# Three Things Every Newbie Survivalist Should Have



## jmh033089 (Oct 23, 2012)

by M.D. Creekmore on 03/08/2010
It’s a question I hear a lot from new preppers: “what should I buy first and where do I start?”

And while there are a lot of different answers depending on individual situations and needs, usually my recommendation to those starting out, is to start a food storage program, buy a good water filter and a dual purpose firearm for foraging and protection.
Food Storage Program

Let’s face it most people aren’t familiar with basic foods such as hard red wheat, whole corn, soybeans etc, nor are they conversant with their preparation. So I suggest, beginning survivors start out with foods they are familiar with.

Most canned foods off the grocers shelf have a shelf life of three to five years, make a list of everything your family eats for a week, then buy 10 cases of every non-perishable item on the list.

Even though canned foods have a limited shelf life you’re going to rotate so you’ll always have a fresh supply.

Say you start out with ten cases of chili. Mark each case from 1 to 10. You start with case number 1, when you finish eating it, buy another case and mark it as case number 11. Start on case number 2, when done buy another case and mark it as case number 12 and so on. 
Water Filter

You probably already know a healthy person can survive for weeks without food (what a miserable way to die) but only a few days without water – so we won’t get into that here.

Unless you have a clean spring or well nearby you need a good water filter and even if you do have a clean water source a filter should still be considered, as your reservoir could become contaminated or unavailable.

I suggest two filters a Berkey for the home and a smaller filter such as the MSR Waterworks EX or Katadyn Hiker PRO for the bug out bag. If you’re more of the do it yourself type you could make your own Berkey type filter system. Don’t forget extra purification elements.
Foraging And Protection

Boy; is this ever a touchy subject? Everyone has their own unfaltering opinion as to what makes the “perfect” survival gun. If you dare disagree with their point of view, you’ll quickly be satirized, demonized and possibly sodomized by those in disagreement.

I’ve said it before there is no “perfect” do everything survival gun – as with most things there are positives and negatives to every choice, but some are better than others. So here we go. Are you ready?

If I were limited to only one firearm (luckily we aren’t) I’d choose a Remington 870 Express combo with 20″ smooth bore sighted slug barrel and 28″ vent rib barrel or it’s Mossberg equivalent.

With one gun we can take both small and large game and protect the homestead from four legged and two legged predators. It’s hard to beat that kind of versatility.
Wait… what about?

I am sure many of you reading this have other suggestions you consider essential for those starting out.

What do you think every newbie survivalist should have?


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Knowledge and experience and the will to survive. I hear all the time that they would just give up life or let others decide their fate. There are a lot of folks who have fire strikers but have never used one. 

A note on the can foods. When you buy them, turn them upside down in your pantry. The oils/water perseratives will flow downwards. Also, even though the food is expired, doesn't mean its bad. It might not taste like chili or might deplete the nutritional value, but could still be edible. Just make sure that if it smells "rotten", or has dents in it where air comes through, then more than likely its bad.


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## jmh033089 (Oct 23, 2012)

I agree, if you are keeping for with your preps you should be using the old cans as you buy new, and I seen something about home canning? I think I seen it on doomday preppers said don't have to refrigerate them? They also are supposed to last longer?


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

With your list and my own experience with can chili-a large supply of soft Toilet Tissue

I don't have a pump shottie yet, but I know how to run them from the old days. MC Sports has them on sale, but with the 50MPH wind gusts, the turtle top camper van with A/C unit on top sways in the breeze and MC is 40+ miles away.

The pump would work well, bird,buck and slugs will take care of most mammals on Earth, not to mention birds


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## shotlady (Aug 30, 2012)

great info on the water filter


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## WoadWarrior (Oct 10, 2012)

Why is it that every expert says to store canned goods... but never tells you to store a can opener? Things that make you go Hmmmmmm.....


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I try to get pull top cans for storage.


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## jmh033089 (Oct 23, 2012)

WoadWarrior said:


> Why is it that every expert says to store canned goods... but never tells you to store a can opener? Things that make you go Hmmmmmm.....


lmao I believe they think its on of those common scenes things


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## WoadWarrior (Oct 10, 2012)

JMH... your typing cracks me up.... It's like you are texting to the forum using an iPhone with autocorrect turned on. (No offense intended towards your typing skills... it just brings me the occasional chuckle...)


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## jmh033089 (Oct 23, 2012)

htc evo lol and some times the others I will blame on my growing up down south lmao


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## jandor123 (Oct 24, 2012)

I buy Powerade and Gatorade bottles, 32oz - and use them for short term water storage, just rotate them outta the fridgee.
It's easy for newbies because they can buy one a day, hydrate themselves, and then refill with water and store the same day.

It's cheap, it's easy and it's smart.

;-)


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

jmh033089 said:


> by M.D. Creekmore on 03/08/2010
> It's a question I hear a lot from new preppers: "what should I buy first and where do I start?"


Ultra bared-to-the-bone basic starter advice:-
1- *Food*! get into the habit of keeping your fridge and cupboards well-stocked, then if people begin starving, you won't be one of the first to go.
2- *Water*! keep a few containers of tapwater around, so that when the water goes off, you won't be gasping for a drink.
3- *Light*! from a flashlight for when the power fails, but don't forget to have plenty of spare batteries. (or you could use a wind-up one or solar-powered one, or candles.) 
4- *Radio*! so you can listen to news broadcasts, but have plenty of spare batteries, or use a wind-up one or solar-powered one.

That should take the initial shock out of any emergency and give you a breathing space in the shelter and warmth of your home, but what happens next depends what kind of emergency it is, so you'll have to play it by ear after that.
For example if you envisage having to get out of town, a tent and sleeping bag are essential.
Also, adopt the right mindset, sure things might be rough, but try to rise to the challenge of surviving and think "Okay, it's showtime!"..

*"I was happiest in the midst of dangers and inconveniences"- Daniel Boone*


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## nadja (May 1, 2012)

Hi Lucky Jim Seems to me that you should have been born over here. Why dont you move here ? As long as you stick to one of the sw states, you would most likely be a happy camper. But be preparred for heat and lots of it. You know, the yellow thing up in the sky you see a couple of times a month, maybe ! LOL


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## nadja (May 1, 2012)

I would recommend to all the newbi and old preppers, that they include some manual kitchen tools, like a can opener, mixer, toaster that you put on your campfire, etc. If you have no power, you will need to improvise at best. Get an old fashioned type coffee pot. Yes, they still make them. Check out the sporting goods sections in wally world etc. If you go to the dollar general store, you can buy 2 boxes of old fashioned kitchen matches for a buck. Buy several of them and put them away for future use. On the Bic gas lighters, they are great for a time , as I am a smoker and use them at all times, I can tell you that they don't always do well in long storage. I had about 20 of them in one of my ammo boxes, and over the time of a couple of years, they slowly leaked or evaporated away. Matches will still be matches in the end. 

Every time you and/or your wife go food shopping, lets say you pick up a can of chili, instead , pick up two cans and do that with everything you buy as you can afford it. Use a felt pen to mark the date you buy it on the can, . As survival sad, put them on the shelf upside down, but turn them over about every 60 days or so. You will add a year or two to the storage life that way. 

As far as guns go, a simple .22 rifle with a pistol in the same cal. and you will have an easy stock item in regards to ammo. Don't be fooled by the gun guys, I don't know of anyone that would want to be shot by a .22, weather it is fatal or not. Takes the fight right out of you instantly. .22 ammo is cheap, easy to carry in large amounts, and can take most game in n.america, depending on your marksmenship. It is also much quieter then just about any other gun , which leaves a lot of options open to the imagination !
Extra clothes will also help, as you cannot wear the same ones for very long.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

A 22 lr will and has taken big game. I hear right behind the ear causes no bloodtrail


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## nadja (May 1, 2012)

Where you shoot any animal will depend on the animal , and of course your marksmenship. Just behind the ear is great with a small animal, but for a larger animal like bambi, may not be so good with a .22. If your shot hits the skull, you may just stun it. But if you hit it in the heart area, you will kill it , even if it takes a few minutes to do so.


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## WoadWarrior (Oct 10, 2012)

I wholly support the idea that every prepper should have a .22. One... it's darn useful as a weapon and for hunting. Two... should we become an American Dictatorship.... a .22 or a single shot shotgun are the most likely weapons Big Brother won't bother you about. So... when you have to lug a weapon where the public (i.e., govt) can see.... chose one that will still defend you but won't cause you any hassle. Keep the others for when you are out of sight...


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

nadja said:


> Hi Lucky Jim Seems to me that you should have been born over here. Why dont you move here ? As long as you stick to one of the sw states, you would most likely be a happy camper. But be preparred for heat and lots of it. You know, the yellow thing up in the sky you see a couple of times a month, maybe ! LOL


Yeah if the SW is good enough for Big John Cannon of the High Chapparal, it's good enough for me, i'll try to find a single/widowed American dame on the internet and get invited over, then marry her after a whirlwind romance and take out US citizenship..


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## dontlookatme (Apr 12, 2012)

Food. Water. Spare cash. 

Food: can food. Buy at least a few extra cans than usual, and store them somewhere where you wont be tempted to get some.

Water: buy a few cases of waters bottles on every grocery trip. I have seen a 24 pk go for as little as 2 bucks on sale days. 

Cash: the end of the world may not come for a few billion years. But hurricanes come. Tornados. Bad weather. Earthquakes. If you ate able to set aside a few bucks here and there, then u have money for a "rainy day".


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## mikes69baja (Nov 2, 2012)

Little bit on home canning. 
I recently ate pickled jalapeños canned in 1996. They tasted great.
I also opened canned tomatoes from 2006. they also were good, tasted like new.
This was home canned mason jar food


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## insatiable ONE (Nov 9, 2012)

Knowledge.
How many people do not know how to start a fire?

Try it in the rain or snow.
I've done it in the boy scouts 30 years ago, have no desire today.
Out of say 20 scouts, perhaps one or two will succeed from refusing to give up. The rest will surely fail. 

I say a good knife is tops on my list, of the items you need not said already. A small axe would be a dream.


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## nadja (May 1, 2012)

Let me see if I can answer the original question here. What does every newbie need to acquire first ? Well, I am sure most of you , even the newbie's have heard about Long Island and New Jersey . Well it is now going on what 2 weeks and no total repairs in sight. 

Try and put yourselves in that position. No gas at most stations, as no power to run the underground pumps. No elec, so no stores, communications bad if at all. Transportation a nightmare to say the least. Now, you know it will be at least a couple of weeks before there is any return to anything like normal. What do you need in your personal life to continue on without to much interruption in your day to day life? Do you have enough food to get you and yours through ? Generator to power up your refer etc at least for a few hours of each day. Gas to maintain the gennie and enough oil etc to change it out every 100 hours or so ? Why not ? What about water ? They lost a lot of public water due to no elec to run the pumps. Public sewer system ? Do you have inflatable test balls to put in all the toilets and drains to keep the bad stuff on the other side. I know a lot of people have basements and living rooms full of really bad smelly stuff because nobody even gave it a thought. What about first aid kits, especially if you have kids. And if you have one, do you kinda sorta know how to use it ? 

Now, having read this, and paying even a little bit of attention to what hurricane sandy did, you should on your own have a little bit of an idea of where to start. Food, water, shelter, warmth and/or comfort. Use your head, as that is the only real way you can know. Nobody here, no matter what you or they think can do your thinking for you. We do not know what your individual needs are. Only you.


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