Table of contents for June/July #49 2022 in RECOIL OFFGRID

The on-body IFAK (Individual First-Aid Kit) has been a standard item in military kit for generations and has become common with police, fire, and other first responders. As the trend goes with smart ideas, it’s now becoming common with hunters, hikers, and savvy moms at the playground. Minor accidents and injuries happen all the time and it’s nice to be able to just deal with the issue on the spot, rather than having to run home or dash off to the closest store for the needed equipment. But on top of that, some of the better-equipped IFAKs contain trauma dressings and tourniquets, for when the absolute worst happens and minutes or seconds can mean the difference between life, death, or long-term impairment, while waiting for a 9-1-1 response. Naturally, your…

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following write-ups were submitted by contributors who work full-time in the self-defense and survival industry. Rather than simply explaining the physical characteristics of their knife designs, we asked each of them to give some background on why they devised them in the first place, as well as how they’ve changed over time. Black Triangle URL: blktriangle.com / Instagram: @BlackTriangleGroup Tell us a little about your background and interest in survival skills. My interest in survival skills peaked while working close protection. Most of the work was done in major metropolitan areas and because of many of the locations, I found myself poorly armed due to local law or company policy. Being a good driver and having soft skills such as interpersonal communication ended up being more valuable…

You’ll notice that we’ve used a 1-5 scale on each threat and vulnerability in order to assess two things: 1. The impact of the vulnerability itself, if actioned, and 2. The likelihood of the threat to be exploited. These values are then multiplied to determine overall risk. Using this simple formula, and the below 5x5 risk matrix, one can quickly determine what the overall risk of the scenario might be. This semi-quantitative risk score is ubiquitous in information security and business continuity circles throughout both the private sector and public sector, including three-letter and other government agencies. If the simple 1-5 scale doesn’t tickle your fancy and guessing isn’t good enough, both NIST and ISO have methods of determining what exactly makes a 1 as opposed to a 4 or…

For some, a trek through the wilderness means going to a nearby park within the range of cellular data, groomed trails, and posted maps. For others, it means quite the opposite. Venturing across areas without trails for extended durations is tough on mind, body, and equipment, and it’s important to take gear that can stand up to punishment. Working as a forester, and volunteering for search-and-rescue incidents is demanding, and the Mystery Ranch Shift Plus 900 is perfect for those moments far from amenities. This pack has two components: the Shift is composed of the harness, fiberglass shelf system with easy access bottom compartments; the Plus is a modular bag with several compartments, including two easy-access, drawstring side pouches. The Bag Challenging terrain and the dense vegetation of remote areas…

I’ve discussed in past editor’s letters that we sometimes struggle to keep up with current events due to the lag time that’s inherent to a print production cycle. For example, by the time you see this, we’ll be about two months into Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Given that the situation is changing literally by the hour as I sit here typing, I have no clue what the geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe will look like by the time this letter gets to you. While we try to supplement our coverage of emerging threats with real-time articles on www.offgridweb.com, we do what we can to give similar due diligence to those of you purchasing the magazine in hard copy or digital formats. Originally, we had planned on focusing on bug-out…

I first met Greg Mihovich while training at Deep Woods Ranch, home to former SEAL and firearms trainer Rich Graham — owner of both Deep Woods Ranch and his training company, Full Spectrum Warrior. Greg and Rich are coauthors of some of FSW’s training material, including their unique Combat Mobility Program, which we’ll showcase in more depth in an upcoming issue. During my time at the ranch, I had an opportunity to sit down with Greg and discuss his background and the experiences that brought him to partnering up with Full Spectrum Warrior. I was quite surprised to learn about the landmark disasters that had tested this soft-spoken man with a calmly commanding presence. His story is not only a Cinderella-slipper fit for the guiding principles of this brand but…

It’s often said that good things come in small packages, and when it comes to guns, we’re inclined to agree. Ever since firearms first appeared on the battlefield, there has been a gradual trend toward shorter and lighter fighting weapons. The American long rifles of the Revolutionary War era often had barrels that exceeded 40 inches; standing upright, they were nearly as tall as the men who carried them. The famous Sharps rifles, used extensively by “sharpshooter” marksmen in the American Civil War, were typically equipped with 30-inch barrels. By the turn of the 20th century, the M1903 Springfield had a 24-inch barrel, a length that would carry over to the M1 Garand. Although the standard-issue M16 still has a 20-inch barrel today, carbines with 16-inch, 14.5-inch, and shorter barrels…

What’s the difference between long-range shooting and precision shooting? These terms are often used interchangeably, but there’s an important distinction. Long-range shooting only means you need to hit a target that’s far away. Precision shooting is the ability to put a bullet exactly where you want it every time, regardless of range, target size, or ambient conditions. For example, consider law enforcement snipers. According to a study by the American Sniper Association, the average LE sniper engagement distance is only 51 yards. However, precision is everything in this context. A tiny deviation in point of impact could result in a dead hostage. Precision shooting requires a solid understanding of external ballistics — in other words, how a bullet moves after it leaves the gun. It also requires consistent ammo, a…

Recent headlines have revealed a number of mass-casualty events involving vehicles. Notable examples include the 2003 Santa Monica farmers market crash; 2017 attacks in Charlottesville, Stockholm, London, Barcelona, Jerusalem, and Melbourne; the 2018 Toronto van attack; and the attack last November in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Wikipedia page for vehicle-ramming attacks lists more than 100 separate incidents in the last decade alone, making it clear this type of event is becoming an increasingly common threat to pedestrians. Whether it’s accidental or deliberate, the bottom line is, if you’re not injured, how might you be able to attend to those who are? The Setup: Imagine you visit your downtown area with your spouse on a Saturday to attend a local farmer’s market. In order to make room for vendors’ stands and the…

Being ready for unforeseen circumstances is more challenging than it may seem at first glance. A deep dive down the rabbit hole of survival situations could very well lead to staying down said hole for some time. Trying to decide which firearm is the most versatile in a survival situation is no different, and it sparks a lot of interesting debate. Misconceptions and inaccurate information from social media confuses and confounds. With seemingly endless varieties to choose from, making a decision can quickly become overwhelming. Being a combat veteran, I thought I could avoid most of this confusion when first starting out on my journey to build the ultimate survival AR. Apparently, I was wrong! Roughly six years have passed since I was last in uniform, and I found the…

Alan Turing, the legendary World War II cryptographer, creator of the conceptual computer, and codebreaker of the infamous Enigma cryptography machine once said, “Those who can imagine anything can create the impossible.” While it may not have been in the same light then as it’s taken now, he was absolutely correct. In fact, this statement, when being applied to quantum computing, mathematics, cryptography, and technology becomes a little terrifying when applied to the current state of cyber and information security. Now more than ever, we have nefarious actors thinking outside the box, and acting on what used to be known as the impossible. Around each corner is a new risk to be managed, and even more malicious “black hats” willing to come up with an exploit. With new developments every…

First off, I’d like to warn you that this article may be hard to read; names have been changed, sentences redacted, but these are not fictional “stories.” What you are about to read comes from the investigations in one of the largest cities in the country and the lessons I’ve learned about the physical and sexual abuse of children. This piece will focus mainly on the sexual abuse of children, though I will make a point or two on the physical abuse that of ten comes along with it I recently read an article from the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) talking about common myths of child abuse — you can read it at bit.ly/2xajICT. This was by far one of the better quick looks at the topic. One thing…