Militia Expenses, Can you afford not too?
Militia Expenses, Can you afford not too?
| Militia Expenses |
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It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to prepare yourself for militia duty.
Many militia participants have fabricated their own gear, adapted other gear for militia use, or have found a good source for inexpensive gear...
The dedicated militiaman can have an inexpensive bolt-action rifle, low-cost surplus camouflage, and other gear adapted for militia use.
The best thing you can start with is a firm, dedicated commitment to defending yourself, your family, your community, and your country. There are good militia people who are very willing to help you find or assemble low-cost, functional
gear. Contact your local militia people, or attend a training session, and ask around. We want you to be geared up and ready...
Military Surplus bolt-action rifles, SKS or even an AK... All can be found for under 400 Federal Reserve Fiat Notes each... Heck, Good Mosin-Nagant bolt guns are under 100...
There is an excellent web site called, conveniently, http://www.surplusrifle.com/
It is worth reading for more information about these fine old weapons.
These old warhorses have been around for awhile, and many may have seen action. Some countries still use these rifles in limited roles. For example, in Israel, old 98k Mausers may still be used by Civilian Guard snipers & countersnipers
There is nothing wrong with buying a military surplus rifle .
Many militia people that we know have several, and some of us keep buying them.
They are inexpensive, durable, and if you happen across a decent one, and do a little bit of work they can be very accurate.
One of the first considerations that someone usually has when thinking about getting involved in militia training is the cost of a rifle. You can find some old surplus bolt-action rifles today for right around one-hundred dollars. Sometimes,
you can even find them for less. Currently, M44 carbines in 7.62X54R are very affordable, and you may still be able
to find an 8mm Turkish Mauser for under 100 FRFN's as well. You may have some luck with online gun auctions . Check the gun shows or talk to some of your friendly local militia people for ideas on where to look.
If cost is truly an issue, then an old military bolt-action may also help by being chambered for very inexpensive ammunition.
(WARNING! This is not always the case...for example, even though the Swiss K31 Schmidt-Rubin has been coming down in price, ammo for it is currently priced rather high.)
Commonly available cheap ammunition is 7.62X54R, 7.62x51 NATO and 8mm.
WARNING!!! A great deal of military surplus ammo is CORROSIVE , especially 8mm and 7.62X54. Please be certain to use water or a water/ammonia mixture to remove any salt from your weapon, then clean as normal. Ask some of your local militia people.
We want to stress that many of us have these rifles, and nobody, nobody, nobody in the militia will look down upon you for having one. If you want to try one of these, come on out to the next training session, and we will let you shoot one of ours.
Get what you can afford, and learn how to use it to the best of your ability. An accurate bolt-action shooter will always be a good asset for the militia.
Adapting Gear for Militia Purposes
The types and amount of gear that you can use for militia-related purposes is pretty vast. If you can carry something
with it, wear it, strap it, tape it, or tie it to some kind of gear or rig, then it can be made "militia-worthy".
Hunting gear, of course, probably does not require any type of adaptation. Blaze orange hunting gear is out of the
question. Most hunting gear is set up to carry guns, ammo, game, food, or other gear. These all can serve well as militia gear.
Most camping gear can be used as militia gear. Bear in mind that some camping gear is set toward comfort instead of tactical functionality. Camping gear may require additional camouflage, and may also require strengthening at certain stress points. Check your stitching and any type of fasteners, if these seem weak, add more stitching, buttons, snaps, or whatever you may need. Keep a roll of 100 mile an hour tape (or duct tape) to fix your gear, if necessary.
A lot of gear that is used by students today can be applied to militia use. Backpacks, belt-pouches, and water bottle carriers that today's students carry with them can become tomorrow's militia gear. You can avoid the cost of these probably
expensive school items by finding military surplus gear, but if you have them already (if, for example, you are a student), then use them for militia duty. Mil-Sup gear can be had rather in-expensively, just ask, we'll help...
If you are handy with a (heavy duty) needle and (heavy duty) thread, then you can fabricate your own militia gear out of just about anything. Any type of heavy duty cloth, such as denim, can be dyed, folded, and stitched to make straps, suspenders, or other types of harnesses. (We admit that only a few militia people have done such a thing, as the regular surplus gear is very, very inexpensive, but we have seen this type of thing done.)
We have seen militia persons use fishing tackle boxes to carry their medical gear in, and small backpacks would work well for this, also.
A one-liter pop bottle carried with a strap has served as a canteen.
The type of gear you can adapt for militia use is really only limited by your imagination. It would be a good idea to observe militia people at training and get some thoughts on how to make or adapt your gear. Again, in most cases, military surplus gear is so inexpensive that it is not necessary to make or adapt your own, but it is nice to be able to, should the need arise.
Cheap Mail Order Suppliers
There are other suppliers out there, but these are the three that I always order stuff from.
Cheaper Than Dirt 2524 NE Loop 820 Fort Worth, TX 76106-1809
Major Surplus and Survival 435 W. Alondra, Gardena, CA, 90248
The Sportsman's Guide 411 Farwell Avenue, So. St. Paul, MN 55075-0239
is a great online place that tends to gave good deals on gear.
Looking for Gear?
In addition to the excellent suppliers above, there are other places you can look for low-cost militia gear.
Gun Shows and military surplus stores are good places to look. The camping/hunting section of sporting good stores and even department stores can all be good places to look for gear.
But you can also find good usable militia gear at garage/yard sales, thrift stores, such as those operated by The
Salvation Army , and you can even find some decent stuff at your local "dollar store".
Thrift stores can be good sources for used sleeping bags, blankets (to make your own sleeping bag?), clothing that may be useful (some of it may require being dyed), and used pots and pans that you wouldn't mind taking to the field. In one recent trip, a militia member found several good insulated bottles (thermos type and other), replacement globes for an oil lamp, "beater" cookware, and several sleeping bags. All of these were very cheap. Even if you are not interested in using any of this as your primary gear, it may serve well as "car gear" for your trunk, back-up gear, or gear to keep on hand for your
neighbors/fellow militia people/Uncle Frank. Some of us are always upgrading, so extra gear can be borrowed, bartered and haggled for if not outright have it...
The dollar store may be a good place to find inexpensive medical gear, and possibly other useful stuff. In one recent excursion, we found dollar tarps (for covering your gear or making a field-expedient shelter), rope, foot powder, band-aids, and various useful medication, like triple antibiotic ointment.
Also, we would be remiss in our duties if we failed to mention that most experienced militia people have accrued a vast soiree of gear, some of which they may be willing to part with cheaply, or in exchange for something else.
Low Budget Field Rations
MRE's can be expensive, and certain prepared, dehydrated camping food can cost even more. You don't really need either. The quickest and least costly of field rations might be Ramen Noodles. They are very cheap in bulk...
This is 30 days food, and it's good, for less then 100 FRFN's It can be broken up to be carried easily... www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11649759
You can dehydrate your own food using just your oven on a very low setting. This will be much cheaper than buying dehydrated food, you can make all you want, you don't need an expensive dehydrator, and as a bonus, your house will smell nice.
You can also fall back on a tried-and-true, time tested field ration staple:
Basic Hardtack
2 c Flour
1/2 tb Salt (optional)
1/2 tb Sugar (optional)
1/2 c Water
Mix flour, salt (optional), sugar (optional), and water. Using hands or rolling pin,
flatten dough on floured cloth until 1/4-inch thick. Score with a knife if
desired. Bake on cookie sheet in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Break into
pieces as needed. You may have to soak this in water or other liquid to be able
to chew it. Some have even soaked hardtack in coffee, or fried it in some kind
of grease. But, it will last a long time, and can keep you going if necessary.
You can also assemble your own MRE-type of meal out of regular grocery store components, as seen below. This meal contains a small can of stew, a fruit cup, a juice box, raisins, crackers, and other assorted stuff like napkins and plastic ware. These cost less than MREs to assemble, especially when components are purchased in bulk. Again, many of us are here to help...
Also,as mentioned above, CostCo Chef's Banquet ARK 1 Month Food Storage Supply, 330 Servings, Up to 15 Year Shelf Life, under 100 FRFN's delivered to your door... Just add water, great for light weight and long term...
www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid=11649759
Low Budget Sleeping Bags
The first thing to do here would be to check at your local Salvation Army or other thrift store. One militia member found a five dollar sleeping bag at one of these stores that he carried and used for a couple of years. If there are no sleeping bags there, then pick up whatever blankets that you can find, with wool being the best option. (Sometimes, the mail order
suppliers listed elsewhere on this page have military surplus wool blankets for a very reasonable price. They also sometimes have fairly inexpensive bags, too.) A couple of good heavy blankets should do the trick, get a third if the weather
is really cold. You can even fold your blankets over and stitch them partially up the open side.
Now, pick up a couple of dollar store tarps, and tie these together for use as the shell of your sleeping bag. Be careful, however, to not have a completely airtight seal between your tarps, because you will not want to trap any of your body's moisture. If you cannot find a cheap sleeping pad, then an extra blanket may help as cushioning, or if it is available, you
can always use straw or grass. (Don't knock it, this works.)
If it would be less costly, consider surplus cold weather garments to keep you warm, and then keep your bag light. You may be able to find real bargains on surplus parkas, and a good one of these will reduce your need for a heavier bag.
Home Made Camouflage
Used, military surplus clothing is among the cheapest you can find, especially if you are size medium or smaller. However, if you are not on the smallish side, or if your money is really too tight, you can easily make your own camo with some cheap dye and a magic marker or two.
Just twist and dip some parts of some durable clothing into a bucket with dye in it, and alternate green, black, or brown. Add a few strokes or blotches with magic marker, and you will have passable camo clothing. This same can be applied to your gear, blankets, and whatever.
Try to use tough, loose-fitting clothes, and hopefully these will have a good amount of pockets.
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