Shooting $9 Ballistic Armor Insert From Lazada (Philippine Temu)

Let's talk about shooting stuff! 

I got this allegedly pistol-rated soft armor insert from Lazada. Of course its sketchy, "how much do you value your life", and all that. 

Its super cheap at less than $9 for a 15 cm X 15 cm square. There are bigger versions of this from the same seller that has em in all kinds of useful shapes. 

I like the ones that can be inserted into the laptop compartments of our backpacks or used as side & abdominal armor coverage. 

You sexy thing 👌 

Firearm: JP Enterprises JP-5 pistol caliber carbine, 9mm Luger

Barrel: JP Supermatch, 8 inches

Ammunition: 

1x Federal Premium Hydra-shok 

1x PMC FMJ, 124gr

2x 9mm-GL: 

• our custom 150 gr subsonic ammo
• 851 fps from JP-5
• Muzzle Energy: 221 FPE

Distance: 5 yards

I am thrilled to report that ALL rounds were captured by the soft armor insert. This is a fantastic development. 

I landed all my shots within 1 inch of each other at the center of the square. That means it can still capture the rounds despite being struck in the same general area. 

If you watch the video I uploaded above, you will see that the 2nd shot was beginning to cave in the body armor. This is an important thing to note because that will effectively reduce the coverage when you are taking more than one hit. 

So if you plan to insert this into a laptop bag or backpack, you will need to secure it to both the strike face and the back part. 

It took some effort on my part to flatten it so I can shoot it a few more times. 

All of the bullet heads were recovered. It is interesting to note that their corresponding weights. The photos clearly show the level of deformity and how their jackets were affected.

The 150 gr subsonic heads kept their weight and had significant deformation despite its low velocity. 

This will now allow me to upgrade various backpacks with pistol-rated protection at a very good price. 

There was a time when my only options were available from the USA. 

I used to think that I'd never buy products from these kinds of sources, but time is of the essence. As you might have noticed I've become increasingly productive. Again, all of them sitting in my head waiting for my workshop to make all of this possible. 

Right now we have 3 EDC backpacks that we bring to work and school that have these armor inserts. What matters is we have improved capabilities thanks to these little DIY projects. 

These backpacks can be turned into effective shields on your left hand while the right employs a handgun. It can be worn in your front torso like body armor. More on that later...

A lot of magic could be done with a little duct tape and double-sided velcro! This was a fun project.  

Stay vigilant! 

DIY Shielded Radio Kit

We can block 80-100+db across harmful frequencies👍 

I've been wanting to finish this project for years. Things are way easier to complete when you have a good workshop with the proper lighting. 

I present to you a Shielded RF kit that can withstand EMP and other hazards like lighting and moisture. Yes, the gasket is in great shape even if this surplus can has been in my garage for the past 7 years. 

Parts are very easy to find at the hardware & school supplies store. 

A few months ago I tested various RF blocking textiles and bags from Lazada. Thanks to the success of that early experiment, we were able to proceed with this project. 

I am able to block wifi, bluetooth, radio, up close and E1 & E3 pulses from high altitude.  

All major components are separated by ziploc bags, each with their own dessicant pouches. Its important to detach batteries, antennas, and all accessories.  

We have these Versa Alerto ham radios and my trusty Baofeng UV-88. They all have pouches on our plate carriers and chest rigs. Some of them are close to 10 years old but their batteries & spares are still good. I'll be acquiring more Baofengs later on so I can transition to USB-C charging for greater field longevity. 

I'm quite pleased at how everything turned out in the end. Everything fits inside a .50 cal ammo can and is light & compact.  Its also robust enough to handle heavy rain or even light submersion. This is definitely much easier to bring around for any occasion.

The only thing left is to add more Amateur Radio stickers and labels so its easy to spot.  Maybe a yellow ammo can would have been better. 😀 

This is just one of a few projects that I've completed in my new Workshop. Things are finally coming together.  Building stuff is terrific fun.👌 

Stay vigilant!

Waiting for The Big One in the Philippines

This article is from Architecture on Facebook. 

"A TICKING TIMEBOMB: In the Philippines, an expected massive earthquake named “The BIG one” is predicted to cause a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. -INQ

The West Valley Fault System moves every 200-400 years.Last recorded movement was in the year 1658. -Phivolcs

The earthquake is predicted to hit Metro Manila from the West Valley Fault, which is 100 km in length (Phivolcs). Metro Manila is the capital, economic, financial, and educational center of the country. It is also the most populated region.

PHIVOLCS is estimating a death toll of around 51,500 from the Big One: 33,500 from the quake itself, and around 18,000 additional deaths from fires, along with 100,000 injured. -GMA News

PHIVOLCS also expect residential buildings, around 12% to 13% would sustain heavy damage. The 10- to 30-storey buildings around 11% heavy damage, and then 30- to 60-storey buildings, 2%. -GMA News"

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This is possibly the biggest natural disaster facing the Philippines.  The warning signs have been building up for decades.  

Adding gasoline to the fire is the immense corruption of the government.  Possibly a trillion Pesos over the years put elsewhere instead of infrastructure improvements and safety projects. 

We survivors are almost entirely on our own. 

We cannot depend on others. 

Getting ready is long overdue. 

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Here are our main threats in the somewhat near-term: 

1. chinese aggression vs Taiwan and the Philippines 

- blockade and invasion of Taiwan, attacking northern bases of the Philippines 

- disruption of infrastructure, communications

- social unrest, sleeper cell attacks to topple the government to install a puppet in favor of china

- economic fallout 

- when the foreigners and collaborators start rounding the men up, its already too late. We learned our lesson back in World War 2. Don't ask me how.

2. The Big One or another major earthquake like in Cebu in Metro Manila

- nothing will work for more weeks to months

- treat this as a once in a century disaster 

3. Political unrest provoked by corrupt politicians. Thanks to the public dissatisfaction over billions stolen from the flood control issue. We might have a Nepal or Indonesia situation. 

All of these will require us to hunker down, activate our trusted friends, and build up our reserves. We might have to be locked down again. 

These calamities will be require us to deal with the human element. 

Expect a majority of people to be once again caught unprepared. Desperation in large numbers will become the biggest problem post-calamity. 

This isn't our first rodeo. So instead of relying on the government to give us those monthly care packages (ayuda), we should expect similar or worse negligence on their part. 

Hella bad time if an Outbreak of a particular kind would take place while all of this is going down...

Stay vigilant!

This is when you BUG OUT: July 30, 2025 Tsunami & M8.8 Quake in Severo-Kurlisk, Russia

 

I really hope you haven't been living under a rock. This is one of the few calamities that can be detected fairly early enough to do something about. 

A responsible adult would have had go bags at the ready, and knows where his whole family is and has secured them. 

Be safe out there, friends. 

Stay vigilant!

Gear Review: Savior Systems Rifle Magazine Pouch

Savior Systems Rifle Pouch

Capacity: 3 pouches per side (2 GI mags per pouch) 

Purpose: low-viz standalone ammunition bandolier, trauma kit carrier

TLDR: I love its versatility and compact design. I think the configuration presented here is a highly effective loadout suitable for a variety of missions. 

*****

Make Holes and Plug Holes

I stuffed two rifle magazines on each pouch for "SIDE A" for a total of six (6). Pretty good for something so small.

"SIDE B" holds the stop the bleed stuff:

• 2x Israeli Bandages
• 1 CAT TQ
• 2x chest seals
• 2 pairs of nitride gloves (I need blue ones)
• 2x hemostatic gauze
• Sharpie (not shown)
• 1 smoke grenade

There is still room for a needle decompression kit when it arrives. 

Versatility is 🔑 

This can be worn as a dedicated bandolier or chest rig if you need significant capability in a small package. Most backpacks of the Jansport size can hold this plus a folded 10.5 rifle or PDW. 

I like having the option to bring this sling bag to augment any plate carrier or chest rig. 

It is also easy to toss this to a friend for a quick re-supply. 

In actual range use, it bounces around but does not get in the way of rifle manipulation or maneuver. 

If I want to go maximum ammo, I can stick a total of 12 rifle magazines.  Only then would the the added weight become an issue. 

The way I have it right now kicks undead @ss. I think this is a highly capable little sling bag. 

Conclusion: 

This item has always been at range for the past 2 years. It has stood up to semi rough treatment and hot summer days. 

It has the versatility to augment any mission, covert or otherwise. Reasonably priced against any amazon alternative.  

I dig this product. Don't hesitate to add it to your gear.

You can't have too much ammo when facing the undead horde 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🔫 💪 

5/5

Stay vigilant!

Ukraine's New Recruitment Video

"NEW YEAR, NEW ME, WORLD WAR THREE"

Ukraine stands! 🇺🇦 

This new recruitment campaign slaps and correctly paints the invading orcs as zombies. 

As a cold war child Ive always recognized the broader geopolitical game where tyrants sacrifice millions of pawns to stay in power. 

Innovation, courage, and information are the best weapons against the undead hordes. Best we learn from their experience.  

Here's the original link on IG: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFhNRHhs3L7/?igsh=MTJnNjQ0Yjh2aW1xNg==

Stay vigilant! 

Happy New Year! Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025

2024 was a wild ride, even for post-Pandemic standards. 

From my side of the pond these were the biggest things: 

• Political turmoil

• Ukraine still stands

• Myanmar, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria 

• chinese aggression 

• Record typhoons & flooding in the Philippines

• California Wildfire

• Earthquakes

• Consolidating your preps

• Look out for your health

A lot of these events will intensify. Plan accordingly 'coz we're already out of time. 

What do we do? We're still mending wounds and fences. Some of us are just grateful to be intact. 

Unfortunately there are far too many who could not say the same. 

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Let's look out for each other more this year. Make new friends, get out of your echo chamber.  Form your tribe already. 

For countless people around the world, SHTF has already come to them. Time is immensely precious.  Every day wasted could never be taken back. 

To my good readers, thank you for staying with us. I sincerely hope that things go your way in 2025. 

Stay vigilant!