Using a Backup Flashlight with Your AR

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Consider a hypothetical scenario for a moment. You’re at home asleep in your bed, when you awake to your dogs barking aggressively at something near the back door. You’ve heard reports of burglaries in your town lately, so you quickly climb out of bed and grab your carbine to investigate. As you prepare to leave your bedroom, you tap the pressure switch on your weapon-mounted flashlight. Nothing happens, and there’s no time to troubleshoot the problem. Your stomach drops as you realize you can’t effectively respond to a threat you can’t see.

This situation may seem unlikely, especially if you choose a primary light from a reliable brand and change batteries regularly, but it’s far from impossible. The cause could be depleted batteries due to accidental activation after your last range trip, or damage to the tail cap, pressure switch, or wiring during a high-stress situation. Even something as easily fixed as a loose mount could take your carbine’s light offline temporarily. In any case, knowing how to use a backup flashlight with your AR or other home-defense carbine is essential for SHTF situations.

In the following RECOILtv video, Dan Brokos of Lead Faucet Tactical shows three ways to use a handheld backup flashlight with his AR. Specifically, he’s using a SureFire G2 with a raised collar around the body. This enables the light to be used in the SureFire/Rogers technique — gripping the body between the index and middle fingers, and pulling it back into the palm to depress the tail cap switch. The Haley Strategic D3FT flashlight is another model designed for this technique. (Keep an eye out for a detailed review of that light in Issue 38 of our print magazine, which goes on sale in June.) Brokos also shows one method of holding the light in an overhand “icepick” grip beneath the rifle’s forend.

For more tips from Dan Brokos, check out the RECOILtv Training Tuneups channel.

Ed Calderon Sheds Light on Kidnapping & Abduction Trends

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Abduction scenarios can originate in a myriad of ways. It’s not always about guys in ski masks jumping out of a panel van and putting you in zip-ties. Many of the students who’ve been through the training that I’ve provided over the years dealing with counter-custody have actually faced situations of irregular custody. This may involve being restrained illegally within the confines of their own community by people they actually know, or during home-invasion situations. So, don’t close yourself off to the possibilities of this being a threat in your environment. It’s not something you only need to think about or prepare for if you travel outside of your hometown or country.

The Feathered Snake Eating its Tail

For our intents and purposes, we’re going to be focusing on abduction and kidnapping for ransom, being used as a political hostage, for retribution, or as access to someone else’s monetary means. Although each of these situations have a different purpose behind them, they usually have the same planning and action process or cycle.

Selection and Surveillance

The first part of the cycle is selection. Criminal groups will select an individual out of the many or out of a specific group that holds a known value to them, be it because of their economic means, the means of the company they represent, their social circle, nationality, religion, or just because he or she is in possession of something they want.

Selection happens in many ways, but one of the most current trends is exploiting openly accessible online social media — especially the social media of the victim’s families and associates — to gather information pertaining to the victim. This typically includes his or her day-to-day patterns, family ties that could be exploited psychologically later on, any sign of financial means, and possible future scheduling opportunities for criminals to make a move on a potential mark. It’s not all just standing outside of an airport scanning a crowd nowadays. Things have gone digital, even in the most low-tech environments. Most people already have the most effective information-gathering device on the planet in their hands: a smartphone.

One common thing criminals look at when it comes to selecting a potential victim are patterns of behavior and predictability of movement — that is, the ability to predict where and when the individual being targeted will go. So, anything related to your mode of transportation, your arrival times, the hotel rooms you’re staying in, possible dinner plans, business meetings you may need to attend, or the locations of offices during a business trip, for example, have to be kept on a need-to-know basis. This is even necessary with the people closest to you or those you’re traveling with.

Simple things like keeping all of your information in written format on a piece of paper to hand over to a hotel clerk means he or she doesn’t have to say your name or room number out loud. This keeps people from acquiring that information if they’re casually listening to you at the check-in desk. There’s nothing wrong with being unpredictable. It’s about being harder to catch than the person next to you. Hindsight is 20/20.

Above: It can take less than a minute to get you out of a vehicle and into a trunk. Bound and en route to a second location is one of the worst situations to be in. In a kidnapping attempt, time is life.

One thing I always hear people recounting when I debrief after these events are situations or events around them that seemed suspicious, like people staring at them for a bit too long, or making phone calls around them, or the presence of various kids in sandals carrying smartphones getting on the phone every time they moved out of the hotel. Anything that’s the least bit suspicious must be documented. Take pictures or video immediately and use one of many secure apps like Signal to send to various people who you’ve complete confidence in. This will assist in creating a trail. Be as obvious as you want to about this — again, you want people to be aware you’re not going to be an easy target.

Game Plan

The second part of the process involves the formulation or creation of a plan and/or manufacture of a situation where you’re completely vulnerable to a direct abduction attempt or, as we liked to call it, a snatch or initial contact. This takes place after a surveillance cycle that may have started long before you got onto the plane or stepped out of your house. Surveillance could be mobile or static and, depending on who is doing it, might be very obvious to anyone with a trained eye. That’s why I always try to push the mindset of thinking like the bad guy, or as my friends from the contingency group say, “adversarial thinking.” (Editor’s Note: See our previous article “The Crimson Perception” in Issue 35 for more information on developing an adversarial mindset.)

If you want to make the best counter-ambush group on the planet, you teach them to be the best ambushers in the world. The same needs to apply to preparing people who might face this kind of threat. You want them to be able to prepare something like this for themselves. That’s why I do certain exercises in some of the training that I provide where students plan and try to pull off an abduction in a controlled training space. It’s a mental exercise that gives you lessons you’ll always carry with you. When you feel like you’re the subject of a surveillance attempt of any kind, your paranoia will be educated, and you can focus on the anomalies. Most places have a baseline, a set pattern of normality. If you pay attention, you can see these anomalies before they turn into a threat.

Personal Locator Beacon:

The shift from criminal planning to actual direct action against the victim could take as long as a few weeks or as quick as a few minutes if they have the willingness and opportunity. Don’t assume anything about anybody. Criminals could be targeting you for a quick ride to the ATM and then let you go after an hour (an express kidnapping). They could be trying to put you in a cage for a few months to see if they can get a large payout because the company you work for has a great abduction policy. Or lastly, it could be the true-believer type of enemy who sees everything he hates in you. All of these potential threats follow the same pattern: victim selection, surveillance, and a planning stage.

Vary your routes, don’t be predictable, keep yours and your family’s sh*t offline, get your family on the same game plan, and be aware. If something feels off, document it and send it back to the people you trust. And if all else fails, have a contingency plan.

The Attempt

Above: These screenshots were taken from surveillance footage of an actual kidnapping in Northern Mexico. Note the use of rifles, tactical vests, and a multi-man snatch team.

Current trends and the areas I operate in usually deal with groups of between four and six people being part of the direct-action snatch team. During an attempt, know they’ll take advantage of their prior research on you. They’ll take note of the people around you and their capabilities, in some cases. The numbers they use will be based on their capabilities as a group and whether you’re seen as easy or difficult to manage.

If you have a mark on you, the people around you might have a mark on them too. Remember that in these types of situations, if you didn’t pay attention, they now have all the advantages. The first and foremost is the ability to pick the time and the place. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution in a situation like this because there are a lot of variables.

Usually these criminal groups will look for a space and time when they’re sure you’ll be present and nobody will interfere.

If it’s a highly trafficked area, usually you’ll get a sign or a reaction from people around you who have more experience or are more educated about the environment. I usually call these people “active eyes.” By this I mean that the locals know all the ins and outs of the area and have a clear understanding of what baseline normality is there. If they see a guy dressed in a fake police uniform with an AK-47, they know that’s out of the ordinary and will react to it even if you don’t. So, it’s a pretty good idea to be aware of people like that in your environment. If the guy in the newspaper stand across the street is ducking behind his counter, it’s probably a good idea for you to duck behind your Uber, if you know what I mean.

The Snatch

Criminal groups plan for complete and overwhelming domination over their victim. Depending on the region, sometimes the intimidation tool could be a handgun or a rifle, but don’t be surprised if the weapon is just a cell phone with the desperate voice of a family member on the other end of it. In the latter case, you might decide to walk into the van willingly. This isn’t uncommon. Also, realize that some scenarios will originate in chemical restraints. For example, you might be drugged at a bar or another place where you felt secure — these scenarios aren’t unheard of.

One of the first things you’ll see in a classic abduction situation is people brandishing their firearms or weapons in a threatening manner toward you. However, some of the same weapons may also be pointed away from you, outwardly guarding the surrounding area from potential police presence or security elements that they might not have taken into account. Be aware of gaps in their awareness and in their ability to contain you. Your ability to act, or even whether you can act, is completely dependent on you. In my experience, awareness and cardio have been the best escape-and-evasion tools I’ve ever seen next to a smile, cash, and an AK-47.

There’s usually a process of purging that happens between the initial contact, subjugation of the victim, and moving the mark from the abduction area to an initial holding site or “wait and see” spot. Current trends in some of the abduction groups that I’ve had to work against have led me to realize that most of them are aware of all of the SOS technology out there. Expect them to discard anything with a battery in it. Belts, shoes, jackets, hats, wallets, watches, backpacks, or anything else that isn’t directly on your person will be discarded or taken to look through later. Don’t count on having anything with a battery in it left on you if you’re taken. This should dictate where you hide things for counter-custody applications. If you could lose elements of clothing in a full-contact sporting event, those are probably not good places to hide a handcuff key or a razor blade. That’s just my two cents.

Pepper Spray on Steroids:

At this point in the scenario, restraints start being pulled out to be put on the mark. The North American trifecta of restraints are handcuffs, zip-ties, and duct tape, though we’re now seeing a lot more chain- and padlock-type restraints being put on people in a long-term captivity setting. These are the specific restraints you need to worry about most in the environments in and around North America. Again, these will dictate the tools you carry and how you train specifically for the environment you’re moving into.

Above: When you configure your EDC or E&E kit on your body, do you include redundancy to account for the multiple ways you may be restrained or positioned? Could you reach your escape tools with your hands behind your back and your face against the wall?

Prepare for the possible — if the improbable happens, you’re already halfway to a solution. During initial contact, you’ll be put into one form of physical restraint or another. It may be just them holding your head down and keeping a gun on you, or being put in between two large individuals. Basically, they want to convince you that you’re hopelessly trapped, and they’ve the means to do you physical harm and maybe even life-ending damage. They also want to place restraints on you to limit your ability to move around. During this first ride, the first part of the purge happens — this is where things start being taken away from you.

Wait and See

If it’s a professional abduction team, they’ll probably take you to an initial holding site. This will be somewhere close, but not too close to where they’ll be holding you for the long term. It’s a “wait-and-see” space. They want to know if they’re being followed, if they were made, if you have some sort of tracking element on you, and so on. Once they’re sure that the coast is clear, you’ll be moved to a long-term holding spot if that’s what they’re looking to do with you as a victim. It’s the same all over — this is a very common tactic even in the Middle East, according both the SOF community guys who I’ve had the privilege of exchanging information with, and the sex-trafficking groups that I’ve helped in the past.

Once you reach that long-term holding site, the slow burn happens. They can now take their time with you; they’re secure, safe, and in control, and the interrogation and exploitation of the victim commences. Look for a sh*t bucket in the room where they’re holding you and empty water bottles on the ground — that’s usually a sign of a long-term holding site, and it’s not a good place to be. Most of your opportunities for escape occur between the initial contact and the transport to the wait-and-see site. After that, your window of opportunity becomes smaller and smaller. But you must always be ready and, if opportunity knocks, be prepared to answer. The decision to act is completely up to you. Some people will advise you not to do anything and wait for the negotiators (if you have any) or the State Department to do their thing (if it’s one of those types of situations). I’d recommend to have the knowhow, training, tools, and experience using them in a controlled training environment. These “just in case” options might lead to your salvation.

Above: This looks bad, but reality is worse. Being stripped naked and fleeced of all the escape tools you keep in your pockets and wallets should be expected. Keep your wits about you and look for the earliest opportunity to escape.

Ed’s Field Notes

In a recent case in Northern Mexico, a young businessman was targeted by a small armed cell of criminals. He was picked up outside of his house as he was parked in his truck, talking on his cell phone. The target selection and surveillance cycle took only a few minutes, according to the investigation notes I saw about the case. There were two vehicles involved in the snatch. Four individuals got out of a single sedan as the other one sat on the roadside to cover the abduction team.

Covert Wallet Knife:

They didn’t put any restraints on him, and pushed him into a vehicle while threatening him with AK-47s. The abductors made a point of taking his cell phone from the car, and left it on the curbside. They took him and his truck away with nobody around to do anything about it. It’s interesting to note that there was a lone guy in the background providing security for the abduction team. The victim was later let go. It turns out that they were only after his truck — a valuable commodity right now in northern Mexico, because they can be turned into “technicals” for the ongoing narcotics insurgency raging in the country. It’s an interesting case study with a lot of parallels to situations like this in other parts of the world, including the U.S.

All restraints are temporary, but it’s better to be able to choose when you want to get out of them.

About the Author

For over a decade, Ed Calderon worked in the fields of counter-narcotics, organized crime investigation, and public safety in the northern-border region of Mexico. Learn more about his survival courses at edsmanifesto.com.

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Pro Eagle Off-Road Jacks

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If you own a truck, SUV, or Jeep, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve also installed larger-diameter tires and a leveling kit or lift kit. These modifications increase ground clearance and improve off-road capabilities, but they also present some issues you may not have considered. That taller ride height means the barebones scissor jack that came with your vehicle might no longer provide enough elevation to change a tire. Regular floor jacks from the local auto parts store will do a little better, but what happens if you have a problem somewhere other than your driveway? Pro Eagle jacks are specifically built to provide an off-the-grid solution to this dilemma.

Compare modern trucks to those from 20 or 30 years ago, and you’ll realize how much bigger, taller, and more off-road-capable new vehicles have become from the factory. However, jack design hasn’t changed much in recent decades. Pro Eagle saw this as an opportunity to improve upon the conventional floor jack design, and make something specifically for those of us who like to get out and explore.

As seen in the video above, these jacks are used extensively by off-road racers, and feature several distinguishing features that improve their capabilities on surfaces other than pavement. The large non-pneumatic tires are designed to roll easily through dirt, gravel, rocks, and most other surfaces. The solid steel axles offer increased strength for lifting heavier rigs. Each jack comes with a built-in skid plate to keep it from sinking in soft dirt, sand, or mud. There’s also an adjustable extension that provides an extra 8 inches of lift height when needed. Of course, the company says its jacks will also work just as well for regular maintenance in the garage.

Pro Eagle offers jacks ranging from 2-ton standard to 2-ton big wheel and 3-ton big wheel. All jacks come with the aforementioned off-grid-worthy features, and they are backed up by a 2-year full replacement warranty. You can even purchase 90% of the parts and pieces separately, if the need should arise. Each jack has an available mounting kit to keep it secured and locked in place while you are on the go.

In addition to floor jacks, Pro Eagle also offers an ultra-portable CO2 air jack that’s designed for lighter vehicles such as UTVs and side-by-sides.

Buy It On Amazon:

Also Handy:

For more information on these off-road jacks, go to ProEagle.com.

First Impressions: Streamlight MacroStream USB Flashlight

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At SHOT Show 2020, we got our hands on the latest every-day carry flashlight from Streamlight: the MacroStream USB. This light is the big brother to the popular MicroStream USB, and offers a bigger aluminum body, higher-capacity battery, and increased lumen output. After the show, we were excited to try out this flashlight in the real world, so we requested a sample from Streamlight. The company kindly sent us one of the pre-production models so we could familiarize ourselves with the light. Read on as we share some of our first impressions.

Compared to the MicroStream, the MacroStream’s dimensions are noticeably bigger. It measures 4.5 inches in length and 0.8 inches in diameter, as opposed to the Micro’s 3.9 inches and 0.6 inches. Weight is up by a full ounce, but this light still weighs only 2.2 ounces including the battery.

Speaking of the battery, it’s powered by an included 3.7V 800mAh Lithium-ion cell. Like the MicroStream, this flashlight’s housing fits a standard alkaline battery (AA for the Macro and AAA for the Micro) but the light can only be used with the included Li-ion battery. This is unfortunate — we know the USB functionality won’t work with an alkaline battery, but it would’ve been nice to be able to use one as an emergency power source.

The Macrostream’s blue lithium-ion cell next to a standard CR123 and 18650.

The micro-USB charging port is hidden under a sliding, O-ring-sealed metal shroud around the light’s head. Pushing the shroud forward reveals the port, which lights up red (charging) or green (full) when the light is plugged in. Streamlight says the battery can be fully charged in about four hours.

Functionally, the MacroStream USB should feel familiar to anyone who has used a Streamlight handheld in the past. Rapid half-presses of the power button toggle between 500-lumen high mode and 50-lumen low mode. However, unlike similarly-sized ProTac models, this light does not have a strobe function or the ability to change mode order with Streamlight’s Ten-Tap system. It also doesn’t have a crenelated bezel or shrouded tail cap switch.

Size comparison between the Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA and MacroStream USB.

The MacroStream USB is rated IPX4 water-resistant, which means that it should hold up fine to rain and occasional splashes, but should not be submerged or heavily soaked. It’s also impact-resistant against drops up to 1 meter. The light includes a removable, bi-directional pocket clip that can be used to attach the light to apparel, packs, or the brim of a hat for hands-free use.

As usual with Streamlight products, street prices are far below the official MSRP. In this case, MSRP is $90, but this light can be pre-ordered from various online retailers for roughly $50.

Overall, the MacroStream USB feels great in the hand, is easy to operate, and offers two useful brightness levels. We also appreciate the convenience of onboard USB charging. However, due to the non-standard battery type and inability to accept off-the-shelf batteries in a pinch, we prefer the versatility of the ProTac 1L-1AA from an emergency preparedness standpoint. That said, the MacroStream USB is great as an EDC utility light, and a nice complement to the smaller MicroStream USB.

Buy Related Product – Microstream:

For more information on the new MacroStream USB, go to Streamlight.com.

Pocket Preps: Gut Hook Knives

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Humans have field dressed four-legged sustenance since that first caveman chiseled a pointy tip on a downed tree branch. Did he, or the millions of hunters who came after, have a gut hook knife? Nope. Not for many millennia, until it showed up in the mid 20th century.

Its origin story is murky. Many folks say custom knifemaker Merle Seguine added a hook to his knife to lift a pot from a campfire, and later sharpened the hook for field dressing. Others say the gut hook was invented for hunting by Sid Bell (a silversmith, geologist, and outdoorsman), who gave a wooden prototype to Seguine to produce.

Regardless, the gut hook is used today to “unzip” a downed animal’s hide without piercing muscles or intestines.

Many designers misinterpret the gut hook knife by sharpening its top or messing up the geometry of its C-shaped opening. This can result in unintended cutting and difficulty in sharpening after use. Also, most gut hooks are on a blade’s spine, meaning the primary edge must face you as you split the hide; like a gun’s muzzle, it’s not ideal to have the business end pointing at you.

So, in this issue, we take a stab at gut hook knives to see if they’re something preppers should add to our tool kits.

Uncle Henry Stag Horn Gut Hook Skinner

OAL: 7.5 inches
Blade Material: D2 tool steel
Weight: 5.2 ounces
MSRP: $101
URL: btibrands.com

If the SwingBlade is the oddball of folding gut hooks, then this Uncle Henry model is the nonconformist among the fixed blades in this buyer’s guide. It’s a hybrid of sorts, combining elements of the gut hook, a trailing-point fixed blade, and the Inuit blade called an ulu to produce a tool that’s made specifically for field dressing medium to large game. Old-school aesthetics in a unique package, it offers solid slicing abilities.

Pros:

  • Gut hook is a great “zipper” tool.
  • Primary edge’s huge belly equals precise skinning.
  • Quality leather sheath

Cons:

  • Though popular, D2 isn’t our favorite blade steel; it’s hard to sharpen and isn’t a stainless steel.
  • Sheath can only be worn vertically and — if the knife is pulled up slightly while holstered — can expose the sharp bottom corner of the skinning blade.

Outdoor Edge SwingBlade

OAL: 8.3 inches
Blade Material: AUS-8 stainless steel
Weight: 7.2 ounces
MSRP: $80
URL: outdooredge.com

Outdoor Edge is a Colorado-based company that makes a wide range of innovative knives and tools, and its SwingBlade is one such model. As the oddity of the bunch, it’s not a true gut hook knife. Instead, it’s a skinning blade that flips around to reveal a slightly curved gutting blade on the other end. Part folding knife, part straight razor, this two-in-one design frees up space in your kit while offering superior in-the-field performance.

Pros:

  • Both the gutting and skinning blades slice like precise lasers.
  • Outside-the-box design
  • Nylon sheath has plastic liner and provides the best no-rattle lockup of all the sheaths in this buyer’s guide.

Cons:

  • Opening the SwingBlade requires two hands and extra effort to keep your fingers out of the path of whichever blade is closing.
  • Sheath is vertical-carry only.

Browning Kodiak

OAL: 8.375 inches
Blade Material: 7Cr17MoV stainless steel
Weight: 8.8 ounces
MSRP: $46
URL: browning.com

Despite being made in China, this is a robust multi-tool consisting of three folding stainless steel blades: a gut hook, a bone saw, and a drop-point. Each are secured with a sturdy lockback and housed in a wide handle with grippy injection-molded scales. The gut hook’s tip is rounded to prevent accidental punctures. The saw has two rows of staggered teeth for effective sawing, while the drop-point blade is sharp and versatile.

Pros:

  • Saw and drop-point blade offer multiple bushcraft uses
  • Multi-tool design means you’ll haul fewer tools
  • Comes with a well-made nylon sheath

Cons:

    • Gut hook doesn’t so much slice as it does pull.
    • Handle will be a tad too fat for those with medium to small paws.
    • Handle’s finger grooves are pointless, considering the closed blades always protrude out; your fingers will always be gripping two uncomfortable blade spines as you use the third blade.

Buck Knives 660 Folding Pursuit Large Guthook Knife

OAL: 8.5 inches
Blade Material: 420HC stainless steel
Weight: 3.4 ounces
MSRP: $75
URL: buckknives.com

Designed as a midrange hunting knife, the 660 features a smartly designed gut hook on the spine of its folding drop-point blade. The gut hook’s opening is wider than most, and its sharpened edge is almost rectangular, allowing for a smooth slicing motion. Thanks to its performance, lightweight frame, durability, and portability, this U.S.-made folder is a serious contender. But we’d expect nothing less from the iconic Buck Knives.

Pros:

  • Gut hook’s superior edge geometry
  • Thumbstud opening and lockback mechanism provide safe operation
  • Ergonomic handle
  • Nylon sheath can be carried vertically or horizontally

Cons:

  • Though well made, the handle scales are made of glass-filled nylon and VersaFlex synthetic rubber. We’d prefer Micarta or G10.

Bear & Sons Cutlery 444

OAL: 8.75 inches
Blade Material: 440 stainless steel
Weight: 4.4 ounces
MSRP: $48
URL: bearandsoncutlery.com

Knife snobs might scoff at the 444’s Kraton (polymer) handle and 440 stainless steel blade, but both have proven themselves in real-world applications. Once upon a time, 440 was considered a super steel; even though other fancy steels have come along, it still provides strong rust resistance and edge retention. Speaking of which, both the gut hook and the primary cutting edge are crazy sharp. Made in the USA.

Pros:

  • Affordable
  • Ergonomic and comfy Kraton handle
  • 440 stainless steel blade and gut hook perform well

Cons:

  • The blade shaves off tiny bits of leather from the sheath every time you pull out the knife. The sheath could use a plastic liner to prevent this annoyance.
  • The sheath’s snap-button strap rotates too much, making opening and closing a pain.

Gerber Gator Premium Gut Hook, Fixed

OAL: 9 inches
Blade Material: S30V stainless steel
Weight: 10.4 ounces
MSRP: $105
URL: gerbergear.com

Some longtime fans have lamented that the quality control on Gerber knives have dropped in recent years. You won’t have that fear with the Gator Premium. From the S30V stainless steel of its full-tang blade and integrated gut hook to the comfy, rubberized Gator Grip handle that inspires its name, this 21st century reincarnation of Gerber’s bestselling lineup elevates this genre in aesthetics, performance, and craftsmanship. It has Best in Class written all over it.

Pros:

  • Both the primary edge and the gut hook cut like lightsabers.
  • Gator Grip handle offers traction and comfort.
  • Quality sheath has plastic liner to protect the leather.
  • Steel finger guard and pommel

Cons:

  • Sheath can only be carried vertically.

Utah Knife Works UKW Survival Knife

OAL: 11.75 inches
Blade Material: 9Cr18MoV stainless steel
Weight: 1 pound
MSRP: $150
URL: utahknifeworks.com

Utah Knife Works owner Mark Russon says his father, Robb, came up with the design for what would eventually become the Tom Brown Tracker knife, but never got credit for it. So, 40 years later, the younger Russon gave his dad’s model a modern makeover. Every section of this jack-of-all-trades blade has a different survival function, including the utility hook that’s promoted as being capable of processing game, among other uses.

Pros:

  • In spite of the Chinese steel, the blade is durable and its many edges are razor sharp, including the hook.
  • Feels good in the hand
  • This tracker knife is a sturdy bushcraft multi-tool.

Cons:

  • Unfortunately, if you use the gut hook for game, the saw teeth on top of the knife’s spine will rip into the guts you’re trying to avoid. (As a consolation, the hook can be used on sticks to shave off tinder or to craft arrow heads.)
  • While well crafted, the leather sheath is vertical-carry only.

Read More for Pocket Preps

OFFGRID Live: Experts Discuss the COVID-19 Pandemic

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COVID-19, commonly known as Coronavirus, is the topic on everyone’s mind right now for obvious reasons. With most of the U.S. in damage-control mode, many individual states and cities on lockdown, and the entire world reacting to the spread of this ongoing pandemic, we’re living through an event that has reached an almost-unprecedented scale and severity.

As you’ve probably noticed, RECOIL OFFGRID is not looking to sensationalize or exaggerate the situation — that’s why you haven’t seen us running round-the-clock coverage or touting this as the imminent apocalypse, as many other media outlets have. Instead, we’ve chosen to defer to true experts who can speak about the situation in a realistic and practical manner. This was the impetus behind our first ever OFFGRID Live panel discussion, which occurred today (3/26/20) at noon Pacific time.

Our OFFGRID Live video stream brought together three experts from the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic: global risk and financial analyst Dennis Santiago, of California, retired NYPD detective and active fire chief Joey Nickischer, of New York, and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Robert Riley, of Arizona. A fourth panelist, fire captain and medical first-responder Aaron Adams, was unable to attend as planned because he was called in to an emergency. Staff members Tom Marshall and Dave Merrill hosted the discussion and read questions from the audience to the panelists.

For those of you who missed the 1-hour OFFGRID Live stream, you can watch it in its entirety using the embedded player at the top of this post.

After the discussion ended, Nickischer reached out to us to share the following links, which provide some useful additional information.

Cleaning tips:

Resources for general information:

Nickischer also said, “I should have mentioned blood donation. Blood donations are way down as most local community blood donation events have been cancelled. We do need blood, so please encourage others to go to the local blood bank and donate.” On RedCrossBlood.org, you can find local blood banks and make a donation appointment.

Lockpicking 101: Learn the Basics of How to Pick a Lock

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A basic understanding of lockpicking is one of the most valuable urban survival skills one can have in their arsenal. For many, the idea of lockpicking may be relegated to the realm of criminals and hackers, but there are many legitimate legal uses for these skills.

A locksmith can be an expensive solution to regaining entry into your own home, automobile, or safe when your keys are locked inside. Under such circumstances, a basic knowledge of lockpicking might save you a good chunk of cash. If ever the day should come that you’re the victim of an unlawful custody situation, a solid foundation of lockpicking skills and an understanding of the inner workings of the most popular lock designs could likely aid in your escape. And in a worst-case, end-of-the-world scenario, lockpicking could enable you to scavenge medications or other necessary items from places that may have been passed over by opportunistic looters.

In this article, we examine the anatomy of a lock, how lockpicking works, basic lockpicking tools, and the most popular lockpicking techniques.

Pin Tumbler Lock Anatomy

The pin tumbler lock is one of the most basic and commonly used lock designs. This type of lock can be found on virtually every doorknob, deadbolt, and padlock. Even many high-security doors have a pin tumbler lock as a backup.

The mechanics of these locks are very simple and easy to understand. Once you have a firm grasp on how these locks work, they’re relatively easy to pick. Even some of the highest-security locks on the market are just creative alterations of the pin tumbler design.

Housing: The housing is the outer shell that holds all the internal lock components together.

Cylinder: The cylinder sits inside the housing and rotates freely when the proper key is inserted. It’s kept in place by a series of pins and springs that protrude into the cylinder and housing. These pins prevent the cylinder from turning until the key is inserted.

Shear Line: The shear line is the space between the cylinder and housing. When the key is inserted and all components are aligned properly, the gap between the driver pins and the key pins align perfectly with the shear line.

Driver Pins: The driver pins are essentially the locking pins, which sit between the cylinder and housing to prevent the cylinder from turning. When the correct key is inserted into the lock, these pins are pushed above the shear line to release the cylinder, which can then rotate freely within the housing. Driver pins are located on top of the key pins.

Key Pins: The key pins sit below the driver pins. Key pins are called such because these provide the coding system for the lock. They vary in length to match the cut on the appropriate key. These pins contact the key and press against the driver pins to push them above the shear line.

Springs: Each set of pins has a tension spring located at the top, which forces the pins downward into the cylinder.

The Concept of Lockpicking

When a key is inserted into a pin and tumbler lock, the cuts on the key contact the key pins and lift the pins upward to the correct height. This positions the driver pins above the shear line and the key pins below the shear line, allowing the cylinder to rotate.

The idea behind pin and tumbler lockpicking is to replicate the key’s function by elevating the driver pins above the shear line so the cylinder can be turned within the housing to unlock the lock. The tricky part is aligning all the pins, so they don’t bind against the lock. If a key pin isn’t pressed high enough, the driver pin will continue to bind against the cylinder, preventing it from rotating. If a key pin is pressed too high, the key pin itself will bind against the cylinder. There are several techniques for accomplishing this goal, which we’ll discuss later, but first we need to understand what makes lockpicking possible.

Lock Tolerances & Binding Order

Most locks have very slight tolerance flaws in the alignment of the pin holes. It’s actually these imperfections that allow these locks to be picked. In lockpicking, there’s an order in which each pin will clear the shear line based on the offset of the pin holes. The pin located in the hole that has the greatest deviation from the centerline toward the direction of the cylinder is turning will be the first pin that has to clear the shear line and so on. This is referred to as the binding order.

When tension is placed on the cylinder with a tension wrench, and the first driver pin clears the shear line, the cylinder will rotate ever so slightly and trap the bottom of the driver pin above the cylinder. This process continues until all the driver pins have cleared the shear line and the lock is opened. Setting the pins out of order will result in a failed attempt, since the cylinder will have rotated past one or more pins. It’s also important to know the binding order can change depending on where the tension wrench is placed and the direction of force of the wrench..

Tools

A 14-piece Southord kit, a Southord jackknife pick set, and a Serepick Bogota Titan covert pick set.

Tension Wrench: The tension wrench is the most important piece of lockpicking equipment, or at least the most important piece of equipment to master. The tension wrench acts like the key in that it allows the user to turn the plug. It also places tension on the pins, so that when the driver pins clear the shear line, the cylinder will rotate just enough to bind it above the shear line.
Tension wrenches are pretty basic with little variance between them. Wrenches come in different thicknesses to accommodate different sizes of keyways. Most are designed to slide into the bottom of the keyway (side opposite the pins), but some have very short necks and are intended for use at the top of the keyway, just in front of the pins.

Hook Picks: There are many variations of the hook pick, but the purpose is the same. The hook is used for single-pin picking to lift the pins above the shear line. As a rule, the simpler the better when it comes to hooks. Small hooks are the go-to for most pin and tumbler locks. Large hooks are reserved for reaching the back pins on locks with long cylinders.

Half-Diamond Picks: Half-diamond picks are used for locks whose key pins are similar in length. The half-diamond is usually a good pick to start with, since many cheaper locks have little variation in key-pin length. The half-diamond can be used with all three picking techniques described later in this article.

Rake Picks: There are a few different rake designs, but most rakes are some variation of a “snake,” “W,” or “Running W” pattern. The purpose of a rake pick is to set multiple pins simultaneously.

Ball Picks: Ball picks aren’t used for pin and tumbler lockpicking, but they’re commonly included in lockpick sets, so we’ll touch on them very quickly. Ball picks are used for picking wafer locks, which function differently than pin and tumbler locks. These locks are found on filing cabinets, desks, and small lock boxes. The techniques for picking these types of locks are like the ones discussed in this article, so the skills will easily transition with a basic understanding of the wafer lock design.

The most commonly used picks (left to right): Hooks, Half-Diamond, and Rakes.

Techniques

There are several techniques for picking pin and tumbler locks. Each has its place. Here we’ll look at the three most popular methods. Keep in mind that each of these techniques has several variations, but we’re just covering the basic concepts.

Single Pin Picking: Single-pin picking is the most precise method for picking pin and tumbler locks, but it also requires the most skill and time on target. As the name implies, with single pin picking you’re setting each individual pin above the shear line. This is where binding order becomes an important topic, because each pin must be set in the correct binding order.

It’ll take a lot of trial and error to figure out which pins to set in which order. To do so, place a light amount of tension on the tension wrench and probe each pin until you find the one with the most amount of resistance. This will likely be the first binding pin and the one you should work on setting.

Continue this process until all the pins are set. If you reach a point where a pin will not move, it’s likely that it was set out of order and no longer has the clearance to move through the pin hole. If the cylinder will not turn, it’s a likely indication that either a driver pin or one or more key pins are caught midway between the shear line.

Raking: Raking is a picking method that attempts to set all the pins virtually simultaneously with a single, rapid action. This is done by inserting the pick (typically a rake or half-diamond) and extracting it quickly while placing light tension on the tension wrench. The tension on the tension wrench is released after each failed attempt to allow the pins to reset.

Professional Lockpicking Set:

More Detailed Lockpicking Manual:

The raking technique works by bumping the pins far enough above the shear line that the key pins are able to fall below the shear line before the driver pins do, thus creating a momentary void at the shear line to allow the cylinder to turn freely. Raking takes the least amount of skill and is a quick way to pick a lock when the lock cooperates.

Scrubbing: Scrubbing is sort of a blend between single pin picking and raking. The wrench is inserted into the keyway, and light tension is placed on the tension wrench. An elliptical “scrubbing” motion is used against the pins, working from back to front, or front to back. The half-diamond pick works well with the scrubbing technique, but a rake or hook can be used.

Above: Lockpicking is a simple skillset to learn, but a difficult one to master. Practicing with a variety of tools and lock configurations will enhance your ability to adapt and improvise in a real-world survival situation. 

Legal Considerations

Know your local statutes before you run out and purchase a lockpicking kit. In Colombia, for example, the mere possession of lockpicking tools is a felony. Here in the States, lockpicks are legal to own and carry in most jurisdictions. Even where the possession of lockpicks can be considered a crime, such as in California, the law usually requires that it be coupled with felonious or malicious intent to be considered illegal possession. Stay out of places you’re not supposed to be, and you shouldn’t have any legal problems.

Conclusion

Lockpicking is a skill that requires patience and tactile sensitivity, but it can be learned by anyone in a relatively short amount of time. With a good working knowledge of lockpicking tools and the principles behind their use, a person can easily create makeshift tools in a survival situation, making lockpicking a practical and potentially life-saving skill.

Review: Nitecore NU05 and NU05 LE Signal Lights

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Responsible preparation for urban emergencies or disasters in a major city requires thoughtful consideration of the illumination tools you will use. From an every-day carry (EDC) perspective, your ability to draw attention to your location can have critical consequences. The flashlight or signal light you choose must be durable, lightweight, simple to use, and most importantly, bright enough to alert your colleagues, search and rescue personnel, or law enforcement to your location.

Nitecore entered the illumination device and battery charger market in 2007 and produces a wide range of popular LED headlamps, weapon lights, flashlights, and power supplies.

The Original Nitecore NU05

The company got the attention of the biking and trekking communities in 2018 when it introduced the NU05 signal light, a miniaturized strobe light which punches well above its weight class with its low-profile dimensions (1.16” x 1.19” x .64” and 0.37 ounces) and MOLLE compatibility. It’s a great signal light for strapping to the pig snout on a backpack via the MOLLE-compatible clip that’s molded to the light’s transparent housing, or for attaching to a bike stem to alert vehicles of your presence. The clip is thoughtfully-designed and also allows the light to be attached to just about any piece of survival gear with a zip tie. If you are completely down on your luck, a re-purposed bread bag twist tie would do just fine.

As soon as I heard of the NU05’s USB-rechargeable red/white strobing and steady white light capability, I purchased the light and headlamp kit (essentially an adjustable elastic strap), charged it up in under two hours, and attached it to the Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) webbing on my go-bag.

More Capabilities with the NU05 LE

Nitecore subsequently advanced the technology with its June 2019 release of the NU05 LE (Law Enforcement) model. This variant expands the basic NU05’s capability as a safety strobe by utilizing four independent colors (green, blue, red, white) and an alternating red-blue emergency cycle. Nitecore graciously provided a test and evaluation sample of this new model for a thorough shakedown.

The original NU05 and LE model appear almost identical, and aren’t much larger than a quarter.

Both lights ship with a 3-foot length micro-USB cable that plugs into the impact-resistant housing through a weatherproof, covered port, allowing the 3.7v 120mAh Li-ion battery to reach a full charge in approximately 1.5 hrs. That full charge gives the unit an advertised “standby” life of 12 months, so it can be stored until needed, a critical element to any EDC item.

Illumination Options

Once initiated, the LE version’s LEDs produce a varied lumen level (12 lumens for red, 17 for green, 2 for blue, and a maximum of 20 lumens for the white LED), with a frequency of about one second between flashes. The red-blue cycle strobes at a half-second interval. Maximum runtime in single LED mode is listed at 18 hours for white and 15 hours for all other colors, with 18 hours for the red-blue cycle.

The basic NU05 uses a special “blip” sequence to indicate the available power level in the unit, and utilizes the two paired red and two paired white LEDs to strobe with a slow blink, rapid blink, or illuminate with steady white light. It is suitable for those emergency situations when you’ve become lost or separated from the rest of your party and do not need to remain covert.

Although the white LED lockout function of the basic NU05 only allows the two white LEDs to operate for a maximum of 20 hours, they do so at an impressive 35 lumens. This provides enough light to change a tire, track down and retrieve recently-shot game, navigate an unlit stairwell, or complete a number of similar critical tasks.

The use of a green LED and unique emergency red-blue LED strobe cycle in the LE version are what really distinguish it from competitor lights of similar size and weight. In urban environments that contain a significant amount of red/white/blue artificial light cluttering the visual spectrum from streetlights, car headlamps and digital marketing, the green strobe stands out. When the red-blue emergency strobing cycle is activated, the device emits a very-distinct repeating signal that is immediately distinguishable from other light sources. You won’t be mistaken for the light bar on a police vehicle, but you will be highly visible.

It is important to note that the LE version ships with an additional mounting bracket designed to affix the strobe to the curved surface of a helmet. Users can attach a piece of loop Velcro to their helmet of choice and secure the light by the bracket’s hook Velcro. If the light is attached by just the integrated clip to the PALS webbing of a vest or pack, it should be backed up with a zip tie to guard against inadvertent knocks when donning or doffing your equipment.

Operating the NU05 Series

A central push button switch allows the user to cycle through the four single-color strobing functions and fifth emergency cycle. Mode memory resumes strobing in the color which was in operation when the unit was turned off. There is no steady lockout mode similar to the original NU05; strobing is the only capability.

I found the push buttons of both models to require a surprising amount of pressure to cycle through the modes. It was a bit difficult manipulating it with gloved fingers until I got the hang of the process. It’s also not easy to switch through the various modes if you have the light affixed to your helmet or backpack, but the mode memory will at least get you back to the last cycle in use before the light was put into standby mode. The light was designed to be turned on and left in a designated mode until deliberately turned off.

In a way this is a good thing, as you do not want an accidental discharge of light when your strobe experiences rough handling or rubs up against debris or brush.

Closing Thoughts

These were never designed to be a long-duration emergency solution on par with an S&S Precision Manta strobe. However, they can be attached to a number of surfaces and very small items, making them flexible and ready for use at a moment’s notice, and at a fraction of the price. Emergency equipment is of no use if it isn’t at hand when you need it, and the NU05 series of lights provides that capability.

Both the NU05 headlamp kit and LE version with tactical mount retail at Amazon.com for $19.95. Their low price could allow for the prepared individual to outfit every go bag, vehicle, bicycle and even key fob if desired, adding an extra measure of security and safety without breaking the bank.

Buy It On Amazon:

Video: Les Stroud Analyzes Movie Survival Scenes

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You’ve probably seen a survival-themed movie or TV show where the protagonist dramatically fights a grizzly bear or pack of wolves while lightning streaks across the sky and tense music swells. Although that might make for an entertaining scene, it’s anything but realistic. In contrast to these fictional portrayals, “Survivorman” Les Stroud explained: “Real survival is really boring. You hardly do anything… It’s not wham-bam thank you ma’am, full of packed action.” He recently sat down with GQ for a new episode of the popular YouTube series, The Breakdown, and analyzed a series of clips from famous silver-screen survival scenes.

Stroud’s favorite movie, Jeremiah Johnson, offers a more realistic portrayal of wilderness survival.

Specifically, Les Stroud discusses his reactions to scenes from Into the Wild, The Edge, The Office, 127 Hours, Life of Pi, Open Water, Alive, and his personal favorite film of all time, Jeremiah Johnson. These include a variety of environments and scenarios, some much more realistic than others. Stroud points out aspects of these survival scenes that strike him as true-to-life, and often compares them to his experiences while filming his own reality series, Survivorman.

Check out the full 26-minute episode of The Breakdown below:

“We think we can just go up there and be Jeremiah Johnson, but you have to train, you have to learn these skills.” This interview does a great job of reinforcing the fact that survival usually isn’t easy, glamorous, or even dramatic. And although we can certainly enjoy movies for their entertainment value, very few offer a truly accurate portrayal of survival.

Is COVID-19 Creating a Nationwide Ammunition Shortage?

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Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by our sister publication RECOIL, and appears here in its entirety with permission. For more articles on guns, training, and gear, go to RECOILweb.com.

*Note: as of 4/15 these online retailers still have ammunition available:


As if shortages of toilet paper, bottled water and hand sanitizer were not enough; shooters are reporting ammunition shortages amid the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. The response to the virus seems to be responsible for the next nationwide shortage of ammunition and possibly firearms.

The ever prescient Alexander Crown, recently penned an article for RECOIL, When the Brass Dries Up and lays out some of the more recent ammunition shortages and how to cope with them. It seems very timely amid reports we have been hearing since early February.

We’ve seen subtle signs of a panic buying here and there the past few weeks but it looks like the lid is about to blow off.

Looming Shortage of Firearms and Ammo

A reader from Arizona, Brent Stuart, tried to purchase two cases of pistol primers last week from Sportsman’s Warehouse in Phoenix, AZ, this afternoon and was told he could only purchase one case. The clerk at the counter told him there was a new corporate policy limiting the amounts of firearms, ammunition and reloading components purchased in a single day. According to the employee, he had received a copy of a memo from corporate headquarters that morning limiting firearm, reloading components and ammunition purchases temporarily.

The memo states:

With increased demand and limited supply on select items, Sportsman’s Warehouse has implemented the following purchase limits to ensure our product reaches as many of our customers as possible.

Firearm Limits:

  • Handguns (any type): 2 per customer per day.
  • Modern Sporting Rifles: 1 per customer per day.

Ammunition and Reloading Components Limits:

  • All Bulk Handgun and Centerfire Rifle Ammunition (100 rd + count box): 1 Per caliber, per customer per day.
  • Bulk Rimfire (200 rd + count box): 1 per customer per day.
  • All Handgun, Rimfire and Rifle hunting ammunition: 3 boxes per customer per day.
  • All 25 ct. shotgun shells: 10 boxes per gauge per day.
  • All primers: 1k per day.
  • Keg powder (4,5,8): 1 per day.
  • All 1lb powder cans: 1 per day.

We tried contacting Sportsman’s directly Friday 3/13 and our call was placed on hold for more than 30 minutes. So, we took the liberty of calling a few of the local stores in Reno and Carson City, Nevada. Both stores reported no limits on anything, but said ammunition was flying off the shelves. One employee reported a 75% decrease in stock on the shelves within the two hours he had been there. The other stated that it would not surprise him if such a policy would be put into place soon as a measure to stop ammunition and firearm shortages due to COVID-19.

Online Retailer Blames COVID-19 for Surge

Online ammunition retailer, Ammo.com, reports a significant increase in sales since February 23, 2020. The company believes that this surge corresponds with the public concern regarding the COVID-19 virus.

When compared to the 11 days before February 23 (February 12 to 22), in the 11 days after (February 23 to March 4), Ammo.com’s number of transactions increased 68%.

Alex Horsman, the marketing manager at Ammo.com, said of the surge, “We know certain things impact ammo sales, mostly political events or economic instability when people feel their rights may end up infringed, but this is our first experience with a virus leading to such a boost in sales.” Horsman continued, “But it makes sense. A lot of our customers like to be prepared. And for many of them, it’s not just facemasks and Thera-Flu. It’s knowing that no matter what happens, they can keep themselves and their families safe.”

We queried another big box store, Cabela’s and Bass Pro-Shops, who reported that ammunition is selling at a record pace. Week to date tallies for Herter’s 9mm 115-grain FMJ ammunition is 5,589 boxes. That’s 279,450 rounds and it’s not even Saturday. Month to date sales are 40,152 boxes for 2,007,600 rounds and we are not even halfway through March for just that one type and brand of 9mm ammo.

Cabela’s had no plans to limit purchases at this time.

Firearm Sales and COVID-19

Firearm sales numbers are always difficult to nail down definitively, but at least in Nevada, calls into the state’s background check system have been taking in excess of 2 hours. At certain times after waiting for 30 minutes or more a message tells the dealer that the queue is full and disconnects the line, causing them to call back in and having to wait again.

We’ve witnessed that happening while in several different gun shops and ranges over the past several weeks. It appears more people are buying firearms than usual.

Firearm and ammunition sales in California are reported to be five times above normal due to COVID-19.

“I’ve sold 12 handguns in two hours,” said Gabriel Vaughn, owner of the Sportman’s Arms in Petaluma, told KTVU. “Any time people are uneasy, sales go up, and it’s always the same, guns and ammo.”

A shooting range in Clovis, California, had to stop customers from buying ammunition to take home because they were running out of ammunition for the range. The Firing Line owner Jake Belemjian says people are stocking up on ammunition because of COVID-19 and the shop can’t keep up with the demand.

Political Fears

If this were not bad enough, the NRA is reporting that today, an ordinance has passed in Champaign, IL, to empower the mayor to “[o]rder the discontinuance of selling, distributing, dispensing or giving away of … firearms or ammunition of any character whatsoever.”

Apparently, politicians want to fan fears of limiting access to firearms and ammunition, leading more people into panic and creating more shortfalls in supply. We have speculated that the State of Nevada’s background check system’s extensive hold times may be the work of an anti-gun governor ordering staff cuts or allocating personnel elsewhere, but it seems coincidental with the timing of COVID-19.

The fact that it is an election year with an outspoken anti-gun candidate on the presidential ticket could add fuel to this fire and spur along potential ammunition and firearm shortages even without COVID-19, but probably not this early in the cycle.

Is This a Nationwide Shortage?

Dealers and distributors who have maintained good inventory should be able to continue to service customers. Most shooters who’ve gone through these shortages before have learned from the past and planned accordingly.

We aren’t yet seeing a firearm shortage due to COVID-19 in our neighborhood, but there may be an extended ammunition shortage on the way if it is not here already. In 2014, it was 22 LR, according to Ammo.com that caliber is moving a lot, but the surprise we found topping their list of most in-demand ammunition for the past few weeks was 40 S&W.

  • 40 S&W: 410%
  • 223: 194%
  • 7.62×39: 114%
  • 9mm: 101%
  • 12 gauge: 95%
  • 5.56×45: 69%
  • 380 ACP: 43%
  • 45 ACP: 35%
  • 308 Winchester: 32%
  • 22 LR: 29%

We would never tell anyone to not buy ammunition. Just don’t act all panicky and act like the folks who are building toilet paper forts in their garages.

Speaking of which, Franklin Armory has a smoking deal on Government issue “MRE” toilet paper and it comes with a free BFS-III binary trigger. Of course, that means that you will probably need to buy more ammunition.