Gear Reviews

Here is where you will find product reviews of gear and tools for the homestead.

Kephart by Condor Knife and Tool Review

May 21, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Legally I have to write a disclosure here, I purchased the Condor Kephart and did not receive anything in exchange for the following review.

It should be common knowledge by now, I have a serious steel addiction. My dad has built knives for most of my life, I also built a few and own several dozen at any given moment. When it comes to useful tools I am a firm believer in having a good knife around always! The Kephart by Condor Knife & Tool is one of my personal favorites when it comes to daily use. Originally it was designed by Horace Kephart author of Camping and Woodcraft one of the amazing books I own in print (and will be reviewing for you all soon).

It was during his time spent in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina that he wrote Camping and Woodcraft and designed the Kephart blade. Around 3 years ago I read an article on this particular blade type and being an avid collector and user of good steel, decided to do some searching for one. Now it should be noted that I firmly believe in the value of a good blade, specifically the Morakniv line of knives. However, I am always looking for other blades that may fit different or similar roles and the Kephart is a blade that can do that!

Horace Kephart wrote. “A camper has use for a common-sense sheath-knife, sometimes for dressing big game, but oftener for such homely work as cutting sticks, slicing bacon, and frying “spuds.” On this I agree, it is rare that we will do more than the basic tasks with a knife and in fact, we are far more likely to engage in basic camp tasks for which this blade type is exquisitely designed. Horace goes on to say, “For such purposes, a rather thin, broad pointed blade is required, and it need not be over four or five inches long. Nothing is gained by a longer blade, and it would be in one’s way every time he sat down.”¹ I agree firmly with this as well, for general daily tasks a knife is better when it is thinner and not more than 5” in length. As with all blades, this is a purpose built knife. It is not built to be a military blade or fighting knife. The Condor Knife & Tool did an amazing job with their version!

Here are the specifications for the Condor Kephart blade,

1075 flat ground spear point carbon steel blade
a total length of 9 inches with a blade sitting at 4.5 inches this allows for a large handle
full tang and 1/8th inch wide it is 1 inch deep allowing for solid skinning ability
mine came with a hardwood grip and the typical well made leather sheath that Condor Knife & Tool supplies with their camp knives!
As with most Condor knives, it has a blued blade which helps prevent rust (though you should clean and oil it after use)

As with all Condor Knife & Tool blades I own it needs a little sharpening but is sharp (just not my preferred shaving sharp) from the factory. It has a good temper and retains an edge with general use. I enjoy the leather sheaths because I can use them to strop the blade lengthening the time between sharpening.

Testing included basic kitchen tasks and camp tasks as well as some more advanced approaches such as batoning for those who believe a knife should fill the role of camp ax. While I prefer to have a true camp ax or hatchet available, I appreciate the desire to consolidate tools and can easily do this with logs up through 3” in diameter. It easily split cured Mesquite which as the 4^th or 5^th hardest wood in the United States and will quickly show the weakness of a blade or tool. It excelled at slicing and dicing as well as skinning tasks while maintaining a working edge through much of the work. I will say that for some tasks I definitely prefer my Morakniv and the mora grind, it is finer and easier to use for in close fillet work and kitchen tasks. This being said, I was still able to use the Condor Kephart quite well for all of the above. I would put its strength and durability as on par with the Morakniv Craftline HD or Companion HD or Morakniv Kansbol or the Morakniv Bushcraft knives (all of which I own and LOVE).

This knife is a definite addition as a style and from Condor Knife and Tool as well! Highly recommended two thumbs up and definitely 4 stars! As I said in my Amazon review the only reason I gave it 4 stars over 5 is that it needed a better edge from the factory. This is a simple easily fixed item and per laws, in many countries and states, they cannot ship sharp blades anyhow! What we get in Arizona may be completely different than what you can get in New York or New Jersey. If you are looking for a solid camping blade this one does the trick!

Free the mind and the body will follow

¹ Kephart, H. (1988). Camping and Woodcraft: A handbook for vacation campers and for travelers in the wilderness. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.

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Heritage Rough Rider .22 Revolver Review – Is It Any Good?

May 14, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Everyone needs a .22lr firearm. Specifically, one that is accurate and reliable, the Heritage Rough Rider is an accurate, reliable handgun! Now before we get any further, the Heritage Rough Rider is a single action handgun that comes in several varieties and barrel lengths.

It will chamber the .22lr, .22 short and with a cylinder change .22wmr.

As with all single action handguns, accuracy is a matter of perspective and ability as well as understanding your individual firearm and ammunition combination. I originally purchased this handgun to have something that my son would enjoy.

[Note: If you’re looking for a nice Thumb Break type holster for the Heritage Rough Rider .22 LR Revolver then take a look at this one on Amazon.com! It’s a nice holster for the price.]

It is inexpensive running $136 after taxes from my local firearms dealer and easily $120-$145 depending on your location. This allowed for someone with limited funds to purchase a firearm without a large investment in the event it was not seen as a valuable addition to the family.

Heritage Manufacturing is held by parent company Taurus as of 2012. However the Heritage company has been building firearms since 1992, I first heard about them in 2004 when I was searching for a decent single action .22lr revolver.

They continued to pop up on the radar as an extremely affordable, reliable, accurate single action revolver for the hobbyist, trapper or individual who needs a solid 22lr handgun.

Now, this is not a Ruger Single Six or even an H&R trapper or similar, it is, however, quite a bit of gun for the money spent.

It comes in several variations, my personal favorite is the 6 shot 4.75” barrel. The other variations are the 6 shot 3.5” and 6.5” birds head grip, the 6 shot 4.75” and 6.5” standard colt peacemaker grip type in several colors and the 9 shot peacemaker styled setup.

All of these options have the added benefit of cylinder swaps too .22 magnum for those who need it. As an avid shooter and tester of firearms and ammunition I would say it is an unnecessary addition in a handgun, however, not everyone will agree regardless the data supporting my assertions regarding barrel length and .22 LR versus 22 magnum.

The handguns are built on aluminum alloy frames with solid steel barrels and springs. The ejector paddle is made of polymer. I would suggest after the first 100 or so rounds do a quick once over with some Winchester Gunsmith Tools or my favorite regularly used Wheeler Gunsmith Tools and some BLUE not red LocTite!

My handgun had no issues, however, the largest issue or complaint seen among other testers has been the loosening of the screws. (follow the directions sent with it and DO NOT remove the trigger/ hammer or main grip screws as it can get sticky putting things back!)

For those who care to know, the data shows that 22 LR and 22 magnum up too around 4 inches tend to run close in FPS for similar bullet weights. This being said, the benefit of having the added ability to swap cylinders is available and makes for a solid platform depending on personal taste and need.

For myself, the diminutive 22lr has proven itself numerous times with snakes, coyotes, javelina, feral Russian hogs and other small and medium critters that needed put down. This, of course, leads into accuracy as experienced by myself.

Unfortunately, I only had a sample of one for this test. Regardless, taking my results and comparing them with a few dozen other reviews available I can say that you should be quite happy with the results overall.

If you know handguns and especially know single action revolvers with blade sights and no drift adjustable features you will understand that accuracy is a general thing. For instance, my kids and self-had no problem nailing spent shotgun shells at 10-25 feet while the wife had some adjustment issues and was able to quickly master the use of this fine handgun.

It does NOT aim like a modern handgun, there is some fair amount of Kentucky “windage” involved, however, that does not detract from the overall success of the test. There was a small need to adjust vertical hold, the windage, however, was spot on!

It grouped offhand into a 2” circle at 10 yards for test groups and it really does prefer 40 grn lead versus jacketed/ coated or larger or smaller rounds. The best groups were with Aguila Super Extra (blue box from LuckyGunner Ammo) and CCI 40 grn standard loads also found at LuckyGunner Ammo. Make sure to use the links if you need bulk ammunition!

We ran 500 rounds of CCI, Aguila, Federal Premium and Eley 22lr through the revolver had us all smiling by the time we called it a day. The net benefit of a single action revolver with a trap door feeding approach versus the swing arm seen in many modern revolvers tends to slow you down in shooting and 500 rounds take a substantially longer time than it would with a modern autoloader or even modern swing arm revolver.

I should mention again, it is a SINGLE ACTION ONLY revolver, it would not be my first selection for self-defense regardless of the caliber. It is plenty accurate enough for plinking, trap line running, small game disposal and hunting and range work or butcher work as needed. Now for the negatives!

It is NOT a trick shooting revolver, the cylinder will not spin freely it clicks solidly into each position and if you try to spin it you will end up breaking the gun. (honestly most firearms are not designed to replicate Hollywood stupid so please be careful!) Additionally, it is NOT designed to FAN the hammer for trick shooting. (see a trend here?)

It comes from the factory timed and tested by a master gunsmith who has been testing and adjusting single action revolvers for over a decade with Heritage Arms and has been in the business for many many years above that.

That is something I really liked about this handgun, it has truly impeccable timing and did not flutter even once, additionally, the mouth/throat of the barrel facing the cylinder has been designed to allow for small variances when they will inevitably occur. (I’ve never had a revolver that didn’t eventually have small timing issues and need the mainspring, trigger spring etc, replaced and tuned – of course in all cases except my Ruger GP101 this occurred post 15,000 rounds of hard use)

Overall I can recommend this revolver for the survival enthusiast, trapper, hunter, farmer, rancher, woodsman, bushcrafter, homesteader or avid backcountry living person. 500 rounds of your favorite 22lr and this handgun (and some minor cleaning supplies) and you will be set for a couple years maybe more if you stretch it.

The overall investment for my family day (test day) out with this revolver was $176 including the revolver BRAND NEW. I am investing in at least one more, and will likely get the Birdshead grip this time (it just looks cool!) This handgun is easy to maintain, easy to own and the best part is, it costs $450 less than the Ruger Single Six.

Heritage Rough Rider 22LR / 22 Magnum Review

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If you have any questions or comments please let me know. Free the mind and the body will follow.

A-zoom Snap Caps and Wall Anchors: weekly product review

May 7, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Legally I have to write a disclosure here, I PURCHASED THE Snap Caps and Wall Anchors BEING REVIEWED HERE WITH MY MONEY and did not receive anything in exchange for a review of any type…

A-Zoom snap caps are an important part of anyone’s shooting supply. They run between $8-$15 for 6 or 10 on average depending on caliber. For your .22lr needs, there is another option. Hillman wall anchors 4-6-8 x 7/8” are what I use for all of my .22lr needs. Hillman wall anchors run $6 for a box of 100 on Amazon or around that from local hardware stores. Now before you laugh, remember the entire purpose of a snap cap is for testing triggers, repairs and dry firing your firearms. The wall anchors work for this purpose and work well for less than 0.05 cents apiece. The best part is, you can reuse them a few times for dry firing purposes and if you need it recycle them afterward for their intended purpose!

When you are training for self-defense and even hunting there are a few things that are essential to remember. Obviously, as with all firearms follow the rules of safety.

Loaded or not, keep the finger OFF the trigger!
Loaded or not, ALWAYS ensure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction!

This includes but is not limited to firearms that are loaded with snap caps, I have witnessed negligent discharges by extremely well-versed individuals when they believed they had unloaded their firearms or had reloaded with snap caps. So, in the line of being safe ALWAYS, remove all ammunition from the location around the firearm you are planning to use snap caps in. I use the three check system to ensure no live ammunition is in the firearm as well.

Remove the magazine or cylinder
Check the chamber visually
Check the chamber manually with a finger while ALWAYS keeping the muzzle pointed away from any places you do not want to be destroyed.

Now, once you do this, insert the snap caps into the cylinder or magazine. Re-check again to ensure only snap caps are inserted. Some people do not understand why I check so many times, of course, these same people likely have never been shot by “accident” or on purpose either! Taking a few minutes to ensure a completely safe experience is better than days or even weeks in a hospital and tens of thousands of dollars in bills!

Now ensuring your muzzle is pointed in a safe direction you can engage in dry fire practice or testing as needed! Doing a few minutes of this every day can easily transform your personal ability with a firearm into a much better approach. Especially when you practice maintaining your PROPER grip, correct trigger press and or gentle squeeze and sight alignment. I use these times to check my ability to maintain a level firearm and keep it stable while squeezing the trigger. Place a nickel or dime on the frame or front sight post if you can and squeeze the trigger until the firing pin is released, do this until you never lose the dime from the front sight or frame and you will notice a much-improved group at the range.

Some other things I like using snap caps for are failure drills, they replicate a round not going off when placed randomly in the magazine or even cylinder and you have to safely “Tap, Rack and Go” to continue shooting. I often ask shooting buddies to place snap caps at random in my range magazines, (ALWAYS KEEP YOUR RANGE MAGAZINES SEPARATE FROM ALL OTHER MAGAZINES).

Overall there is simply no reason not to have snap caps or wall anchors for your firearms training and use. I am well aware that 50 years ago snap caps were not used regularly, however, there have been many major improvements in training, firearms and more over that same time. Additionally, older firearms are more likely to not be dry fire capable and need snap caps! It is my recommendation as a very active longtime shooter that using snap caps in all firearms for dry fire practice and other purposes can only prolong the lifespan of the firing pin and more.

Stay safe and train how you carry!

Free the mind and the body will follow

K-Tor hand crank generator (pocket socket 1 amp usb) : Weekly Product Review

April 30, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Legally I have to tell you if I have received the product or any compensation for writing this review. I bartered for a K-Tor hand crank charger in 2014 from an individual who is not affiliated with this website, Amazon or K-Tor (you all know I enjoy Amazon for shopping ease). I recently contacted K-Tor to get some information to write a review; they saw fit to send me a K-Tor Pocket Socket 1 amp charger. I can honestly say that this is one of the few products for which I have no real reservations in recommending fully to all of you!

Modern electronic devices have come quite a long way in a few decades, from filling a room to literally size of a wristwatch. This means that while we oldsters still have our books and writing implements, the reality is that not only is written information more easily available via the internet it is being replaced by it.

I have hundreds of books, actual written books. I also have over 200,000 digital books that easily fit in the palm of my hand. The K-Tor Pocket Socket 1 amp hand-cranked charger allows me to ensure charging even when my solar panels cannot!

While it does need a minimum of 3 minutes of solid rotation to push a charge, it is something that works regardless the weather or time of day! It is made very well, and charges electronic readers, cell phones, radios, GPS units, flashlights and much more; virtually anything that can be charged with a USB outlet is able to be charged with this device!

While many of my flashlights are still battery powered I have recently been investing in USB rechargeable ones as the technology really is getting much better. I will have a review for some of these shortly as well.

Dimensionally it is well within needed requirements for my personal uses. It is approximately the same size and half the weight of a half liter bottle of water, which makes it an easy fit and addition to my typical vehicle kits and of course when camping. Additional benefits can be seen in the construction which is robust, to say the least, it is easy to grip comes with a strap to attach the unit to your hand and more importantly is designed to be cranked!

The downside to this charger is the noise, while not unpleasant it is not quiet. Additionally, the rotation of the crank can quickly become tiring as it is essential to rotate the crank two full turns every second for at least 3 minutes to see overall results. This being said, the design and function of the unit allows for ease of use and can spell the difference between no light, phone or GPS and having one when needed!

I added this to my power kit, with the understanding that solar panels have at best a 15-year lifespan while this could easily outlast you! Better yet they make a serious unit that is pedal power! This is the one I want to have in my house for long-term needs. The Power Box pedal power cost quite a bit more at $195 versus the $69-75 for the smaller power setup. Given the benefits from using your legs and keeping your cardio up, added into the ability to generate power as needed for Ham Radio, GPS units and other items this is a small price to pay.

I am aware that there are multiple approaches to generating power this way, however, all of those approaches require careful building to avoid surges and promote best power results. This is a setup that has already taken all of that into account. These are built specifically to provide energy without surges and at rates that are equal to wall outlets and standard plugins.

If you have the chance pick one or more up! The pocket socket may not be the easiest unit to use when compared to solar panels and the like, it does, however, provide a mechanical approach to generating energy.

As with all reviews, ask any questions you want and be sure to let me know what your results are if you have one!

Check the current price on Amazon.com

Free the mind and the body will follow…

Herbal Medicine: Trends and Traditions, Et Al: weekly product review

April 23, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Legally I have to write a disclosure here, I PURCHASED THE BOOKS BEING REVIEWED HERE WITH MY MONEY and did not receive anything in exchange for a review of any type. Additionally, I am not a doctor any advice given is done so as part of a review and any questions or issues should be addressed to a medical professional. I did attempt to clarify some minor points such as his background and biography, however, he was unavailable for comment at the time of submission.

Books are among the most important tools that I can invest in when it comes to my children and the future through them. Specifically, literature that allows them to be better prepared where they live and outside these areas as well. One of the most important books I have in my extensive collection is, Herbal Medicine: Trends and Traditions. Additional works from this author include but are not limited too, Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest by Charles W. Kane as well as several others.

It is my opinion that some people make good teachers, others make great doers and lastly, there are a few who are both great doers and great teachers. I strive to simply do most days, this being said Charles W. Kane is someone who easily fills the role of teacher and doer. He is quite the opposite of what most people would expect, maintaining a low key life and attempting to stay out of the spotlight whenever possible. I believe, however, that his work is easily among the most important of the modern herbalists available.

His in-depth, well researched and proven methodologies allow for little argument from informed individuals who want to bolster their knowledge base or further increase it, to their great benefit. Additionally, his experience in the military, specifically in Afghanistan is something that does come into play with Herbal Medicine: Trends and Traditions.² Overall, I highly recommend his work regardless your place of residence, and especially if you live in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico.

I personally have lived in and around the American Southwest and other minor areas for over 3 decades now. Having moved to Cochise County, Sulfur Springs Valley specifically as a child in the 1980s the high desert is very much in my blood. In the 30+ years, I have spent in and around the Southwest easily 30% or more of that time has been spent quite literally living with the land. I know the plants, animals and even environmental habits of this arid land I love so very much. So the review of Charles W. Kane and his amazing masterpiece Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest is easily accomplished. My personal knowledge and experience in herbal medicine are not as in-depth as many here on this site.

Pros –

The work is concise and informative without being overbearing or discombobulated like so many tend to be.
Easy to read descriptions and step by step approaches allow for the well-read individual to easily navigate and utilize the information included.
Mr. Kane treats the reader as an adult, his approach is educated without being preachy, an important and very nice difference compared to many authors.
Pictures and descriptions are included with English, Spanish and even Latin names of plants included.
He also includes information with citations of that information if is based in medical journals and guide books.
My favorite information included is the techniques used for collection of EACH included plant as well as preparation techniques per medical information prior to the modern medicine approach.
He disabuses the notion that herbalism alone or western medicine alone are enough, quite in line with the simple approach of balance in all things.

Cons –

Pictures are included with blooming plants, however, in the Southwest, we have far more time spent with plants not in bloom, I understand the depth of work he put in so this is not a true problem though it may be something to consider for the future.

“How an herb is prepared is as important as how it is dispensed.” ¹ This is the constant reality that he promotes regularly. He is clear in showing that each individual plant may, in fact, have different approaches best suited to its preparation and the application of said herbs. Per the author, “I have included an extensive glossary, but know it is better to stretch yourself mentally than stay in the confines of “if you have xyz ailment take xyz herb”. Additionally, he states, “The usefulness of this book hinges on two questions: When should I use herbal medicines and how should I use them?” ²

I firmly recommend these books and others in the series for anyone interested in a serious examination of herb-based medicinal approaches. As the author states, “I have attempted to clarify the therapeutic value of the most popular plants currently used in western herbal medicine” and his strident warnings resonate with myself who have been the recipient of misinformed holistic care resulting in further degradation of issues not fixable with herbs. He writes, “Do not use herbal medicines as replacement for ambulatory care. Herbs perform poorly of used for organic problems when an organ or tissue group is broken beyond repair.” ² As a firm believer in a balanced approach, something akin to Taoism in my own life there is a very real need for a balance of physical, spiritual and emotional within our persons. Regardless our definition of spiritual, the idea is that we must, in fact, nourish the aspects of our individual person if we want to see a net benefit overall.

While these amazing books do not outline much in this regards he understands that herbal medicine is not, in fact, a cure-all. A most important distinction that many individuals fail to recognize within their own approach and a failing that I have seen quite often among the independent and individualistic persons that make up the homestead community at large; most especially within myself. We all have approaches that have worked for us over time, and in many cases, we have clung to our fixes and approaches at the potential exclusion of additional valuable information from others. It is my goal as with all of my reviews to present you with information that may assist you in better preparing your life and that of your loved ones for success on the homestead and in our daily prepping journeys.

While I am certain there are many knowledgeable individuals with regards to various herb-based medicines, I am also well aware of far more who have decided to ride the wave of old wives tales and bad information that plagues the internet and this sadly is not a good thing. Knowledge of and ability to use herbal medicine can be a very valuable, valid item to add to anyone’s chest of skills on the homestead; this being said, misinformation can kill you. Follow the precautions laid out by those who know and avoid approaches sold as a “cure all”. I for one have little to no real time or energy for individuals who peddle snake oil. This author and the many valuable books he has written are not snake oil, rather they are extremely beneficial additions to anyone’s chest of tools on the homestead.

Free the mind and the body will follow

¹ Kane, C. W. (2016). Medicinal plants of the American Southwest. Oracle, AZ: Lincoln Town Press.

² Kane, C. W. (2009). Herbal medicine trends and traditions a comprehensive sourcebook on the preparation and use of medicinal plants. Oracle, AZ: Lincoln Town Press.

Related Review:

The Lost Ways – “A Guide to Real Life Homesteading and Survival Skills From Our Past That Work!”: weekly product review

LifeCard® by TrailBlazer Firearms: Weekly Product Review

April 16, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Legally I have to tell you if I have received the product or any compensation for writing this review. I did receive this product in exchange for a review! There may be affiliate links in the material that utilize Amazon as a platform. The LifeCard® has been designed to be discreet, hidden and functional, this article will explore all of these and look at benefits and drawbacks. It is also entirely built in the United States!

When this firearm first came out I was both intrigued and dismayed, I saw another gimmick versus a workable tool for defense, hunting or competition. Over the past couple of years and with research and quite a bit of going back and forth I decided to accept the offer and test LifeCard® using several approaches. Being someone who carries backups for my primaries and even just in case firearms on top of that, this appeals to that niche. However, seeing as how it is a single shot in .22lr and not easily reloaded, the drawbacks are apparent instantly.

Upon receiving the firearm the location I do my transfers at had several people that like myself had never actually seen one of these, and of course, it made the rounds quickly. Everyone checking it out and admiring the solid construction. Let me say this up front, it is VERY solidly made especially considering what role it fits and where you will be carrying it! At 7 ounces and the size of a deck of cards, it is absolutely concealable. How does it shoot and is it worth spending money on?

It does not have sights, it does have a simple channel machined into the top of the barrel. This allows for rudimentary sighting or what amounts to point shooting it. As you can see in the picture it groups well, though it shoots a bit high and left. The group shown was at 10 yards and was not shot to get center of the target but rather to get a group size to show you!

To shoot it you have to unfold and lock it into place, grip the bolt firmly and the firearm with your finger off the trigger and pull the bolt out until it locks into place. Aim and squeeze until it fires. After firing, keep the muzzle pointed away from people and using your fingernails or a key or a small knife pop the empty out! Reload and fire as needed. The instruction PDF can be downloaded here, LifeCard instructions for use. It is an extremely safe firearm, it cannot fire unless fully cocked, you cannot keep it cocked while folded, and the trigger is fully covered while folded. You have to consciously cock it and then shoot, making it extremely safe. Obviously, as with all firearms follow the rules of safety.

Loaded or not, keep the finger OFF the trigger!
Loaded or not, ALWAYS ensure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction!

If you follow these rules you can never hurt anyone without meaning too. I know that the NRA instructors have their 3 big rules and an entire list of others. I have seen some lists of rules go pages in length. However, as with everything K.I.S.S. is essential! Keep it Simple Silly!

Like all small handguns I wanted to test it using good ammunition, I need to know it will function every time and that the round will do its job. I tested this handgun with the following ammunition,

CCI Stinger
CCI Velocitor (1400 fps)
CCI Segmented
Aguila Hypervelocity (1700 fps)
Aguila Interceptor (1400 fps)
Aguila Super Extra
Aguila Pistol Match
Remington standard
Winchester (333 round white box)
Federal Premium

All of the listed ammunitions worked, however, I chose Aguila Interceptor as my carry round in this handgun because it clocks in at 1030 fps average over 8 rounds from the short barrel; it is also a 40-grain bullet giving me more punch from a small package. Additionally, the group shown in the picture above was from the Aguila Hypervelocity round, showing that at up too 10 yards it is plenty accurate. I was easily able to put rounds inside of a 2” circle at 3-5 yards. The energy from this small round is around 94 ftlbs, which is more than adequate for a small handgun.

So why should you own this pistol? From the perspective of someone on a fixed income and with limited resources I can answer this easily. This is a pistol that easily fills multiple roles. You can use it as a last ditch or very covert defensive tool. It is NOT fast into action, it is, however, VERY easily concealed which makes it something you can get into action without notice. In addition to this, it makes a really solid hunting and trapping backup. I like having a 22lr handgun when I am hunting or trapping or harvesting meat on the farm. This really is perfect for these things. This video shows how easy it is to fire and reload the handgun.

Now, this is not an inexpensive firearm, it averages $350. For quality, this is not a bad price, and of course, it is the last firearm anyone will want to ban so there is that benefit as well! I am a firm believer in having what I need all the time. This being said, something like this is perfect for your tackle box, pants pocket, purse or console of the car. It is the last ditch tool you never want to use but will have if you need it. If you need something that can be concealed and is well made and works well, this really is the pistol to get.

Here is a quick list of places you can order this amazing little handgun from, obviously you will need to transfer it in legally and fill out the appropriate paperwork for it.

Check with your local firearm dealer and see if they have it in stock as well. They may be able to order it for you directly or worse case you can transfer it in through them. If you have any questions please ask, and of course, also put some feedback in the comments if you have one!

Free the mind and the body will follow

The Lost Ways Book Review

April 9, 2018 Jesse Mathewson

Legally I have to tell you if I have received the product or any compensation for writing this review. This product was received without charge to myself, it was received as a gift without the need to review. I am choosing to review it because it is simply THAT DANG GOOD!

Everyone enjoys having knowledge that others deem to be special, necessary or unique. Some of us understand that the knowledge necessary to start a fire with sticks or rocks is something most humans do not have anymore.

In fact, even our military elite cannot survive without their massive supply chains and chemically stable Meals Ready to Eat. The Lost Ways is a book, that does something many other books have tried to do, but in an extremely well put together package bound together in a way most books haven’t been in decades now.

As an avid reader and practitioner of many lost arts, I can honestly say that I have read so many “survival” books that I have become jaded with them.

I own and can recommend the following books, all of which offer something special for your use! Off Grid and Free by Ron Melchiore, Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game by John Mettler, Emp-Hardened Radio Communications by William Prepperdoc, The Prepper’s Guide to Surviving TEOTWAWKI by our M.D. Creekmore, Beekeeping for Beginners by Aileen Brosnan, Foraging for Beginners by Kenneth Miller, Beekeeping: A beginner’s guide to beekeeping by Nancy Ross, The Working Chicken by Anna Hess, Solar Power Demystified, Medicinal Plants by Nathan Sempers, Preparedness Gardening by Jeff Fry and many more some older than the United States!

Among these books are my favorites, the Foxfire series is hands down the single most important series of books anyone can have, who is truly serious about their desire to emulate the old ways in their homestead. (They now have a 45th-anniversary single book combining some of the many things into one).

how to make pemmican — In the book – Learn How to Make Pemmican The Ultimate Survival Food.

This being said, if you could only have one book to help you remember many very important things that would allow you to continue living a life of relative happiness and prosperity regardless what may happen in the world; that book would be The Lost Ways. This book is not carried in paperback on Amazon except by some entrepreneurs who have it listed for $90+ which given the information included is not a terrible deal.

What this book does is guide you through the more advanced aspects of frontier living. It will not teach you 5 ways to build a fire or 150 knots every boy scout should learn! In this respect, I can easily see this book becoming my chief go to for the more involved aspects of long-term water storage without modern chemicals or making the perfect long-term survival foods.

This book will fill the need for a basic guide to edible/medicinal plants and includes the “folk remedies” as suggestions as well as the proven benefits to suit all flavors in approach! It won’t show you the best techniques for skinning a deer but it does guide you through tanning it, and then how to make charcoal as well!

In the book – Similar to Morphine: The Best Natural Painkiller that Grows in Your Backyard

This is a book for the individual who already has some basic knowledge and or a small library or access to basic knowledge. It is my strict opinion as someone who has done many of the things that are outlined in this book, and in many cases searched for years to gather the information for things like pemmican balls and smokehouses; this book gathers many of those things together into an easy to read option for your consumption.

It does all of this without pretentious airs and honestly bullshit claims of being the only way like so many others do. Rather, the book itself is presented in a well-made book that will stand the rigors of use and time and easily be passed down to loved ones.

My favorites parts of this book include information I can verify as valid because I have used it myself for years. “How to sharpen a blade like a samurai”, “How to make hardtack biscuits”, “how to render lard”, “how to make activated charcoal pills”, “how to make gunpowder the old-fashioned way.”

Self-Feeding_Fire — In the book – How to Start a Self-Feeding Fire That Lasts All Night Long

Are all amazing bits of information with detailed explanations and practiced uses! Each one of these approaches works and works well. This is an amazing book that is easily worth the $22 it costs, for myself it is a book I can gift to others and am planning on doing so this Christmas season.

Now for the downside, and there is one! Some of the information is somewhat incomplete, going from hunting a deer to tanning the hide and missing the skinning portion for instance. Or trapping, beaver and muskrat but leaving out the fact that using the same traps and similar but dry land methodology you can trap hares, rabbits, squirrels, fox, coyotes and more.

These are minor issues, after all it is a single book and I’ve never found a single volume of any literary type that successfully covers the entirety of the subject at hand without being simply too large or absolutely impossible to read, (ie., War and Peace).

This being said, I can easily recommend the purchase of this book and in fact would go so far as to suggest purchasing two, one for reading and absorbing and one for the shelf.

So there you have it, my review this week and one I am truly happy to be doing! If you’re interested in getting your own copy of The Lost Ways then you can find out more at the author’s website here.

Free the mind and the body will follow…