Above, balloons at the Red Rock Balloon Rally near Gallup. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
September is only days away and before we know it, it will be December soon.
This means that the Red Rock Balloon Rally will be coming in early December at Red Rock Park near Gallup, New Mexico.
The rally will be held December 4, 2026 to December 6, 2026.
Above, a campground is near the balloon launch area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
For those who are RVers, there is a campground right next to the balloon launch area. I have stayed there and it is a nice campground with water and electric hook-ups. There is also a dump station available.
A New Mexico Federal Court made a decision on the 7-day waiting period that is confusing at best and is a clear violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the the U.S. Constitution at worst.
The ruling states that two plaintiffs don't have to be subjected to the waiting period while other New Mexico citizens still are subject to the law. This means we all have to wait for our 2A rights while the plaintiffs get theirs by this decision. Ridiculous!
FEDERAL COURT RULES ON NEW MEXICO’S SEVEN-DAY WAITING PERIOD
Federal court enjoins enforcement of New Mexico’s firearms waiting period law for only the two named plaintiffs in Ortega v. Grisham, but allows government to delay the exercise of Second Amendment rights for all other citizens of New Mexico
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (August 28, 2026) — Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) and its Center to Keep & Bear Arms is disappointed to announce a decision in Ortega v. Grishamthat leaves New Mexico’s seven-day firearm waiting period largely in place.
New Mexico’s waiting-period law requires nearly every firearm purchaser to wait seven days before taking possession of a firearm—even after completing the required background check. MSLF represents New Mexico residents Samuel Ortega and Rebecca Scott, who challenged the law as a violation of their Second Amendment rights.
The case began in May 2024, when MSLF filed a complaint and motion for a preliminary injunction on behalf of Ortega and Scott. Two months later, U.S. District Court Judge James O. Browning denied the request, finding that the plaintiffs had not established that the waiting period law was unconstitutional. MSLF appealed that decision.
In August 2025, the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a significant ruling in the case. The court held that the Second Amendment protects the right to acquire firearms and concluded that New Mexico had failed to demonstrate a historical tradition supporting its seven-day waiting period law. The Tenth Circuit sent the case back to the district court in Albuquerque for further proceedings.
Yesterday, Judge Browning issued a final judgment in the case. Although the judge stated that he continued to believe that the waiting period law was constitutional, he acknowledged that he was “bound by the Tenth Circuit’s decision and the law of the case.” As a result, he permanently prohibited New Mexico from enforcing the waiting-period law against Ortega and Scott.
So, while this ruling provides a total victory for our clients, it appears to leave millions of other law-abiding New Mexicans seemingly still subject to the same seven-day waiting period.
For that reason, MSLF strongly disagrees with the court’s watered-down ruling.
“Unfortunately, Judge Browning decided to take King Solomon up on his ‘great’ idea to split the baby. Big mistake,” said Michael McCoy, Director of MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms. “What a mess this is going to cause! All Judge Browning’s decision is going to do is create mass confusion among individual citizens and gun store owners in New Mexico over the status of the law. The decision prevents the state from enforcing the waiting period law against our two named plaintiffs, but leaves open the ability of the state to enforce the law against the other 2.12 million people who live in New Mexico. Will each of them need to bring their own individual lawsuits to acquire a similar injunction? Ridiculous! In trying to reach some sort of middle ground, the district court has failed to do what the 10th Circuit made clear needed to be done … declare New Mexico’s waiting period law unconstitutional and permanently enjoin enforcement of it except as to those individuals whose background checks have not yet cleared.”
MSLF strongly disagrees with the court’s decision. Except for our two named plaintiffs, New Mexico may continue to impose an arbitrary seven-day delay on law-abiding citizens exercising their constitutional right—even after they have completed the required background check. The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms; it does not give the government permission to decide when that right may be exercised.
While this decision is not the clear and complete victory we were hoping for, it is not the end of the fight. MSLF will continue defending the Second Amendment and will consider every available avenue to ensure that the constitutional rights of law-abiding New Mexicans are fully protected.
Above, a Winchester 94 on display at the Cody Firearms Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
When I bought my used Winchester 94 made in 1962, I had been on the lookout for one for some time. I wasn't following any trend at the time, because there was no trend when I made my purchase in 2019.
At the time, prices for pre-64 Winchester 94s were reasonable. Mine was under $500 and in good shape. Since then, something clicked with lever-action rifles with people and now they are among the hottest firearms on the market, new models and used classics.
Firearms News posted an article on why lever-action are popular today.
They begin it with:
For much of the early 2000s, it seemed as though the lever-action rifle's best days were behind it. Almost as if it was time for the old cowboy gun to ride off into the sunset. Looking back, the expiration of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 2004 immediately changed the American commercial firearms market. It unleashed an enormous firestorm for AR-15s and other modern sporting rifles. Manufacturers poured their resources into black rifles, optics, accessories and tactical gear. For a while it seemed like anything labeled “Tactical” would sell, and so with money to be made everything became tactical.
Meanwhile, many lever-action models quietly disappeared from production, and some shooters began viewing them as little more than nostalgic reminders of a bygone era. Chambered for strangle old rimmed cartridges and typically without optics or even a Picatinny rail, who would want such a piece? To many, they seemed like obsolete old designs that in the time of the GWOT were obviously out of style. Obviously the old 19th Century lever-action rifle’s time had come to an end. That prediction turned out to be spectacularly wrong.
A few years ago, I was getting a gun case for a friend from the garage. While going through the gun cases left from my dad, I found that one had a gun inside.
Lo and behold, it was a side-by-side Joseph Manton percussion shotgun. I never knew my dad had it until I opened the case.
Here's a photo of it:
Here's a quick Facebook video about Manton shotguns:
The .30-30 Was Supposed to Be Obsolete by Now — Instead Hunters Are Paying More for It video from Hunt Forge.
Summary:
How can a cartridge that looks obsolete on a modern ballistics chart still pull new rifles, new factory ammunition, and premium-rifle money 131 years after it was introduced? In 2026, manufacturers are still launching new rifles and new factory ammunition built around this cartridge and the lever-gun ecosystem it lives in.
This is not a nostalgia video. It's an honest look at the difference between maximum capability and relevant capability — and why a great many American hunters were never competing in the ballistics race that supposedly made this cartridge obsolete.
Inside this documentary:
• Why the .30-30 was the flat-shooting, "modern" cartridge of 1895 — and what that should teach us about confidence in any spec sheet
• Capability surplus: the performance you buy, carry, and never actually spend
• The 300-Yard Tax — the real cost of range you rarely use
• Why cartridges don't die from criticism; they die from losing manufacturing attention
• How modern bullet design improved an 1895 cartridge without replacing it
• The three years you couldn't buy a new Marlin 336 — and what its return actually signaled
• Exactly who still benefits from a .30-30, and who honestly doesn't
Why Americans Are Buying Lever Guns Again — And It Has Almost Nothing to Do With Nostalgia video from GunRank.
Summary:
A carbon fiber barrel. A Magpul PMAG. Three hundred Blackout. M-LOK slots and a Picatinny rail.
Every rifle in that sentence is a lever action, and every one is current production. Which raises a question nobody discussing "the lever gun revival" wants to answer: if this is nostalgia, why are manufacturers spending real research and development money redesigning a nineteenth-century action?
This is not a Top 5 list and it isn't a cowboy history lesson. It's an investigation into what actually changed — starting with the day in 2006 when the Winchester factory in New Haven shut its doors, and the market let one of the most recognizable objects in American life stop being made.
What's inside:
• The corporate filings behind the Marlin revival — and the widely repeated sales statistic that is a misreading of Ruger's numbers
• Why the S&W Model 1854 is named for 1854, and how one failed Connecticut workshop produced Smith & Wesson, Henry and Winchester
• The real reason lever guns were stuck with blunt bullets — it was never the lever
• Why a manually operated action turns out to be an unusually good suppressor host
• The federal tax change of January 1, 2026 — and everything it did NOT change
• Ohio's straight-wall rules, and the uncomfortable fact that the .30-30 doesn't qualify
• Michigan 2026: the counterexample that breaks the easy explanation
• Why one company built a rifle around a Maine tracker instead of a ballistic chart
Winchester Model 62A, Year,1947/48. 22cal. pump action Gallery Gun. #1 of 5 of my 22 review videos. Video from Cold Steel Bill.
Summary:
In this video I discussed mechanics and do a field cleaning on the model 62 a. skip to 9.45 minutes. starts the range portion of shooting Winchester model 62 a.
the magtech 22 long rifle that I was attempting to use did not want to feed smoothly
Note: I have a Winchester 62A that I inherited from my maternal grandfather. It was made in 1947.
HUGE 2A WIN: You CAN’T Be Forced to Wait for Your Gun Rights video from Guns & Gadgets 2nd Amendment News.
Summary:
A federal appeals court has delivered a major Second Amendment victory, ruling against New Mexico’s mandatory seven-day firearm waiting period. The Tenth Circuit says the government cannot simply force law-abiding Americans to wait to exercise a constitutional right because it fears they might misuse it. We break down Ortega v. Grisham, the court’s powerful constitutional reasoning, the dissent, and what this could mean for gun waiting periods nationwide.
Above, Mount Rushmore National Memorial last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
Last summer, one of the stops during the vacation trip by Mitch Geriminsky and me was at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
It was my second visit there and Mitch's first.
The official Mt. Rushmore National Memorial Facebook page posted the following bit of trivia:
Of the approximately 2.5 million visitors who come to Mount Rushmore National Memorial each year, the only ones able to move freely across the sculpture, including the carved faces, are the mountain goats.
Mountain goats can navigate the steep rock surfaces of Rushmore thanks to the structure of their hooves, which provide stability on sharp angles. Their hoof pads increase traction, and their cloven hooves help distribute their grip across uneven rock. They also have dewclaws on the back of their feet that help prevent slipping when climbing slopes reaching about 60 degrees.
Spotting mountain goats at Mount Rushmore or elsewhere in the Black Hills is relatively uncommon. The current population traces back to six goats that escaped from the Custer State Park Zoo in the 1920s. After moving into the Black Elk Peak area, their numbers gradually increased. There is now a healthy population in Spearfish Canyon as well.
NPS Photo
I remember seeing mountain goats along the road to Mount Rushmore during our 1990 visit. We didn't see any last year.
Yesterday afternoon, I drove down to the Flying J to pick up some stogies.
While there, I got the idea to take a photo of the Jeep with a sign saying "Hello Jamestown." For those who are unfamiliar, the Flying J Travel Center is just down the hill from our community.
I noticed that the price for unleaded regular at the Flying J was at $4.09/gallon. That is more than the average price in Gallup (18 miles west) of around $3.89/gallon. I will likely gas up in Gallup on Friday when I go there for dinner.
The Real Reason Hunters Still Choose the 30-30 video from Ron Spomer Outdoors.
Summary:
Few cartridges have shaped American hunting like the .30-30 Winchester. Introduced in the late 1800s, it quickly became one of the most popular deer hunting cartridges ever created.
In this episode of Cartridge of the Week, Ron Spomer explores the history, design, and real-world performance of the .30-30 Win and why it has remained a favorite for generations of hunters.
We cover:
How the .30-30 changed sporting rifles
Its role in the rise of lever-action hunting rifles
My favorite cartoon character when I was a kid was Popeye the Sailor. Particularly, the cartoons from Max Fleischer Studio.
Did you know that Popeye was voiced by two different men? Well, blow me down! It's true!
Popeye's distinctive voice was originated by Billy Costello. But he was replaced by Jack Mercer after Costello made too many demands. Listen to the following and compare them.
William Arnold Costello (February 2, 1898 – October 9, 1971), commonly known as "Red Pepper Sam", was an American actor and the original voice of Popeye the Sailor in animated cartoons.
Although he never received onscreen credit, Costello knew of Popeye's international popularity and reputedly became difficult to work with, demanding more money and days off in the middle of a recording session. He was replaced with Jack Mercer, who was working in the studio. Costello's final appearance as Popeye was in You Gotta Be a Football Hero (1935).
Here's a recording of Costello's voicing of Popeye:
Following Costello's departure, Jack Mercer took over the voicing of Popeye.
Winfield Bennett Mercer (January 31, 1910 – December 7, 1984), known professionally as Jack Mercer, was an American voice actor. He is best known as the voice of cartoon characters Popeye the Sailor Man and Felix the Cat. The son of vaudeville and Broadway performers, he also performed on the vaudeville and legitimate stages.
When his predecessor William Costello, the original cartoon voice of Popeye (1933–1935), became difficult to work with, he was dismissed. Mercer had begun imitating Costello's interpretation of Popeye, and he practiced it until his voice "cracked" just right and he had it down. Searching for a replacement for Costello, Lou Fleischer heard Mercer singing the Popeye theme song and gave him the job of doing the voice. Mercer's first cartoon was 1935's King of the Mardi Gras.
The entertainment world (especially Country Music) was shocked by the passing of singer/songwriter/actress Dolly Parton at age 80. It is said she passed away from cancer, which she kept private.
If anyone can be called the ultimate mega-superstar, it was Parton. Her story is the definitive rags-to-riches story.
Yes, I liked her music and her sense of humor. I admired her business prowess. I wasn't a big fan in the sense that I followed her career. That is why I am surprised at my reaction to her passing. Admittedly, I got a little teary-eyed at the news of her death. She seemed ageless even though she was 80. While it is sad that she is no longer with us, 80 is not a bad run.
The reaction to her passing crossed all spectrums. Everyone loved Dolly. She never alienated anyone. In fact, she believed in keeping her political views to herself as she was "only an entertainer." Many should follow that example.
The first Dolly Parton song I remember hearing was "Jolene" in 1974. I have a copy of the single, which is the only Dolly Parton record I have. That is why I chose a video of Parton performing it on Porter Wagoner's show for this blog post.
For those who would like to delve into more details of her career, I recommend getting the DVD box set of Ken Burns's Country Music by PBS that came out about eight years ago.
It is indeed a fitting tribute that President Trump ordered the flag to be at half-staff for seven days. If anyone deserves the honor, it is Dolly Parton. She will be missed.
7 Best Lever-Action Rifles For Deer Hunting - Accurate And Reliable video from AntPrepper.
Summary:
When a buck slips through timber and gives me seconds instead of minutes, I would rather have a rifle that mounts quickly and cycles naturally than one built around shots the woods will never offer. The best lever guns still understand that reality, and the one at the top has been doing the job so well that every newer design still gets compared against it.
Above, Nandoh Munoz shooting his Henry .22 lever-action. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
Out here in the Four Corners region of the Southwestern United States, Second Amendment gun enthusiasts dominate the population.
In our community of Jamestown, New Mexico, most here have firearms. With that in mind, it is not a good idea to plunder residences in the community at will. It could lead to a one-way trip to the pearly gates or the nether regions.
Our group of friends occasionally break out our firearms and head over to the shooting area. It is a small area set aside for shooting in the Cibola National Forest, which abuts our community. It is accessible by a couple of dirt roads.
Above, Larry Lucier shooting his Henry .22 lever-action. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
Readers of this blog know that I am a Winchester 94 rifle fan. I bought it seven years ago. It was made in 1962 and is in .30-30 caliber, making it a pre-1964 rifle collectors seek.
I am not the only one in our group who favors a lever-action rifle. Two of my friends have Henry .22 LR rifles that are of more contemporary vintage.
Friend Nando Munoz bought his a few years ago in Gallup. Friend Larry Lucier had his longer (at least as long as I've known him).
Above, yours truly with the Winchester 94. Photo by Larry Lucier.
One thing I've noticed about the Henry lever-action rifles when trying them out, they are heavier that my Winchester 94. When Nandoh tried out my Winchester, he noticed how much lighter it is. This light weight is one of many reasons deer hunters prefer it over other rifles, especially when trudging through the woods.
Other friends like to hunt bigger game in New Mexico and favor bolt-action rifles.
Top 5 Best .30-30 Lever Action Rifles of 2026 — The Ultimate Hunting Showdown video by IronSight Reviews.
Summary:
Discover five legendary .30-30 Winchester lever action rifles and find out which one deserves the number one spot. In this video, we compare five iconic hunting rifles based on design, handling, features, strengths, weaknesses, long term value, and overall appeal for hunters.
At number five, the Rossi R95 brings practical performance and affordable value to the classic lever action platform. The Henry Big Boy X Model takes the number four position with a modern design and useful contemporary features. At number three, the Henry Side Gate Lever Action combines traditional craftsmanship with convenient loading. The Marlin Model 336 takes number two with its proven design, side ejection, and excellent scope compatibility. Finally, the legendary Winchester Model 1894 takes the number one spot thanks to its history, lightweight handling, and unmistakable place in .30-30 hunting culture.
Which one would you choose for your next hunting rifle? Let us know in the comments.
The Mexican Revolution of 1910: Pancho Villa, Guerrilla Trains, and the Winchester Rifles That Ch... video from Battle Hist TH.
Summary:
It revisits the Mexican Revolution of 1910, a class struggle that reshaped South America. The inequality under the Porfirio DÃaz dictatorship erupted into a bloody civil war, with Pancho Villa, a guerrilla leader from the north, rising to become a legendary figure leading the peasant and commoner uprising.
Pancho Villa devised a new revolutionary strategy by seizing and transforming trains into mobile fortifications, transporting troops, vehicles, and field hospitals. Combined with his use of the Winchester 1894 lever-action rifle, he swiftly and decisively overwhelmed government forces, transforming Mexico into a fiery battlefield that resonated to superpowers like the United States.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week, we have Rocky Burnette with his 1980 hit, "Tired of Towin' The Line." This song takes me back to the summer of 1980 when I was in Englewood, Colorado for two weeks for a two-week course at the GAB Damage Appraisal School. After the class was over, I was back in L.A. for two weeks and then left again to Detroit, Michigan for the 1980 Republican National Convention as a California Reagan Delegate.
Jonathan "Rocky" Burnette (born June 12, 1953) is an American singer and musician and the son of the rockabilly and pop singer Johnny Burnette. Rocky is best known for his 1980 hit single "Tired of Toein' the Line" which he co-wrote with Ron Coleman, who formerly wrote, recorded and performed with the Brothers Grim and the Everly Brothers.
Above, camping at the West Yellowstone KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
Until I had to replace the toilet in my motorhome a few months ago, my 2016 Winnebago Minnie Winnie has been the most reliable vehicle I've owned.
It still is. It is an eleven-year-old vehicle and until the toilet needed replacing, I've only had very minor repairs to tend to, such as a stuck roof vent cover (still under warranty) and the house door lock that was busted by being slammed by wind. The awning fabric had to be replaced due to it being torn by a leaning telephone pole that I didn't see. Sooner or later, something will go bad. I've been lucky that it took eleven years for a major replacement job had to be done.
RV Travel posted an article on why some RVs last 30 years while others are money pits.
They begin it with:
A 20-year-old RV can remain dependable, while a newer one can turn into a repair burden soon after its warranty ends. Age and price matter less than construction, care, use, and storage. The RVs that hold up for decades usually receive attention long before a small problem becomes an expensive project.
In the video at the end of the post, certified RV inspector Duane from the RV Inspection And Care channel goes into greater detail.
Above, the blue dot marks where Jamestown is located.
Yesterday morning, while at my desk doing some blogging, I thought I felt a slight shaking sensation. That only lasted seconds before I dismissed it.
Later, I discovered that there was a 4.1 earthquake centered near Mount Taylor which is about 21 miles from Grants.
Since Grants is about 44 miles from Jamestown, that is likely why the shaker was light. It was non-concerning since it was so light because, after all, I've experienced much worse with the Northridge Earthquake in 1994 being the most intense.
I go to Grants on occasion for doctor appointments or to Loeffler's Guns Etc.
Historically, the Grants area is known for volcanic activity, especially from Mount Taylor. There are lava formations along Interestate 40 just east of Grants.
I guess it was making this ex-Californian feel right at home.
Above, yours truly with the Winchester 94 at Barking Spider Acre.
Regular readers of this blog know that I am a big fan of lever-action rifles, particularly the Winchester 94.
There's a debate among gun enthusiasts on what's better out in the field, a rifle with a detachable magazine or a lever-action rifle.
The Avid Outdoorsman takes a look at 20 lever-actions that are better than anything with a detachable magazine. Of course, such debate exercises are subjective.
The article begins with:
Every few years somebody tells me lever-actions are “nostalgia guns” and that detachable magazines are the only modern answer. Then we get a week of wet snow, gritty dust, or a long hike with gloves on, and the truth shows up. A good lever gun carries flatter, rides nicer in the hand, and keeps running when you’re tired, cold, and not interested in chasing a dropped magazine through leaves.
Detachable mags absolutely have their place. But in the field—on a saddle scabbard, behind a truck seat, slipping through brush, or still-hunting timber—there are lever-actions that just make more sense. Here are 20 that consistently do.
The Most RARE and Expensive Guns | Antiques Roadshow video from AntiqueTreasureHunt.
Summary:
The Most RARE and Expensive Guns | Antiques Roadshow
Some of the rarest and most expensive guns ever brought to Antiques Roadshow were sitting in closets, toolboxes, and locked trunks. A pistol mistaken for a tool. A cane bought at Goodwill for $6.99. A shotgun captured three days before Appomattox that experts couldn't agree on a ceiling for. In this Antiques Roadshow best-of documentary, we uncover extraordinary antique firearms, their histories, and the appraisals that stunned their owners.
This episode features an early iron-frame Henry rifle valued up to $100,000, a Mortimer shotgun taken from General Longstreet's supply train, an 1851 Colt Navy presented by President James Buchanan to frontiersman Seth Kinman, engraved Colt Single Action Armys with factory letters, Pennsylvania long rifles by Christian Beck and Adam Daniels, Confederate Richmond muskets, Scottish Doune pistols, Civil War derringers, a Kunz pistol cane, a Korean matchlock tiger gun, a Japanese wall gun, and a Winchester 1894 with a Buffalo Bill connection. Along the way, experts explain how factory archives, inspector cartouches, original finish, matched pairs, and unaltered parts can multiply a gun's value or destroy it entirely.
From a $6.99 thrift store cane to a Custer-era Colt whose replaced parts cost it tens of thousands, these appraisals prove that in the world of antique arms, provenance is everything.
Above, a black bear at Yellowstone Bear World. Photo by Armand Vaquer.
A bear attack in the Navajo Nation resulted in a fatality.
One may ask, "There are bears in the Navajo Nation?" Incredible as it may seem (not to those of us who live in New Mexico), not all of the Navajo Nation is in the desert. There are some mountainous areas with forests within the Navajo Nation.
We have bears in the Cibola National Forest near our community of Jamestown. One bear was hit recently by a vehicle when it tried to cross Interstate 40 near our community. Personally, I have not seen any bears while driving in Six Mile Canyon of the national forest.
The bear attack took place near the community of Crystal, which is in the Chuska Mountains.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported:
Black bears attacked two people in New Mexico this week, killing one, as drought conditions continue to drive the animals out of their habitat, increasing human-bear encounters.
The fatality occurred Thursday in Crystal on the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico, The Guardian reported Friday. The victim has not been identified.
It was only the second fatal bear attack reported in a century. The last was 25 years ago.
Navajo Nation police officers killed the bear, according to the report. Tribal officials did not respond to The New Mexican’s inquiry Friday about the incident.
