arms at a dead run." What is least likely to slow you down? Knowledge.
Funderb
Member
1. Always bring a towel.
2. The ability to be CALM.
3. Will to live is always good.
on top of that, maybe a pocket knife.
These will get you through almost any situation.
oh, and a road map. Batteries don't die on those.
2. The ability to be CALM.
3. Will to live is always good.
on top of that, maybe a pocket knife.
These will get you through almost any situation.
oh, and a road map. Batteries don't die on those.
littlegator
Member
Did anyone say Benadryl yet? Liquid, not pills/capsuls
Texpatriate
Member
Maybe a second flashlight? The G2 is an excellent light, but it can go through those little batteries pretty quick, and the xenon bulbs have a relatively short life. I'm thinking something small that uses LED for long bulb and battery life that you can use when you don't need the full blast of the G2. Just a thought.
EHCRain10
Member
if you have the space think about a can of bright spray paint
in the event that you do need to ditch the vehicle and want to be found, paint a ring around a tree and then walk in you intended direction until you almost lose sight of the first tree, continue as needed
or you could switch the spray paint with marking tape
+1 to having a small ax or hatchet in a vehicle kit
in the event that you do need to ditch the vehicle and want to be found, paint a ring around a tree and then walk in you intended direction until you almost lose sight of the first tree, continue as needed
or you could switch the spray paint with marking tape
+1 to having a small ax or hatchet in a vehicle kit
uneasy_rider
Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
- Messages
- 285
Under what circumstances do you imagine you would want to leave the road, and wander off through the woods?
Ninja42
Member
Funderb said:
I agree 100%! Towels are the single most versatile and nessecary piece of equipment ever invented by man, and you must always make sure to have at least one handy.
I dont know if it has already been suggested, but I would include an array of fishing hooks and a spool or two nylon fishing line. Obivously you can catch dinner with these things if you are near water, but it can also be used to set up traps, build shelter, repair things, or retrieving things from places that you cant reach (replace the hook with a magnet for this). Also add a telescopic fishing rod if you have room for it.
EDIT:
Oh, I rust remembered something. A strong painkiller might not be the worst thing to keep handy, just in case someone gets hurt. Having the means and skill to mend the body is one thing, but it doesent relieve pain.
Ed Ames
Member
1) You've already left the road. Examples include going off the side of a hill or being swept downstream while attempting to cross a river. Many people have sat in their cars dying at the bottom of a hill while cars passed within 100 feet... but climbing that hill directly may not be as easy as it sounds. So you find a place where you can climb up to the road.
2) The road wanders through the woods. In this case it isn't so much a matter of leaving the road as following the road and indicating which way you went.
3) You are stuck on an untraveled road within walking distance of help. This can include climbing to gain line-of-sight with a cell tower. The walk may be along the road or cross country.
The list goes on.
There are plenty of places in the USA (and even more in the world in general) where if you get your car stuck and want to get out this month you'd better start walking. There won't be another car, there won't be an arial SAR effort. You will handle the situation yourself or you'll become another of the dozens of unresolved missing persons cases every year.
I once managed to get my car stuck on a side road about half a mile from a major interstate. There was a hill between my car and the inerstate and I could stand on that hill and watch cars go by but they couldn't see me. I wandered around (and flew a kite, and had my picnic lunch, and enjoyed myself) for about five hours without a single other car coming around. A quick walk to the highway was all it would've taken to flag down a car and get a push out of some soft sand. As it stood I wasn't in any rush but a sensible person would've started walking. The down side is that if you did walk away you might miss a potential helper... unless you had some way of indicating that you hadn't just abandoned a stolen car and were in fact walking towards the hope of assistance.
I've been in quite a few places where the "stay by the car" advice is absurdly... not bad so much as inapropriate. Stay by your car if it is on a major (paved) road that has a high (more than one car per <the time you can afford to stay there>) traffic volume. Stay by the car if it is providing something essential to your immediate survival (warmth/shelter in a snow storm, etc.)... but don't be dogmatic about staying. It is often far better to leave.
ArfinGreebly
Moderator Emeritus
A Towel?
"Always know where your towel is."
And, of course . . .
"Always know where your towel is."
And, of course . . .
ctdonath
Member
sacp81170a
Member
Resistance is useless!
Macpherson
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2006
- Messages
- 161
- Water. I'd have at least 2 or 3 sealed gallon jugs of water. A water filter and/or purification tablets are also good, but you can't assume that you'll have access to water. Plus you can also refill the jugs if you happen to find a water source. Any sort of container is invaluable since you can improvise a lot of things to survive, but a light, watertight container is not one of them.
-Food. While you may not like MRE's, they are a durable source of food that doesn't go bad, and have 1200-1300 calories each. It would be very possible to stretch out a box of 12 for as many days or even longer if supplemented with other food.
-Definitely pack a good length (100+ ft) of strong rope like paracord or some other rope that doesn't break down in sunlight/UV. A good length of wire would also be good for snare traps.
-A hatchet can be a godsend and is another one of those items that can't be effectively replicated in the wild.
-The flare gun is a good idea, I'd also add a couple of smoke flares/bombs for signaling.
I'm curious why you are packing a handgun...If this is a survival kit you should really look into one of those survival rifles mentioned above; it's going to be much harder to hunt game with a pistol. I could also see things going badly if the rescuers (who very likely will be LE), find you carrying a gun. You could very well end up in handcuffs and/or jail until they figure out that you haven't left a body somewhere. It's your call, but I just don't see the benefit of a pistol in a survival kit.
My .02, you can keep the change
-Food. While you may not like MRE's, they are a durable source of food that doesn't go bad, and have 1200-1300 calories each. It would be very possible to stretch out a box of 12 for as many days or even longer if supplemented with other food.
-Definitely pack a good length (100+ ft) of strong rope like paracord or some other rope that doesn't break down in sunlight/UV. A good length of wire would also be good for snare traps.
-A hatchet can be a godsend and is another one of those items that can't be effectively replicated in the wild.
-The flare gun is a good idea, I'd also add a couple of smoke flares/bombs for signaling.
I'm curious why you are packing a handgun...If this is a survival kit you should really look into one of those survival rifles mentioned above; it's going to be much harder to hunt game with a pistol. I could also see things going badly if the rescuers (who very likely will be LE), find you carrying a gun. You could very well end up in handcuffs and/or jail until they figure out that you haven't left a body somewhere. It's your call, but I just don't see the benefit of a pistol in a survival kit.
My .02, you can keep the change
I think some people are building a kit they can take on a 2 week hike.
I think the kit should weigh no more than 20-30 pounds. Otherwise it is too difficult to easily carry, as it will be too big and too heavy.
Weight and size is less of an issue with car kits, but something that eats up 1/2 your trunk is going to be removed and tossed in the garage when you need the space, and that is when you will need the kit.
I think the kit should weigh no more than 20-30 pounds. Otherwise it is too difficult to easily carry, as it will be too big and too heavy.
Weight and size is less of an issue with car kits, but something that eats up 1/2 your trunk is going to be removed and tossed in the garage when you need the space, and that is when you will need the kit.
Gene_WI
Member
I like the idea of having a survival rifle for small game hunting. Will look into that.
Ed Ames
Member
There really are different needs depending on what you are doing and where you are traveling.
Carrying water purifiers (of any sort) is a bit of a joke if you are in a desert. Carrying water (drinkable pure water) is kinda a joke if you are in a high-rainfall area. If you follow all the advice on these threads you'll end up with a kit that tries to be everything to everyone and weighs 300lbs.
At this point, after reading quite a bit (here and various books), I've broken things down quite a bit.
I have a kit in the glovebox of my car which contains a (slightly augmented) Ritter pocket survival kit, LED flashlight, multi-tool, handheld GPS receiver, various commonly used meds, matches, lighter, some trioxane fuel bars, and a few other light duty odds and ends. It all fits into a small zipper pouch that fills the rather small glovebox of my car with just enough extra room for paperwork and will serve most basic "stay by the car" type events.
I have another kit in a small pelican case (1200) that extends the glovebox kit quite a bit. There is some overlap but mostly in supplies that benefit from duplication. It fits into a corner of my car trunk out of the way and can easily be padlocked. It also has a handgun. Why a handgun? It's accurate and easy to carry. It allows the use of a small "non-gun" case. I happen to live in a state where it's legal to leave a gun in the car and anyway by having it in a hard-sided case that is easily lockable I comply with gun laws in most states (all states, to the extent that FOPA is honored) I am likely to pass through. It's very difficult to fabricate one in the field.
The rest of my "bug out or hunker down" stuff is in three containers: A waterproof (drybag style) backpack that contains two cubic feet of "handy" stuff including food, cooking supplies, and so on in a "put it on your back and start walking" configuration; a marine cooler with more extensive first aid and similar supplies in "beats the bathroom medicine cabinet and can easily go in the trunk" configuration; a duffel bag with sleeping bag, tent, roll-up sleeping pad, and so on in "toss in the trunk" . Why? That's how I store my medicine/first aid supplies (which basically means antihistamines, headache remedies, and bandages though there is a sam splint and a bit more in the cooler) and camping gear. When I want to go camping I just load the three items into my car and go. If, when I get to the camp site, I'm missing something... well, lesson learned right? Better on a camping trip than a real emergency.
I've wound up tossing a few items that failed me in those camping trips. Good practice.
I'm a firm belliever in "live backups"... if you just seal up a bunch of supplies and never use them you can't really trust them, but if you actively use your emergency supplies as often as you can (and of course rotate and restock) you'll have a much better picture of how they will perform in the real world. Plus, of course, you get to enjoy the supplies instead of sitting on them waiting for a disaster.
Carrying water purifiers (of any sort) is a bit of a joke if you are in a desert. Carrying water (drinkable pure water) is kinda a joke if you are in a high-rainfall area. If you follow all the advice on these threads you'll end up with a kit that tries to be everything to everyone and weighs 300lbs.
At this point, after reading quite a bit (here and various books), I've broken things down quite a bit.
I have a kit in the glovebox of my car which contains a (slightly augmented) Ritter pocket survival kit, LED flashlight, multi-tool, handheld GPS receiver, various commonly used meds, matches, lighter, some trioxane fuel bars, and a few other light duty odds and ends. It all fits into a small zipper pouch that fills the rather small glovebox of my car with just enough extra room for paperwork and will serve most basic "stay by the car" type events.
I have another kit in a small pelican case (1200) that extends the glovebox kit quite a bit. There is some overlap but mostly in supplies that benefit from duplication. It fits into a corner of my car trunk out of the way and can easily be padlocked. It also has a handgun. Why a handgun? It's accurate and easy to carry. It allows the use of a small "non-gun" case. I happen to live in a state where it's legal to leave a gun in the car and anyway by having it in a hard-sided case that is easily lockable I comply with gun laws in most states (all states, to the extent that FOPA is honored) I am likely to pass through. It's very difficult to fabricate one in the field.
The rest of my "bug out or hunker down" stuff is in three containers: A waterproof (drybag style) backpack that contains two cubic feet of "handy" stuff including food, cooking supplies, and so on in a "put it on your back and start walking" configuration; a marine cooler with more extensive first aid and similar supplies in "beats the bathroom medicine cabinet and can easily go in the trunk" configuration; a duffel bag with sleeping bag, tent, roll-up sleeping pad, and so on in "toss in the trunk" . Why? That's how I store my medicine/first aid supplies (which basically means antihistamines, headache remedies, and bandages though there is a sam splint and a bit more in the cooler) and camping gear. When I want to go camping I just load the three items into my car and go. If, when I get to the camp site, I'm missing something... well, lesson learned right? Better on a camping trip than a real emergency.
I've wound up tossing a few items that failed me in those camping trips. Good practice.
I'm a firm belliever in "live backups"... if you just seal up a bunch of supplies and never use them you can't really trust them, but if you actively use your emergency supplies as often as you can (and of course rotate and restock) you'll have a much better picture of how they will perform in the real world. Plus, of course, you get to enjoy the supplies instead of sitting on them waiting for a disaster.
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