Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
Welcome to the latest edition of the Weekly Drop. We’ve got quite a full mailbag, so let’s get right down to business.
How do you protect your life and your valuables if the bad guy is armed and in your house with you?
— Boyce K.
Once an intruder is in your home, you have to react — fast. A gun is the No. 1 weapon I recommend for people concerned about home invasions; in fact, I have one on my nightstand in a quick-release safe right now.
If you aren’t a gun person, you should still have some way to defend your family like a knife, baseball bat or golf club. Or as a less conventional option, I know someone who has an antique battle axe as a home-defense weapon.
Now, most people think that if they just do what the intruder asks, no one will get hurt. Unfortunately, criminals who are brazen enough to commit a home invasion usually want more than just your valuables.
My point is during a home invasion don’t just sit there, do nothing and take the intruder’s word they are only going to ransack your house and then go. You need to be aggressive and fight back. Don’t hesitate and allow yourself to be a victim, because there is a very good chance the criminal(s) won’t just take your valuables and leave you unharmed.
Thank you. I needed another handgun like a root canal. However, you haven’t steered me wrong yet, so I’ve ordered one. Thanks for the tip! I’ve always been impressed with Walther handguns, and with Jason Hanson.
— Robin O.
Thanks for your kind words, Robin. I hope you enjoy the Walther Creed as much as I do. It’s a great gun for home defense or concealed carry.
I have your survival pen, but I’d like to see a video of what else I can do with it besides breaking a beer bottle in an Aussie bar. Don’t get me wrong, that could be very helpful, but naturally, I want to know more…
— Roger B.
One of the reasons I like the tactical pen so much is that it serves a variety of purposes and it’s easy always to carry with me. I’ve flown all over the world with my tactical pen, and entered many secure government buildings with it as well. It’s reassuring to know I have an effective self-defense tool on me in case I ever need to protect my life or my family.
The fact is, the tactical pen can be used as a glass-breaking device, a self-defense weapon and, of course, a regular writing pen. To get a video demonstration of how to use your tactical pen, click here.
I live near the ocean. I assume the SurvFilter won’t work on saltwater. Any other ideas?
— Bill E.
You are right, Bill, the SurvFilter doesn’t remove salt from water. The majority of water filters aren’t able to remove salt — the salt ends up clogging the filter.
Unfortunately, during a survival situation, pretty much the only way to desalinate water is through distillation. There are survival distillation systems you can buy that operate using a heat source, such as a stove.
The problem with these appliances is that the process is very slow and likely won’t be able to provide enough water for your entire family. For example, one survival distillation system I’ve looked at produces about one quart of drinkable water each hour. That means for a family of four, you would have to distill water for about 16 hours every day to provide each family member with the requisite gallon of water per day.
I have multiple magazines for each of my Glocks (17, 26 and 43). I always carry a spare magazine with me when I carry (which is most of the time), and I load all the magazines up when I go to the range. But I’ve always wondered whether it fatigues the metal in the magazine spring if I keep them loaded all the time. When you’re not using your spare magazines, is it better to keep them empty or filled?
— John H.
A quality factory-made magazine is designed to last for thousands of rounds of loading and unloading. So if you buy factory-made magazines — not cheap knockoffs — then you should be able to leave your magazines loaded for years.
I’ve done this and never had an issue. Most law enforcement officers do this as well — except when they have to qualify with their service weapon twice a year.
I live in Orlando, where we don’t have any cellars or basements due to the high water tables... Here is 1 million-plus population dependent on cars, but there are only four roads that traverse Orlando completely either east to west, or north to south. We do have a huge movable parking lot called I-4 constantly undergoing all sorts of modifications...
Go back a few years to the last really nasty hurricane, Ivan, which devastated central Florida. Nobody was able to leave the state by road. So how exactly does one bug out anywhere here in Florida?
— Jake A.
I hate to say this, Jake, but there’s no simple answer. The most important thing you can do is plan ahead and be as prepared as you can be. Trust your gut and leave immediately if you know a storm is approaching to beat the rush. I would rather err on the side of caution and leave too early than too late.
If you live alone and only have to worry about getting yourself to safety, I suggest considering a motorcycle as another way to bug out. Obviously, this won’t work if you have a family of four or plan on taking a lot of gear with you. But it’s a great way to move quickly, even in traffic.
Lastly, if you can afford it, municipal airports are a great way to get out fast — weather permitting.
I had a doctor’s appointment recently. While talking to my doctor, I told him about a procedure a previous doctor had used. I haven’t seen that doctor for years — I haven’t looked him up or researched him, etc. — and yet after the visit this previous doctor’s name popped up on Facebook as a friend suggestion. Is this just too much of a coincidence? Should my phone stay in my car during doctor’s visits or meetings?
— Karen M.
I understand your concern, Karen, but this is probably just a huge coincidence. While phones can be turned into microphones and used to pick up conversations, it’s doubtful this was done to you in this case.
Unless you work in the intelligence business or the government is after you, then it’s highly unlikely anyone hacked into your phone.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
