From Nils M: What is the best door jam? Also, what is your preferred guard dog?

Answer: For securing an exterior door of your home I recommend a product called Nightlock. This sells on Amazon for about $40 and it’s a piece of solid aluminum that prevents your door from being opened. You can find them here http://amzn.to/2semKyp. When it comes to dogs, I think large breed dogs are the best. You want something that is going to intimidate a potential intruder, which is why I own a German Shepherd.

From Barry J: How do I buy a blue ADT sign without installing an entire monitoring system?

Answer: You can purchase alarm company signage on websites such as eBay and Amazon. I know eBay sells one for ADT and Amazon has ones for companies such as Brinks Security. These are great to have in your yard even if you don’t have an actual security system.

From Scott B: Hey Jason, please let me know where I can get a jig for a good price so I can build my own AR-15, as I already have the video on how to build one. I also need the jig for building my own handgun — also for a good price if you can. By the way, I will need the lower receiver too in an AR-15

Answer: The place I recommend is a gun shop here in Southern Utah called Dixie Gun Worx. The guys there do great work and are by the book, so they can help you legally find all the parts you need to build your own firearm. It doesn’t matter where you live in the U.S., I would give them a call and they’ll get you whatever you need.  You can find their contact information here: http://www.dixiegunworx.com/

From Les D: Are you folks still championing the machete?

Answer: The fact is, a machete is a great survival tool. It can be used to clear brush, chop wood, and of course for self-defense. One of the best reasons a machete can be used for self-defense is because you can defend yourself without getting right up close to your attacker. In other words, if you had to use a knife you would obviously have to be right up against your attacker but a machete lets you keep some distance. Plus, a machete doesn’t run out of bullets.

From Matt M: I have two questions related to communication during a national emergency when cell service is unavailable: All family members know where to meet up in case of a national emergency, but there is always the possibility that this might need to change. What would be the best method of communication with family members in the short-term? What would be the best long-term method to receive status information from the government and/or citizen emergency communications?

Answer: During an emergency, one of the best ways to communicate is with a two-way radio such as the Baofeng UV-5R. Of course, each family member would need to have a radio and be on the same channel. If this isn’t an option, I recommend leaving a note or some way to let your family members know that everyone should meet at a backup location. For example, if your plan is to meet at a local school near the flagpole you could tell your family that if they go there and see a t-shirt tied to the pole that they should meet at the backup location you previously picked. Also, to receive the latest information I recommend the UV-5R radio. You can program these radios to pick up certain emergency channels so you can stay up to date on what is going on.

From Martha R: I am a 61-year-old female, who walks with a three-pronged cane due to the chronic, debilitating pain of Osteoarthritis. I move very slowly and am afraid of being a prime target. How can I defend myself against would-be attackers?

Answer: The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to always act confident, exercise good situational awareness, and to carry a gun if you’re able to. A gun is the great equalizer and if you can’t carry a gun, get a stun-gun or a tactical pen at the minimum.

From Tony C: I live in California. I have a Glock 43 that is my favorite concealed carry firearm. It is not legal for me to carry this weapon in California and probably never will be. However, with three daughters and a wife, I do like to carry it when we are out and about. My question is: should I carry and take the risk or should I not carry and take that risk? Thanks for any input.

Answer: I personally wouldn’t take the risk of illegally carrying a firearm. I know you want to defend your family but the thing is, if you are caught with a firearm during a simple traffic stop it can lead to serious charges. Now, my wife is from California and before we were married I told her that I would never live in the state of California because of the gun laws. I’m sure moving isn’t an option for you but I definitely don’t recommend breaking the law. (I grew up about 12 miles outside of Washington, DC and have plenty of friends that carried their guns into DC, but the risk was never worth it to me.)