I am a firm believer that a firearm is the absolute best way to protect yourself, your family and your home. That being said, this week’s mailbag addresses alternative ways to defend yourself and deter home invaders — starting with the most powerful survival knife ever made.

As with many skills, if you don’t have the proper foundation, you will limit yourself and ultimately be ineffective. This couldn’t be truer when it comes to shooting. If you don’t start with the proper technique, you will develop bad habits and hinder your ability to be a “top shot.”

Even if you have a bug-out bag and feel ready to deal with disaster, do you also have a planned route to get out of Dodge? And perhaps just as important, do you also have a backup plan? Here are four things to consider when deciding on a bug-out route.

Take a look at the following article from our friends over at 4Patriots that runs down what to do before, during and after a nuclear strike. Plus, one critical step you should take to prepare for a different kind of attack — one that could be even more devastating. And we’d never see it coming…​

Each and every one of this week’s stories contains intelligence that is critical to your survival. Including what to do before the taps in your town run dry, an often overlooked — yet essential — aspect of emergency prep and how to choose practical protective clothing. But first, let’s take a look at one key item that may make the difference between life and death in a survival situation.

Would you risk your life going to the store for a quart of milk? You wouldn’t have to if you had the necessary supplies to shelter in place. Check out today’s article for a list of items to have on hand so you and your family will be able to hunker down at home and outlast any outbreak.

Today, I want to share with you four steps for breaking in a new firearm — which hopefully you’ll have time to do before ever having to use your gun.

This “best of” edition of the Weekly Drop is a collection of reader questions that focus on the best survival gear for a number of situations — from power outages to home invasions to nuclear attacks.

In the wake of the shutdown brouhaha in Washington, our resident former Navy SEAL sniper and platoon commander Cade Courtley has a message for our elected officials. Here it is in his own words.

There is no doubt in my mind that we will see cyberattacks increase in the coming year. Whether it’s stealing personal information or attacking a company with ransomware, these crimes are easy to commit from anywhere in the world, making them extremely profitable for hackers. With that in mind, here are the top three cyber threats I believe we will face in 2018.

There are a number of simple, affordable things you can do to protect yourself and your family from a violent home invasion. One of them is building a safe room so you and your family have a place to retreat until the criminal leaves or law enforcement arrives. Read on for specific instructions in today’s article.

Preparing for an economic disaster isn’t a simple matter of saving money at home or acquiring a stash of gold and silver (although you absolutely should). This week’s must-read articles feature another option you should look into.

In today’s featured article, Jeff Anderson shows you a super-simple move that will stop an attacker in their tracks no matter how big they are — even if they get you down on the ground. Best of all, it requires very little strength of your own and ZERO practice. ​

Violent gangs and vicious criminals have a new “go-to” weapon in their deadly arsenals: acid attacks. Known as “face melting” or “torture in a bottle,” acid attacks create immediate, searing pain on contact and massive, irreversible damage to a victim in mere seconds.​ Here’s how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim and how to what to do if you or someone near you is attacked.

This week’s mailbag covers what you should do in the event of a nuclear attack (including what supplies to have if you have to go outside afterward), how to download and install my go-to virtual private network (plus why it’s important to have a VPN in the first place) and the best way to protect your home from top to bottom.

This article is not to help the hardened criminal or repeat offender ease his or her time behind bars. The following information is for someone who is going to jail for the first time. Knowing these survival tips could not only lessen your troubles, but may also prevent you from injury and death.

You should always approach shooting ranges with safety as your No. 1 priority. So here are several pieces of must-have gear to help you stay safe — as well as help you improve your training whether you are at an indoor or outdoor range.

Like me, Caleb Lee is a gun guy. We both like guns, believe you should train regularly with them and maintain they are the best home-defense weapon. If you’re finally ready to bite the bullet and invest in a firearm for home defense, read Caleb’s assessment of a shotgun versus an AR-15 in today’s article.

There’s a lot of information to cover in this week’s must-read articles — from an easy way to test (and toughen up) your home security to what you should do if missile sirens sound.

As I’m sure you’re aware, on Dec. 14, 2017, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) voted to repeal net neutrality rules. What you might not be aware of is what this actually means, how it will affect you and whether your privacy will still be protected.

If — or rather when — the SHTF, there will be no one to help you, no government aid riding into town on a white horse, no place to go out of harm’s way. And if you assume organizations like FEMA are going to help the huddled masses, you’re in for a very rude awakening. Luckily, there’s a simple solution at the bottom of today’s article.

In this week’s mailbag, I address one reader’s question on how much cash you should keep on hand for an emergency — and how to keep it safe. Plus, survival food recipes, choosing an emergency stove and more.

Today, Cade Courtley discusses a particularly dangerous cold weather scenario that frequently occurs in early winter or during the spring thaw when ice-covered lakes, rivers and ponds aren’t as safe as they appear.

Today, I want to share with you the top three security threats we will most likely face in 2018 — here in the U.S. as well as around the world.